"Dr. Anton T. Squeegee" wrote

I've also seen cases where a couple of the ham
swaps have been "contaminated" by people selling
utterly unrelated-to-any-electronics-field items,
such as stuffed animals and (God help us) Mary
Kay cosmetics.

There was a story many years ago. A buyer for a major cigarette
distributor was in North Carolina buying several box car loads of
Raleighs. The fellow representing Raleighs shook the buyer's hand and
said, "You won't be sorry. Our formula now calls for 5% tobacco mixed
with 95% horse****."

The buyer looked surprised.

"Heck, give me six more box car loads. I never knew there was any
tobacco in the damn things."

That is just about where the hamfests around here are. We're at 5% and
barely holding. Ham radio related stuff has been diluted to the point
that it is no longer visible without the use of long range optics.

73, de Hans, K0HB