diff --git a/gst/elements/gstaggregator.c b/gst/elements/gstaggregator.c
index e310f82a82..07aaafb86e 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstaggregator.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstaggregator.c
@@ -125,16 +125,16 @@ gst_aggregator_class_init (GstAggregatorClass *klass)
   parent_class = g_type_class_ref (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT);
 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_NUM_PADS,
-    g_param_spec_int ("num_pads", "num_pads", "num_pads",
+    g_param_spec_int ("num_pads", "Num pads", "The number of source pads",
                       0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READABLE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_SILENT,
-    g_param_spec_boolean ("silent", "silent", "silent",
+    g_param_spec_boolean ("silent", "Silent", "Don't produce messages",
                       FALSE, G_PARAM_READWRITE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_SCHED,
-    g_param_spec_enum ("sched", "sched", "sched",
+    g_param_spec_enum ("sched", "Scheduling", "The type of scheduling this element should use",
                       GST_TYPE_AGGREGATOR_SCHED, AGGREGATOR_CHAIN, G_PARAM_READWRITE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_LAST_MESSAGE,
-    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "last_message", "last_message",
+    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "Last message", "The current state of the element",
                          NULL, G_PARAM_READABLE));
 
   gobject_class->set_property = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_aggregator_set_property);
diff --git a/gst/elements/gstdisksink.c b/gst/elements/gstdisksink.c
index 0040bc7e91..e25b14831e 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstdisksink.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstdisksink.c
@@ -106,12 +106,12 @@ gst_disksink_class_init (GstDiskSinkClass *klass)
 	  "location", ARG_LOCATION, G_PARAM_READWRITE,
 	  NULL);
 
-  g_object_class_install_property(G_OBJECT_CLASS(klass), ARG_MAXFILESIZE,
-    g_param_spec_int("maxfilesize","MaxFileSize","Maximum Size Per File",
-    G_MININT,G_MAXINT,0,G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+  g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MAXFILESIZE,
+    g_param_spec_int ("maxfilesize", "MaxFileSize", "Maximum Size Per File",
+    		      G_MININT,G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
 
   gst_disksink_signals[SIGNAL_HANDOFF] =
-    g_signal_new ("handoff", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS(klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
+    g_signal_new ("handoff", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
                     G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstDiskSinkClass, handoff), NULL, NULL,
                     g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__VOID, G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
diff --git a/gst/elements/gstfakesink.c b/gst/elements/gstfakesink.c
index 5083874dfe..a9b1276b56 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstfakesink.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstfakesink.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ gst_fakesink_class_init (GstFakeSinkClass *klass)
     g_param_spec_int ("num_sinks", "Number of sinks", "The number of sinkpads",
                       1, G_MAXINT, 1, G_PARAM_READABLE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_LAST_MESSAGE,
-    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "last_message", "last_message",
+    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "Last Message", "The message describing current status",
                          NULL, G_PARAM_READABLE));
   g_object_class_install_property(G_OBJECT_CLASS(klass), ARG_SYNC,
     g_param_spec_boolean("sync","Sync","Sync on the clock",
diff --git a/gst/elements/gstfakesrc.c b/gst/elements/gstfakesrc.c
index d9bc6de9aa..83474cfeb5 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstfakesrc.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstfakesrc.c
@@ -244,9 +244,9 @@ gst_fakesrc_class_init (GstFakeSrcClass *klass)
 
   gst_fakesrc_signals[SIGNAL_HANDOFF] =
     g_signal_new ("handoff", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS(klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
-                    G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstFakeSrcClass, handoff), NULL, NULL,
-                    g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__POINTER, G_TYPE_NONE, 1,
-                    G_TYPE_POINTER);
+                  G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstFakeSrcClass, handoff), NULL, NULL,
+                  g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__POINTER, G_TYPE_NONE, 1,
+                  G_TYPE_POINTER);
 
