diff --git a/.project b/.project
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f52f07b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.project
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
+<projectDescription>
+	<name>aspn</name>
+	<comment></comment>
+	<projects>
+	</projects>
+	<buildSpec>
+		<buildCommand>
+			<name>org.python.pydev.PyDevBuilder</name>
+			<arguments>
+			</arguments>
+		</buildCommand>
+	</buildSpec>
+	<natures>
+		<nature>org.python.pydev.pythonNature</nature>
+	</natures>
+</projectDescription>
diff --git a/.pydevproject b/.pydevproject
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9621a0d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.pydevproject
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="no"?>
+<?eclipse-pydev version="1.0"?>
+
+<pydev_project>
+<pydev_property name="org.python.pydev.PYTHON_PROJECT_INTERPRETER">Default</pydev_property>
+<pydev_property name="org.python.pydev.PYTHON_PROJECT_VERSION">python 2.6</pydev_property>
+<pydev_pathproperty name="org.python.pydev.PROJECT_SOURCE_PATH">
+<path>/aspn/src</path>
+</pydev_pathproperty>
+</pydev_project>
diff --git a/src/killable_thread.py b/src/killable_thread.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b048767
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/killable_thread.py
@@ -0,0 +1,74 @@
+# http://stackoverflow.com/questions/323972/is-there-any-way-to-kill-a-thread-in-python
+
+''' KillableThread '''
+
+# system imports
+
+import ctypes
+import inspect
+import threading
+
+# definitions
+
+def _async_raise(tid, exctype):
+    '''Raises an exception in the threads with id tid'''
+    if not inspect.isclass(exctype):
+        raise TypeError("Only types can be raised (not instances)")
+    res = ctypes.pythonapi.PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc(tid, ctypes.py_object(exctype))
+    if res == 0:
+        raise ValueError("invalid thread id")
+    elif res != 1:
+        # """if it returns a number greater than one, you're in trouble, 
+        # and you should call it again with exc=NULL to revert the effect"""
+        ctypes.pythonapi.PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc(tid, 0)
+        raise SystemError("PyThreadState_SetAsyncExc failed")
+
+
+class ThreadWithExc(threading.Thread):
+    '''A thread class that supports raising exception in the thread from another thread.
+    '''
+    def _get_my_tid(self):
+        """determines this (self's) thread id
+
+        CAREFUL : this function is executed in the context of the caller thread,
+        to get the identity of the thread represented by this instance.
+        """
+        if not self.isAlive():
+            raise threading.ThreadError("the thread is not active")
+
+        # do we have it cached?
+        if hasattr(self, "_thread_id"):
+            return self._thread_id
+
+        # no, look for it in the _active dict
+        for tid, tobj in threading._active.items():
+            if tobj is self:
+                self._thread_id = tid
+                return tid
+
+        # TODO : in python 2.6, there's a simpler way to do : self.ident ...
+
+        raise AssertionError("could not determine the thread's id")
+
+    def raiseExc(self, exctype):
+        """Raises the given exception type in the context of this thread.
+
+        If the thread is busy in a system call (time.sleep(), socket.accept(), ...) the exception
+        is simply ignored.
+
+        If you are sure that your exception should terminate the thread, one way to ensure that
+        it works is:
+        t = ThreadWithExc( ... )
+        ...
+        t.raiseExc( SomeException )
+        while t.isAlive():
+            time.sleep( 0.1 )
+            t.raiseExc( SomeException )
+
+        If the exception is to be caught by the thread, you need a way to check that your
+        thread has caught it.
+
+        CAREFUL : this function is executed in the context of the caller thread,
+        to raise an excpetion in the context of the thread represented by this instance.
+        """
+        _async_raise( self._get_my_tid(), exctype )
diff --git a/src/stoppable_thread.py b/src/stoppable_thread.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96ef9ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/stoppable_thread.py
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+# http://stackoverflow.com/questions/323972/is-there-any-way-to-kill-a-thread-in-python
+
+''' StoppableThread '''
+
+# system imports
+
+from threading import Event, Thread
+
+# definitions
+
+class StoppableThread(Thread):
+    """Thread class with a stop() method. The thread itself has to check
+    regularly for the stopped() condition."""
+
+    def __init__(self):
+        super(StoppableThread, self).__init__()
+        self._stop = Event()
+
+    def stop(self):
+        self._stop.set()
+
+    def stopped(self):
+        return self._stop.isSet()
+
+