diff --git a/app/models/retraction.rb b/app/models/retraction.rb
index 89d430dc8..3aa3cf875 100644
--- a/app/models/retraction.rb
+++ b/app/models/retraction.rb
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class Retraction
     if self.type.constantize.find_by_id(post_id) 
       unless Post.first(:diaspora_handle => person.diaspora_handle, :id => post_id) 
         Rails.logger.info("event=retraction status=abort reason='no post found authored by retractor' sender=#{person.diaspora_handle} post_id=#{post_id}")
-        raise "#{person.inspect} is trying to retract a post that either doesn't exist or is not by them"
+        return 
       end
 
       begin
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb b/lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb
index 182ba473e..48081d7a3 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb
@@ -6,23 +6,25 @@ module Diaspora
       def receive_salmon salmon_xml
         salmon = Salmon::SalmonSlap.parse salmon_xml, self
         webfinger = EMWebfinger.new(salmon.author_email)
-
-        webfinger.on_person { |response|
-          if response.is_a? Person
-            salmon_author = response
-            if salmon.verified_for_key?(salmon_author.public_key)
-              self.receive(salmon.parsed_data, salmon_author)
-            end
+        begin
+          salmon_author = webfinger.fetch
+        rescue Exception => e
+          Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=abort recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon.author_email} reason='#{e.message}'")
+        end
+        
+        if salmon_author
+          if salmon.verified_for_key?(salmon_author.public_key)
+            self.receive(salmon.parsed_data, salmon_author)
           else
-            Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=abort recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon.author_email} reason='#{response}'")
+            Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=abort recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon.author_email} reason='not_verified for key'")
           end
-        }
+        end
       end
 
       def receive xml, salmon_author
         object = Diaspora::Parser.from_xml(xml)
         Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=start recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} payload_type=#{object.class} sender=#{salmon_author.diaspora_handle}")
-        
+
         if object.is_a?(Request)
           salmon_author.save
           object.sender_handle = salmon_author.diaspora_handle
@@ -41,17 +43,23 @@ module Diaspora
 
         e = EMWebfinger.new(object.diaspora_handle)
 
-        e.on_person do |person|
-          if person.class == Person
-            object.person = person if object.respond_to? :person=
-            unless object.is_a?(Request) || self.contact_for(salmon_author)
-              Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=abort reason='sender not connected to recipient' recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon_author.diaspora_handle} payload_type=#{object.class}")
-              return
-            else
-              receive_object(object,person)
-              Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=complete recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon_author.diaspora_handle} payload_type#{object.class}")
-              return object
-            end
+        begin 
+          person = e.fetch
+        rescue Exception => e
+          Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=abort reason='#{e.message}' payload_type=#{object.class} recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon_author.diaspora_handle}")
+          return
+        end
+
+        if person
+          object.person = person if object.respond_to? :person=
+
+          unless object.is_a?(Request) || self.contact_for(salmon_author)
+            Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=abort reason='sender not connected to recipient' recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon_author.diaspora_handle} payload_type=#{object.class}")
+            return
+          else
+            receive_object(object,person)
+            Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=complete recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{salmon_author.diaspora_handle} payload_type#{object.class}")
+            return object
           end
         end
       end
@@ -102,7 +110,7 @@ module Diaspora
       def receive_comment comment
 
         commenter = comment.person
-      
+
         unless comment.post.person == self.person || comment.verify_post_creator_signature
           Rails.logger.info("event=receive status=abort reason='comment signature not valid' recipient=#{self.diaspora_handle} sender=#{comment.post.person.diaspora_handle} payload_type=#{comment.class} post_id=#{comment.post_id}")
           return
@@ -136,10 +144,10 @@ module Diaspora
       def receive_post post
         #exsists locally, but you dont know about it
         #does not exsist locally, and you dont know about it
-        
+
         #exsists_locally?
-          #you know about it, and it is mutable
-          #you know about it, and it is not mutable
+        #you know about it, and it is mutable
+        #you know about it, and it is not mutable
         #
         on_pod = exsists_on_pod?(post)
         if on_pod && on_pod.diaspora_handle == post.diaspora_handle 
diff --git a/lib/em-webfinger.rb b/lib/em-webfinger.rb
index bc7904a07..14304a276 100644
--- a/lib/em-webfinger.rb
+++ b/lib/em-webfinger.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ class EMWebfinger
   OPTS = {:timeout => TIMEOUT, :redirects => REDIRECTS}
   def initialize(account)
     @account = account.strip.gsub('acct:','').to_s
-    @callbacks = []
     @ssl = true 
     Rails.logger.info("event=EMWebfinger status=initialized target=#{account}")
     # Raise an error if identifier has a port number 
@@ -15,67 +14,53 @@ class EMWebfinger
     # Raise an error if identifier is not a valid email (generous regexp)
     #raise "Identifier is invalid" if !(@account=~ /^[a-zA-Z][\w\.-]*[a-zA-Z0-9]@[a-zA-Z0-9][\w\.-]*[a-zA-Z0-9]\.[a-zA-Z][a-zA-Z\.]*[a-zA-Z]$/)
   end 
+
   def fetch
-    if @callbacks.empty?
-      Rails.logger.info("event=EMWebfinger status=abort target=#{@account} callbacks=empty")
-      raise 'you need to set a callback before calling fetch' 
-    end
     person = Person.by_account_identifier(@account)
     if person
       Rails.logger.info("event=EMWebfinger status=local target=#{@account}")
-      process_callbacks person
+      return person
     else
       Rails.logger.info("event=EMWebfinger status=remote target=#{@account}")
+
       profile_url = get_xrd
-
-      webfinger_profile = get_webfinger_profile(profile_url) if profile_url
-
-      fingered_person = make_person_from_webfinger(webfinger_profile) if webfinger_profile
-
-      process_callbacks(fingered_person)
+      webfinger_profile = get_webfinger_profile(profile_url) 
+      fingered_person = make_person_from_webfinger(webfinger_profile) 
+      fingered_person
     end
   end
 
