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| Angelika/Mike Schilli |
TODO
Angelika Fires are as much a part of everyday life in California as earthquakes. Every year, there are fires somewhere in late summer, often in Southern California, where it is hotter and drier. However, this year the wildfires are reaching alarming proportions. Over 1,700 fires, many of them in Northern California, have been burning since June 20, and more than 300 of them are still not extinguished.
Most of them were not caused by careless people, but by so-called dry lightning strikes, meaning thunderstorms without rain, which is relatively unusual in our area since there are usually no thunderstorms here. The flames are not directly at our doorstep, but they are relatively close to San Francisco, so at times it smells in San Francisco as if everyone had just lit their fireplace and grill.
The sun was barely visible through the haze during the day, and we were even advised to stay indoors. The coastal section of Big Sur, which is considered one of the most beautiful parts of the southern stretch of Highway 1 and is located about 230 kilometers south of San Francisco, has been particularly hard hit, as firefighters have so far managed to contain only 20 percent of the fire. They suspect it will take until the end of July to get the fire completely under control. Those familiar with the area might wonder how it can burn there, as Big Sur is famous for its fog and is located right by the ocean. Therefore, the humidity is not exactly low, and the forests are full of "Redwood" trees, which are quite resistant to fire and thus become very old. However, the dry grass and brush still burn like tinder, as California has not received enough rain in the last two winters.
Now Highway 1 around Big Sur is closed. Normally, at this time of year, this dream route is lined with one RV after another. The closure is not only a disappointment for tourists but also affects businesses and hotels that rely on the summer months to get through the quiet winter. There is also concern for many buildings of historical value, as Big Sur has always attracted artists like Henry Miller, in whose honor there is, for example, a library in Big Sur.
In May, there was already a fire in the mountains near Santa Cruz, which is only about an hour's drive south of San Francisco. As luck would have it, we were invited to a friend's place for the obligatory American barbecue about 20 km from the fire zone. Since nothing really shocks us that easily, we went anyway and were able to watch the smoke and the repeatedly flaring flames all evening. If the forest fires continue like this, we might all soon have to help with extinguishing them, as the firefighters are slowly reaching their limits.
Michael In early June, we once again took a retiree vacation to Hawaii. To European ears, this might sound absurd, but if we want to hang out on the beach for a week relatively inexpensively and without much hassle, we quickly head to Hawaii. The flight from San Francisco takes about five hours, which is easy to endure. You don't need a passport, just a California driver's license, and you can shop in familiar supermarkets and pay with the same currency in the island paradise as you do at home.
Especially the main island of Oahu is very American and partly very ugly, but to Angelika's dismay, I don't really mind that. Of course, we don't hang around in Waikiki, which is more like a party scene similar to Ballermann in Mallorca. Instead, as we have often done, we rented a vacation apartment from private individuals this year, just two minutes away from a relatively little-visited beach, and we hung out at the beach with regular local Hawaiian-Americans and a handful of tourists.
In the tourist hotspots, it mainly attracts Japanese people because Hawaii is their Mallorca. By the way, Japanese people are, as I recently told someone... The translation of "Bericht über die Touristenbeliebtheit" to Englishis "Report on Tourist Popularity. In the magazine "Time," I was able to gather that, according to surveys, the French are the most hated tourists worldwide, but that's just by the way. We usually prefer to venture off the beaten path. The capital, Honolulu, even has some authentic spots, such as a small Asian quarter, but if you're familiar with San Francisco, you might just smirk arrogantly at that.
One day, we actually got ourselves together, drove a bit into the city, and took some photos. It is noticeable that the residents walk much slower than elsewhere in the USA. You just have to stand on a busy street and calmly observe the pedestrian traffic; it's almost like slow motion.
Interestingly, there is already a striking difference between the East and West Coasts of America; a New Yorker walks and talks much faster than someone who lives in California. But compared to Hawaii, even Californians move like startled rabbits.
Michael And this time we even took in the cultural program about "Pearl Harbor." If you paid attention in history class, you know that a battle took place in this harbor near Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oahu, after which America immediately entered World War II on the side of the Allies against Germany.
And this is how it happened: While Hitler's Germany rampaged across Europe in 1941, attacking one country after another, America shifted restlessly from one buttock to the other and was unable to intervene. Meanwhile, the Empire of Japan was rampaging in northern China, which the USA also did not like, and they quickly turned off Japan's oil supply through a trade embargo.
