Dapper: Can no longer access Application menu?

[Randall J. Parr]

I installed Dapper AMD64 and have applied all available updates and
the kubuntu desktop (to get the apps) but am still logging into the 
Gnome desktop.

I am not sure what act of "happy fingers" I committed but...

When I select "Application" from the Gnome desktop menu it flashes briefly,
then I get a tiny little box under the menu box, but no application menu.

Trying to select, drag, what-have-you, on the white box does no good.

Any ideas as to how I can restore proper menu function?

Thanks
R.Parr, RHCE, Temporal Arts