Hats off to Byron Johnson for injecting a reasonable couple of paragraphs
into an otherwise emotional issue.

Flaming Bob Vila is kind of like shooting the messenger. Although I have
not been involved in this sort of filming, I can't imagine that it is done
on the spur of the moment; *somebody* sat down and went through the script
and the rehearsal, etc., and gave permission for whatever was said and
done.

On another note, I think we need to recognize that historic houses,
furniture, and other decorative arts are priceless to us because they carry
the touch of those who lived there. They change, and mellow, and develop a
patina over time that can never be duplicated. Obviously, careless handling
is never acceptable, and making whole rooms of objects off-limits to the
general public is probably a fine idea, but the stroke of a hand on a wood
surface doesn't seem to call for the kind of general alarm raised in some
of these recent postings.

Just my 2c
Ivy Fleck Strickler                     Phone 215-895-1637
Drexel University                       Fax 215-895-4917
Nesbitt College of Design Arts          [log in to unmask]
Philadelphia, PA 19104

"Never forget that life is like a Fellini movie, and you're getting to see
it for free."