diff --git a/examples/native/Gemfile b/examples/native/Gemfile
deleted file mode 100644
index c646e60..0000000
--- a/examples/native/Gemfile
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,2 +0,0 @@
-source :rubygems
-gem 'redis'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/examples/native/cluster_word_count_topology.rb b/examples/native/cluster_word_count_topology.rb
index 3fa8a9e..1b4882a 100644
--- a/examples/native/cluster_word_count_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/native/cluster_word_count_topology.rb
@@ -10,13 +10,13 @@ module RedStorm
 
       def start(base_class_path, env)
         builder = TopologyBuilder.new
-        builder.setSpout('RandomSentenceSpout', JRubySpout.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::RandomSentenceSpout", []), 5)
-        builder.setBolt('SplitSentenceBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::SplitSentenceBolt", []), 4).shuffleGrouping('RandomSentenceSpout')
-        builder.setBolt('WordCountBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::WordCountBolt", []), 4).fieldsGrouping('SplitSentenceBolt', Fields.new("word"))
+        builder.setSpout('RandomSentenceSpout', JRubySpout.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::RandomSentenceSpout", []), 1)
+        builder.setBolt('SplitSentenceBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::SplitSentenceBolt", []), 2).shuffleGrouping('RandomSentenceSpout')
+        builder.setBolt('WordCountBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::WordCountBolt", []), 2).fieldsGrouping('SplitSentenceBolt', Fields.new("word"))
 
         conf = Backtype::Config.new
         conf.setDebug(true)
-        conf.setNumWorkers(20);
+        conf.setNumWorkers(4);
         conf.setMaxSpoutPending(1000);
         StormSubmitter.submitTopology("word_count", conf, builder.createTopology);
       end
diff --git a/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology.rb b/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology.rb
index ac061ad..3175c3d 100644
--- a/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
 
-require 'lib/red_storm'
+require 'red_storm'
 require 'examples/native/exclamation_bolt'
 
 # this example topology uses the Storm TestWordSpout and our own JRuby ExclamationBolt
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ module RedStorm
       def start(base_class_path, env)
         builder = TopologyBuilder.new
 
-        builder.setSpout('TestWordSpout', TestWordSpout.new, 10)
-        builder.setBolt('ExclamationBolt1', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, 'RedStorm::Examples::ExclamationBolt', []), 3).shuffleGrouping('TestWordSpout')
-        builder.setBolt('ExclamationBolt2', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, 'RedStorm::Examples::ExclamationBolt', []), 3).shuffleGrouping('ExclamationBolt1')
+        builder.setSpout('TestWordSpout', TestWordSpout.new, 1)
+        builder.setBolt('ExclamationBolt1', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, 'RedStorm::Examples::ExclamationBolt', []), 2).shuffleGrouping('TestWordSpout')
+        builder.setBolt('ExclamationBolt2', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, 'RedStorm::Examples::ExclamationBolt', []), 2).shuffleGrouping('ExclamationBolt1')
 
         conf = Backtype::Config.new
         conf.setDebug(true)
diff --git a/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology2.rb b/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology2.rb
index 89730b0..753797b 100644
--- a/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology2.rb
+++ b/examples/native/local_exclamation_topology2.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
 
-require 'lib/red_storm'
+require 'red_storm'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ module RedStorm
       def start(base_class_path, env)
         builder = TopologyBuilder.new
 
-        builder.setSpout('TestWordSpout', TestWordSpout.new, 10)
-        builder.setBolt('ExclamationBolt21', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::ExclamationBolt2", []), 3).shuffleGrouping('TestWordSpout')
+        builder.setSpout('TestWordSpout', TestWordSpout.new, 2)
+        builder.setBolt('ExclamationBolt21', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::ExclamationBolt2", []), 2).shuffleGrouping('TestWordSpout')
         builder.setBolt('ExclamationBolt22', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::ExclamationBolt2", []), 2).shuffleGrouping('ExclamationBolt21')
 
