diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_adastrafanficcom.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_adastrafanficcom.py
index 11f07739..161ff261 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_adastrafanficcom.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_adastrafanficcom.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class AdAstraFanficComSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','aaff')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         self.story.addToList("category","Star Trek")
         self.is_adult=False
         
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_fictionalleyorg.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_fictionalleyorg.py
index aa175312..14a03ec5 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_fictionalleyorg.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_fictionalleyorg.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class FictionAlleyOrgSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','fa')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         self.story.addToList("category","Harry Potter")
         self.is_adult=False
         
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_harrypotterfanfictioncom.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_harrypotterfanfictioncom.py
index d1fafc18..126365b7 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_harrypotterfanfictioncom.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_harrypotterfanfictioncom.py
@@ -32,7 +32,11 @@ class HarryPotterFanFictionComSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','hp')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # Another site that lies to us.  <rolls eyes>
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         self.story.addToList("category","Harry Potter")
         self.is_adult=False
         
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_mediaminerorg.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_mediaminerorg.py
index d35591ad..62aa50ce 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_mediaminerorg.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_mediaminerorg.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class MediaMinerOrgSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','mm')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         
         # get storyId from url--url validation guarantees query correct
         m = re.match(self.getSiteURLPattern(),url)
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_potionsandsnitchesnet.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_potionsandsnitchesnet.py
index 7e2bfc9d..6cb4b415 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_potionsandsnitchesnet.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_potionsandsnitchesnet.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class PotionsAndSnitchesNetSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','pns')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         self.story.addToList("category","Harry Potter")
         
         # get storyId from url--url validation guarantees query is only sid=1234
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_thewriterscoffeeshopcom.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_thewriterscoffeeshopcom.py
index 1d67e8e1..1abe02c0 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_thewriterscoffeeshopcom.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_thewriterscoffeeshopcom.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class TheWritersCoffeeShopComSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','twcs')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         self.username = "NoneGiven" # if left empty, site doesn't return any message at all.
         self.password = ""
         self.is_adult=False
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twilightednet.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twilightednet.py
index c4ddb8e9..2a58adfc 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twilightednet.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twilightednet.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class TwilightedNetSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','tw')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         self.story.addToList("category","Twilight")
         self.username = "NoneGiven" # if left empty, site doesn't return any message at all.
         self.password = ""
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twiwritenet.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twiwritenet.py
index d1073610..5fe9c3da 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twiwritenet.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_twiwritenet.py
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ class TwiwriteNetSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','twrt')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
         self.story.addToList("category","Twilight")
         self.username = "NoneGiven" # if left empty, twiwrite.net doesn't return any message at all.
         self.password = ""
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_whoficcom.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_whoficcom.py
index ba7d0a6a..517f40ea 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_whoficcom.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/adapter_whoficcom.py
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ class WhoficComSiteAdapter(BaseSiteAdapter):
     def __init__(self, config, url):
         BaseSiteAdapter.__init__(self, config, url)
         self.story.setMetadata('siteabbrev','whof')
-        self.decode = "Windows-1252" # 1252 is a superset of
-                                     # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
-                                     # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
-                                     # some that claim to be utf8) are
-                                     # really windows-1252.
-
+        self.decode = ["Windows-1252",
+                       "utf8"] # 1252 is a superset of iso-8859-1.
+                               # Most sites that claim to be
+                               # iso-8859-1 (and some that claim to be
+                               # utf8) are really windows-1252.
+        
     @staticmethod
     def getSiteDomain():
         return 'www.whofic.com'
diff --git a/fanficdownloader/adapters/base_adapter.py b/fanficdownloader/adapters/base_adapter.py
index 837e103e..0fdf1178 100644
--- a/fanficdownloader/adapters/base_adapter.py
+++ b/fanficdownloader/adapters/base_adapter.py
@@ -69,7 +69,13 @@ class BaseSiteAdapter(Configurable):
         self.story.setMetadata('site',self.getSiteDomain())
         self.story.setMetadata('dateCreated',datetime.datetime.now())
         self.chapterUrls = [] # tuples of (chapter title,chapter url)
-        self.decode = "utf8"
+        ## order of preference for decoding.
+        self.decode = ["utf8",
+                       "Windows-1252"] # 1252 is a superset of
+                                       # iso-8859-1.  Most sites that
+                                       # claim to be iso-8859-1 (and
+                                       # some that claim to be utf8)
+                                       # are really windows-1252.
         self._setURL(url)
         if not self.validateURL():
             raise InvalidStoryURL(url,
@@ -83,6 +89,16 @@ class BaseSiteAdapter(Configurable):
         self.path = self.parsedUrl.path        
         self.story.setMetadata('storyUrl',self.url)
 
+    def _decode(self,data):
+        for code in self.decode:
+            try:
+                return data.decode(code)
+            except:
+                logging.debug("code failed:"+code)
+                pass
+        logging.info("Could not decode story, tried:%s Stripping non-ASCII."%self.decode)
+        return "".join([x for x in data if ord(x) < 128])
+
     # Assumes application/x-www-form-urlencoded.  parameters, headers are dict()s
     def _postUrl(self, url, parameters={}, headers={}):
         if self.getConfig('slow_down_sleep_time'):
@@ -97,7 +113,7 @@ class BaseSiteAdapter(Configurable):
         req = u2.Request(url,
                          data=urllib.urlencode(parameters),
                          headers=headers)
-        return self.opener.open(req).read().decode(self.decode)
+        return self._decode(self.opener.open(req).read())
 
     # parameters is a dict()
     def _fetchUrl(self, url, parameters=None):
@@ -109,10 +125,9 @@ class BaseSiteAdapter(Configurable):
             time.sleep(sleeptime)	
             try:
                 if parameters:
-                    return self.opener.open(url,urllib.urlencode(parameters))\
-                        .read().decode(self.decode)
+                    return self._decode(self.opener.open(url,urllib.urlencode(parameters)).read())
                 else:
-                    return self.opener.open(url).read().decode(self.decode)
+                    return self._decode(self.opener.open(url).read())
             except Exception, e:
                 excpt=e
                 logging.warn("Caught an exception reading URL: %s  Exception %s."%(unicode(url),unicode(e)))
diff --git a/utils/remover.py b/utils/remover.py
index 70af1b0f..ae33165f 100644
--- a/utils/remover.py
+++ b/utils/remover.py
@@ -80,7 +80,8 @@ class RemoveOrphanDataChunks(webapp.RequestHandler):
 
         deleted = 0
         num = 0
-        results = chunks.fetch(100)
+        step = 100
+        results = chunks.fetch(step)
         for d in results:
             ## This is the only way to test for orphans I could find.
             try:
@@ -90,7 +91,7 @@ class RemoveOrphanDataChunks(webapp.RequestHandler):
                 d.delete()
                 deleted += 1
             num += 1
-        if num == 0:
+        if num < step:
             memcache.delete('orphan_search_cursor')
             logging.warn('Orphan search reached end, starting over next time.')
         else: