"Winston" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 14 Aug 2012 09:04:20 -0700, anorton wrote:

"Winston" wrote in message
...
Every few days in Silicon Valley, CA we are treated to a kind of stench
in the air probably caused by arsenide gas from our various wafer fabs.
It ranges in concentration from 'merely distracting' all the way to the
kind of in-your-face pall reminiscent of the worst days of the '70's.
(Think 'Chewable Air')

Just now I discovered that wearing my painting respirator with type
6003 Organic Vapor/Acid Gas Cartridges almost completely removes the
smell.

Just a heads-up for folks also benefiting from our high-tech
environment.

--Winston

Gee, where are you exactly?

As we say: "Sanazay".

I have lived in Palo Alto for 25 years and
worked in Santa Clara, Sunnyvale and Milpitas for most of that time and
I have not experienced the same thing. There are a few hazy, low
air-quality days, but not that many and not that bad. You must be
downwind from some particular offender.

Yes. I understand that some are less prone to smell this than others.
For me, the aroma can be of 'eye watering' intensity.
A few days ago it was really bad.

I also really doubt (I hope) that what you are smelling is arsine gas
(aka hydrogen arsenide). The limit detectable by oder is 0.5 ppm, but 3
to 10 ppm induces toxic symptoms and 10 is fatal after long exposures.
The occupational average inhalation limit is 0.005 ppm.
http://tinyurl.com/8hr2mm7

Oniony-Garlic smell. *Really* pungent.
Can appear at any time of the day.
It was pretty strong here 8/11. I drove up to Cupertino and it was
nearly as strong there as well.

Weird.

I envy you in 'Paly'. The air there is normally much nicer - smelling
than down here in the South Valley. I worked at Xerox near PARC for
several years and was delighted to go to work each day, partly because
the air is very nice smelling there.

--Winston

Maybe you are getting a wiff of garlic from Gilroy. It is a little late for
the garlic harvest but perhaps the processing is still going on.