xtcian

brits and canadians are funny, but not objectively funnier. it's all a matter of taste and I would argue culture. noel coward, benny hill, monty python, kids in the hall, s.b. cohen and ricky gervais are all hysterically funny in really different and groundbreaking ways. but so are the marx brothers, the zuckers, harold ramis, the entire sketch movement out of chicago and LA (second city/ucb/groundlings), lenny bruce, richard pryor, eddie murphy, larry david, dave chappelle, human giant (internet stuff, actually airing on mtv soon, youtube them, they're twisted motherfuckers) and the current cast of snl (really, who's funnier than fred armisen, bill heder, maya rudolph and kristin wiig?), just to name a few.

I'm not saying you're necessarily wrong, just that what you seem to find funny is apparently informed by your cultural viewpoint/bias, education level and ethnicity. (in terms of pop music, they have the beatles, so no argument there. they clearly win.)

adding to the list, sex. as in the rest of the world does it better, while we seem to do porn, compulsion, repression, violence, plastic surgery and advertising really well.

sorry, just reread your post. does sex count as an import/export? guess not. ok, never mind.

we do customer service, even with all the "press 1 for more muzak" b.s. on the phone lines, about a thousand times better than any European country.

First list:
There is pretty much a consensus worldwide that on the whole, Americans do higher education (university level) better than most other parts of the world. I'm thinking this is true for medical education, too, but not positive about that.

Second list:
Rail travel.
Cheese.
Comfortable shoes (with a few exceptions such as Merrell).

Second list:
cameras.
small electronic things.
bread.
cheese.
wine.

Things we do better,
Software - we do software design and programming better than anywhere else.

Barbecue (or barbeque, or bbq, or whatever your region calls it) - now I looove me some mongolian barbeque, but give me NC pork bbq and even Texas beef brisket and I'll take on the world!!

Pizza - OK I know italy invented it, and I like authentic italian pizza for it's simplicity and clean taste. But New York or Chicago style pizza is amazing. Think of it like cars, we invented them but the japanses have perfected them, just like the italians invented pizza, but we've perfected it.

Innovation/paradigm shifts - Think the internet, cars, planes, electric guitars, most modern music genres, electronics, computers, almost all of modern life. Sure other countries can improve on them (electronics, cars, etc) but we are the ones that come up with the initial ideas and put the things in motion. We innovate and change the world.

What we don't do well

Empires - Let's leave empires to the Romans, Persians, Macedonians, British, Spanish and other countries. We've never been able to really successfully pull it off. I think it has to do with that Declaration of Independence, Constitution and those inalienable rights we were all introduced to as kids. No matter how "just" we feel we are being, there is something in the back of our minds that just goes off when we try to impose our wills and ideas on other nations.

first list:
entrepreneurship
medicine (as it relates to keeping people healthy, mortality)
fast food concepts
home ownership

second list:
accessible healthcare
fashion/couture
vacations

You grabbed the low-hanging fruit, but maybe these...

First list: All-you-can-eat buffet restaurants.

Second list: Marital infidelity.

first list

smithfield ham
molassas
grits
software
quarterly profits

First List: Rap Music. I mean, have you heard French people rap???

Yeah Kevin! Grits!!

First list:
1)restaurant sanitation
2)Patagonia with their organic cotton and enviro push
3)Target. I know, big boxes suck. But there's something to be said for being able to whatever you might want/need at any time within 5 miles of where you live.
4)Diapers
5)Toothpaste
6)French Fries. Ours are still better.
7)Ice cream.
8)Liquor
9)Animal Care
10)Special dietary options (like Gluten Free!)

Second list:
1)Wine
2)Beer- although microbrews are getting good!
3)Public Transportation
4)Nude Beaches
5)Pharmacies without prescriptions!

I'm afraid I must challenge your claim to Maple Syrup. The True North, Strong and Free, makes the best.

You guys do grow good broccoli. I'm not being sarcastic here - I eat a *lot* of US-grown broccoli.

Agreed. Canadians rule the world of maple products and some US supply is even bulk shipments from the North. Beef, too, is better in Scotland. Aberdeen Angus fed on brewers spent grain is the best.