At that time, in 1941, Hawaii was not yet a state of the USA; that happened much later, in 1959. However, as early as around 1900, the USA had annexed the Hawaiian Islands after decades of back-and-forth and had parked all nine battleships of their Pacific Fleet in the harbor of Honolulu. By the way, the name "Pearl Harbor" of the harbor comes from the Hawaiians; "Pu'uloa" literally means "harbor of pearls" and refers to the pearl-producing oysters that were present there until the late 19th century.
From Japan to Hawaii is just a stone's throw of 5,000 kilometers, so the Japanese sent a fleet with aircraft carriers towards Hawaii, which actually cruised unnoticed through the South Seas for two weeks. 200 kilometers off Hawaii, the Japanese reached their target and launched 180 Japanese planes equipped with all sorts of explosives towards Pearl Harbor, catching the Americans off guard and bombing the entire American Pacific fleet to pieces.
A battleship, the "USS Arizona," sank with 1,100 men on board. The hull of the ship still lies in the shallow waters of Pearl Harbor, and a rusty steel tower juts out of the water. Instead of recovering the bodies of the soldiers, they were left there, and a memorial was built across the ship. Today, if you take the free "Pearl Harbor Tour" as a tourist, you can see how oil still leaks from the inside of the ship and floats around in the harbor!
The whole thing is, of course, set up in a rather grandiose manner, and I even shook the hand of a roughly hundred-year-old war veteran who was present and giving autographs. He probably didn't know that I was German, haha! The museum and the memorial aren't very informative, but if you're already there, you might as well take a look.
And the rest of the story is probably familiar to you: After the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, the USA entered World War II, dropped two atomic bombs on Japan, and, with the help of the remaining Allies, thoroughly halted Germany as well. Living history!
Angelika The translation of the provided text to English is:
"Good things come to those who wait. Since June 16, same-sex couples in California can legally say 'I do.' This makes California the second state, alongside Massachusetts, to allow this. You might remember how it all started. In February 2004, our Mayor Gavin Newsom gave the green light, and thousands of same-sex couples got married in an ad-hoc ceremony at San Francisco City Hall. Rundbrief 03/2004 It seems like there might be a mistake or missing text in your request. Could you please provide more context or clarify what you would like translated?
Shortly thereafter, however, a high court ruling annulled these marriages again on the grounds that they violated existing California law, and the legal dispute began. The process dragged on for over four years. Then came the surprise: The California Supreme Court decided by a narrow majority (4 to 3) that the right to marry in California applies equally to heterosexual and homosexual couples and that the California Constitution prohibits any discrimination based on sexual orientation. A historic ruling; the judges thereby overturned Proposition 22 from the year 2000, which defined marriage in California as existing between a man and a woman.
Interestingly, in California, it actually no longer makes a difference whether a same-sex couple is married or has a registered partnership. Since January 2005, registered partnerships have been essentially equivalent to marriages between a man and a woman, with all the associated rights and obligations. Since 2007, couples who have opted for a registered partnership can even file a joint California tax return.
However, it is important to note that the rights only apply to the state of California and are not transferable to other states or to the general federal laws of the United States. For example, the federal income tax return is still filed separately. In America, people typically file two income tax returns: one for the state in which they reside ("State Income Tax") and one at the federal level ("Federal Income Tax").
Immigration laws are also federal laws and do not apply to registered partnerships. This situation does not change with the legalization of same-sex marriage in California. Despite getting married, there is still no green card for the foreign partner or pension claims from the American Social Security system.
Now you're probably wondering what the whole thing is about. It's more about the pursuit of a general civil right. There is also hope that more and more individual states will recognize same-sex marriage. For example, if Michael and I were to move to the state of Nevada, the authorities there would recognize our marriage just like in California. The governor of New York has already announced that he will recognize Californian same-sex marriages just like traditional ones.
The state of Massachusetts already passed a similar law in 2004, but California additionally allows same-sex couples from other states to get married in California. This has led to a veritable marriage tourism. People are now waiting for these couples to sue for recognition of their Californian marriage in their own states. However, this is associated with some hurdles, as most states have already legally established that a marriage is only valid between a man and a woman.
