Hi Guitarhacker,
the surge protector approact RE lifting ground on the PC works like this:
ALL the devices plugged into the surge protector are part of the system. As there is a ground connection that goes via the AUDIO path between the devices should the PC (with a lifted ground) become faulty, the ground connection would still be in place via the AUDIO path and back out to the surge protector via the protective ground connection of one of the other devices. Actually, one could argue that as the protective grounds of the premises power outlets should all be bonded to the same earth stake you don't even need the surge protector. It just brings the common ground path closer and helps eliminate voltage differentials that may exist between grounds on different circuits.

HOWEVER, I DON"T like using this approach, not because it won't work, 'cos it will, but because the current carrying capacity of most audio grounds is well below that of the wiring that is supplying the power in the first place and could easily be burnt out thus removing that protection and potentially causing a fire. It'll get HOT in a fault condition. E.G. in my house in Australia, the power reticulation is done in 2.5 sq mm conductors and fused (actually I have circuit breakers) at 16 Amps - more modern houses use 20 Amps. The cabling itself will carry far more than 16 or 20 Amps before it would start to overheat and burn but the breaker/fuse would limit it to that. The gound wire in most of the audio chain would be unlikely to carry more than 2 Amps before starting to overheat AND if it's travelling ANYWHERE along it's patch via a printed circuit board path then you can pretty much drop that to the milli Amp range. It WILL burn out and go open circuit long before the breaker/fuse could do its job and then you would have a live and unprotected PC chassis to contend with.

Of course, while the fuses/circuit breakers should help protect against this, and Core Balance Relay Sets (Safety Switches, GFCI, RCD - all the same thing really) that should stop it in its tracks, but IMHO you can't be too careful. I personally prefer to rely on good, basic design rather than fancy gizmos that might fail at the crucial moment.

--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!