Notes augmented

We've enhanced and de-bugged Notes. If you haven't tried it yet, now's the time! You can create a private note when you ban multiple users. You can also delete multiple notes at once. Lastly, paid users have the option to add a note (visible only to you) whenever you add or remove a friend (guaranteed to avoid embarrassing social mishaps). If you don't currently have a paid account, you can upgrade now! It only takes a few minutes and costs less than a bad shopping mall haircut (plus, it's way more fashionable)!

Product tweaks and bug kill

1. In another effort to zap spam, comments containing links from domains LiveJournal deems untrustworthy are now automatically screened
2. If you sign up to get notifications of the Writer's Block question of the day, you'll now see the daily question in the email notification, so you'll have a little extra time to ponder before you post. You can subscribe to Writers Block notifications here
3. The issue causing random comments to vanish has been fixed!
4. If you visit a LiveJournal page and get prompted to log in, you'll be returned to the same page after you sign in (Thanks, Dreamwidth)!
5. If you don't edit the timestamp for an entry at all, the entry timestamp will indicate the time the entry was posted instead of the time the Update Journal page was loaded
6. Comments with paddings/backgrounds render correctly within the comment box (and will no longer wrap outside the box and break frames/margins)

New FCK fixes rich text editor!

1. We've updated our RTE (Rich Text Editor) to FCKeditor version 2.6.5
2. When switching from the RTE to HTML editor, links for syndicated feeds are no longer broken
3. RTE now functions properly in Safari 4.0
4. An extra line/space will not be auto-inserted whenever you switch from RTE to HTML editor
5. The insert image link now works correctly in all browsers

LiveJournal Cares

We’re pleased to introduce you to lj_cares, a new LiveJournal community dedicated to raising awareness and funds for U.S. charitable organizations that improve the health and well-being of people around the world. Each month, we’ll spotlight a nonprofit that is making a significant global impact through medical research, public outreach, and/or humanitarian social programs. Charities will be selected in accordance with the U.S. calendar of national health observances based on a high rating (of over 60%) on Charity Navigator and global scope of impact.

In this, our inaugural month of November, we will celebrate national adoption month by offering a charitable virtual gift (priced at $2.99) to support Love Without Boundaries, an organization that saves the lives of orphans with life-threatening diseases and places them in loving homes around the world. LiveJournal will donate 100% of the proceeds from the sale of charitable vgifts (we'll cover the cost of credit card transaction fees). To learn more about Love Without Boundaries, please visit lj_cares and read about how they helped save Baby Kang and the Rainbow Twins from fatal illnesses, who are now thriving in nurturing families. You can purchase your Love Without Boundaries gifts in the Virtual Gift shop.

Papered in postcards

A couple of weeks ago, we asked you to send in postcards to surround us with LiveJournal community. Thanks for coming through! We've received postcards all the way from Germany, Finland, and Canada and from all over the US, including Texas, Florida, Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, Indiana, Hawaii, and Oklahoma just to name just a handful. We're thrilled with our improved decor.

Please keep the love coming for one more week by writing 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 drawing the names of ten random contributors next Thursday to win paid account credits!

Photos of the week

We have more dazzling images posted by talented LiveJournal photographers from around the world. We're hoping to span the entire globe, so please continue posting and tagging. Of course, you can also sit back and enjoy the view at lj_photophile.

You can see a sample of this week's gorgeous photos and check out spotlight communities and awesome user content after the jump!

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Curtains

We thank you, once again, for joining us. See you next week!

Tags: bugs, csi wii, fck, lj_cares, lj_photophile, notes, rte, writer's block

I've caught up on watching the Hasbro movies: Transformers 2 and GI JOE. As a sequel movie, Transformers 2 actually wasn't bad, though it was far from good. The comic relief from the 2 idiot autobots could've been toned down, along with the decepticon-turned-autobot, and the gratuitous shot of constructicon balls. Kudos for using Soundwave's original voice actor was a total childhood flashback-enducer (like using Peter Cullen for Optimus Prime). But overall it was just a bit more of the same plot from the first movie.

On the other hand, I felt like GI JOE was complete and utter shit. All I could keep thinking was "America, Fuck Yeah!" and "how the hell could that even be explained by physics?" during each and every action scene. And the plot/dialog, seriously? "Once these rockets hit mach 5, there will be nothing in the JOE's arsenal to stop them...oh except for that experimental jet we keep unguarded in the hangar that can go mach 6". What about GI JOE being the best of the best, and their homeland security department is run by inept retards who can't even secure their super secret base or radio for backup when the mole-pods break through? Hell, I could go on, but there's no point. It's a toy-based property turned movie that is about 20 years past its prime, only existing to further a new line of toys from the franchise. Oh, and to set up for a sequel so they can sell more toys.

I have a stick up my ass. But more about that later.

An excerpt from last night's conversation with Kat:

Me: Oh, do you hear that, it's raining outside?
Kat: It's dark. Outside.
Me: Yes, it's dark, AND it's raining. Think about it.
Kat: [Puzzled look on face]
Amy: [Chuckle, snort]

Current Mood: amused

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!
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Tags: csi, photos of the week, postcards, rss, spam, writer's block

... without pictures?!


Ryan's "cheese" face. He was Tigger for Halloween.

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Current Mood: geeky

This isn't even remotely close to a long over-due update but it's still cute. So I had to write it down.

Ryan asked to watch Yo Gabba Gabba today. Since we haven't watched it in a while, I decided to go ahead and pull up what I had on the DVR. He's now singing "Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye! Goodbye!" at the top of his lungs. It's too cute. I need to get it on video. He's really gotten into singing lately. He sings along with me at night when I rock him before bed (don't even ask how we got sucked into THAT routine). He sings in the car. He sings while he's hanging out in bed when he wakes up before I do.

Some other current favorites:

- He's started calling me "Mommy" instead of "Mama." It's so cute. Well, except when he's using it to beg me not to leave him. Then it just breaks my heart.

- We've been going to Story-time at the library every week (since it's FREE!). He loves listening to the stories and songs, and watching all the other kids. Last week they had a "Dress-up Party" with cookies and juice. All the Halloween books were checked out, so Ms. Shawna didn't read a story. He kept asking me, "Read book, mommy?" Too funny. We're working on getting him to sit on the rug with all the other kids instead of in my lap.

- There's always craft time at the end of Story-time. The kids color, glue things together, and paint. Needless to say, we've started a craft collection here at home. On Tuesday, we made a polar bear out of some white construction paper, a Styrofoam cup, eye stickers, and a cotton ball. He carried it around very carefully for the rest of the day saying, "my bairn" (his word for bear).

- Through craft time I've discovered that he LOVES to paint. Even when we're supposed to be using the paintbrush to apply glue, he paints with it instead. So I got a set of paints and a paintbrush for him to paint at home with. Won't discourage him there. He might just end up being my creative-minded baby. :) Love it!

That's all for now. I'll try to be more diligent about updating. I'm trying to write this stuff down so we document it.

Current Mood: dorky