diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index 137590998..adf460372 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -137,4 +137,17 @@ class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
     @tags ||= current_user.followed_tags
   end
 
+  def save_sort_order
+    if params[:sort_order].present?
+      session[:sort_order] = (params[:sort_order] == 'created_at') ? 'created_at' : 'updated_at'
+    elsif session[:sort_order].blank?
+      session[:sort_order] = 'updated_at'
+    else
+      session[:sort_order] = (session[:sort_order] == 'created_at') ? 'created_at' : 'updated_at'
+    end
+  end
+
+  def sort_order
+    is_mobile_device? ? 'created_at' : session[:sort_order]
+  end
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/aspects_controller.rb b/app/controllers/aspects_controller.rb
index 66ebf6940..b19671e2a 100644
--- a/app/controllers/aspects_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/aspects_controller.rb
@@ -138,18 +138,4 @@ class AspectsController < ApplicationController
   end
 
   private
-  def save_sort_order
-    if params[:sort_order].present?
-      session[:sort_order] = (params[:sort_order] == 'created_at') ? 'created_at' : 'updated_at'
-    elsif session[:sort_order].blank?
-      session[:sort_order] = 'created_at'
-    else
-      session[:sort_order] = (session[:sort_order] == 'created_at') ? 'created_at' : 'updated_at'
-    end
-  end
-
-  def sort_order
-    is_mobile_device? ? 'created_at' : session[:sort_order]
-  end
-
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/mentions_controller.rb b/app/controllers/mentions_controller.rb
index ac4d7efd0..862b90174 100644
--- a/app/controllers/mentions_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/mentions_controller.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 require File.join(Rails.root, '/lib/mention_stream')
 class MentionsController < ApplicationController
   before_filter :authenticate_user!
+  before_filter :save_sort_order, :only => :index
 
   def index
-    @stream = MentionStream.new(current_user, :max_time => params[:max_time])
+    @stream = MentionStream.new(current_user, :max_time => params[:max_time], :order => sort_order)
 
     if params[:only_posts]
       render :partial => 'shared/stream', :locals => {:posts => @stream.posts}
diff --git a/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb b/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb
index 2fb93398a..7a0865312 100644
--- a/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/tag_followings_controller.rb
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
 require File.join(Rails.root, '/lib/tag_stream')
 class TagFollowingsController < ApplicationController
   before_filter :authenticate_user!
+  before_filter :save_sort_order, :only => :index
 
   def index
-    @stream = TagStream.new(current_user, :max_time => params[:max_time])
+    @stream = TagStream.new(current_user, :max_time => params[:max_time], :order => sort_order)
 
     if params[:only_posts]
       render :partial => 'shared/stream', :locals => {:posts => @stream.posts}
diff --git a/app/helpers/stream_helper.rb b/app/helpers/stream_helper.rb
index 1d259cf1a..33228ac2d 100644
--- a/app/helpers/stream_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/stream_helper.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ module StreamHelper
   end
 
   def time_for_scroll(ajax_stream, stream)
-    if ajax_stream
+    if ajax_stream || stream.posts.empty?
       (Time.now() + 1).to_i
     else
       stream.posts.last.send(stream.order.to_sym).to_i
diff --git a/app/models/post.rb b/app/models/post.rb
index 09b3380ef..546412020 100644
--- a/app/models/post.rb
+++ b/app/models/post.rb
@@ -35,7 +35,9 @@ class Post < ActiveRecord::Base
   scope :all_public, where(:public => true, :pending => false)
 
   def self.for_a_stream(max_time, order)
-    where("#{order} < ?", max_time).order("#{order} desc").includes({:author => :profile}, :mentions).limit(15)
+    where("posts.#{order} < ?", max_time).order("posts.#{order} desc").
+    includes({:author => :profile}, :mentions => {:person => :profile}).
+    limit(15)
   end
 
