cfg and james:
From my POV America really has dumbed down in recent times.
As merely one example I offer this:
In Popular Mechanics magazines from the turn of the last century to, oh, the 1970's, you'd find articles for building your own ____boat, radio, shed, go kart, mini-bike, special shop tool... whatever____ from practically scratch at home. And you'd see articles and letters about boys and men from about 13 years old on up successfully building these things, or modding them, or showing off their own inventions.
So I'm at the doctor's office a while back and there's a Popular Mechanics magazine in the waiting room. Hmmm... I haven't looked in one in years. What did I see?
A two or three page article on how to use the jack that comes with your car to put the spare tire on.
Yup.
