isolating the problem

config/initializers/mailer_config.rb

@@ -4,14 +4,14 @@
 
 Diaspora::Application.configure do
   config.action_mailer.delivery_method = :smtp
-  config.action_mailer.default_url_options = {:host => APP_CONFIG[:terse_pod_url]}
+  config.action_mailer.default_url_options = {:host => 'pivots.joindiaspora.com'}
   config.action_mailer.smtp_settings = {
-    :address => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_address],
-    :port => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_port].to_i,
-    :domain => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_domain],
-    :authentication => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_authentication],
-    :user_name => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_username],
-    :password => APP_CONFIG[:smtp_password],
+    :address => 'pivots.joindiaspora.com',
+    :port => 587,
+    :domain => 'mail.joindiaspora.com',
+    :authentication => 'plain',
+    :user_name => 'diaspora-pivots@joindiaspora.com',
+    :password => "xy289|]G+R*-kA",
     :enable_starttls_auto => true
   }
 end