Q:

Refactoring val to method results in compile-time error

I currently have 
  def list(node: NodeSeq): NodeSeq = {
    val all = Thing.findAll.flatMap({
      thing => bind("thing", chooseTemplate("thing", "entry", node),
        "desc" -> Text(thing.desc.is),
        "creator" -> thing.creatorName.getOrElse("UNKNOWN"),
        "delete" -> SHtml.link("/test", () => delete(thing), Text("delete"))
        )
    })

    all match {
      case Nil => <span>No things</span>
      case _ => <ol>{bind("thing", node, "entry" -> all)}</ol>
    }
  }

and I tried to refactor it to 
  def listItemHelper(node: NodeSeq): List[NodeSeq] = {
    Thing.findAll.flatMap({
      thing => bind("thing", chooseTemplate("thing", "entry", node),
        "desc" -> Text(thing.desc.is),
        "creator" -> thing.creatorName.getOrElse("UNKNOWN"),
        "delete" -> SHtml.link("/test", () => delete(thing), Text("delete"))
        )
    })
  }

  def list(node: NodeSeq): NodeSeq = {
    val all = listItemHelper(node)

    all match {
      case Nil => <span>No things</span>
      case all: List[NodeSeq] => <ol>{bind("thing", node, "entry" -> all)}</ol>
      case _ => <span>wtf</span>
    }
  }

but I get the following. I've traced all the return types and I don't see how my refactoring is any different than what would be happening internally. I even tried adding more match cases (as you can see in the refactored code) to make sure I was selecting the right type.
/Users/trenton/projects/sc2/supperclub/src/main/scala/com/runbam/snippet/Whyme.scala:37: error: overloaded method value -> with alternatives [T <: net.liftweb.util.Bindable](T with net.liftweb.util.Bindable)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindableBindParam[T] <and> (Boolean)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.BooleanBindParam <and> (Long)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.LongBindParam <and> (Int)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.IntBindParam <and> (Symbol)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.SymbolBindParam <and> (Option[scala.xml.NodeSeq])net.liftweb.util.Helpers.OptionBindParam <and> (net.liftweb.util.Box[scala.xml.NodeSeq])net.liftweb.util.Helpers.BoxBindParam <and> ((scala.xml.NodeSeq) => scala.xml.NodeSeq)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.FuncBindParam <and> (Seq[scala.xml.Node])net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam <and> (scala.xml.Node)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam <and> (scala.xml.Text)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam <and> (scala.xml.NodeSeq)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam <and> (String)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheStrBindParam cannot be applied to (List[scala.xml.NodeSeq])
      case all: List[NodeSeq] => <ol>{bind("thing", node, "entry" -> all)}</ol>
                                                                  ^

A:

Here's how my brain parsed the error message...
error: overloaded method value ->

This is the name of the method, which is '->'.  
with alternatives 

What will follow is the list of possible parameters for -> within the bind() function.  
[T <: net.liftweb.util.Bindable](T with net.liftweb.util.Bindable)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindableBindParam[T] 

This says that anything which implements or includes the trait Bindable is fair game.
<and> (Boolean)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.BooleanBindParam 
<and> (Long)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.LongBindParam 
<and> (Int)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.IntBindParam 
<and> (Symbol)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.SymbolBindParam 
<and> (Option[scala.xml.NodeSeq])net.liftweb.util.Helpers.OptionBindParam 
<and> (net.liftweb.util.Box[scala.xml.NodeSeq])net.liftweb.util.Helpers.BoxBindParam 

Bunch of type-specific options.
<and> ((scala.xml.NodeSeq) => scala.xml.NodeSeq)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.FuncBindParam 
<and> (Seq[scala.xml.Node])net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam 
<and> (scala.xml.Node)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam 
<and> (scala.xml.Text)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam 
<and> (scala.xml.NodeSeq)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheBindParam 
<and> (String)net.liftweb.util.Helpers.TheStrBindParam 

Ah!  Node-related stuff.  Our valid options seem to be NodeSeq, Seq[Node], Text, and Node
cannot be applied to (List[scala.xml.NodeSeq])

Looks like List[NodeSeq] is not a valid option. 
With this in mind, you probably want to take an individual NodeSeq out of the List in order to bind it to the form.  Are you sure you really want to return a List from the helper method?  

