diff --git a/wicd/autoconnect.py b/wicd/autoconnect.py
index b21672d..be830dc 100755
--- a/wicd/autoconnect.py
+++ b/wicd/autoconnect.py
@@ -40,8 +40,7 @@ except Exception, e:
     sys.exit(1)
 
 def handler(*args):
-    loop.quit()
-
+    pass
 def error_handler(*args):
     print>>sys.stderr, 'Async error autoconnecting.'
     sys.exit(3)
@@ -51,7 +50,8 @@ if __name__ == '__main__':
         time.sleep(2)
         daemon.SetSuspend(False)
         if not daemon.CheckIfConnecting():
-            daemon.AutoConnect(True, reply_handler=handler, error_handler=handler)
+            daemon.AutoConnect(True, reply_handler=handler, 
+                               error_handler=error_handler)
     except Exception, e:
         print>>sys.stderr, "Exception caught: %s" % str(e)
         print>>sys.stderr, 'Error autoconnecting.'
diff --git a/wicd/backend.py b/wicd/backend.py
index cb6ae49..bdd2b8b 100644
--- a/wicd/backend.py
+++ b/wicd/backend.py
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ class BackendManager(object):
     
     def get_available_backends(self):
         """ Returns a list of all valid backends in the backend directory. """
-        be_list = [""]
+        be_list = []
         for f in os.listdir(self.backend_dir):
             if self._valid_backend_file(os.path.join(self.backend_dir, f)):
                 be_list.append(f[3:-3])
-        return be_list
+        return be_list or [""]
     
     def get_update_interval(self):
         """ Returns how often in seconds the wicd monitor should update. """
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ class BackendManager(object):
             fail(backend_name, 'Invalid backend file.')
             return None
         
-    def _validate_backend(self, backend):
+    def _validate_backend(self, backend, backend_name):
         """ Ensures that a backend module is valid. """
         failed = False
         if not backend.NAME:
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ class BackendManager(object):
         backend = self._load_backend(backend_name)
         if not backend : return None
         
-        failed = self._validate_backend(backend)
+        failed = self._validate_backend(backend, backend_name)
         if failed:
             return None
 
diff --git a/wicd/backends/be-external.py b/wicd/backends/be-external.py
index f801c33..3a3dac3 100644
--- a/wicd/backends/be-external.py
+++ b/wicd/backends/be-external.py
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ class WirelessInterface(Interface, wnettools.BaseWirelessInterface):
                 return 100 * int(strength) // int(max_strength)
             else:
                 # Prevent a divide by zero error.
-                ap['quality'] = int(strength)
+                strength = int(strength)
 
         if strength is None:
             strength = misc.RunRegex(altstrength_pattern, output)
diff --git a/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py b/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py
index b91ac37..eb5f807 100644
--- a/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py
+++ b/wicd/backends/be-ioctl.py
@@ -293,8 +293,8 @@ class WirelessInterface(Interface, wnettools.BaseWirelessInterface):
         if not self.scan_iface:
             try:
                 self.scan_iface = iwscan.WirelessInterface(self.iface)
-            except (iwscan.error, e):
-                print "GetNetworks caught an exception: %s" %s
+            except iwscan.error, e:
+                print "GetNetworks caught an exception: %s" % e
                 return []
                 
         results = self.scan_iface.Scan()
diff --git a/wicd/configmanager.py b/wicd/configmanager.py
index b2755cc..acfb8a1 100644
--- a/wicd/configmanager.py
+++ b/wicd/configmanager.py
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ reusable for other purposes as well.
 
 from ConfigParser import RawConfigParser
 
-from wicd.misc import stringToNone, Noneify, to_unicode
+from wicd.misc import Noneify, to_unicode
 
 
 class ConfigManager(RawConfigParser):
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ class ConfigManager(RawConfigParser):
         RawConfigParser.write(self, configfile)
         configfile.close()
         
-    def remove_section(self,section):
+    def remove_section(self, section):
         """ Wrapper around the ConfigParser.remove_section() method.
         
