Michael At the end of October, we were drawn to the state of Utah, home of the Mormons. If you're now thinking, "Oh God! A cult!", that's typically German, of course. In America, all religions are treated equally. There is no "right" religion, and when Scientology is persecuted in Germany, Americans just shake their heads and think of the old Nazi stories. Moreover, Mormons have been established in the USA for a long time and have 12.5 million members worldwide.

Michael Mormons are known for not drinking alcohol or caffeinated beverages. And in the Mormon state of Utah, this religious rule is even self-righteously extended to non-Mormons by the government.

Michael Salt Lake City is the Mecca for Mormons. If you are not familiar with this religion, here is a brief summary: The Mormons, known in America as "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints," believe in everything that is written in the Bible (Old and New Testament) but have their own prophet.

Michael Mormons believe that anyone who has not been baptized as a Mormon will inevitably go to hell. To spare their already deceased ancestors this inconvenience, they are simply baptized posthumously in the temple in their absence. That's why Mormons place great importance on genealogy. Everyone traces their ancestors back at least to their great-grandparents, and many even further.

Angelika Most German tourists associate the state of Utah not with a Mormon stronghold, but with breathtaking national parks. Arches, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Canyonlands are usually part of a German tourist's classic tour itinerary. Curiously, "Capitol Reef National Park," although also located in Utah, is one of the lesser known and visited parks.

Michael If you've ever traveled to the U.S. with your German electical razor or hairdryer, you will have noticed that German plugs do not fit into American sockets. This is because, instead of the round plugs common in Germany, known as Schuko plugs, American plugs have flat metal prongs.

Michael Recently, I was watching the latest episode of "The Simpsons" as usual and couldn't believe my eyes: they were actually making fun of the US Army, which is currently having serious trouble recruiting new soldiers due to the dire situation in Iraq.

Angelika I had already given up hope, but Bush finally received a lesson for his policies in the congressional elections on November 7. Not only the House of Representatives, which had been firmly in the hands of the Republicans since 1994, but also the Senate returned to the Democrats after a long time.

Angelika As a child, I loved the Meister Proper commercials on German TV. I think I just liked the catchy jingle "Meister Proper cleans so well that you can see your reflection." Funnily enough, "Meister Proper" is called "Mr. Clean" in America, but even there, he manages to keep homes sparkling clean with his products.

Michael As a counterpart to the top product, today we are also introducing a junk product: the sinus relief drug "Sudafed PE." "Sudafed" is the standard medicine in America for clogged sinuses, and the stuff is really good; I once used it to clear up a sinus infection so I could go on a diving course in Australia. Recently, I had a cold and wanted to buy Sudafed at the drugstore when I noticed "Sudafed PE." It supposedly contains the same active ingredient, just in the form of a palate adhesive strip, as previously mentioned ( Rundbrief 03/2003 ).