diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index c9ba5e6f..eef3cfc6 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -72,13 +72,13 @@ func (c *GraphConfig) Parse(data []byte) error {
 func ParseConfigFromFile(filename string) *GraphConfig {
 	data, err := ioutil.ReadFile(filename)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Error: Config: ParseConfigFromFile: File: %v", err)
+		log.Printf("Config: Error: ParseConfigFromFile: File: %v", err)
 		return nil
 	}
 
 	var config GraphConfig
 	if err := config.Parse(data); err != nil {
-		log.Printf("Error: Config: ParseConfigFromFile: Parse: %v", err)
+		log.Printf("Config: Error: ParseConfigFromFile: Parse: %v", err)
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ func (g *Graph) NewGraphFromConfig(config *GraphConfig, embdEtcd *EmbdEtcd, host
 			x := slice.Index(j).Interface()
 			res, ok := x.(Res) // convert to Res type
 			if !ok {
-				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Error: Config: Can't convert: %v of type: %T to Res.", x, x)
+				return nil, fmt.Errorf("Config: Error: Can't convert: %v of type: %T to Res.", x, x)
 			}
 			if noop {
 				res.Meta().Noop = noop
diff --git a/converger.go b/converger.go
index 49e43008..513919b4 100644
--- a/converger.go
+++ b/converger.go
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ func (obj *converger) Loop(startPaused bool) {
 				continue
 			}
 
-		case _ = <-obj.channel:
+		case <-obj.channel:
 			if !obj.isConverged() {
 				if obj.converged { // we're doing a state change
 					if obj.stateFn != nil {
diff --git a/etcd.go b/etcd.go
index 1dad5d6b..7ace1e32 100644
--- a/etcd.go
+++ b/etcd.go
@@ -180,8 +180,8 @@ type EmbdEtcd struct { // EMBeddeD etcd
 	delq    chan *DL // delete queue
 	txnq    chan *TN // txn queue
 
-	converger Converger // converged tracking
 	prefix    string    // folder prefix to use for misc storage
+	converger Converger // converged tracking
 
 	// etcd server related
 	serverwg sync.WaitGroup // wait for server to shutdown
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ type EmbdEtcd struct { // EMBeddeD etcd
 }
 
 // NewEmbdEtcd creates the top level embedded etcd struct client and server obj
-func NewEmbdEtcd(hostname string, seeds, clientURLs, serverURLs etcdtypes.URLs, noServer bool, idealClusterSize uint16, converger Converger, prefix string) *EmbdEtcd {
+func NewEmbdEtcd(hostname string, seeds, clientURLs, serverURLs etcdtypes.URLs, noServer bool, idealClusterSize uint16, prefix string, converger Converger) *EmbdEtcd {
 	endpoints := make(etcdtypes.URLsMap)
 	if hostname == seedSentinel { // safety
 		return nil
@@ -1557,8 +1557,7 @@ func (obj *EmbdEtcd) idealClusterSizeCallback(re *RE) error {
 	}
 	path := fmt.Sprintf("/%s/idealClusterSize", NS)
 	for _, event := range re.response.Events {
-		key := bytes.NewBuffer(event.Kv.Key).String()
-		if key != path {
+		if key := bytes.NewBuffer(event.Kv.Key).String(); key != path {
 			continue
 		}
 		if event.Type != etcd.EventTypePut {
diff --git a/exec.go b/exec.go
index f8bb85d2..200359b2 100644
--- a/exec.go
+++ b/exec.go
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ func (obj *ExecRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 				return // exit
 			}
 
-		case _ = <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
+		case <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
 			cuuid.SetConverged(true) // converged!
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/file.go b/file.go
index 34c4d580..9aedc1a4 100644
--- a/file.go
+++ b/file.go
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ func (obj *FileRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 			}
 			//dirty = false // these events don't invalidate state
 
-		case _ = <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
+		case <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
 			cuuid.SetConverged(true) // converged!
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index dc40d8fb..b6f258ba 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ func waitForSignal(exit chan bool) {
 	}
 }
 
+// run is the main run target.
 func run(c *cli.Context) error {
 	var start = time.Now().UnixNano()
 	log.Printf("This is: %v, version: %v", program, version)
@@ -184,10 +185,14 @@ func run(c *cli.Context) error {
 		serverURLs,
 		c.Bool("no-server"),
 		idealClusterSize,
-		converger,
 		prefix,
+		converger,
 	)
-	if err := EmbdEtcd.Startup(); err != nil { // startup (returns when etcd main loop is running)
+	if EmbdEtcd == nil {
+		// TODO: verify EmbdEtcd is not nil below...
+		log.Printf("Main: Etcd: Creation failed!")
+		exit <- true
+	} else if err := EmbdEtcd.Startup(); err != nil { // startup (returns when etcd main loop is running)
 		log.Printf("Main: Etcd: Startup failed: %v", err)
 		exit <- true
 	}
@@ -241,7 +246,7 @@ func run(c *cli.Context) error {
 				config = ParseConfigFromPuppet(c.String("puppet"), c.String("puppet-conf"))
 			}
 			if config == nil {
-				log.Printf("Config parse failure")
+				log.Printf("Config: Parse failure")
 				continue
 			}
 
diff --git a/noop.go b/noop.go
index 174ad943..231c852e 100644
--- a/noop.go
+++ b/noop.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func (obj *NoopRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 				return // exit
 			}
 
