diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.Backbone.js b/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.Backbone.js
index 61921ffb..f322ef9f 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.Backbone.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.Backbone.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 Metamaps.Backbone = {};
 Metamaps.Backbone.Map = Backbone.Model.extend({
     urlRoot: '/maps',
-    blacklist: ['created_at', 'updated_at', 'topics', 'synapses', 'mappings', 'mappers'],
+    blacklist: ['created_at', 'updated_at', 'user_name', 'topic_count', 'synapse_count', 'topics', 'synapses', 'mappings', 'mappers'],
     toJSON: function (options) {
         return _.omit(this.attributes, this.blacklist);
     },
@@ -57,11 +57,11 @@ Metamaps.Backbone.Map = Backbone.Model.extend({
             id: this.id,
             name: this.get('name'),
             desc: this.get('desc'),
-            username: this.getUser().get('name'),
-            mkPermission: this.get("permission") ? this.get("permission").substring(0, 2) : "commons",
+            username: this.get('user_name'),
+            mkPermission: this.get("permission") ? this.get("permission").substring(0, 2) : "co",
             editPermission: this.authorizeToEdit(Metamaps.Active.Mapper) ? 'canEdit' : 'cannotEdit',
-            topicCount: this.getTopics().length,
-            synapseCount: this.getSynapses().length,
+            topicCount: this.get('topic_count'),
+            synapseCount: this.get('synapse_count'),
             createdAt: this.get('created_at')
         };
         return obj;
diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js b/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js
index 4ecec60b..dccd5b29 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/metamaps/Metamaps.GlobalUI.js
@@ -75,10 +75,6 @@ Metamaps.GlobalUI = {
         });
         
         $('#lightbox_screen, #lightbox_close').click(self.closeLightbox);
-
-        // hide notices after 10 seconds
-        $('.notice.metamaps').delay(10000).fadeOut('fast');
-        $('.alert.metamaps').delay(10000).fadeOut('fast');
         
         // initialize global backbone models and collections
         if (Metamaps.Active.Mapper) Metamaps.Active.Mapper = new Metamaps.Backbone.Mapper(Metamaps.Active.Mapper);
diff --git a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css
index 148c20c2..6a8411ce 100644
--- a/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css
+++ b/app/assets/stylesheets/application.css
@@ -201,15 +201,10 @@ input[type="submit"]:hover {
 .forgotPassword {
     display: block;
     width: 250px;
-    position: absolute;
-    left: 50%;
-    top: 0;
-    margin: 100px 0 0 -145px;
-    background: url(bg.png);
+    background-color: #E0E0E0;
     padding: 20px;
     border-radius: 5px;
     color: black;
-    border: 1px solid #000;
     box-shadow: 6px 6px 8px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.4);
 }
 .centerGreyForm input[type="text"],
diff --git a/app/models/map.rb b/app/models/map.rb
index abac522f..2bfcd663 100644
--- a/app/models/map.rb
+++ b/app/models/map.rb
@@ -32,6 +32,22 @@ end
     
     return contributors
   end
+
+  def topic_count
+    self.topics.length
+  end
+
+  def synapse_count
+    self.synapses.length
+  end
+
+  def user_name
+    self.user.name
+  end
+
+  def as_json(options={})
+    super(:methods =>[:user_name, :topic_count, :synapse_count])
+  end
   
   ##### PERMISSIONS ######
   
diff --git a/app/models/user.rb b/app/models/user.rb
index b5921fa2..c5bb0969 100644
--- a/app/models/user.rb
+++ b/app/models/user.rb
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ has_many :mappings
     trans << '( +clone -flop ) -compose multiply -composite '
     trans << ') -alpha off -compose copy_opacity -composite '
   end
+
+  def as_json(options={})
+    { :name =>self.name,
+      :email => self.email,
+      :image => self.image.url
+    }
+  end
     
   if ActiveRecord::Base.connection.table_exists? 'users' 
     codes =  ActiveRecord::Base.connection.execute("SELECT code FROM users").map {|user| user["code"] }
diff --git a/app/views/layouts/_account.html.erb b/app/views/layouts/_account.html.erb
index d4912682..c44f0a78 100644
--- a/app/views/layouts/_account.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/layouts/_account.html.erb
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 <% if authenticated? %>
   <% account = current_user %>
-  <h3 class="accountHeader">Hello <%= account.name.split[0...1][0] %>!</h3>
+  <h3 class="accountHeader"><%= account.name.split[0...1][0] %></h3>
   <ul>
     <li class="accountIcon accountSettings"><%= link_to "Account", edit_user_url(account), 
       :data => { :bypass => 'true'} %></li>
@@ -38,8 +38,9 @@
   <% end %>
   <div class="links">
     <%- if devise_mapping.recoverable? && controller_name != 'passwords' %>
-      <%= link_to "Forgot your password?", new_password_path(resource_name) %>
+      <%= link_to "Forgot your password?", new_password_path(resource_name), 
+        :data => { :bypass => 'true'} %>
     <% end -%>
-    <a href="/request">Request Invite</a>
+    <a href="/request" data-bypass="true">Request Invite</a>
   </div>
 <% end %>
diff --git a/app/views/users/edit.html.erb b/app/views/users/edit.html.erb
index 3f4fe420..738d5c62 100644
--- a/app/views/users/edit.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/edit.html.erb
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
   # User edit form
   #%>
   
