Wohlers Talk

I was sitting at dinner last week in Austin, Texas when the subject of fuel prices came up. Individuals from the UK were present, so we estimated the cost of gasoline in the UK. Our estimate: $9-10 per gallon. One Brit was quick to point out that cars in Europe are much more efficient than those in the U.S., indicating that they often get 40-60 miles per gallon (mpg). In the past, I had wondered if European cars got better mileage, but dismissed the idea. The conversation, however, motivated me to do a little research.

Wikipedia publishes the 2009 UK fuel economy ratings and the 2009 U.S. EPA fuel economy ratings. The mpg for cars sold in the U.S., both foreign and domestic, ranges from a low of 12 to a high of 41 for highway driving. Most cars fell in the range of the mid-teens to the mid-twenties. (It’s interesting to note that the original Ford Model T got 13-21 mpg, according to Wikipedia.) I did not calculate the average mpg because of the number of cars presented in the list.

The 2009 UK fuel economy ratings divided the cars in two groups: 1) 100 cars with the highest fuel economy ratings, and 2) 99 cars with the lowest fuel economy ratings. All of the cars with the best economy run on diesel fuel. These cars range from a low of 66 mpg to a high of 88 mpg for highway driving. The mpg is based on an Imperial gallon, which is about 20% larger than the U.S. gallon. The cars with the worst economy was from about 19 to 29 mpg (also based on an Imperial gallon).

As you can see, the fuel economy of a car with a diesel engine is vastly different than one with a gasoline engine. It is believed that cars with diesel engines are more established in Europe, so this may be one reason for the belief that European cars get better mpg.

The other big difference between Europe and the U.S. is the fleet on the street. According to a March 2007 article titled U.S. vs. Europe in Cars, Gasoline and Energy published by AOL Journals, the U.S. fleet gets about 25 miles per gallon; China about 35 mpg and Europe about 37 mpg. This year, according to the article, automakers are implementing voluntary standards to improve European fuel economy to 44.2 mpg and China to 36.7 mpg. The U.S. will remain at 24.8 mpg.

My wife, daughter, and I visited Costa Rica last week and part of this week. We spent our time in the western half of the country near Playa Hermosa and Lake Arenal. Our previous visit to the country was 11 years ago, so the trip served as a reminder of how much Costa Rica has to offer. The following are facts about the country and its people.

• It takes about 4.5 hours to travel from San Jose to the northwest coast, which is about 300 km (186 miles). A similar distance takes about 2.5 hours on an Interstate highway in the U.S. and 1.5–2 hours on the autobahn in Germany. A main (two-lane) highway stretches across the length of the country from the southeast to the northwest.
• The Eco Lodge Hotel, located near Lake Arenal, was created as a pilot in Latin America using economical development from the World Bank. It was formed to preserve the environment and offer a rich ecotourism program. Eco Lodge kept 218 hectares of primary rain forest as a private reserve and is a pioneer in conservation and eco-friendly adventure sports. We spent three nights at the lodge.
• A community of about 600 Maleku Indians in Costa Rica is working to preserve its tradition, culture, and language. The Eco Lodge has formed a partnership with the Maleku people to help with its efforts.
• Canopy tours by zip line (cables, pulleys, and harnesses) originated in Costa Rica. The Eco Lodge was among the first to offer it. Zip lining has become popular in many regions of the world, including North America and Africa.
• A pure form of Spanish is the primary language throughout much of the country. Relatively few people from Costa Rica can speak English fluently.
• Costa Ricans are friendly and helpful and the country is a safe place, but petty theft (i.e., pick pocketing and car theft) is a problem in many areas.
• More pineapple is exported from Costa Rica than from anywhere else in the world.
• Arenal Volcano is one of the world’s most active. It erupts once every nine minutes, on average, and can be seen and heard from 30 miles away. It is the rainy season in Costa Rica (an understatement), so clouds and fog were frequent, but it cleared for a couple hours while we were near the mountain and we saw impressive activity from the volcano’s spout.
• According to Wikipedia, Costa Rica ranks 5th in the world in the 2008 Environmental Performance Index, up from 15th place in 2006. In 2007 the government of Costa Rica stated that it hopes to be the first country to become carbon neutral by 2021.

