Michael We spent half of this year's annual vacation (one week) on the small island of Molokai in the Hawaiian archipelago. Hawaii is convenient for us because, even though it lies in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, it is still a U.S. state, so we can fly there with an American driver's license without any visa hassle. With our special visa, which was adjusted for the company switch from Blaxxun to AOL, we would have to jump through numerous bureaucratic hoops if we wanted to leave the country. Hawaii, therefore, was a domestic option.

Michael After my good old 486 computer, imported from Germany (sponsored by Mom!), has now become outdated after four years (four Internet years equate to forty human years), I finally decided to buy a new one, hooray! For those interested, here are the specs: 400 MHz Pentium II, 96 MB RAM, 17 GB hard drive, 17'' Trinitron monitor, 56 Kbps modem.

Michael By the way, we also order our books online—whenever we're interested in a book, Amazon, a book retailer, offers all books 20% cheaper on the Internet. You order using your credit card number, and Amazon usually ships the goods via UPS. You get a so-called tracking number, which allows you to track the package's location at any time—again, on the Internet. Recently, I ordered something and saw that it was loaded onto a truck in Florida. Then it disappeared from the tracking system for three days; I was about to call UPS when it reappeared at a large distribution center near San Francisco. The fools had driven it across the entire country by truck!

Michael Another interesting market is the car market. We still haven't found a car—we're hesitant to visit a dealer because it's well-known that they're all crooks who will rip you off. We're looking to buy a cheap used Japanese car and have already read a few books on the subject. They say you should never pay the listed price but always negotiate first. If the seller doesn't accept, which is usually the case, you must resolutely walk out of the store. But, as the guidebook said, you can bet that a flailing salesman will come running after you, assuring you that you can indeed discuss the price further. You should only go back with him if he solemnly promises to consider your offer, which he usually does, and then the bargaining resumes in the showroom. For every little thing, there are additional fees (registration and incomprehensible individual charges), and then you have to start arguing again, continue negotiating, and finally settle on a reasonable price.

(Michael) On November 12, America Online held its All-Hands Meeting. Here's how it goes: around 5000 employees who work at the headquarters in Dulles, Virginia, and the surrounding area gather in a sports hall (not all of them, customer service is maintained), and the top guru, Steve Case, announces the new direction. Employees from branches in Columbus, Ohio; Chicago, Illinois; many other locations; and finally, San Mateo (where your narrator was present) gathered in local hotels where the show was broadcast live via satellite on a giant screen. These annual general meetings are put on as a total show, quite unlike the usual German practices!

(Michael) Since, as you all surely know, November 12 is also my birthday, and I was somewhat, uh, tied up at the company, I took the next day off. Angelika and I went to Wine Country for the extended weekend, stayed at a charming bed-and-breakfast, and spent our days visiting all the local wineries, sampling an estimated 30 wines in two days.