Why, thank you, M Ted! I have been known to advance the most outrageous proposals to my friends, just to provoke a bit of intelligent discussion. I don't normally do that here, as the written word can carry a lot more weight than it warrants, and I don't mean to spread misinformation.

Kevin, my handy on-screen dictionary/thesaurus defines "degradation" thus:
1. Changing to a lower state (a less respected state)
2. A low or downcast state
Discuss ...

Steve