Boy.... seems like a brawl in here
Found this interesting link from San Diego -
http://www.sandiego.gov/environmental-services/energy/pdf/generators.pdf
excerpt -
(c) Any electrical generator, other than a generator designed to run in parallel with the system of the serving utility and approved by that utility, that is capable of being permanently connected to a customer's electrical system shall be connected only by means of a double throw switch so as to isolate the customer's electrical system from that of the electrical corporation or state or local agency.
Maybe this one....
http://www.consumerenergycenter.org/tips/generators.html
excerpt -
Connecting a portable electric generator directly to your household wiring can be deadly. A generator that is directly connected to your home's wiring can 'backfeed' into the power lines connected to your home.
Utility transformers can then increase this lower electrical voltage to thousands of volts. That's more than enough to kill a utility lineman making outage repairs many miles away. You could also cause expensive damage to utility equipment and your generator.
If you wish to hard-wire a generator to your home, it should be installed by a licensed electrician with an approved cut-off switch that will automatically disconnect the home from the power grid when the generator is being used. Please check with your local utility company before installing a hard-wired generator.
Seems like plenty of people are plenty concerned about home use generators and how they are connected. As with all things electrical care and caution should be taken at every step, using multiple redundancy. Being lazy, cheap or ignorant is not an excuse to kill someone, or even to make their job more difficult. One situation which I believe some may be missing, is in a case of downed lines. A repair could be in progress on the previously determined to be uncharged lines, when butthead homeowner fires up the generator and fries someone. May be unlikely, but possible.