diff --git a/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb b/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
index 42b00007c..afc193413 100644
--- a/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/photos_controller.rb
@@ -10,10 +10,7 @@ class PhotosController < ApplicationController
   respond_to :json, :only => :show
 
   def create
-
     album = Album.find_by_id params[:album_id]
-    puts params
-
     begin
 
       ######################## dealing with local files #############
diff --git a/app/helpers/requests_helper.rb b/app/helpers/requests_helper.rb
index faefe1f6e..fec093aac 100644
--- a/app/helpers/requests_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/requests_helper.rb
@@ -32,7 +32,6 @@ module RequestsHelper
   def relationship_flow(identifier)
     action = :none
     person = nil
-    puts identifier
     person = Person.by_webfinger identifier
     if person
       action = (person == current_user.person ? :none : :friend)
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index 91d84340d..87f11fc29 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -25,8 +25,6 @@ class User
   key :visible_post_ids,    Array
   key :visible_person_ids,  Array
 
-  key :url, String
-
   one :person, :class_name => 'Person', :foreign_key => :owner_id
 
   many :friends,           :in => :friend_ids,          :class_name => 'Person'
@@ -97,7 +95,6 @@ class User
 
   ######## Posting ########
   def post(class_name, options = {})
-
     if class_name == :photo
       raise ArgumentError.new("No album_id given") unless options[:album_id]
       aspect_ids = aspects_with_post( options[:album_id] )
@@ -242,11 +239,8 @@ class User
 
   ###Helpers############
   def self.instantiate!( opts = {} )
-    hostname = opts[:url].gsub(/(https?:|www\.)\/\//, '')
-    hostname.chop! if hostname[-1, 1] == '/'
-    
-    opts[:person][:diaspora_handle] = "#{opts[:username]}@#{hostname}"
-    puts opts[:person][:diaspora_handle]
+    opts[:person][:diaspora_handle] = "#{opts[:username]}@#{terse_url}"
+    opts[:person][:url] = APP_CONFIG[:pod_url]
     opts[:person][:serialized_key] = generate_key
     User.create(opts)
   end
@@ -257,7 +251,7 @@ class User
   end
   
   def terse_url
-    terse = self.url.gsub(/(https?:|www\.)\/\//, '')
+    terse = APP_CONFIG[:pod_url].gsub(/(https?:|www\.)\/\//, '')
     terse = terse.chop! if terse[-1, 1] == '/'
     terse
   end
diff --git a/app/views/devise/sessions/new.html.haml b/app/views/devise/sessions/new.html.haml
index 7ce75f5f3..15880df0b 100644
--- a/app/views/devise/sessions/new.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/devise/sessions/new.html.haml
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
       = f.label :username
       = f.text_field :username
     %p.user_network
-      ="@#{request.host}"
+      ="@#{APP_CONFIG[:pod_url]}"
 
     %p
       = f.label :password
diff --git a/app/views/registrations/new.html.haml b/app/views/registrations/new.html.haml
index eefa94519..3e1dc0830 100644
--- a/app/views/registrations/new.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/registrations/new.html.haml
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 
 = form_for(resource, :as => resource_name, :url => registration_path(resource_name)) do |f|
-  = f.hidden_field :url, :value => request.host
   %p
     = f.label :username
     = f.text_field :username
@@ -17,8 +16,6 @@
     = f.password_field :password_confirmation
 
   = f.fields_for :person do |p|
-    = p.hidden_field :url, :value => request.host
-
     = p.fields_for :profile do |pr|
       %p
         = pr.label :first_name
diff --git a/app/views/users/edit.html.haml b/app/views/users/edit.html.haml
index fd94b2a42..880d25ef4 100644
--- a/app/views/users/edit.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/users/edit.html.haml
@@ -17,11 +17,11 @@
 
