A faster Python?

[Scott Hennesy]

For what I do, 90% of the time Python is fast enough. But for that 10% of the time I find myself wishing for a faster Python. 

What's the consensus out there? Do Psyco, NumPy, and SciPy fulfill the need for speed or is there a desire for a faster Python? 

If so, what are the requirements for a faster Python? How much faster does it have to be? How much compatibility does it need with Python? How much resources can be devoted to optimization? Easy example: 20% faster, no compatibility, infinite resources. Hard example: Faster than optimized C, total compatibility, no resources ;-)

I've considered doing something about maybe a half dozen times. Maybe with Python 2.2 the time is ripe?

Scott