diff --git a/bin/sugar-shell b/bin/sugar-shell
index b0f66b4b..ef69fc1a 100755
--- a/bin/sugar-shell
+++ b/bin/sugar-shell
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ import os
 from ConfigParser import ConfigParser
 import gettext
 
+# HACK we need to import numpy before gtk otherwise we traceback in
+# some locales. See http://dev.laptop.org/ticket/5559.
+import numpy
+
 import pygtk
 pygtk.require('2.0')
 import gtk
diff --git a/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py b/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py
index d9886f97..f6dbd378 100644
--- a/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py
+++ b/lib/sugar/activity/activity.py
@@ -838,12 +838,24 @@ class Activity(Window, gtk.Container):
         if response_id == gtk.RESPONSE_OK:
             self.close(skip_save=True)
 
-    def close(self, skip_save=False):
+    def can_close(self):
+        """Activities should override this function if they want to perform
+        extra checks before actually closing."""
+
+        return True
+
+    def close(self, force=False, skip_save=False):
         """Request that the activity be stopped and saved to the Journal
         
         Activities should not override this method, but should implement write_file() to
-        do any state saving instead.
+        do any state saving instead. If the application wants to control wether it can
+        close, it should override can_close().
         """
+
+        if not force:
+            if not self.can_close():
+                return
+
         try:
             if not skip_save:
                 self.save()
diff --git a/lib/sugar/graphics/menuitem.py b/lib/sugar/graphics/menuitem.py
index 1b908434..908cc1f0 100644
--- a/lib/sugar/graphics/menuitem.py
+++ b/lib/sugar/graphics/menuitem.py
@@ -18,11 +18,16 @@
 import gtk
 from sugar.graphics.icon import Icon
 
+import pango
+
 class MenuItem(gtk.ImageMenuItem):
-    def __init__(self, text_label=None, icon_name=None):
+    def __init__(self, text_label=None, icon_name=None, text_maxlen=0):
         gtk.ImageMenuItem.__init__(self, text_label)
         if icon_name:
             icon = Icon(icon_name=icon_name, icon_size=gtk.ICON_SIZE_MENU)
             self.set_image(icon)
             icon.show()
 
+        if text_maxlen > 0:
+            self.child.set_ellipsize(pango.ELLIPSIZE_MIDDLE)
+            self.child.set_max_width_chars(text_maxlen)
diff --git a/lib/sugar/graphics/palette.py b/lib/sugar/graphics/palette.py
index a24a8064..3a279230 100644
--- a/lib/sugar/graphics/palette.py
+++ b/lib/sugar/graphics/palette.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import gtk
 import gobject
 import time
 import hippo
+import pango
 
 from sugar.graphics import palettegroup
 from sugar.graphics import animator
@@ -140,7 +141,8 @@ class Palette(gtk.Window):
                      gobject.TYPE_NONE, ([]))
     }
 
-    def __init__(self, label, accel_path=None, menu_after_content=False):
+    def __init__(self, label, accel_path=None, menu_after_content=False,
+                text_maxlen=0):
         gtk.Window.__init__(self)
 
         self.set_decorated(False)
@@ -178,6 +180,11 @@ class Palette(gtk.Window):
                                           - 2*self.get_border_width())
         self._label.set_alignment(0, 0.5)
         self._label.set_padding(style.DEFAULT_SPACING, 0)
+
+        if text_maxlen > 0:
+            self._label.set_max_width_chars(text_maxlen)
+            self._label.set_ellipsize(pango.ELLIPSIZE_MIDDLE)
+
         vbox.pack_start(self._label, False)
 
         self._secondary_box = gtk.VBox()
diff --git a/shell/controlpanel/control.py b/shell/controlpanel/control.py
index 580536a8..a3fa1a46 100644
--- a/shell/controlpanel/control.py
+++ b/shell/controlpanel/control.py
@@ -404,10 +404,9 @@ def set_timezone(timezone):
                 
         # Write info to the /etc/sysconfig/clock file
         fd = open(_TIMEZONE_CONFIG, "w")
-        fd.write('# The ZONE parameter is only evaluated by sugarcontrol.\n')
-        fd.write('# The timezone of the system ' +
-                 'is defined by the contents of /etc/localtime.\n')
+        fd.write('# use sugar-control-panel to change this\n')
         fd.write('ZONE="%s"\n' % timezone)
+        fd.write('UTC=true\n')
         fd.close()                       
     else:
         print (_("Error timezone does not exist."))
diff --git a/shell/view/BuddyMenu.py b/shell/view/BuddyMenu.py
index 7f2501dd..e7e12ca5 100644
--- a/shell/view/BuddyMenu.py
+++ b/shell/view/BuddyMenu.py
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class BuddyMenu(Palette):
         self._buddy.connect('nick-changed', self._buddy_nick_changed_cb)
 
         owner = self._get_shell_model().get_owner()
-        if buddy.get_nick() != owner.get_nick():
+        if not buddy.is_owner():
             self._add_items()
 
     def _get_shell_model(self):