Well, there is no silver bullet towards building web sites and even web apps. Problem is always about proper and cohesive implementation. With ridiculous turnaround times for many clients, jQuery makes it less painful to implement solutions. I really don't spend anytime integrating jQuery solutions that create or have cross-browser issues. Those issues are mostly with CSS and XHTML layout and not a problem with the library. I enjoy working with jQuery and I create useful UI solutions with it. Is it the best library to work with? Not sure but I use it very well to find practical solutions for my UI needs. It sounds like your perspective is that of a programmer that wants little to do with handling the UI and I can fully understand that mindset. Which makes even more sense to have a UI specialist in jQuery or the latter to implement the best solutions for the frontend.

I think the biggest problem with today's job force is that there are such a few amount of real qualified HTML (XHTML) developers. I have carried the title of "Web Nerd" for 15 years. I do anything web related. With that experience, I have the knowledge to properly make any web page into a valid marked up document that matches the design using the latest CSS techniques and have it work and be viewed properly in over 8 internet browsers. I can also provide 508 compliant code. I also have perfected my skills in Javascript, AJAX techniques, jQuery, Prototype, PHP, MySQL, Apache administration, Ruby on Rails, XML, XSLT, and what have you. XHTML/CSS markup is more important than most companies choose to recognize as it is a moving target with the multiple browsers and platforms that use it for display. Many companies make light of the XHTML coding as they feel that "anyone can do it". Over the past 15 years, I have only found a few people that can "do it well". Most XHTML/CSS coders aren't using the technology in an optimal fashion simply due to inexperience. Most web based positions state "HTML knowledge required" which makes markup the less desired but required skill which leaves a lot of developers with enough knowledge to get by without really knowing the best ways to implement it. So, I have to say that XHTML/CSS is marketable as a standalone skill, but only at an expert level.

Actually, the real experiment results were to show that the Japanese also understand Newton's Law of Motion. Humans are just the catalyst. I wonder who paid for that stupid experiment?