def sim_msg_stream(self, sleep_time=0.25):
        """Sends a stream of messages to the Kafka topic "messages".

        Args:
            sleep_time: float number in seconds representing the rate messages
                should be sent to the Kafka topic

        Returns:
            None
        """
        msg_cnt = 0

        while True:
            print len(self.county_state_list)
            county, state = IngUt.select_random_county(self.county_state_list)

            timestamp = list(time.localtime()[0:6])

            message_info = IngUt.create_json_message(county=county,
                                                     state=state,
                                                     rank=0,
                                                     timestamp=timestamp,
                                                     creator_id=random.randint(0, NUM_USERS-1),
                                                     sender_id=random.randint(0, NUM_USERS-1),
                                                     message_id=msg_cnt,
                                                     message=fake.text())

            self.producer.send_messages('messages', message_info)
            print timestamp

            if sleep_time != 0:
                time.sleep(sleep_time)

            msg_cnt += 1