def initialize_state?(object)
      value = read(object, :state)
      (value.nil? || value.respond_to?(:empty?) && value.empty?) && !states[value, :value]
    end
def initialize_state?(object)
      value = read(object, :state)
      (value.nil? || value.respond_to?(:empty?) && value.empty?) && !states[value, :value]
    end
Determines if the machine's attribute needs to be initialized.  This
 will only be true if the machine's attribute is blank.