The OP might've thought that he wasn't/didn't get the answer he/she needed.

In that case, cheggers33, you would simply post the word "bump" in your own thread. Bumping more than 3 times discouraged though.

To answer your second question, there is an applet in extras: the "Simple Brightness Applet." It allows you to change the brightness of the screen straight from the Status Menu. Also, when you click on the icon next to the brightness scale, there is an option with a checkbox that says "Keep display on."

Try to use it sparingly, especially on full brightness, as the screen begins to heat up after an hour, and it drains battery.