diff --git a/mitterlib/network/networkbase.py b/mitterlib/network/networkbase.py
index 6a7aad7..d6b02a6 100644
--- a/mitterlib/network/networkbase.py
+++ b/mitterlib/network/networkbase.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class NetworkInvalidResponseError(NetworkError):
         self.name = network_name
 
     def __str__(self):
-        return _('The server on %s return the information in an ' \
+        return _('The server on %s returned the information in an ' \
                 'unexpected way.') % (self.name)
     pass
 
diff --git a/mitterlib/network/twitter.py b/mitterlib/network/twitter.py
index b1aed6e..5421393 100644
--- a/mitterlib/network/twitter.py
+++ b/mitterlib/network/twitter.py
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ _log = logging.getLogger('mitterlib.network.Twitter')
 # ----------------------------------------------------------------------
 _month_names = [None, 'Jan', 'Feb', 'Mar', 'Apr', 'May', 'Jun', 'Jul', 'Aug',
         'Sep', 'Oct', 'Nov', 'Dec']
+_punctuation = string.punctuation.replace('_', '')
 
 
 def _unhtml(text):
@@ -173,10 +174,10 @@ class TwitterNetworkData(NetworkData):
         self.message = _unhtml(data['text'])
 
         # regular expression for users
-        self.user_regexp = r'@[^ ' + string.punctuation + ']'
+        self.user_regexp = r'@[^ ' + _punctuation + ']+'
 
         # regular expression for hashtags
-        self.tag_regexp = r'#[^ ' + string.punctuation + ']'
+        self.tag_regexp = r'#[^ ' + _punctuation + ']+'
 
         return
 
diff --git a/mitterlib/ui/helpers/gtk_messagegrid.py b/mitterlib/ui/helpers/gtk_messagegrid.py
index 17edfb6..f128e3c 100644
--- a/mitterlib/ui/helpers/gtk_messagegrid.py
+++ b/mitterlib/ui/helpers/gtk_messagegrid.py
@@ -393,14 +393,29 @@ class MessageGrid(gtk.ScrolledWindow, gobject.GObject):
         """Update the grid with new messages."""
         self._grid.freeze_notify()
         store = self._grid.get_model()
+
+        # disconnect the store, so we are free to add rows without hogging the
+        # system. Also, save the current selection and grid position so it can
+        # be restore (selecting is lost when the model is connected and the
+        # view moves with the new elements.)
+        (model, iter) = self._grid.get_selection().get_selected()
+        self._grid.set_model(None)
+
         for message in messages:
             message.read = False
             store.prepend([message])
-        store.sort_column_changed()
+
+        # reconnect the store and re-select the previously selected line
+        self._grid.set_model(store)
+        if iter:
+            self._grid.get_selection().select_iter(iter)
+
         self._grid.thaw_notify()
         self._grid.queue_draw()
 
-        self.count += len(messages)
+        new_messages = len(messages)
+        _log.debug('%d new messages', new_messages)
+        self.count += new_messages
         return
 
     def clear_posts(self):