> A really stupid solution is also to promote the entry to
> top level with M-left, then to move it down with M-down,
> then to demote it again with M-right.  For short distances
> this requires the lease amount of thinking.....

I found this "stupid solution" appealing (not sure what this says about
me ;), but learned that in my set-up "M-up" performs the same action as 
"M-S-<up>" -- i.e, it moves an entire tree rather than just a heading.

So I have this --

* Heading 1
** Subheading 1

* Heading 2
** Subheading 1a
** Subheading 2a

If I put point on **Subheading 1a and do M-left, I have this:

* Heading 1
** Subheading 1

* Heading 2
* Subheading 1a
** Subheading 2a

If I then have point on * Subheading 1a and do M-up, I get this:

* Heading 1
** Subheading 1
* Subheading 1a
** Subheading 2a

* Heading 2

Emacs 22.1.1
Org 5.09

-- 
John Rakestraw