Are you running ad block? That might help with the graphic ad loads.

Again, I'd guess it's latency and not speed that's causing you problems with menus. Looks like interaction is the issue, not bulk data download. For general browsing, I don't know that you can do much about latency, but for particular apps. sites, if they've got an android app, you use it.

Seems like android apps are much better about all that stuff, and they'll be more generally available for chrome os soon, and I see some windows methods for this as well.

There are serious and well funded grownups working on this at Google.

Interesting to hear about the issues, though. You encouraged me to test out the chrome book I'm working on for my mother. Still slow by my standards, but I think it will be fine for her.