NEWSLETTER Anthracite-LV Website

Vol. XXXII No. 3 www.asme.org/sections/a-lv/index.html

MULTI- MONTH WINTER ISSUE

Welcome back, I hope your holidays were enjoyable and relaxing. We ended the fall with events containing a race car theme. In October at Lafayette College, we were entertained by ASME Distinguished Lecturer, Arthur Ebeling, on Indy race car design. In November, we toured Penske Racing facilities in Reading including close up viewing of the Indy cars. Both were well attended with excellent presentations and dinners.

My wife unfortunately got a speeding ticket about the same time near our home on a back road in western New Jersey. I teased her that she could pick up some pointers at our events. I threw out some remarks her way such as "Jersey driver", and "Mrs. Mario". This abruptly ended when she reminded me about my own driving escapades. Ah, marriage- one continuous comeback.

Before the executive committee gets back to work, we have a social event scheduled in January which pertains to snow and speed. Check out the details following herein. If anyone is interested in attending the Engineer’s Week dinner, held in February, please contact me so we may coordinate reservations. Finally, we are currently working on tours in the Anthracite (Scranton/ Wilkes-Barre) region and in the Bethlehem area. If you wish to tour a specific company or if you would be so kind to have us tour your facility, please let us know. We’ll do the set up and all that you have to do is show up.

I never did anything worth doing by accident, nor did any of my inventions come by accident; they came by work. - Thomas A. Edison

Tom Reilly - Chair

The Anthracite - Lehigh Valley ASME was treated to another great tour on November 7 at Penske Racing in Reading. Section motorheads were hosted by Mr. Jerry Breon, Facilities Manager of the headquarters, which looks more "showroom" than "shop."

Detail, order, and cleanliness are the first thing one notices in the multi-bay floor, home base for Penske's IndyCar fleet. The facility includes complete vehicle assembly, parts cleaning & inspection, and painting, as well as engine testing, tuning and maintenance. We also toured the Racecar Transporters: plush tractor-trailers, each hauling two cars and packed with all the tools and parts needed at the track.

The cars themselves were the most impressive. Every portion of the vehicle is designed for either speed, safety or diagnostics (over 150 variables monitored in real time!). Equally impressive, each year the Penske Racing Family "co-ops" with the ace Vo-Tech student from the Reading Area, currently employing more than 20 of the graduates as resident mechanics.

Thanks Again to Jerry for a fascinating event. The tour was booked in record time, and didn't disappoint. And kudos (and condolences) to Tobi Mengle, the Reading Area Manager who organizes great events, but always misses them!

The Engineer’s Week dinner is scheduled for Friday, February 21, 2003 at the Hotel Bethlehem Radisson, in downtown Bethlehem, PA. This year’s essay is Turning Ideas in to Reality – Energy for Ever. Student winners will receive their awards that evening. A lecturer will also be featured. See www.lvengineer.org for details. Also see the national website: www.eweek.org . As in past years, our ASME section will purchase a table of ten seats at the banquet. The section’s contribution will be split evenly amongst all section members and spouses that sign up. That is, if ten people attend, the section will pay for each person’s dinner in full. If twenty attend, the section will pay 50% for each person’s dinner, etc. If you would like to sign up, please contact our treasurer Jeff Daniels at DanielsJ1@asme.org . The deadline for signing up is Friday January 31, 2003. The banquet is an enjoyable chance to network with other professionals in the Lehigh Valley, and you can tell lawyer jokes without the usual fear of finding out that there’s a lawyer in your conversation group!

ASME IGTI is holding a Turbo Expo (gas turbine & power show) in Atlanta from June 16-19, 2003. For additional information, please see IGTI@asme.org .

Susan H. Skemp, President 2002-2003, has provided the ASME Vision and Mission Statements, and Key Objectives in a concise presentation, Focus on the Future, and can be found at www.asme.org/asme/focus.html .

Howard Sherer of Legg Mason will host Section Members at his offices for a Personal Finance Seminar. The event will take place on Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at 6pm.

