Michael In Germany, to put a picture frame up on the wall, renters break out the hammer drill, to go through common brick walls like butter, then insert a plastic anchor in the hole and a screw, and up goes the frame, solid as a rock, forever and a day, regardless of what happens around it. Not so in America, where most houses aren't made of bricks, but built by nailing half-inch-thick slates of drywall onto wooden 2x4 studs and calling the result "house" (figure 1). You might think I'm pulling your leg here, but that's the honest truth. It's done this way mostly because it's cheap, but in the San Francisco Bay Area it's actually a safety measure, because of the constant earthquakes. Wood is flexible and bounces back, while bricks crumble and crush occupants.

Michael When our dermatologist recently cut out a mole next to my hairline and left an astonishing big hole, she also handed me a sample package with some balm, and told me to apply it to the wound a few times a day. I followed the instructions to the letter and witnessed with surprise that the hole healed within a few days in such an amazing way so that I could hardly tell where it had been before.

Angelika A while ago, we reported on a traditional Hawaiian raw fish dish, called "Poke" ( Rundbrief 09/2013 ), which is so common on the islands that every supermarket offers it in their fish section. Apparently, word has gotten out that Poke is delicious and even healthy, and still has a touch of exotic flavor, as Poke places are popping up like mushrooms in San Francisco. In our close neighborhood alone, there's two new shops offering "Poke Bowls". Those are tiny places, comparable to mom and pop takeout places in Germany. Seating is strictly limited, and there's no table service, instead customers order directly at the counter.

Angelika Attentive readers of this publication already know that many many years ago, Michael and I met in a car rental agency in Las Vegas, and since this year we're celebrating a very special anniversary, we returned to the glamorous city in the desert on this occasion. Las Vegas has been constantly reinventing itself over the years, and therefore has changed quite a bit from the olden days. Yesteryear's cheap hotel paradise with all-you-can-eat buffets galore made room for luxury resorts and gourmet restaurants. Of course, there's still plenty of casinos around, but those apparently aren't the gold mines they used to be anymore, and so the entertainment industry tycoons there have invented new ways to separate tourists from their hard earned dollars.

Angelika As you know, we are great fans of Japanese cuisine. I personally could eat sushi or other Japanese delicacies every single day, to the point where Michael readily complains: "Sushi, again?!" Now, we are somewhat spoiled with an abundance of sushi or Japanese homecooking available in San Francisco, and restaurants in Las Vegas are hopelessly overpriced. This is why we're often drawn to off-strip locations during our yearly visit, as these restaurants in different Las Vegas neighborhoods offer better food quality for the price.

Michael Every Thursday during lunch break, our entire department takes off to go eat at a different cafeteria, every team member riding on a skateboard, closely following our manager through various Silicon Valley parking lots and side streets. As you might know, I'm always game when it comes to fun activities, even at my advanced age, so I spent $100 on a so-called longboard at a skate shop and have been participating in Thursdays' lunch ride.

Michael If you ask ten Americans if Greencard holders pay taxes, I'll bet you that seven will answer "no", because they're completely retarded. I'm not sure why it's not common knowledge that everyone living in the US for more than six months must pay taxes here, just like ordinary Americans, and not only on their US income, but on their world wide earnings! Now, if taxes are the same, what's the difference between Greencard holders and citizens?

Angelika It's commonly known that there's a two party system in American politics. There's Democrats, currently represented by Hillary Clinton, and Donald Trump, running for the Republican party. But candidates of both partes are polling at an all time low in public opinion.

Angelika TV debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are agonizing to watch. Both of them keep repeating the same old sound bites, Clinton maybe a bit more nuanced, but they're still insufferable. It is as if the entire country has been taken over by loudmouths who don't have enough material to debate a given topic for more than two minutes.

Michael The Bay Area cable TV de facto monopolist Comcast, known for continuously hiking their montly fees, has lately drawn some consumer criticism. They're offering Internet and cable TV service as low as $50 for new customers, only to increase the price to $150 six months later. You've got that right, Americans are paying $150 per month for Internet and cable access, while it's often less than $50 in Europe. It's the result decades of failed politics, granting a price gouging monopolistic company free reign, as we've outlined in a previous issue ( Rundbrief 12/2010 ).