In early November, my wife and I stayed three nights in a rustic lodge outside of Livingston, Zambia, Africa. We discovered that a group of kids from a small village nearby wanted a soccer ball, but could not afford one. So, we went looking for a soccer ball in downtown Livingstone. After visiting at least a half dozen shops, and asking where we might find one, we stumbled across a very small place that sold everything from notebook paper and inkjet cartridges to snacks and soccer balls.

Three teenage foster boys that lived at the lodge took us to the village. It was a 10-minute walk along a narrow footpath through the brush. Upon arriving, we quickly saw that the standard of living at the village was very basic, as expected. Most of the homes were a single room constructed of mud/clay walls and thatched roofs. The death rate there is high, with malaria being the primary cause and AIDS being the second. Every day, 3,000 children in Africa die from malaria. One of the boys told us that the village was given mosquito bed nets from the government.

I later learned that the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation supplied mosquito nets for all of Zambia. The foundation has teamed with the Nothing But Nets campaign initiated by Sport Illustrated columnist Rick Reilly. One insecticide-coated net costs $10 and can last a family for four years. As of mid-September, the campaign had raised $16 million to purchase mosquito nets for Africa, with the Gates Foundation matching it dollar for dollar.

When we arrived at the school, we were overwhelmed by the excitement of the children. They treated us like rock stars and we had never experienced anything quite like it. We presented the schoolmaster and children with the new ball on behalf of our daughter’s soccer team. It was our understanding that he would share it with a local church and they will use it as an incentive to get the kids to come to school and church.

The next day, we summarized our experience in an email to our daughter’s team, parents, coaches, and managers and sent pictures. When talking with the three boys, we discovered an interest in team uniforms, but we knew it was not an option for them. We passed this along to the team and they decided to send uniforms from a Fort Collins high school, additional balls, and soccer shoes to the foster boys and village. Two boxes of gear was shipped to them on December 1. What started with a single ball snowballed into equipping the boys at the lodge and many children at the nearby village with a lot of gear. We hope this holiday season is a special one for them.

I’m a big fan of Google. If I need to find something quickly, Google is my search engine of choice. It even works as a spell checker for cities, famous people, and so on—names that may not be in a dictionary. Want to check the spelling of Zambezi (as in the Zambezi River in Africa)? Just enter it into Google and it will suggest an alternative spelling if it’s incorrect.

Over the past year, I’ve found Google Maps to be an excellent tool. Previously, I would use MapQuest, but not anymore. Google Maps is better. If I need to find a map or location, it’s a few seconds away. When trying to locate a soccer field in Denver, Colorado, I entered the cross streets “Oxford Ave and Lowell Blvd” into MapQuest. It needed more information, so I entered “Denver.” Still not enough information. It wanted the state or postal code. In Google Maps, I entered the cross streets—nothing else—and it found the location. And, it displayed a map immediately. No need for additional clicks.

Want to know where Palm Cove, Australia is located? Just enter Palm Cove. Google Maps will immediately display a map of the small village. Want to view it as a satellite image? Just click the Satellite button and you’ll get a beautiful picture. Where is Palm Cove in relation to Cairns, Brisbane, and other cities in Australia? Just drag the slider bar to zoom out and a new view appears quickly. And, if you wish, click and drag the current view to pan around. For me, the tool is very useful. If you’re not familiar with Google Maps, give it a try. You probably won’t go back to MapQuest.

A short time ago, I downloaded and installed PdaNet on my Treo 700. It allows you to use the smartphone’s broadband Internet connectivity as a wireless modem for your laptop computer. So, anywhere you get a cellular signal, you have free Internet access on your laptop. This includes hotels, airports, and traveling down a highway.

