diff --git a/activity.go b/activity.go
index ea15da6..87d79c1 100644
--- a/activity.go
+++ b/activity.go
@@ -1195,16 +1195,16 @@ func honkworldwide(user *WhatAbout, honk *Honk) {
 		}
 	}
 	if honk.Public {
-		for _, f := range getdubs(user.ID) {
-			if f.XID == user.URL {
+		for _, h := range getdubs(user.ID) {
+			if h.XID == user.URL {
 				continue
 			}
 			var box *Box
-			ok := boxofboxes.Get(f.XID, &box)
+			ok := boxofboxes.Get(h.XID, &box)
 			if ok && box.Shared != "" {
 				rcpts["%"+box.Shared] = true
 			} else {
-				rcpts[f.XID] = true
+				rcpts[h.XID] = true
 			}
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/database.go b/database.go
index a114e91..a88d744 100644
--- a/database.go
+++ b/database.go
@@ -63,15 +63,15 @@ func gethonkers(userid int64) []*Honker {
 	defer rows.Close()
 	var honkers []*Honker
 	for rows.Next() {
-		var f Honker
+		h := new(Honker)
 		var combos string
-		err = rows.Scan(&f.ID, &f.UserID, &f.Name, &f.XID, &f.Flavor, &combos)
-		f.Combos = strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(combos), " ")
+		err = rows.Scan(&h.ID, &h.UserID, &h.Name, &h.XID, &h.Flavor, &combos)
+		h.Combos = strings.Split(strings.TrimSpace(combos), " ")
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("error scanning honker: %s", err)
 			return nil
 		}
-		honkers = append(honkers, &f)
+		honkers = append(honkers, h)
 	}
 	return honkers
 }
@@ -85,13 +85,13 @@ func getdubs(userid int64) []*Honker {
 	defer rows.Close()
 	var honkers []*Honker
 	for rows.Next() {
-		var f Honker
-		err = rows.Scan(&f.ID, &f.UserID, &f.Name, &f.XID, &f.Flavor)
+		h := new(Honker)
+		err = rows.Scan(&h.ID, &h.UserID, &h.Name, &h.XID, &h.Flavor)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("error scanning honker: %s", err)
 			return nil
 		}
-		honkers = append(honkers, &f)
+		honkers = append(honkers, h)
 	}
 	return honkers
 }
@@ -298,14 +298,14 @@ func donksforhonks(honks []*Honk) {
 	defer rows.Close()
 	for rows.Next() {
 		var hid int64
-		var d Donk
+		d := new(Donk)
 		err = rows.Scan(&hid, &d.FileID, &d.XID, &d.Name, &d.Desc, &d.URL, &d.Media, &d.Local)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Printf("error scanning donk: %s", err)
 			continue
 		}
 		h := hmap[hid]
-		h.Donks = append(h.Donks, &d)
+		h.Donks = append(h.Donks, d)
 	}
 	rows.Close()
 
diff --git a/fun.go b/fun.go
index 97c1929..6bbad78 100644
--- a/fun.go
+++ b/fun.go
@@ -329,14 +329,15 @@ func memetize(honk *Honk) {
 			log.Printf("error saving meme: %s", err)
 			return x
 		}
-		var d Donk
-		d.FileID = fileid
-		d.XID = ""
-		d.Name = name
-		d.Media = ct
-		d.URL = url
-		d.Local = false
-		honk.Donks = append(honk.Donks, &d)
+		d := &Donk{
+			FileID: fileid,
+			XID:    "",
+			Name:   name,
+			Media:  ct,
+			URL:    url,
+			Local:  false,
+		}
+		honk.Donks = append(honk.Donks, d)
 		return ""
 	}
 	honk.Noise = re_memes.ReplaceAllStringFunc(honk.Noise, repl)
diff --git a/web.go b/web.go
index d40b506..79adeaf 100644
--- a/web.go
+++ b/web.go
@@ -1160,13 +1160,14 @@ func submithonk(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 				log.Printf("unable to save image: %s", err)
 				return
 			}
-			var d Donk
-			d.FileID = fileid
-			d.XID = xid
-			d.Desc = desc
-			d.URL = url
-			d.Local = true
-			honk.Donks = append(honk.Donks, &d)
+			d := &Donk{
+				FileID: fileid,
+				XID:    xid,
+				Desc:   desc,
+				URL:    url,
+				Local:  true,
+			}
+			honk.Donks = append(honk.Donks, d)
 			donkxid = xid
 		}
 	} else {