Michael In Rundbrief 07/2023 I had already reported about our new Waymo robotaxis here in San Francisco, but I had never ordered one before. For those of you at home: Robotaxis are these self-driving vehicles that, like other cars, are zipping through our streets of San Francisco. You can order and use them just like an Uber, except that there's no driver in the front seat. Instead, a Google electronic brain controls the vehicle, presses the pedals, and magically turns the steering wheel.

Angelika You know it from various American TV series. In the U.S., twelve jurors decide in court cases whether the defendant is guilty or not. When the court calls, every American citizen must fulfill this jury duty. You've probably guesse it by now: In April, I had the pleasure of being live at one of these selection processes. But let's start from the beginning.

Michael Anyone who knows me as an old car enthusiast would, of course, realize it was only a matter of time before I bought Elon Musk's Cybertruck. Really? I sent the photo above to at least 10 friends, each one completely convinced that I had lost my mind and bought the Cybermobile. Okay, I can be expected to do anything, but just so you know: I have never in my life bought a new car from a dealer; I have always bought used ones from private sellers. And for the past few decades, my heart has been with high-revving Honda engines and Japanese designs from the '90s. So, that's how well you know me!

Michael Attentive newsletter readers already know what a hobo is: As explained in Rundbrief 11/2021 , they are drifters who travel illegally across America on freight trains. In that old newsletter issue, I explained why this way of traveling fascinates me, but I put the hobby aside after the accidental death of "Stobe the Hobo." Out of the blue, an American friend recently brought a German book about hobos to my attention, which he couldn't read due to the language barrier.

Angelika For a long time, I have wanted to travel to the southern states of the USA, specifically Charleston in South Carolina. I'm interested not only in history but also in cities that can tell stories, places with charm and old, architecturally interesting buildings. You don't find much of that on the West Coast of the USA.

Angelika Mystical landscapes, imbued with a certain nostalgia, have a magical attraction for me. The southern states of the USA have a lot to offer in this regard. In Charleston and especially in Savannah, there are entire avenues of ancient oak trees that spread their branches wide, providing welcome shade. From the branches hangs the abundant Spanish moss, typical for this region, which gives the oaks a unique character. These oak trees are a special variety, called "Live Oak" in English, as they do not lose their leaves in the fall.

Angelika In addition to marsh and swamp landscapes, the states of Georgia and South Carolina also feature various islands that lie stretched out parallel to the mainland, forming a barrier between the Atlantic Ocean and the mainland. These are simply called "Barrier Islands." Some are connected by bridges and are quite densely populated, while others, like Cumberland Island, are only accessible by ferry and are practically uninhabited.

Michael When we were traveling in the southernmost part of California some time ago, we noticed a palm grove off the road, which turned out to be a plantation for harvesting dates. At the next side street, we turned right, and there, standing by the roadside in the blazing sun, was a date vendor whose face had already developed date-like wrinkles from spending so much time in the sun.

Michael Despite all my caution, I've managed to get a splinter more than once while working with wood. For these splinters that get under the skin and are often hard to remove, there seem to be a lot of regionally different terms. For example, in Munich, they say "Schiefer," and in Augsburg, they say "Spelten." In any case, you can try to remove the splinter with tweezers, but that doesn't always work because the piece either doesn't stick out enough or breaks off when you try to pull it out.

Michael Do you remember how we explained at length in Rundbrief 11/2022 the effort it took to retain our German citizenship when we acquired U.S. citizenship? Back then, we had to justify it in writing over dozens of pages, submit numerous documents, wait a year for the approval of the so-called Retention Permit (Beibehaltungsgenehmigung, BBG), and then pay 200 dollars to the consulate. As of June 27, 2024, this step will no longer be required.