diff --git a/app/controllers/main_controller.rb b/app/controllers/main_controller.rb
index 1cd0f577..31a55abc 100644
--- a/app/controllers/main_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/main_controller.rb
@@ -8,15 +8,13 @@ class MainController < ApplicationController
   
   # home page
   def home
-    @current = current_user
-   
+    @maps = Map.where("maps.permission != ?", "private").order("updated_at DESC").page(1).per(20)
     respond_to do |format|
         format.html { 
           if authenticated?
-            @maps = Map.where("maps.permission != ?", "private").order("updated_at DESC").page(1).per(20)
-            respond_with(@maps, @current) 
+            render 'main/home'
           else 
-            respond_with(@current) 
+            render 'maps/activemaps'
           end
         }
     end
@@ -213,5 +211,4 @@ class MainController < ApplicationController
 
     render json: autocomplete_synapse_array_json(@synapses)
   end 
-
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/maps_controller.rb b/app/controllers/maps_controller.rb
index cad6d8f6..cb949098 100644
--- a/app/controllers/maps_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/maps_controller.rb
@@ -7,10 +7,10 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET /explore/active
     def activemaps
-        @current = current_user
         page = params[:page].present? ? params[:page] : 1
         @maps = Map.where("maps.permission != ?", "private").order("updated_at DESC").page(page).per(20)
 
+        # root url => main/home. main/home renders maps/activemaps view.
         redirect_to root_url and return if authenticated?
 
         respond_to do |format|
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET /explore/featured
     def featuredmaps
-        @current = current_user
         page = params[:page].present? ? params[:page] : 1
         @maps = Map.where("maps.featured = ? AND maps.permission != ?", true, "private")
                    .order("updated_at DESC").page(page).per(20)
@@ -36,10 +35,9 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
     def mymaps
         return redirect_to activemaps_url if !authenticated?
 
-        @current = current_user
         page = params[:page].present? ? params[:page] : 1
         # don't need to exclude private maps because they all belong to you
-        @maps = Map.where("maps.user_id = ?", @current.id).order("updated_at DESC").page(page).per(20)
+        @maps = Map.where("maps.user_id = ?", current_user.id).order("updated_at DESC").page(page).per(20)
 
         respond_to do |format|
             format.html { respond_with(@maps, @user) }
@@ -49,7 +47,6 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET /explore/mapper/:id
     def usermaps
-        @current = current_user
         page = params[:page].present? ? params[:page] : 1
         @user = User.find(params[:id])
         @maps = Map.where("maps.user_id = ? AND maps.permission != ?", @user.id, "private").order("updated_at DESC").page(page).per(20)
@@ -62,8 +59,7 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET maps/:id
     def show
-        @current = current_user
-        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(@current)
+        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(current_user)
 
         if not @map
             redirect_to root_url, notice: "Access denied. That map is private." and return
@@ -72,11 +68,11 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
         respond_to do |format|
             format.html { 
                 @allmappers = @map.contributors
-                @alltopics = @map.topics.to_a.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)) }
-                @allsynapses = @map.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != s.user_id)) }
+                @alltopics = @map.topics.to_a.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != t.user_id)) }
+                @allsynapses = @map.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != s.user_id)) }
                 @allmappings = @map.mappings.to_a.delete_if {|m| 
                     object = m.mappable
-                    !object || (object.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != object.user_id)))
+                    !object || (object.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != object.user_id)))
                 }
 
                 respond_with(@allmappers, @allmappings, @allsynapses, @alltopics, @map) 
@@ -87,19 +83,18 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET maps/:id/contains
     def contains
-        @current = current_user
-        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(@current)
+        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(current_user)
 
         if not @map
             redirect_to root_url, notice: "Access denied. That map is private." and return
         end
 
         @allmappers = @map.contributors
-        @alltopics = @map.topics.to_a.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)) }
-        @allsynapses = @map.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != s.user_id)) }
+        @alltopics = @map.topics.to_a.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != t.user_id)) }
+        @allsynapses = @map.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != s.user_id)) }
         @allmappings = @map.mappings.to_a.delete_if {|m| 
             object = m.mappable
-            !object || (object.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != object.user_id)))
+            !object || (object.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != object.user_id)))
         }
 
         @json = Hash.new()
@@ -167,8 +162,7 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # PUT maps/:id
     def update
-        @current = current_user
-        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_edit(@current)
+        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_edit(current_user)
 
         respond_to do |format|
             if !@map 
@@ -183,8 +177,7 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # POST maps/:id/upload_screenshot
     def screenshot
-        @current = current_user
-        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_edit(@current)
+        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_edit(current_user)
 
         if @map
           png = Base64.decode64(params[:encoded_image]['data:image/png;base64,'.length .. -1])
@@ -207,9 +200,7 @@ class MapsController < ApplicationController
 
