Does anyone know what causes a webpage to stop working and go to a black screen...

if I refresh? I've been having this problem on Facebook and some other sites. I was researching it and the page I was on, 6 troubleshooting tips to combat the black screen computer error: http://www.windowstalk.org/2012/08/6-troubleshooting-tips-to-combat-the-black-screen-computer-error/
 
First it stopped working (froze) then while I was typing this I flipped baack over and it is now a solid black screen. I think it is Flash related because I am often told I need to update Flash Player to the version I am already using.
 
Do you have any advice? Should I try and update my video card drivers? Anything??
 
Update: I just looked and the black screen is gone and the site is now working again? I do not understand... don't have a clue what the problem might be or even where to begin looking. I can reboot and I think everything will be OK for a while but that isn't a good answer for me.
 
Also, I am using IE9. I guess I could try Chrome and FF, I have them both, I just checked my desktop because I rarely use anything else and I noticed that VLC Player was highlighted, like I had clicked it but I have not used it lately. I wonder, maybe I should delete VLC player.
 
J