Let me answer my own question, since no one else wants to and the answer might be of use to others. Virtual Dub allows for quick and dirty editing of the kind that I seek.
Nero 6 Ultra doesn't have the ability. VD is free. It isn't clear how to use virtual dub, so please fool with it a bit. You won't have to fool with it much before you learn how to use it. You simply select and apply filters and then test them by playing your video. If the guess (percent of adjustment applied) is wrong, you just delete the filter, reapply it at a different strength and play the adjusted video again.
Later...