Is America the greatest country in the world?

HughFreakingDillon said:

Meltdown99 said:

rgambs said:

Meltdown99 said:

rgambs said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

mcgruff10 said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

PJ_Soul said:

CM189191 said:

Soccer is better than both

Soccer might be even more boring than basketball.

We all know that in 1994 the us had the better hockey team.

That's weak.  The most impressive hockey team the US has ever assembled (talent wise no, but they were a great team, they had guts, character and a fantastic coach that knew how to beat the Soviets) was the miracle on ice.  

I agree. Realize I was just poking fun at soul. 

I absolutely enjoyed our 3 Olympic Gold Medals in hockey in the last few Olympics.  But that team the US sent lake placid.  Just impressive.  I have watched the movie at least a dozen times...

Amazing movie!! I show it to my classes when I teach the Cold War.  Again! Again!

a hockey movie for cold war teachings?

Oh hell yeah, kids love it. Fantastic movie. 

Maybe you and I are the only people that understand the significance of that hockey victory in that time of history...
 

It was significant in exactly the same way the Kardashians are significant now.

hats your opinion...

You are welcome to refute it with evidence that the hockey match had an actual impact on the world and the state of the cold war beyond people's warm fuzzy surface thoughts and feelings, but I've never seen any. 

Have you heard of Google?  Try it...I like I said your opinion I could care a less about.  You are more than welcome to google and post articles to back-up your case...

generally the party that makes the initial assertion is the one that is required to make the case. 

There are rules now.  Yeah I'm sure.

Meltdown99 said:

rgambs said:

Meltdown99 said:

rgambs said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

mcgruff10 said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

PJ_Soul said:

CM189191 said:

Soccer is better than both

Soccer might be even more boring than basketball.

We all know that in 1994 the us had the better hockey team.

That's weak.  The most impressive hockey team the US has ever assembled (talent wise no, but they were a great team, they had guts, character and a fantastic coach that knew how to beat the Soviets) was the miracle on ice.  

I agree. Realize I was just poking fun at soul. 

I absolutely enjoyed our 3 Olympic Gold Medals in hockey in the last few Olympics.  But that team the US sent lake placid.  Just impressive.  I have watched the movie at least a dozen times...

Amazing movie!! I show it to my classes when I teach the Cold War.  Again! Again!

a hockey movie for cold war teachings?

Oh hell yeah, kids love it. Fantastic movie. 

Maybe you and I are the only people that understand the significance of that hockey victory in that time of history...
 

It was significant in exactly the same way the Kardashians are significant now.

hats your opinion...

You are welcome to refute it with evidence that the hockey match had an actual impact on the world and the state of the cold war beyond people's warm fuzzy surface thoughts and feelings, but I've never seen any. 

Have you heard of Google?  Try it...I like I said your opinion I could care a less about.  You are more than welcome to google and post articles to back-up your case...

I am supposed to prove I've never seen evidence of tangible impact with Google?  How does that work?

Can we say the same for Kim and Khloe?

http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-sports-heroes-then-now/2018/02/we-beat-the-russians-the-impact-of-the-1980-olympic-hockey-team/

"We beat the Russians" the impact of the 1980 Olympic hockey team

We all know it happened at the height of the cold war. America, much as it is today, was terribly divided. Domestic frustrations were running incredibly high. But not as high as the international tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

We desperately needed a shot in the arm. And from mid to late February, 1980 we certainly got it. The underdog United States Olympic hockey team gave us all a lift when it beat the overwhelming favorite and undisputed greatest team in the world.

The best part was not in the winning. It was how they won. They used good old fashioned American work ethic. Something many in our country feared was quickly evaporating. The impact was immediate and astounding.

In forward Buzz Schneider's hometown of Babbitt, Minnesota, men went out into their yards and began firing shotguns into the air. Like they did sometimes on New Year's Eve.

One scene was happening all over the U.S. People driving along highways were pulling over and getting out of their vehicles. They were dancing, and hugging strangers, and screaming " WE BEAT THE RUSSIANS ! " We beat the Russians. We. Not those unknown kids over in Lake Placid, New York playing a hockey game. We.

In Winthrop, Ma., more than 50 people gathered outside the home of  the hockey team's captain, Mike Eruzione. During the celebration they spontaneously began singing the national anthem. What a sight that must of been.