• The importance of asset allocation
• Stocks (equity) and Bonds (fixed income)
• The methods used to make the selections for the best of class for mutual funds in your portfolio
• How to balance your asset allocation between your 401k/IRA and your personal non-retirement accounts
• What to consider if you are offered an early retirement or buy out decision, and what options do you have with your IRA, and 401k plans.

Howard Sherer has a BS in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse Univ. and an MBA for the Univ. at Buffalo. His career previously focused on product management and business development in the automation industry. He has held management positions with Leeds & Northrup, Yokogawa, Reading Technologies, and Eurotherm, prior to joining the investment field.

Remember 2 years ago when we did DORNEY’s DOMINATOR with its 200 ft rapid vertical acceleration, and the STEEL FORCE 75 mph coaster, and the WILD MOUSE zigzagging car ride? Well, this year’s January meeting will be right up there as far as excitement.

ASME members, families, & friends are invited to our winter outing at Blue Mountain Ski Area on Sunday, January 19, from 4 to 10 PM. Here is your chance to experience outstanding downhill snow skiing, or snowboarding, at a reasonable cost, and with NO long lines. We are tailoring this outing for the beginner & intermediate skier, even though some diehards will be driven to the double diamond slopes.

Two years of skiing Sunday nights at Blue, with my 15 yr old snowboarding son, tells me that everyone will have a good time, be it the first time skier, or the 30 year veteran. Skiing at night, on a well lit mountain, with no people lines, is simply the best way to go. The only other part of the equation is the SNOW. All predictions indicate that we will have an exceptional white season, and when combined with Blue Mountain’s monster snow making equipment, we can’t loose.

Blue Mountain has two heated lodges on the North side of the mountain, one near the top and the other at the base. Our group will meet at the recently renovated bottom lodge because it is closest to the best school hills, it’s adjacent to a large flat parking lot & the snow tubing area, and it is equipped with equipment rentals, food, and seating to view the slopes. Additionally, it is right in front of all the chairlifts.

Food & drinks may be purchased from the cafeteria, or you may elect to bring your own cooler for the 6 – 7 PM break.

Cost per person:

• $18 LIFT TICKET >>SPECIAL OFFER<< $10 Lift Ticket Rebate to first (20) Members

to reserve. Discount is for Section Members only. Courtesy of the Section.

• $20 for a 1 hr GROUP LESSON (Highlyrecommendedfor beginners)
• $19 SKI Package Rental, or $23 SNOWBOARD Package Rental
• ??? Food & drink, or bring your own.

In summary: Don’t forget your snow-suit, gloves, hat, and $18 to $61 per person.

Rentals require a credit card, or a large cash deposit. See Web site for details.

Note: Blue also offers a "First Time Skier Package" for $30 ($35 snowboard). This restricts you to the 3 ski school hills, and won’t allow entrance to the main slopes. My experience is that very soon after your one hour lesson, you’ll want to hit the regular slopes and that requires the $18 ticket.

From Allentown & Rt 22 (Estimated 25 minutes):

Drive straight through Palmerton’s Delaware Ave, going through about 5 lights.

At East end of Palmerton, turn Right on to Little Gap Road. (Gas station on rt, bar on left)

Park in lot at base of mountain.

From Easton:

Travel West on Rt 248

In Cherryville turn Right (North) on to Blue Mountain Drive

Travel North 6 miles, straight through the Danielsville traffic light.

Ski Resort is just over top of Mountain.

Don’t take the first Blue Mountain Ski Area turn.

Continue down the hill & park in lot at base of mountain.

From Allentown (alternate, short route) (Estimated 20 minutes) :

Travel North on Rt 145.

At far end of Trichlers bridge turn Rt on to Blue Mountain Drive

Ski Resort is just over top of Mountain.

Don’t take the first Blue Mountain Ski Area turn.

Continue down the hill & park in lot at base of mountain.

Further Blue Mountain Ski Area information may be obtained at

<www.skibluemt.com >

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Contact:

HopstockM@ASME.org

I plan to attend a Blue Mountain Ski Area outing on January 19th, and ski at my own risk:

Name: ____________________________ 1^st time - Begin - Inter - Advanced (check one)

Name: ____________________________ 1^st time - Begin - Inter - Advanced (check one)