         This method only calls the ConfigParser.remove_section() method
@@ -131,4 +131,5 @@ class ConfigManager(RawConfigParser):
             RawConfigParser.remove_section(self, section)
             
     def reload(self):
+        """ Re-reads the config file, in case it was edited out-of-band. """
         self.read(self.config_file)
diff --git a/wicd/misc.py b/wicd/misc.py
index 3c4e238..0b0a5f2 100644
--- a/wicd/misc.py
+++ b/wicd/misc.py
@@ -211,13 +211,13 @@ def ParseEncryption(network):
 
     # Write the data to the files then chmod them so they can't be read 
     # by normal users.
-    file = open(wpath.networks + network["bssid"].replace(":", "").lower(), "w")
+    f = open(wpath.networks + network["bssid"].replace(":", "").lower(), "w")
     os.chmod(wpath.networks + network["bssid"].replace(":", "").lower(), 0600)
     os.chown(wpath.networks + network["bssid"].replace(":", "").lower(), 0, 0)
     # We could do this above, but we'd like to read protect
     # them before we write, so that it can't be read.
-    file.write(z)
-    file.close()
+    f.write(z)
+    f.close()
 
 def LoadEncryptionMethods():
     """ Load encryption methods from configuration files
diff --git a/wicd/monitor.py b/wicd/monitor.py
index 0566b9b..ef7f104 100755
--- a/wicd/monitor.py
+++ b/wicd/monitor.py
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ dbus_dict = dbusmanager.get_dbus_ifaces()
 daemon = dbus_dict["daemon"]
 wired = dbus_dict["wired"]
 wireless = dbus_dict["wireless"]
-bus = dbusmanager.get_bus()
 
 monitor = to_time = update_callback = None
 
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ class ConnectionStatus(object):
         1) A wired connection is not in use, but a cable is plugged
            in, and the user has chosen to switch to a wired connection
            whenever its available, even if already connected to a
-           wireless network
+           wireless network.
            
         2) A wired connection is currently active.
 
@@ -92,6 +91,10 @@ class ConnectionStatus(object):
                 self.still_wired = True
             return True
         # Wired connection isn't active
+        elif wired_ip and self.still_wired:
+            # If we still have an IP, but no cable is plugged in 
+            # we should disconnect to clear it.
+            wired.DisconnectWired()
         self.still_wired = False
         return False
 
@@ -203,6 +206,13 @@ class ConnectionStatus(object):
         return True
     
     def _force_update_connection_status(self):
+        """ Run a connection status update on demand.
+        
+        Removes the scheduled update_connection_status()
+        call, explicitly calls the function, and reschedules
+        it.
+        
+        """
         global update_callback
         gobject.source_remove(update_callback)
         self.update_connection_status()
@@ -289,17 +299,6 @@ class ConnectionStatus(object):
                                    error_handler=err_handle)
         self.reconnecting = False
         
-    #def rescan_networks(self):
-    #    """ Calls a wireless scan. """
-    #    try:
-    #        if daemon.GetSuspend() or daemon.CheckIfConnecting():
-    #            return True
-    #        wireless.Scan()
-    #    except dbus.exceptions.DBusException, e:
-    #        print 'dbus exception while attempting rescan: %s' % str(e)
-    #    finally:
-    #        return True
-        
 def reply_handle():
     """ Just a dummy function needed for asynchronous dbus calls. """
     pass
diff --git a/wicd/networking.py b/wicd/networking.py
index b10414b..6e3e8c2 100644
--- a/wicd/networking.py
+++ b/wicd/networking.py
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ import re
 import time
 import threading
 import thread
-import re
 
 # wicd imports 
 import misc
@@ -82,21 +81,25 @@ def get_backend_list():
         return [""]
     
 def get_backend_update_interval():
+    """ Returns the suggested connection status update interval. """
     if BACKEND_MGR:
         return BACKEND_MGR.get_update_interval()
     else:
         return 5  # Seconds, this should never happen though.
     
