diff --git a/python_banyan/backplane/backplane.py b/python_banyan/backplane/backplane.py
index 7655464..2bb297f 100644
--- a/python_banyan/backplane/backplane.py
+++ b/python_banyan/backplane/backplane.py
@@ -41,9 +41,13 @@ def __init__(self, subscriber_port='43125', publisher_port='43124', backplane_na
         """
         This is the initializer for the Python Banyan BackPlane class. The class must be instantiated
         before starting any other Python Banyan components
+
         :param subscriber_port: subscriber IP port number
+
         :param publisher_port: publisher IP port number
+
         :param backplane_name: name to appear on the console for this backplane
+
         :param loop_time: event loop idle timer
         """
 
@@ -124,7 +128,21 @@ def bp():
     """
     Instantiate the backplane and run it.
     Attach a signal handler for the process to listen for user pressing Control C
-    :return:
+
+    usage: backplane [-h] [-n BACKPLANE_NAME] [-p PUBLISHER_PORT] [-s SUBSCRIBER_PORT] [-t LOOP_TIME]
+
+    optional arguments:
+
+      -h, --help          show this help message and exit
+
+      -n BACKPLANE_NAME   Name of this backplane
+
+      -p PUBLISHER_PORT   Publisher IP port
+
+      -s SUBSCRIBER_PORT  Subscriber IP port
+
+      -t LOOP_TIME        Event Loop Timer in seconds
+
     """
 
     parser = argparse.ArgumentParser()
diff --git a/python_banyan/banyan_base/banyan_base.py b/python_banyan/banyan_base/banyan_base.py
index 148fe44..4413644 100644
--- a/python_banyan/banyan_base/banyan_base.py
+++ b/python_banyan/banyan_base/banyan_base.py
@@ -55,7 +55,8 @@ class BanyanBase(object):
     """
 
     def __init__(self, back_plane_ip_address=None, subscriber_port='43125',
-                 publisher_port='43124', process_name='None', loop_time=.1, numpy=False):
+                 publisher_port='43124', process_name='None', loop_time=.1, numpy=False,
+                 external_message_processor=None):
         """
         The __init__ method sets up all the ZeroMQ "plumbing"
 
@@ -74,6 +75,8 @@ def __init__(self, back_plane_ip_address=None, subscriber_port='43125',
         :param loop_time: Receive loop sleep time.
 
         :param numpy: Set true if you wish to include numpy matrices in your messages.
+
+        :param external_message_processor: external method to process messages
         """
 
         # call to super allows this class to be used in multiple inheritance scenarios when needed
@@ -83,6 +86,7 @@ def __init__(self, back_plane_ip_address=None, subscriber_port='43125',
 
         self.back_plane_ip_address = None
         self.numpy = numpy
+        self.external_message_processor = external_message_processor
 
         # if using numpy apply the msgpack_numpy monkey patch
         if numpy:
@@ -96,9 +100,12 @@ def __init__(self, back_plane_ip_address=None, subscriber_port='43125',
             for pid in psutil.pids():
                 p = psutil.Process(pid)
                 p_command = p.cmdline()
-                if any('backplane' in s for s in p_command):
-                    self.backplane_exists = True
-                else:
+                try:
+                    if any('backplane' in s for s in p_command):
+                        self.backplane_exists = True
+                    else:
+                        continue
+                except UnicodeDecodeError:
                     continue
 
             if not self.backplane_exists:
@@ -114,8 +121,6 @@ def __init__(self, back_plane_ip_address=None, subscriber_port='43125',
 
         self.loop_time = loop_time
 
-        print()
-
         print('\n************************************************************')
         print(process_name + ' using Back Plane IP address: ' + self.back_plane_ip_address)
         print('Subscriber Port = ' + self.subscriber_port)
@@ -205,7 +210,10 @@ def incoming_message_processing(self, topic, payload):
 
         :param payload: Message Data.
         """
-        print('this method should be overwritten in the child class', topic, payload)
+        if self.external_message_processor:
+            self.external_message_processor(topic, payload)
+        else:
+            print('this method should be overwritten in the child class', topic, payload)
 
     def clean_up(self):
         """
diff --git a/python_banyan/utils/monitor/monitor.py b/python_banyan/utils/monitor/monitor.py
index f971659..f84770c 100644
--- a/python_banyan/utils/monitor/monitor.py
+++ b/python_banyan/utils/monitor/monitor.py
@@ -42,9 +42,14 @@ def __init__(self, back_plane_ip_address=None,
                  numpy=False):
         """
         This is constructor for the Monitor class
+
         :param back_plane_ip_address: IP address of the currently running backplane
+
         :param subscriber_port: subscriber port number - matches that of backplane
+
         :param publisher_port: publisher port number - matches that of backplane
+
+        :param process_name: default name is "Monitor". Change using this paramenter
         """
 
         # initialize the base class
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index c9a17cd..5df24f2 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 setup(
     name='python-banyan',
-    version='2.2',
+    version='2.3',
     packages=[
         'python_banyan',
         'python_banyan.banyan_base',
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@
         'u-msgpack-python',
         'msgpack-python',
         'numpy>=1.9',
-        'msgpack-numpy',
+        'msgpack-numpy==0.4.1',
         'psutil'
     ],