diff --git a/COPYRIGHT b/COPYRIGHT
index 8a380cc7e..f1bed1a6b 100644
--- a/COPYRIGHT
+++ b/COPYRIGHT
@@ -1,14 +1,23 @@
-Diaspora is copyright Diaspora Inc., 2010, and files herein are licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3, the text of which can be found in GNU-AGPL-3.0, or any later version of the AGPL, unless otherwise noted.  Components of Diaspora, including Rails, JQuery, and Devise, are licensed under the MIT/X11 license.  Blueprint-CSS is licensed under a modified version of the MIT/X11 license.  All unmodified files from these and other sources retain their original copyright and license notices: see the relevant individual files.  Attribution information for Diaspora is contained in the AUTHORS file.
+Diaspora is copyright Diaspora Inc., 2010, and files herein are licensed
+under the Affero General Public License version 3, the text of which can
+be found in GNU-AGPL-3.0, or any later version of the AGPL, unless otherwise
+noted.  Components of Diaspora, including Rails, JQuery, and Devise, are
+licensed under the MIT/X11 license.  Blueprint-CSS is licensed under a
+modified version of the MIT/X11 license.  All unmodified files from these
+and other sources retain their original copyright and license notices: see
+the relevant individual files.  Attribution information for Diaspora is
+contained in the AUTHORS file.
 
-* In addition, as a special exception, the copyright holders give
-* permission to link the code of portions of this program with the
-* OpenSSL library under certain conditions as described in each
-* individual source file, and distribute linked combinations
-* including the two.
-* You must obey the GNU General Public License in all respects
-* for all of the code used other than OpenSSL.  If you modify
-* file(s) with this exception, you may extend this exception to your
-* version of the file(s), but you are not obligated to do so.  If you
-* do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your
-* version.  If you delete this exception statement from all source
-* files in the program, then also delete it here.
+In addition, as a special exception, the copyright holders give
+permission to link the code of portions of this program with the
+OpenSSL library under certain conditions as described in each
+individual source file, and distribute linked combinations
+including the two.
+
+You must obey the GNU Affero General Public License V3 or later in all respects
+for all of the code used other than OpenSSL or the components mentioned
+above.  If you modify file(s) with this exception, you may extend this 
+exception to your version of the file(s), but you are not obligated to 
+do so.  If you do not wish to do so, delete this exception statement from your
+version.  If you delete this exception statement from all source files in the 
+program, then also delete it here.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 0ae9faff1..6e9c40aa0 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -240,6 +240,6 @@ Ongoing discussion:
 - [#diaspora-dev IRC channel](irc://irc.freenode.net/#diaspora-dev)
   ([join via the web client](http://webchat.freenode.net?channels=diaspora-dev))
 
-More general info and updates about the project can be found on our [blog](http://joindiaspora.com), [and on Twitter](http://twitter.com/joindiaspora).  Also, be sure to join the official [mailing list](http://http://eepurl.com/Vebk).
+More general info and updates about the project can be found on our [blog](http://joindiaspora.com), [and on Twitter](http://twitter.com/joindiaspora).  Also, be sure to join the official [mailing list](http://eepurl.com/Vebk).
 
 If you wish to contact us privately about any exploits in Diaspora you may find, you can email [exploits@joindiaspora.com](mailto:exploits@joindiaspora.com).
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 e86a98cfb..4e9e968ca 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -5,12 +5,14 @@
 
 require 'lib/diaspora/user/friending.rb'
 require 'lib/diaspora/user/querying.rb'
+require 'lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb'
 require 'lib/salmon/salmon'
 
 class User
   include MongoMapper::Document
   include Diaspora::UserModules::Friending
   include Diaspora::UserModules::Querying
+  include Diaspora::UserModules::Receiving
   include Encryptor::Private
   QUEUE = MessageHandler.new
 
@@ -23,8 +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'
@@ -95,8 +95,6 @@ class User
 
