[throw0101d]

> What is (theoretically, or practically) being achieved by running sudo instead of just logging in as root?

Auditing.

> Can you give an example that justifies typing your password up to hundreds of times per day coupled with deliberate hashing delays?

1. I don't do that hundreds of times per day because the stuff I run generally runs pretty well.

2. sudo has password caching, so only the first execution needs a password.

3. If I'm doing a lot, I may sudo-to-root: auditing can still see me going in and becoming root, so it can be determined that I did stuff.