This monitors.xml file was generated using the Displays tool in Intrepid, and it was not causing problems there.

Moving it out of the way lets gnome-settings-daemon start up successfully, but with these messages:

mbp@lithe% gnome-settings-daemon

** (gnome-settings-daemon:6792): CRITICAL **: gnome_rr_config_free: assertion `config != NULL' failed
xrdb:  "*Label.background" on line 220 overrides entry on line 150                                                        
xrdb:  "*Text.background" on line 226 overrides entry on line 191
xrdb:  "*Label.foreground" on line 232 overrides entry on line 151
xrdb:  "*Text.foreground" on line 238 overrides entry on line 192
Warning:          Type "PC_RALT_LEVEL2" has 2 levels, but <LALT> has 3 symbols
                  Ignoring extra symbols
Warning:          Key <OUTP> not found in evdev+aliases(qwerty) keycodes
                  Symbols ignored
Warning:          Key <KITG> not found in evdev+aliases(qwerty) keycodes
                  Symbols ignored
Warning:          Key <KIDN> not found in evdev+aliases(qwerty) keycodes
                  Symbols ignored
Warning:          Key <KIUP> not found in evdev+aliases(qwerty) keycodes
                  Symbols ignored
Warning:          Key <RO> not found in evdev+aliases(qwerty) keycodes
                  Symbols ignored
Warning:          No symbols defined for <AB11> (keycode 97)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <JPCM> (keycode 103)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I120> (keycode 120)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <AE13> (keycode 132)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I149> (keycode 149)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I154> (keycode 154)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I161> (keycode 161)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I168> (keycode 168)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I178> (keycode 178)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I183> (keycode 183)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I184> (keycode 184)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK13> (keycode 191)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK14> (keycode 192)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK15> (keycode 193)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK16> (keycode 194)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK17> (keycode 195)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK18> (keycode 196)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK19> (keycode 197)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK20> (keycode 198)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK21> (keycode 199)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK22> (keycode 200)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK23> (keycode 201)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <FK24> (keycode 202)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I217> (keycode 217)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I219> (keycode 219)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I221> (keycode 221)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I222> (keycode 222)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I224> (keycode 224)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I226> (keycode 226)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I228> (keycode 228)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I230> (keycode 230)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I247> (keycode 247)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I248> (keycode 248)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I249> (keycode 249)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I250> (keycode 250)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I251> (keycode 251)
Warning:          No symbols defined for <I252> (keycode 252)