Tools for making Finder easier to use?
FilePathCM. FilePathCM is a contextual menu and menu bar item for copying the:


POSIX path 
Server afp URL 
Abbreviated (Tilde) POSIX path 
POSIX path for Terminal.app 
HFS path 
Full name
Display name 
Extension 
Windows style path 


of Finder items (files, folders, volumes) to the clipboard.

To create a new file, see this link: http://www.webmonkey.com/2007/03/how_to_create_new_files_in_apple_s_finder/

To launch a terminal, I like answer from neoneye but I also use DTerm.