Linux question on screen layout and behavior - how flexible is Ubuntu's standard interface?

I have toyed off and on with Linux over the years; Ubuntu has seemingly matured into one of the most suitable and comfortable distributions for me. But there are a couple of screen-related issues (not problems) where my preferences and likes are not the same as Ubuntu’s.

My question is: are these (below) configurable in some way (given the general flexibility of Linux, they should be) or am I stuck with them?

1] The three icons (minimize, maximize, and close). In Windows, they are always on the upper right corner of the window or the screen. I’m used to them there. Ubuntu (and other Linuxes) put them on the upper left corner. Can they be moved to the upper right?

2] The latest release has that godawful banner application toolbar on the left of the screen. Can that be moved to the bottom (like a Windows toolbar) to less distracting? Or better yet, can it disappear altogether?

Thanks