function prepare_items() {

		// Option defaults.
		$filter           = array();
		$filter_query     = false;
		$include_id       = false;
		$search_terms     = false;
		$sort             = 'DESC';
		$spam             = 'ham_only';

		// Set current page.
		$page = $this->get_pagenum();

		// Set per page from the screen options.
		$per_page = $this->get_items_per_page( str_replace( '-', '_', "{$this->screen->id}_per_page" ) );

		// Check if we're on the "Spam" view.
		if ( !empty( $_REQUEST['activity_status'] ) && 'spam' == $_REQUEST['activity_status'] ) {
			$spam       = 'spam_only';
			$this->view = 'spam';
		}

		// Sort order.
		if ( !empty( $_REQUEST['order'] ) && 'desc' != $_REQUEST['order'] )
			$sort = 'ASC';

		// Order by.
		/*if ( !empty( $_REQUEST['orderby'] ) ) {
		}*/

		// Filter.
		if ( ! empty( $_REQUEST['activity_type'] ) ) {
			$filter = array( 'action' => $_REQUEST['activity_type'] );

			/**
			 * Filter here to override the filter with a filter query
			 *
			 * @since  2.5.0
			 *
			 * @param array $filter
			 */
			$has_filter_query = apply_filters( 'bp_activity_list_table_filter_activity_type_items', $filter );

			if ( ! empty( $has_filter_query['filter_query'] ) ) {
				// Reset the filter
				$filter       = array();

				// And use the filter query instead
				$filter_query = $has_filter_query['filter_query'];
			}
		}

		// Are we doing a search?
		if ( !empty( $_REQUEST['s'] ) )
			$search_terms = $_REQUEST['s'];

		// Check if user has clicked on a specific activity (if so, fetch only that, and any related, activity).
		if ( !empty( $_REQUEST['aid'] ) )
			$include_id = (int) $_REQUEST['aid'];

		// Get the spam total (ignoring any search query or filter).
		$spams = bp_activity_get( array(
			'display_comments' => 'stream',
			'show_hidden'      => true,
			'spam'             => 'spam_only',
			'count_total'      => 'count_query',
		) );
		$this->spam_count = $spams['total'];
		unset( $spams );

		// Get the activities from the database.
		$activities = bp_activity_get( array(
			'display_comments' => 'stream',
			'filter'           => $filter,
			'in'               => $include_id,
			'page'             => $page,
			'per_page'         => $per_page,
			'search_terms'     => $search_terms,
			'filter_query'     => $filter_query,
			'show_hidden'      => true,
			// 'sort'             => $sort,
			'spam'             => $spam,
			'count_total'      => 'count_query',
		) );

		// If we're viewing a specific activity, flatten all activities into a single array.
		if ( $include_id ) {
			$activities['activities'] = BP_Activity_List_Table::flatten_activity_array( $activities['activities'] );
			$activities['total']      = count( $activities['activities'] );

			// Sort the array by the activity object's date_recorded value.
			usort( $activities['activities'], function( $a, $b ) { return $a->date_recorded > $b->date_recorded; } );
		}

		// The bp_activity_get function returns an array of objects; cast these to arrays for WP_List_Table.
		$new_activities = array();
		foreach ( $activities['activities'] as $activity_item ) {
			$new_activities[] = (array) $activity_item;

			// Build an array of activity-to-user ID mappings for better efficiency in the In Response To column.
			$this->activity_user_id[$activity_item->id] = $activity_item->user_id;
		}

		// Set raw data to display.
		$this->items       = $new_activities;

		// Store information needed for handling table pagination.
		$this->set_pagination_args( array(
			'per_page'    => $per_page,
			'total_items' => $activities['total'],
			'total_pages' => ceil( $activities['total'] / $per_page )
		) );

		// Don't truncate activity items; bp_activity_truncate_entry() needs to be used inside a BP_Activity_Template loop.
		remove_filter( 'bp_get_activity_content_body', 'bp_activity_truncate_entry', 5 );
	}