I had the unnerving experience of hearing the chirping sound emanating from my UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) unit, followed by intense crackling. Fortunately, this was not followed by any equipment malfunctions. An hour later it happened again and then once more by the close of the business day. It turns out that my building was experiencing micro-outages and alternating power surges caused by extreme demand on the grid from air conditioning usage. Without the protection of the UPS unit, my computer would have been fried. My cinema display monitor survived the first two electrical assaults, but capitulated after the third one. Fortunately, the monitor is not damaged; I just need to replace the power cable. I am glad I followed my own advice; protecting sensitive computer equipment with a UPS unit really paid off today.