In California, various conservative groups are also trying to put an end to same-sex marriage. In November 2008, Californians will vote on whether to amend their constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, which would override the ruling of the state's Supreme Court. However, most legal experts doubt that the same-sex marriages already performed could be retroactively dissolved. If Californians vote for the constitutional amendment, it is predicted that lawsuits would be filed again on the grounds of equal treatment, with the argument being, why can't we marry if other couples were allowed to do so?
There is, of course, also the possibility that California will vote against the constitutional amendment. According to surveys, the mood barometer has shifted: a narrow majority is in favor of same-sex marriage. Schwarzenegger is also against a constitutional amendment, but he justifies this with vague remarks that the constitution is a sanctuary that should not be tampered with lightly. The man always puts on a balancing act when it comes to the issue of same-sex marriage. He cannot afford to expose himself to overly liberal ideas among his fellow Republican party members.
It is rumored that he is actually in favor of it in private, after all, the Hollywood star has many homosexual friends. I also found it hilarious that Arnie was immediately all fired up when smart minds calculated that the additional weddings in the next three years would bring the state of California up to 684 million dollars. That's our "Governator" being very pragmatic. At the moment, San Francisco is definitely celebrating, and the stores are stocking their shelves with wedding cards featuring groom and groom and bride and bride.
The translation of "Wie man sich beschwert" to English is "How to
complain.
Michael If you get ripped off or treated rudely, you should complain. But how do you do that in the USA? If you're stuck on the line with some idiot from the call center and can't make any progress, you ask to speak to the boss. "Can I speak to your supervisor, please?" you ask, and then the idiots usually wake up and try to appease you. Politely but firmly, you point out that you didn't get the information you were looking for and now want to speak to the supervisor. Yes, really. The call center people have to do that.
Where does one learn to complain? Taking courses is a waste of money; only practice, practice, practice helps. It's best to start with small things where it doesn't matter if you don't achieve your goal. If there's a call on the phone bill for a few cents and you're sure you never made that call, you call the phone company. Personally, I regularly call sloppy companies that don't process my mailed-in rebates on time. It costs me nothing (they all have a 1-800 number), and I improve my negotiation skills as if with an expensive trainer (of course, I'm already pretty good, but there's always more to learn). As always, the rule is: firm but friendly. Don't crack jokes; instead, be humorless and meticulous.
It turns out that you have been led by the nose, it is time to file a complaint with public authorities. This may sound completely crazy to you now, but it is actually common to file a complaint with the "State Attorney General" of the respective state in these cases. The website of the The translation of "National Association ofAttorneys General" to English is actually the same, as it is alreadyin English. List the contact addresses.
Furthermore, there are consumer protection associations at the city, county, or state level that focus on the Internet The translation to English is: "are reachable and also take care of consumer complaints.
Another possibility is the... The term "Better Business Bureau" is alreadyin English. It refers to a nonprofit organization focused onadvancing marketplace trust by setting standards for ethical businessbehavior and monitoring compliance. a consumer protection organization with quite a lot of influence. Many companies are members and commit to working with the organization, which acts as a mediator in disputes with customers, to reach a solution. But even companies that are not members fear the Better Business Bureau, because no one wants to be on the organization's blacklist. And also on ripoffreport.com The translation to English is: "One can vent their frustration and warn others about fraudulent companies.
If nothing else helps and a lot of money is at stake, the only option is to hire a lawyer and initiate legal proceedings. However, this is very expensive in the USA, and that's why for 'small claims' between $1,500 and $25,000, there is the so-called... SmallClaims Court The translation of the provided German text to English is: ", which, depending on the state, processes these cases in an expedited manner. For larger cases, you can visit the website of the The translation of "American Bar Association"to English is "American Bar Association." It is already inEnglish. The translation to English is: "to find a professional lawyer (named after the bar exam, not an establishment for alcohol consumption).
Michael As you know, gas prices have skyrocketed in the USA. Those who drive fuel-efficient Japanese hybrid cars are quietly pleased. On the other hand, drivers of gas-guzzling American cars are left empty-handed.
Anyone driving a gas-guzzler from brands like Chevrolet, Pontiac, Ford, or Buick today will go crazy at the pump when the meter approaches the $80 mark. Two years ago, gasoline cost $2.50 per gallon, but now it's $4.50. Of course, we're still far from the usual (converted) $9.57 per gallon in Europe.
