if i understand your second question in your first post correctly then you want to be using HOTKEYS or keyboard short cuts.

q = select
w = move
e = rotate
r = scale
t = manipulator
g = repeat last tool
ctrl+z = undo
ctrl + Z = redo (that's capital Z so hold down shift)
1 = smothness1
2 = smoothness2
3 = smoothness3
4 = wireframe view
5 = shaded view
6 = hardware rendering view (used to see textures)
7 = lighting view (see your stuff with the lights you've put on)
8 = something... i dont remember, maybe the paintFX view
Spacebar = switch between your last two viewports

also useful are the menus you can access anywhere by holding down space bar, or holding down right mouse button, or holding down right mouse button while holding ctrl, or shift, or alt



as for your other issue i've never heard of such things. maybe its your graphics card?