Disappearing Finder menus and sliding app transitions

Listing questions in one sentence paragraphs to reduce temptations for others to read between the lines.

I am using 10.10.5.

There is a "feature" that hides the menus in Finder and apps showing a little bit more screen.

There is another "feature" that causes a "barn door" transition when switching between apps, using the Dock.

There is also, I suspect, related behavior that that causes a total inability to selected the Dock in some apps in order to Switch/Start another app.

Referring the the immediately previous statement, CMD-Tab works as expected, though I suppose it is possible that these are not related.

Here's the deal: I don't want these features at all.

Can they be turned off?

N.B.: El Capitan does the same thing