     %h3 Picture
     %div#image_picker
-      = p.hidden_field :image_url, :value => (@profile.image_url.sub(@user.url,'/') if @profile.image_url), :id => 'image_url_field'
+      = p.hidden_field :image_url, :value => (@profile.image_url.sub(APP_CONFIG[:pod_url],'/') if @profile.image_url), :id => 'image_url_field'
 
       - unless @photos.nil? || @photos.empty?
         - for photo in @photos
-          - if @profile.image_url && (photo.url(:thumb_medium) == @profile.image_url.sub(@user.url,'/'))
+          - if @profile.image_url && (photo.url(:thumb_medium) == @profile.image_url.sub(APP_CONFIG[:pod_url],'/'))
             %div.small_photo{:id => photo.url(:thumb_medium), :class=>'selected'}
               = check_box_tag 'checked_photo', true, true
               = link_to image_tag(photo.url(:thumb_medium)), "#"
diff --git a/config/app_config.yml b/config/app_config.yml
index b4fd6f0ab..5ee07c405 100644
--- a/config/app_config.yml
+++ b/config/app_config.yml
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
 #   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
 
-
-development:
+default:
+  pod_url: "http://example.org/"
   debug: false
   socket_debug : false
   socket_host: 0.0.0.0
@@ -13,21 +13,11 @@ development:
   pubsub_server: 'https://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'
   mongo_host: 'localhost'
   mongo_post: 27017
+  
+development:
 
 test:
-  debug: false
-  socket_debug : false
-  socket_host: 0.0.0.0
+  pod_url: "http://example.org/"
   socket_port: 8081
-  pubsub_server: 'https://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'
-  mongo_host: 'localhost'
-  mongo_post: 27017
 
 production:
-  debug: false
-  socket_debug : false
-  socket_host: 0.0.0.0
-  socket_port: 8080
-  pubsub_server: 'https://pubsubhubbub.appspot.com/'
-  mongo_host: 'localhost'
-  mongo_post: 27017
diff --git a/config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb b/config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb
index 1a5094d9b..ac14c97d8 100644
--- a/config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 #   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3.  See
 #   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
-
 raw_config = File.read("#{Rails.root}/config/app_config.yml")
-APP_CONFIG = YAML.load(raw_config)[Rails.env].symbolize_keys
+all_envs = YAML.load(raw_config)
+if all_envs[Rails.env]
+  APP_CONFIG = all_envs['default'].merge(all_envs[Rails.env]).symbolize_keys
+else
+  APP_CONFIG = all_envs['default'].symbolize_keys
+end
+
+puts "WARNING: Please modify your app_config.yml to have a proper pod_url!" if APP_CONFIG[:pod_url] == "http://example.org/" && Rails.env != :test
diff --git a/db/seeds/backer.rb b/db/seeds/backer.rb
index b32b62377..9ebe1248f 100644
--- a/db/seeds/backer.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/backer.rb
@@ -15,25 +15,38 @@
 require 'config/environment'
 
 def create
+
+
   config = YAML.load_file(File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../config/deploy_config.yml')
   backer_info = config['servers']['backer']
 
   backer_number = YAML.load_file(Rails.root.join('config','backer_number.yml'))[:seed_number].to_i
-  # Create seed user
+
+  #set pod url
   username = backer_info[backer_number]['username'].gsub(/ /,'').downcase
+  set_app_config username
+  require 'config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb'
+
+  # Create seed user
   user = User.instantiate!(:email => "#{username}@#{username}.joindiaspora.com",
                      :username => username,
                      :password => "#{username+backer_info[backer_number]['pin'].to_s}",
                      :password_confirmation => "#{username+backer_info[backer_number]['pin'].to_s}",
-                     :url=> "http://#{username}.joindiaspora.com/",
                      :person => Person.new(
-                       :diaspora_handle => "#{username}@#{username}.joindiaspora.com",
                        :profile => Profile.new( :first_name => backer_info[backer_number]['given_name'], :last_name => backer_info[backer_number]['family_name'],
-                                             :image_url => "http://#{username}.joindiaspora.com/images/user/#{username}.jpg"),
-                       :url=> "http://#{username}.joindiaspora.com/")
-                    )
+                                             :image_url => "http://#{username}.joindiaspora.com/images/user/#{username}.jpg")
+                    ))
   user.person.save!
 