The download and installation of PdaNet was fast and simple. The product is available for a one-time cost of $34 at junefabrics.com. It works with several smartphones, including devices from Palm, Motorola, Samsung, T-Mobile, Cingular, and others. After installing PdaNet on my Treo 700, I was surfing the web within seconds with my laptop. The connection between the Treo and laptop is made using the sync/charge cable. One click (tap) on the Treo connects your laptop to the Internet.

Using the Treo 700 with Sprint cellular service, my laptop registered download speeds of about 150–250 kilobits per second, which is almost 3-5 times faster than the best dialup connection. Upload speeds were about 25–70 kbps. I did the speed tests at speedtest.net, an excellent website for checking the speed of an Internet connection. PdaNet also works with the older Treo 650, although speeds are closer to a dialup connection.

If you have a smartphone and are tired of paying Internet fees at airports and hotels, consider PdaNet. I found it to be much easier than using the Internet services offered at most hotels, which can be a hassle. You could even use it as your regular Internet connection at your home office or as a backup in case your regular Internet services go down. It is the best $34 I’ve spent in a long time.

When traveling on business, I enjoy touring product development and manufacturing organizations, especially outside the U.S. I find it interesting to compare and contrast the wide range of methods, people, and management strategies. EuroMold was weeks away and I received an invitation from a company that specializes in prototype aluminum castings for the German automotive industry. The owner and managing director offered to meet me at the airport in Frankfurt and take me to his company.

After an excellent visit to his facility, the owner drove me from his site in Steffenberg to Frankfurt, which is an estimated 110 km (70 miles). It did not take long. For much of the trip, he was running his Audi between 200 kph (125 mph) and 265 kph (165 mph). That’s right: we were flying. And, at times, I felt like we might. Was I uneasy? Somewhat. Did we survive? Well, I’m punching out these words with all my digits and most of my faculties.

The automobile is respected in Germany, as well as in most other European countries. When cars are coming from behind, trucks are quick to move to the right-most lane. In the U.S., trucks tend to camp out in the passing lanes and it drives me crazy. Many American truck drivers have this I’m-big-and-you’re-not attitude and are slow to move over for faster vehicles. In Germany, it is the Porches, Mercedes, BMWs, and Audis that rule.

To this day, I don’t know why my German host was in such a hurry. I’ve driven many times—and fast—on Germany’s autobahn, but never anything close to 265 kph. My only conclusion is that some Germans like to drive fast. And, he wanted to make it a memorable day. He succeeded.

This is the time of year when many are traveling. So, I want to pass along a few air travel tips that may help improve your travel experience. 

1. Pack light. Whether I’m going on a two-day or two-week trip, I take two bags: a “carry-on” for my computer, papers, etc., and a roll-aboard. I almost always carry both onto the plane. In more than 25 years of travel, the airlines have never lost or misplaced one of my bags because I don’t give them the chance. 

2. If you are an inexperienced traveler and going abroad or to a beach destination, list what you want to take and then cut it in half. Many travelers take far more than they need and then regret it. 

3. Take plenty of reading material. I keep a file folder of articles that I clip from magazines and print from websites. The magazines themselves are too bulky and heavy to lug around. The time goes much faster when you are trying to work through a number of articles and papers. 

4. On overnight flights, prepare to sleep. I carry an inflatable neck pillow, silicone rubber earplugs, and an eye cover. Also, consider having close by breath mints, chewing gum, aspirin, or anything else you might need as you get settled in. 

5. If you are planning a trip for next year, book plane tickets far in advance so that you increase the chance of less expensive fares. Also, booking early gives you a much better choice of seats. 

6. Don’t purchase the more expensive refundable/changeable tickets. It’s usually not worth it. If your travel plans change or cancel, you can apply the value of an inexpensive ticket (minus a $100 airline service fee) to the purchase of a new ticket. 

7. When you get to the other end, take public transportation if someone is not meeting you at the airport. Travel can be stressful enough without having to navigate roads and traffic. 

8. And finally, drink plenty of water and rest as much as you can. Your body appreciates a lot of both.

Best wishes as you travel over the holidays and into 2007. With proper preparation, you can make your trip as enjoyable as it can possibly be. 