My favorite story happened three thousand miles from the Olympic venue. In Santa Monica, California. A local photographer went into his hometown grocery store. Just a little mom and pop place run by an immigrant man and his wife. "Guess what?" He began. "Our boys beat the Russians." The old grocer's eyes welled. "No kidding?" He replied. And as the tears began to fall down his cheeks he asked again. "No kidding?"

mcgruff10 said:

Can we say the same for Kim and Khloe?

http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-sports-heroes-then-now/2018/02/we-beat-the-russians-the-impact-of-the-1980-olympic-hockey-team/

"We beat the Russians" the impact of the 1980 Olympic hockey team

We all know it happened at the height of the cold war. America, much as it is today, was terribly divided. Domestic frustrations were running incredibly high. But not as high as the international tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

We desperately needed a shot in the arm. And from mid to late February, 1980 we certainly got it. The underdog United States Olympic hockey team gave us all a lift when it beat the overwhelming favorite and undisputed greatest team in the world.

The best part was not in the winning. It was how they won. They used good old fashioned American work ethic. Something many in our country feared was quickly evaporating. The impact was immediate and astounding.

In forward Buzz Schneider's hometown of Babbitt, Minnesota, men went out into their yards and began firing shotguns into the air. Like they did sometimes on New Year's Eve.

One scene was happening all over the U.S. People driving along highways were pulling over and getting out of their vehicles. They were dancing, and hugging strangers, and screaming " WE BEAT THE RUSSIANS ! " We beat the Russians. We. Not those unknown kids over in Lake Placid, New York playing a hockey game. We.

In Winthrop, Ma., more than 50 people gathered outside the home of  the hockey team's captain, Mike Eruzione. During the celebration they spontaneously began singing the national anthem. What a sight that must of been.

My favorite story happened three thousand miles from the Olympic venue. In Santa Monica, California. A local photographer went into his hometown grocery store. Just a little mom and pop place run by an immigrant man and his wife. "Guess what?" He began. "Our boys beat the Russians." The old grocer's eyes welled. "No kidding?" He replied. And as the tears began to fall down his cheeks he asked again. "No kidding?"

I gotta say I'm with gambs on this one. did it have a cultural impact? sure. but to me it's pretty sad that we, as a society, lend any credence to grown men beating other grown men in a sport, like we had just won a literal war, not a figurative one. 

mcgruff10 said:

Can we say the same for Kim and Khloe?

http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-sports-heroes-then-now/2018/02/we-beat-the-russians-the-impact-of-the-1980-olympic-hockey-team/

"We beat the Russians" the impact of the 1980 Olympic hockey team

We all know it happened at the height of the cold war. America, much as it is today, was terribly divided. Domestic frustrations were running incredibly high. But not as high as the international tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

We desperately needed a shot in the arm. And from mid to late February, 1980 we certainly got it. The underdog United States Olympic hockey team gave us all a lift when it beat the overwhelming favorite and undisputed greatest team in the world.

The best part was not in the winning. It was how they won. They used good old fashioned American work ethic. Something many in our country feared was quickly evaporating. The impact was immediate and astounding.

In forward Buzz Schneider's hometown of Babbitt, Minnesota, men went out into their yards and began firing shotguns into the air. Like they did sometimes on New Year's Eve.

One scene was happening all over the U.S. People driving along highways were pulling over and getting out of their vehicles. They were dancing, and hugging strangers, and screaming " WE BEAT THE RUSSIANS ! " We beat the Russians. We. Not those unknown kids over in Lake Placid, New York playing a hockey game. We.

In Winthrop, Ma., more than 50 people gathered outside the home of  the hockey team's captain, Mike Eruzione. During the celebration they spontaneously began singing the national anthem. What a sight that must of been.

My favorite story happened three thousand miles from the Olympic venue. In Santa Monica, California. A local photographer went into his hometown grocery store. Just a little mom and pop place run by an immigrant man and his wife. "Guess what?" He began. "Our boys beat the Russians." The old grocer's eyes welled. "No kidding?" He replied. And as the tears began to fall down his cheeks he asked again. "No kidding?"

mcgruff10 said:

Can we say the same for Kim and Khloe?

http://www.chicagonow.com/chicago-sports-heroes-then-now/2018/02/we-beat-the-russians-the-impact-of-the-1980-olympic-hockey-team/

"We beat the Russians" the impact of the 1980 Olympic hockey team

We all know it happened at the height of the cold war. America, much as it is today, was terribly divided. Domestic frustrations were running incredibly high. But not as high as the international tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union.

