text: var _        = require('underscore'),
      Backbone = require('backbone');
  
  /**
   * user object used by the majority of the system.
   * populated after the user has been authenticated
   **/
  var _User = Backbone.Model.extend({
      defaults: {
          username : null,
          email    : null,
          token    : null
      }
  });
  exports.User = _User;
  
  function _emptyUser() {
      return new _User();
  }
  exports.emptyUser = _emptyUser;