Auric, as for the first part, the exercises mentioned are compound exercises which are good at raising the pulse and promoting muscle growth which in turn increases metabolism. Remember an increase in metabolism means a person burns calories at a higher rate even when not exercising (ie sitting at a desk at work). So bit of a happy double whammy. I think one of the posts above touches on this.

The second part, is again very sound. Quite often used by body builders in the run up to contests. By doing resistance exercises first one tends to use up most of the carbohydrate reserves. Doing CV afterwards taps into fat reserves more efficiently. It is good to see common sense creeping into mainstream fitness.