diff --git a/clients/rospy/src/rospy/__init__.py b/clients/rospy/src/rospy/__init__.py
index 1c4a5693a9..6d9ebc8311 100644
--- a/clients/rospy/src/rospy/__init__.py
+++ b/clients/rospy/src/rospy/__init__.py
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@
     'logerr_once', 'logfatal_once',
     'parse_rosrpc_uri',
     'MasterProxy',
-    'NodeProxy',    
     'ROSException',
     'ROSSerializationException',
     'ROSInitException',
diff --git a/tools/rosmaster/src/rosmaster/registrations.py b/tools/rosmaster/src/rosmaster/registrations.py
index 6cbfddf2a7..f7e8d124d3 100644
--- a/tools/rosmaster/src/rosmaster/registrations.py
+++ b/tools/rosmaster/src/rosmaster/registrations.py
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ def shutdown_node_task(api, caller_id, reason):
     @type  reason: str
     """
     try:
-        xmlrpcapi(api).shutdown('/master', reason)
+        xmlrpcapi(api).shutdown('/master', "[{}] Reason: {}".format(caller_id, reason))
     except:
         pass #expected in many common cases
     remove_server_proxy(api)
diff --git a/tools/topic_tools/src/throttle.cpp b/tools/topic_tools/src/throttle.cpp
index be3c445b7a..f605e16d01 100644
--- a/tools/topic_tools/src/throttle.cpp
+++ b/tools/topic_tools/src/throttle.cpp
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ bool g_use_messages;
 ros::Time g_last_time;
 bool g_use_wallclock;
 bool g_lazy;
+bool g_force_latch = false;
+bool g_force_latch_value = true;
 ros::TransportHints g_th;
 
 class Sent
@@ -87,6 +89,21 @@ void conn_cb(const ros::SingleSubscriberPublisher&)
   }
 }
 
+bool is_latching(const boost::shared_ptr<const ros::M_string>& connection_header)
+{
+  if (connection_header)
+  {
+    ros::M_string::const_iterator it = connection_header->find("latching");
+    if ((it != connection_header->end()) && (it->second == "1"))
+    {
+      ROS_DEBUG("input topic is latched; latching output topic to match");
+      return true;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return false;
+}
+
 void in_cb(const ros::MessageEvent<ShapeShifter>& msg_event)
 {
   boost::shared_ptr<ShapeShifter const> const &msg = msg_event.getConstMessage();
@@ -94,17 +111,7 @@ void in_cb(const ros::MessageEvent<ShapeShifter>& msg_event)
 
   if (!g_advertised)
   {
-    // If the input topic is latched, make the output topic latched
-    bool latch = false;
-    if (connection_header)
-    {
-      ros::M_string::const_iterator it = connection_header->find("latching");
-      if((it != connection_header->end()) && (it->second == "1"))
-      {
-        ROS_DEBUG("input topic is latched; latching output topic to match");
-        latch = true;
-      }
-    }
+    const bool latch = g_force_latch ? g_force_latch_value : is_latching(connection_header);
     g_pub = msg->advertise(*g_node, g_output_topic, 10, latch, conn_cb);
     g_advertised = true;
     printf("advertised as %s\n", g_output_topic.c_str());
@@ -192,6 +199,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
   pnh.getParam("wall_clock", g_use_wallclock);
   pnh.getParam("unreliable", unreliable);
   pnh.getParam("lazy", g_lazy);
+  g_force_latch = pnh.getParam("force_latch", g_force_latch_value);
 
   if (unreliable)
     g_th.unreliable().reliable(); // Prefers unreliable, but will accept reliable.
diff --git a/utilities/xmlrpcpp/include/xmlrpcpp/XmlRpcValue.h b/utilities/xmlrpcpp/include/xmlrpcpp/XmlRpcValue.h
index 703cceea6e..4aa560849a 100644
--- a/utilities/xmlrpcpp/include/xmlrpcpp/XmlRpcValue.h
+++ b/utilities/xmlrpcpp/include/xmlrpcpp/XmlRpcValue.h
@@ -95,6 +95,13 @@ namespace XmlRpc {
     operator BinaryData&()    { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeBase64); return *_value.asBinary; }
     operator struct tm&()     { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeDateTime); return *_value.asTime; }
 