We desperately needed a shot in the arm. And from mid to late February, 1980 we certainly got it. The underdog United States Olympic hockey team gave us all a lift when it beat the overwhelming favorite and undisputed greatest team in the world.

The best part was not in the winning. It was how they won. They used good old fashioned American work ethic. Something many in our country feared was quickly evaporating. The impact was immediate and astounding.

In forward Buzz Schneider's hometown of Babbitt, Minnesota, men went out into their yards and began firing shotguns into the air. Like they did sometimes on New Year's Eve.

One scene was happening all over the U.S. People driving along highways were pulling over and getting out of their vehicles. They were dancing, and hugging strangers, and screaming " WE BEAT THE RUSSIANS ! " We beat the Russians. We. Not those unknown kids over in Lake Placid, New York playing a hockey game. We.

In Winthrop, Ma., more than 50 people gathered outside the home of  the hockey team's captain, Mike Eruzione. During the celebration they spontaneously began singing the national anthem. What a sight that must of been.

My favorite story happened three thousand miles from the Olympic venue. In Santa Monica, California. A local photographer went into his hometown grocery store. Just a little mom and pop place run by an immigrant man and his wife. "Guess what?" He began. "Our boys beat the Russians." The old grocer's eyes welled. "No kidding?" He replied. And as the tears began to fall down his cheeks he asked again. "No kidding?"

If I had time and ambition, I could copy that and replace all the talk of hockey victory in the face of cold war desperation with escapism and dreams of financial mobility in the face of a crippling economic recession.
The instances of people celebrating could be replaced with people binge watching and buying superfluous products.
Or I could use Duck Dynasty and replace with country nostalgia, etc.

I would also say, if you read that little article with a country like North Korea in mind, it becomes a little scary.
"In Winthrop, Ma., more than 50 people gathered outside the home of  the hockey team's captain, Mike Eruzione. During the celebration they spontaneously began singing the national anthem. What a sight that must of been."  Sounds like a North Korea/Dear Leader kind of thing if you think about it.

Ultimately, to me, they are both cases of people being overly sentimental about things the TV told them they should care about.

rgambs said:

Meltdown99 said:

rgambs said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

HughFreakingDillon said:

mcgruff10 said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

Meltdown99 said:

mcgruff10 said:

PJ_Soul said:

CM189191 said:

Soccer is better than both

Soccer might be even more boring than basketball.

We all know that in 1994 the us had the better hockey team.

That's weak.  The most impressive hockey team the US has ever assembled (talent wise no, but they were a great team, they had guts, character and a fantastic coach that knew how to beat the Soviets) was the miracle on ice.  

I agree. Realize I was just poking fun at soul. 

I absolutely enjoyed our 3 Olympic Gold Medals in hockey in the last few Olympics.  But that team the US sent lake placid.  Just impressive.  I have watched the movie at least a dozen times...

Amazing movie!! I show it to my classes when I teach the Cold War.  Again! Again!

a hockey movie for cold war teachings?

Oh hell yeah, kids love it. Fantastic movie. 

Maybe you and I are the only people that understand the significance of that hockey victory in that time of history...
 

It was significant in exactly the same way the Kardashians are significant now.

hats your opinion...

You are welcome to refute it with evidence that the hockey match had an actual impact on the world and the state of the cold war beyond people's warm fuzzy surface thoughts and feelings, but I've never seen any. 

I know what you're saying... but attitudes like this actually mattered back then. They really did impact Cold War relations. That's part of why it was called a Cold War and not a War War. I know this seems a bit strange, but it was a strange thing, the Cold War, and American/Soviet relations and everything. One significant front in that War was indeed public perception and shit like that. It was part of the propaganda machine.

Speaking of ending the Cold War, Rocky IV was released yesterday in 1985.

HesCalledDyer said:

Speaking of ending the Cold War, Rocky IV was released yesterday in 1985.

I loooooove Rocky IV. I'm a really huge fan of that franchise (can't wait for the new Creed movie!). Also, my dad is actually in Rocky IV, lol. The Russia fight was filmed in the PNE's Agrodome, and my dad went there for a couple days as an extra. They gave him a Russian fur hat to wear, lol, and to this day he talks about how exciting it was to get the free lunch they served to everyone. I think this experience must have been what gave him the "acting bug" or whatever. When he retired early at 57, he just went and got himself an agent and became a movie extra. He's been in TONS of movies and TV shows since then.

