Because the helma.Http library allows setting the socket and request timeout values I decided to stop using AntvilleLib's http library and hopefully boost the scheduled retrieval of remote feed data. So far it's looking very promising.

A minor change in app.properties is necessary if you are connecting via a proxy: replace all proxy.dot settings with one single line containing your proxy host and port:

proxy = proxy.host.dom:3128

(to disable the proxy simply comment it out, no need for setting proxy.enabled = false, anymore.)