First, I would like to thank everyone for their input and help.
Further experimenting shows this behavior: I delete the lock file, open arduino IDE, and in terminal there are no errors. I look for ttyUSB0 in ports and it is there! When I click on ports the lock file for ttyUSB0 appears. When I attempt to up load blink, the IDE stalls for ever.
If I leave the lock file and open IDE there appear two errors about the lock file already existing. When I look under ports I see ttyS0 but no USB. Each time I click on menu another error pops up.
I think the issue is with RXTX.jar and librxtxserial.so (these may not be correct spellings I am away from that machine).
A friend of mine mentioned an issue regarding the AMD cpu. I am using a AMD phenom chip. I have no problems with other USB devices. I have been troubleshooting with the other devices not plugged in. I have done a clean install of ubuntu, I tried installing the IDE package two different methods.
So I give up. I am going to use another computer for this project -- so I am not high and dry -- simply baffled that this problem seems to have no answer.
I will try what Jim suggested.
I am open to any other experiments for the good of humanity in the face of this computer induced weirdness.
Wishing you all the best,
Peace!