Here is a really quick fog example
Play around with it a little and check the hypershade.
www.bluemagic.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/fog.zip

a nifty intro to fog here...

-open up maya ... press f1
-read everything in there .... twice

-read all these tutorials
http://www.learning-maya.com/rendering.php

-come into simplymaya live chat and ask there

-or...

a picture paints a thousand words

Do you just have a skeleton rig or do you have geometry attatched to the rig?

A pic would usefull .

Select the rogue vertices of that toe and check the weights in the component editor.

-ctrl a on the plane and make sure nuthin in in your transparency node.
-Try doing a modelling/textures/automatic mapping on the plane
before you bake it ...
-check the normals
-make sure you...

The info I am looking for is not common knowledge and not something
you can find from a google search.

No need to search when you have http://www.learning-maya.com/rendering.php
and there is...

I know that aproximatly 100 people who would be interested in a Mental Ray Tutorial.
If you book it they will come :D (WW)

Specifically aimed at intermediate/advanced user
Content
-How to...

Email i sent netscale today if anyone here can help or offer suggestions on how I can set up my 3 comps to work together
to render images then id love to hear it.

This is my 4th whole weekend...