Your math is much the same as mine, fed_up (what the f**k with your handle name, by the way?
) I also think we should be aware that this or that forum, or a group of people around you, is by no means a representative sample of immigration applicants in any scientific terms. The same is the case with the infopass officer you happened to see, he/she does not represent the whole group (or their observations).
I guess I'm from a "very friendly" country (if such a thing ever exists), or one of the "safest" countries if you will. And my case is probably pretty much straight-forward.
Nonetheless, my attorney (who as I see her is very competent, with great reputation) told me to prepare for an *at least* 8-month wait, and this, even without any funk regarding security check or without any retro thingy. She said it "assuming that everything would go smoothly," so should my wait be shorter than that, I would probably be among the few luckiest.
It's a matter of the reference point. I'd suggest we better stop comparing our case to those rare few luckiest, otherwise we'd keep feeling overly frustrated forever.