my olive branch - what is the best things about the usa?

[HankQuinlan]

The "American Dream" has often proved true

The home it has provided to immigrants who have contributed to the world: John Kenneth Galbraith, Albert Einstein, Billy Wilder, Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, Pamela Anderson???.... (maybe not Arnold Shwarzenegger or Henry Kissinger).

The incredible careers of individuals who have risen from poverty and succeeded in their dreams and become international icons: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Hank Williams, Jackie Robinson, Jack Johnson, Muhammed Ali...

Jazz, soul, r&b, rock and roll, blues, gospel music, c&w, zydeco and creole (which brings up the refuge provided to Acadians expelled from British North America)... My own life would be much poorer without American popular music.

The Three Stooges. Clint Eastwood. Gary Cooper. Orson Welles. "The Sopranos." Superman and Batman and Spiderman et al. Hugh Hefner and the playboy mansion fantasy. John Stenbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Theodore Dreiser. Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard.

Baseball.

The Marshall Plan.

Noam Chomsky.

Gumbo and crawfish and po' boys and everything to do with New Orleans.

 

[yogi]

What's wrong with my list??

"The Star Spangled Banner" is an amazing tune with great lyrics. Brings a tear to my eye at times, and I've heard/sung it more times than any other song.

The tune is from an olde English drinking song!

 

[smackyo]

The home it has provided to immigrants who have contributed to the world: John Kenneth Galbraith, Albert Einstein, Billy Wilder, Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, Pamela Anderson???.... (maybe not Arnold Shwarzenegger or Henry Kissinger).

The incredible careers of individuals who have risen from poverty and succeeded in their dreams and become international icons: Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Mahalia Jackson, Hank Williams, Jackie Robinson, Jack Johnson, Muhammed Ali...

Jazz, soul, r&b, rock and roll, blues, gospel music, c&w, zydeco and creole (which brings up the refuge provided to Acadians expelled from British North America)... My own life would be much poorer without American popular music.

The Three Stooges. Clint Eastwood. Gary Cooper. Orson Welles. "The Sopranos." Superman and Batman and Spiderman et al. Hugh Hefner and the playboy mansion fantasy. John Stenbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Theodore Dreiser. Carl Hiaasen and Elmore Leonard.

Baseball.

The Marshall Plan.

Noam Chomsky.

Gumbo and crawfish and po' boys and everything to do with New Orleans.

finally another good list. lol, but just one thing. you do that superman was invented by a canadian right? but i guess none the less they did make the movies . oh and i'm with ya on the sopranos for sure.

 

[JFK]

Texas girls, you can ride them all night long.

 

[HankQuinlan]

finally another good list. lol, but just one thing. you do that superman was invented by a canadian right? but i guess none the less they did make the movies . oh and i'm with ya on the sopranos for sure.

Superman is the defender of truth, justice and the AMERICAN way. (And a product of an American company...for comic book characters, we will have to stick with Wolverine for a Canadian tie-in).

 

[Gruss-ly]

...And How!

... The American Constitution! An amazingly progressive document for it's time or for any other time for that matter.


The late, great Stevie Ray Vaughan.


... Smackyo's list as is...

i'll start off i guess.

1. southern style bbq, a la memphis blues(sweet jesus thats good shit)

2. common history. when i took american history in university it was funny to see how many events were directly related to happenings in eachothers countries.

3. women with southern accents

4. mardi gras in new orleans

5. jack daniels

6. the anchor bar in buffalo new york for inventing, yeah you guessed it BUFFALO WINGS.

7. the boston red socks

8. the history and strong sense of cultural pride of these cities - boston, philidelphia, new york and washington.

9. basketball. although canadians invented it, it took the yankee brotha's to show us how to play it.

10. the oregon coast line

11. the "can do" attitude, determination and spirit of the people.

12. jazz, rock and roll, hip hop(not the shit they play on the radio) and the blues.

13. san fransico

14. the hippy movement and music in the 60's

15. angelina jolie

16. coca cola

17. monument valley and the beauty of the southwest

18. orange county choppers

19. old muscle cars

20. not nuking the world yet

 

[Lefty]

Usa

I usually prefer not to speak to political issues etc in this forum, but I feel the USA is getting a bit of a bad rap on this one (which was not the intent at the outset).

One thing I appreciate is that we, Canada, enjoy the geographically largest country in the world, rich with natural resources, partially because we have a very BIG brother across our border with the most hi-tech military in the world.

Our society and social programs have benefitted by not needing a huge defense budget due, at least in part, to our relationship with the USA. We should not forget this. We have no way to protect our freedoms and borders should some country more powerful decide to help themselves.