-<% content_for :title, @user.name + "'s Settings | Metamaps" %>  
+<% content_for :title, @user.name + "'s Settings | Metamaps" %> 
+<div id="yield">
 <%= formula_form_for @user, url: user_url do |form| %>
   <h3>Edit Account</h3>
   <label for="user_image">Profile Picture</label>
@@ -15,4 +16,5 @@
   <%= form.input :password, label: "Password", class: "password", :autocomplete => :off %>
   <%= form.submit "Update", class: "update" %>
 <% end %>
+</div>
 
diff --git a/app/views/users/passwords/edit.html.erb b/app/views/users/passwords/edit.html.erb
index a62d33f4..2cec4812 100644
--- a/app/views/users/passwords/edit.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/passwords/edit.html.erb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <% content_for :title, "Change Password | Metamaps" %>
 
-<h1 class="index">Change Password</h1>
-
+<div id="yield">
 <%= form_for(resource, :as => resource_name, :url => password_path(resource_name), :html => { :method => :put, :class => "forgotPassword centerGreyForm" }) do |f| %>
   <%= devise_error_messages! %>
   <%= f.hidden_field :reset_password_token %>
@@ -17,5 +16,5 @@
   <div><%= f.submit "Change my password" %></div>
   
 <% end %>
-
+</div>
 
diff --git a/app/views/users/passwords/new.html.erb b/app/views/users/passwords/new.html.erb
index 2fa7b099..bdd7a8bc 100644
--- a/app/views/users/passwords/new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/passwords/new.html.erb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <% content_for :title, "Password Reset | Metamaps" %>
 
-<h1 class="index">Password Reset</h1>
-
+<div id="yield">
 <%= form_for(resource, :as => resource_name, :url => password_path(resource_name), :html => { :method => :post, :class => "forgotPassword centerGreyForm" }) do |f| %>
   <%= devise_error_messages! %>
   
@@ -13,5 +12,6 @@
   <div><%= f.submit "Send me reset password instructions" %></div>
   
 <% end %>
+</div>
 
 
diff --git a/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb b/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb
index ec61da36..e7c08256 100644
--- a/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/registrations/new.html.erb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <% content_for :title, "Sign Up | Metamaps" %>
 
-<h1 class="index">Sign Up</h1>
-
+<div id="yield">
 <%= form_for(resource, :as => resource_name, :url => registration_path(resource_name), :html => { :method => :post, :class => "new_user centerGreyForm" }) do |f| %>
   <%= devise_error_messages! %>
   
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@
 
   <div><%= f.submit "Sign up" %></div>
   
-  <div><br />Don't have an access code?<br /><a href="/request">Request an Invite</a></div>
+  <div><br />Don't have an access code?<br /><a href="/request" data-bypass="true">Request an Invite</a></div>
 <% end %>
-
+</div>
 
diff --git a/app/views/users/sessions/new.html.erb b/app/views/users/sessions/new.html.erb
index ef9866f5..6f55203b 100644
--- a/app/views/users/sessions/new.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/users/sessions/new.html.erb
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 <% content_for :title, "Sign In | Metamaps" %>
 
-<h1 class="index">Sign In</h1>
-
+<div id="yield">
 <%= form_for(resource, :as => resource_name, :url => session_path(resource_name), :html => { :method => :post, :class => "new_user centerGreyForm" }) do |f| %>
   <h3>Sign in</h3>
 
@@ -19,10 +18,11 @@
   
   <br />
   <%- if devise_mapping.recoverable? && controller_name != 'passwords' %>
-    <%= link_to "Forgot your password?", new_password_path(resource_name) %><br />
+    <%= link_to "Forgot your password?", new_password_path(resource_name), 
+        :data => { :bypass => 'true'} %><br />
   <% end -%>
   <br />
-  <div>Don't have an account?<br /><a href="/request">Request an Invite</a></div>
+  <div>Don't have an account?<br /><a href="/request" data-bypass="true">Request an Invite</a></div>
 <% end %>
-
+</div>
 
diff --git a/public/famous/main.js b/public/famous/main.js
index 3a8c0f91..beaf6bca 100644
--- a/public/famous/main.js
+++ b/public/famous/main.js
@@ -100,10 +100,12 @@ define(function(require, exports, module) {
     
     f.loadYield = function () {
         Metamaps.Loading.loader.hide();
-        var yield = document.getElementById('yield').innerHTML;
-        f.yield.surf.setContent(yield);
-        f.yield.surf.deploy(f.yield.surf._currTarget);
-        f.yield.show();
+        var yield = document.getElementById('yield') ? document.getElementById('yield').innerHTML : false;
+        if (yield) {
+            f.yield.surf.setContent(yield);
+            f.yield.surf.deploy(f.yield.surf._currTarget);
+            f.yield.show();
+        }
     };