...What else am I missing?  Seems very likely I need to inform Jim he's wrong.

Right.  because that's just another Flashbang affect.  There is a set of rules for that.  Aspects are the catch all for the game.  They work wonders.  Abstracting other game mechanics like that...  It messes with the players.  Armor is something that physically slows the bullets.
And it isn't anything to do with the system.  It has a whole lot to do with the gameworld where Magic is pretty much affected by magic on the positive side of things.  There are a multitude of ways to weaken it.  But few to strengthen it that a mortal can handle.
Off the top of my head the closest things seen have been the times Harry pulled energy from one place to another.  I can see someone starting a car and the wizard yanking the internal combustion energy to power a spell.  But I can't say that's a manuever.  Possibly an application of the drive skill to keep it going while so much energy is being drained.

Your flashbang thing is an aspect giving a free tag to dodge.  How does one use a spell to enhance that effect?  More light and sound sure. But making that armor is silly and unnecessary.

The water to stop fire is an aspect allowing tags against the attack.  Not armor.  It can give the aspect wet which can be tagged to boost water spells.  But the water was already there(nearby) in all reality and so could be tagged without the action to unleash it.

Now, i've got you stretching pretty far on that one, which makes my point well enough.  It's all very very situational.  The characters are more likely to be by a layline.

Now, a thing I noticed while looking through the fatecore stuff.
None of the magic systems appear to cause mental stress. Thoughts?  It reinforces my thought that the refresh costs of evocation powers in DFRPG are higher than they would be in Fatecore.  However I also don't see weapon values so I could be wrong.  But I think it might be interesting that using the powers at 0 weapon value might be a zero stress action then. SO for instance dodging with Discipline via a quickly raised shield that deflects the bullet for 0 stress.

For those that haven't heard yet the last stretch goal is going to be a new Dresden Files using the streamlined Fate Accelerated Edition. Go and back the thing, if you haven't already.

There is a power in the custom power thread that covers the "utility belt" idea IIRC.  Though I have no idea if that's what it's actually called.

That's interesting, I haven't seen that interpretation before. Link?

Fate Core certainly takes the stance that Compels always give a Fate Point...but then, it appears to remove the ability to tag for effect at all, so I'm not sure it says anything useful about doing so in the DFRPG.

My understanding was that folks who were going to attend the Chicago signing would be sent signed bookplates, though I might be mistaken.  I'll poke Jim and ask.

To answer your question, you can order signed books through Jim's local independent bookstore, Dog Eared Books.  Call or email them, and they'll give you the skinny.  I'm not sure how often Jim goes over to sign for them, and it may take a while for the order to be processed at this stage, given all the hubbub of the holidays, but things should calm down in the new year.