100 great things about America 2011

Sometimes it's easy to overlook our country's glory. For the second year running, we present 100 outstanding things about the U.S.A.

FORTUNE -- Though our affection for America is a year-round phenomenon, summer seems to make the heart and mind grow even fonder. Holidays contribute to this: Memorial Day ushers in the season, followed soon after by our Uncle Sam's favorite, July Fourth. Getting out into the great outdoors also kindles nation-love, as only a visit to national parks like Yellowstone or the Great Smoky Mountains can do. So, too, does the food of summer: grilled hot dogs and hamburgers, corn on the cob, and blueberry pie on a brimming picnic table. So we think it only fitting to present to you our second annual list of 100 Great Things About America right as we head into the summer solstice.

The list reflects our sensibility here at Fortune. Yes, it's heavy on business (see Warren Buffett, No. 30, and even Exxon Mobil (XOM), at No. 88), but it also includes NASCAR, No. 51, as well as Carlos Santana and Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon, sitting next to each other at 19 and 20. We have a soft spot for fast cars, virtuoso guitar players, and a nip of fine bourbon, among other indulgences, but many of these manifestations of Americana happen to be shining commercial success stories too. (Did you know that Santana recently opened a chain of Mexican restaurants named Maria Maria and has his own line of women's shoes?)

Why only 100 great things, you might ask? Of course there are many more than that, which is why we decided that this year's list wouldn't include any from last year's tally. That's why you won't see Mount Rushmore (last year's No 4). We're also not including any deceased persons, so, much as we love them, no Abe Lincoln, M.L.K., or Joe DiMaggio (or maybe Ted Williams for Red Sox Nation). Actually, I think we should do the list for eight more years so we end up with a mega-list of 1,000 Great Things About America. I don't imagine we'll have any problem finding that many, do you?

This exercise may seem to fly right in the teeth of the national zeitgeist, as there's more concern than celebration about America right now. All the more reason for doing it, I say. Yes, we face unprecedented challenges, but focusing solely on those vexing issues is not only misdirected but actually dangerous. And the optimists' case isn't just pie in the sky. In his new book, The Next American Economy: Blueprint for a Real Recovery, author William J. Holstein shows that made in america is still very much alive. He points out that many U.S. companies, like Caterpillar (CAT) (No. 13) and Boeing (BA) (its 747 is No. 29), have done a remarkable job navigating through, and succeeding in, the new global economy. He cites cities like San Diego for genomics, Pittsburgh for robotics, and Cleveland for electronics as hubs of world-class innovation. And he points out that higher wages mean China no longer offers a wide cost advantage for manufacturers.

To be sure, Holstein writes, we need a better model for cooperation among business, academia, and government, but we are far from a gloom-and-doom starting point. As Alexis de Tocqueville wrote in Democracy in America, "The greatness of America lies not in being more enlightened than any other nation, but rather in her ability to repair her faults." We will surely be putting that to the test in the coming years. But for now, please take time to celebrate some of our greatness and think about how each of these entries contributes to the tangible and intangible success and well-being of America.

1. Opportunity

We live in the land of it. It's knocking. And all the other adages -- all true.

2. The Interstate Highway System.

Road trip! Jack Kerouac, Hunter S. Thompson, Chevy Chase -- and you.

3. The Sears Tower

Naming rights are well and good, but the Willis Tower is still Sears (SHLD) to us -- and still the nation's tallest building.

4. Wal-Mart employees in Joplin, Mo.

Store employees saved lives during the tornado. Now that's service.

5. Navy Seals

They get the big jobs done, and they don't talk about it.

6. ESPN

More than sports, it's a cradle of pop culture, coming from an unlikely-ville: Bristol, Conn.

7. FedEx

The iconic trucks with their orange-and-purple trim always come through.

8. Steve Jobs

The brain behind the iPhone, iPad, and iEverything finally managed to get the Beatles onto iTunes. What can't this guy do?

9. Whole Foods

It's a locavore market, it's a scene -- and if you bring your own reusable bag, most stores will knock a dime off the bill.

10. Microsoft Word

RTF, PDF -- these mean little to us. The doc is king.

11. Ford F-150

The bestselling pickup truck of all time.

