August 18, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

Last week after I did the posting about ExxonMobil's advertising for the Olympics, I made some phone calls and managed to talk to Truman Bell, who is the program chair for the company's diversity and education efforts. We recorded a podcast that is now available for you to hear. As I was thinking about the questions to ask, I realized I was preoccupied with the TV spots and wasn't thinking about what's behind them.

The TV spots aren't there to fill the skills gap. They're a bit of corporate advertising to remind people that ExxonMobil is doing all these things. It's the things that matter most. As you'll hear from Bell in the pod...Read More
Industries: Information Control

August 18, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

If you live in the eastern third of the U.S., you might recall that last week was the fifth anniversary of the great 2003 blackout. Yes, it was August 14, 2003 when more than 50 million people had their lights go out. The question is, did we learn anything from that incident? Is that sort of thing less likely to happen today? According to an article in USA Today, the answer to both is a qualified "yes," however there is still more to do.

The sophistication of grid control has improved significantly, and this depends heavily on industrial automation. (Hopefully there's a back-up power supply.) Utilities have made major investments in the control infrastructure that have improved its resilience.

The most ...Read More
Industries: Information Control

August 14, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

The decline in driving in the U.S. continues, according to an AP story. In June, Americans drove 12.2 billion fewer miles than in 2007. That's a 4.7% decrease. That still seems low to me, and there are probably (hopefully) greater reductions to come.

If you read this blog with any regularity, you will recall that I managed to ride my bike to work one Saturday just to see if it could be done. I suggested then that I would try it again on a weekday. If you've been waiting for a report on that, here it is: Since that Saturday (August 2) I have ridden my bike three times, (August 7, 11, 14) including today. I believe my initial estimates of the total distance may be a bit overstated, as the bike path offers something of a crow-flys advantage. A more accura...Read More

August 13, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (0)

In spite of the floods in Iowa earlier this summer, corn harvests are still projected to be near records, and the amount of corn used to make ethanol will be the highest ever. The Chicago Tribune published a comprehensive article this morning that provides a thorough look at the industry. Let's unpack those facts for a moment and consider what it all means.

First, the crop prediction: The U.S. Agriculture Department says the harvest is expected to deliver 12.3 billion bushels, more than anticipated even last month. That figure is slightly below the record harvest of 2007.

Second, where that corn will go: Traditionally, most corn is used for animal feed with a much smaller amount used for food and seed purposes. Over the last...Read More

August 11, 2008 | Link This | Email this | Comments (1)

I suppose when you have as much money as ExxonMobil, you can use it to do things that are useful to your industry. (One of the most beneficial in my thinking would be to buy stuff from Control Engineering advertisers and say you're doing it because of the ads. Just a thought.) Anyway, last Friday evening my wife and I were watching the Olympics opening ceremonies and one of the numerous advertisers was ExxonMobil talking about how they encourage math and science education to ensure the next generation of engineers.

The company's Website doesn't show the specific commercial, but this one will give you the idea. I only saw the commercial once, but I think Kenneth Le...Read More
Industries: Information Control