Unexpected windfalls

[unixronin]

While clearing papers on my desk, I discivered a letter telling me a California Public Utilities Commission investigation recently determined that "in some instances, PG&E had failed to issue bills at regular intervals based on actual metered data", and had also incorrectly issued backbills beyond the tariffed time limits.  As a result, the CPUC ordered PG&E to repay about $35 million in unauthorized charges, at shareholder expense.

Turns out we're part of the settlement class, and our share is almost $600.  (Check was enclosed.)  That'll pay for the replacement I just ordered for babylon5's rapidly-failing monitor¹... and just for gravy, I also discovered an overlooked Form 1098E that kicks our Federal tax refund up by slightly over $300.

It's not every day you find almost $1000 just by tidying your desk.

[1]  The old monitor is a Sun 90D10, which is a Sun-branded Sony GDM-W900 24" widescreen CRT, which I run at 1920x1200 resolution.  Weighs 120 pounds and draws 200 watts. I'm replacing it with a Hanns-G HG281DPB 28" widescreen LCD at the same resolution that weighs 24lb and draws less than half the power.  (I'd have linked to the manufacturer's site, except it's a horribly slow and all but unusable all-Flash abortion.  Their Web designer needs to be repeatedly kicked in the balls.)

Comments

[perspicuity.livejournal.com]

that's pretty much how i ended up with an HD tv and xbox. "found money". oops. haven't done that before or since (okay, i did find $20 in a holiday envelope i overlooked YEARS ago). money sent to me? kaching. bills? i usually shove those over :)

naturally, i'm expecting a letter from the fed gov saying "you owe us $29.50" or something terribly stupid like that. though they may shift the decimal ;)

still haven't seen my stimulus check yet.

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[darthgeek.livejournal.com]

Let me know how you like the Hanns-G. I've never heard of them before but their prices seem good.

[unixronin.livejournal.com]

Well, the reviews seem to say that if you're looking for Just A Monitor, Nothing To See Here, Move Along, it's perfectly serviceable, and gives you almost the screen area of a 30" monitor for not much more than a 24" price. And that's really all I want — just a monitor. It doesn't have some of the fancy features of more expensive monitors, and doesn't support the higher resolutions that a 30" monitor will ... but that's OK, I don't need it to. 1920x1200 is plenty.