Two fixes worked: 1. Changing to a different browser. 2.
Reinstalling from the disk supplied with "The Official Ubuntu Book."
Prior to that I'd been using the disk \suppled with the beginning book.

Since then my MS Windows OS died. I looked at the Windows recovery
disk. then I looked at the Ubuntu install disk. I wiped the system
and installed Ubuntu. With the exception of Rosetta Stone and Speaker
Workshop I have not missed Windows.