buying a 56K modem...

[Tim]

Tim:
>> I doubt you'd have been able to do anything, no matter how quickly
>> you reacted. 

Ric Moore:
> yeah, not to mention me possibly getting my hair straightened while
> grabbing that wire!

I'm lucky not to have had those sorts of problems with lightning.  I've
had a few surprises, but none with equipment replacement consequences.  

I've been sitting there typing away, suddenly there was a huge flash
outside and a very loud thunder noise, with no discernable delay between
the two.  The computer instantly clicked off, but seemed fine on a
reboot.

I've a network switch that gets upset in thunderstorms.  Having long LAN
lines running around the premises with little protection from EMI,
doesn't help.  They seem to pick up enough to upset the switch.  It'll
need a power reset to get back into working order.  I had thought of
trying STP instead of UTP, but I've never seen anyone selling it around
here.

We had a ripper of a thunder and lighting storm a few weeks ago that
lasted all night long, with hardly a let up.  Fitted in perfectly with
what we were doing, though - watching all the Omen movies, one after
another.  Couldn't beat nature's surround sound atmospheric effects
adding to the moment.