   ######## Posting ########
   def post(class_name, options = {})
-
-    puts options.inspect
     if class_name == :photo
       raise ArgumentError.new("No album_id given") unless options[:album_id]
       aspect_ids = aspects_with_post( options[:album_id] )
@@ -221,86 +219,10 @@ class User
     end
   end
 
-  ###### Receiving #######
-  def receive_salmon ciphertext
-    cleartext = decrypt( ciphertext)
-    salmon = Salmon::SalmonSlap.parse cleartext
-    if salmon.verified_for_key?(salmon.author.public_key)
-      Rails.logger.info("data in salmon: #{salmon.data}")
-      self.receive(salmon.data)
-    end
-  end
-
-  def receive xml
-    object = Diaspora::Parser.from_xml(xml)
-    Rails.logger.debug("Receiving object for #{self.real_name}:\n#{object.inspect}")
-    Rails.logger.debug("From: #{object.person.inspect}") if object.person
-
-    if object.is_a? Retraction
-      if object.type == 'Person'
-
-        Rails.logger.info( "the person id is #{object.post_id} the friend found is #{visible_person_by_id(object.post_id).inspect}")
-        unfriended_by visible_person_by_id(object.post_id)
-else
-        object.perform self.id
-        aspects = self.aspects_with_person(object.person)
-        aspects.each{ |aspect| aspect.post_ids.delete(object.post_id.to_id)
-                             aspect.save
-        }
-      end
-    elsif object.is_a? Request
-      person = Diaspora::Parser.parse_or_find_person_from_xml( xml )
-      person.serialized_key ||= object.exported_key
-      object.person = person
-      object.person.save
-      old_request =  Request.first(:id => object.id)
-      object.aspect_id = old_request.aspect_id if old_request
-      object.save
-      receive_friend_request(object)
-    elsif object.is_a? Profile
-      person = Diaspora::Parser.owner_id_from_xml xml
-      person.profile = object
-      person.save
-
-    elsif object.is_a?(Comment)
-      object.person = Diaspora::Parser.parse_or_find_person_from_xml( xml ).save if object.person.nil?
-      self.visible_people = self.visible_people | [object.person]
-      self.save
-      Rails.logger.debug("The person parsed from comment xml is #{object.person.inspect}") unless object.person.nil?
-      object.person.save
-    Rails.logger.debug("From: #{object.person.inspect}") if object.person
-      raise "In receive for #{self.real_name}, signature was not valid on: #{object.inspect}" unless object.post.person == self.person || object.verify_post_creator_signature
-      object.save
-      unless owns?(object)
-        dispatch_comment object
-      end
-      object.socket_to_uid(id)  if (object.respond_to?(:socket_to_uid) && !self.owns?(object))
-    else
-      Rails.logger.debug("Saving object: #{object}")
-      object.user_refs += 1
-      object.save
-
-      self.raw_visible_posts << object
-      self.save
-
-      aspects = self.aspects_with_person(object.person)
-      aspects.each{ |aspect|
-        aspect.posts << object
-        aspect.save
-        object.socket_to_uid(id, :aspect_ids => [aspect.id]) if (object.respond_to?(:socket_to_uid) && !self.owns?(object))
-      }
-
-    end
-
-  end
-
   ###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
@@ -311,7 +233,7 @@ else
   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..d39ce490c 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'))
+  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..b81d10827 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'))
+  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/lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb b/lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..39b1af5d2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/diaspora/user/receiving.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+module Diaspora
+  module UserModules
