diff -uNr a/blatta/lib/client.py b/blatta/lib/client.py
--- a/blatta/lib/client.py 2e8badabcb9694cac1263be7cc37e5ddee7e2719520e6a8ca50bee27f1ac28508c38fcf217056e37fc552e74987b4134b3c43d9b96a7d53e0ad0aa214827d6e1
+++ b/blatta/lib/client.py 259e95af9fd927fa7a5733e3485ed3f1d4c11ce76da8d093320878914f48149e06a3d9800f39bd978bcc910d8586b8fa0671aa38edcbbf432fc5ed14259624fe
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 import traceback
 import logging
 from state import State
+from state import KNOBS
 from message import Message
 from server import VERSION
 from funcs import *
@@ -529,6 +530,26 @@
             else:
                 self.pest_reply("no results")
 
+        def knob_handler():
+            if len(arguments) == 0:
+                knobs = self.state.get_knobs() 
+                if len(knobs) > 0:
+                    for key in knobs.keys():
+                        self.pest_reply("%s %s" % (key, knobs[key]))
+                else:
+                    self.pest_reply("no knobs configured")
+            elif len(arguments) == 1:
+                knob_value = self.state.get_knob(arguments[0])
+                if knob:
+                    self.pest_reply("%s %s" % (arguments[0], knob_value))
+                else:
+                    self.pest_reply("no such knob")
+            elif len(arguments) == 2:
+                self.state.set_knob(arguments[0], arguments[1])
+                self.pest_reply("set %s to %s" % (arguments[0], arguments[1]))
+            else:
+                self.pest_reply("Usage: KNOB [<NAME>] [<VALUE>]")
+
         handler_table = {
             "AWAY": away_handler,
             "AT": at_handler,
@@ -554,7 +575,8 @@
             "WALLOPS": wallops_handler,
             "WHO": who_handler,
             "WHOIS": whois_handler,
-            "WOT":  wot_handler
+            "WOT":  wot_handler,
+            "KNOB":  knob_handler
         }
         server = self.server
         valid_channel_re = self.__valid_channelname_regexp
diff -uNr a/blatta/lib/infosec.py b/blatta/lib/infosec.py
--- a/blatta/lib/infosec.py 842d56751fd2e61caa10c290815b740c3d4a0170d705c8f47ff4ce5604b73fb82494b3b4cbe656f25df2adc8d348e001c4fb6568b3149bc2f977417d29df4668
+++ b/blatta/lib/infosec.py 2a3c3df167d4ba0f838a3e9ddddccbe6d924c3608f742c68e56e107f1f2fc68e4569cd141c992a87565b958815dde0db6998179b1398562d6d4cf5963d1c980c
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@
 RED_PACKET_LENGTH_WITH_PADDING = 448
 MESSAGE_PACKET_FORMAT = "<q32s32s32s324s"
 MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH = 428
-MAX_BOUNCES = 3
 STALE_PACKET = 0
 DUPLICATE_PACKET = 1
 MALFORMED_PACKET = 2
diff -uNr a/blatta/lib/server.py b/blatta/lib/server.py
--- a/blatta/lib/server.py 110bba88ae7779dc404b10c2b80f93c6bbbcdf72f05511702cc4afacc22640bdc3c0326fd8d7aaafa92f22e35c39aa808a7ba0cfd892259aa292946fbaec8f17
+++ b/blatta/lib/server.py 2003b827ba1e77b0e67a9a00bdf37ed146ddaf00bb0ec9eb72af3aefced8541f948fa2b8a7770975165f96029e489a6e609e188700f5655c697e05271419d9ef
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-VERSION = "9984"
+VERSION = "9983"
 
 import os
 import select
@@ -14,8 +14,6 @@
 from client import Client 
 from channel import Channel
 from station import Station
-from station import EMBARGO_INTERVAL
-from station import RUBBISH_INTERVAL
 from message import Message
 from infosec import PACKET_SIZE
 import imp
@@ -201,12 +199,12 @@
                     last_aliveness_check = now
 
             # clear embargo queue if enough time has elapsed
-            if last_embargo_queue_check + EMBARGO_INTERVAL < now:
+            if last_embargo_queue_check + int(self.station.state.get_knob('embargo_interval')) < now:
                 self.station.check_embargo_queue()
                 last_embargo_queue_check = now
 