Consequently, the sales figures for these brands plummeted sharply, because when it hits their wallets, even Americans suddenly become environmental angels. However, the marketing folks of the "Doofmobiles" from American production aren't clueless either: To ensure that customers continue to guzzle gasoline, the car marketers, as seen recently in a commercial, are now offering gasoline at a guaranteed low price of $2.99 per gallon with the purchase of a new car! And this offer lasts for three years, up to a specified maximum amount per year.
Another commercial praises the now even larger fuel tank of a vehicle, so that at least you don't have to go to the gas station as often, especially when it already hurts so much. No kidding, the slogan of the ad was actually "Less pumping, more driving." It's mind-boggling. On the other hand, many Americans are now only filling up half a tank instead of a full one. It saves a lot!
Funnily enough, in the USA you now also have to pay a penalty tax if you buy a car that consumes an excessive amount of gasoline. This so-called "Gas Guzzler Tax" is listed directly on the price tag of the cars at the dealership.
Chrysler and Jeep will cover the cost of gasoline for three years when purchasing a new car.
Angelika In addition to the gimmicks described by Michael, car dealers are flooding us with tips on saving gasoline. These include everything from driving less, removing unnecessary weight from the trunk, staying slightly below the speed limit of 65 miles per hour on the highway, maintaining the correct tire pressure, to downright absurdities like turning off the engine when driving downhill. The latter, however, prompted an immediate outcry from the AAA (the American equivalent of the ADAC) because it is dangerous. It is slowly becoming clear here that gasoline prices will remain high in the long term or may even rise further. I am sure that $10 per gallon is on the horizon in the near future (in Germany, if you convert gallons to liters and dollars to euros, you already have $9.57 per gallon of premium gasoline).
And behold, the behavior of this car-loving nation is already changing. The number of passengers using public transportation systems like BART (the subway in San Francisco and surrounding areas), ferries, and CalTrains (commuter trains operating between San Francisco and San Jose) is increasing, and bicycle sellers are pleased with higher sales figures. Employers are complaining that potential candidates are turning down jobs that are too far from their homes and require long commutes by car.
Experts, such as one of my favorite columnists, Paul Krugman from the New York Times, already foresee the end of the American concept of "Suburbia," which refers to the settlement in ever-expanding suburbs. The urban sprawl in America has led to a situation where almost all daily activities, such as shopping, prioritize the use of cars. With skyrocketing gas prices, this puts a strain on people's wallets.
However, the infrastructure cannot be changed overnight, as for years no one invested in the public transportation system, and local small businesses gave way to huge shopping centers that everyone has to drive to. I really can't appreciate this uniformity of suburbs, which lack any originality and look the same from the East Coast to the West Coast, so I would be very glad if the trend were to reverse.
Quiet signs of this may also be evident in the problems faced by the coffeehouse chain "Starbucks." I already mentioned in the last newsletter that "Starbucks" is feeling the effects of the unstable American housing market and the credit crisis. Rundbrief 05/2008 ), but many American customers now seem to be put off by the size of the empire and the always identical-looking stores. They prefer to frequent smaller coffee houses that have their own flair and ambiance.
The German word "Ein" translates to "A" or "An" in English, depending on the context. The translation of "Bericht �ber Starbucks imFernsehen" to English is "Report about Starbucks ontelevision. It was recently shown that Starbucks customers now miss the typical coffee smell, as beans are no longer ground on a large scale in the store. The spectacle of preparing the various coffee drinks was also lost after the introduction of new espresso machines, which customers could no longer see over. The head of Starbucks promised to correct both issues, in addition to closing 600 stores, in order to avert the crisis.
Angelika Driving in San Francisco and the surrounding area can often drive you to despair. It's not just the heavy traffic that's to blame, but also the many drivers who seemingly won their driver's license in a lottery or drive as if they don't have one at all. Which, by the way, is not so uncommon in California.
Short-term double parking is a part of everyday life, and I especially love it when the driver cheekily sits in the car in front of an exit but doesn't pull into the exit. No, they prefer to block an entire lane. As if they were the only person in the world. Most people also use their turn signals only when they feel like it, a Californian habit that Michael has also adopted.
The most annoying thing, however, is the constant chatting on the phone while driving. According to my own observations, this applied to every third driver until recently. Even before the first visual contact with the phone at the ear, the chatterers stand out: the unorthodox driving style, abrupt braking, long unnecessary stops at stop signs, running red lights, and overlooking pedestrians at crosswalks give them away.
