N00b Trying to Move Stuff

["John Jordan" <johnxj comcast net>]

I just started using Linux about 10 days ago. Discovered I far prefer 
Gnome to KDE. I currently have Ubuntu-6 on my Compaq R3240 
and it rocks! 

However, there are three icons on the desktop. One is the CD/DVD 
drive, and the other two are partitions on a removable external USB 
drive. I hate icons on my desktop. I'd like to move these to the 
panel on the top of the screen (I deleted the panel on the bottom). 
But when I try to do so they won't go there. The mouse cursor icon 
shows a + sign, but nothing happens and they stay on the desktop.

How do I get them off my desktop?

Sorry if this is a stupid newbie question. I looked at all the 
documentation I could find and nothing addressed this issue.