Carol Shenkenberger wrote in a message to Wayne Chirnside:

 CS> Here's a really neat trick!  Take an old computer (386 era) and
 CS> swap out the power supply then forget the 'balck meets black' rule
 CS> and plug in the leads backwards to the MB. 

There was one time when I had the shop where a guy I had in there actually
went and did that,  right shortly after I'd specifically talked to him
about how he _shouldn't_ do that.  Then the MB in question turned up
missing shortly afterwards.  He didn't last long beyond that point.  A
while after that he shows up in there with one of those pocket tape
recorders on the counter,  and I threw him out.  Then a little later I get
a phone call from some lawyer,  who went on at length about what this guy
thought he had coming based on the hours he'd spent,  only I never did
things that way,  only did stuff with guys getting paid according to what
they produced...

 CS> Now, also get the wires to the on'off switch backwards.  This will 
 CS> isolate the fault to the pole outside your house where you get to 
 CS> watch the guy come up with a truck, climb the pole, and reset the 
 CS> breakers so your block has power again.  Really neat trick!  I was 
 CS> told not to try it again though for some odd reason.  Is that fair 
 CS> I ask you?

I did that once.  It didn't really seem to have any effect except for that
power cord getting rather warm,  and the lights dimming slightly.  After
realizing what'd happened I threw that cord out,  decided it wasn't worth
the risk of trying to use it.

Only time the guy with the truck had to go up the pole was this one time to
remove a squirrel that'd gone and fried itself,  and was stuck up there, 
with the potential for shorting things out...

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