They are also our largest trade partner and are a huge benefit to our economies.

Besides, when we travel internationally, we often benefit by NOT being Americans.

 

[Gruss-ly]

One thing I appreciate is that we, Canada, enjoy the geographically largest country in the world, rich with natural resources, partially because we have a very BIG brother across our border with the most hi-tech military in the world.

Actually we are second to Russia in size.

 

[Herb_The_Perb]

Actually we are second to Russia in size.

Even after the breakup of The Former Soviet Union?
They lost Ukraine, the Baltic republics, and a ton of Asian ones.

 

[Gruss-ly]

Even after the breakup of The Former Soviet Union?
They lost Ukraine, the Baltic republics, and a ton of Asian ones.

Yes even after the breakup. Roughly 6.6 million sq. mi. compared to our 3.85

 

[mick_eight]

considering most of both countrys major land mass is frozen most of the year who cares

 

[luckydog71]

The top 10 reason I love USA

The top 10 reason I love USA

10 -NFL football
9 -NASCAR
8 The constitution and the degree of difficulty to amend it
7 The generosity of Americans towards those in need
6 The very low rate on personal income tax
5 Las Vegas
4 The weather - there is always somewhere you can go that the sun is shining
3 The beautiful scenery in every state
2 The close proximity to Canadian SPs (well at least for those of us in WA)


And the number 1 reason I love the USA.



DRUM ROLL PLEASE ................














We have friends the world over and all of them care so much about us and our well being that they are constantly providing us with advice on how we can make the USA a better place. In fact these are such good friends that they even ignore the shortcomings of their own country to help us work on ours.

 

[georgebushmoron]

We have friends the world over and all of them care so much about us and our well being that they are constantly providing us with advice on how we can make the USA a better place. In fact these are such good friends that they even ignore the shortcomings of their own country to help us work on ours.

LOL that's a good one!

 

[Osiris]

Things I like about the USA...

1. The USA originated in the British Empire just like Canada.

2. The Apollo space program, led by that American hero Werner von Braun.

3. The Manhattan Project, led by that American hero Albert Einstein.

4. Leaders you can respect, like Cochese, Red Cloud, and Sitting Bull.

5. Great entertainers like Rich Little, Dan Aykroyd, and Pam Anderson.

6. The USA has no governor general (need I say more).

7. They hold no grudge against Canada for burning down the White House.

8. Playboy, Penthouse, and Hustler all originated in the US.

9. Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.

10. They know how to give and take a joke.

 

[Cali Scott]

On one of my first trips to Canada I concluded that maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if the Brit's had won the war here in America. I later revised that thought by realizing that it was only the pressure of our (at the time) free system of a Constitutional Republic that pressured them to open up a little more and utilize what we were doing as an example.
We have provided a beacon around the world and given other countries hope that a better system exists.

 

[Cali Scott]

Yes even after the breakup. Roughly 6.6 million sq. mi. compared to our 3.85

Actually, at 14 million Sq Km, Antartica is larger than Canada. Cold but wait 25 years or so. It ought to have warmed up significantly.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html

 

[HankQuinlan]

And the number 1 reason I love the USA.

We have friends the world over and all of them care so much about us and our well being that they are constantly providing us with advice on how we can make the USA a better place. In fact these are such good friends that they even ignore the shortcomings of their own country to help us work on ours.

Sorry, but --- If you never want to hear international criticism, you shouldn't be the pre-eminent world power and self-appointed world's policeman. You should take your toys and go home and seal your borders -- in and out. Then you can whine when others criticize your national policies. Until then, live with it.

 

[Webster]

In no particular order:
-San Francisco
-New York

I love these two cities. Lots of breadth in culture and attitudes, and lots of energy for making crazy ideas a reality. They're full of people I find terrific. Hooray USA.

 

[HankQuinlan]

Actually, at 14 million Sq Km, Antartica is larger than Canada. Cold but wait 25 years or so. It ought to have warmed up significantly.

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/rankorder/2147rank.html

Antarctica is not a nation. It is a lump of rock and ice admininistered by an international body.

Come to think of it, it's a lot like Canada.

 

[luckydog71]

Sorry, but --- If you never want to hear international criticism, you shouldn't be the pre-eminent world power and self-appointed world's policeman. You should take your toys and go home and seal your borders -- in and out. Then you can whine when others criticize your national policies. Until then, live with it.

Hank...I was not whining....I have come to the realization how much the rest of the world loves America...that has to be the reason everyone wants to provide us advice to make us better than we already are.

And Hank....of all of the posters on here you have loved us more than most and I thank you for it.