AaronJ wrote:
If as you say the "service" is that performed by the Government for the
citizens, then how does your sentence make any real sense?

Don't you know what it means when someone puts a
common word in parentheses?

Once again, from Webster's: "service - an administrative
division, as of a government". There is no service
required by the members of the Amateur Radio Service.
The "service" is a benefit that the federal government
performs for those citizens who meet the qualifications,
not vice versa.
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Cecil Moore wrote:

AaronJ wrote:
If as you say the "service" is that performed by the Government for the
citizens, then how does your sentence make any real sense?

Once again, from Webster's: "service - an administrative
division, as of a government". There is no service
required by the members of the Amateur Radio Service.
The "service" is a benefit that the federal government
performs for those citizens who meet the qualifications,
not vice versa.

You said (quote):
"Seems to me that a ham who is a jack-of-all-trades-
and-master-of-none would be more valuable to the
"service" than one who is ignorant of most trades
and master of one."

Paraphrasing, you say that a well rounded ham is best for the ham service.

That use of the word "service" is found often in ham text but doesn't fit either
of your definitions. The word service as used in this way is ham jargon and
refers to all hams as a group. IMO it seems to over inflate our importance. My
comment was simply that we're really just a hobby and not all that important
anymore.

That was my third attempt at trying to get that particular point across. I'll be
happy to discuss with you or anyone else our real importance as a hobby group
(or service if you prefer), but you now have the last word on the semantics...

AaronJ wrote:
You said (quote):
"Seems to me that a ham who is a jack-of-all-trades-
and-master-of-none would be more valuable to the
"service" than one who is ignorant of most trades
and master of one."

Paraphrasing, you say that a well rounded ham is best for the ham service.

No, you got it wrong. You left out my quotation marks around
the word, "service".

When you finally understand the difference that those quotation
marks make in the meaning of the word, "service", you will
realize that your prolonged argument is irrelevant at best.

That use of the word "service" is found often in ham text but doesn't fit either
of your definitions.

Yes, you are finally getting it. That's exactly what happens when
one uses quotation marks around a word in the following way:

From Webster's "Basic Manual of (English) Style":
"Use quotation marks: to draw attention to ... a usage very
different in style from the context." e.g. different from
the context of those ham texts to which you alluded above.

My quote above, quoted by you, puts "service" in quotation marks
to *draw attention to a usage very different* in style from the
context that you were using, i.e. service to the public. Why are
those quotation marks not drawing your attention to my very
different usage? :-)
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Cecil Moore wrote:

...
My quote above, quoted by you, puts "service" in quotation marks
to *draw attention to a usage very different* in style from the
context that you were using, i.e. service to the public. Why are
those quotation marks not drawing your attention to my very
different usage? :-)

Cecil:

Perhaps I can offer an explanation. I mean sitting back here in the
background, with others I am sure, they demonstrate their lack of education?

I mean, what other explanation is possible?

Regards,
JS

John Smith I wrote:
Perhaps I can offer an explanation. I mean sitting back here in the
background, with others I am sure, they demonstrate their lack of
education?

Was it W. C. Fields who objected to having a battle
of wits with an unarmed opponent? Winston Churchill?
--
73, Cecil http://www.w5dxp.com

Cecil Moore wrote:

...
Was it W. C. Fields who objected to having a battle
of wits with an unarmed opponent? Winston Churchill?

Cecil:

Well, yes and no. While it is true you must be born with the "gray
matter" necessary, it is how you end up using it that really matters.

Education can assist to that goal very nicely. Indeed, it is possible
to "educate" a monkey--well, at least to some degree. puzzled-look

Regards,
JS