Tweaks and enhancements

• As a number of you reported, a service interruption impaired sending and receiving notifications for a couple of days. This was due to an avalanche of snowflake cookies. We've removed the free snowflake cookie and unclogged the pipeline. Timely notifications should resume shortly. Please note that there's a backlog in our queues, so you'll be getting earlier notifications first. For more details, check out this post at lj_maintenance.
• In anticipation of the new year, we've embarked on a self-improvement kick to boost our backend (pun semi-intended). This will allow us to offer you a holiday promotion in the next few weeks (yes, we're listening and working very hard to make it happen). We sincerely appreciate your continued patience and support.

Holiday vgifts are here!

We've added some fantastic new vgifts to help you spread holiday cheer. We also hope you'll honor AIDS Awareness Month by purchasing virtual red ribbons. Priced at $2.99, we'll donate 100 percent of gross proceeds to IAVI.org (the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative) to support the development and global distribution of an affordable HIV vaccine.

Introducing: LJLimericks

We cordially here do invite you
To craft a fine limerick. Might you?
Each week, a new theme,
Then a poll, that's our dream
Winner posted on news to delight you!

In honor of all the brilliant writers on LiveJournal, we've created a brand new community: ljlimericks! Each week, we'll enter a handful of limericks into a poll (which we'll tuck snugly under an LJ-Cut). The winning poem will be published in the following newsletter. In addition, the author will receive a virtual blue ribbon! If you have the time, come drop us a rhyme. Please keep the "Nantucket" stuff on the downlow, since this is a youth-friendly community. Our first prompt is: Insomnia in winter.

Photos of the week

We're back with more incredible images from our global photography community. Congratulations to sempre_marseeya, who has been awarded a virtual blue ribbon as the winner of our second lj_photophile poll.

We hate to squelch your creativity, but, as a courtesy to other users, please post only one photo at a time and keep the main photo no larger than 350x350 (so images display properly via mobile and on friends pages). You can link to a larger image and/or post photos under a cut. Just so you know, we select photos for the poll blindly, based on user comments and staff feedback. Please continue to vote, comment, and, of course, enjoy. You can check out the week in pictures and view more awesome user content after the jump!

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Curtains

Thanks, again, for joining us. Stay warm and safe out there!

Tags: handmade_gifts, holiday vgifts, lj_photophile, lj_spotlights, ljlimerick, notification fix, snowflake cookie avalanche, writer's block

Life continues to be quiet, as you may have guessed from the lack of blog activity. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, of course. The Chinese realised that a long time ago, hence the curse: “May you live in interesting times”. Uninteresting times can be quite satisfactory, especially now that Matchgirl’s returned home from Shetland.

Not that Matchgirl’s uninteresting, you understand – quite the opposite.

I do have plans, however. The Pentax has seen little action lately, and the Bassman photo archive looks a rather stale, so the next few days will see me staring at the Highlands through the viewfinder. What I’ll come up with is anyone’s guess. Watch this space.

My talk (more a mumble, to be truthful) at Cromarty Camera Club tonight was respectfully received by the hardy few who braved the frost. If it inspires anyone to seek RPS glory and challenge the Serious Lenses at Dingwall Camera Club I’ll be well satisfied.

doorwindowwall
A stunning collection of images sure to delight anyone with a penchant for architectural elements, this talented community, largely from New York, is hoping to attract new members from around the world. Featuring an eclectic variety of photos depicting doors, windows, and walls, there's an interesting balance of interior and exterior shots, many from urban streets, some from ramshackle rural farmhouses. Wonderful!

Hi all,

This is a US travel visa question, more specifically regarding UK citizens who have a caution on their record.

My boyfriend is unfortunately in this situation. He has a minor caution—NEVER went to court—from 2 years ago for possession of a very small amount of cannabis. Just to add to that, he has never once done a drug in front of me and the cannabis wasn’t even his. But anyway…

He was supposed to be flying out to the US with me next week for Christmas. He just went in for his US visa interview today—he got the police record for £75, applied for the interview, £80—only to be told that if his caution for possession of drugs happened 2-3 years ago, he needed to submit for a medical examination, which would cost him another £120.

He has already paid £150 + £15 worth of phone calls to the embassy, so as you can see, this is getting to be QUITE an expensive trip. AND he could still very well be denied entry. I feel terrible for him--and even worse that he will be spending Christmas alone--but I don’t think we want to give up on this now, as we've spent the last month and a half working on it.

Has anyone ever been in a similar experience like this or know someone who has? Have you GOTTEN your visa or were you denied? I feel like he has a better chance of coming over here because we are BOTH flying back and forth to the UK at the same time (as I live and work here) and he will be staying with my family.

Oh, and also, I know that many people just tick 'no' and lie on the form, but he didn’t want to do that because if we do decide to get married, we figured there would extensive checks on our records. So it probably wouldn’t look too good to see that he had entered the US illegally numerous times if they discovered the caution.

