Comment 46 for bug 572550

Changing the theme just helped me out for a moment as the bug reappeared after a reboot/restart.

Additionally I tried to apply an automated restore of the genome panel defaults with an script, based on BitHacker's tool (se: http://bithacker.blogspot.com/2010/05/restore-default-gnome-panels-in-ubuntu.html).
Here's my mod which disabled all questions and restores both the top and the bottom panel:

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#!/bin/sh
# Originally from: PanelRestore
#
# GNOME Panel Save / Restore
# Writen by PhrankDaChicken
#
# http://ubuntu.online02.com
#
#
# Updated to add restore defaults by jimjimovich
# http://www.starryhope.com
#
#
# Modified to be Autostart capable by:
# Michl Schmid
# Allgaeuer Kraftwerke GmbH
# Am Alten Bahnhof 10
#
# D-87521 Sonthofen
#
# mailto:<email address hidden>
# http://www.allgaeukraft.de
#

gconftool-2 --recursive-unset /apps/panel
rm -rf ~/.gconf/apps/panel
pkill gnome-panel

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The problem herein is that the tool only works properly as long as it's started "after" the GNOME Desktop has been completely started. Right now I haven't found the right position in the GNOME autostart chain to launch the modified script automatically, yet.

Hope someone finds a solution in the near future... :-)