diff --git a/src/api/client.js b/src/api/client.js
index 249f66d..a037857 100644
--- a/src/api/client.js
+++ b/src/api/client.js
@@ -902,6 +902,13 @@ export async function fetchFriendRequests() {
   }
 }
 
+// Emit event when friends list changes
+function emitFriendsChanged() {
+  try {
+    window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent("sociowire:friends-changed"));
+  } catch {}
+}
+
 export async function sendFriendRequest(username) {
   try {
     const res = await fetch(`${apiBase()}/friends/request`, {
@@ -911,6 +918,7 @@ export async function sendFriendRequest(username) {
       body: JSON.stringify({ username }),
     });
     const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    if (res.ok) emitFriendsChanged();
     return { ok: res.ok, ...data };
   } catch {
     return { ok: false };
@@ -926,6 +934,7 @@ export async function acceptFriendRequest(username) {
       body: JSON.stringify({ username }),
     });
     const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    if (res.ok) emitFriendsChanged();
     return { ok: res.ok, ...data };
   } catch {
     return { ok: false };
@@ -941,6 +950,7 @@ export async function rejectFriendRequest(username) {
       body: JSON.stringify({ username }),
     });
     const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    if (res.ok) emitFriendsChanged();
     return { ok: res.ok, ...data };
   } catch {
     return { ok: false };
@@ -956,6 +966,7 @@ export async function cancelFriendRequest(username) {
       body: JSON.stringify({ username }),
     });
     const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    if (res.ok) emitFriendsChanged();
     return { ok: res.ok, ...data };
   } catch {
     return { ok: false };
@@ -971,6 +982,7 @@ export async function removeFriend(username) {
       body: JSON.stringify({ username }),
     });
     const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    if (res.ok) emitFriendsChanged();
     return { ok: res.ok, ...data };
   } catch {
     return { ok: false };
diff --git a/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.css b/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.css
index 7a25a0a..35ef6df 100644
--- a/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.css
+++ b/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.css
@@ -432,8 +432,8 @@ body[data-theme="light"] .contacts-empty {
 
   .contacts-dropdown {
     right: 8px;
-    left: 8px;
-    width: auto;
+    left: auto;
+    width: 260px;
     bottom: 70px;
   }
 
diff --git a/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.jsx b/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.jsx
index c8cd1df..df2f91f 100644
--- a/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.jsx
+++ b/src/components/Chat/ChatContainer.jsx
@@ -199,6 +199,15 @@ export default function ChatContainer() {
     };
 
     loadFriends();
+
+    // Listen for friend changes to refresh the list
+    const handleFriendsChanged = () => {
+      loadFriends();
+    };
+    window.addEventListener("sociowire:friends-changed", handleFriendsChanged);
+    return () => {
+      window.removeEventListener("sociowire:friends-changed", handleFriendsChanged);
+    };
   }, [authenticated]);
 
   // Load conversations to get initial unread counts
diff --git a/src/components/Map/markerManager.js b/src/components/Map/markerManager.js
index 471bffd..1a1a45b 100644
--- a/src/components/Map/markerManager.js
+++ b/src/components/Map/markerManager.js
@@ -194,25 +194,29 @@ function updateTruth(modalWrap, post) {
   if (label) label.textContent = `${score}`;
 }
 
-function updateTruthVoteUI(modalWrap, stats) {
+function updateTruthVoteUI(modalWrap, stats, updateScore = false) {
   if (!modalWrap || !stats) return;
   const aiEl = modalWrap.querySelector("[data-truth-ai]");
   const userEl = modalWrap.querySelector("[data-truth-user]");
   const countEl = modalWrap.querySelector("[data-truth-count]");
-  const rail = modalWrap.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail");
-  const marker = rail ? rail.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail-marker") : null;
-  const label = rail ? rail.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail-score") : null;
 
   const aiScore = Number.isFinite(stats.ai_score) ? Math.round(stats.ai_score) : stats.AIScore;
   const userScore = Number.isFinite(stats.user_score) ? Math.round(stats.user_score) : stats.UserScore;
-  const truthScoreValue = Number.isFinite(stats.truth_score) ? Math.round(stats.truth_score) : stats.TruthScore;
   const totalVotes = Number.isFinite(stats.total_votes) ? stats.total_votes : stats.TotalVotes;
 
