Good things America has given the world

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I have to ask these 4 questions.
1) yeah?
2) and?
3) so?
4) what?

It's really baffling me here. Do they count as good things? I don;t think so, thats just some poll and I wasn't asked to vote in it so it can't be a very good 'cross section' of the worlds populations opinion there . Seriouly though, just give your opinions here, not a list, none of those there would make it inot my thoughts of good things, important as they may have been.

 

Well Vermillion, then you didn't bother to read what was there and might I suggest may be being narrow minded. You said there was nothing good on that list? Do you know about Elanor Roosevelt? You don't think the polio vaccine is a good thing? You don't think the airplane was a good thing? You don't think affordable housing is a good thing? You don't think the art of Rogers and Hammerstein were a good thing? You don't think the artificial heart was a good thing? You don't think an automatic starter was a good thing? You don't think air conditioning was a good thing? What about the zipper? Nylon? Fountain Pen? Cat Scan? Condensed milk? Microprocessor?

I can't believe you think none of those were good things. Let me suggest that if you look at that list of inventions (not just a cut and paste job) and that list of people (not just a cut and paste job) and say "none of them make into my thoughts of good things" then we need to define good things because I'm BAFFLED at how the polio vaccine etc. is not a good thing.

 

Laches,
as for the gyrocompass beeing an american invention, that's not correct.

The gyrocompass was developed by the german inventor Dr. Hermann Anschütz-Kämpfe in 1907, his first patent in Germany beeing from 1904, 1907 in Britain. On 18.7.1909 Sperry visited Anschütz in his company and offered his services as their representative - to sell Anschütz products on the american market, and to manufacture the Anschütz gyrocompass under license.

However, soon after Sperry founded his Sperry Gyroscope Company and introduced a model of his own, a lightly modified version of the original, and offered it to the navies worldwide, including the german imperial navy of that time ( = before WW-I ).

Due to WW-I the following patent right process took several years, with the sentence that stated Sperry had copied Anschütz in 1915 and the following compensation process ending in 1918 and resulting in Sperry beeing sentenced not to use Anschütz patents any longer and to pay 300.000,-- RM (the german currency of that time, insert $ and you get the clue, a lot of money anyway) compensation and the costs of the process.

When Sperry introduced his modified copy of the Anschütz-gyrocompass in 1911, Anschütz already worked on his triple-gyrocompass. Elmar Ambrose Sperry was, doubtless talented but still, a thief and a swindler.

Interesting sidenote, the expert asked to analyze and compare the two gyrocompasses in the process was some Prof. Dr. Albert Einstein

That info is from Bernhard Schell from Raytheon Marine, which merged with Anschütz a couple of years ago - he wrote it in response to someone who wrongly claimed gyroscopes were invented by Sperry, and I was so free to translate and sum up his text

********************************************

PS: Maybe you should check if some more of the americans you noted were naturalised, like Fermi for example. Thats interesting with an immigration country - people from all over the world come there and bring with their ideas - and the fruit is all-american.
I find this "all-mine" attitute amusing, so I always laugh my ass off when I see Boeing advertising with their long successful history, printing pics with the Boeing DC-3

PPS: Officially the Bessemer Converter was named Bessemer Converter because invented by some Sir Henry Bessemer, born on 19.1.1813 in Hitchin (Herfordshire), died in London on 15.3.1898. He invented the converter in 1855 - a brit ! Even if Kelly was earlier by four year .... who cares?

Personally I find your listing a little pointless, I could make such a list for russia, germany, france, switzerland, britain (yes, even britain ) as well

[ December 15, 2002, 11:53: Message edited by: Ragusa ]

 

Bringing up any invention is a little pointless as most inventors seem to be claimed by many different countries. Everyone should be aware that most countries beautify their own history especially when it comes to inventors and the like and mostly what they learn kids in school. If a famous person has spent any time in a country that country claims all his/her work as a part of their history when it educates their schoolchildren even if there are four other countries that have just as good a claim.
I also agree that supplying a huge list is pretty pointless as Ragusa said you can do one for every country. That doesnt mean that they arent good things though, except the persons at the top I stay my judgment of those .

