diff --git a/plugins/mctools.py b/plugins/mctools.py
index 6dc3f6d..a149408 100755
--- a/plugins/mctools.py
+++ b/plugins/mctools.py
@@ -1,7 +1,4 @@
-from util import hook
-from util import http
-from util.text import get_text_list
-import string
+from util import hook, http
 import socket
 import json
 import struct
@@ -44,12 +41,12 @@ def mclogin(inp, bot=None):
 
 @hook.command(autohelp=False)
 def mcstatus(inp, say=None):
-    "mcstatus -- Checks the status various Mojang servers."
+    "mcstatus -- Checks the status of various Mojang (the creators of Minecraft) servers."
 
     try:
         request = http.get("http://status.mojang.com/check")
     except (http.URLError, http.HTTPError) as e:
-        return "Unable to get minecraft server status: %s" % e
+        return "Unable to get Minecraft server status: {}".format(e)
 
     # change the json from a list of dictionaies to a dictionary
     data = json.loads(request.replace("}", "").replace("{", "").replace("]", "}").replace("[", "{"))
@@ -58,9 +55,9 @@ def mcstatus(inp, say=None):
     # use a loop so we don't have to update it if they add more servers
     for server, status in data.items():
         if status == "green":
-            out.append("%s is \x033\x02online\x02\x03" % server)
+            out.append("{} is \x033\x02online\x02\x03".format(server))
         else:
-            out.append("%s is \x034\x02offline\x02\x03" % server)
+            out.append("{} is \x034\x02offline\x02\x03".format(server))
 
     return ", ".join(out) + "."
 
@@ -69,12 +66,18 @@ def mcstatus(inp, say=None):
 @hook.command
 def mcpaid(inp):
     "mcpaid <username> -- Checks if <username> has a premium Minecraft account."
-    login = http.get("http://www.minecraft.net/haspaid.jsp", user=inp)
 
-    if "true" in login:
-        return 'The account "%s" is a premium Minecraft account!' % inp
+    user = inp.strip()
+
+    try:
+        status = http.get("http://www.minecraft.net/haspaid.jsp", user=user)
+    except (http.URLError, http.HTTPError) as e:
+        return "Unable to get user registration status: {}".format(e)
+
+    if "true" in status:
+        return 'The account "{}" is a premium Minecraft account!'.format(inp)
     else:
-        return 'The account "%s" is not a premium Minecraft account!' % inp
+        return 'The account "{}" is not a premium Minecraft account!'.format(inp)
 
 
 @hook.command
diff --git a/plugins/news.py b/plugins/news.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b603b57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/news.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+from util import hook, web
+
+
+@hook.command("feed")
+@hook.command
+def rss(inp, say=None):
+
+    # preset news feeds
+    strip = inp.lower().strip()
+    if strip == "bukkit":
+        feed = "http://dl.bukkit.org/downloads/craftbukkit/feeds/latest-rb.rss"
+        limit = 1
+    elif strip == "xkcd":
+        feed = "http://xkcd.com/rss.xml"
+        limit = 2
+    else:
+        feed = inp
+        limit = 3
+
+    query = "SELECT title, link FROM rss WHERE url=@feed LIMIT @limit"
+    result = web.query(query, {"feed": feed, "limit": limit or 3})
+    for row in result.rows:
+        link = web.isgd(row["link"])
+        say(u"{} - {}".format(row["title"], link))
+
+
+@hook.command
+def rb(inp, say=None):
+    rss("bukkit", say)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/plugins/rss.py b/plugins/rss.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b603b57
--- /dev/null
+++ b/plugins/rss.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+from util import hook, web
+
+
+@hook.command("feed")
+@hook.command
+def rss(inp, say=None):
+
+    # preset news feeds
+    strip = inp.lower().strip()
+    if strip == "bukkit":
+        feed = "http://dl.bukkit.org/downloads/craftbukkit/feeds/latest-rb.rss"
+        limit = 1
+    elif strip == "xkcd":
+        feed = "http://xkcd.com/rss.xml"
+        limit = 2
+    else:
+        feed = inp
+        limit = 3
+
+    query = "SELECT title, link FROM rss WHERE url=@feed LIMIT @limit"
+    result = web.query(query, {"feed": feed, "limit": limit or 3})
+    for row in result.rows:
+        link = web.isgd(row["link"])
+        say(u"{} - {}".format(row["title"], link))
+
+
+@hook.command
+def rb(inp, say=None):
+    rss("bukkit", say)
\ No newline at end of file