12. The Rockefeller Family

The towering bloodline is synonymous with oil, power, and New York City, but its legacy includes Colonial Williamsburg, MoMA, Acadia and Grand Teton National Parks -- and much more.

13. Caterpillar

When you stick your neck out to gawk at a construction site on the highway, notice it's always Cat (CAT) machinery?

14. Detroit

Motown's rise, fall, and -- we hope -- rise again.

15. The Kindle

Savior to trees and book publishing alike.

16.  Duct tape

Everyone's first fix-it choice. Just ask MacGyver. Or MacGruber.

17. The Bill of Rights

The big 10, baby. (We're especially partial to freedom of the press.)

18. The Wall Street Bull 

The market may be struggling, but tourists keep coming to get a photo with its iconic symbol.

19. Carlos Santana

If you didn't already have "Oye Como Va" in your head, you will now.

20. Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon

Kentucky-made, by one family, since 1893.

21. LinkedIn

Facebook for grownups -- and a hot IPO too.

22. Colin Powell

Statesman, retired four-star general, and child of immigrants: an American story.

23. Bill and Melinda Gates 

Money getting money to pledge money.

24. GEICO commercials

Always clever (though we prefer the gecko to the guy in the suit and the cavemen).

25. The Mississippi River 

Our country's largest river system -- and muse to Twain, Faulkner, Zeppelin, and Cash.

26. Ben & Jerry's

The only thing better than its AmeriCone Dream is the "flavor graveyard" on its website.

27. Bose noise-canceling headphones

It took a Massachusetts company to make ignoring your neighbor on an airplane socially acceptable.

28. Self-stick stamps

Our tongues are rejoicing.

29. The Boeing 747

The most popular commercial aircraft in history.

30. Warren Buffett

Even after Sokolgate, he's still the Oracle, and friend to the likes of No. 23 -- and No. 33.

31. Summer Friday hours

"Out at 3 p.m." -- sometimes meaning "out after lunch."

32. Poland Spring

Better than Perrier.

33. LeBron James

Will America's biggest loser become a sympathetic figure? The story of next season ...

34. GPS

Invented by engineers at MIT. Which is where, exactly?

35. Daily deal websites

Discounted things to try, eat, and buy are just a click away.

36. Friday Night Lights

The book, the TV series, and the cult of Coach Taylor.

37. Budweiser beer 

No, not Bud Light. Budweiser. Now Belgian-owned, but still all-American.

38. "American Pie" By Don McLean

"Drove my Chevy to the levee" -- the laziest rhyme ever that works.

39. Jay-Z

From rapper to Roc-A-Fella.

40. Louisville Slugger bats

Trusted by pros, softball leagues, and homeowners concerned about intruders.

41. Kevin Spacey voicing Honda commercials

And no one even knowing.

42. Zappos

All hail the king of free shipping ... both ways.

43. Oscar Mayer hot dogs 

The Weiner that has managed to retain its dignity.

44. SEC football

'Bama, LSU, Auburn, and even Vandy -- the league to watch, every year.

45. TMZ

Everyone's first stop for gossip (but you don't read it ... right?).

46. Music festivals

From Bonnaroo to Coachella, you're never too old to go.

47. Glee 

You should be watching, if just for Jane Lynch.

48. Hank Aaron

Before Hank Paulson, the original Hammerin' Hank -- a home-run king without an asterisk.

49. James Taylor

Even if you're not crazy about his voice, a great American songwriter.

50. Tom Brady 

The model-marryin', best-lookin', best-tossin' quarterback in the country.

51. NASCAR

Red states, blue states, and a season that lasts ten months a year. Truly America's sport.

52. The Great Gatsby

Did anyone not read this in high school? A remake of the movie is in the works starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Jay Gatsby and Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway.

53. Gatorade 

From the University of Florida to national hangover beverage -- okay, it's a sports drink too.

54. Sandusky, Ohio

It's known for its roller coasters, but it also has a 13.37% job-growth rate -- the highest of any metropolitan area in the country in the past year.

55. Times Square 

The lights, the shows, the crowds, the tourists (the jury's still out on the new pedestrian plazas).

56. Aretha Franklin

At 69, she's still -- and forever --  the Queen of Soul.