   def diaspora_handle
diff --git a/app/models/status_message.rb b/app/models/status_message.rb
index 284cb517f..c580f5733 100644
--- a/app/models/status_message.rb
+++ b/app/models/status_message.rb
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ class StatusMessage < Post
 
   after_create :create_mentions
 
+  scope :where_person_is_mentioned, lambda{|person| joins(:mentions).where(:mentions => {:person_id => person.id})}
+
   def text(opts = {})
     self.formatted_message(opts)
   end
diff --git a/app/views/aspects/_aspect_stream.haml b/app/views/aspects/_aspect_stream.haml
index b63c0b1d8..08954106b 100644
--- a/app/views/aspects/_aspect_stream.haml
+++ b/app/views/aspects/_aspect_stream.haml
@@ -20,8 +20,7 @@
   = render 'aspects/no_contacts_message'
 
 #main_stream.stream{:data => {:guids => stream.aspect_ids.join(',')}}
-  - if stream.ajax_stream? 
-  - elsif stream.posts.length > 0
+  - if !stream.ajax_stream? && stream.posts.length > 0
     = render 'shared/stream', :posts => stream.posts
   #pagination
-    =link_to(t('more'), next_page_path(:ajax_stream => stream.ajax_stream?, :class => 'paginate')
+    =link_to(t('more'), next_page_path(:ajax_stream => stream.ajax_stream?), :class => 'paginate')
diff --git a/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml b/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml
index 59611a003..005764d9a 100644
--- a/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/aspects/index.html.haml
@@ -22,7 +22,9 @@
     = render 'aspects/aspect_listings'
 
   .section
-    = link_to "Mentions", mentions_path
+    %ul.left_nav
+      .li
+        %b= link_to t('.mentions'), mentions_path, :class => 'home_selector'
 
   .section#followed_tags_listing
     = render 'tags/followed_tags_listings'
diff --git a/app/views/tags/_followed_tags_listings.haml b/app/views/tags/_followed_tags_listings.haml
index 8270cb9dc..7bd2e56e9 100644
--- a/app/views/tags/_followed_tags_listings.haml
+++ b/app/views/tags/_followed_tags_listings.haml
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@
 - if user_signed_in?
   %ul.left_nav
     %li
-      %div.root_element
-        =link_to t('aspects.index.tags_following'), tag_followings_path
+      %b=link_to t('aspects.index.tags_following'), tag_followings_path, :class => 'home_selector'
   
       %ul.sub_nav
         - if tags.size > 0
diff --git a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
index fbe2ed6b7..c5a01e04f 100644
--- a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ en:
       done_editing: "done editing"
     aspect_stream:
       stream: "Stream"
+      mentions: "Mentions"
       recently: "recently:"
       commented_on: "commented on"
       posted: "posted"
@@ -155,6 +156,7 @@ en:
       acquaintances: "Acquaintances"
       friends: "Friends"
     index: 
+      mentions: "Mentions"
       donate: "Donate"
       keep_us_running: "Keep %{pod} running fast and buy servers their coffee fix with a monthly donation!"
       your_aspects: "Your Aspects"
@@ -824,7 +826,15 @@ en:
     index:
       revoke_access: "Revoke Access"
       no_applications: "You haven't registered any applications yet."
-      
+  
+  streams:
+    mentions:
+      title: "Your Mentions"   
+      contacts_title: "People who mentioned you"
+    tags:
+      title: "Posts tagged: %{tags}"
+      contacts_title: "People who dig these tags" 
+
 
   users:
     logged_out:
diff --git a/lib/aspect_stream.rb b/lib/aspect_stream.rb
index 06ee3993c..371d0658c 100644
--- a/lib/aspect_stream.rb
+++ b/lib/aspect_stream.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@
 #   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
 #   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
-class AspectStream
-
-  attr_reader :max_time, :order
+class AspectStream < BaseStream
+  TYPES_OF_POST_IN_STREAM = ['StatusMessage', 'Reshare', 'ActivityStreams::Photo']
 
