woothemes ping home issue

gistfile1.txt

// In Canvas admin-interface.php
// executed on main theme options page
if ( $pagenow == 'admin.php' && isset( $_GET['page'] ) && $_GET['page'] == 'woothemes' ) {
	if ( get_option( 'framework_woo_theme_version_checker' ) == 'true' ) { add_action( 'admin_notices', 'woo_theme_update_notice', 10 ); }


//  Which calls theme update notice (if it's not disabled)
if ( ! function_exists( 'woo_theme_update_notice' ) ) {
	function woo_theme_update_notice () {
		$theme_data = get_theme_data( get_template_directory() . '/style.css' );
		$local_version = $theme_data['Version'];
		
		$update_data = woothemes_version_checker( $local_version );




// Which calls version checker which pings home if version_data transient is expired.  This is a problem and hangs the entire page if woothemes.com/?feed=updates is not responding


	function woothemes_version_checker ( $local_version ) {
...


		$version_data = get_transient( $theme_name . '_version_data' );
		
		if( $version_data ){
			$latest_version_via_rss = $version_data;
		}
		
		// If the transient has expired, run the check.
		if ( $latest_version_via_rss == '' ) {
			$feed_url = 'http://www.woothemes.com/?feed=updates&theme=' . $theme_name;