Hey Dan,
I hope to catch up with you next time you hit the east coast, or perhaps better yet when work drags me out to the "Big Sky" country of Colorado.
As for your wishes, I don't think they are that far off at all. People I know have been in direct talks with Ben from 3DHobbyShop.com, and they will most definitely have a sub-$1000 2M arf by the end of this year. Not that I need another plane anytime soon, just that I couldn't agree more with you on the need for a quality Pattern dedicated entry e-machine. The plane will be a big version of the Osiris.
Joe