When Lightnig Strikes....

derwood

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
499
Funny thing lightnig....getting struck has about the same odds as winnen the lotto....My computer has been hit 4 times in the last 3 years but I have'nt been hit with the right lotto numbers in all my time playing (you've seen my boat....no lotto winner here).<br /><br />Why is it when I finely beat the odds its always for a bad reason....Never for the better.<br /><br />I don't want to be greedy.... I just want to hit the big six once....just once.<br /><br />If you have not guessed by now....My computer got zapped a few weeks ago. <br /><br />Since then I have had the digital DTs....Shaky hands, Dizzy spells, nights full of sleep(nothing elese to do)....Every where I look I see Icons.<br /><br />I tried to write my sister a letter in snail mail format the other day....Instead of writing "dear sis," I wrote "new post,"....Sad huh.<br /><br />Does anybody remember how to use stamps? If i remember right you're supposed to use spit....Should I leave some oats for the mailmans horse?<br /><br />I now have to get a bunch of stuff working again....I lost alot of things when I got zapped includeing my password to this fourm....I keep things simple but my password would not work so I had to go through Iboats to get it back.<br /><br />I went into outlook to get my mail....they send you an e-mail with your password if you forget it....and I had 562 spams waiting for me before I could read the one with my password in it....What a pleasure that was.<br /><br />Well of coarse at spam 254 my computer wiggs out and tells me that my server has unexspectedly termanated my link and i would have to reconnect to the host....Fat chance....Now it says my internet password is invalid ^%$#$@&^%%&&((&^%*&$<br /><br />My lovely wife stayed at the computer for 6 hours untill she had the problem handled....The whole time my kids were tending to her every need. They were like a pre teen pit crew....All she had to do was think it and one of the kids would do it...."Need a drink mom?" "want a samwitch mom?" "can I wipe the sweat from your brow dear mother?".<br /><br />They don't do that for me!<br /><br />Reflecting on this....you don't suppose that all of the quality time I have been spending with my faimly....Making sure that the children have all the supplies and gentle encouragement needed to complete their chores and homework with plenty of time to take a bath (with soap and water) so they could make it in bed ON TIME in order to get a good nights sleep before I wake them up a six in the mornig for school has made them slighly miffed do you?<br /><br />You don't think they liked it better when I was on the computer all the time....oblivious to their nightly routine....do ya?<br /><br />Boy were they happy when she got it fixed...Imagen that.<br /><br />Anyway I am back and I missed you guys.<br /><br />Its real late now and I have to go to sleep now....so I will see yall tommorow.<br /><br />Derwood.
 

MGuckin

Senior Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 10, 2001
Messages
760
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Welcome back derwood.<br />I got hit also about a month ago for the 3rd time. I was a little more fortunate though. I only lost my modem and an ethernet card.<br />I was outside cooking when the lightning hit a power pole about 20' from me. Lets just say I got load of laundry to do.<br />Most electric providers here sell and install a supressor right on your main panel/meter box that supposedly will protect everything.<br />They will replace damaged parts at their expense except a well.<br />Don't know how well it works but I have 1 installed now!
 

mellowyellow

Vice Admiral
Joined
Jun 8, 2002
Messages
5,327
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Derwood,<br />here's a couple tips...1) get a surge protector<br />2)if there's a lightning storm in the area, shut<br />down your puter 3)if you can afford it, get a<br />combo UPS/surge protector.4) make sure surge<br />protector also protects your modem if you use<br />dial-up ISP. 4) take the date you were hit and<br />play those #'s on the lottery :) 6) if you<br />win, throw a big party and fly us all out<br />good luck,<br />M.Y.
 

Bob_VT

Moderator & Unofficial iBoats Historian
Staff member
Joined
May 19, 2001
Messages
26,065
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

We we kinda wondering what happened to the "woodman", glad your not driftwood found floating up on a beach.<br /><br />Glad to see you back.<br /><br />Bob
 

sloopy

Commander
Joined
Jul 12, 2002
Messages
2,999
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Derwood's back!!! HIP HIP HORREY!!! HIP HIP HORREY!
 

JB

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Mar 25, 2001
Messages
45,907
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

That's HOORAY!, Sloop.<br /><br />Glad you're back, 'Wood. :)
 

Fishbusters

Ensign
Joined
Apr 20, 2002
Messages
921
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Glad you are back. I was getting a little worried the dark side had caught up to you on one of those trips out into the Gulf and you were feeding the crabs now. At least all the lightning took out was the computer we had a problem (caused by construction) that took out about 1/3 to 1/2 of the computers in the school. I never knew someone with a shovel could cause so much havoc.
 

gonfishn

Commander
Joined
May 16, 2002
Messages
2,390
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Your ears must have been burning because we all wondered where you went. I thought maybe you took that custom boat of yours and went on a Cruise.....<br /><br /> Welcome back MissedWood
 

Ross J

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Nov 30, 2001
Messages
1,119
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

It's good to hear light banter on the board again. You guys crack me up!<br />If the rate of strike by lightening is that high in the US of A then I'm glad I'm over here. You guys must be lightening rods! I don't think my 'glass over ply' boat would handle a strike. I don't even want to think about it.<br />Ross
 

crab bait

Captain
Joined
Feb 5, 2002
Messages
3,831
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

WHEW..!! THOUGHT YOU WERE M I A..<br /> you sure took a few good weeks off.. <br /> lightin'sparks are really flyin' around here real good .. i just dodge & get my head out the way.. all ya can do..<br /><br />really, glad to see you back & healthy ,too boot..
 

