Stratum Mining Proxy - Error decoding message on startup
I use 2 .sh files from teh desktop, one for the proxy to start for Burnside's pool, the other to start the miner.  The basic command is this one line ( as it runs in terminal in Ubuntu 12.04 ) after using CD ( directory ) to get to where I unpacked the proxy.

./mining_proxy.py -o ltc-stratum.kattare.com -p 3333


The next .SH file also used cd .... to get to where I unpaced my miner, teh minerd command is as follows 

minerd -a scrypt -o 127.0.0.1:8333 -O nybbler905.1:x


Port 8332 ( local ) is getwork unless otherwise set for the proxy.  The other errors are related to not fully installing python and then the proxy.

 sudo python setup.py install
./mining_proxy.py --help


If you do not get the help info, look in to re-re-re-installing python and the proxy.