cannot change background, panel, applets: LMDE-Cinn

[duped]

I just switched over to LMDE from Ubuntu and I cannot change my background image, panel settings or applets. I can go through the settings via menu or the panel and get to backgrounds, select one but it is never applied. Same with the applets and themes, I can select to include or remove one but nothing happens. Try adding an icon to the panel to quick open a program and it will appear for the session but will disappear on logout. It seems like an issue related to privileges but I am the administrator of the machine. I am hoping the solution is obvious and also sorry for wasting your time if it is. Thanks

output from inxi
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System: Kernel 3.2.0-4-amd64 x86_64 (64 bit) Distro LinuxMint 1 debian
CPU: Dual core Intel Core i5-2520M (-HT-MCP-) cache 3072 KB flags (lm nx sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx) bmips 9977.1
Clock Speeds: (1) 800.00 MHz (2) 800.00 MHz (3) 800.00 MHz (4) 800.00 MHz
Graphics: Card Intel 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller X.org 1.12.4 Res: 135x38 Gfx Data: N/A for root
Audio: Card Intel 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller driver snd_hda_intel BusID: 00:1b.0
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture Version 1.0.24
Network: Card-1 Intel 82579LM Gigabit Network Connection driver e1000e v: 1.5.1-k at port 4080 BusID: 00:19.0
Card-2 Broadcom BCM43228 802.11a/b/g/n driver wl BusID: 02:00.0
Disks: HDD Total Size: 320.1GB (34.3% used)
Info: Memory 973.9/7886.2MB Runlevel 2 Client Shell inxi 1.4.23

[duped]

I have not fixed this completely. I did go over to XFCE which solved most of the issues and is quite customisable but in a different way than Cinnamon. Still, sometimes after changes they would revert back to defaults. I figured out though that it caused by nautilus and/or nemo. They are altering my settings and there seems to be a battle to control my desktop. I uninstalled them both and have complete control in xfce but still not completely in Cinnamon.