So, if ancestral knowledge is in elemental, are they expecting resto to go down the elemental tree? If so, where is ancestral swiftness currently? I'd be kinda pissed if I couldn't get this 15% speed bonus for pve in basically every spec - specifically resto, since that's what I raid as.

Firestyle, you've got a wrong assumption there. Assuming the trees all stay the same (which is almost guaranteed they won't), then you will take 3 points in elemental, at least 5 in enhance, and then at least 31 in resto. The other 2 points you can then put into ancestral swiftness, but you will likely be giving up something useful in resto (like having 2/3 instead of 3/3 in http://cata.wowhead.com/spell=30869 ). Other than Ancestral Knowledge, the elemental tree does not have anything that would help a resto shaman to heal, and you definitely want improved shields and elemental weapons talents from the enhancement tree.

another layer can be added here- resto gets mana back from the damage they deal with LB from telluric currents. I almost wonder if having LB hit 6% harder (more mana return) or costing less in general would be more beneficial than the SP from the elemental weapons.

(or better yet, might it even be possible to put at least one point in the spirit--->hit talent so that when we DO want to smack things around we can actually hit them?)

This is all assuming that using LB can be used to get some mana going on a boss fight, if it just covers the lb cost then ofc those talents aren't worth it.

At some gear lvl though, one would have to think that LB would become mana positive.