diff --git a/html.c b/html.c
index 1e7788d..8160b4e 100644
--- a/html.c
+++ b/html.c
@@ -370,16 +370,37 @@ d_char *html_top_controls(snac *snac, d_char *s)
 }
 
 
+d_char *html_entry(snac *snac, d_char *s, char *msg, xs_set *seen, int level)
+{
+    char *id = xs_dict_get(msg, "id");
+
+    /* return if already seen */
+    if (xs_set_add(seen, id) == 0)
+        return s;
+
+    return s;
+}
+
+
 d_char *html_timeline(snac *snac, char *list, int local)
 /* returns the HTML for the timeline */
 {
     d_char *s = xs_str_new(NULL);
+    xs_set *seen = xs_set_new(4096);
+    char *v;
 
     s = html_user_header(snac, s, local);
 
     if (!local)
         s = html_top_controls(snac, s);
 
+    while (xs_list_iter(&list, &v)) {
+        xs *msg = timeline_get(snac, v);
+
+        s = html_entry(snac, s, msg, seen, 0);
+    }
+
+#if 0
     s = xs_str_cat(s, "<h1>HI</h1>\n");
 
     s = xs_str_cat(s, xs_fmt("len() == %d\n", xs_list_len(list)));
@@ -392,6 +413,9 @@ d_char *html_timeline(snac *snac, char *list, int local)
     }
 
     s = xs_str_cat(s, "</html>\n");
+#endif
+
+    xs_set_free(seen);
 
     return s;
 }