Happy Holidays!    

Ever wonder what’s going on in the heads of flight attendants? I do. My experiences with them have been highly variable over the past several years. I travel a lot and fly almost exclusively on United Airlines, except when I’m outside the U.S. Overall, UA employees have been doing a decent job, given the difficulties the company has encountered with its bankruptcy. Consequently, my expectations of UA ground and flight crews have not been high. Even so, there is a certain standard of service that one expects.

The service from flight attendants is totally unpredictable. On one flight, they can be cheerful and work hard to make the flight enjoyable for as many as possible. On the next flight, the opposite can be true. And on other flights, the service can be very average (i.e., okay, but uninteresting).

I was returning on a flight last week from Detroit. The flight attendant that was serving our section of the plane was mostly cold and mechanical when boarding and during the first 20 minutes of the flight. The individual sitting next to me made some comments that went a long way in breaking through her icy exterior. When she came by, I smiled and shared pleasantries that I hoped might also help improve her disposition. After doing this for nearly half of the 2 hour and 40 minute flight, we began to see a new side of her. She removed her glasses, knelt to our eye level, and really began to warm up.

The remainder of the flight was excellent. She told us that she was recently engaged to be married and that her fiancée and her were going to pick out rings the next day. Also, she explained that she begins her time on the job with the idea of “getting through it” so that she can go home. From her tone and facial expressions when telling us this, I could see that she does not find her work interesting. (I could not operate that way.)  She really showed her good side and that she’s a sweet person, but should the customer have to work so hard to “soften” the individual that is providing the service? If you are unhappy at work, you really should ask yourself whether it is the right job for you and consider moving on to something else. This is especially true for flight attendants.

Last week, I attended a one-day conference and three-day exposition in Tokyo and visited a U.S. client that has a large R&D facility in Kobe. I have been visiting Japan for many years and my fascination for the country and its people remains high.

The Japanese are among the most helpful you will find anywhere. When asking for directions, it is not unusual for a complete stranger to walk you part way to your destination. And the Japanese are among the most organized and prompt as anyone in the world. If you have a meeting with them, it’s advisable to be on time.

Japan is changing, however. Crime is on the rise. Compared to most other places around the world, it’s still an incredibly safe place, even in Tokyo and other major cities. If you accidentally leave a camera or some other valuable on a park bench, chances are good that it will still be there when you return an hour or two later. 

Japanese organizations have a well established hierarchical system based on seniority. A businessman of age 55 is respected and of much more importance than a businessman of 45. Experience and credentials are important too, but the hierarchy according to age rules. This too, is beginning to change. The Japanese are even starting to hire “outsiders” in top jobs at corporations. Sony, for example, hired a Welsh-born, U.S. citizen as its CEO—something that was unthinkable among most Japanese people.

Western influence is the blame for the alteration of Japanese tradition. Not only are the Japanese tapped into western music, movies, fashion, and motorcycles (Harley’s are big in Japan), I saw many more westerners than before in last week’s visit. During my first visit 12 years ago, I saw only three in the first two days in Tokyo. This time, I saw dozens. Bear in mind, however, that this is not many, compared to the tens of thousands of Japanese I saw in the train stations, on the streets, and at the exposition.

While Japan is indeed undergoing interesting change, most of the country is still very Japanese. And I hope it remains that way in the future. 

I continue to hear people in the U.S. complain about the high cost of gasoline. The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded is about $2.10 in the U.S. (That’s about €.55 per liter.) Compared to the past, that’s high. In recent years (prior to mid-2004), gasoline ranged from about $1.40 to $1.75 per gallon (€.30 to €.38 per liter).

I don’t like paying a lot for gasoline anymore than the next guy, but is it really that high? I was in Europe earlier this week. The price for regular unleaded gasoline in Belgium was €1.20 per liter, which is $5.54 per gallon. And in England, it was £.85 per liter. That’s $5.82 per gallon. Do we really have it so bad in the U.S.? So the next time you fill up, consider what people are paying in other parts of the world.