12 reasons they still love us

So the FAZ, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (Frankfurt Daily Paper) had a big article on America in their weekend "Culture" edition. The FAZ is a bit like the NYT of Germany (full discretion: Also E's employer) and they usually have very good, thoughtful coverage of current issues. I can't understand the advanced German in the paper, but I look at the pictures and illustrations.

This Sunday the Culture section was called "We Love America." In the subhead that followed, the editorial staff wrote that even though the USA may have ruined the world economy, they still love the States and admire them. Wow, I thought, how bold. Then they gave the 12 reasons they still loved us. The reasons are a mix of the total obvious (Rock music? No shit.) and completely hilarious German observations.

Here's the list:

1. TV Series. They mention "Frasier" and "Malcom in the Middle" as their top pics. Ouch germany, ouch.
2. Mode (Fashion). Here they mention Jackie O., Michelle Obama, and Marc Jacobs.
3. Rockmusik. It's all about Bob Dylan.
4. Kinderliebe (Americans love children). This is my favorite, because the editors claim that children in America are treated like Kings and Queens. Their proof? The existence of Kid's menus at restaurants.
5. Universitaeten: We have some of the best research institutes, especially medical in the world.
6. Freundlichkeit (Friendliness): Also funny, they claim Americans are friendly because they ask everyone, the shop keeper, the waiter, even their employee, "how are you?" Hey Germany, this is just called being decent.
7. Basketball: Deutschland hoops it up.
8. Indian Summer: And our entire New England landscape they have from movies.
9. New York City: "Es ist hip geworden." It was where hip was born.
10. Debattenkultur (Debating): They love that we actually "still" do this.
11. Kino (Cinema): They ruin this entry by saying the best moment in US film history is Julia Roberts in her red Opera dress in "Pretty Woman."
12. Literatur: In defense against that (French?) guy who said an American author does not deserve the Nobel Prize.

I love how unironic Germans are. And now that they mention it, there are no Kid's menus here! Maybe this is part of the birth rate problem!