Systemic problems at Verizon

Fri Feb 16 22:42:02 UTC 2001

>There exist little red caps that fit onto 66 blocks and binding
>posts. They're hard to find, though. If someone here knows of
>the supplier, I'll buy a few hundred.
>
>In the 60's there was a special red ty-wrap that went around/over
>posts/punches for ""national security"" lines. You had to cut same
>off to test, and {in theory} requisition a replacement. I've only
>see same in BSP's so I've no idea if they ever got much use.

I think the BSP called them Special Service Protection, and there was 
a more stringent version called Special Safeguarding Measures. The 
latter, IIRC, didn't quite qualify as a military grade Protected 
Wireline Distribution System, which went to the extents of 
pressurized conduit with intrusion detectors.

>
>We used to protect leased metallic pairs in a simpler manner; we
>parked +130 Tip/-130 Ring on same. When Mr. Green put his butt set
>on same; if his fingers didn't alert him, the BANG in his ear did.

Someone did that once with _stranded_ wire, so the strand was fine 
enough to puncture the skin.  I found myself in a corner with very 
little recollection of how I got there, and am really not sure that 
if there had not been a wall there, I would have kept going.  Oh 
well...I didn't freeze to the conductor.