   # @param user [User]
   # @param inputted_aspect_ids [Array<Integer>] Ids of aspects for given stream
@@ -13,10 +12,8 @@ class AspectStream
   # @opt order [String] Order of posts (i.e. 'created_at', 'updated_at')
   # @return [void]
   def initialize(user, inputted_aspect_ids, opts={})
-    @user = user
+    super(user, opts)
     @inputted_aspect_ids = inputted_aspect_ids
-    @max_time = opts[:max_time]
-    @order = opts[:order]
   end
 
   # Filters aspects given the stream's aspect ids on initialization and the user.
@@ -43,10 +40,10 @@ class AspectStream
   def posts
     # NOTE(this should be something like Post.all_for_stream(@user, aspect_ids, {}) that calls visible_posts
     @posts ||= @user.visible_posts(:by_members_of => aspect_ids,
-                                   :type => ['StatusMessage', 'Reshare', 'ActivityStreams::Photo'],
+                                   :type => TYPES_OF_POST_IN_STREAM,
                                    :order => "#{@order} DESC",
                                    :max_time => @max_time
-                   ).includes(:mentions => {:person => :profile}, :author => :profile)
+                   ).for_a_stream(max_time, order)
   end
 
   # @return [ActiveRecord::Association<Person>] AR association of people within stream's given aspects
@@ -73,7 +70,7 @@ class AspectStream
 
   def title
     if self.for_all_aspects?
-      I18n.t('.stream')
+      I18n.t('aspects.aspect_stream.stream')
     else 
       self.aspects.to_sentence
     end    
diff --git a/lib/base_stream.rb b/lib/base_stream.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c2eb82118
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/base_stream.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+class BaseStream
+
+  
+  attr_accessor :max_time, :order, :user
+
+  def initialize(user, opts={})
+    self.user = user
+    self.max_time = opts[:max_time]
+    self.order = opts[:order] 
+  end
+
+
+  
+  #requied to implement said stream
+  def link(opts={})
+    Rails.application.routes.url_helpers.mentions_path(opts)
+  end
+
+  def title
+    'a title'
+  end
+
+  def posts
+    []
+  end
+
+  def people
+    []
+  end
+
+  def contacts_title
+    "title for a stream"
+  end
+
+  def contacts_link
+    '#'
+  end
+
+  #helpers
+  def ajax_stream?
+    false
+  end
+  
+  def for_all_aspects?
+    true
+  end
+
+
+  #NOTE: MBS bad bad methods the fact we need these means our views are foobared. please kill them and make them 
+  #private methods on the streams that need them
+  def aspects
+    @user.aspects
+  end
+
+  def aspect
+    aspects.first
+  end
+  
+  def aspect_ids
+    aspects.map{|x| x.id} 
+  end
+
+  def max_time=(time_string)
+    @max_time = Time.at(time_string.to_i) unless time_string.blank?
+    @max_time ||= (Time.now + 1)
+  end
+
+  def order=(order_string)
+    @order = order_string
+    @order ||= 'created_at'
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/mention_stream.rb b/lib/mention_stream.rb
index 5957a1ad6..c182d8549 100644
--- a/lib/mention_stream.rb
+++ b/lib/mention_stream.rb
@@ -2,9 +2,8 @@
 #   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
 #   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
-class MentionStream
+class MentionStream< BaseStream
 
-  attr_reader :max_time, :order
 
   # @param user [User]
   # @param inputted_aspect_ids [Array<Integer>] Ids of aspects for given stream
@@ -12,29 +11,19 @@ class MentionStream
   # @opt max_time [Integer] Unix timestamp of stream's post ceiling
   # @opt order [String] Order of posts (i.e. 'created_at', 'updated_at')
   # @return [void]
-  def initialize(user, opts={})
-    @user = user
-    set_max_time(opts[:max_time])
-
-    @order = opts[:order] || 'created_at'
-  end
-
-  def set_max_time(time_string)
-    @max_time = Time.at(time_string.to_i) unless time_string.blank?
-    @max_time ||= (Time.now + 1)
-  end
 
   def link(opts={})
     Rails.application.routes.url_helpers.mentions_path(opts)
   end
 
   def title
-    "Your Mentions"
+    I18n.translate("streams.mentions.title")
   end
 
