Geek needed-computer display problem?

[Wcross]

Geez, my puter is having video fits. Every once in a while it will display vertical lines about 1" wide on the screen that kind of flash. If I try to play a computer game (far cry) it just craps out on me and the screen gets funky and looks like a bad acid trip.
It happened suddenly and two factors mat be involved. I got an email from my Aunt that never sends e-mail and there was a lightning storm.
Is it my monitor or card? Is there any way to recover from this?

[amber dog democrat]

1. Think its the monitor.

Is there one you can trade out to test? I hardly EVER hear of a card going bad no matter how much dust there is on your board.

[Branjor]

2. Your aunt is innocent! n/t