+    operator const bool&() const          { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeBoolean); return _value.asBool; }
+    operator const int&() const           { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeInt); return _value.asInt; }
+    operator const double&() const        { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeDouble); return _value.asDouble; }
+    operator const std::string&() const   { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeString); return *_value.asString; }
+    operator const BinaryData&() const    { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeBase64); return *_value.asBinary; }
+    operator const struct tm&() const     { assertTypeOrInvalid(TypeDateTime); return *_value.asTime; }
+
     XmlRpcValue const& operator[](int i) const { assertArray(i+1); return _value.asArray->at(i); }
     XmlRpcValue& operator[](int i)             { assertArray(i+1); return _value.asArray->at(i); }
 
@@ -147,6 +154,7 @@ namespace XmlRpc {
     void invalidate();
 
     // Type checking
+    void assertTypeOrInvalid(Type t) const;
     void assertTypeOrInvalid(Type t);
     void assertArray(int size) const;
     void assertArray(int size);
diff --git a/utilities/xmlrpcpp/src/XmlRpcValue.cpp b/utilities/xmlrpcpp/src/XmlRpcValue.cpp
index 361a8e8073..1928784311 100644
--- a/utilities/xmlrpcpp/src/XmlRpcValue.cpp
+++ b/utilities/xmlrpcpp/src/XmlRpcValue.cpp
@@ -70,6 +70,12 @@ namespace XmlRpc {
 
   
   // Type checking
+  void XmlRpcValue::assertTypeOrInvalid(Type t) const
+  {
+    if (_type != t)
+      throw XmlRpcException("type error");
+  }
+
   void XmlRpcValue::assertTypeOrInvalid(Type t)
   {
     if (_type == TypeInvalid)
diff --git a/utilities/xmlrpcpp/test/TestValues.cpp b/utilities/xmlrpcpp/test/TestValues.cpp
index 842e78e9fe..60dae29a5e 100644
--- a/utilities/xmlrpcpp/test/TestValues.cpp
+++ b/utilities/xmlrpcpp/test/TestValues.cpp
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, Bool) {
 }
 
 TEST(XmlRpc, testBoolean) {
-  XmlRpcValue booleanFalse(false);
+  const XmlRpcValue booleanFalse(false);
   XmlRpcValue booleanTrue(true);
   int offset = 0;
   XmlRpcValue booleanFalseXml("<value><boolean>0</boolean></value>", &offset);
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, testBoolean) {
 
 // Int
 TEST(XmlRpc, testInt) {
-  XmlRpcValue int0(0);
+  const XmlRpcValue int0(0);
   ASSERT_EQ(XmlRpcValue::TypeInt, int0.getType());
 
   XmlRpcValue int1(1);
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, testInt) {
 
 TEST(XmlRpc, testDouble) {
   // Double
-  XmlRpcValue d(43.7);
+  const XmlRpcValue d(43.7);
   ASSERT_EQ(XmlRpcValue::TypeDouble, d.getType());
   EXPECT_EQ("<value><double>43.700000000000003</double></value>", d.toXml());
   EXPECT_DOUBLE_EQ(43.7, double(d));
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, testDouble) {
 
 TEST(XmlRpc, testString) {
   // String
-  XmlRpcValue s("Now is the time <&");
+  const XmlRpcValue s("Now is the time <&");
   ASSERT_EQ(XmlRpcValue::TypeString, s.getType());
   EXPECT_EQ(18, s.size());
   EXPECT_EQ("<value>Now is the time &lt;&amp;</value>", s.toXml());
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, testDateTime) {
   // DateTime
   int offset = 0;
   // Construct from XML
-  XmlRpcValue dateTime(
+  const XmlRpcValue dateTime(
       "<value><dateTime.iso8601>19040503T03:12:35</dateTime.iso8601></value>",
       &offset);
   ASSERT_EQ(XmlRpcValue::TypeDateTime, dateTime.getType());
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, testArray) {
   EXPECT_EQ(a, aXml);
 
   // Array copy works
-  XmlRpcValue copy(a);
+  const XmlRpcValue copy(a);
   ASSERT_EQ(a.getType(), copy.getType());
   ASSERT_EQ(a.size(), copy.size());
   for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, testStruct) {
                        "</struct></value>";
 
   int offset = 0;
-  XmlRpcValue structXml(csStructXml, &offset);
+  const XmlRpcValue structXml(csStructXml, &offset);
   EXPECT_EQ(struct1, structXml);
 
   for (XmlRpcValue::iterator itr = struct1.begin(); itr != struct1.end();
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ TEST(XmlRpc, testStruct) {
 
 TEST(XmlRpc, base64) {
   char data[] = {1, 2};
-  XmlRpcValue bin(data, 2);
+  const XmlRpcValue bin(data, 2);
 
   EXPECT_EQ(XmlRpcValue::TypeBase64, bin.getType());
   EXPECT_EQ(2, bin.size());