-		case _ = <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
+		case <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
 			cuuid.SetConverged(true) // converged!
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/packagekit.go b/packagekit.go
index 6113b4b5..0885ffd9 100644
--- a/packagekit.go
+++ b/packagekit.go
@@ -415,7 +415,7 @@ loop:
 			} else {
 				return fmt.Errorf("PackageKit: Error: %v", signal.Body)
 			}
-		case _ = <-TimeAfterOrBlock(timeout):
+		case <-TimeAfterOrBlock(timeout):
 			if finished {
 				log.Println("PackageKit: Timeout: InstallPackages: Waiting for 'Destroy'")
 				return nil // got tired of waiting for Destroy
diff --git a/pkg.go b/pkg.go
index 8299975a..d5400687 100644
--- a/pkg.go
+++ b/pkg.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (obj *PkgRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 			}
 			dirty = false // these events don't invalidate state
 
-		case _ = <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
+		case <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
 			cuuid.SetConverged(true) // converged!
 			continue
 		}
diff --git a/remote.go b/remote.go
index 53d9485e..6dbb88ba 100644
--- a/remote.go
+++ b/remote.go
@@ -342,8 +342,9 @@ func (obj *SSH) SftpClean() error {
 	// TODO: fix this possible? panic if we ever end up caring about it...
 	// close any copy operations that are in progress...
 	obj.f1.Close() // TODO: we probably only need to shutdown one of them,
-	obj.f2.Close() // but which one should we shutdown? close both for now
-
+	if obj.f2 != nil {
+		obj.f2.Close() // but which one should we shutdown? close both for now
+	}
 	// clean up the graph definition in obj.remotewd
 	err := obj.sftp.Remove(obj.filepath)
 
@@ -567,6 +568,9 @@ func (obj *SSH) ExecExit() error {
 
 // Go kicks off the entire sequence of one SSH connection.
 func (obj *SSH) Go() error {
+	defer func() {
+		obj.exiting = true // bonus: set this as a bonus on exit...
+	}()
 	if obj.exitCheck() {
 		return nil
 	}
@@ -852,6 +856,7 @@ func (obj *Remotes) Run() {
 				}
 				obj.lock.Lock()
 				sshobj, exists := obj.sshmap[f]
+				obj.lock.Unlock()
 				if !exists || sshobj == nil {
 					continue // skip, this hasn't happened yet
 				}
@@ -862,7 +867,6 @@ func (obj *Remotes) Run() {
 				if _, err := sshobj.SftpGraphCopy(); err == nil { // push new copy
 					log.Printf("Remote: Copied over new graph definition: %s", f)
 				} // ignore errors
-				obj.lock.Unlock()
 			}
 		}()
 	}
@@ -884,7 +888,7 @@ func (obj *Remotes) Run() {
 		obj.sshmap[f] = sshobj // save a reference
 
 		obj.wg.Add(1)
-		go func() {
+		go func(sshobj *SSH, f string) {
 			if obj.cConns != 0 {
 				defer obj.semaphore.V(1)
 			}
@@ -892,7 +896,7 @@ func (obj *Remotes) Run() {
 			if err := sshobj.Go(); err != nil {
 				log.Printf("Remote: Error: %s", err)
 			}
-		}()
+		}(sshobj, f)
 		obj.lock.Unlock()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/svc.go b/svc.go
index d0b8b66d..0fda08a2 100644
--- a/svc.go
+++ b/svc.go
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ func (obj *SvcRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 
 			obj.SetState(resStateWatching) // reset
 			select {
-			case _ = <-buschan: // XXX wait for new units event to unstick
+			case <-buschan: // XXX wait for new units event to unstick
 				cuuid.SetConverged(false)
 				// loop so that we can see the changed invalid signal
 				log.Printf("Svc[%v]->DaemonReload()", svc)
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (obj *SvcRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 					dirty = true
 				}
 
-			case _ = <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
+			case <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
 				cuuid.SetConverged(true) // converged!
 				continue
 			}
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ func (obj *SvcRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 					dirty = true
 				}
 
-			case _ = <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
+			case <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
 				cuuid.SetConverged(true) // converged!
 				continue
 			}
diff --git a/test/test-govet.sh b/test/test-govet.sh
index 4cad9d23..0b616e6f 100755
--- a/test/test-govet.sh
+++ b/test/test-govet.sh
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ ROOT="$( cd "$( dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}" )" && cd .. && pwd )"	# dir!
 cd "${ROOT}"
 
 go vet && echo PASS || exit 1	# since it doesn't output an ok message on pass
-grep 'log.' *.go | grep '\\n"' && exit 1 || echo PASS	# no \n needed in log.Printf()
+grep 'log.' *.go | grep '\\n"' && echo 'no \n needed in log.Printf()' && exit 1 || echo PASS	# no \n needed in log.Printf()
+grep 'case _ = <-' *.go && echo 'case _ = <- can be simplified to: case <-' && exit 1 || echo PASS	# this can be simplified
diff --git a/timer.go b/timer.go
index 7f14c56b..4b602cce 100644
--- a/timer.go
+++ b/timer.go
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ func (obj *TimerRes) Watch(processChan chan Event) {
 			if exit, _ := obj.ReadEvent(&event); exit {
 				return
 			}
-		case _ = <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
+		case <-cuuid.ConvergedTimer():
 			cuuid.SetConverged(true)
 			continue
 		}