57. Independent bookstores

Powell's in Portland, Ore., Kepler's in Menlo Park, Calif., the Strand in New York City.

58. 60 Miniutes

At 43 years, the longest-running primetime show is also the most successful broadcast in history, with 82 Emmys.

59. Clif Bars

The iconic energy bar. Yes, it's come to this.

60. Seinfeld

Yadda, yadda, yadda.

61. Diet Coke 

That perfect bubbly taste you can feel slightly better about drinking.

62. Gmail

So easy to use, so customizable, so much storage. Well done, Gmen.

63. The Grand Canyon 

Still the not-to-be-missed family vacation.

64. Men and Women serving in the U.S. Armed Forces

Thanks.

65. Clint Eastwood

And now, in his latest incarnation, drinking PBR on his porch in Gran Torino.

66. E-ZPass

No more tossing coins through your window -- keep on cruising, and they'll send you the bill.

67. Jonathan Franzen

From The Corrections to Freedom, they're a long time in the writing, but worth it.

68. Windex

An S.C. Johnson product, an American idea!

69. Michelle Obama 

A formidable presence who's brought her own form of glam to the White House.

70. Gibson les Paul

Namesake instrument of the electric guitar pioneer who died in 2009.

71. Morton Salt

Who doesn't instantly recognize that little girl with the umbrella?

72. The Kardashians

Only in America would the family of O.J.'s lawyer become an institution.

73. Jeff Bridges

He was the Dude. And then he was the Dude again, in Crazy Heart and True Grit. And we love the man.

74. Nike 

From Eugene, Ore., the Swoosh outfits athletes everywhere.

75. Prom

Not the new movie but the American ritual: limos, boutonnieres, slow dancing, and all.

76. Diners

Stainless steel, swivel counter stools, and breakfast anytime.

77. Old Spice

Those quirky ads brought it back into the public eye, but the iconic red stick has been sweetening your scent since 1938.

78. Disneyland/Disney World 

Parents and kids simply say they're "going to Disney."

79. Philly cheesesteaks

Pat's, Geno's -- or Jim's. Often imitated, never duplicated.

80. Xerox PARC

The Silicon Valley lab where Ethernet and laser printing were born; a veritable genius center for the hatching of big tech ideas.

81. Tina Fey 

Don't judge Bossypants by its cover: She's a comic genius.

82. Blogging

We're all writers now. Uh-oh ...

83. Politicians who Tweet

For better ... and for way worse.

84. The Gulfstream G650

It's fly like a G6, because it is one.

85. Coppertone sunblock

Now owned by Merck (MRK), and sporting the same logo of the girl and her dog since 1953.

86. Food-labeling requirements

So that we can't eat red velvet cake guilt-free.

87. Drive-in movies

Believe it or not, there are still some 400 left.

88. Exxon Mobil 

Hardly loved by all, but the most profitable company on the Fortune 500. And that's American right there.

89. Sesame Street

The place for the ultimate celebrity cameo.

90. Starbucks

How does it come up with new flavors of Frappuccino that seem to cost just slightly more than the last one?

91. Brian Williams

Hard not to like his brains, humor, and 30 Rock appearances.

92. Mark Zuckerberg 

From Facebook to cookbook? Zuck will now be eating only animals that he kills himself.

93. Vineyard Vines, Ralph Lauren, J.McLaughlin

Preppy clothing brands outfitting Nantucket-goers and wannabes year-round.

94. Sully Sullenberger

The man, the legend, the miracle maker, and now the aviation expert at CBS News.

95. Steven Spielberg

Jaws, Schindler's List, Jurassic Park, E.T., Saving Private Ryan. Boom.

96. Girl Scout Cookies

Creating Thin Mint addicts across the nation.

97. Subway

Jared's sandwich shop dethroned McDonald's (MCD) this year as the biggest fast-food chain in the world.

98. Jeopardy! 

Answer: America's favorite quiz show. Question: What is Jeopardy!?

99. The Pulitzer Prize

Identifying our best and brightest in journalism, literature, and music.

100. National Lampoon's Vacation 

The Griswolds' epic cross-country adventure. What better way to kick off summer?

Source: CNN Money Furtune