Index: ahttp.py
==================================================================
--- ahttp.py
+++ ahttp.py
@@ -12,11 +12,11 @@
 #
 
 
 from config import conf, __print__, dbg
 import requests
-import copy
+
 
 
 
 #-- hooks to progress meter and status bar in main window
 feedback = None
@@ -37,22 +37,24 @@
     except: pass
 
 
 
 
+# prepare default query object
+session = requests.Session()
 # default HTTP headers for requests
-default_headers = {
+session.headers.update({
     "User-Agent": "streamtuner2/2.1 (X11; U; Linux AMD64; en; rv:1.5.0.1) like WinAmp/2.1 but not like Googlebot/2.1", #"Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; de; rv:1.9.2.6) Gecko/20100628 Ubuntu/10.04 (lucid) Firefox/3.6.6",
     "Accept": "*/*;q=0.5, audio/*, url/*",
     "Accept-Language": "en-US,en,de,es,fr,it,*;q=0.1",
     "Accept-Encoding": "gzip,deflate",
     "Accept-Charset": "ISO-8859-1,utf-8;q=0.7,*;q=0.1",
     "Keep-Alive": "115",
     "Connection": "keep-alive",
     "Pragma": "no-cache",
     "Cache-Control": "no-cache",
-}
+})
 
 
 
 #-- Retrieve data via HTTP
 #
@@ -63,21 +65,21 @@
 
     # statusbar info
     progress_feedback(url, 0.1)
     
     # combine headers
-    headers = copy.copy(default_headers)
+    headers = {}
     if ajax:
         headers["X-Requested-With"] = "XMLHttpRequest"
     if referer:
         headers["Referer"] = (referer if referer else url)
     
     # read
     if post:
-        r = requests.post(url, params=params, headers=headers)
+        r = session.post(url, params=params, headers=headers)
     else:    
-        r = requests.get(url, params=params, headers=headers)
+        r = session.get(url, params=params, headers=headers)
         
     # result
     progress_feedback(0.9)
     content = (r.content if binary else r.text)
     

Index: config.py
==================================================================
--- config.py
+++ config.py
@@ -72,10 +72,11 @@
                     #  x-terminal-emulator -e streamripper %srv -d /home/***USERNAME***/Musik
             }
             self.plugins = {
                 "bookmarks": 1,  # built-in plugins, cannot be disabled
                 "shoutcast": 1,
+                "xiph": 0,     # way too slow on first start
                 "punkcast": 0,   # disable per default
                 "basicch": 0,   # ceased
                 "tv": 0,   # no longer working
             }
             self.tmp = os.environ.get("TEMP", "/tmp")

Index: st2.py
==================================================================
--- st2.py
+++ st2.py
@@ -91,10 +91,12 @@
 import action  # needs workaround... (action.main=main)
 from channels import *
 import favicon
 
 
+__version__ = "2.1.0"
+
 
 # this represents the main window
 # and also contains most application behaviour
 main = None
 class StreamTunerTwo(gtk.Builder):
@@ -530,11 +532,11 @@
 # auxiliary window: about dialog
 class AboutStreamtuner2:
         # about us
         def __init__(self):
             a = gtk.AboutDialog()
-            a.set_version("2.0.9.5")
+            a.set_version(__version__)
             a.set_name("streamtuner2")
             a.set_license("Public Domain\n\nNo Strings Attached.\nUnrestricted distribution,\nmodification, use.")
             a.set_authors(["Mario Salzer <http://mario.include-once.org/>\n\nConcept based on streamtuner 0."+"99."+"99 from\nJean-Yves Lefort, of which some code remains\nin the Google stations plugin.\n<http://www.nongnu.org/streamtuner/>\n\nMyOggRadio plugin based on cooperation\nwith Christian Ehm. <http://ehm-edv.de/>"])
             a.set_website("http://milki.include-once.org/streamtuner2/")
             a.connect("response", lambda a, ok: ( a.hide(), a.destroy() ) )