   user.aspect(:name => "Presidents")
 end
 
+def set_app_config username
+  current_config = YAML.load(Rails.root.join('config', 'app_config.yml')).symbolize_keys
+  current_config[Rails.env] ||= {}
+  current_config[Rails.env][:pod_url] = "#{username}.joindiaspora.com"
+  current_config[:default][:pod_url] = "#{username}.joindiaspora.com"
+  file = File.new(Rails.root.join('config','app_config.yml'),'w')
+  file.write(current_config.to_yaml)
+  file.close
+end
diff --git a/db/seeds/dev.rb b/db/seeds/dev.rb
index 12c728ddf..ef9dddecf 100644
--- a/db/seeds/dev.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/dev.rb
@@ -6,31 +6,23 @@
 
 require 'config/environment'
 
-host = "localhost:3000"
-url = "http://#{host}/"
 username = "tom"
 # Create seed user
 user = User.instantiate!( :email => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com",
                      :username => "tom",
                     :password => "evankorth",
                     :password_confirmation => "evankorth",
-                    :url=> "http://#{username}.joindiaspora.com/"
                     :person => Person.new(
-                      :diaspora_handle => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com",
-                      :url => url,
                       :profile => Profile.new( :first_name => "Alexander", :last_name => "Hamiltom" ))
                   )
 user.person.save!
 
 user2 = User.instantiate!( :email => "korth@tom.joindiaspora.com",
                      :username => "korth",
-                     :url=> "http://#{username}.joindiaspora.com/"
                     :password => "evankorth",
                     :password_confirmation => "evankorth",
-                    :person => Person.new( :diaspora_handle => "korth@tom.joindiaspora.com",
-                                          :url => url,
-                                          :profile => Profile.new( :first_name => "Evan",
-                                                                  :last_name => "Korth")))
+                    :person => Person.new(
+                      :profile => Profile.new( :first_name => "Evan", :last_name => "Korth")))
 
 user2.person.save!
 
diff --git a/db/seeds/tom.rb b/db/seeds/tom.rb
index 61b2ad44f..c35058bf7 100644
--- a/db/seeds/tom.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/tom.rb
@@ -6,17 +6,26 @@
 
 require 'config/environment'
 
-remote_url = "http://tom.joindiaspora.com/"
-#remote_url = "http://localhost:3000/"
+def set_app_config username
+  current_config = YAML.load(Rails.root.join('config', 'app_config.yml')).symbolize_keys
+  current_config[Rails.env] ||= {}
+  current_config[Rails.env][:pod_url] = "#{username}.joindiaspora.com"
+  current_config[:default][:pod_url] = "#{username}.joindiaspora.com"
+  file = File.new(Rails.root.join('config','app_config.yml'),'w')
+  file.write(current_config.to_yaml)
+  file.close
+end
+
+set_app_config "tom"
+require 'config/initializers/_load_app_config.rb'
+
+
 # Create seed user
 user = User.instantiate!( :email => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com",
                      :username => "tom",
                     :password => "evankorth",
                     :password_confirmation => "evankorth",
-                    :url => remote_url,
                     :person => {
-                      :diaspora_handle => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com",
-                      :url => remote_url,
                       :profile => { :first_name => "Alexander", :last_name => "Hamiltom",
                       :image_url => "http://tom.joindiaspora.com/images/user/tom.jpg"}}
                   )
@@ -26,11 +35,7 @@ user2 = User.instantiate!( :email => "korth@tom.joindiaspora.com",
                     :password => "evankorth",
                     :password_confirmation => "evankorth",
                      :username => "korth",
-                     :url => remote_url,
-                    :person => { :diaspora_handle => "korth@tom.joindiaspora.com",
-                                          :url => remote_url,
-                                          :profile => { :first_name => "Evan",
-                                                                  :last_name => "Korth",
+                    :person => {:profile => { :first_name => "Evan", :last_name => "Korth",
                       :image_url => "http://tom.joindiaspora.com/images/user/korth.jpg"}})
 
