I went ahead and bought myself an early Christmas present -- the Panasonic Lumix FZ 100. Thanks for all the advice, folks. I look forward to seeing what this baby can do.
Quick note to say that I am THRILLED with the Lumix. Couldn't be happier. The quality of the video is fantastic, and I can just point and shoot with the auto focus and the pictures come out crystal clear. The camera performed well in high wind and rains a couple of days ago. Very easy to use. Love it, and I haven't even played with the features yet. Big thumbs up -- thanks for the recommendations!