| From wireless boloney to fibre-optics
The main stories in the January 07 issue of the Industrial Automation Insider newsletter are as follows. * Emerson says battery life criticisms of its network are 'boloney' as 2.4GHz Smart Wireless launches in Europe. Emerson Process Management duly brought its in-plant wireless technology to Europe, and indeed to the rest of the world outside North America, in the second week of January when it summoned the European press to Bologna in Northern Italy for the launch of the 2.4GHz version of the 'Smart Wireless' solutions it unveiled in the US last October (See INSIDER, October 2006, page 1). Why Bologna? It's the birthplace of Guglielmo Marconi and, to put everyone in a suitably wireless mood, proceedings commenced on the Wednesday evening with a tour of the Villa Griffone, the former Marconi family seat where young Guglielmo conducted his experiments which is now a wireless museum.
State of the city: Engen lauds city's progress
Engen gave the annual state of the city address Tuesday to nearly 400 people at the Doubletree Hotel. He talked about being the mayor of his hometown, told of progress the city made in 2006 and set out a course for 2007. First, Engen talked about being mayor. He is finding the job more complicated, challenging and rewarding than he ever imagined - "and I have a fairly active imagination." He is even relishing the challenges, so much so that Engen told the crowd he plans to run for a second term. Engen said he spends much of his time talking with people. Scheduled and impromptu meetings packed his calendar last year, he said. He counted some 1,200 meetings since January 2006, which taught him that folks take his open-door policy seriously.
New research suggestscholesterol can be too low
Q. What is considered low when it comes to cholesterol? My levels were always low, but now they are back down to 120, just like they were in my mid-20s. I am almost 49. The highest it has been is 142.
I am very forgetful, especially now with customers' names. I don't sleep well and have never been a great communicator because I have trouble remembering all the facts and have trouble finding the right words (usually technical or specific ones, like the name of a place). Is this related to my cholesterol?
A. Many doctors believe that cholesterol can never be too low. New research throws that concept into question.
The importance of cholesterol in neurological conditions like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease is controversial. A recent study in the Archives of Neurology (January 2007) concluded that, "A decline in serum total cholesterol levels may be associated with early stages in the development of dementia." Another study (Movement Disorders online, Dec.
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