Got this solved and it was a dandy one...
Here is why it happened... when downloading the database from my hosting site to restore to this server, the very first thing I must do is change the IP from the online server to the localhost so that the themes will work... it is a simple process and one I do every time I do a reinstall locally to bring this test site up to this forums levels
The way the changes are made uses the IP address and I knew this but did not recall it because every time I reset it all I have to do is click a reset button and it is done... I had to go into the database and scrub the old IP away before I could access it at all. These are the correct settings
Theme directory (templates): /var/www/Themes/darkmodern2
URL to above directory:
http://24.50.134.254:9669/Themes/darkmodern2URL to images directory:
http://24.50.134.254:9669/Themes/darkmodern2/imagesSo in the end it was a theme setting that was holding onto the old IP address ... it has now been corrected
Thanks to statmonkey for all your help and diligence and thanks to aibo on the IRC who reminded me just how powerful curl is and in helping me trace down the issue
Closed and my migraine is now gone too
http://vsido.no-ip.biz