diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index b4543f22d..f173633c4 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     if current_user
       @groups = current_user.groups 
       @friends = current_user.friends
-      @latest_status_message = StatusMessage.newest_for(current_user.person)
       @group = params[:group] ? current_user.group_by_id(params[:group]) : current_user.groups.first 
     end
   end
diff --git a/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb
index 91edf995d..e7b994ff5 100644
--- a/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/publics_controller.rb
@@ -22,10 +22,15 @@ class PublicsController < ApplicationController
   end
   
   def receive
-    @user = Person.first(:id => params[:id]).owner
+    render :nothing => true
+    begin
+      @user = Person.first(:id => params[:id]).owner
+    rescue NoMethodError => e
+      Rails.logger.error("Received post #{params[:xml]} for nonexistent person #{params[:id]}")
+      return
+    end
     Rails.logger.debug "PublicsController has received: #{params[:xml]}"
     @user.receive params[:xml] if params[:xml]
-    render :nothing => true
   end
   
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
index f941389a5..9b363032e 100644
--- a/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/status_messages_controller.rb
@@ -3,12 +3,9 @@ class StatusMessagesController < ApplicationController
 
   def index
     @status_messages = StatusMessage.paginate :page => params[:page], :order => 'created_at DESC'
-    
-
     respond_to do |format|
       format.html 
     end
-
   end
   
   def create
diff --git a/app/models/album.rb b/app/models/album.rb
index b6daabb47..b30cb5c45 100644
--- a/app/models/album.rb
+++ b/app/models/album.rb
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ class Album
 
   def self.mine_or_friends(friend_param, current_user)
     if friend_param
+      puts "i am working"
       Album.find_all_by_person_id(current_user.friend_ids)
     else
       current_user.person.albums
diff --git a/app/models/group.rb b/app/models/group.rb
index 0f40d6d9b..275bbf3a5 100644
--- a/app/models/group.rb
+++ b/app/models/group.rb
@@ -2,12 +2,15 @@ class Group
   include MongoMapper::Document
   
   key :name, String
+  validates_presence_of :name
 
   key :person_ids, Array
   key :request_ids, Array
+  key :post_ids, Array
 
   many :people, :in => :person_ids, :class_name => 'Person'
   many :requests, :in => :request_ids, :class_name => 'Request'
+  many :posts, :in => :post_ids, :class_name => 'Post'
 
   belongs_to :user, :class_name => 'User'
 
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index dd1104ad2..145230097 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ class User
   ######## Posting ########
   def post(class_name, options = {})
     options[:person] = self.person
+
+    group_id = options[:group_id]
+    options.delete(:group_id)
+
     model_class = class_name.to_s.camelize.constantize
     post = model_class.instantiate(options)
     post.creator_signature = post.sign_with_key(encryption_key)
@@ -62,6 +66,12 @@ class User
 
     self.raw_visible_posts << post
     self.save
+    
+    if group_id
+      group = self.groups.find_by_id(group_id)
+      group.posts << post
+      group.save
+    end
 
     post
   end
@@ -69,7 +79,7 @@ class User
   def visible_posts( opts = {} )
     if opts[:by_members_of]
       group = self.groups.find_by_id( opts[:by_members_of].id )
-      self.raw_visible_posts.find_all_by_person_id( (group.person_ids + [self.person.id] ), :order => "created_at desc")
+      group.posts
     end
   end
 
@@ -260,7 +270,7 @@ class User
       person.save  
 
     elsif object.is_a?(Comment) 
-          dispatch_comment object unless owns?(object)
+      dispatch_comment object unless owns?(object)
     else
       Rails.logger.debug("Saving object: #{object}")
       object.user_refs += 1
@@ -269,13 +279,18 @@ class User
       self.raw_visible_posts << object
       self.save
 
-      groups = groups_with_person(object.person)
-      object.socket_to_uid(id, :group_id => group.id) if (object.respond_to?(:socket_to_uid) && !self.owns?(object))
+      groups = self.groups_with_person(object.person)
+      groups.each{ |group| 
+        group.posts << object
+        group.save
+        object.socket_to_uid(id, :group_id => group.id) if (object.respond_to?(:socket_to_uid) && !self.owns?(object))
+      }
+
     end
+
   end
 
   ###Helpers############
-  
   def terse_url
     terse= self.url.gsub(/https?:\/\//, '')
     terse.gsub!(/www\./, '')
@@ -312,7 +327,8 @@ class User
   end
 
   def groups_with_person person
-    groups.select {|group| group.person_ids.include? person.id}
+    id = ensure_bson person.id
+    groups.select {|group| group.person_ids.include? id}
   end
   protected
   
diff --git a/app/views/groups/index.html.haml b/app/views/groups/index.html.haml
index f1785389d..d46e122f7 100644
--- a/app/views/groups/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/groups/index.html.haml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-= render "shared/publisher"
+= render "shared/publisher", :group_id => @group.id
 
