Angelika While the whole world was watching the Soccer World Cup in South Africa or anxiously following the predictions of Paul the Octopus, many in the Bay Area were eagerly awaiting a spectacle of a completely different kind: the verdict in the trial against the transit police officer Johannes Mehserle.

Michael The financially hard-hit state of California is currently trying to generate additional revenue in an unusual way: Since every car is already required by the state to display two license plates, why shouldn't the state be allowed to place a profitable advertising banner on them?

Angelika I find it fascinating how quickly and how willingly Americans spell complicated English words ( Rundbrief 05/2003 ). As a native German speaker, I still have to focus very hard when spelling, because "e" in English is pronounced like the German "i". Who would have thought that I would become a fan of spelling competitions ("Spelling Bee")? Just recently, I was once again glued to the TV to watch the US Championship, the "National Spelling Bee," which takes place once a year in Washington D.C. Only the best of the best compete there, and in the end, the winner takes home a prize of 30,000 dollars.

Michael American coins used in everyday life consist of 1-cent, 5-cent, 10-cent, and 25-cent coins. The copper 1-cent coin is commonly referred to as a "penny." The 5-cent piece is also called a "nickel" because the coin is made from a copper-nickel alloy. This always reminds me of the Dilbert-Cartoon where the Unix guru with a bushy beard flicks a 5-cent-coin to the obviously Microsoft-obsessed department head, saying, "Here's a nickel, kid. Buy yourself a better computer."

Michael House cleaning is notoriously exhausting, and any relief provided by high-tech tools you can sign me up for. This is especially true during bathroom cleaning, while wiping countless nooks and crannies, where the so-called "Smart Mop" from a TV commercial is unbeatable.

Michael What hardly anyone knows: Newcomers from other states must register a car they bring with them at the Department of Motor Vehicles in California within two weeks and exchange the license plate for one with the pretty red inscription "California."

Michael While TV channel surfing the other day, I noticed the Advertisement for Raisin Brahms where the German composer Johannes Brahms drives a piano like a bulldozer through the wall of a house, stops at the breakfast table of an average American family, shouts 'Good morning!' and praises the benefits of muesli, speaking with a pronounced German accent. I wonder who comes up with such ideas and under the influence of which drugs! Upon closer inspection, however, the commercial is not financed by the muesli manufacturer Kellogg's, but by the organization Americans for the Arts , a non-profit organization for the promotion of the arts. Anyway, it's funny, and another milestone on our research journey on the topic 'This is how Americans see Germans!'

Angelika On July 4th, Americans celebrate Independence Day, and we always use the long weekend for a short trip. Although the date fell on a Sunday this year, thanks to a brilliant rule in America, Monday is a day off if a holiday falls on a weekend!

Michael Who would have thought that the internet would revolutionize the American equivalent of the mobile currywurst stand, the so-called "food truck"? Until a few years ago, street vendors with their carts and delivery vans were waiting at specific locations, street corners that they had sometimes fought for generations ago and had since been firmly in their hands. The very well-made movie Man Push Cart provides valuable insights into the little-noticed but fascinating world of street cart vendors.