diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/io/TypedArray.as b/src/as/com/threerings/io/TypedArray.as
index e64636c0e..3f5721ca3 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/io/TypedArray.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/io/TypedArray.as
@@ -27,6 +27,15 @@ public dynamic class TypedArray extends Array
         return "[L" + cname + ";";
     }
 
+    /**
+     * A factory method to create a TypedArray for holding objects
+     * of the specified type.
+     */
+    public static function create (of :Class) :TypedArray
+    {
+        return new TypedArray(getJavaType(of));
+    }
+
     public function getJavaType () :String
     {
         return _jtype;
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ArrayUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ArrayUtil.as
index f7e84e2aa..8dd50dc0f 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ArrayUtil.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ArrayUtil.as
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public class ArrayUtil
         arr :Array, element :Object, firstOnly :Boolean) :void
     {
         for (var ii :int = 0; ii < arr.length; ii++) {
-            if (arr[ii] === element) {
+            if (Util.equals(arr[ii], element)) {
                 arr.splice(ii--, 1);
                 if (firstOnly) {
                     return;
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ClassUtil.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ClassUtil.as
index e17e820db..43b903588 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/ClassUtil.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/ClassUtil.as
@@ -21,6 +21,16 @@ public class ClassUtil
         return s.replace("::", ".");
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Return a new instance that is the same class as the specified
+     * object. The class must have a zero-arg constructor.
+     */
+    public static function newInstance (obj :Object) :Object
+    {
+        var clazz :Class = getClass(obj);
+        return new clazz();
+    }
+
     public static function getClass (obj :Object) :Class
     {
         return getClassByName(getClassName(obj));
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Map.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Map.as
index fe954ba5e..3d24f2e90 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Map.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Map.as
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ public interface Map
     function get (key :Object) :*;
 
     /**
-     * Call the specified function, which accepts to args: key and value,
+     * Call the specified function, which accepts two args: key and value,
      * for every mapping.
      */
     function forEach (fn :Function) :void;
diff --git a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as
index 4f879bc2f..abdb184fe 100644
--- a/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as
+++ b/src/as/com/threerings/util/Util.as
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@ public class Util
         return buf.toString();
     }
 
+    /**
+     * A nicer test for equals that works if the objects implement Equalable
+     */
+    public static function equals (obj1 :Object, obj2 :Object) :Boolean
+    {
+        // catch various common cases (both primitive or null)
+        return (obj1 === obj2) ||
+            // otherwise, they're only possibly still equal if Equalable
+            ((obj1 is Equalable) && (obj1 as Equalable).equals(obj2));
+    }
+
     public static function cast (obj :Object, clazz :Class) :Object
     {
         if (obj == null || obj is clazz) {