thank you so much for your help. i finally figured out what was wrong. it wasn't the new java software. i can't believe it, but it was because my pop-up blocker wasn't allowing a pop-up through! it wouldn't load java until i let them show me their ad! nuts!

anyhow, it's fixed. i finally realized what was happening because i had my sound on and realized every time a popup was being blocked. i thought, what the heck. it worked! all this time and it was that!

thanks so much,

kd