Fishbusters

Ensign
Joined
Apr 20, 2002
Messages
921
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Hey Ross the #1 selling boat is not fiberglass (safer in a storm) but aluminum (gee metal in a lightning storm).
 

SS MAYFLOAT

Admiral
Joined
May 17, 2001
Messages
6,372
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Gee, Good to have Da-man Derwood back. Lost my puter awhile back to a thief, hope he gets struck by lightning! Other than security system, what kind of surpressor can you use for thieves? 12guage with a rock salt load! :D
 

SpinnerBait_Nut

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Aug 25, 2002
Messages
17,651
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

GET BIG LOG CHAIN.<br />TIE ONE END TO COMPUTER.<br />TIE OTHER END TO 185# ROTWIELLER. :eek: :rolleyes: :cool: :)
 

derwood

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 11, 2002
Messages
499
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Here's a little tip for yall....the only way to safeguard your computer from lightning is to go out and buy a surge protector with the phoneline hookup on it.<br /><br />Then when a lightning storm comes along(and this is the key to makeing the whole thing work)....go over to the wall, bend down and unplug the surge protector from the wall and do the same for the phone line....just unplug it from the jack on the surge protector.<br /><br />See....simple.<br /><br />In my opinion and now well earned exsprince, the only thing a surge protector does in a lightning storm is give you a easy way to unplug everything at once.<br /><br />Don't belive me....I bought a surge protector before I walked out of the store with my computer still in the box....My computer has never been without one..EVER,EVER..and still I have been zapped from my modem to my processer to my motherboard.<br /><br />A surge protector is a fancy fuse ment to stop an electrical surge from damaging your computer...A lightning strike is like a 15 megaton nucler warhead and the flack jacket (surge protector) you've strapped on is hardly up to the task of stopping a blast of that magnitude.<br /><br />Works well on small surges so they say....If they told you that they did not work on lightning would you be in such a hurry to buy one?<br /><br />All of the times that we have gotten zapped we were not at home and there was no way to unplug it. We are going to try to remember to unplug it during lightning season whenever we leave the house so it does not get us again.<br /><br />If a lightning bolt can go from the ground all that way up in the sky to a cloud It does not need any help jumping over a break in a blown fuse....how far is that in a surge protector???<br /><br />I am glad to see yall noticed I was gone....My children sure noticed that I was around...He,He,He.<br /><br />Whats been happening around here? Did I hear that there has been some fur flying in silicon city?<br /><br />I have about a billion posts to read....any ones that I should give speical attention to?<br /><br />What are you saying crabby....am I going to have to lace up the gloves?<br /><br />Now would I be far off base if I was to guess that 00-boaty has some paw prints in the preverbial chicken coup?<br /><br />OOOOHHHHHH Boaty....What did you get yourself into now? You did'nt get stuck in the ventalation shaft at Iboats headquarters with a set of blueprints did ya?<br /><br />I had better get started reading posts now or I'll never get done.<br /><br />Thanks guys..... :D <br /><br />Derwood.
 

sloopy

Commander
Joined
Jul 12, 2002
Messages
2,999
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

no, I'm currently stalking admin 5's home :D :D :D he has... had a nice house, his wife keeps beeting me with a bat... Ouch!!! gotta love these wireless net brousers... ouch!! wack!!! well I'm out of here and back to stalking Iboats home!!!<br /><br />Beatensloop :(
 

bKelly

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 1, 2002
Messages
191
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Derwood,<br /><br />Glad your back. Thought the work of the Dark Side might have got you. Thats probaly what blasted your computer. The dark side is always after the Jedi-Angler. You have missed some good stuff.<br /><br />Welcome Back MIA-Wood :D
 

trollhole

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Sep 19, 2001
Messages
423
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Hey Derwood good to see you back. JB and I need some back up! :D <br />Got a new name for you Seagoing Sam <br />heh heh
 

Emby

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Aug 26, 2002
Messages
44
Re: When Lightnig Strikes....

Yeah, welcome back Mr. Wood. Being in the computer biz for a long while, I have seen first hand what “bad electricity” does. If you already know about the information that follows, please forgive the wordiness.<br /><br />For what it’s worth, there are basically 3 types of so-called surge protectors – 1) a power strip (nothing more than a fancy extension cord), 2) an honest surge protector with a real circuit breaker, and 3) a surge protector with a manufacturer’s warranty that covers lightning and has an equipment protection dollar figure and sometimes even provides for data recovery. The latter one is the only kind you should have. Without going into pages of details, you should be paying $50.00-$100.00 (per computer) for a good surge protector for a home or home/office environment. I prefer the APC brand, but there are others. It’s the same kind of protection as using high-grade marine oil instead of generic on-sale store-brand auto oil in your boat engine.<br /><br />If you need to keep your computer running, or any other electric equipment for that matter, during power outages, consider getting a UPS (uninterruptible power supply, sometimes called battery backup) instead. Costs more, but worth it if you need it.<br /><br />Do the good one’s still fail once in a while? Yes. Do they fail a whole lot less than the others? Yes. If they didn’t work as advertised and warranted, the manufacturers would not still be in business.<br /><br />If you had the right kind of surge protector and everything still fried, all I can say is: I’ve seen it before, I’m sorry it happened to you, and you’re not alone.<br /><br />Good luck, and again, welcome back.
 
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