The US may have done it longer, but we've sucked at it.

I have no memory of attending 1st or 2nd grade. Evidence from my parents suggests that is exactly because of the teachers. Thankfully, they moved me to private school for 3rd-8th.

A battleground medic fresh back from the sand wouldn't be my first choice of healthcare provider if I were having a heart attack. Not only do they not have the certifications, they don't have the training to provide care in a non-trauma civilian situation. Bring-em-on if I get shot, but that's not going to provide enough employment for returning Army medics unless gang wars really heat up.

My guess is because it started as a project in Italy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arduino#History

And scratches a lot of itch.

Waddya mean by that? Slackware is still in its heyday!

Everyone who puts their entire focus on driving is either OCD or driving WAY too fast for conditions.

No need for 133t driving skills ... paying attention and being prepared to react will keep you out of more situations than you can imagine. There are very few truly unavoidable accidents, no matter how badly the "other guy" drives. Unfortunately, not only is the GP right about driver education in the US, most people have an inflated self-evaluation of their driving skills, focusing on following the rules of the road and keeping four (two, for the cyclists) tires on the road. That's a good start, but doesn't go nearly far enough to protect oneself and other souls in the vehicle.

Of course you can duck heat. Stand in full sun then put up your umbrella/stand under a tree/find shaded area on a sunny day. The air temp is the same in full sun vs full shade, but you aren't exposed to nearly as much radiant energy and feel much cooler.

Bartering lets you end-run the tax man.

Learning to program offers much more to kids than the possibility of a future job.

I'm 50+ so am with you on the old guy part. And with no kids for exactly the reason you described. I wouldn't want to leave kids in this future.

YES to that! Some travel is absolutely required but much (most?) is not. Refuse to fly. Write to the airlines and tell them why you aren't flying. Write your congress-people. Tell them you aren't afraid. Tell them to get rid of the TSA. Do something other than continuing to support federal invasions of privacy and useless expenditure of money.

I care ... and don't understand why you don't/can't/won't

I find it sad that people bitch about the TSA but keep filing onto planes like sheep.

Do something meaningful to rein the TSA in. Stop flying commercial! As an Alaskan resident, I'm painfully aware that's an inconvenience ... it's a six hour drive from here to the next city. It takes 50+ hours of blatant speeding through Canada to reach the Lesser 48. The TSA and the government aren't listening to any of us peons. The airlines will, though, because they need our business. Stop flying through TSA controlled terminals. Contact your airline(s) and tell them you've stopped flying because of the TSA's overreaching search policies. The Feds will listen when the airlines squawk.