If you’re in the U.S. today, odds are you’re at home enjoying the aftermath of a Thanksgiving holiday meal. Let me just say that whether you had a Thanksgiving holiday surrounded by family, friends, or both, I hope it was joyous. If you know someone who doesn’t have friends or family with whom to share this time, please reach out and include them. Chronic loneliness can exact a measurable toll on our mental and physical health. Wherever you are on the globe this holiday season, I encourage you to reach out to someone who might be battling loneliness and connect. It will make a difference to them. Not only will it help get you in the mood for your winter holiday of choice, but it’ll be good for your mental health as well.

Just because a “rule of thumb” is usually based on experience instead of precise facts doesn’t negate its value. For instance, when I told my kids that a good rule of thumb was not to back-talk to their mother, they discovered very quickly how accurate my advice was once they crossed that line. There are a lot of rules of thumb that we rely on daily, including those that apply to PCB design.

Electronic devices are ubiquitous, performing critical functions in a wide range of applications, from consumer electronics to aerospace, medical devices, automotive systems, and industrial control systems. Many of these devices operate in harsh environments characterized by extremes in temperature, humidity, pollution, and chemical exposure.