What is the computer model number? Consider seriously before taking it to a repair shop because today you'll likely buy a new computer for close to what you might well pay in repair charges. With the recovery CDs you can do this yourself. It is a simple task requiring very little user input other than agreeing to allow it to wipe the drive so you lose all your data - which the repair guy will do anyway so you may as well curse at yourself as curse at him/her. In fact it might just be a good idea to insert disk 1 of the Recovery set just to see if there is more action than you have now. You can always click Cancel or hit the power button to end the processs. Gene's idea of using a second monitor is great, that will eliminate one thing from the equation. With no beep it does sound as though the motherboard has quit. They made some eMachines a few years ago with defective power supplies which quit without warning. In many cases the power supply also took out the motherboard and replacements were not available. Those computer were instant garbage but I thought that was fixed before your machine was made. Take the left side off your computer and read odd the make and wattage of your power supply

Okay, now I want a pug! Thanks qq, that is too cute. I forwarded it to everyone on my list!

Hmm...great question! There are some here I would have to say 'ditto' to, but that's redundant so I'll say this for myself: I can't abide graphic sex or violence. I love to read children's books...they actually inspire me in many ways. I have certain times and places to read different genres: mysteries at night in bed or on rainy days while (locked) in my car at the lake, historical fiction and uncomplicated and light-hearted reading in the hammock rain or shine, devotions in my club chair next to the front window, magazines on the front porch with a note pad and pen to jot down ideas I get from them, paperbacks of short stories in the car parking lot while waiting for husband to run his errands and yes, I do read in the bathroom! I look up books on amazon.com, ebay and then try to find them at the library if I think I don't want to own the book...I do buy lots of books both new and used; however. I don't like to lend my books out to anyone...I've lost some irreplaceables that way. I write in all my books...favorite sentences, paragraphs, dialogue, etc. I use my stack of books as a coffee cup 'coaster' and have some rings on the covers, but I never turn down the corners, although I do turn fold the pages in on themselves for quick reference and I LOVE to make and use bookmarks...they are 'art' to me. I never read without a cup of coffee or iced drink nearby...an afgan just in case it's chilly and I always kick off my shoes before opening a book to read. I have many fictional 'friends and advisers'...oh gosh, I could go on and on about this, but I have got to get to the end of this book I'm reading right now...so, later! nola_anne

I wasn't going to even respond to your "Chill!" post, but I see you have now edited and added. In the other thread, when I explained how people actually spend time on ids, and requested you just include in the post that you are quizzing only, I thought the whole matter was done. No biggie. But when you began posting in this thread, chiding the OP (original poster) for not finding the plant name on their own by using the internet, referring to googled answers as cheater identifications, and posting about how others should increase their skills or not bother, yes, I thought that was rude behavior. As expressed previously, I don't believe anyone objects to your posting obscure plants as challenge ids, especially when the board is slow. You can even use internet photos and request people not use the search to come up with the guesses. Or have varying difficulty levels. The discussions about characteristics that cause guessers to think a plant might belong to a particular family can be instructive, and there are always new keys to be learned. I've participated in other forums with similar games and it can be fun, especially if people of all skill levels feel they can make guesses without being shamed for wrong answers. I'm not sure what you are referring to with"Anyone who grows Ceropegias ........... ." Care to explain?