code: protected final void doSleep(double seconds)
      {
          try
          {
              long ms = (long)(seconds * 1000l);
              Thread.sleep(ms);
          }
          catch (InterruptedException ie)
          {
              log.debug("BackgroundProcess thread interuptted.");
          }
      }
docs: sleep for a number of seconds (nicer than microseconds!)
  sleep does not relinquish its monitors