The empire strikes back

In recent weeks, we've taken huge steps towards blocking spam accounts on LiveJournal. In fact, we've suspended as many as 30,000 accounts in a single day! We've implemented several pre-emptive measures to prevent the creation of spam accounts, and we've honed our detection of suspicious content. Spam bots are a crafty lot, so we'll continue to refine our tactics and keep up the good fight to keep you safe from spam attacks on LiveJournal.

RSS feeds again

If you're addicted to xkcd_rss, icanhaschzbrgr, or other syndicated feeds, we're pleased to report that we've resolved the update error that was mucking up your RSS feeds. While content was being pulled correctly, it wasn't being posted to the feeds themselves. Late last week, we finally nailed down what we hope was the root problem, so content should post properly. We thank you for your patience.

Wii have killer CSI Deadly Intent contests!

c_s_i

If you're a gamer who loves CSI, have Wii got news for you! c_s_i is sponsoring killer contests. Simply post a question to a member of the CSI crew. The winner will get a free copy of CSI: Deadly Intent for Nintendo Wii (with a retail value of $39.99) and get their question answered by a member of the CSI writing team! There's also a fantastic monthly contest. To enter, join c_s_i, play the online version of CSI: Deadly Intent, and respond to a two-part query for a chance to win a Wii! Entries will be judged on composition and originality. Sorry, but you must be a U.S. resident and over 18 years old to participate. Check out the rules here.

Enveloped in postcards

Last week, we asked you to send in postcards to help us decorate our drab concrete walls. Here's a photo of the results so far! Thank you so much and please keep them coming! You can mail them to Frank the Goat, Esq., c/o LiveJournal, Inc., 539 Bryant Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94107. Be sure to include your username, since we'll be giving ten random users paid account credits.

Photos of the week

If you haven't visited our new LiveJournal photo community, you're in for an amazing visual trip. LiveJournal users from around the world will take you on a scenic journey to everywhere. Post your own pictures or kick back and enjoy at lj_photophile. You can view some of this week's awesome photos after the jump. Please start tagging with geographic location, since we'd like to track all the places around the world represented in this community. Keep on commenting too!
( Read more... )

So I got told today *laughs*

I was in Grafton visiting with my aunt Noelle, I was talking in the dinning room with my cousin Chelsea when I noticed that my aunt's youngest James was trying to get my attention. He was standing on the computer chair watching me. So this is what happened.

Me: Did you want to show me something James?
James: No, I have to tell you something
Me: Oh? What's that?
James: I'm going to play reader rabbit, you have to move your bag *very matter-of-factly*

Edit: James is 4 years old

And there on the floor by the computer chair but at least half a foot away is my bag. Not in his way at all I might add, but it had to go...So I obligingly moved it, 'cause it didn't hurt me at all to do it ^_~ *laughs* little kids are hilarious

So as I mentioned a day or so back I've decided to change the way I stitch my patterns so I thought I'd take a picture of the way the old way looks so you might see what I mean and because...well I'm easily amused.


I'm hoping that the multiple seams won't make the pattern look odd from the front. You can't really avoid them even when I stitch the normal way 'cause moving across from one page to another creates them. But I guess I'll see when I'm done.

And the last picture is again because I can [easily amused remember?] is a pic of the two different shades of the same color. I've never noticed a different dye lot before but then I haven't been at this for a very long time.

So this is what happens when all I have to occupy my time is cross-stitching, I get boring. I'm still hoping that my writing will come back but so far no luck. I'm trying not to let it get me down but its hard. I really Really need to get back into my writing, I even find the act of typing relaxing.

*calling*
Here writing muse! Come out, come out where ever you are!

*sigh*

I has some, sort of happy feet [I'll take what I can get for the moment]

Surprise, surprise my new needles came in the mail today

I now own three Spiral Eye Needles and if they work as well as I hope I shouldn't need to buy anymore...that is of course if I can avoid loosing any of them. I have no idea how many times I've placed a needle down without really thinking about where I'm putting it. It's stupid and I'm trying to break myself of the habit.