-  def on_person(&block)
-    @callbacks << block
-    self.fetch
-  end
-
   private
-
   def get_xrd
-      begin
-        http = RestClient.get xrd_url, OPTS
+    begin
+      http = RestClient.get xrd_url, OPTS
 
-        profile_url = webfinger_profile_url(http.body)
-        if profile_url
-          return profile_url
-        else
-          raise "no profile URL"
-        end
-      rescue
-        if @ssl
-          @ssl = false
-          retry
-        else
-          process_callbacks I18n.t('webfinger.xrd_fetch_failed', :account => @account)
-          return
-        end
-      end 
+      profile_url = webfinger_profile_url(http.body)
+      if profile_url
+        return profile_url
+      else
+        raise "no profile URL"
+      end
+    rescue Exception => e
+      if @ssl
+        @ssl = false
+        retry
+      else
+        raise e
+        raise I18n.t('webfinger.xrd_fetch_failed', :account => @account)
+      end
+    end 
   end
 
 
   def get_webfinger_profile(profile_url)
-     
     begin
       http = RestClient.get(profile_url, OPTS)
-      return http.body
 
-    rescue Exception => e
-      puts e.message
-      process_callbacks I18n.t('webfinger.fetch_failed', :profile_url => profile_url) 
-      return
-    end 
+    rescue 
+      raise I18n.t('webfinger.fetch_failed', :profile_url => profile_url) 
+    end
+    return http.body
   end
 
   def make_person_from_webfinger(webfinger_profile)
@@ -86,9 +71,8 @@ class EMWebfinger
       begin
         hcard = RestClient.get(wf_profile.hcard, OPTS)
       rescue
-         process_callbacks I18n.t('webfinger.hcard_fetch_failed', :account => @account)
-         return
-      end 
+        return I18n.t('webfinger.hcard_fetch_failed', :account => @account)
+      end
 
       card = HCard.build hcard.body
       p = Person.build_from_webfinger(wf_profile, card)
@@ -96,19 +80,6 @@ class EMWebfinger
   end
 
 
-  def process_callbacks(person)
-    Rails.logger.info("event=EMWebfinger status=callbacks_started target=#{@account} response='#{person.is_a?(String) ? person : person.id}'")
-    @callbacks.each { |c|
-      begin
-        c.call(person)
-      rescue Exception => e
-        Rails.logger.info("event=EMWebfinger status=error_on_callback error='#{e.inspect}'")
-      end
-    }
-    Rails.logger.info("event=EMWebfinger status=complete target=#{@account}")
-  end
-
-
   ##helpers
   private
 
@@ -122,7 +93,7 @@ class EMWebfinger
     domain = @account.split('@')[1]
     "http#{'s' if @ssl}://#{domain}/.well-known/host-meta"
   end
-  
+
   def swizzle(template)
     template.gsub '{uri}', @account
   end
diff --git a/spec/lib/em-webfinger_spec.rb b/spec/lib/em-webfinger_spec.rb
index 6b5c16b9c..c8c8c4710 100644
--- a/spec/lib/em-webfinger_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/lib/em-webfinger_spec.rb
@@ -42,35 +42,6 @@ describe EMWebfinger do
       end
     end
 