 %ul#stream
   - for post in @posts
diff --git a/app/views/groups/show.html.haml b/app/views/groups/show.html.haml
index daaaaaabc..73f799c72 100644
--- a/app/views/groups/show.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/groups/show.html.haml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-= render "shared/publisher"
+= render "shared/publisher", :group_id => @group.id
 %ul#stream
   - for post in @posts
     = render type_partial(post), :post => post
diff --git a/app/views/shared/_group_nav.haml b/app/views/shared/_group_nav.haml
index 66f4fa0bd..455d90bb4 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/_group_nav.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/_group_nav.haml
@@ -14,7 +14,12 @@
     #friend_pictures
       - for friend in @group.people
         = person_image_link(friend)
-      = link_to "+", "#add_request_pane", :id => 'add_request_button', :class => "add_new"
+      = link_to (image_tag 'add_friend_button.png'), "#add_request_pane", :id => 'add_request_button'
+
+      - if @group.people.count == 0
+        %span.add_new_description
+          << click the plus to add friends to this group
+
 
       .yo{:style => 'display:none'}
         #add_request_pane
diff --git a/app/views/shared/_publisher.haml b/app/views/shared/_publisher.haml
index 4d2f8640b..fe52ac354 100644
--- a/app/views/shared/_publisher.haml
+++ b/app/views/shared/_publisher.haml
@@ -3,6 +3,9 @@
   #publisher_form
     = form_for StatusMessage.new, :remote => true do |f|
       = f.error_messages
+
+      = f.hidden_field :group_id, :value => group_id
+
       %p
         %label{:for => "status_message_message"} Message
         = f.text_area :message, :rows => 2
diff --git a/db/seeds/dev.rb b/db/seeds/dev.rb
index f13e27f4c..0dfe3f96e 100644
--- a/db/seeds/dev.rb
+++ b/db/seeds/dev.rb
@@ -1,25 +1,28 @@
-# This file should contain all the record creation needed to seed the database with its default values.
-# The data can then be loaded with the rake db:seed (or created alongside the db with db:setup).
-#
-# Examples:
-#
-#   cities = City.create([{ :name => 'Chicago' }, { :name => 'Copenhagen' }])
-#   Mayor.create(:name => 'Daley', :city => citie
-
 require 'config/environment'
 
+host = "localhost:3000"
+url = "http://#{host}/"
 # Create seed user
-user = User.create( :email => "robert@joindiaspora.com", 
-                    :password => "evankorth", 
+user = User.create!( :email => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com",
+                    :password => "evankorth",
                     :person => Person.new(
-                      :email => "robert@joindiaspora.com",
-                      :url => "http://localhost:3000/",
-                      :profile => Profile.new( 
-                        :first_name => "bobert", 
-                        :last_name => "brin" )))
+                      :email => "tom@tom.joindiaspora.com",
+                      :url => url,
+                      :profile => Profile.new( :first_name => "Alexander", :last_name => "Hamiltom" ))
+                  )
+user.person.save!
 
-puts user.save
-puts user.person.save!
-puts user.save!
-puts user.person.inspect
-puts user.inspect
+user2 = User.create!( :email => "korth@tom.joindiaspora.com",
+                    :password => "evankorth",
+                    :person => Person.new( :email => "korth@tom.joindiaspora.com",
+                                          :url => url, 
+                                          :profile => Profile.new( :first_name => "Evan",
+                                                                  :last_name => "Korth")))
+
+user2.person.save!
+
+# friending users
+group = user.group(:name => "other dudes")
+request = user.send_friend_request_to(user2.receive_url, group.id)
+reversed_request = user2.accept_friend_request( request.id, user2.group(:name => "presidents").id )
+user.receive reversed_request.to_diaspora_xml
diff --git a/public/images/add_friend_button.png b/public/images/add_friend_button.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6248f1b88
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/images/add_friend_button.png differ
diff --git a/public/stylesheets/application.css b/public/stylesheets/application.css
index 18289b738..a5b4b5fc6 100644
--- a/public/stylesheets/application.css
+++ b/public/stylesheets/application.css
@@ -430,24 +430,21 @@ h1.big_text {
       #group ul > li.selected, #group ul > li.selected a {
         color: white;
         font-weight: bold;
-        font-size: 18px;
-        text-shadow: 0 2px 0px black; }
+        font-size: 18px; }
   #group a {
     color: #aaaaaa;
     font-weight: normal; }
-  #group #friend_pictures .add_new {
+  #group #friend_pictures .add_new_description {
     position: relative;
-    display: inline-block;
     height: 40px;
-    width: 40px;
-    background-color: black;
-    text-align: center;
-    font-size: 40px;
+    display: inline-block;
+    background-color: #222222;
+    color: #999999;
+    top: -16px;
     line-height: 40px;
-    top: -6px; }
-    #group #friend_pictures .add_new:hover {
-      background: #999999;
-      color: black; }
+    padding: 0 1em;
+    margin-bottom: -20px;
+    font-style: italic; }
   #group #friend_pictures img {
     height: 40px; }
 
