The original fairing has holes for the windscreen (Revzilla link). Maybe yours is a cheap knockoff, or someplace plastidipped it and covered the holes?
They're "feelers", both are part number 90109-08204-00.The exploded parts diagram is at bikebandit.com (other places as well). If it fits one side and not the other, maybe the foot peg itself is not the correct one for the bike?
No, that's not it at all. I just have trouble believing that the number of things that would have to go wrong for someone's motorcycle to blow up the side of a house could all go wrong at the same time. Except maybe on television.
Go to this web site. You can select the bikes you're interested in, put in your height, arm length, etc and get an idea what the riding position would be for you on different bikes.
As Tony said, you can always use google to look these things up. Here's what AMA says about California's laws.
You mentioned both earbuds and speakers - they're different, and some states treat them differently.