Yeah, the damn thing keeps going off in the middle of a sentence...

I too live in a rural area with frequent power fluctuations. When there's a power surge I always know because my ("surge protected") CD player turns itself on and starts playing if there is a CD in it. The surge protector on my TV/VCR seems to really work though, since the VCR clock is the only one in the house that keeps its setting if there's a power blip.

In these conditions, remember that phone lines are out there with the power lines and lightning can just as easily travel through them (into your modem). Get a surge protector bar with a phone jack input & output, and use it.

At the computer, I hang the power bar/protector up on the wall where I can see it, and it doesn't get kicked around, and chewed on. (and is easily inspected, and not least, accessed.)

Yours is a noble calling, Dave.

Willie-O