I agree 100% with everything you just said, Zig. I'm not sure why you'd think I don't agree- so much so that you'd write a "rebuttal" stating your expertise.

I knew about the "paused in RAM" functionality of multitasking too.
If you reread my post carefully - you'll note that I said nothing about multitasking and the way RAM is used in iOS. In an earlier post the erroneous notion (myth) that the clearing the APP menu would affect the RAM was being propagated. That's what I had to address. I'm pretty sure you and I agree on that. We'd have to agree because I, too, understand 100% how the iOS deals with apps in RAM. ;-) - and the "recently used apps list" (double clik home button) has NOTHING at all to do with RAM usage.
But it still seems as if you support the idea that even apps that are paused in RAM can be cleared by clearing them from the recently used apps list. I assure you, if you believe that, you're wrong. And it's easily provable if you're watching the RAM usage in one of the several Cydia apps that let you see that it has "0" effect on RAM usage (paused or not).
There's a lot of great info given on these forums - but that particular belief (clearing the recent used apps window clears RAM) is an out and out myth and I still watch people clearing those apps and "believing" they are helping their phone - when they're not.
But I agree with you completely about the "paused in RAM" functionality of multitasking. And the only thing that clears that is, as you said, after a fixed period of time of unuse - and I believe a reboot will also clear it.
Good discussion!