Ubuntu: Change Gnome panel text to white

You have Ubuntu installed, you changed your panel to transparent but you can't read any text in the panel because it is black and doesn't contrast against your latest and greatest wallpaper. If so, then do this...

Note: I got this idea from another site but I can't remember from where. Anyway...


First, create a file.. (and yes, there is a dot in front of the gtkrc-2.0 so that it will be a hidden file)
# gedit .gtkrc-2.0

Next, paste this text (below) into this new file and then save it (in your home directory)

style "panel"
{
fg[NORMAL] = "#ffffff"
# fg[PRELIGHT] = "#000000"
# fg[ACTIVE] = "#ffffff"
# fg[SELECTED] = "#000000"
# fg[INSENSITIVE] = "#8A857C"
# bg[NORMAL] = "#000000"
# bg[PRELIGHT] = "#dfdfdf"
# bg[ACTIVE] = "#D0D0D0"
# bg[SELECTED] = "#D8BB75"
# bg[INSENSITIVE] = "#EFEFEF"
# base[NORMAL] = "#ffffff"
# base[PRELIGHT] = "#EFEFEF"
# base[ACTIVE] = "#D0D0D0"
# base[SELECTED] = "#DAB566"
# base[INSENSITIVE] = "#E8E8E8"
# text[NORMAL] = "#161616"
# text[PRELIGHT] = "#000000"
# text[ACTIVE] = "#000000"
# text[SELECTED] = "#ffffff"
# text[INSENSITIVE] = "#8A857C"
}
widget "*PanelWidget*" style "panel"
widget "*PanelApplet*" style "panel"
class "*Panel*" style "panel"
widget_class "*Mail*" style "panel"
class "*notif*" style "panel"
class "*Notif*" style "panel"
class "*Tray*" style "panel"
class "*tray*" style "panel"

Then do this to reset your gnome environment
# killall gnome-panel

By now the deed should be done. If for some reason it doesn't work, then just do this.
# sudo apt-get install gcolor2
# killall gnome-panel

If it still doesn't work, then too bad. It worked for me.