Not 100% decided on what I think of the spiral eyelet these needles have but so far I like them. I haven't run into the problem of the thread slipping out, someone I spoke to thought that might be an issue.

Ran into a little problem with the color I'm working with right now. I was near the end of the spool of 840 so grabbed out the thread I'd bought awhile back. Comparing the two I see a distinct different. My dad figures it's a matter of different dye lots, I'm pretty sure it won't be noticeable in the patter *fingers crossed* Not much I can do about it though.

It's been well over a month and I still can't seem to find what I need to write and I'm struggling with a lot of guilt because of that [which might possibly be adding to the problem] right now all I want to do is cross-stitch but I feel the pressure of finishing The Same Coin I don't want it to take forever for the final chapter to be finished, but I also can't focus to work on it.

Once again this turns into one of those endless loops where I start feeling worse each time it goes around. I know if my readers knew what I'm going through right now they'd all understand, as I've heard from some of them in the past telling me very kindly that the wait is well worth it. But that doesn't do enough for me to relax and wait for this writer's block to pass.

My sister and I have been talking a lot of late, we finally have something in common that we both like to do, she knits/crochets and I cross-stitch. And this got us thinking about the Christmas Tea and Bazaars that our church in town and the one in Cobourg put on every year. I'd like to build up a supply of products [she'd make and afghan some pot holders and adorable animals, one of which I want ^_~ and I'd cross-stitch some pictures of Port Hope and other such things I have planned] and see if people show interest in them. I'm not getting my hopes up about any of this, but I think it'll be fun and I'd really like to do this with her.

I've ordered my computer program that will let me turn my photos into patterns so soon I'll have a lot of stuff to work on. My sister told me the other day that her boss TJ would be willing to hang some of my work in the store to sell. I don't hold any illusions that I could make a living off this, but if it can pull a little money in for me so much the better.

aiyatheydidnt
The Chinese version of ONTD, AIYA is a dynamic international community that welcomes users who share a love of contemporary Chinese pop culture. Dedicated to celebrity gossip and entertainment news, you'll enjoy gorgeous photos and breaking stories featuring the glitterati of mainland China, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.

wendylady2
Designed to rescue fashion victims everywhere, this Brit-based community reads like a rag-ezine. Published once or twice weekly, you'll view bizarre highlights of the global fashion scene through captivating photos and delightfully snarky editorial. Sit tight for a virtual fashion tour from the runways of New York to Milan to Paris and back home again to London in homage to the adage: you can't buy good taste.

soldiers_heart
A passionate community for veterans of all ages (mostly American), plus families, friends, and supporters. View poignant snapshots detailing life in combat and back on civilian soil in the form of original artwork, personal narratives, poetry, and photos. Be forewarned that members don't shy away from describing their disappointments, disabilities, and struggles.

EDIT: If you're reading this, our maintenance is OVER! The problem was not found on our equipment, which means we'll have to work with our ISP to fix this small problem -- which also means another maintenance window in the future -- but at least we have eliminated our side.

Thank you everyone, and a special shout out to rekoil for giving me a great suggestion AND also the opportunity to feel like I've just called in to a local radio station.

Have a great day, night or afternoon wherever you may be.

---

Hi everyone, sorry for the late notice but I'm going to have to do some testing on 1 of our 4 internet circuits TONIGHT; Friday night or Saturday morning depending on which time zone you're in.

Most of us shouldn't notice any impact, though there may be some slowness or lag when I switch traffic on to our other ISP circuits and then another hit when I stop the tests. If a page won't load or times out, try hitting refresh 1 or 2 times and it should load then. If it doesn't work at all... trust me, I'll be typing really really really fast to try to undo whatever I just did. Hopefully you'll have some Halloween candy (if you're in the USA and celebrate that kind of thing) nearby to take away the bitterness of a small site outage. :(

Here's the handy-dandy Website That I Always Use to get a feel for when the maintenance will start in your area. Our site traffic historically dips on Friday afternoons until Saturday morning which is why we tend to pick this time for maintenance work.

