I strongly agree that Deep Leabra does learning in both directions.
I am saying that the proposed Deep Leabra model may work much better with the HTM model substituted in the relevant part of the model.
And of course, as you mentioned, the hex-grid organization dropped into place where it belongs.
The brain has many learning systems.
The Deep Leabra model is essentially based on Hebbian spike timing learning. This is a very slow method; the one-shot feature of HTM is a huge improvement.
Likewise, the attention/activation gating from the RAC that I have mentioned several times before would serve to speed up the learning in other ways. An example:
Lastly - one more concept to work in as you think about what is going on with the 3VS paper: the concept of the global workspace. If the stream from the lizard brain could be thought of as a need state then a match to the sensed stream should be considered as an important event.