         conf = Backtype::Config.new
diff --git a/examples/native/local_redis_word_count_topology.rb b/examples/native/local_redis_word_count_topology.rb
index ce93b85..7fdd4f6 100644
--- a/examples/native/local_redis_word_count_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/native/local_redis_word_count_topology.rb
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-require 'bundler/setup'
+require 'red_storm'
+require 'examples/native/word_count_bolt'
 require 'redis'
 require 'thread'
-require 'lib/red_storm'
-require 'examples/native/word_count_bolt'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
diff --git a/examples/native/local_word_count_topology.rb b/examples/native/local_word_count_topology.rb
index 46c698f..903de40 100644
--- a/examples/native/local_word_count_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/native/local_word_count_topology.rb
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-require 'lib/red_storm'
+require 'red_storm'
 require 'examples/native/random_sentence_spout'
 require 'examples/native/split_sentence_bolt'
 require 'examples/native/word_count_bolt'
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ module Examples
 
     def start(base_class_path, env)
       builder = TopologyBuilder.new
-      builder.setSpout('RandomSentenceSpout', JRubySpout.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::RandomSentenceSpout", []), 5)
-      builder.setBolt('SplitSentenceBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::SplitSentenceBolt", []), 8).shuffleGrouping('RandomSentenceSpout')
-      builder.setBolt('WordCountBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::WordCountBolt", []), 12).fieldsGrouping('SplitSentenceBolt', Fields.new("word"))
+      builder.setSpout('RandomSentenceSpout', JRubySpout.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::RandomSentenceSpout", []), 1)
+      builder.setBolt('SplitSentenceBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::SplitSentenceBolt", []), 2).shuffleGrouping('RandomSentenceSpout')
+      builder.setBolt('WordCountBolt', JRubyBolt.new(base_class_path, "RedStorm::Examples::WordCountBolt", []), 2).fieldsGrouping('SplitSentenceBolt', Fields.new("word"))
 
       conf = Backtype::Config.new
       conf.setDebug(true)
diff --git a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb b/examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb
index 4706a38..6365717 100644
--- a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/simple/exclamation_topology.rb
@@ -1,36 +1,32 @@
 java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
 
+require 'red_storm'
 require 'examples/simple/exclamation_bolt'
 
 # this example topology uses the Storm TestWordSpout and our own JRuby ExclamationBolt
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
-    class ExclamationTopology < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
-      spout TestWordSpout, :parallelism => 5 do
+    class ExclamationTopology < SimpleTopology
+      spout TestWordSpout, :parallelism => 2 do
         debug true
       end
       
       bolt ExclamationBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source TestWordSpout, :shuffle
-        # max_task_parallelism 1
       end
       
       bolt ExclamationBolt, :id => :ExclamationBolt2, :parallelism => 2 do
         source ExclamationBolt, :shuffle
-        # max_task_parallelism 1
         debug true
       end
 
       configure do |env|
         debug false
-        set "topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=RUBY1_9"
-        case env
-        when :local
-          max_task_parallelism 40
-        when :cluster
-          num_workers 20
-          max_spout_pending(1000);
+        max_task_parallelism 4
+        if env == :cluster
+          num_workers 4
+          max_spout_pending(1000)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb b/examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb
index 8a18ce5..9d25bb1 100644
--- a/examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb
+++ b/examples/simple/exclamation_topology2.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
-require 'red_storm'
-
 # this example topology uses the Storm TestWordSpout and our own JRuby ExclamationBolt
 # and a locally defined ExclamationBolt
 
+java_import 'backtype.storm.testing.TestWordSpout'
+
+require 'red_storm'
+
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
     class ExclamationBolt < RedStorm::SimpleBolt
@@ -12,9 +13,9 @@ module RedStorm
     end
 
     class ExclamationTopology2 < RedStorm::SimpleTopology
-      spout TestWordSpout, :parallelism => 10
+      spout TestWordSpout, :parallelism => 2
       
-      bolt ExclamationBolt, :parallelism => 3 do
+      bolt ExclamationBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source TestWordSpout, :shuffle
       end
       
