Clarkson's Patriotism and Anti-Americanism...

If you think America gave the world the telephone and television, I don't even know where to begin...

An undisputed fact is that Alexander Graham Bell was the first to be awarded a patent for the electric telephone by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in March 1876. In 1927, Philo Farnsworth made the world's first working television system with electronic scanning of both the pickup and display devices, which he first demonstrated to the press on 1 September 1928. WRGB claims to be the world's oldest television station, tracing its roots to an experimental station founded on January 13, 1928, broadcasting from the General Electric factory in Schenectady, NY, under the call letters W2XB. Did others do developmental work, or create something that was almost there? Sure, but I'm talking the working, production model my friend.

The points made above weren't that America had made zero contributions anyway, it was that they don't care to experience others' (watching our television and talking on our telephones excepted...)

"What the US population lack in my eyes, is cultural and mental exchange with the rest of the world." was McGuffin's post. This is pretty straight forward in saying that Americans do not exchange with the rest of the world; there isn't really any rhetorical wiggle room here. We don't care to experience other cultures? A point I'd be willing to concede, if it weren't wrong. Even here in my small town in Kansas, we have a public radio station that plays international and Celtic music shows; we have a nearby radio station that plays nothing but Latin music; each year we have an Italian food festival (lots of Mafia - I mean, Italian settlers). It's not that we don't 'care' to experience others culture, its only that we generate so much of it that the stuff from outside sometimes seems to get lost. Plus, we are MADE of many cultures including your own; we have simply stripped away the things that do not mesh with our bigger picture. The few Ugly Americans out there aside, I would submit that America is actually much more willing to experience others cultures than you suspect.
 
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If you think America gave the world the telephone and television, I don't even know where to begin...

So instead of correcting the list I'll put forwards what I think is the biggest contribution to human culture made by the Americans; their space program. Sure a lot of the key scientists that made the first orbital flights and moon landing possible were foreign and it was all based on German technology, but nobody else would have brought it together and thrown enough money at it to make it happen. In the part of the world that wasn't about to collapse, anyway.

The points made above weren't that America had made zero contributions anyway, it was that they don't care to experience others' (watching our television and talking on our telephones excepted...)

That's what America is, a bunch of people and ideas coming together in one place to make something better out of it.




Sooooo can we go back to talking about :jc:?
 
That's what America is, a bunch of people and ideas coming together in one place to make something better out of it.QUOTE]

*coughs* Hannah Montana *cough*
 
An undisputed fact is that Alexander Graham Bell was the first to be awarded a patent for the electric telephone by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) in March 1876.
It's also an undisputed fact that Bell was good friends with the patent officer, who allowed him to retroactively add vital parts of it after a completing patent had been filed. USA, USA! ;)

Sure, but I'm talking the working, production model my friend.
Oh I wouldn't dispute the 'getting it to market' angle, in the same way we got screwed over in the whole M52/X1 debacle... which of course was covered by :clarkson:in one of his documentaries and BOOM back on topic.
 
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An undisputed fact is that Alexander Graham Bell was the first to be awarded a patent for the electric telephone

I know. Ergo not an American invention.

As for the television, that was John Logie Baird in 1925. Same nationality as Graham Bell, i.e. not American.
 
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I know. Ergo not an American invention.

As for the television, that was John Logie Baird in 1925. Same nationality as Graham Bell, i.e. not American.

Farnsworth! :p
 
Homosexuality ? American inventions ? Who invented the light bulb???!!

What does all of this have to do with anything??
I already asked for the thread to be redirected onto its right tracks. It appears to have not worked.

Deeply offended here.
Disappointed too.
 
Homosexuality ? American inventions ? Who invented the light bulb???!!

What does all of this have to do with anything??
I already asked for the thread to be redirected onto its right tracks. It appears to have not worked.

Deeply offended here.
Disappointed too.

I take it you're new?
 
Homosexuality ? American inventions ? Who invented the light bulb???!!

What does all of this have to do with anything??
I already asked for the thread to be redirected onto its right tracks. It appears to have not worked.

Deeply offended here.
Disappointed too.

Well, even you must admit, that concerning the original topic practically everything has been said.
 
Does it matter anyway - is he funny? Yes he is, if you do not think so do not watch and join a TG board /thread.
 
Oh God not another "who invented what" debate. There has always, and still is, a two way communication between the US and the rest of the Western world by means of people and ideas. Neither the U.S. nor Europe are lacking in scientific progression or invention.

Going back and saying that someone's invention is worthless because another came up with a less successful and/or competent one is rubbish as well. Thomas Newcomen isn't an idiot because Hero of Alexandria beat him to it by over a millennium.
 
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