[gentoo-user] cupsd (localhost:631) trouble

On a reboot the cups main page appears in firefox (it is the plain,
non-qt version, which I have used successfully for years).

However if I try to refresh the page or go to say the printer page I get
"Firefox can't establish a connection to the server at localhost:631."

If I execute
  /etc/init.d/cupsd restart
I get in /var/log/messages

Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Automatic remove of HP-LaserJet-P2055dn-Gray.. from cups-HP-LaserJet-P2055dn
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile removed: HP-LaserJet-P2055dn-Gray..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Automatic remove of HP-LaserJet-P2055dn-RGB.. from cups-HP-LaserJet-P2055dn
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile removed: HP-LaserJet-P2055dn-RGB..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: device removed: cups-HP-LaserJet-P2055dn
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Automatic remove of lj-Gray.. from cups-lj
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile removed: lj-Gray..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Automatic remove of lj-RGB.. from cups-lj
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile removed: lj-RGB..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: device removed: cups-lj
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile added: HP-LaserJet-P2055dn-Gray..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile added: HP-LaserJet-P2055dn-RGB..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Device added: cups-HP-LaserJet-P2055dn
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile added: lj-Gray..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Profile added: lj-RGB..
Sep  3 18:28:09 newlap colord: Device added: cups-lj
Sep  3 18:28:10 newlap hpcups[9016]: prnt/hpcups/HPCupsFilter.cpp 724: First raster data plane..

(the last line indicates a "stuck" print job; I am having trouble
printing, which is why I wanted to access cups to delete the printers
and reinstall them).

Any help would be appreciated.
thanks,
allan