I tend to think major wars have become more a matter of industrial capacity than anything else and admittedly the USA must have the advantage there. Still, Europe is a long way from America and presumably all the US bases would be inoperable.
Which is why I give a slight edge to Europe.
Forget France they are military lusers and have been 0wn3d by just about everybody else at one time or another - I know a lot of Brits who would just love to fight a war with the French.
(Incidentally you don't really believe the Gulf Wars were planned by the US Military do you - how deliciously naive!)
OK, maybe I didn't make the point as clearly as I could have.
Multiple independent inventors were rapidly approaching the point where powered flight was going to be achieved. However, because the definition of exactly what consitutes an acceptable "first powered heavier than air flight" is subjective (I think some of the other comments are ample proof of this), it is effectively impossible to pick out one of these as indisputably the first.
From what I've heard the Wright's first flight wasn't particularly "controlled" either - they just didn't crash which isn't necessarily the same thing.
In fact the first heavier than air powered flight was: Cayley in 1809 . . . no wait, I mean: William Stringfellow in 1868 . . . no that's not right it was Clement Ader in 1890 . . . or was it Richard Pearse in 1903 . . . no no it was definitely: Alphonse Penaud 1871 . . . period.
Who was first is a silly question because it depends too much on definitions. Really powered flight was an achievement of the human race and the Wright Brothers built upon others work as others later built upon theirs.
If the Americans want to go in for this rather sad flag waving - best of luck to them, it was still an international achievement whatever they may think.
Perhaps someday an insurance company will offer insurance against being sued by the RIAA. Since copyright infringement is a civil matter presumably there is no legal reason why they could not do this?
IANAL
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It would be interesting wouldn't it?
I tend to think major wars have become more a matter of industrial capacity than anything else and admittedly the USA must have the advantage there. Still, Europe is a long way from America and presumably all the US bases would be inoperable.
Which is why I give a slight edge to Europe.
Forget France they are military lusers and have been 0wn3d by just about everybody else at one time or another - I know a lot of Brits who would just love to fight a war with the French.
(Incidentally you don't really believe the Gulf Wars were planned by the US Military do you - how deliciously naive!)
Europe v USA .. hmmmm.
I think Bush might find that a little tougher than beating up a bunch of towel heads.
Europe: 6 to 4 on?
USA: evens ?
All bets off if it goes nuclear.
OK, maybe I didn't make the point as clearly as I could have. Multiple independent inventors were rapidly approaching the point where powered flight was going to be achieved. However, because the definition of exactly what consitutes an acceptable "first powered heavier than air flight" is subjective (I think some of the other comments are ample proof of this), it is effectively impossible to pick out one of these as indisputably the first.
From what I've heard the Wright's first flight wasn't particularly "controlled" either - they just didn't crash which isn't necessarily the same thing. In fact the first heavier than air powered flight was: Cayley in 1809 . . . no wait, I mean: William Stringfellow in 1868 . . . no that's not right it was Clement Ader in 1890 . . . or was it Richard Pearse in 1903 . . . no no it was definitely: Alphonse Penaud 1871 . . . period. Who was first is a silly question because it depends too much on definitions. Really powered flight was an achievement of the human race and the Wright Brothers built upon others work as others later built upon theirs. If the Americans want to go in for this rather sad flag waving - best of luck to them, it was still an international achievement whatever they may think.
Perhaps someday an insurance company will offer insurance against being sued by the RIAA. Since copyright infringement is a civil matter presumably there is no legal reason why they could not do this? IANAL
We already have to pay an ISP for the connection and for transferring data over the network. Free in this case means at no additional charge.