   if (aiEl) aiEl.textContent = Number.isFinite(aiScore) ? String(aiScore) : "—";
   if (userEl) userEl.textContent = Number.isFinite(userScore) ? String(userScore) : "—";
   if (countEl) countEl.textContent = `${totalVotes || 0} votes`;
-  if (marker && Number.isFinite(truthScoreValue)) marker.style.top = `${100 - truthScoreValue}%`;
-  if (label && Number.isFinite(truthScoreValue)) label.textContent = `${truthScoreValue}`;
+
+  // Only update the score display if explicitly requested (e.g., after user votes)
+  if (updateScore) {
+    const rail = modalWrap.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail");
+    const marker = rail ? rail.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail-marker") : null;
+    const label = rail ? rail.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail-score") : null;
+    const truthScoreValue = Number.isFinite(stats.truth_score) ? Math.round(stats.truth_score) : stats.TruthScore;
+    if (marker && Number.isFinite(truthScoreValue)) marker.style.top = `${100 - truthScoreValue}%`;
+    if (label && Number.isFinite(truthScoreValue)) label.textContent = `${truthScoreValue}`;
+  }
 
   const vote = (stats.user_vote || stats.UserVote || "").toString();
   const btns = modalWrap.querySelectorAll(".sw-truth-vote-btn");
@@ -1881,7 +1885,9 @@ export function openCenteredOverlay({ map, post, theme, fullScreen = false }) {
     });
   }
 
-  if (postID > 0) {
+  // Only refetch if initial data is missing critical fields
+  const hasCompleteData = postData?.title && (postData?.published_at || postData?.created_at);
+  if (postID > 0 && !hasCompleteData) {
     fetchPostById(postID).then((fresh) => {
       if (!fresh) return;
       postData = { ...postData, ...fresh };
@@ -1936,18 +1942,29 @@ export function openCenteredOverlay({ map, post, theme, fullScreen = false }) {
   }
 
   const rail = modalWrap.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail");
-  if (rail && postID > 0) {
+  if (rail && postID > 0 && !rail.hasAttribute("data-vote-bound")) {
+    rail.setAttribute("data-vote-bound", "1");
     const doVote = async (vote) => {
       if (!isAuthed()) {
         requestAuth("Please sign in or create a free account to vote on truth.");
         return;
       }
+      if (rail.classList.contains("sw-truth-vote-disabled")) {
+        return; // Already voting
+      }
       try {
         rail.classList.add("sw-truth-vote-disabled");
         const stats = await votePostTruth(postID, vote);
-        if (stats) updateTruthVoteUI(modalWrap, stats);
-      } catch {}
-      rail.classList.remove("sw-truth-vote-disabled");
+        if (stats) {
+          updateTruthVoteUI(modalWrap, stats, true);
+        } else {
+          console.warn("votePostTruth returned no stats for post", postID);
+        }
+      } catch (err) {
+        console.error("Truth vote error:", err);
+      } finally {
+        rail.classList.remove("sw-truth-vote-disabled");
+      }
     };
     const voteUp = rail.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail-btn-up");
     const voteDown = rail.querySelector(".sw-truth-rail-btn-down");
diff --git a/src/styles/mapMarkers.css b/src/styles/mapMarkers.css
index 2696ba2..34476f3 100644
--- a/src/styles/mapMarkers.css
+++ b/src/styles/mapMarkers.css
@@ -737,6 +737,7 @@ body[data-theme="blue"] .sw-centered-modal .post-card.sw-expanded-shell{
   background:#0b1220;
   border:2px solid #fff;
   box-shadow: 0 4px 10px rgba(0,0,0,0.35);
+  top: 35%;
 }
 
 .sw-truth-rail-score{
@@ -750,6 +751,7 @@ body[data-theme="blue"] .sw-centered-modal .post-card.sw-expanded-shell{
   margin: 0 auto;
   position: relative;
   left: -6px;
+  transition: opacity 0.2s ease-out;
 }
 
 .sw-truth-rail-btn{