Safari/Firefox displays text as gibberish at sites that use Flash

Thank you, Bee. I've posted a screenshot out on flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/49761671@N07/4564470683/sizes/o/

Since upgrading my Flash Player, the problem’s only gotten worse. Now sites like YouTube and ComedyCentral no longer display thumbnails within the video displays. erm...

Shucks and Darn, Bee: YASU didn't fix the problem.
I appreciate your help, though: it looks like a useful utility!

(Yes, Bee, I restarted.)

The plot sickens:

An Apple Support tech came up with the same gibberish when she went to the Adobe site, but in the end suggested I do an Archive & Install — and gave me Adobe’s support #, should that not work.

Well, the A&I didn't work (although, some improvement. I now see page elements which had disappeared after installing the Player update).

When I went to Adobe's forums to find a fix I noticed a post where a similar problem was described, only that person noticed the problem didn't appear when they logged on as someone else. Low and behold, the same is true for me.

Thinking I might try Apple Support again...

The problem appears at sites which use the Flash Player, such as YouTube, Comedy Central, (and some sections of) Adobe's site. When I control-click on the problem areas "About Adobe Flash Player 10", hence my bonehead assumption the issue involves Adobe.

I have not created a Test logon, but when I use my wife's logon the issue disappears.

I don't have Camino, but yes: the issue appears in Firefox

Thanks, Bee:

I DL'd OnyX and ran it through several of it's Verify, Maintenance, and Cleaning options. The issue is still there.

Adobe is reticent to offer support for their freeware, but I'm working with them as well. Apple's final analysis is either it's Adobe's problem, or I need to wipe my drive clean and reinstall.

Yes, there are: My library of fonts are there. And there are no fonts in my wife's Home/Library/Fonts/

(fyi, I just got off a (paid) tech support session with Adobe. They figure my account is corrupt, and suggest I create a new one.)

But this font thing you bring up sounds hopeful...should I remove them all from my Home/Library/Fonts file?

If I do, will they still be accessible (from one of the other places OS X stores fonts?

I appreciate your help, Bee!

Bee, I removed all the fonts from that folder—voila: there's no more gibberish!

Unfortunately, many of my fonts are no longer available in my applications. I guess I start looking for a corrupted font, eh?

I wish I hadn't shelled out the $39 to Adobe, Bee.
As it turns out, your tech prowess trumps those guys AND Apple!

It didn't take long to find a corrupt version of Arial in the Home/Library/Users directory.
Once I pulled them, the gibberish returned to legible text.

Thank you again for your generous help. I'm very happy to find a wipe and re-installation isn't in my near future (knock on wood)!

You take care!