Mike Pilewski writes about life, politics and culture in the United States
Where do you go first to get medical advice? To your doctor? Your pharmacist? Or do you do what many Americans do and go straight to the Internet? Describe to a search engine any health problem in English, and you’ll see that health advice is some of the most sought-after information there is. Mixed in among the writings of established … >>
Pay attention: There will be a quiz! This Sunday, July 1, is an important day for America’s northern neighbor. It’s Canada Day. Happy Canada Day, everybody! I wish I could tell you how Canadians actually celebrate this, but it’s one of many things about Canada that Americans know nothing aboot — I mean, about. Aside from a few clichés about … >>
New York City is often considered the most liberal part of the United States, but you wouldn’t know it from the way it’s run. Signs tell you “Don’t even think of parking here”. Police issue tickets for jaywalking. Smoking in parks is forbidden. Now New Yorkers may be forced to consume less sugar. Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan is to get … >>
New Mexico is on fire. Again. It seems like only last year that we heard reports about… Wait. It was just last year. The difference is that back then, most of the fire was across the state border in Arizona, and it was called the largest fire in Arizona history. This year, it’s mostly in New Mexico, and it’s considered … >>
At some point, it happens to all of us. The computer fails to save that important document we’ve been working on so long. A computer crash, a faulty hard drive, a USB stick pulled out too quickly, or just plain human error: the reason hardly matters when you’ve just seen your data disappear. For journalists, this is a particular hazard. … >>
This morning began with a pleasant surprise. I had just arrived at my office when a very dear colleague came in, holding a piece of cake. She started singing “Happy Birthday”. I am not normally one to turn down a piece of cake, but I do believe in telling the truth. “I’m sorry, but it’s not my birthday,” I said. … >>
Last week, the government of Hessen invited me to talk to a group of German students who were going to spend a semester in America. I talked about stereotypes and the way citizens of our two countries often see each other. Other speakers talked about visa requirements and the American university system. The most interesting part, however, was when the … >>
One of the biggest decisions we make on a daily basis is what to save and what to throw out. A tin can? Throw it out. A plastic container? Might be useful someday. Old newspapers? Into the trash can. Old copies of Spotlight? Keep for future reference or give to a friend. This decision can be a difficult one when … >>
My house has disappeared. It’s invisible. You can’t see it. It’s gone from view. Poof! All you see now in Google Street View is a six-story blur. I think one of my neighbors is responsible. The building we live in, and the building down the street where he works, are the only houses in the area that have been censored. … >>
We all knew this day would come. Last Friday, the Münchener Filmpassage shut its doors. This wasn’t just any video-rental place. It had the largest selection of English-language films anywhere in Germany, including numerous titles released directly to video that no one would have known about otherwise. I’d go in looking for one film and come out with four or … >>