diff --git a/gameview.py b/gameview.py
index 56aea23..3c5d52a 100644
--- a/gameview.py
+++ b/gameview.py
@@ -1587,10 +1587,12 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
         if self.ooclog.verticalScrollBar().value() == self.ooclog.verticalScrollBar().maximum(): self.ooclog.verticalScrollBar().setValue(self.ooclog.verticalScrollBar().maximum())
     
     def sendOOCchat(self, name, text):
+        print type(name)
+        print type(text)
         self.tcp.send('CT#' + name + '#' + text + '#%')
 
     def onOOCreturn(self):
-        text = self.oocinput.text().toUtf8().replace('#', '<num>').replace('%', '<percent>').replace('&', '<and>').replace('$', '<dollar>').replace('\\n', '\n')
+        text = self.oocinput.text().replace('#', '<num>').replace('%', '<percent>').replace('&', '<and>').replace('$', '<dollar>').replace('\\n', '\n')
         if text.startsWith('//'):
             code = str(self.oocinput.text()).replace('//', '', 1).replace('\\NEWLINE', '\n')
             try:
@@ -1835,7 +1837,9 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
         
         if self.msgqueue:
             chatmsgcomp = (self.msgqueue[0].split('#')[5]).replace('<dollar>', '$').replace('<percent>', '%').replace('<and>', '&').replace('<num>', '#')
-            if (f_char_id == self.mychar and self.m_chatmessage[CHATMSG] == chatmsgcomp): # our message showed up
+            examine = chatmsgcomp == ">" or chatmsgcomp == "<"
+            special = not chatmsgcomp or chatmsgcomp.isspace()
+            if examine or (f_char_id == self.mychar and (special or self.m_chatmessage[CHATMSG] == chatmsgcomp)): # our message showed up
                 del self.msgqueue[0]
                 self.msgqueueList.takeItem(0)
                 if self.additivebtn.isChecked():
@@ -2218,12 +2222,9 @@ class gui(QtGui.QWidget):
             self.playSound(fx_sound)
 
         if "effects" not in self.features: return
-        #print "effect", repr(effect)
 
         self.effectview.set_play_once(True)
-        #try: 
         self.effectview.play(effect)
-        #except: pass # Windows XP webp error with Pillow
 
     def start_chat_ticking(self):
         if self.text_state != 0:
@@ -2852,8 +2853,8 @@ class EditEvidenceDialog(QtGui.QDialog):
             self.evipicture.setPixmap(QtGui.QPixmap(AO2XPpath + 'themes/default/evidence_selected.png'))
 
     def onSave(self):
-        name = encode_ao_str(self.eviname.text().toUtf8())
-        desc = encode_ao_str(self.evidesc.toPlainText().toUtf8())
+        name = encode_ao_str(self.eviname.text())
+        desc = encode_ao_str(self.evidesc.toPlainText())
 
         if self.editing:
             self.gamegui.tcp.send('EE#' + str(self.edit_ind) + '#' + name + '#' + desc + '#' + self.filename + '#%')
@@ -2988,6 +2989,9 @@ class TCP_Thread(QtCore.QThread):
     #rainbowColor = QtCore.pyqtSignal(str)
     updatePlayerList = QtCore.pyqtSignal(str, int, int, str)
     
+    send_attempts = 0
+    max_attempts = 5
+    
     def __init__(self, parent):
         super(TCP_Thread, self).__init__(parent)
         self.parent = parent
@@ -3032,15 +3036,20 @@ class TCP_Thread(QtCore.QThread):
             if error == -2:
                 # if the message can't be sent, discard it
                 if sendtick == 4:
-                    print '[warning] The server rejected the message'
-                    del self.parent.msgqueue[0]
-                    self.parent.msgqueueList.takeItem(0)
+                    self.send_attempts += 1
+                    if self.send_attempts >= self.max_attempts:
+                        self.send_attempts = 0
+                        print "[warning] message discarded"
+                        del self.parent.msgqueue[0]
+                        self.parent.msgqueueList.takeItem(0)
                 continue
             elif error == -1:
                 self.parent.emit(QtCore.SIGNAL('showMessage(QString, QString, QString)'), 'critical', 'Connection lost', "%s connection to server lost." % ("WebSocket" if self.parent.tcp.isWS else "TCP"))
                 self.parent.willDisconnect = True
                 self.quit()
-                return 
+                return
+            else:
+                self.send_attempts = 0
 
             for network in total:
                 header = network[0]