The rate of tax wasn't the issue. The issue was being taxed by officials who weren't elected by the taxed citizens. Perhaps you've heard the phrase "no taxation without representation?" I must say, the Tea Party version ("no taxation") reflects rather poorly on the US Education system. I guess "mission accomplished" was referring to the growing masses of ignorant citizens.

The archeological record indicates that making stone spear points (knapping) was a specialized skill. It's even more specialized today.

Living in the Virginia Piedmont, I try to drive such that my battery is very low by the time I get to the top of hills. Because I'm almost certainly going to be recharging it on the way down.

Maybe I'd like these lights just fine, myself, but doesn't it seem like a repeat of the Hawthorne Effect?

I see you've posted this idea 5 times to this thread, all without any references. The linked article does not say that. Perhaps you have a better link or two you'd like to share.

They sound just like a sewing machine. I drove the sewing machine to work this morning.

And if the current level of virtualization isn't secure enough, adding another virtual layer will certainly improve security even more.

Teaching 55,203,000 students, at 132,656 schools. There is no larger group of professionals in the US. So, if you want to improve education in the US, you can pretty much forget about "hiring the best, firing the rest." You need to build a teaching work force that meets your needs.

Here, take 3.5 minutes out of your very busy schedule and minimally educate yourself:

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Education

Pay special attention to:

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Education#Functions

You might also be interested in:

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Education#Establishment

if you're laboring under the illusion that federal involvement in education dates from 1979 (as opposed to 1867).

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/United_States_Department_of_Education#Opposition

is interesting if you'd like to understand what a punching bag ED is. Understanding why would requiring understanding the dog-whistle of conservative US politics.

Are we planning to produce extremely high speed objects in the future? Think anyone else might be able to produce extremely high speed objects? Think they can aim an extremely high speed object at a distant planet?