I think I may have gotten to the core of the problem. In Poser 7 it appears there are two tabs to apply textures to an object to in the MATERIALS Room:

MATERIALS

PREVIEW

Apparently for some reason I gotta set both?

Seems strange to me and a lot more convoluted than necessary. But I guess the guys that programed this version were either not stupid like me or just plain never used it before releasing it to stupids like me.  :(

I just loaded the offending items in the stage seperately and textured them by hand and remembering that little texture applications-combo-tab-switchy-thingy in the MATERIALS setting window, I gave both views a texture and VOILA!

Now I can go take a shower I feel dirty from frustration and anger and all the terrible cursing I have done working on this problem.

I MISS POSER 4!  :(