Why Yanks think they are the greatest.

[Rodney Mills]

The following data could have been Great Britain's, she being*in the dominant role as of September 23, 1896 , Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee.

In the waning days of the 19th century, the United Kingdom was the most powerful country on earth. The British Empire was at its zenith. More than a quarter of the world’s population—and a portion of every continent—was under its dominion, and ruling over it all was Queen Victoria, the woman who had worn the crown longer than any sovereign in British history. Back on that day, Britons made sure everybody in the world knew it was number one, just as yanks believe they are today.

I do try to answer your questions posed regarding the US.. There has been a reoccurring question of late, "Why do the Yanks think they are the greatest?" Following are just a few examples of why we Americans are proud of and love our country.

Following statistics from The Economist magazine Pocket World In Figures 2016 Edition. The Economist is a British weekly magazine that has been continuously published since September, 1830. The Economist is rated as the most trustworthy weekly news and culture magazine in the world.

Following are the top three countries in the world in each category plus other countries positions in parenthesis as needed:

Worlds largest economies: (1st.) US, (2nd.) China, (3rd.)Japan. UK (6 (position)), Oz. (12)

Official Gold Reserve: Euro Area, US, Germany. UK (15) (Euro area are the gold of 27 countries).

Largest economy by purchasing power: US, China, India. UK. (9) Oz. (20)

Largest Exporter. Euro Area, US, China, UK. (7) Oz. (20) (EU area are the combined exports of the 27 countries.)

LOWEST growth in industrial output: (UK) 13. (US. not amongst the LOWEST 25.)

Largest manufacturing output: China, (1.3 billion pop.) US. (320 million pop.) Japan, 122million pop. UK. (11) 63million pop.

Largest service output: ( This means banking, financial, etc. not MacDonald's) US. Japan, China. UK (6), (OZ.11)

Largest stock markets in capitalization: US, US, Japan. UK(4), Oz. (14) (US has three major stock markets).

Largest stock market in volume (shares traded): US, US, US. UK. (8)


Non-financial:

Most visitors (tourists): France, US., Spain. UK. (8)

Top Universities: U.S.17 out of the top 18 universities. UK. (Cambridge #5 ). and (Oxford tied with Chicago Uni. for #9).

Highest university enrollment. (as a % of population.) Greece, South Korea, U.S.. OZ. (6) UK. (not rated in top 25)

Arms export: US. Russia, France, UK(4). Oz.(19) (I'm not proud of this one).

HIGHEST cost of living: Oz.(4). UK /NZ. (9), USA (16). (High number is better).*

Oil production out of top 10.: US, China, Russia.

Natural gas: US., Saudi Arabia, Qatar.

Coal: China, US, Indonesia
.
Largest non-financial companies: US. (7 out of top 10), (14th out of the 25.) UK. (16).


Followingare the most important ones in my opinion. Research and Development (R and D) shows business and growth coming in the future, the development of business, new ideas and systems, products, medicines, cures etc. Investment in space keeps us on the cutting edge of exploration and new products, inventions, and defense.

Annual R and D expenditure in billions of US. dollars: US. $453. China $191. Japan $170. UK. #7 ($43). Oz.#8 ($32).

Space budgets: US ($39.332 billion) China ($6.111 billion) Russia ($5.2 billion) Canada #9 ($472 million) UK. # 10 (0.336 million)


Along with officialrecognition for achievements in excellence:

Nobel Prizes.

Peace: US. 19, UK.12, France. 9.
Economics: US.37, UK. 9, France 2
Medicine: US.55, UK. 25, Germany 15.
physics: US. 53, UK. 21, Germany 19.

Noble prize committee just awarded 6 Nobel prizes to the U.S.. (2 are native born, 4 recipients are NATURALIZED U.S. citizen.)

Plus the United States has all the topography of the world within its borders: artic conditions, forests, mountains to rival the Alps, The Great Plains, tundra, deserts, tropical islands, jungle, beaches, world class hunting and fishing open to the public, two of the longest hiking trails in the world, a magnificent state and national park systems available for the general public's use and protecting the scenic wonders of America for future Americans and visitors.

Okay, that's enough, I think you get the idea as to why I'm so proud of my country.*

In my opinion the *Australians I knew when I lived in Oz. were the closest I have found to yanks, Perhaps it's both being young countries.

No one in the States, and my Ozzie friends,*look back to the past with longing....with pride, yes!***Americans always* look forward to the future with determination and promise, not backwards to former glory. I'm aware it*sounds pretentious, but I firmly*believe it.* And that's my answer to your question, "Why do the yanks think they are the greatest?"* Now, why do you think you are *the greatest?* There's nothing wrong with being proud of your country, come on tell everyone.* ("Current day" terms please not*"bygone glories").

[Gulliver]

And don't forget Rodney,you Americans are so modest.

[Rodney Mills]

Sorry for the asterisks my computer adds them in, but only on this site. Anybody else having a similar problem? I tried to edit them out, but a bunch got put back in.

[Rodney Mills]

"In the waning days of the 19th century, the United Kingdom was the most powerful country on earth. The British Empire was at its zenith. More than a quarter of the world’s population—and a portion of every continent—was under its dominion, and ruling over it all was Queen Victoria, the woman who had worn the crown longer than any sovereign in British history. Back on that day, Britons made sure everybody in the world knew it was number one, just as yanks believe they are today."

Now, now, Gulliver, no cherry picking, you must have either skipped (not so merrily) over my opening paragraph, so I repeat it, just for you buddy.

