diff --git a/core/log.c b/core/log.c
index 724c518..64a5456 100644
--- a/core/log.c
+++ b/core/log.c
@@ -333,24 +333,19 @@ int l_log( lua_State * L )
 					break;
 
 				case LUA_TBOOLEAN :
-					if( lua_toboolean( L, i ) )
-						lua_pushstring( L, "(true)"  );
-					else
-						lua_pushstring( L, "(false)" );
+
+					lua_pushstring( L,  lua_toboolean( L, i ) ? "(true)" : "(false)" );
 
 					lua_replace( L, i );
 
 					break;
 
 				case LUA_TUSERDATA:
-					{
-						clock_t *c = ( clock_t * ) luaL_checkudata( L, i, "Lsyncd.jiffies" );
 
-						double d = *c;
-						d /= clocks_per_sec;
-						lua_pushfstring( L, "(Timestamp: %f)", d );
-						lua_replace( L, i );
-					}
+					lua_pushfstring( L, "(Timestamp: %f)", check_jiffies_arg( L, i ) );
+
+					lua_replace( L, i );
+
 					break;
 
 				case LUA_TNIL:
diff --git a/core/main.c b/core/main.c
index 0f6e2e6..646b274 100644
--- a/core/main.c
+++ b/core/main.c
@@ -176,10 +176,7 @@ masterloop(
 
 			if( have_alarm )
 			{
-				// TODO use trunc instead of long conversions
-				double d = ( ( double )( alarm_time - cnow ) ) / clocks_per_sec;
-				tv.tv_sec  = d;
-				tv.tv_nsec = ( ( d - ( long ) d ) ) * 1000000000.0;
+				double d = time_diff( alarm_time, cnow, &tv );
 
 				printlogf(
 					L, "Masterloop",
@@ -321,12 +318,6 @@ main1( int argc, char *argv[] )
 	// registers Lsycnd's core library
 	register_core( L );
 
-	if( check_logcat( "Debug" ) <= settings.log_level )
-	{
-		// printlogf doesnt support %ld :-(
-		printf( "kernels clocks_per_sec=%ld\n", clocks_per_sec );
-	}
-
 	signal_init( );
 
 #ifdef WITH_INOTIFY
@@ -484,12 +475,11 @@ main1( int argc, char *argv[] )
 int
 main( int argc, char * argv[ ] )
 {
-	// gets a kernel parameter
-	clocks_per_sec = sysconf( _SC_CLK_TCK );
-
 	setlinebuf( stdout );
 	setlinebuf( stderr );
 
+	time_first_init( );
+
 	while( true ) main1( argc, argv );
 
 //	return -1;
diff --git a/core/mci.c b/core/mci.c
index 029a862..a75a8f1 100644
--- a/core/mci.c
+++ b/core/mci.c
@@ -679,7 +679,7 @@ static const luaL_Reg corelib[ ] =
 
 
 /*
-| Registers the Lsyncd's core library.
+| Registers Lsyncd's core library.
 */
 void
 register_core( lua_State *L )
diff --git a/core/mci.h b/core/mci.h
index a9f8775..2c5d6ce 100644
--- a/core/mci.h
+++ b/core/mci.h
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 extern int l_stackdump( lua_State* L );
 
 
-// FIXME
+// Registers Lsyncd's core library.
 extern void register_core( lua_State *L );
 
 
diff --git a/core/time.c b/core/time.c
index b38dd86..ab43c8f 100644
--- a/core/time.c
+++ b/core/time.c
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 #include <sys/times.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
 
 #define LUA_USE_APICHECK 1
 #include <lua.h>
@@ -26,8 +27,7 @@
 /*
 | The kernel's clock ticks per second.
 */
-// FIXME make static again
-long clocks_per_sec;
+static long clocks_per_sec;
 
 /*
 | Non glibc builds need a real tms structure for the times( ) call
@@ -40,6 +40,17 @@ long clocks_per_sec;
 #endif
 
