-# # from very helpful page:
-# # https://stackoverflow.com/questions/10312521/how-to-fetch-all-git-branches
-# for remote in $( git branch -r | grep -v -- '->' ); do
-# git branch --track ${remote#origin/} $remote 2>/dev/null
-##hmmm: ignoring errors from these, since they are continual.
-##hmmm: if we could find a way to not try to track with a local branch when there's already one present, that would be swell. it's probably simple.
-# done
-#
-##hmmm: well, one time it failed without the fetch. i hope that's because the fetch is actually needed and not because the whole approach is fubar.
-# git fetch --all 2>&1 | grep -v "X11 forwarding request failed" | $TO_SPLITTER
-# test_or_die "git fetch"
-#
-# git pull --all 2>&1 | grep -v "X11 forwarding request failed" | $TO_SPLITTER
-# test_or_die "git pull"
+ # now pull down any changes in our own origin in the repo, to stay in synch
+ # with any changes from others.
+ git pull --no-ff --all | $TO_SPLITTER
+ promote_pipe_return 0
+ test_or_die "git pulling all upstream"