Morris Dovey responds:

Sturgeon was right. Ninety percent of everything /is/ crud. Don't
let it get you down - set your sights on that /other/ precious
ten percent. Add to it if you can...

Possibly true. I think the percentage is lower, but, that said, even things
like old houses and old cars represent the rest of the best. We're seeing
houses and cars from 50 to however many years ago (100 or so in cars, many more
in houses) that were considered worth caring for from the outset. The junk is
gone, melted down or fallen down, and, often, forgotten. Thus, we moan that
"they don't make them like they used to". We also never apply some modern
standards to older items--the furniture with the water soluble finish is kept
pristine and out of humid areas; the car that needs an anchor to toss out
because of its bad brakes is never driven over 30 or 40 mph, if it's driven at
all; the house with doors 6' tall or less is excused with a shrug, and "people
were shorter in those days". Newer things don't get the shrug or the extra
care. It's perfect or it's junk.

Charlie Self
"A people that values its privileges above its principles soon loses both."
Dwight D. Eisenhower