Wow, your first post alone almost qualifies this for the "best of Pinside threads" - what a book!
I'm sorry to hear of such an ordeal. That totally sucks, and I genuinely hope everything gets taken care of and things are made anew for you.
What a thorough review. I'll read it when I have a meal to eat or something, that will definitely be a good 10-15 mins or so!
Glad you did get your game, and I look forward to reading when everything is made right.