I followed the money and read close to 1000 abstracts and research papers on the subject. Although the gifted program is under-funded on a federal level, that does not mean that there was not private funding offered to the programs, which can be traced (as I've already done on this thread). Some pretty big names get tied back into it.

Also, don't throw out the baby with the bathwater on the NSA aspect: [link to www.nsa.gov]

You can be dismissive as you like but the fact remains that the NSA does have summer internships to Gifted and Talented seniors. CIA doesn't readily pop up with the same interest in the program (notably, there is a CIA = Creative Intelligence Agency which is not Central Intel to muddy that search up)...nor is there a similar application for the FBI in regards to the gifted and any sort of summer program.

Aspects of the gifted programs across the US are mandated by law, including who is going to be involved with them (psychologists) and the basic intentions behind the programs/what they are to be about (STEM type subjects). Although each state has control over the administration of their gifted programs, they still must follow some guidelines and tend to accumulate their thinking through things like the NAGC. Additionally, the poor funding also makes it feasible for very large corporations to have some influence as well as more localized interested parties. If you actually look at the variety of things that people post, the subject matters and things recollected only differ really over time--not by locale.

You know, your own behavior actually really bothers me on key points. I, at least, provided direction, links and more to back up what I was finding in regards to the gifted program. I'm not seeing that from you. What I'm seeing is someone who wants to affiliate questioning the gifted programs as being tin foil hat material and if you're going to state something as fact, at least have the common decency to back it up with evidence. Don't be so damned disrespectful of some very smart people.