diff --git a/app/views/content_exports/index.html.erb b/app/views/content_exports/index.html.erb
index a2fc169704d..4f1e0cc7d86 100644
--- a/app/views/content_exports/index.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/content_exports/index.html.erb
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@
           <p>
             <% if export.export_type == 'common_cartridge' %>
               <%= t 'links.download', "Course Export from %{date}: *Click here to download*",
-                      :date => "<span class=\"created_at time_ago_date\">#{datetime_string export.created_at}</span>".html_safe,
+                      :date => "<span class=\"created_at time_ago_date\" data-timestamp=\"#{export.created_at.iso8601}\">#{datetime_string export.created_at}</span>".html_safe,
                       :wrapper => link_to('\1', export.attachment ? verified_file_download_url(export.attachment) : nil) %>
             <% else %>
               <%= t 'links.download_qti', "QTI Export from %{date}: *Click here to download*",
-                      :date => "<span class=\"created_at time_ago_date\">#{datetime_string export.created_at}</span>".html_safe,
+                      :date => "<span class=\"created_at time_ago_date\" data-timestamp=\"#{export.created_at.iso8601}\">#{datetime_string export.created_at}</span>".html_safe,
                       :wrapper => link_to('\1', export.attachment ? verified_file_download_url(export.attachment) : nil) %>
             <% end %>
           </p>
diff --git a/app/views/context/_inbox_item.html.erb b/app/views/context/_inbox_item.html.erb
index 301ca0a131c..a9258002bc7 100644
--- a/app/views/context/_inbox_item.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/context/_inbox_item.html.erb
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 <div class="clearfix <%= 'read' if message_read %> <%= inbox_item.try_rescue(:item_asset_string) %> communication_message inbox_item <%= inbox_item.try_rescue(:asset_type).try_rescue(:underscore) %>" style="<%= hidden unless inbox_item %>" id="inbox_item_<%= inbox_item ? inbox_item.id : "blank" %>">
   <div class="header">
     <div class="post_date">
-      <span class="time_ago_date created_at" style="padding-right: 45px;"><%= datetime_string(inbox_item.try_rescue(:created_at)) || nbsp %></span>
+      <span class="time_ago_date created_at" data-timestamp="<%= inbox_item.try_rescue(:created_at).try_rescue(:iso8601) %>" style="padding-right: 45px;"><%= datetime_string(inbox_item.try_rescue(:created_at)) || nbsp %></span>
       <a href="<%= inbox_item_path(inbox_item ? inbox_item.id : "{{ id }}") %>" class="delete_inbox_item_link no-hover" title="<%= t('links.title.remove_message', %{Remove this Message}) %>"><%= image_tag "delete_circle.png" %></a>
     </div>
     <div>
diff --git a/app/views/context/roster_user_usage.html.erb b/app/views/context/roster_user_usage.html.erb
index 6bd5d0ede63..2345b0bdea6 100644
--- a/app/views/context/roster_user_usage.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/context/roster_user_usage.html.erb
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@
         </td>
         <td class="view_score"><%= access.corrected_view_score %></td>
         <td class="participate_score"><%= access.participate_score %></td>
-        <td class="last_viewed time_ago_date"><%= datetime_string(access.last_access) %></td>
+        <td class="last_viewed time_ago_date" data-timestamp="<%= access.last_access.try_rescue(:iso8601) %>"><%= datetime_string(access.last_access) %></td>
       </tr>
     <% end %>
     <tr class="access blank" style="display: none;">
diff --git a/app/views/discussion_topics/_entry.html.erb b/app/views/discussion_topics/_entry.html.erb
index f6c25ce93fd..0ad8ece12b1 100644
--- a/app/views/discussion_topics/_entry.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/discussion_topics/_entry.html.erb
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@
         </span>
       </div>
       <% end %>
-      <div class="post_date time_ago_date"><%= entry.try_rescue(:created_at).tap{|time| time && datetime_string(time)} %></div>
+      <div class="post_date time_ago_date" data-timestamp="<%= entry.try_rescue(:created_at).try_rescue(:iso8601) %>"><%= datetime_string(entry.try_rescue(:created_at)) || nbsp %></div>
       <div class="clear"></div>
     <% end %>
   </div>
diff --git a/app/views/discussion_topics/_sub_entry.html.erb b/app/views/discussion_topics/_sub_entry.html.erb
index 4bb19f6fa92..4080f69334b 100644
--- a/app/views/discussion_topics/_sub_entry.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/discussion_topics/_sub_entry.html.erb
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     <div class="link_box">
       <a href="<%= context_url(entry_context, :context_discussion_entry_url, entry ? entry.id : "{{ id }}") %>" class="delete_entry_link disabled_link"><%= image_tag "delete.png" %></a>
     </div>
-    <div class="post_date time_ago_date"><%= datetime_string(entry.try_rescue(:created_at)) || nbsp %></div>
+    <div class="post_date time_ago_date" data-timestamp="<%= entry.try_rescue(:created_at).try_rescue(:iso8601) %>"><%= datetime_string(entry.try_rescue(:created_at)) || nbsp %></div>
     <div class="clear"></div>
   </div>
   <div class="content">
diff --git a/app/views/user_notes/_user_note.html.erb b/app/views/user_notes/_user_note.html.erb
index 176fbb44209..916fe2b929d 100644
--- a/app/views/user_notes/_user_note.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/user_notes/_user_note.html.erb
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
