code: def check_status(self):
          
          log = logging.getLogger("%s.%s" % (self.log_name,
                                             inspect.stack()[0][3]))
          log.setLevel(self.log_level)
  
          if self.url:
              return True
          try:
              result = requests.get(self.ext_url)
              self.url = self.ext_url
              return True
          except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
              pass
          try:
              result = requests.get(self.local_url)
              log.warning("Url '%s' not connecting. Using local_url '%s'" % \
                       (self.ext_url, self.local_url))
              self.url = self.local_url
              return True
          except requests.exceptions.ConnectionError:
              self.url = None
              log.warning("Unable to connect using urls: %s" % set([self.ext_url,
                                                                 self.local_url]))
              return False
docs: tests both the ext_url and local_url to see if the database is
              running
  
              returns:
                  True if a connection can be made
                  False if the connection cannot me made