1. This is the closest thing I've found:
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/19072
2. You can always hit "home" instead of scrolling all the way to the top.
3. In the current state of the Finder, I don't think this is possible. For example, not everyone has their Finder windows set to open in new windows. If I navigate to my music folder in column view, but have the music folder set to open in list view, by golly, I don't want it switching to list view on me since I got there through the column view.
Sorry for the non-helpful replies, but I think what you're asking just isn't possible with the current Finder. Have you given Path Finder a try?
http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/16678