Our grade school teacher, let's call him Mr. Smith, taught us about the great American invention called the cotton gin. For the life of us, we can't remember what it did. We get "cotton", we get "gin", in its various incarnations. Putting the two together just doesn't make much sense. Whatever it was, the cotton gin doesn't impact us in everyday life.

So let's talk about an early American textile-related invention that has a much larger impact today.

What's that, Mr. Smith? We should have paid attention in grade school? The cotton gin revolutionized the American economy? How can another invention ever top it?

Sit down, Mr. Smith. Or better yet, stand up. Stand up, turn around (we promise we won't peek), and look at the tag on those jeans. The tag that says Levi's. That's right; for years, you have been walking around with the name of a Jewish inventor on your backside. And you are not alone. Millions of Americans are currently wearing millions and millions of jeans. All thanks to Mr. Strauss.

Cotton gin! Don't get us started!