8.4.1 ubuntu karmic slow createdb

Hey,
I've got a computer which runs but 8.3 and 8.4.  To create a db it takes 4s
for 8.3 and 9s for 8.4.  I have many unit tests which create databases all
of the time and now run much slower than 8.3 but it seems to be much longer
as I remember at one point creating databases I considered an instantaneous
thing.  Does any on the list know why this is true and if I can get it back
to normal.
-Michael