Michael In Germany, people think: Oh my, how complicated and meticulous Germans are, the bureaucratic red tape is rampant! Such thoughts, of course, only come from people who have never spent any time in America. Therefore, in this newsletter, we present regulations that probably don't quite match your idea of bureaucracy free America -- rest assured, we were also surprised by what exists!

Michael In San Francisco, for example, there is a rule that you can only leave your car in one spot for 72 hours, even if there are no traffic signs, parking meters, or public street cleaning times that limit the parking duration. After the three days have passed, it is not enough to move the car to the opposite side of the road; you must drive it at least one block away.

Michael Anyone who runs a restaurant experiences the jungle of regulations with brutal intensity. It is by no means a given that a restaurant is allowed to serve alcohol. For this, a so-called liquor license is required, which is only issued in the case of a new opening if no one in the immediate vicinity of the establishment raises an objection. This could involve hundreds of people! In the book Suppenküche Inc. , the founder of the German restaurant "Suppenküche" in San Francisco describes adventures he has experienced in this regard. Any restauran planning to pour alcoholic drinks needs a license with the number 41, the "On-sale beer and wine - eating place" from the "California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control".

Michael Tourists often hesitate to visit somewhat run-down restaurants here, but if a place is packed, you can safely go in. The city's health department always keeps a watchful eye and an iron hand over restaurants. Every few months, a strict inspector comes by, scrutinizes the place, and writes a report.

Angelika Due to the recession, the number of unemployed people in America is steadily increasing. In February, the unemployment rate for the USA was 8%, and in California, we have now reached 10%. Many workers rely on unemployment benefits, and I thought you might want to know how unemployment insurance works in this country, which is not exactly known as a leader in social safety nets.

Angelika And here's another example on the topic of American bureaucracy. Since January of this year, tourists are only allowed to enter the USA without a visa if they register electronically before entering (ESTA = Electronic System for Travel Authorization).

Michael If you buy a house in a suburb these days, it is usually located in a small development with identical houses. It doesn't necessarily have to be a so-called Gated Community , which is a compound of houses separated from the outside world by a gate. Visitors can only enter if they register via the intercom and then someone from inside opens the heavy iron gate.

Angelika President Obama at times achieved cult status in certain circles in this country, and entire pilgrimages were made to Washington to witness his inauguration live. Slowly, we are returning to everyday life, and although Obama still enjoys significant support among the population (63% according to the latest polls), he has already had to deal with some political setbacks.

Angelika In our neighborhood "Noe Valley," it is a regular occurrence for businesses to come and go, as rents are still astronomically high despite the crisis, and the competition from online providers and large discount stores on the outskirts is significant. Naturally, tough economic times quickly break the necks of many smaller businesses, and as a result, more and more shops in Noe Valley are standing empty.

Angelika In California, it is well known that there are usually only two seasons: the hills are either brown or green. In the last three years, the hills have stayed brown a bit too long because it didn't rain enough in the winter, and from April to September, we usually don't get a single drop of rain. This not only affects the color of the hills but also the water levels in the reservoirs that supply us with drinking water.

Michael Newsletter reader Marlene N. recently pointed out to us that it would be quite interesting to update the US shopping basket that we compiled back in the year 2000 ( Rundbrief 08/2000 ), to shock you with the horrendous cheese prices here in San Francisco. Surprisingly, most prices have remained about the same, only the rent has increased significantly.

Michael Currently, due to the financial crisis, it's a slow season in America, and people are being stingy with their money instead of spending it freely as usual. Daily pleasures like a Starbucks coffee are being given up (Starbucks experienced a significant 100% drop in profits last year), and a quick weekend trip to Las Vegas is no longer feasible for the average consumer. However, the casino bosses in Las Vegas are, of course, not naive and are enticing people with special offers.