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#16
May 30th 08, 04:01 AM
posted to rec.radio.amateur.equipment
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What are almost all the new ham radios ugly?
"Bert Hyman" wrote in message
... (D. Stussy) wrote in : "Middle Aged Ham" wrote in message news  Why are almost all the new HF ham radios so ugly? HF Ham radios use to be a thing of beauty, but now most of them are butt ugly! Because amateur radio operators who call themselves "hams" are ugly. You have a problem with the term "ham" in this context? Please elaborate. It is well known that "ham" is a derrogatory term meaning unprofessional (cf. "Mickey Mouse"). It comes from the definition of the word (as a verb) which means to excessively overexaggerate. Obviously, I'm not referring to the other meanings: Cuts of meat, or the given name of one of Noah's sons. Granted that literally, amateur operators must serve without compensation for their services (and thus not reach "professional" status - i.e. paid), the derrogatory meaning doesn't source from that part of the definition. One dictionary (Random House) went further and listed an origin: "Short for 'hamfatter' - from 'The Hamfat Man', a negro minstrel song celebrating an awkward man." Awkward in the 18th Century and earlier is a nice way of what today we would call retarded. The definition came through the years to us today via theater, where "ham" was first applied to unprofessional and unconvincing actors on account of their exaggeration of expression - i.e. "they can't act." So, basically, calling someone a "ham" is the same as calling them a retard at worst, and at best, acknowledging their irrelevant self-importance in thinking that they know what they're doing (whether they do or not). -- You asked. |
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