[Leica] Tromsoe LUG Meeting

["Otto J. Anshus" <otto@cs.uit.no>]

Dear LUG'ers of the World,

It is now 1.80 meters of snow on the ground and it is time to meet for
BBQing and Leicaing. Therefore I am happy to announce that TLUGN, Tromsoe
LUG of Norway will arrange its First Symposium on Leica Operating System
Principles (SLOSP 1) on Wednesday 23. February 2000 starting at 18:15
(6:15PM). The Symposium will take place whatever happens, come rain or sun
(fat chance for that, unfortunately).

At the symposium we will drop test Leica Ms, R8s, binoculars and all kinds
of lenses into the snow (wrapped up in the famous US Zip Lock Bags). We will
also compare Leica and Nikon gear and select a winner in an unbiased way. A
Pradovid 2002/Super Colorplan will be used to look at eye candies (please do
edit your selection of slides carefully as this will take place after some
eating). In addition we will hear a first hand report by Arne Helme on a
lens event organized by Erwin Puts a little while ago. Also, the rumor has
it that one of the participants flying in from the Netherlands will surprise
us.

As the Northern Light is VERY active these days, we will try to capture it.
One or several telescopes (Questar and TeleVue) will also be present and
pictures can be taken as we have adapters for Leica and Nikon available at
the site of the symposium.

All BBQing will take place outside in the snow using a Weber Gas Grill and
Sticky Fingers sauce. The beer will be cooled in an environmentally friendly
way. The actual eating will take place inside.

The TLUGN SLOSP 1 will physically take place at my place outside of the City
of Tromsoe, Norway, at 70 degrees North on the island called the Whale
Island (yes, bring your 600mm Leica lenses). Take care not to hit any elks
or reindeers on the way out as all the snow has forced them down to the road
(and there is only one). A reindeer owner told my neighbor yesterday, "if
they get scared and go into the sea they are worth nothing and he would have
to charge the guilty party NOK5125 (=$650)". What had stimulated the
formulation of this rather content filled sentence was my neighbor's dog
(sometimes answering the ill suited name "Amigo!!") who had just chased a
reindeer into the sea. This had evidently spurred the owner of the reindeer
and the owner of the dog to become mutually aggressive. At the time of this
unfortunately too seldom event around here I was at the top of the roof of
my garage trying to dig down into the snow to actually find the roof. My
location made it difficult to avoid not hearing the exchange of opinions
about reindeers, dogs and their respective owners. Now I know a lot more
about this issue than before.

So far we have 4 happy Leica owners including myself from no less than two
countries who will attend. Please email me if you can come too:
otto@cs.uit.no. I will email back a detailed pack list and driving and
skiing instructions. There will be no charge, but as this event is not for
everyone you must present at least a (working) Leica M or R camera at the
entrance to be let in. Do bring a dried fish as "Amigo!!" tends to socialize
with anyone eating or who can be eaten.

Welcome.

Otto