diff --git a/app/controllers/contacts_controller.rb b/app/controllers/contacts_controller.rb
index 22499dfde..0ced97b09 100644
--- a/app/controllers/contacts_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/contacts_controller.rb
@@ -37,6 +37,17 @@ class ContactsController < ApplicationController
     render :layout => false
   end
 
+  def featured
+    @featured = true
+    @people = []
+    if diaspora_ids = AppConfig[:featured_users]
+      @people = diaspora_ids.inject [] do |people, id|
+        person = Webfinger.new(id).fetch
+        people << person unless person.blank?
+      end
+    end
+  end
+
   private
 
   def sort_and_paginate_profiles contacts
diff --git a/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml b/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml
index edf27e7c6..82a7237cf 100644
--- a/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml
+++ b/app/views/aspects/_aspect_listings.haml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 -#   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
 %ul#aspect_nav.left_nav
-  %li.all_aspects{:class => ("active" if params["set"] != "all" && params["set"] != "only_sharing")}
+  %li.all_aspects{:class => ("active" if params["set"] != "all" && params["set"] != "only_sharing" && !defined?(@featured))}
     %a.home_selector{:href => controller_index_path, :class => ("sub_selected" if params["a_id"])}
       .contact_count
         = my_contacts_count
diff --git a/app/views/aspects/_no_posts_message.haml b/app/views/aspects/_no_posts_message.haml
index 4440aff1b..66e89231b 100644
--- a/app/views/aspects/_no_posts_message.haml
+++ b/app/views/aspects/_no_posts_message.haml
@@ -3,7 +3,11 @@
 -#   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
 #no_posts.empty_message{:class => ("hidden" unless post_count == 0)}
-  %h4
-    = t('.start_talking')
-    = link_to t('.try_adding_some_more_contacts'), contacts_path
+  %h4{:style => "text-align:center;"}
+    = t('.you_have_no_contacts')
+    %br
+    %br
+    = t('.try_adding_some_more_contacts')
+    != t('.or_featured', :link => link_to(t(".featured_users") , featured_path))
+  
 
diff --git a/app/views/contacts/featured.haml b/app/views/contacts/featured.haml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b3e9b4f0c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/contacts/featured.haml
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+-#   Copyright (c) 2010, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+-#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+-#   the COPYRIGHT file.
+
+- content_for :page_title do
+  = t('.featured_users')
+
+- content_for :head do
+  = include_javascripts :people
+
+#section_header
+  %h2
+    = t('contacts.index.title')
+
+= render 'shared/contact_sidebar'
+
+.span-18.last
+  %h3
+    = t('.featured_users')
+  %br
+
+  #featured_users
+    - @people.each do |person|
+      .user_card
+        = person_image_link(person, :size => :thumb_large)
+        %h4
+          = person.name
+
+        .tags
+          - 5.times do |n|
+            - person.profile.tags.each do |tg|
+              = "##{tg}"
+
+        .add_user_to_aspect
+          = render :partial => 'people/relationship_action',
+                   :locals => { :person => person, :contact => current_user.contact_for(person),
+                                :current_user => current_user }
diff --git a/app/views/contacts/index.html.haml b/app/views/contacts/index.html.haml
index e6d73ad94..f6273a7c3 100644
--- a/app/views/contacts/index.html.haml
+++ b/app/views/contacts/index.html.haml
@@ -2,21 +2,17 @@
 -#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
 -#   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
-
 - content_for :page_title do
   = t('.title')
 
 - content_for :head do
   = include_javascripts :people
 
-
-
 #section_header
   %h2
     = t('.title')
 
-.span-5.append-1
-  = render 'aspects/aspect_listings'
+= render 'shared/contact_sidebar'
 
 .span-18.last
   #people_stream.stream.contacts
diff --git a/app/views/shared/_contact_sidebar.html.haml b/app/views/shared/_contact_sidebar.html.haml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bdc9fca08
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/views/shared/_contact_sidebar.html.haml
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+-#   Copyright (c) 2010, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+-#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+-#   the COPYRIGHT file.
+
+.span-5.append-1
+  = render 'aspects/aspect_listings'
+
+  %hr
+
+  %ul.left_nav
+    - if AppConfig[:featured_users]
+      %li{:class => ("active" if defined?(@featured))}
+        = link_to t('contacts.featured.featured_users'), "/featured", :class => "element_selector"
+    /%li
+    /  = link_to "Invite friends", "#", :class => "element_selector"
+
+
diff --git a/config/application.yml.example b/config/application.yml.example
index ddd115f98..9ab506ff5 100644
--- a/config/application.yml.example
+++ b/config/application.yml.example
@@ -131,7 +131,11 @@ defaults: &defaults
   single_process_mode: true
 