Thanks for your advice and or help!

Current Mood: frustrated

For the last two evenings The Rural Retreat has felt very empty. Christmas tree lights fill the living room with festive cheer and the open fire adds a comforting glow but there's one vital element missing – Matchgirl.

The jet-setter flew to Shetland yesterday and the place isn't the same without her.

I kept myself busy today by preparing the slide show I've foolishly agreed to present at Cromarty Camera Club's gathering on Thursday. Public speaking is not something I enjoy, even when the subject is my route to LRPS success. I still half-expect The Serious Lenses to bang on the door one day, tell me there's been a mistake and ask for their certificate back because I'm not a proper photographer.

The Band With No Name was scheduled to play this evening but Gordon's been struck down by illness so our rocking session was cancelled at the last minute, leaving me home with no-one but a cat who's spent all day practising for her attempt on the world long distance sleeping record. She's already the Scottish, UK and European champion.

Come home soon, Matchgirl. We miss you.

**FINAL EDIT Thu Dec 10 02:15:47 UTC 2009**

So there is the final update... Over the past day we have processed around 11 million jobs out of the 12 million that were in queue at that time. Please bear in mind that over this past day, more jobs for notifications are also created. So while the queue has been dropping, we are still not fully caught up at this point, due to backlog and new jobs. We have roughly 3 million jobs still pending that involve the notification system in some manner. We had hoped we could have fully cleared the queue in a day, but unfortunately we can't clear it too quickly, since we need the rest of the site to operate normally. From our current perspective on the amount of jobs that are left in queue, and how many it has processed thus far, we believe it will take around another 8 - 12 hours to process everything.

And finally some answers to some questions:

( Read More and Get Some Answers... )

Tags: notification system
Current Location: Under a Rock
Current Mood: grumpy

freeskiers
While some of us long to escape the cold, dark stretch of winter for hot tropical beaches, for others, there's nothing quite like whoooooshing down those shimmering sugar alps. If you're fond of freestyle skiing, get ready to slide down the slippery slopes in good company. This passionate, international community shares travel/gear tips, anecdotes, photos, and videos for those who can't get enough of the sweet stuff.

Tags: freeskiers, skiing, snow, travel, winter sports

seasonal_icons
Need some extra twinkle to decorate your place? Check out these dazzling holiday-themed icons. If you're an artist, you can post your own creations, provided you abide by the simple rules (which is to say, all cheer and no politicking). Be sure to comment and give credit if you wish to borrow a little spirit (no direct links, please). If you're feeling a touch of humbug this season, this is an instant shot of festivity.

Tags: design, holiday icons, season_icons, userpics

handmade_gifts
High on creativity, but low on cash? You'll find tons of brilliant suggestions for do-it-yourself crafts sure to please everyone on your holiday gift list. Offering detailed instructions, photos, budgets, timelines, and active support, you'll soon turn spare remnants of fabric and time into cherished keepsakes. Be sure to search entries and read user guidelines before you post for help!

The countdown to Christmas in The Rural Retreat began this evening when decoration of the festive tree was carried out by Matchgirl. My small contribution – usually I wouldn't dare interfere – was to place the traditional Christmas koalas on the tree's highest point. Who needs a fairy?

This is always a stressful occasion for Matchgirl, who can't abide any kind of imbalance and takes great pains to ensure that tinsel, lights and baubles are placed just so. I find it best to leave her to get on with it and offer words of encouragement when required.

Bess stayed clear too, although she did make a half-hearted leap at the lights when they were being dragged across the floor. She also took a swipe at one of Matchgirl's silver reindeer – proof that she has more taste than her mum.

Earlier today I was in Rosemarkie where I was one of several helpers gathered by Dolphin James to assist in his move to a larger residence half a mile from the current one.

His new abode came with bonus cat – a friendly, handsome chap with a black coat and white feet. His future is uncertain but I'm sure he'll insinuate himself into James' affections. If not, Matchgirl is ready to help. Bess has not been asked for her opinion.


The afternoon featured a viewing at Sutor Creek of classic British movie Whisky Galore, one of the attractions in the Cromarty Film Festival. For me this was preceded by Christmas Dinner Pizza – an adventurous combination of tomato, mozzarella, turkey, chipolatas, bacon, stuffing and cranberry. An excellent choice. Matchgirl stuck to the the veggie option.

An unexpected addition to the forthcoming festive highlights was offered in an email from Boath House, whose luxury accommodation Matchgirl and I have enjoyed a couple of times in the past. A weekend house party booking the week before Christmas had been cancelled, so the management had rooms available for a quarter of the usual price. One phone call later, our Yuletide treat was sorted.

Matchgirl's excitement at the prospect was dulled a little when she realised that our jaunt means she'll miss the final of Strictly Come Dancing. Life is compromise.