   gobject_class->set_property = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_fakesrc_set_property);
   gobject_class->get_property = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_fakesrc_get_property);
diff --git a/gst/elements/gstpipefilter.c b/gst/elements/gstpipefilter.c
index e56eecf41c..bc9d5ff002 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstpipefilter.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstpipefilter.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 GstElementDetails gst_pipefilter_details = {
   "Pipefilter",
   "Filter",
-  "Pass data without modification",
+  "Interoperate with an external program using stdin and stdout",
   VERSION,
   "Erik Walthinsen <omega@cse.ogi.edu>\n"
   "Wim Taymans <wim.taymans@chello.be>",
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index f616b440f5..9f5cdfed70 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -88,7 +88,8 @@ GType gst_element_get_type (void)
       (GInstanceInitFunc)gst_element_init,
       NULL
     };
-    _gst_element_type = g_type_register_static(GST_TYPE_OBJECT, "GstElement", &element_info, G_TYPE_FLAG_ABSTRACT);
+    _gst_element_type = g_type_register_static(GST_TYPE_OBJECT, "GstElement", 
+		          &element_info, G_TYPE_FLAG_ABSTRACT);
   }
   return _gst_element_type;
 }
@@ -1893,13 +1894,13 @@ gst_element_populate_std_props (GObjectClass * klass,
 
   }
   else if (prop_id == bytesperread_id) {
-    pspec = g_param_spec_int ("bytesperread", "bytesperread",
-			      "bytesperread",
+    pspec = g_param_spec_int ("bytesperread", "Bytes per read",
+			      "Number of bytes to read per buffer",
 			      G_MININT, G_MAXINT, 0, flags);
 
   }
   else if (prop_id == dump_id) {
-    pspec = g_param_spec_boolean ("dump", "dump", "dump", FALSE, flags);
+    pspec = g_param_spec_boolean ("dump", "Dump", "Dump bytes to stdout", FALSE, flags);
 
   }
   else if (prop_id == filesize_id) {
@@ -1927,7 +1928,7 @@ gst_element_populate_std_props (GObjectClass * klass,
 
   }
   else if (prop_id == silent_id) {
-    pspec = g_param_spec_boolean ("silent", "silent", "silent",
+    pspec = g_param_spec_boolean ("silent", "Silent", "Don't produce events",
 				  FALSE, flags);
 
   }
diff --git a/gst/gstparse.c b/gst/gstparse.c
index bdcfaa77e6..bd16e1fdb0 100644
--- a/gst/gstparse.c
+++ b/gst/gstparse.c
@@ -289,14 +289,11 @@ make_connections (graph_t *g, GError **error)
       }
     } else if (a) {
       if ((pt1 = gst_element_get_pad_template (src, (gchar*)a->data))) {
-      /* g_print ("have padtemplate %s, SOMETIMES=%s\n", pt1->name_template, pt1->presence == GST_PAD_SOMETIMES ? "TRUE" : "FALSE"); */
         if ((p1 = gst_element_get_pad (src, (gchar*)a->data)) || pt1->presence == GST_PAD_SOMETIMES) {
           if (!p1) {
             /* sigh, a hack until i fix the gstelement api... */
             if ((pt2 = gst_element_get_compatible_pad_template (sink, pt1))) {
-              /* g_print ("have compatible pad template %s\n", pt2->name_template); */
               if ((p2 = gst_element_get_pad (sink, pt2->name_template))) {
-		/*  g_print ("got the pad\n"); */
                 dc = g_new0 (dynamic_connection_t, 1);
                 dc->srcpadname = (gchar*)a->data;
                 dc->target_pad = p2;
diff --git a/gst/gstqueue.c b/gst/gstqueue.c
index 722230e432..11b3e9cdb8 100644
--- a/gst/gstqueue.c
+++ b/gst/gstqueue.c
@@ -535,6 +535,7 @@ gst_queue_change_state (GstElement *element)
   }
   else if (new_state == GST_STATE_PLAYING) {
     if (!GST_PAD_IS_CONNECTED (queue->sinkpad)) {
+      GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_STATES, queue, "queue %s is not connected", GST_ELEMENT_NAME (queue));
       /* FIXME can this be? */
       if (queue->reader)
         g_cond_signal (queue->not_empty);
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstaggregator.c b/plugins/elements/gstaggregator.c
index e310f82a82..07aaafb86e 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstaggregator.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstaggregator.c
@@ -125,16 +125,16 @@ gst_aggregator_class_init (GstAggregatorClass *klass)
   parent_class = g_type_class_ref (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT);
 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_NUM_PADS,
-    g_param_spec_int ("num_pads", "num_pads", "num_pads",
+    g_param_spec_int ("num_pads", "Num pads", "The number of source pads",
                       0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READABLE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_SILENT,
-    g_param_spec_boolean ("silent", "silent", "silent",
+    g_param_spec_boolean ("silent", "Silent", "Don't produce messages",
                       FALSE, G_PARAM_READWRITE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_SCHED,
-    g_param_spec_enum ("sched", "sched", "sched",
+    g_param_spec_enum ("sched", "Scheduling", "The type of scheduling this element should use",
                       GST_TYPE_AGGREGATOR_SCHED, AGGREGATOR_CHAIN, G_PARAM_READWRITE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_LAST_MESSAGE,
-    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "last_message", "last_message",
+    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "Last message", "The current state of the element",
                          NULL, G_PARAM_READABLE));
 
