Crude oil exchange

To the Editor: I was pleasantly surprised and extremely pleased to note Steve Tait's letter to the editor in the August issue of ASME NEWS. He skillfully pointed out some serious discrepancies in Robert Ehrenbeck's letter in the June issue, especially with regard to crude oil shipments to Asia and the energy crisis in California.

I spent the greater portion of my career working in the energy field, including 11 years in the petroleum industry. I would like to make one minor comment about the 60,000 barrels a day of Alaska crude to Asia. As Tait pointed out, this has been discontinued. Yet, even if this practice was still in place, it is somewhat of a non-issue, as I believe a crude oil exchange was probably in place for the 60,000 barrels per day. That is, a U.S. oil company received 60,000 barrels in return for the Alaska domestic crude.

Most likely, the exchange was delivered to a convenient U.S. East Coast refinery from, for example, Saudi Arabia or another OPEC supplier. The exchange crude would be delivered to a refinery designed for that particular species of crude oil; thus, the net result would be cost benefit, hopefully, to all concerned; that is, the refiners and the consuming public.

I enjoy reading the new ASME NEWS. You folks have a fine publication.

E.V. Werry, P.E.
Sandpoint, Idaho

More Boy Scouts fallout

To the Editor: Please add my name to the long list of those who vehemently disagree with past vice president of ASME Emil Martinec, about his comments on the Boy Scouts of America (Letters, June). Martinec, apparently, [is] sadly misinformed about the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). I know from my 12-year-old son's current experiences that the BSA provides outstanding guidance and learning experiences for our boys that few other organizations come close to matching.

I also agree with at least one of the letter writers (Letters, July) that the editors of ASME "dishonored" the Society by publishing the letter by Martinec. In the future, I urge the editors to serve ASME and the best interests of a healthy Society and not the selfish and destructive ramblings of the politically correct.

William D. Carlson, P.E.
Rochester Hills, Mich.

Members are entitled to opinions

To the Editor: Steve Tait's long letter in the August issue criticized ASME NEWS for not expending the effort to verify the accuracy of statements in Letters before printing them, and threatened to resign his membership if inaccurate statements continue to appear.

I submit that the editors have no responsibility to correct the opinions of members.

After all, they are the writers' opinions, not necessarily to be taken as a learned treatise. Tait's letter would not have been published if that practice were in effect.

In his arguments about the energy crisis in California, he wrote: "Since power plants produce energy, it would seem that there is indeed a lack of energy (read: 'crisis') in California."

This statement is incorrect; power plants do not produce energy. Power plants only change some other form of energy into electric and/or thermal energy for use in those forms.

I have seen enough letters regarding ASME supporting the educational activities of the Boy Scouts, and I sincerely hope that you will let that matter rest.

Richard R. Balsbaugh, P.E.
Green Valley, Ariz.

P.E. exam update

To the Editor: I would like to correct a statement in the article on the P.E. exam that appeared in the July issue of ASME NEWS. The article stated that the new exam format requires all test takers to answer 40 multiple-choice questions in the morning that deal with codes and standards. This is not the case.

The morning session has 40 multiple-choice questions that cover the breadth of the mechanical engineering discipline. The article correctly stated that the afternoon session involves 40 multiple-choice questions on a specific topic selected by the examinee. The three topic areas covered in the afternoon are HVAC and Refrigeration, Machine Design, and Thermal and Fluids Systems. The morning breadth exam contains questions from these three areas of mechanical engineering.

The NCEES Web site (www.ncees.org) provides detailed information on the content of the examination.

John Q. Adams, III, P.E.
NCEES Director of PE/LS
Examination Development

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