diff --git a/zipline/messaging.py b/zipline/messaging.py
index 65ef93b0..fbeadd90 100644
--- a/zipline/messaging.py
+++ b/zipline/messaging.py
@@ -280,17 +280,22 @@ class ParallelBuffer(Component):
         if not(self.is_full() or self.draining):
             return
 
-        cur = None
-        earliest = None
+        cur_source = None
+        earliest_source = None
+        earliest_event = None
+        #iterate over the queues of events from all sources (1 queue per datasource)
         for events in self.data_buffer.values():
             if len(events) == 0:
                 continue
-            cur = events
-            if (earliest == None) or (cur[0].dt <= earliest[0].dt):
-                earliest = cur
+            cur_source = events
+            first_in_list = events[0]
+            
+            if (earliest_event == None) or (first_in_list.dt <= earliest_event.dt):
+                earliest_event = first_in_list
+                earliest_source = cur_source
 
-        if earliest != None:
-            return earliest.pop(0)
+        if earliest_event != None:
+            return earliest_source.pop(0)
 
     def is_full(self):
         """
@@ -380,7 +385,7 @@ class MergedParallelBuffer(ParallelBuffer):
         source_id.
         """
 
-        self.data_buffer[event.__dict__.keys()[0]].append(event)
+        self.data_buffer[event.keys()[0]].append(event)
         self.received_count += 1
 
 
@@ -549,8 +554,8 @@ class DataSource(Component):
         """
         assert isinstance(event, zp.namedict)
 
-        event.__dict__['source_id'] = self.get_id
-        event.__dict__['type'] = self.get_type
+        event['source_id'] = self.get_id
+        event['type'] = self.get_type
 
         try:
             ds_frame = self.frame(event)
diff --git a/zipline/protocol.py b/zipline/protocol.py
index e7ffed1a..090a28cd 100644
--- a/zipline/protocol.py
+++ b/zipline/protocol.py
@@ -98,6 +98,19 @@ class namedict(object):
             self.__dict__['id'] = value
         else:
             self.__dict__[key] = value
+            
+    def __getitem__(self, key):
+        return self.__dict__[key]
+        
+    def keys(self):
+        return self.__dict__.keys()
+        
+    def as_dict(self):
+        #TODO: make a copy?
+        return self.__dict__
+    
+    def delete(self, key):
+        del(self.__dict__[key])
     
     def merge(self, other_nd):
         assert isinstance(other_nd, namedict)
@@ -248,7 +261,7 @@ def FEED_FRAME(event):
     source_id = event.source_id
     ds_type = event.type
     PACK_DATE(event)
-    payload = event.__dict__
+    payload = event.as_dict()
     return msgpack.dumps(payload)
     
 def FEED_UNFRAME(msg):
@@ -317,7 +330,7 @@ def MERGE_FRAME(event):
             event.TRANSACTION = TRANSFORM_TYPE.EMPTY
         else:
             event.TRANSACTION = TRANSACTION_FRAME(event.TRANSACTION)
-    payload = event.__dict__
+    payload = event.as_dict()
     return msgpack.dumps(payload)
     
 def MERGE_UNFRAME(msg):
@@ -474,7 +487,7 @@ def PACK_DATE(event):
     epoch = long(event.dt.strftime('%s'))
     event['epoch'] = epoch
     event['micros'] = event.dt.microsecond
-    del(event.__dict__['dt'])
+    event.delete('dt')
     return event
 
 def UNPACK_DATE(payload):
@@ -482,9 +495,9 @@ def UNPACK_DATE(payload):
     assert isinstance(payload.micros, numbers.Integral)
     dt = datetime.datetime.fromtimestamp(payload.epoch)
     dt = dt.replace(microsecond = payload.micros, tzinfo = pytz.utc)
-    del(payload.__dict__['epoch'])
-    del(payload.__dict__['micros'])
-    payload['dt'] = dt
+    payload.delete('epoch')
+    payload.delete('micros')
+    payload.dt = dt
     return payload
 
 DATASOURCE_TYPE = Enum(
diff --git a/zipline/test/test_finance.py b/zipline/test/test_finance.py
index d1f35271..60f88ad3 100644
--- a/zipline/test/test_finance.py
+++ b/zipline/test/test_finance.py
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ class FinanceTestCase(TestCase):
             
             #check the transformed value, should only be in event, not trade.
             self.assertTrue(event.helloworld == 2345.6)
-            del(event.__dict__['helloworld'])
+            event.delete('helloworld')
             
             self.assertEqual(zp.namedict(trade), event)