diff --git a/eo/src/utils/checkpointing b/eo/src/utils/checkpointing
index dfa65934..7e08af36 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/checkpointing
+++ b/eo/src/utils/checkpointing
@@ -14,3 +14,6 @@
 #include <utils/eoFDCStat.h>
 #include <utils/eoMOFitnessStat.h>
 #include <utils/eoPopStat.h>
+
+// and make_help - any better suggestion to include it?
+void make_help(eoParser & _parser);
diff --git a/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h b/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h
index c4f87351..c0e2d428 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h
+++ b/eo/src/utils/eoParam.h
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <strstream>
 #include <vector>
+#include <stdexcept> 
 #include <eoScalarFitness.h>   // for specializations
 /**
     eoParam: Base class for monitoring and parsing parameters
@@ -215,6 +216,8 @@ void eoValueParam<std::pair<double, double> >::setValue(std::string _value)
     is >> repValue.second;
 }
 
+// The vector<vector<double> >
+//////////////////////////////////
 /// Because MSVC does not support partial specialization, the vector is a vector of doubles, not a T
 template <>
 std::string eoValueParam<std::vector<std::vector<double> > >::getValue(void) const
@@ -252,6 +255,8 @@ void eoValueParam<std::vector<std::vector<double> > >::setValue(std::string _val
     }
 }
 
+// The vector<double>
+//////////////////////////////////
 /// Because MSVC does not support partial specialization, the vector is a double, not a T
 template <>
 std::string eoValueParam<std::vector<double> >::getValue(void) const
@@ -274,6 +279,8 @@ void eoValueParam<std::vector<double> >::setValue(std::string _value)
     std::copy(std::istream_iterator<double>(is), std::istream_iterator<double>(), repValue.begin());
 }
 
+// The vector<eoMinimizingFitness>
+//////////////////////////////////
 /// Because MSVC does not support partial specialization, the vector is a eoMinimizingFitness, not a T
 template <>
 std::string eoValueParam<std::vector<eoMinimizingFitness> >::getValue(void) const
@@ -297,6 +304,22 @@ void eoValueParam<std::vector<eoMinimizingFitness> >::setValue(std::string _valu
     std::copy(std::istream_iterator<eoMinimizingFitness>(is), std::istream_iterator<eoMinimizingFitness>(), repValue.begin());
 }
 
+// The vector<const EOT*>
+//////////////////////////////////
+template <>
+std::string eoValueParam<std::vector<void*> >::getValue(void) const
+{
+  throw runtime_error("I cannot getValue for a vector<EOT*>");
+  return string("");
+}
+
+template <>
+void eoValueParam<std::vector<void*> >::setValue(std::string)
+{
+  throw runtime_error("I cannot setValue for a vector<EOT*>");
+  return;
+}
+
 /*template <class ContainerType>
 class eoContainerParam : public eoParam
 {
diff --git a/eo/src/utils/eoPopStat.h b/eo/src/utils/eoPopStat.h
index 8907ded7..abe51459 100644
--- a/eo/src/utils/eoPopStat.h
+++ b/eo/src/utils/eoPopStat.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ that are written by the monitor it is probably used from.
 void operator()(const eoPop<EOT>& _pop)
 {
   char buffer[1023]; // about one K of space per member
-  value() = "\n====== Pop dump =====\n";
+  value() = "\n# ====== Pop dump =====\n";
   unsigned howMany=combien?combien:_pop.size();
   for (unsigned i = 0; i < howMany; ++i)
   {
@@ -95,28 +95,34 @@ class eoSortedPopStat : public eoSortedStat<EOT, string>
 {
 public :
   /** default Ctor, void string by default, as it appears 
-      on the description line once at beginning of evolution. and
-      is meaningless there */
-   eoSortedPopStat(string _desc ="") : eoSortedStat<EOT, string>("", _desc) {}
+   *  on the description line once at beginning of evolution. and
+   *  is meaningless there _howMany defaults to 0, that is, the whole
+   *  population
+   */
+  eoSortedPopStat(unsigned _howMany = 0, string _desc ="") : 
+    eoSortedStat<EOT, string>("", _desc) , combien( _howMany) {}
  
-/** Fills the value() of the eoParam with the dump of the population.
-Adds a \n before so it does not get mixed up with the rest of the stats
-that are written by the monitor it is probably used from.
-*/
-void operator()(const vector<const EOT*>& _pop)
-{
-  char buffer[1023]; // about one K of space per member
-  value() = "\n====== Pop dump =====\n";
-  for (unsigned i = 0; i < _pop.size(); ++i)
+  /** Fills the value() of the eoParam with the dump of the population.
+      Adds a \n before so it does not get mixed up with the rest of the stats
+      that are written by the monitor it is probably used from.
+  */
+  void operator()(const vector<const EOT*>& _pop)
   {
-      std::ostrstream os(buffer, 1022); // leave space for emergency terminate
-      os << *_pop[i] << endl << ends;
+    char buffer[1023]; // about one K of space per member
+    value() = "";		   // empty 
+    unsigned howMany=combien?combien:_pop.size();
+    for (unsigned i = 0; i < howMany; ++i)
+      {
+	std::ostrstream os(buffer, 1022); // leave space for emergency terminate
+	os << *_pop[i] << endl << ends;
  
-      // paranoid:
-      buffer[1022] = '\0';
-      value() += buffer;
+	// paranoid:
+	buffer[1022] = '\0';
+	value() += buffer;
+      }
   }
-}
+private:
+  unsigned combien;
 };
 
 #endif