I can sing a song about near-accidents due to the cell phone plague. And although it has long been known that using a cell phone while driving leads to many traffic fatalities, California has only been one of the five American states since July 1, 2008, where drivers are only allowed to make calls while driving using a built-in hands-free system or an earpiece (hence the slogan "Hands free").
California drivers under the age of 18 (licenses are available from age 16) are no longer even allowed to do that. Interestingly, however, the lawmakers forgot to explicitly include sending SMS messages in the law, as this practice was not as popular at the time the law was drafted. One would think that common sense would prohibit typing away on a tiny keyboard while sitting behind the wheel, but nothing really surprises me anymore. After all, I don't read a book while driving either.
It costs 20 dollars the first time a driver is caught with a phone to their ear, and 50 dollars the second time. I think that's too low, but supposedly the 20 dollars actually amount to 76 dollars because of the fees that are added on top, and the 50 dollars shoot up to 190 dollars because of this. However, there are no points added to the California driver's record for this offense. By the way, some comedians have made fun of the hands-free motto and demonstrated, The translation of theGerman phrase "was die Autofahrer jetzt alles anstellen können" toEnglish is "what drivers can do now. ...because they no longer have to hold the phone to their ear: they can tinker on the laptop, eat, write cards. But it is really funny what Californian drivers do in their cars. Recently, Michael and I saw someone brushing their teeth with an electric toothbrush while behind the wheel. The question that plagued me was where he intended to rinse his mouth.
And one more addendum to the last newsletter: We had asked if you knew the answer to a question from Michael's traffic ticket exam, specifically how many traffic fatalities in 2005 in the USA were due to drunk driving. The options were (a) 16,000, (b) 25,000, (c) 5,000, or (d) 10,000. The correct answer was 16,000.
And what should you pay attention to if your car breaks down and you have to park it on the side of the road? Possible answers were (a) Watch out for tall grass, (b) open the trunk, (c) park the car facing oncoming traffic, or (d) turn on the high beams. The correct answer was (a). Because if the grass is tall and dry and the engine is quite hot, it can cause a grass fire. No kidding, that was the correct answer!
Michael And one more note on my own behalf: For the tenth anniversary of the magazine column that I write every month for the German Linux Magazine, the magazine has a kind of... Home-Story Published, which is now finally available online. With some photos, our exciting life in San Francisco is documented and my heroic deeds are praised. I think it turned out quite well, quite entertaining, and even relatively accurate. My next goal is the cover of "Capital" when I finally achieve the big breakthrough with a startup company. I'm working on it, but I can't perform miracles!
Angelika Summer is here, the dollar is incredibly low, and the tourism office in San Francisco is rubbing its hands with glee because San Francisco is still highly popular among American and European tourists. And since we don't want you to wander along the well-trodden tourist paths, today I'm going to share a little insider tip with you once again.
The Golden Gate Bridge is, of course, an absolute must on every San Francisco tourist's checklist, and the locals agree. Everyone wants to see the bridge and is on the lookout for the best photo opportunity. However, no one who lives in San Francisco goes to the official viewpoint, which is located just right behind the bridge heading out of the city, because there you not only have to contend with tour buses but also fight for a parking spot during the high season on weekends.
Only at the next exit "Alexander Avenue" does the local driver go down and then follow the signs to "Marin Headlands." You reach Conzelman Road, which leads up the mountain and repeatedly offers fantastic views of the bridge and city. Provided, of course, that the latter is not shrouded in fog. However, it seems that this is already mentioned in every travel guide, and on weekends, you're not exactly alone here. The Marin Headlands area is also very popular among us city dwellers for hiking and cycling. But right behind the crowded viewpoint "Battery Spencer," a bit hidden and off the main road, lies the beach "Kirby Cove." You can only reach it by walking down a 1.6-kilometer-long and relatively steep, unpaved road lined with eucalyptus trees. This naturally leads to a certain dropout rate and thus prevents the masses from flocking there. The path ends at a crescent-shaped beach that offers the Golden Gate Bridge and the city of San Francisco as a backdrop. If you're feeling adventurous, you can also camp here, but only with a prior reservation. Michael and I still plan to do that someday. Then we'll report live from the campsite on the edge of the city.
Best regards!
The translation of "Angelika & Michael" to English is "Angelika & Michael," as these are proper names and typically do not change when translated between languages.
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