diff --git a/config/vanilla/bootstrap.before.php b/config/vanilla/bootstrap.before.php
index 3f617fe..b208501 100644
--- a/config/vanilla/bootstrap.before.php
+++ b/config/vanilla/bootstrap.before.php
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ function dateUpdated($row, $wrap = null) {
 
         if ($dateUpdated) {
             $updateUser = Gdn::userModel()->getID($updateUserID);
-            $dateUpdatedFormatted = Gdn::getContainer()->get(DateTimeFormatter::class)->formatDate($dateUpdated, false, DateTimeFormatter::FORCE_FULL_FORMAT);
+            $dateUpdatedFormatted = formatDateCustom($dateUpdated, false);
             if ($updateUser && $insertUserID != $updateUserID) {
                 $title = sprintf(t('Edited %s by %s.'), $dateUpdatedFormatted, val('Name', $updateUser));
                 $link = userAnchor($updateUser);
@@ -987,4 +987,20 @@ function discussionUrl($discussion, $page = '', $withDomain = true) {
 
         return url($result, $withDomain);
     }
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+if (!function_exists('formatDateCustom')) {
+    function formatDateCustom($timestamp, $showDayOfWeek=true) {
+        $dateFormat = $showDayOfWeek? '%a, %b %e, %Y': '%b %e, %Y';
+        $dateFormatted = Gdn::getContainer()->get(DateTimeFormatter::class)->formatDate($timestamp, false, $dateFormat);
+        $timeFormatted = Gdn::getContainer()->get(DateTimeFormatter::class)->formatDate($timestamp, false, '%I:%M %p');
+        return sprintf('%1$s at %2$s', $dateFormatted, $timeFormatted);
+    }
+}
+if (!function_exists('authorProfileStats')) {
+    function authorProfileStats($user) {
+        $countDiscussions = plural( $user->CountDiscussions, '%s Post', '%s Posts');
+        $countComments = plural( $user->CountComments, '%s Comment', '%s Comments');
+        return '<span class="MItem AuthorProfileStats AuthorProfileStats_'.$user->UserID.'">'.sprintf('%1s %2s', $countDiscussions,$countComments).'</span>';
+    }
+}
diff --git a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.discussioncontroller.php b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.discussioncontroller.php
index 971882b..faaedcb 100644
--- a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.discussioncontroller.php
+++ b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.discussioncontroller.php
@@ -794,6 +794,11 @@ public function delete($discussionID, $target = '') {
                 }
 
                 $this->jsonTarget(".Section-DiscussionList #Discussion_$discussionID", null, 'SlideUp');
+                // FIX: https://github.com/topcoder-platform/forums/issues/533
+                $insertUserID = val('InsertUserID',$discussion);
+                $author =  Gdn::userModel()->getID($insertUserID, DATASET_TYPE_OBJECT);
+                $this->jsonTarget(".AuthorProfileStats_{$insertUserID}", authorProfileStats($author), 'ReplaceWith');
+
             }
         }
 
@@ -820,10 +825,11 @@ public function deleteComment($commentID = '', $transientKey = '') {
         $defaultTarget = '/discussions/';
         $validCommentID = is_numeric($commentID) && $commentID > 0;
         $validUser = $session->UserID > 0 && $session->validateTransientKey($transientKey);
-
+        $insertUserID = false;
         if ($validCommentID && $validUser) {
             // Get comment and discussion data
             $comment = $this->CommentModel->getID($commentID);
+            $insertUserID = $comment->InsertUserID;
             $discussionID = val('DiscussionID', $comment);
             $discussion = $this->DiscussionModel->getID($discussionID);
 
@@ -868,6 +874,9 @@ public function deleteComment($commentID = '', $transientKey = '') {
             $this->setJson('ErrorMessage', $this->Form->errors());
         } else {
             $this->jsonTarget("#Comment_$commentID", '', 'SlideUp');
+            // FIX: https://github.com/topcoder-platform/forums/issues/533
+            $author =  Gdn::userModel()->getID($insertUserID, DATASET_TYPE_OBJECT);
+            $this->jsonTarget(".AuthorProfileStats_{$insertUserID}", authorProfileStats($author), 'ReplaceWith');
         }
 
         $this->render();
diff --git a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.postcontroller.php b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.postcontroller.php
index ab91deb..b7983a7 100644
--- a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.postcontroller.php
+++ b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/controllers/class.postcontroller.php
@@ -917,6 +917,13 @@ public function comment($DiscussionID = '') {
                             $this->ClassName = 'DiscussionController';
                             $this->ControllerName = 'discussion';
                             $this->View = 'comments';
+
+                            // FIX: https://github.com/topcoder-platform/forums/issues/533
+                            $comment = $this->CommentModel->getID($CommentID);
+                            $insertUserID = val('InsertUserID',$comment);
+                            $author =  Gdn::userModel()->getID($insertUserID, DATASET_TYPE_OBJECT);
+                            $this->jsonTarget(".AuthorProfileStats_{$insertUserID}", authorProfileStats($author), 'ReplaceWith');
+
 //                     }
 
