Modern America looks as below:

• 4 million cups/day on airline flights (not reused/recycled).
• 40 million papers cups/day for hot beverages.
• Has the largest percentage of population in prisons (2.3 million in 2005).
• >400.000 (1.100/day) Americans die of smoking annually.
• 384.000 American women (vast majority <21) opted for breast augmentation surgery (the most popular high-school graduation gift).

Historic China personifies:

• Fortune cookies (considered Chinese) invented in 1920 by a noodle-factory worker in SF.
• Kites (1000 BC, to frighten enemies), soccer  (1000 BC), natural gas (used as heat source by 4^th century BC), parachute (4^th century AD), ice-cream (Marco Polo).
• Stamp collecting (#1 hobby).
• Red (happiness) and white (sadness).