Mike Pilewski writes about life, politics and culture in the United States
My German friends are often amazed when I tell them I’ve been to their home town — whether it’s Darmstadt, Bremerhaven, Görlitz or any of dozens of smaller places. Many of them have traveled around the world without ever having explored much of their own country. I wasn’t any different when I was growing up. The world I knew was … >>
One of the biggest trends of recent years has been almost completely off the radar. At the events for the German and American exchange students I advise, the number of vegetarians has been increasing steadily over the years. Back in the 1990s, there was, on average, only one at each event. In the last decade, there were two, then four, … >>
For a week now, much of America has been obsessed with two questions. These questions are not “What has happened to Mitt Romney?” (he has hardly been seen since the election) nor “Will Barack Obama’s second term be different from his first?” No, what many Americans want to know is: Will they still be able to buy Twinkies? And if … >>
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 … >>
Thomas Edison did not invent the light bulb. It’s shocking to see how so many people still believe that he did. The real inventor was in fact James Bowman Lindsay, almost 50 years earlier. Edison is generally thought of as the inventor because he experimented and found a longer-lasting filament. And Edison, it must be said, invented or developed all … >>
In politics, if you want to make a point, it’s best to do it in a way that gets as much attention as possible. In the US, this is easiest to do in three places. The first is the roof of the White House. In 1979, Jimmy Carter showed America he was serious about renewable energy when he had solar … >>
In the world of commerce, Wal-Mart is a phenomenon unto itself. In 15 countries, it attracts 200 million customers a week to more than 8,700 stores, where they can buy practically everything. Its sales volume — more than $400 billion — is bigger than the GDP of Austria. Since its first store opened in 1962, Wal-Mart has followed the philosophy … >>
If you’re ever in Pagosa Springs or Creede, Colorado, go to a Mexican restaurant named Kip’s Grill and order the most expensive thing on the menu. Then tell them that Mr. Pilewski sent you. The specialty of the house, number 9 on the menu, is called The Pilewski. It’s three flour tortillas, stuffed with pork barbacoa, provolone cheese and chipotle, … >>
The 1950s were a great time for conspiracy theories. Communists had infiltrated the Senate, aliens were watching us from space, and a mysterious chemical was being added to our drinking water. The first two theories were false. The third has given three generations of Americans their famously healthy teeth. The chemical was fluoride, but to skeptics who felt it was … >>
Ask any American to name a cultural event in Germany, and you’ll get a quick answer: Oktoberfest. If five to seven million people are going somewhere to drink beer, word’ll get around. But this has, I think, a lot to do with the fact that America itself is a beer-drinking country. Sure, fine wines are produced along the West Coast … >>