Meltdown99 said:

The Rocky franchise was fantastic.  Rocky 1 was my favourite...

Rocky 1, 2 and Balboa.

All you need. 

I just finished reading this piece (it speaks to Canada and the US- both having been compared at length in this thread):

Dear Canada,

You need to know that my husband and I weren’t looking for love, but there you were. I was born in Virginia, and my husband is from western New York. We love our own precious country but, being what we consider true patriots, we are not blind to its faults – particularly at the present time.

Our love for you crept up on us slowly and, before we even knew what was happening, we were head over heels.

I started coming to visit you in 1978 with my future husband for a change of pace. These days, we visit at least twice a year, some years more than that. We mostly head to Toronto, but also visit a number of your other cities as well, including Vancouver, Windsor, Ottawa, Montreal, Quebec City, not to mention almost every town on the highway between Buffalo and Toronto.

The first thing that captivated us was, yes, the stereotype: Everyone is so very polite, so very nice. Such a small, subtle thing; such a critically important indicator of a country’s values and culture, such a civilized thing. And we absolutely delight in the fact that, being the humble, funny country that you are, you have a long-running national practice of making jokes about saying “sorry” too much.

When visiting during the celebrations for your 150th anniversary, we saw a sign on a store: “Celebrating 150 Years of Being Nice.” Was it a corporate public-relations slogan? Of course. But of all the infinite possibilities a country has to describe itself, what country celebrates that? You do, Canada.

We love that Toronto is considered one of the most multicultural cities on the planet. The fact that downtown Toronto has banners reading “We’ve Been Expecting You.” Every time we see those banners, my husband and I get a little emotional, because for us, Canada, this sums you up in four words.

Our emotions are shocking, because we are extremely pragmatic people. I am a long-time trial lawyer with a skin so thick that turtles are jealous, and neither of us are usually given to such displays. But you’ve done that to us, Canada.

We love Toronto’s Santa Claus parade. Well, what we really love is walking among everyone gathered to watch prior to the parade. Children, yes, but so, so many adults risking looking silly by wearing crazy Christmas headgear, all in the service of joy. A street vendor with Christmas lights on his turban. Runners in Santa gear. Although the parade itself is fun, we skip it most years, as we’ve already found the day’s treasure.

We love that you can find Hockey Night in Canada – Punjabi Version. We love the gentleman outside SkyDome (sorry, not Rogers Centre) at most Toronto Blue Jays games wearing full Scottish gear. Because nothing says baseball like a man in a kilt playing the bagpipes.

We love that you tweaked a line in the national anthem from “thy sons” to “of us.” Having the courage and morality to change your mightily beloved national anthem to become more gender inclusive. Well done, so very, very well done, Canada. Because that’s what a civilized country does.

We love that in Canada, you write sympathetic TV comedies about mosques, on the prairie, no less. And – as if we needed another reason – we love your ice dancers, Tessa and Scott. You are just taunting us with these two!

We could mention the quaint, Old World charm of Quebec City, or the stunning beauty of Vancouver. But, like any true love, Canada, we love you for who you are, not what you look like. And even though we adore you, we are not blind to your faults, either. We know that you have your own problems, most importantly your continuing treatment of the Indigenous. But if there is one country on this earth that we believe will eventually right its wrongs, it’s you.

But it was while attending a Jays game on one of our visits in July that made me start writing this letter. Between innings, a red and white sign on the scoreboard flashed “Welcome To Canada!” and then showed a family with an Arab last name.

The Guess Who’s Share the Land was playing: “Maybe I’ll be there to shake your hand/Maybe I’ll be there to share the land/They’ll be giving away when we all live together.”

The crowd applauded wildly during all of this, 100 per cent of the crowd applauded wildly – not one person booed.

I watched this with total stunned delight, but also thought sadly about how different this would be in my own country, if it even happened at all. Only my mule-like stubbornness kept me from bawling right there among 50,000 people. Thank goodness my husband managed to keep himself together.

Canada, this says everything to us about you, everything.

In fairness to our own country, our borders and our immigration history are different. Comparing the two, truly, is like comparing apples and oranges. On the other hand, given our own past history of how we treat “other” people in the United States who are not immigrants, I am not so sure that a comparison is totally unfair, either.

So, now you know, O Canada, why I had to write this letter. For a long time, our hearts have been glowing, too.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/first-person/article-im-an-american-but-im-head-over-heels-in-love-with-canada/