Told "You Need To Restart Your Computer"

Question

Background: This is my second MacBook. It is a week 32, I have been using it for 3 weeks now, hasn't given me any serious problems, and is usually kept on (either with activity or sleeping) for several days in a row. The only suspicious thing happening lately is when I turn it on, the screen has flashed brightly really quickly, then back to black quickly, and then it starts to load like normal. So if anyone knows what that is either, it would be of help.
This issue: I was on my MacBook tonight, using the Internet and iTunes, like normal, and out of nowhere the screen dims down and in the middle is a black box that says "You need to restart your computer. Press down on the power button..." in like 4 different languages. So, I did. Then I turned it back on and it loaded fine (but gave me the "Mac OS X shut down unexpectedly" message).
The only thing odd about my use of it tonight would have to be that I was using it on my bed, so maybe not enough air was getting to the bottom of it. Could this cause it to force to shut down?
Once again, this is the only major issue I've had with it so far. My old MacBook had several problems but never the "You need to restart your computer" in the black box one.
Please help!

Answer 1

in a row. The only suspicious thing happening lately
is when I turn it on, the screen has flashed brightly
really quickly, then back to black quickly, and then
it starts to load like normal.
That's normal behavior. Mine does it to.
This issue: I was on my MacBook tonight, using
the Internet and iTunes, like normal, and out of
nowhere the screen dims down and in the middle is a
black box that says "You need to restart your
computer. Press down on the power button..." in like
4 different languages.
You experienced a kernel panic.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=106227
They are usually hardware related. Disconnect any external devices.
Did you install any third-party RAM? If so, pull it out and run it with just the stock RAM.
-Bmer
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