From: Paul W. Schleck on Fri, Sep 29 2006 4:14 pm

Did I "fault" Jeffrey Hermann? Only in that this
junior college instructor titles himself as a
"mathematics lecturer." :-) He claimed (twice)
that the ARRL Amateur's Handbook was on "best-
seller" lists. The ABA (American Booksellers
Association) has NO record of that. Jeffie-poo is a
confirmed morseman and pro-code-test just like you
and Miccolis. As the usual pro-coder's reaction,
he got upset at any negativism about morsemanship.

Jeffrey Herman claimed that the Radio Amateur's Handbook was named as an
all-time best seller by Time Magazine in the non-fiction category:

http://groups.google.com/group/rec.r...c34ccd1?hl=en&

According to the article in Time (from 1968, not 1970), it was #16:

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...837843,00.html

Yes, that is what Time magazine claimed in 1968. But...
here is MORE of what Time magazine wrote, after the
title: "1926 3,800,000"

Now, in the book trade and in the newspapers, "best
sellers" are listed per week or per month or per year.

The ARRL Amateur Radio Handbook began being published
in the twenties. The time between 1926 and 1968 is 42
years. I didn't bother to check if this handbook was
published during WW2 years. If it was not, then there
are only 38 years between 1926 and 1968.

Are ALL of the Handbooks identical? I don't think so.
The AVERAGE PER YEAR publishing of the handbook comes
out to 100,000 per year for 3.8 million total over 38
years (90,476 per year for 42 years). That hardly ever
qualifies as a "best seller" publication.

Let's do a comparison between the ARRL Handbook and
"The World Almanac and Book of Facts." I have a 2006
copy. Continuously published since 1886 (a total of
120 years), "World Almanac" claims "80 Million Copies
Sold" on its 2006 cover. Now each year's Almanac WILL
be different. The AVERAGE PER YEAR editions of that
comes out to be 666 2/3 thousand per year. Further,
"World Almanac" claims to be "#1 on the New York Times
Bestsell" (also on the 2006 cover). Two-thirds of a
million per year IS "best seller" qualification.
Editions in the past two decades runs more to a 'Mil'
per year. Perhaps more.

Is the Bible on that Time list? I don't see it. Of
course that would be a contentious subject. Heretics
would want it in the "fiction" category, I'm sure. :-)

But, I digress. Your chief interest seems to be in
trying to destroy the credibility of a not-licensed in
the amateur radio service person (although one who has
been licensed as a Commercial radio operator since
1956). Have you really done that? Are you really
going to nit-pick about an old posting by another and
reference a 1968 Time magazine article? Yes, I'm sure
you really, really WANT to do that! :-)


By the bye, how are you coming with my Background Check?
You know, the one where you MUST know my "personal,
non-professional life"? No neighbor has reported any
"investigator" flashing their shield and wanting to
speak about me. The FBI has done that before. Twice.
I passed muster enough for a security clearance, Paul.
Twice. Are the newsgroup standards now HIGHER than a
national security clearance? Must be...!

Have you written the IEEE yet to complain about my
conduct in here? No? Why not? You are free to do so.
Do you think it will matter to the IEEE? If so, please
explain in 30,000 words or more WHY. (that's a 'short
novel' length) Be sure and tell the pro-coders about
your findings. The Inquisition can't get along without
you...

You really ought to search the ByteBrothers. :-)