diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d4188929..7325ac93 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -59,77 +59,66 @@
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.samskivert</groupId>
       <artifactId>samskivert</artifactId>
-      <version>1.3</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
+      <version>1.5</version>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.google.guava</groupId>
       <artifactId>guava</artifactId>
       <version>10.0</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
     </dependency>
     <!-- optional dependencies -->
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.threerings</groupId>
       <artifactId>narya</artifactId>
       <version>1.8</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.lwjgl</groupId>
       <artifactId>lwjgl</artifactId>
       <version>2.6</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>org.lwjgl</groupId>
       <artifactId>lwjgl_util</artifactId>
       <version>2.6</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>net.javazoom</groupId>
       <artifactId>jlayer</artifactId>
       <version>1.0</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.jcraft</groupId>
       <artifactId>jorbis</artifactId>
       <version>0.0.15</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.jcraft</groupId>
       <artifactId>jogg</artifactId>
       <version>0.0.7</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>javassist</groupId>
       <artifactId>javassist</artifactId>
       <version>3.8.0.GA</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>commons-digester</groupId>
       <artifactId>commons-digester</artifactId>
       <version>1.8</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <dependency>
       <groupId>com.megginson.sax</groupId>
       <artifactId>xml-writer</artifactId>
       <version>0.2</version>
-      <scope>compile</scope>
       <optional>true</optional>
     </dependency>
     <!-- testing and other dependencies -->
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/threerings/media/timer/CalibratingTimer.java b/src/main/java/com/threerings/media/timer/CalibratingTimer.java
index 493088c4..d33ff421 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/threerings/media/timer/CalibratingTimer.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/threerings/media/timer/CalibratingTimer.java
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ public abstract class CalibratingTimer
         _startStamp = _priorCurrent = current();
         _driftMilliStamp = System.currentTimeMillis();
         _driftTimerStamp = current();
-        _calibrateInterval = new Interval() {
+        _calibrateInterval = new Interval(Interval.RUN_DIRECT) {
             @Override public void expired () {
                 calibrate();
             }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/threerings/util/KeyboardManager.java b/src/main/java/com/threerings/util/KeyboardManager.java
index e8989229..893dde32 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/threerings/util/KeyboardManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/threerings/util/KeyboardManager.java
@@ -447,6 +447,7 @@ public class KeyboardManager
          */
         public KeyInfo (int keyCode)
         {
+            super(RUN_DIRECT);
             _keyCode = keyCode;
             _keyText = KeyEvent.getKeyText(_keyCode);
             _pressCommand = _xlate.getPressCommand(_keyCode);
@@ -461,6 +462,7 @@ public class KeyboardManager
          */
         public KeyInfo (char keyChar)
         {
+            super(RUN_DIRECT);
             _keyChar = keyChar;
             _keyText = "" +_keyChar;
             _pressCommand = _xlate.getPressCommand(_keyChar);