+    module Receiving
+      def receive_salmon ciphertext
+        cleartext = decrypt( ciphertext)
+        salmon = Salmon::SalmonSlap.parse cleartext
+        if salmon.verified_for_key?(salmon.author.public_key)
+          Rails.logger.info("data in salmon: #{salmon.data}")
+          self.receive(salmon.data)
+        end
+      end
+
+      def receive xml
+        object = Diaspora::Parser.from_xml(xml)
+        Rails.logger.debug("Receiving object for #{self.real_name}:\n#{object.inspect}")
+        Rails.logger.debug("From: #{object.person.inspect}") if object.person
+
+        if object.is_a? Retraction
+          receive_retraction object, xml
+        elsif object.is_a? Request
+          receive_request object, xml
+        elsif object.is_a? Profile
+          receive_profile object, xml
+        elsif object.is_a?(Comment)
+          receive_comment object, xml
+        else
+          receive_post object, xml
+        end
+      end
+
+      def receive_retraction retraction, xml
+        if retraction.type == 'Person'
+          Rails.logger.info( "the person id is #{retraction.post_id} the friend found is #{visible_person_by_id(retraction.post_id).inspect}")
+          unfriended_by visible_person_by_id(retraction.post_id)
+        else
+          retraction.perform self.id
+          aspects = self.aspects_with_person(retraction.person)
+          aspects.each{ |aspect| aspect.post_ids.delete(retraction.post_id.to_id)
+            aspect.save
+          }
+        end
+      end
+
+      def receive_request request, xml
+        person = Diaspora::Parser.parse_or_find_person_from_xml( xml )
+        person.serialized_key ||= request.exported_key
+        request.person = person
+        request.person.save
+        old_request =  Request.first(:id => request.id)
+        request.aspect_id = old_request.aspect_id if old_request
+        request.save
+        receive_friend_request(request)
+      end
+
+      def receive_profile profile, xml
+        person = Diaspora::Parser.owner_id_from_xml xml
+        person.profile = profile
+        person.save
+      end
+
+      def receive_comment comment, xml
+        comment.person = Diaspora::Parser.parse_or_find_person_from_xml( xml ).save if comment.person.nil?
+        self.visible_people = self.visible_people | [comment.person]
+        self.save
+        Rails.logger.debug("The person parsed from comment xml is #{comment.person.inspect}") unless comment.person.nil?
+        comment.person.save
+        Rails.logger.debug("From: #{comment.person.inspect}") if comment.person
+        raise "In receive for #{self.real_name}, signature was not valid on: #{comment.inspect}" unless comment.post.person == self.person || comment.verify_post_creator_signature
+        comment.save
+        unless owns?(comment)
+          dispatch_comment comment
+        end
+        comment.socket_to_uid(id)  if (comment.respond_to?(:socket_to_uid) && !self.owns?(comment))
+      end
+
+      def receive_post post, xml
+        Rails.logger.debug("Saving post: #{post}")
+        post.user_refs += 1
+        post.save
+
+        self.raw_visible_posts << post
+        self.save
+
+        aspects = self.aspects_with_person(post.person)
+        aspects.each{ |aspect|
+          aspect.posts << post
+          aspect.save
+          post.socket_to_uid(id, :aspect_ids => [aspect.id]) if (post.respond_to?(:socket_to_uid) && !self.owns?(post))
+        }
+      end
+    end
+  end
+end
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/posting_spec.rb b/spec/models/user/posting_spec.rb
index d00747a2d..1f24f3fed 100644
--- a/spec/models/user/posting_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user/posting_spec.rb
@@ -7,65 +7,68 @@
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../../spec_helper'
 
