[DoctorBeaver]

Quite possible

[Chemistry4me]

So you're saying that he didn't invent anything?

[DoctorBeaver]

Not as far as I'm aware

[Chemistry4me]

So who invented the thing parked in the garage?

[lyner]

Daimler, Benz, Peugeot, Lanchester. . .

Ford was a manufacturer and, it must be said, developed the Production Line technique.
OK, NASA have developed their share but Von Braun was at the start of it. Then there was Albert. and all his mates came over from Europe for you to claim as American Inventors.

US have their share of inventions but get it in proportion."All technological advancement"? I don't think so.

[Chemistry4me]

Which country is the most inventive? China?

[lyner]

Dunno. Is it relevant to the original post, now we've shown that USA is not the fount of all technology?
You clearly have your reasons for Islamophobia but you won't find much support for those sort of ideas in a site full of logical nerds like me.

[DoctorBeaver]

SC - I'm glad you said developed not invented. Most people think the production line was Ford's idea when, in fact, he got it from the Springfield Armoury.

[lyner]

Well I never!

[Karsten]

For NSM's benefit, would someone care to list American inventions of last 50 years? Or even 100 years? It won't take long because it will be a fairly short list.

While I do not know whether those inventors were doing their thing in the last 100 years, here (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:American_inventors) you can find the first 200 links to 936 pages of American inventors. Some may have been born abroad and became US-citizen later.

That does not mean that those inventions were useful though. An inventor (I guess) would be someone who invented SOMETHING. Any US-citizen holding a patent would be an inventor and I am sure there are quite a few. I would not say that the USA is a country of generally uncreative people. But creativity alone means little.

A quick search for Arab inventors resulted in this:
http://www.mail-archive.com/tech4all@yahoogroups.com/msg00561.html
Lots of interesting inventions are credited to Muslims here.

[DoctorBeaver]

Karsten - I've looked through that list of American inventors and selected some at random. In a few instances, although technically they could be called inventors, what they actually did was create a variant of an existing item for which they were granted a patent.

Please don't misunderstand me, I have no desire to denegrate the advances that have come from America. It's just that some people seem to wish to promote the belief that everything has come from there. Many inventions that are commonly credited to America do, in fact, originate in other countries. For instance, Samuel Colt did not invent the revolver; an Englishman did.

[Karsten]

Karsten - I've looked through that list of American inventors and selected some at random. In a few instances, although technically they could be called inventors, what they actually did was create a variant of an existing item for which they were granted a patent.

Please don't misunderstand me, I have no desire to denegrate the advances that have come from America. It's just that some people seem to wish to promote the belief that everything has come from there. Many inventions that are commonly credited to America do, in fact, originate in other countries. For instance, Samuel Colt did not invent the revolver; an Englishman did.

I have no problem with this assertion. Technology evolves. I hope we can get away from wondering who invented and how much was invented rather than what was invented (or discovered). And, yes, some people will always believe that no matter what happens in their own country/community/family/social group, it is better and greater than what happens in other countries/communities/families/social groups. We all have bias to a certain extend, but not all are able/willing to oppose it equally well.

[NobodySavedMe]

I don't think 'America' (do you mean the USA?) has a lot to shout about at the moment. They have impressed their influence on the Middle East for nothing but monetary gain from oil. They are still in the middle of an unforgivable and unjustifiable military involvement there and they have used their wealth to maintain an artificial situation in the region for decades.
NSM:

It was America that has driven all technological advancement and endeavour.

That remark just about says it all. Are you not aware of any of the work that has been going on in Europe, Asia and elsewhere for hundreds of years? The USA has been extremely fortunate to have so many natural resources (Oil, in particluar) and to have been wealthy enough to do more or less what it wants. But is it really the utopian dream for its own poorer and less privileged classes?

Haven't we all just seen the levels of corruption in the US financial sector?
I think a more balanced view is called for before you just knock 'those Moslems'.

America is the driving force for advancement.America has the most money.America has spent $86 billion over the last 20 years on a ballistic defense, which although is only marginally useful,has caused knock on advances in optics,lasers and related fields.

I have not knocked anyone.

The question was the return of the Ottoman Empire returning.

The answer is a definite no.

Do you really think the Ottoman Army on horseback with their scimitars waving could defeat a single Abrams tank?

A single Abrams tank could destroy all the Ottoman Empire armies on horseback with their scimitars.

[DoctorBeaver]

You really are a very silly little person, aren't you.

Ottoman basically equates to Turkish. Are you suggesting that the Turkish army has no weapons more advanced than scimitars? If that were the case, how do explain Gallipoli?

[lyner]

Ah well, they weren't fighting against Americans at the time.
Really, Dr. B. Don't you realise that NSM must be right and the rest of the world is out of step?
America has done everything - like Vietnam and Iraq . Very commendable.

[DoctorBeaver]

SC - I stand corrected. My most humble apologies.