On Sun, 21 Oct 2007 12:38:48 EDT, Steve Bonine wrote:

But I do wonder why headphones were provided for some exam locations, but not
for others.

It all depended on what resources the local office could scrounge up,
because the nickel-nursers at HQ were not of a mind to buy such things
in an era when we had to scrounge surplus equipment from Federal
disposal sites. Other agencies were "retiring" or discarding stuff
that was newer and better than what we had in service. For many years
our non-technical vehicles were the Fords and Chevys seized by the DEA
from low-level drug dealers. The BMWs and Mercedes of the high-level
dealers they kept for themselves.

The FCC was, and to some extent still is, a "pauper agency". They
don't get to keep any of the license fees or spectrum auction proceeds
collected, over and above the actual cost of processing the license or
running the auction.
--

"Stand Clear of the Closing Doors, Please"

Phil Kane - Beaverton, OR
PNW Milepost 755 - Tillamook District