|
 |
Tuesday, January 8, 2008 |
The major trade show of the year is going on in Las Vegas right now. CES (the Consumer Electronics Show and successor to Comdex as the geek place to be) is growing so large that The New York Times ran an article claiming that companies might pull back because they could get lost in the size.
I've been reading about all the new products at Engadget. Lots of cool stuff. Tons of great new displays that will make tremendous control room or HMI additions some day. Some storage devices, too. Then, there are a lot of things designed to scarf up our free cash and time.
During my first two years as an editor, Control Engineering sent 6-7 editors to National Manufacturing Week and ISA Expo. I would have appointments for booth visits to see new products for two solid days--no breaks. And we had others going, too. That was 1998-1999. By 2000, things were already starting to scale back. Now, there are few new products at these shows. I haven't been to NMW for the past two years. We need a little excitement, I guess.
4:12:39 PM 
|
|
In case you're not convinced of the importance of services for the business growth of process automation systems suppliers, just check out two news items I received today.
Honeywell Process Systems announced a six-year agreement with BP Exploration to provide main automation contractor services at new and existing facilities. According to the release, Honeywell will help BP Exploration & Production "accelerate production schedules and improve efficiency in these facilities by integrating all levels of plant operations and automating critical processes.
Meanwhile, Emerson announced that it has acquired The Automation Group of Houston, Texas. TAG becomes part of Emerson Process Management, "expanding Emerson's capabilities for providing technical and management services for the design, engineering and implementation of process automation systems for the refinery, petrochemical, oil and gas production and other industries." TAG provides process automation/control system engineering, instrument and electrical design, project management services.
Meanwhile, rumors persist that Invensys Process Systems is moving to make services and support its main business. That must be where the action is today.
3:48:05 PM
|
|
Can't believe it's been so long since I wrote. Had a real struggle getting my January feature article completed. Then had a few long conference calls. Too bad about OSU last night. I thought they'd give LSU more of a run. I attended LSU for graduate studies in philosophy, but dropped out to get back into technical stuff and manufacturing. I don't root for it.
I'm currently reading "The Ladder of Divine Ascent" by John Climacus, a 5th or 6th Century monk, probably one of the "desert Fathers." No, this isn't a theology blog. I have another one for that. If you want the URL, write to me. I don't publicize it. But the thing that interests me about ancient philosophy is that it always points to how to live. John (by the way, Climacus is not his last name, or as you'd say in Europe, his family name, it refers to climbing, as in ascent, get it?) discusses the great and small character problems that you must overcome to live right.
Step 13 discusses "despondency" or "tedium," a problem caused by the "noon-day devil." The latter was a well known condition among monks, evidently. This is the opposite of alertness. I think we have the same thing today, just with another name. We say that you get low blood sugar in the afternoon caused by eating the wrong lunch. I had a Quarter Pounder meal for lunch with Ronald and now I'm fighting the "noon-day devil." Ah, but a few M&M Peanuts and water and we're off.
I do recommend John. Understand to whom he was writing and the times. There is a wealth of wisdom even if you're not a contemplative--or even religious.
3:36:30 PM
|
|
© Copyright 2008 Gary Mintchell.
|
|
|
