My preferences c&p from http://nerdlogger.com/2012/07/30/get-control-of-mountain-lion-with-a-huge-list-of-command-line-tweaks/

gistfile1.sh

# ~/.osx — http://mths.be/osx

###############################################################################
# General UI/UX #
###############################################################################

# Menu bar: disable transparency
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleEnableMenuBarTransparency -bool false

# Expand save panel by default
defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSNavPanelExpandedStateForSaveMode -bool true

# Disable the “Are you sure you want to open this application?” dialog
defaults write com.apple.LaunchServices LSQuarantine -bool false

###############################################################################
# Trackpad, mouse, keyboard, Bluetooth accessories, and input #
###############################################################################

# Disable “natural” (Lion-style) scrolling
defaults write NSGlobalDomain com.apple.swipescrolldirection -bool false

###############################################################################
# Screen #
###############################################################################

# Disable shadow in screenshots
defaults write com.apple.screencapture disable-shadow -bool true

###############################################################################
# Finder #
###############################################################################

# Finder: show hidden files by default
defaults write com.apple.Finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true

# Finder: show all filename extensions
defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true

# Finder: show status bar
defaults write com.apple.finder ShowStatusBar -bool true

# Finder: allow text selection in Quick Look
defaults write com.apple.finder QLEnableTextSelection -bool true

# Display full POSIX path as Finder window title
defaults write com.apple.finder _FXShowPosixPathInTitle -bool true

# Disable the warning when changing a file extension
defaults write com.apple.finder FXEnableExtensionChangeWarning -bool false

# Avoid creating .DS_Store files on network volumes
defaults write com.apple.desktopservices DSDontWriteNetworkStores -bool true

# Disable the warning before emptying the Trash
defaults write com.apple.finder WarnOnEmptyTrash -bool false

# Empty Trash securely by default
defaults write com.apple.finder EmptyTrashSecurely -bool true

# Enable AirDrop over Ethernet and on unsupported Macs running Lion
defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser BrowseAllInterfaces -bool true

###############################################################################
# Dock & hot corners #
###############################################################################

# Don’t animate opening applications from the Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock launchanim -bool false

# Speed up Mission Control animations
defaults write com.apple.dock expose-animation-duration -float 0.1

# Don’t group windows by application in Mission Control
# (i.e. use the old Exposé behavior instead)
defaults write com.apple.dock "expose-group-by-app" -bool false

# Remove the auto-hiding Dock delay
defaults write com.apple.Dock autohide-delay -float 0

# Remove the animation when hiding/showing the Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide-time-modifier -float 0

# Automatically hide and show the Dock
defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true

# Reset Launchpad
find ~/Library/Application\ Support/Dock -name "*.db" -maxdepth 1 -delete


###############################################################################
# Kill affected applications #
###############################################################################

for app in Finder Dock Mail Safari iTunes iCal Address\ Book SystemUIServer Twitter; do
killall "$app" > /dev/null 2>&1
done
echo "Done. Note that some of these changes require a logout/restart to take effect."