Salut Eric.

I'm stumped: your java looks to be pooched, and yet it won't allow a reinstall!

Maybe this old and outdated Apple technote for fixing a java install will help with some other ideas http://developer.apple.com/technotes/tn2002/tn2099.html

It does mention "navigate to /System/Library/Frameworks/JavaVM.framework/Resources/
Move the version.plist file to the Trash"

Maybe the version.plist needs to be trashed too?

(sorry about the console idea--I'd forgotten about your earlier post)