     # DELETE maps/:id
     def destroy
-        @current = current_user
-
-        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_delete(@current)
+        @map = Map.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_delete(current_user)
 
         @map.delete if @map
 
diff --git a/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb b/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb
index f19dc053..e706aac4 100644
--- a/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/synapses_controller.rb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ class SynapsesController < ApplicationController
   def show
     @synapse = Synapse.find(params[:id])
 
-    #.authorize_to_show(@current)
+    #.authorize_to_show(current_user)
 	
     #if not @synapse
     #  redirect_to root_url and return
diff --git a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
index 19062ba9..47105396 100644
--- a/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/topics_controller.rb
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET /topics/autocomplete_topic
     def autocomplete_topic
-        @current = current_user
         term = params[:term]
         if term && !term.empty?
             @topics = Topic.where('LOWER("name") like ?', term.downcase + '%').order('"name"')
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
             #read this next line as 'delete a topic if its private and you're either 
             #1. logged out or 2. logged in but not the topic creator
             @topics.to_a.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && 
-                (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)) }
+                (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != t.user_id)) }
         else
             @topics = []
         end
@@ -24,8 +23,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET topics/:id
     def show
-        @current = current_user
-        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(@current)
+        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(current_user)
 
         if not @topic
             redirect_to root_url, notice: "Access denied. That topic is private." and return
@@ -33,8 +31,8 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
         respond_to do |format|
             format.html { 
-                @alltopics = ([@topic] + @topic.relatives).delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)) } # should limit to topics visible to user
-                @allsynapses = @topic.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != s.user_id)) }
+                @alltopics = ([@topic] + @topic.relatives).delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != t.user_id)) } # should limit to topics visible to user
+                @allsynapses = @topic.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != s.user_id)) }
 
                 @allcreators = []
                 @alltopics.each do |t|
@@ -56,15 +54,14 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET topics/:id/network
     def network
-        @current = current_user
-        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(@current)
+        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(current_user)
 
         if not @topic
             redirect_to root_url, notice: "Access denied. That topic is private." and return
         end
 
-        @alltopics = @topic.relatives.to_a.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)) }
-        @allsynapses = @topic.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != s.user_id)) }
+        @alltopics = @topic.relatives.to_a.delete_if {|t| t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != t.user_id)) }
+        @allsynapses = @topic.synapses.to_a.delete_if {|s| s.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != s.user_id)) }
         @allcreators = []
         @allcreators.push(@topic.user)
         @alltopics.each do |t|
@@ -91,8 +88,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET topics/:id/relative_numbers
     def relative_numbers
-        @current = current_user
-        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(@current)
+        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(current_user)
 
         if not @topic
             redirect_to root_url, notice: "Access denied. That topic is private." and return
@@ -102,7 +98,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
         @alltopics = @topic.relatives.to_a.delete_if {|t| 
             @topicsAlreadyHas.index(t.id.to_s) != nil ||
-                (t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)))
+                (t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != t.user_id)))
         }
 
         @alltopics.uniq!
@@ -123,8 +119,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
     # GET topics/:id/relatives
     def relatives
-        @current = current_user
-        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(@current)
+        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_show(current_user)
 
         if not @topic
             redirect_to root_url, notice: "Access denied. That topic is private." and return
@@ -135,7 +130,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
         @alltopics = @topic.relatives.to_a.delete_if {|t| 
             @topicsAlreadyHas.index(t.id.to_s) != nil ||
                 (params[:metacode] && t.metacode_id.to_s != params[:metacode]) ||
-                (t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && @current.id != t.user_id)))
+                (t.permission == "private" && (!authenticated? || (authenticated? && current_user.id != t.user_id)))
         }
 
         @alltopics.uniq!
@@ -198,8 +193,7 @@ class TopicsController < ApplicationController
 
     # DELETE topics/:id
     def destroy
-        @current = current_user
-        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_delete(@current)
+        @topic = Topic.find(params[:id]).authorize_to_delete(current_user)
         @topic.delete if @topic
 
         respond_to do |format|
diff --git a/app/policies/main_policy.rb b/app/policies/main_policy.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ee7f9fc9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/policies/main_policy.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+class MainPolicy < ApplicationPolicy
+  def initialize(user, record)
+    @user = user
+    @record = nil
+  end
+
+  def home?
+    true
+  end
+
+  def searchtopics?
+    true
+  end
+
+  def searchmaps?
+    true
+  end
+
+  def searchmappers?
+    true
+  end
+
+  def searchsynapses?
+    true
+  end
+end