But no one does BBQ like the US. Canadians think BBQ is a weiner over briquettes. Parades, too. I drive for hours and cross international borders for a good US small town parade. US craft beer is the best in the world as far as I can tell. Have you any idea the crap that goes into what Belgian monks put under a cork? Blind hope. No one is an optimist like a US optimist. Bleak? Go find a Finn.

Maybe I'm missing it one someone else's post, but I'd say music is in the first list. Sure the brits can bring it, but Americans have really been innovative, creative and original in most modern music genres.

First List: internet, coke (cola), bebop

Second List: soccer, metric system, nobility, voter turnout, brawls at sporting events

Germans love David Hasselhoff.

nike sucks, adidas rules

for the first list - hip hop and jazz, to follow along the music theme.

other ones i have no actual research on, just a guess:

marketing

plastic

celebrity youth gone wild

junk food

Jello.

Best:

1. airplanes
2. military weapons
3. small business job creation
4. wonder prescription drugs
5. University education

Not So Good:

1. efficient land use
2. high school education
3. automobiles
4. trains/streetcars
5. spicey foods

Good call on the cheese. Although Wisconsonians might take offense... Carla? Jiff?

Wine is an interesting call as well. It was my understanding that California wines surpassed French wines in quality around 1998 and never looked back. I think the top three international wines each of the last few years - blind taste-tested - have been from Napa. I'm no oenophile, however (my dad grows grapes in Napa Valley) so someone out there can correct me.

Great call on trains. Did y'all see the train in France that went 357mph yesterday? At that speed, NYC-LA is 7 hours and 50 minutes.

As for liquor, we make bourbon and that's about it. Doesn't hold a candle to Scottish single-malts and Polish vodka (at least in my experience).

What we do worse - learn foreign languages.

Puedo ir al bano?

First list -
Country music - especially bluegrass.
Celebrity (could Paris Hilton be anything but American?)
Medical research (except stem cell as stated)
Christmas trees
Expensive pharmaceuticals

About food items - I would recommend lots of "local crops" as the best I've had anywhere - examples -
Peaches (straight from the roadstand in SC or Ga)
Strawberries (right out of the field)
Apples from the NC Mts
Sweet Potatoes
Ice Cream (not gelato - I'm talking creamy, straight from the dairy variety)

Second list - (most already stated)but one again for emphasis - medical care for the masses and affordable prescription drugs

Electrical converters and adapters.

I guess this one depends on your perspective.

Things we do well:
- Project Management.

- The pop music question is debatable, but the best of Britain's pop is/was(/probably forever will be) derived from American "roots music," i.e. folk/blues/jazz.

First:
- Thanksgiving turkey dinner with all the trimmings.
- The Constitution

Second:
- Air travel
- Infant mortality rates

1st list:

Chowder
Beer (No, not the canned moose piss. I mean the microbrews. They beat even Germany's best).
Pinot Noir
Jazz

First List:

I'm not Jif or Carla but I'm married to Carla, so I'll stick up for Wisconsin's cheese quality, it's certainly contributed to my waistline.

While the Europeans and Japanese do make decent, reliable stereo equipment, the Americans take the cake in the high-end stuff I'm partial to. Brands like McIntosh, Harman Kardon, JBL, Polk Audio, Boston Acoustics and Klipsch are all American-made.

Americans also dominate in the manufacture of musical instruments with Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker among the best guitars ever made. Amps by Fender, Mesa, Matchless and Soldano are all tops. Also DW, Ludwig and Slingerland drums Vic Firth and Pro-Mark drumsticks and Remo and Evans drumheads are also made here.

The Brits have had their run of quality pop but it was distilled from American anticedents.

It's funny, the full name of Mesa Amplifiers contains a second name that rhymes with 'noogie' but my comment was initially denied for questionable content.

Best: Branding, marketing, propaganda. Basketball players.

Ken - that's probably because of a certain J(N)oogie.

Ian- That was the funny part. After my initial attempt to comment was denied, I re-read my comment twice to see what could possibly be so offensive and then I remembered Mr. 'Noogie'. It's a good thing I'm a regular visitor, otherwise I would've been at a complete loss as to why talking about amps, guitars and stereo equipment was 'offensive'.

2nd list: Cell phone technology

Playing catch-up:

America rules at: theme parks, fast food

America sucks at: gay marriage, air travel