OS 10.6.4 losing application window focus across a bunch of apps

Hi
My iMac (10.6.4) has started doing something odd - it loses the application window focus in a range of different applications:
The application stays in focus, but the current window loses focus. (You can see in the 'Window' menu for that app when it's done it that no window has focus). It happens when you're typing OR when you're doing nothing.
It's affected at least Safari and iTunes, and i think, Entourage.
There are no unusual apps running that I'm aware of: at least from the 'Force Quit' menu.
Any ideas?
(I'm using wired keyboard and mouse, and have switched USB ports for each, just to test if that was the prob)

Bob: as you may have seen on the original post I did install the updates.
That got the programs starting again, but trying to be productive is doing nothing but cause more crashes. I haven't seen something this bad and annoying in years.
I tried to simply copy a graphic in AI and place it as a Smart Object into a Photoshop layer. AI immediately crashed and PS froze. Had to do a force quit on PS.
Next I tried to do a save as with an AI file and it crashed the program. I'm totally crippled and very frustrated--as is my client needing the work done.
Simply put--why are Adobe CS programs crashing? The patch didn't solve the problem and I'm seeing a rash of discussions about crashes. What's the solution? What's the best way to get a real-world Adobe person to help me?
Geez what a mess.

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