diff --git a/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass b/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
index 0ac9dbfce..b41a1120a 100644
--- a/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
+++ b/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
@@ -546,21 +546,22 @@ h1.big_text
       :weight normal
 
   #friend_pictures
-    .add_new
-      :position relative
-      :display inline-block
-      :height 40px
-      :width 40px
-      :background
-        :color #000
-      :text-align center
-      :font-size 40px
-      :line-height 40px
-      :top -6px
 
-      &:hover
-        :background #999
-        :color #000
+    .add_new_description
+      :position relative
+      :height 40px
+      :display inline-block
+      :background
+        :color #222
+      :color #999
+      :top -16px
+      :line
+        :height 40px
+      :padding 0 1em
+      :margin
+        :bottom -20px
+      :font
+        :style italic
 
     img
       :height 40px
diff --git a/spec/models/album_spec.rb b/spec/models/album_spec.rb
index f5038ec1c..e31dc5e4a 100644
--- a/spec/models/album_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/album_spec.rb
@@ -88,8 +88,5 @@ describe Album do
     it 'should have an id' do
       @xml.include?(@album.id.to_s).should be true
     end
-
   end
-
-
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/group_spec.rb b/spec/models/group_spec.rb
index 1d0f400d5..530bcec8c 100644
--- a/spec/models/group_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/group_spec.rb
@@ -33,12 +33,15 @@ describe Group do
       group.people.include?(@friend_2).should be true 
       group.people.size.should == 2
     end
-
   end
   
   describe 'querying' do
     before do
-      @group = @user.group(:name => 'losers', :people => [@friend])
+      @group = @user.group(:name => 'losers')
+      @user.activate_friend(@friend, @group)
+      @group2 = @user2.group(:name => 'failures')
+      friend_users(@user, @group, @user2, @group2)
+      @group.reload
     end
 
     it 'belong to a user' do
@@ -49,7 +52,43 @@ describe Group do
 
     it 'should have people' do
       @group.people.all.include?(@friend).should be true
-      @group.people.size.should == 1
+      @group.people.size.should == 2
+    end
+
+    it 'should be accessible through the user' do
+      groups = @user.groups_with_person(@friend)
+      groups.size.should == 1
+      groups.first.id.should == @group.id
+      groups.first.people.size.should == 2
+      groups.first.people.include?(@friend).should be true
+      groups.first.people.include?(@user2.person).should be true
     end
   end
+
+  describe 'posting' do
+    
+    it 'should add post to group via post method' do
+      @group = @user.group(:name => 'losers', :people => [@friend])
+
+      status_message = @user.post( :status_message, :message => "hey", :group_id => @group.id )
+      
+      @group.reload
+      @group.posts.include?(status_message).should be true
+    end
+
+    it 'should add post to group via receive method' do
+      group = @user.group(:name => 'losers')
+      group2 = @user2.group(:name => 'winners')
+      friend_users(@user, group, @user2, group2)
+
+      message = @user2.post(:status_message, :message => "Hey Dude")
+      
+      @user.receive message.to_diaspora_xml
+      
+      group.reload
+      group.posts.include?(message).should be true
+      @user.visible_posts(:by_members_of => group).include?(message).should be true
+    end
+
+  end
 end
diff --git a/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb b/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb
index 4919e66f4..a657f41e8 100644
--- a/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user/receive_spec.rb
@@ -25,6 +25,18 @@ describe User do
     Post.all(:person_id => person.id).first.message.should == 'store this!'
     StatusMessage.all.size.should == 1
   end
+  
+  it 'should not create new groups on message receive' do
+    num_groups = @user.groups.size
+    
+    (0..5).each{ |n|
+      status_message = @user2.post :status_message, :message => "store this #{n}!"
+      xml = status_message.to_diaspora_xml
+      @user.receive( xml )
+    }
+
+    @user.groups.size.should == num_groups
+  end
 
   describe 'post refs' do
     before do