The problem is that when it comes to doing the VERY difficult things, government financial support combined with a strictly enforced meritocratic bureaucracy produces far superior results.  A well organized group of smart folks can usually outperform the greatest individual genius.  

So here we have it.  The French have demonstrated that when it comes to running very fast trains, strategy 2 is clearly the winner.  But our poor Brit friend has had his most deeply held, most theologically sacred beliefs challenged but rather than admit the obvious, he actually starts an argument with a TRAIN.

I am so deeply sorry I am a monolingual Midwestern 'Merikun because their are time when I believe the simple act of thinking in English is a prime cause of mental retardation or as Veblen put it more gently, "trained incapacity."


"Remember the I35W bridge--who needs terrorists when there are Republicans"