Definitely would help to have the DDL (CREATE TABLE statement) for each of the tables used in the query.  Would also help to see the execution plan for the query, uploaded...

Actually, I think I did.  Try this one, of course it may not look the same thinking about it: (may need a group by clause)

SELECT

Oh, it wasn't really from reading the plan that I came up with the rewrite, I simply "looked with eye" at the code and made what I thought were logical...

For S & G's could you post the new execution plan?

Never mind, you did.

Not sure if this will work (return the same result set) as your current query, but it is a shot at a rewrite with nothing to test against.  Be sure...

Good to hear.  You may want to check out this post[/url].