diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/GossipManager.java b/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/GossipManager.java
index 99e308c..1b76e82 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/GossipManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/GossipManager.java
@@ -10,12 +10,17 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
 import javax.management.Notification;
 import javax.management.NotificationListener;
 
+import org.apache.log4j.Logger;
+
 import com.google.code.gossip.GossipMember;
 import com.google.code.gossip.GossipService;
 import com.google.code.gossip.GossipSettings;
 import com.google.code.gossip.LocalGossipMember;
 
 public abstract class GossipManager extends Thread implements NotificationListener {
+  
+  public static final Logger LOGGER = Logger.getLogger(GossipManager.class);
+  
   /** The maximal number of bytes the packet with the GOSSIP may be. (Default is 100 kb) */
   public static final int MAX_PACKET_SIZE = 102400;
 
@@ -153,9 +158,11 @@ public abstract class GossipManager extends Thread implements NotificationListen
     activeGossipThread.shutdown();
     try {
       boolean result = _gossipThreadExecutor.awaitTermination(1000, TimeUnit.MILLISECONDS);
-      System.err.println("Terminate retuned " + result);
+      if (result == false){
+        LOGGER.error("executor shutdown timed out");
+      }
     } catch (InterruptedException e) {
-      e.printStackTrace();
+      LOGGER.error(e);
     }
     _gossipServiceRunning.set(false);
   }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/impl/SendMembersActiveGossipThread.java b/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/impl/SendMembersActiveGossipThread.java
index 3e2baf9..5235db2 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/impl/SendMembersActiveGossipThread.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/google/code/gossip/manager/impl/SendMembersActiveGossipThread.java
@@ -25,42 +25,24 @@ abstract public class SendMembersActiveGossipThread extends ActiveGossipThread {
    */
   protected void sendMembershipList(LocalGossipMember me, ArrayList<LocalGossipMember> memberList) {
     GossipService.LOGGER.debug("Send sendMembershipList() is called.");
-
-    // Increase the heartbeat of myself by 1.
     me.setHeartbeat(me.getHeartbeat() + 1);
-
     synchronized (memberList) {
       try {
         LocalGossipMember member = selectPartner(memberList);
-
         if (member != null) {
           InetAddress dest = InetAddress.getByName(member.getHost());
-
-          // Create a StringBuffer for the JSON message.
           JSONArray jsonArray = new JSONArray();
           GossipService.LOGGER.debug("Sending memberlist to " + dest + ":" + member.getPort());
-          GossipService.LOGGER.debug("---------------------");
-
-          // First write myself, append the JSON representation of the member to the buffer.
           jsonArray.put(me.toJSONObject());
           GossipService.LOGGER.debug(me);
-
-          // Then write the others.
           for (int i = 0; i < memberList.size(); i++) {
             LocalGossipMember other = memberList.get(i);
-            // Append the JSON representation of the member to the buffer.
             jsonArray.put(other.toJSONObject());
             GossipService.LOGGER.debug(other);
           }
-          GossipService.LOGGER.debug("---------------------");
-
-          // Write the objects to a byte array.
           byte[] json_bytes = jsonArray.toString().getBytes();
-
           int packet_length = json_bytes.length;
-
           if (packet_length < GossipManager.MAX_PACKET_SIZE) {
-
             // Convert the packet length to the byte representation of the int.
             byte[] length_bytes = new byte[4];
             length_bytes[0] = (byte) (packet_length >> 24);