+
   # @return [ActiveRecord::Association<Post>] AR association of posts
   def posts
-    @posts ||= Post.joins(:mentions).where(:mentions => {:person_id => @user.person.id}).for_a_stream(@max_time, @order)
+    @posts ||= StatusMessage.where_person_is_mentioned(self.user.person).for_a_stream(max_time, order)
   end
 
   # @return [ActiveRecord::Association<Person>] AR association of people within stream's given aspects
@@ -42,31 +31,7 @@ class MentionStream
     @people ||= posts.map{|p| p.author}.uniq 
   end
 
-  def for_all_aspects?
-    false
-  end
-  
-  def ajax_posts?
-    false
-  end
-  
-  def aspects
-    []
-  end
-
-  def aspect
-    nil
-  end
-
   def contacts_title
-    "People who mentioned you"
-  end
-  
-  def contacts_link
-    '#'
-  end
-  
-  def aspect_ids
-    []
+    I18n.translate('streams.mentions.contacts_title')
   end
 end
diff --git a/lib/tag_stream.rb b/lib/tag_stream.rb
index 375c82043..594be8a1f 100644
--- a/lib/tag_stream.rb
+++ b/lib/tag_stream.rb
@@ -2,41 +2,23 @@
 #   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
 #   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
-class TagStream 
-
-  attr_reader :max_time, :order
-
-  # @param user [User]
-  # @param inputted_aspect_ids [Array<Integer>] Ids of aspects for given stream
-  # @param aspect_ids [Array<Integer>] Aspects this stream is responsible for
-  # @opt max_time [Integer] Unix timestamp of stream's post ceiling
-  # @opt order [String] Order of posts (i.e. 'created_at', 'updated_at')
-  # @return [void]
-  def initialize(user, opts={})
-    @tags = user.followed_tags
-    @tag_string = @tags.join(', '){|tag| tag.name}.to_s
-    @user = user
-    set_max_time(opts[:max_time])
-
-    @order = opts[:order] || 'created_at'
-  end
-
-  def set_max_time(time_string)
-    @max_time = Time.at(time_string.to_i) unless time_string.blank?
-    @max_time ||= (Time.now + 1)
-  end
+class TagStream < BaseStream
 
   def link(opts={})
     Rails.application.routes.url_helpers.tag_followings_path(opts)
   end
 
   def title
-    @tag_string.titleize.split(',').to_sentence
+    tags_titleized
   end
 
   # @return [ActiveRecord::Association<Post>] AR association of posts
   def posts
-    @posts ||= StatusMessage.tagged_with([@tag_string], :any => true).for_a_stream(@max_time, @order)
+    if tag_string.empty?
+      []
+    else
+      @posts ||= StatusMessage.tagged_with([@tag_string], :any => true).where(:public => true).for_a_stream(@max_time, @order)
+    end
   end
 
   # @return [ActiveRecord::Association<Person>] AR association of people within stream's given aspects
@@ -44,31 +26,21 @@ class TagStream
     @people ||= posts.map{|p| p.author}.uniq 
   end
 
-  def for_all_aspects?
-    false
-  end
-  
-  def ajax_posts?
-    false
-  end
-  
-  def aspects
-    []
-  end
-
-  def aspect
-    nil
-  end
-
   def contacts_title
-    "People who like #{@tag_string}"
+    I18n.translate('streams.tags.contacts_title')
   end
-  
-  def contacts_link
-    '#'
+
+  private
+
+  def tag_string
+    @tag_string ||= tags.join(', '){|tag| tag.name}.to_s
   end
-  
-  def aspect_ids
-    []
+
+  def tags
+    @tags = user.followed_tags
+  end
+
+  def tags_titleized
+    tag_string.split(',').map{|x| "##{x.strip}"}.to_sentence
   end
 end