Checking length of each argument - seems like I'm fighting Python

[Brendan]

Thank you all for your help.  Alex's listify does the job well.  I will
reconsider using an atomic "Thing" class with Michaels' safeList.
Bengt wins the prize for reducing sLen to one line!

I still feel like I'm working against the grain somewhat, (Mike's
right, I am coming at this with a "C++ mindset) but at least I have
tools to do it efficiently :)

Brendan