 def get_current_backend():
+    """ Returns the current backend instance. """
     if BACKEND_MGR:
         return BACKEND_MGR.get_current_backend()
     else:
         return None
     
 def get_backend_description(backend_name):
+    """ Returns the description of the currently loaded backend. """
     return BACKEND_MGR.get_backend_description(backend_name)
 
 def get_backend_description_dict():
+    """ Returns a dict of all available backend descriptions. """
     d = {}
     for be in get_backend_list():
         if be:
diff --git a/wicd/prefs.py b/wicd/prefs.py
index bff88bb..a674ea1 100644
--- a/wicd/prefs.py
+++ b/wicd/prefs.py
@@ -320,7 +320,6 @@ class PreferencesDialog(object):
         # "" is included as a hack for DBus limitations, so we remove it.
         self.backends.remove("")
         
-        cur_backend = daemon.GetSavedBackend()
         for x in self.backends:
             self.backendcombo.append_text(x)
             
diff --git a/wicd/wicd-client.py b/wicd/wicd-client.py
index dc14add..fb97833 100755
--- a/wicd/wicd-client.py
+++ b/wicd/wicd-client.py
@@ -69,10 +69,7 @@ misc.RenameProcess("wicd-client")
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     wpath.chdir(__file__)
     
-daemon = None
-wireless = None
-wired = None
-wired = None
+daemon = wireless = wired = None
 DBUS_AVAIL = False
 
 language = misc.get_language_list_tray()
@@ -362,7 +359,6 @@ class TrayIcon(object):
                 
         def on_activate(self, data=None):
             """ Opens the wicd GUI. """
-            global DBUS_AVAIL
             if DBUS_AVAIL:
                 self.toggle_wicd_gui()
             else:
@@ -644,7 +640,7 @@ Arguments:
 """ % wpath.version
 
 def setup_dbus(force=True):
-    global bus, daemon, wireless, wired, DBUS_AVAIL
+    global daemon, wireless, wired, DBUS_AVAIL
     print "Connecting to daemon..."
     try:
         dbusmanager.connect_to_dbus()
@@ -661,7 +657,6 @@ def setup_dbus(force=True):
         else:  
             return False
                 
-    bus = dbusmanager.get_bus()
     dbus_ifaces = dbusmanager.get_dbus_ifaces()
     daemon = dbus_ifaces['daemon']
     wireless = dbus_ifaces['wireless']
diff --git a/wicd/wicd-daemon.py b/wicd/wicd-daemon.py
index f1a2248..acf8683 100644
--- a/wicd/wicd-daemon.py
+++ b/wicd/wicd-daemon.py
@@ -1131,7 +1131,7 @@ class WirelessDaemon(dbus.service.Object):
     def ReadWirelessNetworkProfile(self, id):
         """ Reads in wireless profile as the active network """
         cur_network = self.LastScan[id]
-        essid_key = "essid:" + cur_network["essid"]
+        essid_key = "essid:%s" % cur_network["essid"]
         bssid_key = cur_network["bssid"]
         
         if self.config.get(essid_key, 'use_settings_globally'):
@@ -1167,7 +1167,7 @@ class WirelessDaemon(dbus.service.Object):
 
         cur_network = self.LastScan[id]
         bssid_key = cur_network["bssid"]
-        essid_key = "essid:" + str(cur_network["essid"])
+        essid_key = "essid:%s" % cur_network["essid"]
 
         self.config.remove_section(bssid_key)
         self.config.add_section(bssid_key)
@@ -1209,7 +1209,7 @@ class WirelessDaemon(dbus.service.Object):
 
         # Write the global section as well, if required.
         if config.get(essid_key, 'use_settings_globally'):
-                config.set(essid_key, option, str(cur_network[option]))
+            config.set(essid_key, option, str(cur_network[option]))
         config.write()
     
     @dbus.service.method('org.wicd.daemon.wireless')
diff --git a/wicd/wnettools.py b/wicd/wnettools.py
index 2d6835e..ac52d31 100644
--- a/wicd/wnettools.py
+++ b/wicd/wnettools.py
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class WirelessInterface() -- Control a wireless network interface.
 import os
 import re
 import random
-from string import maketrans, translate, punctuation
+from string import maketrans, translate
 
 import wpath
 import misc