   gobject_class->set_property = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_aggregator_set_property);
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstdisksink.c b/plugins/elements/gstdisksink.c
index 0040bc7e91..e25b14831e 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstdisksink.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstdisksink.c
@@ -106,12 +106,12 @@ gst_disksink_class_init (GstDiskSinkClass *klass)
 	  "location", ARG_LOCATION, G_PARAM_READWRITE,
 	  NULL);
 
-  g_object_class_install_property(G_OBJECT_CLASS(klass), ARG_MAXFILESIZE,
-    g_param_spec_int("maxfilesize","MaxFileSize","Maximum Size Per File",
-    G_MININT,G_MAXINT,0,G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+  g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MAXFILESIZE,
+    g_param_spec_int ("maxfilesize", "MaxFileSize", "Maximum Size Per File",
+    		      G_MININT,G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
 
   gst_disksink_signals[SIGNAL_HANDOFF] =
-    g_signal_new ("handoff", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS(klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
+    g_signal_new ("handoff", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
                     G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstDiskSinkClass, handoff), NULL, NULL,
                     g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__VOID, G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstfakesink.c b/plugins/elements/gstfakesink.c
index 5083874dfe..a9b1276b56 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstfakesink.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstfakesink.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ gst_fakesink_class_init (GstFakeSinkClass *klass)
     g_param_spec_int ("num_sinks", "Number of sinks", "The number of sinkpads",
                       1, G_MAXINT, 1, G_PARAM_READABLE)); 
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_LAST_MESSAGE,
-    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "last_message", "last_message",
+    g_param_spec_string ("last_message", "Last Message", "The message describing current status",
                          NULL, G_PARAM_READABLE));
   g_object_class_install_property(G_OBJECT_CLASS(klass), ARG_SYNC,
     g_param_spec_boolean("sync","Sync","Sync on the clock",
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstfakesrc.c b/plugins/elements/gstfakesrc.c
index d9bc6de9aa..83474cfeb5 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstfakesrc.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstfakesrc.c
@@ -244,9 +244,9 @@ gst_fakesrc_class_init (GstFakeSrcClass *klass)
 
   gst_fakesrc_signals[SIGNAL_HANDOFF] =
     g_signal_new ("handoff", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS(klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST,
-                    G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstFakeSrcClass, handoff), NULL, NULL,
-                    g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__POINTER, G_TYPE_NONE, 1,
-                    G_TYPE_POINTER);
+                  G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstFakeSrcClass, handoff), NULL, NULL,
+                  g_cclosure_marshal_VOID__POINTER, G_TYPE_NONE, 1,
+                  G_TYPE_POINTER);
 
   gobject_class->set_property = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_fakesrc_set_property);
   gobject_class->get_property = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_fakesrc_get_property);
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstpipefilter.c b/plugins/elements/gstpipefilter.c
index e56eecf41c..bc9d5ff002 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstpipefilter.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstpipefilter.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 GstElementDetails gst_pipefilter_details = {
   "Pipefilter",
   "Filter",
-  "Pass data without modification",
+  "Interoperate with an external program using stdin and stdout",
   VERSION,
   "Erik Walthinsen <omega@cse.ogi.edu>\n"
   "Wim Taymans <wim.taymans@chello.be>",
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c b/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c
index 722230e432..11b3e9cdb8 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c
@@ -535,6 +535,7 @@ gst_queue_change_state (GstElement *element)
   }
   else if (new_state == GST_STATE_PLAYING) {
     if (!GST_PAD_IS_CONNECTED (queue->sinkpad)) {
+      GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_STATES, queue, "queue %s is not connected", GST_ELEMENT_NAME (queue));
       /* FIXME can this be? */
       if (queue->reader)
         g_cond_signal (queue->not_empty);