V.R. Guy

I really, really hate that your site doesn't have any external links. Especially in stories like this - it shouldn't be that unreasonable to have a link to this game's site. No one wants to go to your "Free Realms" tag when they click on that link, they want to go to the Free Realms website to see what it is that you're talking about.

Wow, this site has finally found someone to be more biased against than Microsoft! Bravo.

"but apparently it's still not a crime to charge clueless customers outrageous rates to tackle the simplest of tasks"

How are the rates "outrageous" if people are willing to pay them? Why has a new company not come along and undercut Best Buy with the supposed huge profit margin in the "outrageou" prices? There's more to the cost of doing business besides paying some kid $9/hr. Apparently the simpleton who wrote this story needs to graduate from high school and take a class in economics.

Are the prices way more than most readers here would pay since they have the knowledge to perform the tasks themselves? Beyond a doubt. Would I ever pay Best Buy to do anything on my computer? Heck no, since I have the knowledge already. However, a lot of America doesn't and the price is a small one to pay to avoid the time and frustration it would cause them to do the work themselves.

Would it be worth $199 to a middle management baby boomer to clean all the malware his son put on the computer instead of taking a good part of his weekend to figure out what programs to download, how to run them, how to even get into Safe Mode, etc? Would it be worth $149 to someone who works from home yet doesn't know technology very well (so a lot of corporate America) for a geek to come out and set up and secure their wireless network, which the person could eventually figure out after 4-5 hours of trying to figure out what WEP/WPA is, why there isn't a software program that comes with the router to setup WEP/WPA yet he has a wierd looking string of numbers (192.168.0.1), etc?

A wise man once said, "Time is money, friend!"

I think an even more important matchup is missing here:

Minnesota's OLine vs Carolina's DLine

It is almost a given that the Vikings DLine is going to dominate the dissheveled Panthers OLine. In order for the Panthers to keep this game close, they are going to need to equally disrupt the Vikings offense, especially with the recently departed Witherspoon and the injured Morgan missing from the Panthers LB corps.

Who to watch:


RT Marcus Johnson vs LE Julius Peppers

Johnson held his own last week against a good Redskins defense, but Peppers is another step above in athletic talent. If Johnson can competently block Peppers on most plays, the Vikings won't need to keep in a TE or RB to help block him.


LG Steve Hutchinson vs DT Kris Jenkins & LT Bryant McKinnie vs RE Mike Ruckers

IF (and a big if) the Vikings right side can do what was outlined above, Hutchinson and McKinnie have a chance to dominate the game, as they will most likely then be iso'ed on Jenkins and Ruckers. If the Vikings left side can have a similar showing this week, expect Chester Taylor to have massive rushing numbers as the second level should be weak with Morgan out.