                             // Make sure to set the user's discussion watch records
diff --git a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/js/post.js b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/js/post.js
index 7777991..fa271f8 100644
--- a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/js/post.js
+++ b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/js/post.js
@@ -101,6 +101,41 @@ jQuery(document).ready(function($) {
 
         // Handler before submitting
         $(frm).triggerHandler('BeforeDiscussionSubmit', [frm, btn]);
+        var maxCommentLength =  $(frm).find('input:hidden[name$=MaxCommentLength]');
+        var defaultValues = [
+            undefined,
+            null,
+            '',
+            '[{\"insert\":\"\\n\"}]'
+        ];
+
+        var editorContainer = $(frm).find('.EasyMDEContainer');
+        var messageContainer = $(frm).find('.editor-statusbar .message');
+        var textbox = $(frm).find('textarea#Form_Body');
+        var currentVal = $(textbox).val();
+        currentVal = gdn.normalizeText(currentVal);
+        if(defaultValues.includes(currentVal) || currentVal.trim().length == 0) {
+            $(editorContainer).addClass('error');
+            $(messageContainer).text('Cannot post an empty message');
+            $(frm).find(':submit').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
+            $(frm).find('.Buttons a.Button:not(.Cancel)').addClass('Disabled');
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if(currentVal.length > maxCommentLength.val()) {
+            $(editorContainer).addClass('error');
+            var count = currentVal.length - maxCommentLength.val();
+            $(messageContainer).text('Discussion is '+ count +' characters too long');
+            $(frm).find(':submit').attr('disabled', 'disabled');
+            $(frm).find('.Buttons a.Button:not(.Cancel)').addClass('Disabled');
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        $(editorContainer).removeClass('error');
+        $(messageContainer).text('');
+        $(frm).find(':submit').removeAttr("disabled");
+        $(frm).find('.Buttons a.Button').removeClass('Disabled');
+
 
         var inpDiscussionID = $(frm).find(':hidden[name$=DiscussionID]');
         var inpDraftID = $(frm).find(':hidden[name$=DraftID]');
diff --git a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/models/class.commentmodel.php b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/models/class.commentmodel.php
index 8b1fdbf..ad052f0 100644
--- a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/models/class.commentmodel.php
+++ b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/models/class.commentmodel.php
@@ -1283,6 +1283,10 @@ public function save($formPostValues, $settings = false) {
                     $commentID = $this->SQL->insert($this->Name, $fields);
                 }
                 if ($commentID) {
+                    // FIX: https://github.com/topcoder-platform/forums/issues/533
+                    // if this comment is added by the discussion author.
+                    $this->updateUser($fields['InsertUserID'], false);
+
                     $bodyValue = $fields["Body"] ?? null;
                     if ($bodyValue) {
                         $this->calculateMediaAttachments($commentID, !$insert);
@@ -1356,7 +1360,8 @@ public function save2($CommentID, $Insert, $CheckExisting = true, $IncUser = fal
         // the number of discussions created by the user that s/he has
         // unread messages in) if this comment was not added by the
         // discussion author.
-        $this->updateUser($Fields['InsertUserID'], $IncUser && $Insert);
+        // Move it to save() due to https://github.com/topcoder-platform/forums/issues/533
+        // $this->updateUser($Fields['InsertUserID'], $IncUser && $Insert);
 
         // Mark the user as participated.
         $this->SQL->replace(
diff --git a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/discussion.php b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/discussion.php
index 9ece006..e06366c 100644
--- a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/discussion.php
+++ b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/discussion.php
@@ -52,10 +52,12 @@
             </span>
             </div>
             <div class="Meta DiscussionMeta">
-            <span class="MItem DateCreated">
-                <?php echo Gdn::getContainer()->get(DateTimeFormatter::class)->formatDate($Discussion->DateInserted, true,
-                    DateTimeFormatter::FORCE_FULL_FORMAT); ?>
-            </span>
+                <?php echo authorProfileStats($Author);?>
+                <span class="MItem DateCreated">
+                    <?php
+                    echo formatDateCustom($Discussion->DateInserted);
+                    ?>
+                </span>
                 <?php
                 echo dateUpdated($Discussion, ['<span class="MItem">', '</span>']);
                 ?>
diff --git a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/helper_functions.php b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/helper_functions.php
index 05e19e8..7b622a7 100644
--- a/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/helper_functions.php
+++ b/vanilla/applications/vanilla/views/discussion/helper_functions.php
@@ -176,9 +176,9 @@ function writeComment($comment, $sender, $session, $currentOffset) {
                         </span>
                     </div>
                     <div class="Meta CommentMeta CommentInfo">
+                        <?php echo authorProfileStats($author);?>
                         <span class="MItem DateCreated">
-                            <?php echo Gdn::getContainer()->get(DateTimeFormatter::class)->formatDate($comment->DateInserted, true,
-                                DateTimeFormatter::FORCE_FULL_FORMAT); ?>
+                            <?php echo formatDateCustom($comment->DateInserted); ?>
                         </span>
                         <?php
                         echo dateUpdated($comment, ['<span class="MItem">', '</span>']);