seems the content of the .gtkrc-2.0 file may indeed be related to this bug. I will paste the contents of that file, and of the backup that I found along side.
** Attachment added: ".gtkrc-2.0" http://librarian.launchpad.net/4941721/.gtkrc-2.0 -- some themes default to the Human theme's controls and colors https://launchpad.net/bugs/49229 -- desktop-bugs mailing list desktop-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/desktop-bugs