-
-    describe '#on_person' do 
-      it 'should set a callback' do
-        n = EMWebfinger.new("mbs@gmail.com")
-        n.stub(:fetch).and_return(true)
-
-        n.on_person{|person| 1+1}
-        n.instance_variable_get(:@callbacks).count.should be 1
-      end
-
-      it 'should not blow up if the returned xrd is nil' do
-        http = FakeHttpRequest.new(:success)
-        fake_account = 'foo@example.com'
-        http.callbacks = ['']
-        EventMachine::HttpRequest.should_receive(:new).and_return(http)
-        n = EMWebfinger.new("foo@example.com")
-
-        n.on_person{|person|
-          person.should == "webfinger does not seem to be enabled for #{fake_account}'s host"
-        }
-      end
-    end
-
-    describe '#fetch' do
-      it 'should require a callback' do
-        proc{finger.fetch }.should raise_error "you need to set a callback before calling fetch"
-      end
-    end
-
     context 'webfinger query chain processing' do 
       describe '#webfinger_profile_url' do
         it 'should parse out the webfinger template' do
@@ -101,81 +72,31 @@ describe EMWebfinger do
     context 'webfingering local people' do
       it 'should return a person from the database if it matches its handle' do
         person.save
-        EM.run do
-          finger.on_person { |p|
-            p.should ==  person
-            EM.stop
-          }
+          finger.fetch.id.should == person.id
         end
       end
 
       it 'should fetch a diaspora webfinger and make a person for them' do
-        good_request.callbacks = [diaspora_xrd, diaspora_finger, hcard_xml]
-
+        diaspora_xrd.stub!(:body).and_return(diaspora_xrd)
+        hcard_xml.stub!(:body).and_return(hcard_xml)
+        diaspora_finger.stub!(:body).and_return(diaspora_finger)
+        RestClient.stub!(:get).and_return(diaspora_xrd, diaspora_finger, hcard_xml)
         #new_person = Factory.build(:person, :diaspora_handle => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com")
         # http://tom.joindiaspora.com/.well-known/host-meta 
-        f = EMWebfinger.new("tom@tom.joindiaspora.com") 
+        f = EMWebfinger.new("tom@tom.joindiaspora.com").fetch
+        f.should be_valid
 
-        EventMachine::HttpRequest.should_receive(:new).exactly(3).times.and_return(good_request)
-
-        EM.run {
-          f.on_person{ |p| 
-            p.valid?.should be true 
-            EM.stop
-          }
-        }
       end
       
       it 'should retry with http if https fails' do
-        good_request.callbacks = [nil, diaspora_xrd, diaspora_finger, hcard_xml]
-
-        #new_person = Factory.build(:person, :diaspora_handle => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com")
-        # http://tom.joindiaspora.com/.well-known/host-meta 
         f = EMWebfinger.new("tom@tom.joindiaspora.com") 
 
-        EventMachine::HttpRequest.should_receive(:new).exactly(4).times.and_return(good_request)
-
+        diaspora_xrd.stub!(:body).and_return(diaspora_xrd)
+        RestClient.should_receive(:get).twice.and_return(nil, diaspora_xrd)
         f.should_receive(:xrd_url).twice
-
-        EM.run {
-          f.on_person{ |p| 
-            EM.stop
-          }
-        }
+        f.send(:get_xrd)
+        f.instance_variable_get(:@ssl).should == false
       end
 
-      it 'must try https first' do
-        single_request = FakeHttpRequest.new(:success)
-        single_request.callbacks = [diaspora_xrd]
-        good_request.callbacks = [diaspora_finger, hcard_xml]
-        EventMachine::HttpRequest.should_receive(:new).with("https://tom.joindiaspora.com/.well-known/host-meta").and_return(single_request)
-        EventMachine::HttpRequest.should_receive(:new).exactly(2).and_return(good_request)
-
-        f = EMWebfinger.new("tom@tom.joindiaspora.com") 
-
-        EM.run {
-          f.on_person{ |p| 
-            EM.stop
-          }
-        }
-      end
-
-      it 'should retry with http if https fails with an http error code' do
-        bad_request = FakeHttpRequest.new(:failure)
-
-        good_request.callbacks = [diaspora_xrd, diaspora_finger, hcard_xml]
-
-        EventMachine::HttpRequest.should_receive(:new).with("https://tom.joindiaspora.com/.well-known/host-meta").and_return(bad_request)
-        EventMachine::HttpRequest.should_receive(:new).exactly(3).and_return(good_request)
-
-        f = EMWebfinger.new("tom@tom.joindiaspora.com") 
-
-        EM.run {
-          f.on_person{ |p| 
-          EM.stop
-        }
-        }
-      end
     end
   end
-end
diff --git a/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb b/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb
index a2ff94d5f..45eb64a24 100644
--- a/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ describe User do
 
   describe '#receive_salmon' do
    it 'should handle the case where the webfinger fails' do
-    Person.should_receive(:by_account_identifier).and_return("not a person")
+    EMWebfinger.stub!(:fetch).and_return(nil)
 
     proc{
       user2.post :status_message, :message => "store this!", :to => aspect2.id