Go to
System> Preferences > Sessions
Click on the Start Up tab and browse through Files System on what programs you
want to run on start up. You may want to run a search of the program you are
searching for start up to locate what folder it may be under. Most likely it
will be under the ECT folder.

Thanks for that, solves a lot of poor memory problems (mine, not the
computer's ;-) ) - but I have a supplementary question. Why can I
run Firestarter just fine from the Applications menu, but when I try and
autostart it, I get an error saying that I have to have root user
privileges?

Are you using the correct file. Try using firestarter.sh for your autostart up.
When I first start up f.s. it as for root password. That is just so no joe smoe
can start or start it. You can edit the file to not ask for the pw.
http://ubuntuguide.org/

...redirect lp to point at my default printer? The annoying thing about
this is that I know I know how to do it, I just can't remember.