diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index ae8fc7d..52ff318 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -10,16 +10,16 @@ DOCUMENT_PATH=$(PREFIX)/share/doc/non-sequencer/
 USE_LASH=1
 
 # Debugging
-CFLAGS:=-O0 -ggdb -fno-omit-frame-pointer -Wall
+# CFLAGS:=-O0 -ggdb -fno-omit-frame-pointer -Wall
 # Production
-# CFLAGS:=-O3 -fomit-frame-pointer -DNDEBUG
+CFLAGS:=-O3 -fomit-frame-pointer -DNDEBUG
 
 CFLAGS+=-DINSTALL_PREFIX=\"$(PREFIX)\" \
 	-DSYSTEM_PATH=\"$(SYSTEM_PATH)\" \
 	-DDOCUMENT_PATH=\"$(DOCUMENT_PATH)\"
 
 CXXFLAGS:=$(CFLAGS) -fno-exceptions -fno-rtti `fltk-config --cxxflags` `pkg-config jack --atleast-version 0.105 || echo -DJACK_MIDI_PROTO_API` `pkg-config jack --cflags` `pkg-config --cflags sigc++-2.0`
-LIBS=`pkg-config --libs jack` `fltk-config --use-images --ldflags` `pkg-config --libs sigc++-2.0` 
+LIBS=`pkg-config --libs jack` `fltk-config --use-images --ldflags` `pkg-config --libs sigc++-2.0`
 
 ifeq ($(USE_LASH),1)
 	LIBS+=-llash
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ SRCS= \
 
 OBJS=$(SRCS:.C=.o)
 
-.PHONEY: all clean install 
+.PHONEY: all clean install
 
 all: non makedepend
 
diff --git a/debug.h b/debug.h
index aaaf0e0..1acfcca 100644
--- a/debug.h
+++ b/debug.h
@@ -100,16 +100,15 @@ warnf ( warning_t level,
 
 #ifndef NDEBUG
 #define DEBUG( fmt, args... ) warnf( W_MESSAGE, __MODULE__, __FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, fmt, ## args )
-#define ASSERTION( fmt, args... ) ( warnf( W_ASSERTION, __MODULE__, __FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, fmt, ## args ), abort() )
 #define ASSERT( pred, fmt, args... ) ( do { if ( ! (pred) )  warnf( W_ASSERTION, __MODULE__, __FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, fmd, ## args );  abort(); } while ( 0 ) )
 #else
 #define DEBUG( fmt, args... )
-#define ASSERTION( fmt, args... )
 #define ASSERT( pred, fmt, args... )
 #endif
 
-/* this one's always defined */
+/* these are always defined */
 #define MESSAGE( fmt, args... ) warnf( W_MESSAGE, __MODULE__, __FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, fmt, ## args )
 #define WARNING( fmt, args... ) warnf( W_WARNING, __MODULE__, __FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, fmt, ## args )
+#define ASSERTION( fmt, args... ) ( warnf( W_ASSERTION, __MODULE__, __FILE__, __FUNCTION__, __LINE__, fmt, ## args ), abort() )
 
 #endif
diff --git a/grid.C b/grid.C
index cea4c29..b38e516 100644
--- a/grid.C
+++ b/grid.C
@@ -25,9 +25,6 @@
 
 #include "smf.H"
 
-#define RD ( _locked ? ASSERTION( "invalid read" ) : _rd )
-#define WR ( ! locked ? ASSERTION( "invalid write" ) : _wr )
-
 Grid::Grid ( void )
 {
     _name = NULL;
@@ -98,26 +95,6 @@ Grid::Grid ( const Grid &rhs )
     viewport = rhs.viewport;
 }
 
-#if 0
-const data *
-Grid::rd ( void )
-{
-    if ( _locked )
-        ASSERTION( "invalid read" );
-
-    return _rd;
-}
-
-data *
-Grid::wr ( void )
-{
-    if ( ! _locked )
-        ASSERTION( "invalid write" );
-
-    return _rw;
-}
-#endif
-
 void
 Grid::lock ( void )
 {
@@ -136,9 +113,6 @@ Grid::unlock ( void )
         {
             data *d = _history.front();
 
-            if ( d == _rw || d == _rd )
-                ASSERTION( "something bad has happend." );
-
             delete d;
 
             _history.pop_front();
@@ -662,8 +636,7 @@ Grid::draw ( Canvas *c, int bx, int by, int bw, int bh )
 
 
         tick_t ts = e->timestamp();
-        if ( ! e->link() )
-            ASSERTION( "wtf. note is not linked!" );
+        ASSERT( e->link(), "found a non-linked note" );
 
         tick_t tse = e->link()->timestamp();
 
diff --git a/lash.C b/lash.C
index 11df134..1cb9153 100644
--- a/lash.C
+++ b/lash.C
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ Lash::Lash ( )
 bool
 Lash::init ( int *argc, char ***argv )
 {
+    MESSAGE( "Initializing LASH" );
+
     if ( ! ( _client = lash_init( lash_extract_args( argc, argv ), APP_NAME,
                                   LASH_Config_File, LASH_PROTOCOL( 2, 0 ) ) ) )
         return false;