diff --git a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
index 87ee16c..228379e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
+++ b/core/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/PNode.java
@@ -2628,8 +2628,7 @@
                 printJob.print();
             }
             catch (PrinterException e) {
-                System.out.println("Error Printing");
-                e.printStackTrace();
+                throw new RuntimeException("Error Printing", e);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/examples/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/examples/swt/SWTBenchTest.java b/examples/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/examples/swt/SWTBenchTest.java
index 9aee2f9..159930e 100644
--- a/examples/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/examples/swt/SWTBenchTest.java
+++ b/examples/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolo/examples/swt/SWTBenchTest.java
@@ -399,8 +399,7 @@
             results = new int[NUM_CONTEXTS][NUM_TESTS];
         }
         catch (IOException e) {
-            e.printStackTrace();
-            System.exit(1);
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/event/PNotificationCenter.java b/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/event/PNotificationCenter.java
index 237411d..92ee856 100644
--- a/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/event/PNotificationCenter.java
+++ b/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/event/PNotificationCenter.java
@@ -267,7 +267,8 @@
                 catch (InvocationTargetException e) {
                     // Since this is how Swing handles Exceptions that get
                     // thrown on listeners, it's probably ok to do it here.
-                    e.printStackTrace();
+                    // mro: if Swing does it wrong we don't have to.
+                    throw new RuntimeException(e);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/pswing/PSwingEventHandler.java b/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/pswing/PSwingEventHandler.java
index a4d83e4..73dbf6c 100644
--- a/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/pswing/PSwingEventHandler.java
+++ b/extras/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/pswing/PSwingEventHandler.java
@@ -362,11 +362,12 @@
     private void cameraToLocal(PCamera topCamera, Point2D pt, PNode node) {
         AffineTransform inverse;
         try {
-             inverse = topCamera.getViewTransform().createInverse();
-        } catch (NoninvertibleTransformException e) {
+            inverse = topCamera.getViewTransform().createInverse();
+        }
+        catch (NoninvertibleTransformException e) {
             throw new PAffineTransformException(e, topCamera.getViewTransform());
         }
-      
+
         /*
          * Only apply the camera's view transform when this node is a descendant
          * of PLayer
@@ -410,10 +411,11 @@
                 }
             }
             else {
-                new Exception("PInputEvent.getSourceSwingEvent was not a MouseEvent.  Actual event: "
-                        + sourceSwingEvent + ", class=" + sourceSwingEvent.getClass().getName()).printStackTrace();
+                // what was that? an exception to format syslog output?
+                throw new RuntimeException("PInputEvent.getSourceSwingEvent was not a MouseEvent.  Actual event: "
+                        + sourceSwingEvent + ", class=" + sourceSwingEvent.getClass().getName());
             }
-        }        
+        }
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
index 9794fe2..54400ec 100644
--- a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
+++ b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/PSWTPath.java
@@ -383,7 +383,8 @@
             return new Line2D.Double(l2.getP1(), l2.getP2());
         }
         else {
-            new Exception().printStackTrace();
+            // either throw an exception or don't. But don't just write to sysout
+            // new Exception().printStackTrace();
             GeneralPath aPath = new GeneralPath();
             aPath.append(aShape, false);
             return aPath;
diff --git a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/SWTGraphics2D.java b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/SWTGraphics2D.java
index 0274484..d4a3edd 100644
--- a/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/SWTGraphics2D.java
+++ b/swt/src/main/java/edu/umd/cs/piccolox/swt/SWTGraphics2D.java
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@
             SWTShapeManager.transform(aRect, transform.createInverse());
         }
         catch (Exception e) {
-            e.printStackTrace();
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
         return aRect;
     }
@@ -182,7 +182,7 @@
             SWTShapeManager.transform(aRect, transform.createInverse());
         }
         catch (Exception e) {
-            e.printStackTrace();
+            throw new RuntimeException(e);
         }
         return aRect;
     }
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@
                 sizeInt = Integer.parseInt(size.substring(size.indexOf("=") + 1, size.length()));
             }
             catch (Exception e) {
-                e.printStackTrace();
+                throw new RuntimeException(e);
             }
 
             cachedFont = new org.eclipse.swt.graphics.Font(device,