@@ -24,13 +25,10 @@ module RedStorm
 
       configure do |env|
         debug true
-        set "topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=RUBY1_9"
-        case env
-        when :local
-          max_task_parallelism 3
-        when :cluster
-          num_workers 20
-          max_spout_pending(1000);
+        max_task_parallelism 4
+        if env == :cluster
+          num_workers 4
+          max_spout_pending(1000)
         end
       end
 
diff --git a/examples/simple/kafka_topology.rb b/examples/simple/kafka_topology.rb
index f5e8b05..8995cea 100644
--- a/examples/simple/kafka_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/simple/kafka_topology.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-require 'red_storm'
 java_import 'storm.kafka.KafkaConfig'
 java_import 'storm.kafka.SpoutConfig'
 java_import 'storm.kafka.StringScheme'
 java_import 'storm.kafka.KafkaSpout'
 
+require 'red_storm'
+
 # the KafkaTopology obviously requires a Kafka server running, you can ajust the
 # host and port below. 
 #
diff --git a/examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb b/examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb
index bea331c..6bedb18 100644
--- a/examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/simple/redis_word_count_topology.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,7 @@
-require 'rubygems'
 require 'red_storm'
-
+require 'examples/simple/word_count_bolt'
 require 'redis'
 require 'thread'
-require 'examples/simple/word_count_bolt'
 
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
@@ -46,14 +44,14 @@ module RedStorm
 
       configure do |env|
         debug true
-        set "topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=RUBY1_9"
+        # set "topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=RUBY1_9"
         case env
         when :local
           max_task_parallelism 3
         when :cluster
           max_task_parallelism 5
           num_workers 20
-          max_spout_pending(1000);
+          max_spout_pending(1000)
         end
       end
     end
diff --git a/examples/simple/ruby_version_topology.rb b/examples/simple/ruby_version_topology.rb
index 0cfa787..d8cbfb1 100644
--- a/examples/simple/ruby_version_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/simple/ruby_version_topology.rb
@@ -6,7 +6,13 @@ module RedStorm
   module Examples
     class VersionSpout < RedStorm::SimpleSpout
       output_fields :dummy
-      on_init {log.info("***************** RUBY_VERSION=#{RUBY_VERSION}")}
+      on_init do
+        log.info("***************** RUBY_VERSION=#{RUBY_VERSION}")
+        log.info("***************** JRUBY_VERSION=#{JRUBY_VERSION}")
+        log.info("***************** VERSION=#{VERSION}")
+        log.info("***************** RUBY_ENGINE=#{RUBY_ENGINE}")
+        log.info("***************** RUBY_PLATFORM=#{RUBY_PLATFORM}")
+      end
       on_send {}
     end
 
diff --git a/examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb b/examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb
index 08e191d..48abf78 100644
--- a/examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb
+++ b/examples/simple/word_count_topology.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+require 'red_storm'
 require 'examples/simple/random_sentence_spout'
 require 'examples/simple/split_sentence_bolt'
 require 'examples/simple/word_count_bolt'
@@ -5,25 +6,22 @@ require 'examples/simple/word_count_bolt'
 module RedStorm
   module Examples
     class WordCountTopology < SimpleTopology
-      spout RandomSentenceSpout, :parallelism => 5
+      spout RandomSentenceSpout, :parallelism => 2
       
-      bolt SplitSentenceBolt, :parallelism => 8 do
+      bolt SplitSentenceBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source RandomSentenceSpout, :shuffle
       end
       
-      bolt WordCountBolt, :parallelism => 12 do
+      bolt WordCountBolt, :parallelism => 2 do
         source SplitSentenceBolt, :fields => ["word"]
       end
 
       configure :word_count do |env|
         debug true
-        set "topology.worker.childopts", "-Djruby.compat.version=RUBY1_9"
-        case env
-        when :local
-          max_task_parallelism 3
-        when :cluster
-          num_workers 20
-          max_spout_pending(1000);
+        max_task_parallelism 4
+        if env == :cluster
+          num_workers 6
+          max_spout_pending(1000)
         end
       end