"It's show time!" Ready or not, on Sept 3, the biennial International Machine Tool Show opens at McCormick Place, Chicago. Planning a show that encompasses displays from over 1000 companies from 29 nations and an associated technical conference presenting more than 200 papers on 50 topics has not been without its problems.

The last two months have been both a time of difficulty and of growth for Gear Technology. Unexpectedly, I found myself in the hospital having surgery, and consequently out of commission for several weeks. At the same time, two individuals on our staff lost family members, and most of this period saw us getting ready for this preshow IMTS issue while being seriously short-staffed.

This issue of Gear Technology, The Journal of Gear Manufacturing, marks the end of our second year of publication. As we approach our third year, it is time to review our statement of purpose. Gear Technology's primary goal was and is to be a reference source and a forum for the American Gear industry, and to advance gear technology throughout the world.

Sitting down to write my comments for this issue, one event filled my thoughts-the transformation and uninhibited euphoria that overcame Chicago, and the whole Midwest, by the Bears reaching and winning the Superbowl.

As I thought about what we might expect for 1986, the most important news affecting our industry is the tax revision bill just finished by the House Ways and Means Committee.

Three things have happened in the last few weeks, that lead me to believe the worst is over - not that great times are ahead, but that things will get better.

While on holiday in England during July, my thoughts for this page were on the proposed changes to our tax law, and how they would adversely affect America's industry. But with the President undergoing cancer surgery, Congress deadlocked on deficit reduction and the budget on the back burner, nothing new was being said or done regarding a new tax law

Despite increased overseas competition, there doesn't seem to be an urge among Americans to attend technical conferences.

This issue, our sixth, marks the 1st Anniversary of GEAR TECHNOLOGY, The Journal of Gear Manufacturing.

I recently attended a briefing, arranged by the White House, regarding the Treasury's tax simplification plan. A Treasury Undersecretary explained that their goal was to come up with a tax code that was "fair" to everyone.