diff --git a/services/web/app/coffee/Features/Blog/BlogHandler.coffee b/services/web/app/coffee/Features/Blog/BlogHandler.coffee
index 6f8f41b5fd..c3fd33b8eb 100644
--- a/services/web/app/coffee/Features/Blog/BlogHandler.coffee
+++ b/services/web/app/coffee/Features/Blog/BlogHandler.coffee
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ module.exports = BlogHandler =
 		opts = 
 			url:blogUrl
 			json:true
-			timeout:500
+			timeout:1000
 		request.get opts, (err, res, announcements)->
 			if err?
 				return callback err
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ module.exports = BlogHandler =
 				return callback("blog announcement returned non 200")
 			logger.log announcementsLength: announcements?.length, "announcements returned"
 			announcements = _.map announcements, (announcement)->
-				announcement.url = "/blog#{announcement.url}"
 				announcement.date = new Date(announcement.date)
 				return announcement
 			callback(err, announcements)