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| From One Techie to Another | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Gassing up for Automation Events The price of a gallon of gas has finally reached the $4.00 mark – another all-time high for consumers in the U.S. And many are speculating that gas will reach the $5.00 per gallon by the 4th of July, America’s Independence Day. Maybe these numbers will finally drive us to figure out ways to declare our independence from oil. Unfortunately, we have a long road ahead of us – simply because we waited too long to really investigate alternative fuel options. According to national news sources, the current gas prices have forced many drivers to make to changes in the way they get from point A to point B. Here in Minneapolis, we don’t have a very advanced mass transit system. As a result, many people drive to and from work every day. And many of those people travel 20-30 miles each way, if not farther. Very few people have access to light rail and only a few more people have access to bus service. So carpooling is the only option for many commuters here. The lack of mass transit is a common problem in many U.S. cities. We just never demanded it before. Americans have been known around the world as frivolous consumers. We drive big SUVs that consume ridiculous amounts of gas. I am also to blame. Both my wife and I drive mid-sized SUVs. Fortunately, neither of us have far to drive every day. For us, a tank of gas goes a long way. But there are many SUV drivers who are being forced to trade down to something smaller and more economical. The price of gas affects the price of just about everything we buy. Sure, it’s easy for us to cut back on luxury items, but we still need to eat. Have you priced food items at the grocery store lately? Yikes! Food and gas prices are putting a much larger dent in every household budget. But it doesn’t stop there. Businesses are also feeling the pressure. How is the automation industry being affected by increased gas prices? For one thing, there are a lot of automation-related events in the calendar year. We just came off a busy spring travel schedule and are looking towards the upcoming fall schedule. With trade shows and user conferences, I can count a minimum of 12 events that we will attend in the next few months. Analysts suggest booking your travel arrangements way in advance. But wait just one minute. We started looking at flights to Houston (ISA EXPO), Nashville (Automation Fair) and other upcoming event destinations. For a trip in October or November, the flight costs are already well over $1000 from Minneapolis - nearly double what they were a few months ago. I can’t help but wonder how these automation events may suffer with the drastic increase in fare costs. In Minneapolis, where Northwest Airlines has a major hub, we are locked out from many other airline options. So our case may be extreme, but I’m sure many people will be affected and will be forced to think twice about traveling. The other side of the coin holds the fate of the airlines. If they keep the cost of flights higher, fewer people will travel. Fewer travelers means emptier flights and further depression for the airlines. Something has got to give. Have the high gas prices affected your automation activities? Share your feedback in our forum. Enjoy the rest of this Automation Weekly! Rick Zabel |
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| Featured Article | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Don't judge a supplier by its name Read full article by Frank Hurtte, Contributing Author Browse Portals for more articles, white papers and application stories by topic |
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| Salary Survey | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2008 Automation.com Salary Survey |
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For MORE of the latest product announcements, go to our Daily News Headlines page. Product & Supplier Search
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| New Jobs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Here's a list of new jobs posted on Automation.com:
To view other recent job postings, please use our Job Search Function. For recruiting and contract staffing services, please visit www.automationtechies.com. |
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| Humor of the Week | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dilbert |
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I hope you enjoyed this Automation Weekly update. If you have any comments or suggestions regarding the content in this e-newsletter or on Automation.com, please don't hesitate to contact me. Rick Zabel For editorial inquiries, please contact Rick Zabel |
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