             # spray rubbish
-            if last_rubbish_dispatch + RUBBISH_INTERVAL < now:
+            if last_rubbish_dispatch + int(self.station.state.get_knob('rubbish_interval')) < now:
                 self.station.send_rubbish()
                 last_rubbish_dispatch = now
 
diff -uNr a/blatta/lib/state.py b/blatta/lib/state.py
--- a/blatta/lib/state.py 19d07b2cc67c9bfd80a99ea29c8b9064d30253381e6afe2a4cb6bb30d329d6a92258d4d9671588896d71b0619973604c07312fe005f1e926a955efbe40784a52
+++ b/blatta/lib/state.py 302f32cc4525b593ed2b8e61ae3610003f5811f59778e1085b3e6cb28dd87646d77758a48b7bb7643d41d7602524b2cb35f2d7c9d96fc1d3e4f5136cd5a1a6f8
@@ -6,6 +6,10 @@
 import datetime
 from itertools import chain
 
+KNOBS=({'max_bounces': 3,
+        'embargo_interval': 1,
+        'rubbish_interval': 10})
+
 class State(object):
     __instance = None
     @staticmethod
@@ -48,11 +52,43 @@
             cursor.execute("create table if not exists dedup_queue(\
                                  hash text not null,\
                                  created_at datetime default current_timestamp)")
+            cursor.execute("create table if not exists knobs(\
+                                 name text not null,\
+                                 value text not null)")
             State.__instance = self
 
     def cursor(self):
         return self.conn.cursor()
 
+    def get_knobs(self):
+        cursor = self.cursor()
+        results = cursor.execute("select name, value from knobs order by name asc").fetchall()
+        knobs = {} 
+        for result in results:
+            knobs[result[0]] = result[1]
+        for key in KNOBS.keys():
+            if not knobs.get(key):
+                knobs[key] = KNOBS[key]
+        return knobs
+        
+    def get_knob(self, knob_name):
+        cursor = self.cursor()
+        result = cursor.execute("select value from knobs where name=?", (knob_name,)).fetchone()
+        if result:
+            return result[0]
+        elif KNOBS.get(knob_name):
+            return KNOBS.get(knob_name)
+        else:
+            return None
+
+    def set_knob(self, knob_name, knob_value):
+        cursor = self.cursor()
+        result = cursor.execute("select value from knobs where name=?", (knob_name,)).fetchone()
+        if result:
+            cursor.execute("update knobs set value=? where name=?", (knob_value, knob_name,))
+        else:
+            cursor.execute("insert into knobs(name, value) values(?, ?)", (knob_name, knob_value,))
+        
     def get_at(self, handle=None):
         cursor = self.cursor()
         at = []
diff -uNr a/blatta/lib/station.py b/blatta/lib/station.py
--- a/blatta/lib/station.py 05f39e51685760a96a63d9d96565ff66c8d6a44a521787af7e992ec7f0fd50b589df8ee69ff81db69823d98cbe223fb157047157f43c43f4ccc504498530f027
+++ b/blatta/lib/station.py f53458362f6d7c18a066f42dba0d1f8370def5be9dd1a89a972082f3d387e34881cc879688ad66d1f5fe0d5930132ffcc176d32fa34487c0f5226394c17e6169
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
 import logging
 import os
 from state import State
-from infosec import MAX_BOUNCES
 from infosec import STALE_PACKET 
 from infosec import DUPLICATE_PACKET 
 from infosec import MALFORMED_PACKET 
@@ -16,9 +15,6 @@
 from commands import DIRECT 
 from peer import Peer
 
-RUBBISH_INTERVAL = 10 
-EMBARGO_INTERVAL = 1
-
 class Station(object):
     def __init__(self, options):
         self.client = None
@@ -153,7 +149,7 @@
             })
 
     def rebroadcast(self, message):
-        if message.bounces < MAX_BOUNCES:
+        if message.bounces < int(self.state.get_knob("max_bounces")):
             message.command = BROADCAST
             message.bounces = message.bounces + 1
             self.infosec.message(message)