Quote - It's simple math: if the rest of the shader (diffuse, specular, etc.) produces color A, and the ambient value is color B, then the output is A + B.

 

You got me there.  Somewhere along the way I forgot that everything behind the monitor is 1s and 0s and math.  When I started thinking about it that way things started coming together.  And no more wondering why Poser wouldn't do what I want it to do, lol.