   # Use paypal for recurring donations
-  paypal_hosted_button_id: ''
+  paypal_hosted_button_id: ""
+
+  # Featured users
+  # (expressed as an array of Diaspora IDs)
+  featured_users:
 
 # Use this section to override default settings in specific environments
 development:
diff --git a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
index 849621c8c..a97f6ee7a 100644
--- a/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
+++ b/config/locales/diaspora/en.yml
@@ -111,7 +111,10 @@ en:
       edit_aspect: "edit aspect"
     no_posts_message:
       start_talking: "Nobody has said anything yet!"
-      try_adding_some_more_contacts: "Try adding some more contacts."
+      you_have_no_contacts: "You haven't added any contacts yet!"
+      try_adding_some_more_contacts: "You can search (top) or invite (right) more contacts."
+      or_featured:  "Or you can share with %{link}"
+      featured_users: "featured users"
     aspect_listings:
       add_an_aspect: "+ Add an aspect"
 
@@ -220,6 +223,8 @@ en:
       only_sharing_with_me: "Only sharing with me"
       remove_person_from_aspect: "Remove %{person_name} from \"%{aspect_name}\""
       many_people_are_you_sure: "Are you sure you want to start a private conversation with more than %{suggested_limit} contacts? Posting to this aspect may be a better way to contact them." 
+    featured:
+      featured_users: "Featured Users"
 
   conversations:
     index:
diff --git a/config/routes.rb b/config/routes.rb
index 6080af18e..6f16d6967 100644
--- a/config/routes.rb
+++ b/config/routes.rb
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ Diaspora::Application.routes.draw do
   resources :aspect_memberships, :only   => [:destroy, :create, :update]
   resources :post_visibilities,  :only   => [:update]
 
+  get 'featured' => "contacts#featured"
   resources :people, :except => [:edit, :update] do
     resources :status_messages
     resources :photos
diff --git a/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass b/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
index 04539c543..b64c543c7 100644
--- a/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
+++ b/public/stylesheets/sass/application.sass
@@ -2870,7 +2870,8 @@ ul.left_nav
 
   a.aspect_selector,
   a.home_selector,
-  a.tag_selector
+  a.tag_selector,
+  a.element_selector
     &:active
       :cursor -webkit-grabbing
       :cursor -moz-grabbing
@@ -2879,6 +2880,7 @@ ul.left_nav
   a.aspect_selector,
   a.home_selector,
   a.tag_selector,
+  a.element_selector,
   .root_element
     :display block
     :width 100%
@@ -2889,7 +2891,8 @@ ul.left_nav
 
   a.aspect_selector,
   a.home_selector,
-  a.tag_selector
+  a.tag_selector,
+  a.element_selector
     &:hover
       @include border-radius(2px)
 
@@ -3154,3 +3157,44 @@ ul.left_nav
   :margin
     :top 30px
 
+#featured_users
+  .avatar
+    :height 140px
+    :width 140px
+
+.user_card
+  @include border-radius(3px)
+  @include box-shadow(0,1px,5px,#ccc)
+  :padding 10px
+    :bottom 30px
+  :margin
+    :bottom 15px
+    :right 10px
+
+  :position relative
+
+  :min-height 220px
+
+  :vertical-align top
+
+  :border 1px solid #ccc
+  :display inline-block
+
+  :width 140px
+
+  .tags
+    :color #999
+
+  h4
+    :margin
+      :bottom 0
+    :padding
+      :bottom 2px
+
+  .dropdown
+    :width 100%
+
+.add_user_to_aspect
+  :bottom 12px
+  :right 5px
+  :position absolute
diff --git a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
index 6b7e73735..3a0ec81fa 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/people_controller_spec.rb
@@ -325,4 +325,28 @@ describe PeopleController do
       get :retrieve_remote, :diaspora_handle => @user.diaspora_handle
     end
   end
+
+  describe '#featued' do
+    it 'succeeds' do
+      get :featured
+      response.should be_success
+    end
+
+    it 'gets queries for users in the app config' do
+      AppConfig[:featured_users] = [alice.diaspora_handle]
+
+      get :featured
+      assigns[:people].should == [alice.person]
+    end
+
+    it 'fetches the webfinger profiles' do
+      AppConfig[:featured_users] = [alice.diaspora_handle]
+
+      wf = mock
+      wf.should_receive(:fetch)
+      Webfinger.should_receive(:new).with(alice.diaspora_handle).and_return(wf)
+
+      get :featured
+    end
+  end
 end