 
+/*
+| Initializes time management.
+*/
+void
+time_first_init( )
+{
+	// gets a kernel parameter
+	clocks_per_sec = sysconf( _SC_CLK_TCK );
+}
+
+
 /*
 | Returns the current time.
 */
@@ -53,7 +64,7 @@ clock_t now( )
 | Returns (on Lua stack) the current kernels clock state (jiffies).
 */
 int
-l_now(lua_State *L)
+l_now( lua_State *L )
 {
 	clock_t * j = lua_newuserdata( L, sizeof( clock_t ) );
 	luaL_getmetatable( L, "Lsyncd.jiffies" );
@@ -79,16 +90,15 @@ l_jiffies_add( lua_State *L )
 		exit( -1 );
 	}
 
-	{
-		clock_t a1  = p1 ? *p1 :  luaL_checknumber( L, 1 ) * clocks_per_sec;
-		clock_t a2  = p2 ? *p2 :  luaL_checknumber( L, 2 ) * clocks_per_sec;
-		clock_t *r  = ( clock_t * ) lua_newuserdata( L, sizeof( clock_t ) );
+	clock_t a1  = p1 ? *p1 :  luaL_checknumber( L, 1 ) * clocks_per_sec;
+	clock_t a2  = p2 ? *p2 :  luaL_checknumber( L, 2 ) * clocks_per_sec;
+	clock_t *r  = ( clock_t * ) lua_newuserdata( L, sizeof( clock_t ) );
 
-		luaL_getmetatable( L, "Lsyncd.jiffies" );
-		lua_setmetatable( L, -2 );
-		*r = a1 + a2;
-		return 1;
-	}
+	luaL_getmetatable( L, "Lsyncd.jiffies" );
+	lua_setmetatable( L, -2 );
+	*r = a1 + a2;
+
+	return 1;
 }
 
 
@@ -159,12 +169,13 @@ l_jiffies_lt( lua_State *L )
 | True if jiffy1 is before or equals jiffy2.
 */
 static int
-l_jiffies_le(lua_State *L)
+l_jiffies_le( lua_State *L )
 {
 	clock_t a1 = ( *( clock_t * ) luaL_checkudata( L, 1, "Lsyncd.jiffies" ) );
 	clock_t a2 = ( *( clock_t * ) luaL_checkudata( L, 2, "Lsyncd.jiffies" ) );
 
 	lua_pushboolean( L, ( a1 == a2 ) || time_before( a1, a2 ) );
+
 	return 1;
 }
 
@@ -197,3 +208,44 @@ register_jiffies( lua_State *L )
 	lua_pop( L, 1 ); // pop( mt )
 }
 
+
+/*
+| Puts the time difference between 't2' (later) and 't1' into 'tv'.
+| Returns the time difference as double value.
+*/
+double
+time_diff(
+	long t2,
+	long t1,
+	struct timespec * tv
+)
+{
+	double d = ( ( double )( t2 - t1 ) ) / clocks_per_sec;
+
+	if( tv )
+	{
+		// TODO use trunc instead of long conversions
+		tv->tv_sec  = d;
+		tv->tv_nsec = ( ( d - ( long ) d ) ) * 1000000000.0;
+	}
+
+	return d;
+}
+
+
+/*
+| Checks if the function argument 'arg' on Lua stack is a jiffie
+| and returns the value converted to seconds.
+*/
+double
+check_jiffies_arg
+(
+	lua_State *L,
+	int arg
+)
+{
+	clock_t *c = ( clock_t * ) luaL_checkudata( L, arg, "Lsyncd.jiffies" );
+
+	return ( ( double ) *c ) / clocks_per_sec;
+}
+
diff --git a/core/time.h b/core/time.h
index 3ee80ed..5c94c31 100644
--- a/core/time.h
+++ b/core/time.h
@@ -16,20 +16,29 @@
 #define time_before_eq(a,b)     time_after_eq(b,a)
 
 
-// The kernel's clock ticks per second.
-extern long clocks_per_sec;
+// Initializes time management.
+extern void time_first_init( );
 
 
 // Returns the current time.
 extern clock_t now( );
 
 
+// Puts the time difference between 't2' (later) and 't1' into 'tv'
+extern double time_diff( long t2, long t1, struct timespec * tv );
+
+
 // Returns (on Lua stack) the current kernels clock state( jiffies ).
-extern int l_now(lua_State *L);
+extern int l_now( lua_State *L );
 
 
 // Registers the jiffies meta table in a Lua state.
 extern void register_jiffies( lua_State *L );
 