 

Ah, so it is really, "good things America has given the world BUT NOT TOO MUCH?" Sure you could come up with a list of good inventions Russia has given the world and that would be a list of good things Russia has given the world. So what, why aren't inventions something good given to the world? I didn't include the revolver or neurton bomb only inventions that I thought were good. This is a topic for good things America has given the world right? Aren't good people (some debatable) and good inventions "good things?" If not, then I'd have to ask what are "good things."

Isn't Harley, listed by the person who started this whole thing an American invention? If that's good, why isn't regrigeration and the polio vaccine? The person who started the whole thing liste Clint Eastwood so, why aren't Rogers and Hammerstein okay?

Seriously, was the question "good things America gave the world but you can't spend any time or effort giving the matter some thought and research?" What kind of question is that?

I'd also like to point out this isn't a case of American's thumping their chest and saying "all ours" Ragusa. This was started by a non-American and there were debates about who invented what so I ended up trying to find out and in the process found all kinds of info and after reading through it all decided to post it.

Seriously, what are these "good" things we talk about. Just because other nations have inventions too it doesn't follow that America's aren't good -- that makes no sense. Now, Ragusa disputes one of the inventions and that's fine but as for saying that a list is irrelevant then I think you need to say how the polio vaccine etc. aren't good things.

 

ok, but who invented the thingys which laid the base for those inventions you just named, the wheel, written language, agriculture..
surely not the yanks

P.S.
Just that you know, almost all those people you mentioned have their roots in europe

[ December 15, 2002, 19:47: Message edited by: Morgoth ]

 

Sigh, Morgoth, I don't know where you got that quote, but did you read where I said I didn't cut and paste.

What is obvious though is that I made a big mistake in thinking before I posted. I will from now on try to follow the examples of others and let a monkey bang on my keyboard and then hit the reply button.

In the interest of rectifying my mistakes, I now admit that the list of inventions including the bifocal glasses, carbon dating, airplane, loudspeaker, artificial heart, polio vaccine etc were all not good things, in fact, they're bad things.

Allow me to revise my list in keeping with the prejudices of the one making the poll so that he can "settle" once and for all the debate of whether America has done anything "good" for the world once and for all via this highly scientific method conducted on a fair and impartial internet message board.

Please understand, as a dumb American, this list will be recited out loud by me as I allow my monkey to bang the key board in a voice sounding like Homer Simpson intoxicated.

So, to satisfy your demands, (drumroll), here is a new list to fit your prejudiced expectations:

PORN CHIKS!!!!!!
NUKES DUDE!!!!!
George Washington Carver (NO STRIKE THAT!!!)
SOUTH PARK!!!!
JACK ASS!!!!
THE KKK!!!!

There, I hope that new list is more in line with your pre-determined outcome. In the future, please let it be known that you don't want anyone to think or research before answering any of your polls/questions, it will save me some time.

If you would like me to stick my monkey back on the keyboard at any time in the future just let me know.

Best Regards -- Laches, PAM ANDERSON SEX TAPE!!!! (down monkey, down!)

 

OK: Plenty of these invenventions were good and splendid things and they made this world a better place, bringing progress. But that hasn't anything to do with the fact they were american (or not). Polio vaccination would have been as progressive when from russia ... or france ...

I mean, america has benefited from pasteurisation (from France), penicilin (from Britain), high speed aerodynamics (from Germany - for free even) as well ... so what?
There has always been a know how exchange between the countries, so there is hardly a point in expecting thank for these inventions, usually you pay royalties for the patents, from a cynics point of view that might be enough already. No need for group hugs IMO.

