would you say that beyond the EH, when the light cone tips, there is still no causal disconnection? I realize this could be a non-starter, but for sake of discussion.

Actually, with respect to anyone's proper time, the light cones don't start tipping until the event horizon is reached. The light cones start tipping before only in the Finkelstein FoR, the only problem is the FFoR does not correspond to anyone's proper time.

And for the scaling phenomenon. If one looks at this issue classically, there is no point at which an event will effectively travel the EH boundary. If looked at in QM, there could be issues with Planck's constant in that an event could effectively pass the EH in finite time from an outside reference. no?

You completely lost me with this one.

I've read that the singularity may not be a point, but rather a finite quantity expressed in QM theory.

No one has any idea what a singularity is and never will until the advent of quantum gravity.

also, didn't you say you were going away for awhile? : ) good to see you again.

Yes, I did. I thought I would be overseas for a couple of months, but the deal fell through. Unfortunately, I will be traveling again fairly soon so Au revoir could come any time. Good to see you too.