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It is worth noting that, up until the start of the second world war (i.e. right around the time this was written), Germany was the seat of intellectual power. A
by jballanc 18y ago
It is worth noting that, up until the start of the second world war (i.e. right around the time this was written), Germany was the seat of intellectual power. As educated individuals fled for the last safe haven, which just happened to be America, they brought about a shift in that power. However, it wasn't until Sputnik and the scare of the commies being able to "drop nukes on our heads" that natural born American citizens started to really participate in the development of America's intellectual prowess.
It's also apt to note that many of the individuals educated in the knee-jerk response to sputnik are now reaching retirement, and, dare I say, it shows!
- tokenadult 18y agoHowever, it wasn't until Sputnik and the scare of the commies being able to "drop nukes on our heads" that natural born American citizens started to really participate in the development of America's intellectual prowess. Not back when Benjamin Franklin was inventing and doing research?
- sachinag 18y agoBenjamin Franklin fits into the long line of American tinkerers, not a world-class intellect. Think of Ron Popeil.
- 10ren 18y agotinkerer==hacker?
- tokenadult 18y agoHow about Thomas Jefferson then?
- jdminhbg 18y agoWha? The man discovered that lightning was electricity, hardly the 'Chop-o-Matic' of the 18th century.
- skmurphy 18y agoHere are two that go well beyond Mr. Popeil's contribution. lightning rod = extremely practical and still in widespread use today bifocals = one pair of glasses instead of two, still in use today