[Captain Kong]

We would have still been tops in many of those, if we had NEVER EVER had anything to do with Europe,
Going into Europe devastated Britain far more than WW2,
We lost all our Industries to Europe, they devastated us because we had weak politicians and still have, all a bunch of Quislings. That left us bereft of manufacturing which is what we did best for exporting to the whole world.
We had an Empire now Commonwealth, the Europeans banned us from trading with them, They do all the trade negotiating with all our traditional trading partners and they are now the biggest traders and worked us out keeping the trade all to themselves..
I travel the world every year and all I ever see now are German ships delivering containers, HAMBURG SUD, Indonesia, all of South America,
Africa, West Indies. every where the great British Merchant Fleets went to with British Exports
ALL GONE NOW, Because of Europe and our Quisling Politicians.
We should have been in the top 3 Trading Nations on earth.

America does have some of the finest scenery on earth, I have seen most of it, Grand Canyon, the Rockies and so on.
But for a small Nation we didn't do too bad. just our evil politicians destroying our heritage. they should all be executed for high treason.
Maybe with Brexit we could start to climb the ladder again, but we have stupid governments who give BILLIONS away to 185 countries in aid that mostly go into the Swiss bank accounts of Dictators of these countries.
That is why I despair.
Brian.

[dave moore]

Rodney,the USA may be the greatest at bla ,blah blah but in my opinion there are one or two things that you should not feel happy about.Firstly all the movies ,computer games that are produced in the USA and exported all over the world are full of extreme violence .In my opinion they should be banned completely ,because at the end of the day they must breed violence among the younger generations.Not good,,Another not to be proud of is encouraging young Americans that are as young as 12years old to get into trophy shooting of African big game for their own gratification another not to be proud of.Dont get me wrong I have nothing against Americans,just think about what I have stated we have to think about future generations

[Captain Kong]

I also think that the Governments of the US of A, are also one of the most warmongering nations on earth,
As stated above by Dave, they are brain washing kids to Kill Kill Kill with their war games for computers. I found my grandson with one, and at the same time talking to his mate over the computer, "How many have you killed so far".?, "I have killed 267." it doesn't mean a thing to them but they are accepting killing as a game. and so it goes on. I took the game off him and destroyed it, and told him never ever use one of those again. and he hasn't.
America seems to be at war with itself, many mass shootings in schools., colleges etc. Police and public shooting each other on a daily basis.
Then if a country does not have Democracy we will bomb the crap out of them until they do have Democracy.
They have never won a war since WW2 but still go on having wars. They didn't win Korea, Viet Nam, Iraq or Afghanistan, backed the wrong side in Syria and created Isil, Bombed Libya and now total chaos after getting rid of Gadhafi. The American Arms industry is the USAs biggest industry,
The Death Toll amongst the US Military is terrible, but no one seems to care. I am not criticising the American Soldiers, My two nephews, Officers in the British Army, were in Afghanistan and seconded to the US Army. They told me that the American troops were excellent, courageous, were tough, and would do anything without question, But very poorly lead by their Officers.
I was in Havasu, Arizona, with Anne, we walked one block to a Restaurant and on the way back a Pick up truck went past us shouting , "Get Off the Street, they shoot old folks round here." Scary. The hotel told us ," No one walks anywhere, go in your car, it is safer" Is that the sign of a` nice country`??
If America has not got a war some where, they will go out and find one. WHY????
Brian , who still loves the American people, has many great friends there and visits there every year,

[happy daze john in oz]

Well Rodders you have summed it up very well, well done.

On a couple of points though. Oz 4th most expensive country, expence is as a percentage of salary. We have some of the highest wages going and it is not good for exporting when such costs have to be factored in.

No mention in your article about gun ownership which I think is second highest behind Switzerland per capita.

Did you mention immigration, both legal and illegal? You do well taking in the poor of the world but sadly many illegals.

Prison population is amongst the highest per capita in the world and last figures I saw showed over 3 million behind bars!

Correct on arms manufacturing but you left out China as one of the big five at it.

Many a USA recession has seen US take up arms, not start the battle, in some part to encourage growth. Arms manufacturing takes a lot of people.

But I am not attempting to pick, just adding to your very impressive listings.

[dave moore]

Hi Rodney ,this thread certainly has stirred the emotions among the old salts ,what interests me is that both your presidential and brexit elections provided surprising results ,why the bookies don't often gat it wrong it wrong .I personally think that both nations are fe.Dave Moored up with what we have had ruling us for the past decades,and have become very disillusioned and have democraticaly decided that enough is enough ,so let's have a change.The only way we can judge if it will be any better is to let time pass .Personally LETS PUT THe GREAT BACK INTO BRITAIN .Dave Moore News At Ten County Durham.

[Chris Allman]

Personally I don't see anything in ' greatness ' in the suppression and virtual annihilation of the real Americans - the Red Indian Nation - nor do I see the persecution and suppression of the American Black person as anything other that an utter disgrace and crime - there is also the carriage and ownership of guns of any type or caliber with the wholesale murder and carnage that results - that's just three reasons that I don't think that Americans are the greatest. I could go on - the introduction of the supermarket to the world, which has killed off local business and thus the spirit of local camaraderie - the explosion of the motor car and electrical appliances which are destroying our atmosphere and the future lives of our children and grandchildren and how about the introduction of ' fast food ' and the damage that it is doing to everyone's health - ad infinitum !!!! no I think greatest is the totally wrong word.