 

Christ people! Americans aren't asking for thanks for anything. A non-American asked a question and I answered. Ragusa you say that inventions by Americans don't count as good things from America. In that sense, no country has given any good thing to anyone because necessarily everything comes from individuals since individuals make up nations.

Really, why are people complaining about the polio vaccine as a good thing but the zippo lighter is okay? Didn't the zippo lighter come from a person and not America if that's your argument?

I really think prejudices are showing. I'd be happy to research a similar list for a similar question on Russia and would readily and happily admit they've done a lot of good things for the world. Why can't the people here do the same for America? I don't find it surprising though given that I've been reading this board for a while.

This entire "experiment" is a farce and I shouldn't have bothered but from now on I'll step aside and let you reach whatever conclusions you want while I keep my mouth shut.

 

Yeah, Laches, you know, Pam Anderson is CANADIAN! Don't you dare claim her as an American good thing! ... wait a minute. I've changed my mind. You can have her. In fact, I insist, on the grounds that her breasts were made in America.

Ragusa, I disagree that naturalised Americans are not really American. If they chose America over, say, Germany or France, then they are Americans and their invention should be credited to the stimulating environment they found in their new country. If I ever mange to win a prize for work done in Canada I will be downright offended if France, England or the United States claims me based on my ancestry, place of birth, or family connections.

 

Well, somebody misunderstood me.
The purpose of my last post was to show to the average american (with an atitude of "look we are the most superior race on the planet") that all these basics of their inventions, agriculture, written language, etc, etc.. come from a region the Americans have now put happliy in a christmas axis of evil list,

The average American sees europe and asia as dumb, retarded, arrogant and barbarian, while a small region in nowadays Iraq has been the origin of all human prosperity..

My last post was not meant to say that all your inventions were bad or evil (I didnt even use the words "bad" or "evil", they all have helped with our evolution of science), it was meant to remind the average American of were the basics came from.. you know that..
But remember that only 13% of the Americans who have done the NGtest can find Afghanistan on a worldmap

So, grouphug??

 

Latches, I agree. IMO your post is relevant, about as relevant as the others. I hate every topic either being anti-American or too blindly with US patriotism.
The bottom line is that you are on topic, but this topic is flying again in the same directions as others before.

The list was a tad long though, and the people name s were a bit much.

[ December 15, 2002, 20:58: Message edited by: Astin X ]

 

Laches, how many people on that list weren't American? Thats the point I was making, list the good things America has given the world, NOT list a load of influential people. FFS you said the thread's name, why not realise what it means?

 

According to the patents, everybody on that list was American at the time the patent was given. Now, if you want to complain that some of them were born elsewhere and became naturalized then go right ahead.

 

This wasnt an attack on your nor on american inventions, but things are more than inventions and I thought this topic was supposed to distill every persons own few things that they thought were really good and that the US had given the world. It would have been enough to just say loads of wicked inventions . But that is only how I perceived the topic and that may wrong and other perceive it otherwise I just wanted to chime in.

 

Laches, again I think you missed the point I was making, please think about it instead of flaming huh? And I should say one thing besides, perhaps this will help you decide to sit and think clearly about this thread, yes there's a lot of good stuff there OK? Truce yet? Or you still wanting to ship me to Iraq? Besides, I'm more looking at the bad things thread now for the summing up, hopefully the summing up thread won't fall into a flaming shambles. Time will tell I suppose.

 

Sounds like a load of sour grapes if you ask me

 

*desperatly trying to stop this topic from falling from good side of America into a flaming thread*

Erm,..... Futurama, the Simpsons and Nirvana

[ December 16, 2002, 16:38: Message edited by: Morgoth ]

 

@Morgoth
Heh, good un, lets get this back on track .

 

Joliet Jake an his 'brother' Elwood Blues

Satchmo, Miles Davis, Booker T., New Orleans, St.Louis, Memphis, Jazz, Fusion, Funk, Blues, etc