( tech details )

status.livejournal.org will, of course be updated before and after the maintenance window. Or else marta will get mad at me. :D

bt

*sigh*

This writer's block is really starting to make me doubt that I'll ever be able to write again. I was really hoping that today without the cross-stitching I'd be able to sit down and finally get some writing done...it's been well over a month for me. I haven't had any luck today not even with a prompt from Shuffles.

I've thought of a couple of things but they've never made it past the initial idea either it doesn't spark enough for me or I ask myself what's the point? I already know that there are readers who would enjoy anything but I just can't seem to get anywhere. And worse yet, I don't really feel much like writing...I really want this to change, I need it to change. I miss writing!

I really Really hope not, but I'm beginning to wonder if this block is a side effect of the meds, wouldn't be the first time this happened but I don't think it feels quite like the Celexa

As promised here is the picture of Dex completely finished!


Oh and as an added bonus for you neekabe I have some pictures of Wendy's new story. It's so wonderfully huge! And the most amazing part is, this is all the stuff that they had in the old store. They were really crammed in there tight.


I though the Avid Reader was an amazing store back in its original home, but this is perfect! Love the little fireside lounge too that just makes it.


Look they have sunlight now! or they would if it wasn't raining out and you can see Jules waving ^_^


I think I'd really love to work there! I'm not really one for wanting to work so closely with the customers but I do love Wendy she's got a cheerful personality. She one of those people who you can't help but be cheerful when you're around her. I could use all the cheering I can get.

In response to user comments from last week, we want to let you know that we'll remain LJ cut-free for the next month in order to get more eyeballs on our evolving newsletter. As for product coverage, that continues to be our top priority. For more granular detail, however, we recommend you join lj_releases.

Super-tweak for Yandex search

Some of our beta testers expressed privacy concerns using the Yandex search engine. Here's why: Last week, when you ran a search, you could see the usernames (and only the usernames) of everyone who commented on an entry, even if that entry was switched to Private or Friends Only after it was originally indexed. You could NOT see the actual comments from Friends Only or Private posts. In response to your input, we've implemented a fix to keep all user activity currently marked Friends Only or Private completely hidden. If you'd prefer your public content not to be indexed by Yandex, click here and use the settings labeled Search Inclusion (this covers your entire journal) and/or Comment Search Inclusion (which covers comments only). To test drive Yandex search now, click here.

Postcards from the edge

Several years ago, we asked LiveJournal users to send postcards to help us decorate our dull, white-washed offices. Since a good idea warrants repetition, we're at it again (same issue, new address). We hope you'll surround us with LiveJournal love by sending your postcards to Frank the Goat, Esq., c/o LiveJournal, Inc., 539 Bryant Street, Suite 210, San Francisco, CA 94107. We'll post snapshots right here. Be sure to include your username, since we'll randomly pick 10 lucky recipients to win free paid account time.

Conquer Writer's Block

Here are some excerpts from this week's most popular question of the day:

If a friend or relative makes a racist or homophobic remark, do you tend to confront them or let it slide? Are you more likely to confront them if it offends you directly or someone else who seems reluctant to speak up?

