I AM getting used to the new version, but the more I "get used" to it, the less I like it.

All of these other suggestions boil down to one common theme, make it more like it used to be. Why not just bring back Classic? Something almost every one seemed to be satisfied with.  

 
The last time TER launched a new version, there was a huge uproar decrying how TER had been "ruined" by the new format, by and large TER's response was to undo many of the changes they had made, and kept the "classic" version around for years. We talk about learning by one's "mistakes" how about learning from one's previous "successes" instead?

As to number two, I asked them to fix that during beta. They said if you hover over the xxx ago, it will display the exact time and date of the post.  

Doesn't work on a mobile device though.

Good luck with the rest of it.