 describe User do
-   before do
-     @user = Factory.create :user
-     @aspect = @user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
-     @aspect1 = @user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
 
-     @user2 = Factory.create(:user)
-     @aspect2 = @user2.aspect(:name => 'losers')
+  let(:user)  { Factory(:user) }
+  let(:user2) { Factory(:user) }
+  let(:user3) { Factory(:user) }
+  let(:user4) { Factory(:user) }
 
-     @user3 = Factory.create(:user)
-     @aspect3 = @user3.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
+  let(:aspect)   {user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')}
+  let!(:aspect1) {user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')}
+  let!(:aspect2) {user2.aspect(:name => 'losers')}
+  let!(:aspect3) {user3.aspect(:name => 'heroes')}
+  let!(:aspect4) {user4.aspect(:name => 'heroes')}
 
-     @user4 = Factory.create(:user)
-     @aspect4 = @user4.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
-
-     friend_users(@user, @aspect, @user2, @aspect2)
-     friend_users(@user, @aspect, @user3, @aspect3)
-     friend_users(@user, @aspect1, @user4, @aspect4)
-   end
-
-  it 'should not be able to post without a aspect' do
-    proc {@user.post(:status_message, :message => "heyheyhey")}.should raise_error /You must post to someone/
+  before do
+    friend_users(user, aspect, user2, aspect2)
+    friend_users(user, aspect, user3, aspect3)
+    friend_users(user, aspect1, user4, aspect4)
   end
 
-  it 'should not be able to post to someone elses aspect' do
-    proc {@user.post(:status_message, :message => "heyheyhey", :to => @aspect2.id)}.should raise_error /Cannot post to an aspect you do not own./
-  end
-  
-  it 'should put the post in the aspect post array' do
-    post = @user.post(:status_message, :message => "hey", :to => @aspect.id)
-    @aspect.reload
-    @aspect.post_ids.include?(post.id).should be true
+  context 'posting' do
+    describe '#post' do
+      it 'should not be able to post without a aspect' do
+        proc {user.post(:status_message, :message => "heyheyhey")}.should raise_error /You must post to someone/
+      end
+
+      it 'should not be able to post to someone elses aspect' do
+        proc {user.post(:status_message, :message => "heyheyhey", :to => aspect2.id)}.should raise_error /Cannot post to an aspect you do not own./
+      end
+      
+      it 'should put the post in the aspect post array' do
+        post = user.post(:status_message, :message => "hey", :to => aspect.id)
+        aspect.reload
+        aspect.posts.should include post
+      end
+
+      it 'should put an album in the aspect post array' do
+        album = user.post :album, :name => "Georges", :to => aspect.id
+        aspect.reload
+        aspect.posts.should include album
+      end
+    end
   end
 
-  it 'should put an album in the aspect post array' do
-    album = @user.post :album, :name => "Georges", :to => @aspect.id
-    @aspect.reload
-    @aspect.post_ids.include?(album.id).should be true
-    @aspect.posts.include?(album).should be true
-  end
+  context 'dispatching' do
+    let!(:post) { user.build_post :status_message, :message => "hey" }
 
-  describe 'dispatching' do
-    before do
-      @post = @user.build_post :status_message, :message => "hey"
-    end
-    it 'should push a post to a aspect' do
-      @user.should_receive(:salmon).twice
-      @user.push_to_aspects(@post, @aspect.id)
+    describe '#push_to_aspects' do
+      it 'should push a post to a aspect' do
+        user.should_receive(:salmon).twice
+        user.push_to_aspects(post, aspect.id)
+      end
+
+      it 'should push a post to all aspects' do
+        user.should_receive(:salmon).exactly(3).times
+        user.push_to_aspects(post, :all)
+      end
     end
 
-    it 'should push a post to all aspects' do
-      @user.should_receive(:salmon).exactly(3).times
-      @user.push_to_aspects(@post, :all)
+    describe '#push_to_people' do
+      it 'should push to people' do
+        user.should_receive(:salmon).twice
+        user.push_to_people(post, [user2.person, user3.person])
+      end
     end
-
-    it 'should push to people' do
-      @user.should_receive(:salmon).twice
-      @user.push_to_people(@post, [@user2.person, @user3.person])
-    end
-
-
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/user_spec.rb b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
index 223881671..2249ae0b1 100644
--- a/spec/models/user_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user_spec.rb
@@ -7,20 +7,19 @@
 require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../spec_helper'
 
 describe User do
-   before do
-      @user = Factory.create(:user)
-      @aspect = @user.aspect(:name => 'heroes')
-   end
-  
-  it 'should create with pivotal or allowed emails' do
-    user1 = Factory.create(:user, :email => "kimfuh@yahoo.com")
-    user2 = Factory.create(:user, :email => "awesome@sofaer.net")
-    user3 = Factory.create(:user, :email => "steveellis@pivotallabs.com")
-    user1.created_at.nil?.should be false
-    user2.created_at.nil?.should be false
-    user3.created_at.nil?.should be false
+  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
       Factory.create(:person)
@@ -49,13 +48,14 @@ 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
+
 end