Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!tut.cis.ohio-state.edu!att!oucsace!bwhite
From: bwhite@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU (Bill White)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: incandescent light bulb life extender (Bogus Advice Warning!)
Message-ID: <2708@oucsace.cs.OHIOU.EDU>
Date: 16 Dec 90 15:01:41 GMT
References: <1990Dec7.142843.1870@rodan.acs.syr.edu> <5265@rsiatl.Dixie.Com> <4247@kitty.UUCP>
Organization: Ohio U, home of the mighty Hocking River!
Lines: 59

In article <4247@kitty.UUCP> larry@kitty.UUCP (Larry Lippman) writes:

[For reference here, my first experience with Larry was on sci.chem and
 it was less than pleasant.  He basically told me I didn't know what I
 was doing when I wanted to do a decades-old synthesis of dyes.  He was
 also correct, I didn't -- I checked up on what he said, and found out
 that my information was outdated and dangerous and that I had nowhere
 near the knowledge I needed to do what I wanted to do.
 Since then I've been following Larry's articles in sci.chem and in
 sci.electronics.  A few references he gave in sci.electronics I looked
 up at first -- and found them to be correct.  Larry is one of the few
 posters I have known to be accurate, which to me counts more than just
 about anything else.
 Frankly, I haven't been following this thread much; however I did
 happen to read this article, and the one it refers to.  For reference,
 I'm an undergrad, one of my majors is electronics.  I don't have a
 degree and don't claim to.  Like many other people, I got an early
 start into electronics via ham radio and because my next-door neighbor
 is an electrical engineer who works at the Perry Nuclear Power Plant
 in Cuyahoga County, OH.
 When I visited Perry I talked to one of their engineers about the
 companies they contract with.  From what he told me, I am convinced
 that DeArmond's company wouldn't have a chance.  They do all their
 homework -- even for supposedly "minor" jobs that someone like me
 could do -- because the consequences of failure could be extreme.

 Oh yes -- I've also had some experience with electrical (as opposed
 to electronics) work -- in fact I'm going up for certification as
 an electrician next quarter.  I can tell you that modifying a lamp
 (or any other piece of electrical equipment not meant to be modified)
 is not looked upon well by insurance companies, and for good reason.
 I've seen a lot of really bad home-modifications (to say nothing of
 botched attempts at wiring, such as one bozo who switched the neutral
 and ground on an outlet, and wondered why nothing in that outlet
 worked right).  Even as simple and "innocent" a thing as putting a
 three-to-two prong converter onto a three-prong plug can be a hazard.
 How many people take the time to ground the converter by screwing
 the lug into the outlet (if the box is grounded) or another acceptible
 ground?
 I apologize for taking up so much bandwidth, but I just wanted to say
 that in general I find Larry's articles to be correct.  Keep in mind,
 though, that one should check out any information before doing something
 that could be a fire or safety hazard.]

>	Okay, show of hands time: How many other Net readers claim earnings
>"in the 7 digit range"?  Gawd, *SEVEN* digits - why, Mr. DeArmond must be a
>MILLIONAIRE!  And to think he called *me* a "spoiled rich kid"...

But Larry, you forgot to take into account leading zeros and decimal points!

>Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp.  "Have you hugged your cat today?"
>VOICE: 716/688-1231   {boulder, rutgers, watmath}!ub!kitty!larry
>FAX:   716/741-9635                  {utzoo, uunet}!/      \aerion!larry


-- 
|   Bill White			Internet: bwhite@oucsace.cs.ohiou.edu	|
|	ANTHONY'S LAW OF FORCE:						|
|		Don't force it, get a bigger hammer.			|