 user2.person.save!
@@ -41,3 +46,5 @@ request = user.send_friend_request_to(user2, aspect)
 reversed_request = user2.accept_friend_request( request.id, user2.aspect(:name => "presidents").id )
 user.receive reversed_request.to_diaspora_xml
 user.aspect(:name => "Presidents")
+
+
diff --git a/spec/factories.rb b/spec/factories.rb
index c1dfcd50a..21a7ad110 100644
--- a/spec/factories.rb
+++ b/spec/factories.rb
@@ -39,7 +39,10 @@ Factory.define :user do |u|
   u.sequence(:email) {|n| "bob#{n}@pivotallabs.com"}
   u.password "bluepin7"
   u.password_confirmation "bluepin7"
-  u.person { |a| Factory.create(:person_with_user, :owner_id => a._id)}
+  u.person { |a| Factory.create(:person_with_user,
+                                :owner_id => a._id,
+                                :diaspora_handle => "#{a.username}@#{APP_CONFIG[:pod_url].gsub(/(https?:|www\.)\/\//, '').chop!}")
+  }
 end
 
 Factory.define :status_message do |m|
diff --git a/spec/models/person_spec.rb b/spec/models/person_spec.rb
index 4f236b733..3275d9245 100644
--- a/spec/models/person_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/person_spec.rb
@@ -15,6 +15,20 @@ describe Person do
     @aspect2 = @user2.aspect(:name => "Abscence of Babes")
   end
 
+  describe '#diaspora_handle' do
+    context 'local people' do
+      it 'uses the pod config url to set the diaspora_handle' do
+        @user.person.diaspora_handle.should == @user.username + "@example.org"
+      end
+    end
+    
+    context 'remote people' do
+      it 'stores the diaspora_handle in the database' do
+        @person.diaspora_handle.include?(@user.terse_url).should be false
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   it 'should not allow two people with the same diaspora_handle' do
     person_two = Factory.build(:person, :url => @person.diaspora_handle)
     person_two.valid?.should == false
@@ -148,13 +162,11 @@ describe Person do
     end
 
     it 'should search by diaspora_handle exactly' do
-
       stub_success("tom@tom.joindiaspora.com")
       Person.by_webfinger(@friend_one.diaspora_handle).should == @friend_one
     end
 
     it 'should create a stub for a remote user' do
-
       stub_success("tom@tom.joindiaspora.com")
       tom = Person.by_webfinger('tom@tom.joindiaspora.com')
       tom.real_name.include?("Hamiltom").should be true
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index ef9a08cc5..2249ae0b1 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -7,11 +7,18 @@
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../spec_helper'
 
 describe User do
-   before do
-      @user = Factory.create(:user)
-      @aspect = @user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
-   end
-  
+  before do
+    @user = Factory.create(:user)
+    @aspect = @user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
+  end
+
+  describe '#diaspora_handle' do 
+    it 'uses the pod config url to set the diaspora_handle' do
+      @user.diaspora_handle.should == @user.username + "@example.org"
+    end
+  end
+
+
 
   describe 'profiles' do
     it 'should be able to update their profile and send it to their friends' do
@@ -41,12 +48,12 @@ describe User do
 
       friend_users(@user, Aspect.find_by_id(@aspect.id), user2, Aspect.find_by_id(aspect2.id))
       @aspect.reload
-      
+
       @user.aspects.include?(@aspect).should == true
 
       proc{@user.drop_aspect(@aspect)}.should raise_error /Aspect not empty/
 
-      @user.reload
+        @user.reload
       @user.aspects.include?(@aspect).should == true
     end
   end