@classmethod
def connect_sqlite(cls, database=':memory:', **kwargs):
    """
        Initializes a SQLite connection to the given database.

        @param database -- the name of the database file to connect to (default database in RAM)
        """
    import sqlite3
    connection = sqlite3.connect(database=database, **kwargs)
    c = connection.cursor()
    return cls(connection, c)