1. I find it easier to stand up for other people, and i wouldn't let it slide if they made a rude or hurtful comment.
2. Usually if a friend makes a racist or homophobic remark, I tend to let it slide. I think that while i would not say such things myself, I have no right to censor those around me.
3. This happens all of the time. I confront some relatives, but I refuse to if they are drunk or watch Fox News.
4. I'd let it slide if it was just a private remark... As much as I despise bigotry and intolerance, I know that you can't change people-they have to change themselves ...
5. Confront! confront! confront! Politely, but without equivocation.
6. SPEAK UP. Always, always, always speak up. Letting something slide lets ignorance win. No matter if it offends me directly, or someone else, I will confront the speaker and let them know that's not ok.
7. I don't get offended personally. As an immigrant, woman, gay and person of color if I took every single potentially offensive remark seriously I wouldn't get anything done.
8. I punch them in the balls. With my mind.
9. I do speak up, but often very timidly because I feel that I'm white and therefore I don't really have any authority to lecture someone on what's racist and what isn't...
10. Generally speaking, I do not let this shit fly, because it reduces me as a person, to this non-person and it replicates the destructive discourse that makes sure that sexual minorities, racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, trans people and every intersection thereof into something other than human... And sometimes... I'm just too tired to deal with it, so I roll my eyes, make a sarcastic remark and hope the conversation moves on quickly.

For more daily questions and user comments, join writersblock. FYI, we don't want to invade your privacy, so we haven't credited individual users for their responses. We'd appreciate your feedback on this!

Spotlight community of the week

We can't resist making one last midnight trip to the ol' pumpkin patch. If you adore crazy costumes, fiendish festivities, and bottomless candy consumption as much as we do, this community has just what it takes to light up your jack-o-lantern.


halloween_fan

Photos of the week

We received so many incredible photos, we had to close our eyes and point. We uploaded a selection of awesome images at our new lj_photophile community. Please join and start posting (try to keep the width at around 625 for the sake of consistency)! We'd love for you to tell us more about your photos! You can help us select spotlight photos by commenting on your favorites. Once again, we thank you for making our online world more beautiful!

shutter	pancetta	ilya_gorokhov

Curtains

Thanks, again, for tuning in. We look forward to seeing you next week.

I'm nearly finished Dex, I've got a little over half a page left. And tomorrow I'm heading to Peterboroug which means I'll be able to get some new supplies and possibly a pattern if one of them is in [I haven't heard from the owner of the store yet] I was thrilled to discover that there are 100% stainless steal needles I'm not sure if the store carries them but I can certainly get them online if not.

Still haven't written anything at all. I've been thinking about it a lot but I keep discarding every thought that's come to mind so far. I've even been struggling with the prompt idea that I thought was going to get me out of this slump. Granted I've been basically cross-stitching and nothing else.

I've been considering some common situations to toss Dean into and see how he reacts, I've considered looking through the prompts on one of the fic-memes in the hopes that I might be inspired by something. But unfortunately I think I've been over thinking all the ideas 'cause for one reason or another I tell myself it's a wasted idea. I'm really hoping that most of these problems might go away once I'm done this pattern. When I do start the next I'll set a slower pace for myself like I did with Todd which might help.

*sigh*

This has gotten old really Really fast!

halloween_fan
Here at LiveJournal, we never balk at an opportunity for high drama, wicked costumes, and gluttonous sugar consumption. But this community takes it one step further: Here, everyday is Halloween. Of course, the hallowed eve is particularly sacred to this spirited crowd. If you're looking for last-minute costume ideas for your black cat, faux eyeball candy, or stand-out haunted houses, dive in for a splash of pagan merriment.

picturing_food
Designing gourmet? Feast your eyes on these pixel perfect dishes with an accent on presentation. A visual smorgasbord of eclectic cuisine, ranging from fusion to down-home comfort foods. If the way to your heart is through your stomach and the way to your stomach is through your eyes, you're sure to leave with a good taste in your mouth.

bookish
Passionate readers share well-penned reviews on a broad sweep of genres, including fiction, YA, sci-fi, paranormal, fantasy, and good ol' pot-boiling suspense. Those of a lit crit persuasion are invited to introduce themselves before posting. And for the silent majority who prefer to bask in our neighbors' labors, there are thoughtful reviews, book list suggestions, and even great gift ideas to keep your library card and dowtime filled.