Oh, that first one subject was my favorite topic. How BIG companies make so much profit and how they screw the little guys and on and on, oh the agony. Now, I couldn't care less for side work one way or another, but to justify it based on the company making way too much money, or it doesn't matter to the company it's ludicrous. First, let's make it something CLEAR: NO BUSINESS MAKES 50% NET PROFIT, YES, not even the drug companies. As much as some people would like you to believe, they don't. Why? Simple reason: If you know a business that makes 50% or more profit, please let me know the name, cause I'm about to invest all my money and plus all the debt I could rack up in there. COME ON PEOPLE, trillions of dollars are invested in businesses that return 8%-10% at the most and you're telling me you know a business that can bring me 50%? Now, as far as side jobs are thievery, I will have to agree. #1: if you have an accident while doing the side work, you'll find a way to put it under worker comp, which is paid by employer. #2 If you burned down the house, the owner will figure out a way to put it on your employer liability, which is paid by your employer. #3 You probably got contacted for a side job while, either driving a company van, having the company letters on(paid by employer), or by previous customers of your employer(advertising paid by your employer), or even worse, being paid by your employer and giving the price for half if it was cash. #4 Most likely couple bolts and washers will be paid by your employer. So, if you tell me than neither one of those four apply to you, well, congratulation, you're not an employee anymore, you're an employer. I know most people think companies make so much profit. Keep in mind one thing. You get that 20 dollars an hour wether the company makes a profit or not, it's so easy to say "I worked 8 hours today, company paid me 160 dollars and they made 1000 dollars". How about the time when you worked a 1000 hours and the company made 160 dollars? Oh that doesn't matter? right? Last, I loved that comment about the company asking 7000 for a zinsco breaker. First let's admit that the 7k was a bit exagerated, usually a panel change goes for around 800, tops 1200, you can about change your service for 7000. Second, it's easy to say:"all it took was to replace one breaker" when you do not carry liablity behind you. I worked long time in service and I gotta tell you: once you touched a screw in a house you're responsible for it for the rest of your life. I'm not kidding anyone, but I did have a call complaing about the toilet making a funny noise after I replaced a GFI in a bathroom. Or another when after an power failure I had people commenting how the lights were flickering. Oh well, Daniel Dejeu

Moderator: If this question has been asked before (which I cannot imagine it hasn't), please just direct me to the answer. Thanks...

I am a Mechanical Engineer with an interest in electricity, so please forgive my ignorance if I mistate anything. I am really curious as to why some electricians put 15 Amp receptacles in with the Ground up, or why do they put the Ground down (which appears to be more common (no electrical pun intended))? I can see the logic of putting the Ground up (if something falls from above, such as a measuring tape onto a plug slightly out of a receptacle, it will likely hit the Ground rather than the Hot), and I can understand that it seems (for some reason) to look better with the "mouth" down and "eyes" up. I also wonder why the Code doesn't control this issue. When a molded plug is put into an inverted receptacle, it places a stress on the conductors inside.