    id = user_note.new_record? ? 'user_note_blank' : "user_note_#{user_note.id}"
    style = user_note.new_record? ? 'display: none;' : ''
    creator = user_note.creator.try_rescue(:name) || nil
-   created_at = datetime_string(user_note.try_rescue(:created_at)) || nil
 %>
 <div id="<%= id %>" class="user_note communication_message" style="<%= style %>">
   <div class="header clearfix">
@@ -22,17 +21,15 @@
       <div class="title subject">
         <%= user_note.try_rescue(:title) || t(:no_title, "No Title") %>
       </div>
-      <% if creator || created_at %>
+      <% if creator || user_note.created_at %>
         <div class="sub_title creator_name">
-          <span class="created_at time_ago_date">
-          <% if creator && created_at %>
-            <%= t 'subheader', "%{creator} on %{created_at}", :creator => creator, :created_at => created_at %>
+          <% if creator && user_note.created_at %>
+            <%= t 'subheader', "%{creator} on %{created_at}", :creator => creator, :created_at => datetime_string(user_note.created_at) %>
           <% elsif creator %>
             <%= creator %>
-          <% elsif created_at %>
-            <% created_at %>
+          <% elsif user_note.created_at %>
+            <span class="created_at time_ago_date" data-timestamp="<%= user_note.created_at.iso8601 %>"><%= datetime_string user_note.created_at %></span>
           <% end %>
-          </span>
         </div>
       <% end %>
     </div>
diff --git a/public/javascripts/instructure.js b/public/javascripts/instructure.js
index 5f7b1a5d17c..4f3a97806ad 100644
--- a/public/javascripts/instructure.js
+++ b/public/javascripts/instructure.js
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ define([
   'i18n!instructure',
   'jquery' /* $ */,
   'underscore',
-  'timezone',
   'compiled/userSettings',
   'str/htmlEscape',
   'wikiSidebar',
@@ -32,7 +31,7 @@ define([
   'jquery.doc_previews' /* filePreviewsEnabled, loadDocPreview */,
   'jquery.dropdownList' /* dropdownList */,
   'jquery.google-analytics' /* trackEvent */,
-  'jquery.instructure_date_and_time' /* parseFromISO, dateString */,
+  'jquery.instructure_date_and_time' /* parseFromISO, dateString, fudgeDateForProfileTimezone */,
   'jquery.instructure_forms' /* formSubmit, fillFormData, formErrors */,
   'jqueryui/dialog',
   'jquery.instructure_misc_helpers' /* replaceTags, youTubeID */,
@@ -54,7 +53,7 @@ define([
   'compiled/badge_counts',
   'vendor/scribd.view' /* scribd */,
   'vendor/jquery.placeholder'
-], function(KeyboardNavDialog, INST, I18n, $, _, tz, userSettings, htmlEscape, wikiSidebar) {
+], function(KeyboardNavDialog, INST, I18n, $, _, userSettings, htmlEscape, wikiSidebar) {
 
   $.trackEvent('Route', location.pathname.replace(/\/$/, '').replace(/\d+/g, '--') || '/');
 
@@ -759,8 +758,7 @@ define([
     // vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
     // vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv BEGIN stuf form making pretty dates vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
     // vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
-    var timeZoneOffset = tz.currentOffset() / -60,
-        timeAgoEvents  = [];
+    var timeAgoEvents  = [];
     function timeAgoRefresh() {
       timeAgoEvents = $(".time_ago_date:visible").toArray();
       processNextTimeAgoEvent();
@@ -769,31 +767,13 @@ define([
       var eventElement = timeAgoEvents.shift();
       if (eventElement) {
         var $event = $(eventElement),
-            originalDate = $event.data('original_date') || "",
-            date = $event.data('parsed_date') || ( originalDate ?
-                      Date.parse(originalDate.replace(/ (at|by)/, "")) :
-                      Date.parse(($event.text() || "").replace(/ (at|by)/, "")) );
+            date = $event.data('parsed_date') || Date.parse($event.data('timestamp') || "");
         if (date) {
-          var now = new Date();
-          now.setDate(now.getDate() + 1);
-          if (!originalDate && date > now && date - now > 3600000) {
-            var year = date.getUTCFullYear().toString();
-            if(date > now && date.getUTCFullYear() == now.getUTCFullYear() && !$event.text().match(year)) {
-              date.setUTCFullYear(date.getUTCFullYear() - 1);
-            }
-          }
-          var timeZoneDiff = now.getTimezoneOffset() - timeZoneOffset;
-          if(isNaN(timeZoneDiff)) { timeZoneDiff = 0; }
-          var diff = now - date + (timeZoneDiff * 60 * 1000);
-          $event.data('original_date', date.toString("MMM d, yyyy h:mmtt"));
+          var diff = new Date() - date;
+          $event.data('timestamp', date.toISOString());
           $event.data('parsed_date', date);
-          // This line would compensate for a user who set their time zone to something
-          //   different than the time zone setting on the current computer.  It would adjust
-          //   the times displayed to match the time zone of the current computer.  This could
-          //   be confusing for a student since due dates and things will NOT be adjusted,
-          //   so dates and times will not match up.
-          // date = date.addMinutes(-1 * timeZoneDiff);
-          var defaultDateString = date.toString("MMM d, yyyy") + date.toString(" h:mmtt").toLowerCase();
+          var fudgedDate = $.fudgeDateForProfileTimezone(date);
+          var defaultDateString = fudgedDate.toString("MMM d, yyyy") + fudgedDate.toString(" h:mmtt").toLowerCase();
           var dateString = defaultDateString;
           if(diff < (24 * 3600 * 1000)) {
             if(diff < (3600 * 1000)) {