 
+// Checks if the function argument 'arg' on Lua stack is a jiffie
+// and returns the value converted to seconds.
+extern double check_jiffies_arg ( lua_State *L, int arg );
+
+
 #endif
diff --git a/mantle/inlet.lua b/mantle/inlet.lua
index 9f95cb2..7678d9b 100644
--- a/mantle/inlet.lua
+++ b/mantle/inlet.lua
@@ -269,8 +269,7 @@ local eventFields =
 	end,
 
 	--
-	-- Returns true if the sync this event belongs
-	-- to is stopped
+	-- Returns true if the sync this event belongs to is stopped
 	--
 	syncStopped = function
 	(
@@ -359,27 +358,36 @@ local eventMeta =
 
 
 --
--- Interface for user scripts to get list fields.
+-- Interface for user script to get list fields.
+--
+local eventListFields =
+{
+	--
+	-- Returns true if the sync this event list belongs to is stopped
+	--
+	syncStopped = function
+	(
+		dlist
+	)
+		return dlist.sync.stopped
+	end,
+}
+
+
+--
+-- Interface for user scripts to get list functions.
 --
 local eventListFuncs =
 {
 	--
 	-- Returns a list of paths of all events in list.
 	--
-	--
 	getPaths = function
 	(
-		elist,   -- handle returned by getEvents( )
+		dlist,   -- delayed list
 		mutator  -- if not nil called with ( etype, path, path2 )
 		--          returns one or two strings to add.
 	)
-		local dlist = e2d[ elist ]
-
-		if not dlist
-		then
-			error( 'cannot find delay list from event list.' )
-		end
-
 		local result  = { }
 		local resultn = 1
 
@@ -407,8 +415,7 @@ local eventListFuncs =
 		end
 
 		return result
-
-	end
+	end,
 }
 
 
@@ -420,26 +427,22 @@ local eventListMeta =
 	__index = function
 	(
 		elist,
-		func
+		field
 	)
-		if func == 'isList' then return true end
+		if field == 'isList' then return true end
 
-		if func == 'config' then return e2d[ elist ].sync.config end
+		-- FIXME make an actual field
+		if field == 'config' then return e2d[ elist ].sync.config end
 
-		local f = eventListFuncs[ func ]
+		local f = eventListFields[ field ]
 
-		if not f
-		then
-			error(
-				'event list does not have function "' .. func .. '"',
-				2
-			)
-		end
+		if f then return f( e2d[ elist ] ) end
 
-		return function
-		( ... )
-			return f( elist, ... )
-		end
+		f = eventListFuncs[ field ]
+
+		if not f then error( 'event list does not have field "' .. field .. '"', 2 ) end
+
+		return function( ... ) return f( e2d[ elist ], ... ) end
 	end
 }
 
diff --git a/mantle/syncmaster.lua b/mantle/syncmaster.lua
index 3dfbd15..74a570e 100644
--- a/mantle/syncmaster.lua
+++ b/mantle/syncmaster.lua
@@ -45,6 +45,19 @@ mt.__ipairs = function
 end
 
 
+--
+-- Returns sync at listpos key
+--
+mt.__index = function
+(
+	self,
+	key
+)
+	if type( key ) ~= 'number' then error( "key not a number" ) end
+
+	return syncList[ key ]
+end
+
 --
 -- The round robin counter. In case of global limited maxProcesses
 -- gives every sync equal chances to spawn the next process.
@@ -72,13 +85,6 @@ local function getRound
 	return round
 end
 
---
--- Returns sync at listpos i
---
-local function get
-( i )
-	return syncList[ i ]
-end
 
 
 local inherit
@@ -353,7 +359,6 @@ end
 SyncMaster =
 {
 	add = add,   -- FIXME forward through metatable
-	get = get,   -- FIXME forward through metatable
 	remove = remove,
 	getRound = getRound,
 	concerns = concerns,
diff --git a/mantle/user.lua b/mantle/user.lua
index 52979e5..f10e05f 100644
--- a/mantle/user.lua
+++ b/mantle/user.lua
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ user.syncs =
 
 		for k = 0, #SyncMaster - 1
 		do
-			list[ k ] = SyncMaster.get( k ):getUserIntf( )
+			list[ k ] = SyncMaster[ k ]:getUserIntf( )
 		end
 
 		return iter, list, -1