On Saturday the 14th at 4AM UTC/GMT we will be upgrading the operating system of our network load balancers to a newer version, one that will allow us to use both CPUs! Nifty, because multiprocessing is nice.

Since we have 2 load balancers, the plan is to upgrade 1 at a time, and there really should be very little impact to our website. Hopefully you won't notice a thing and I'll get to go back to the hotel and watch some wonderful late night infomercials.

We've got a lot of exciting projects coming up for 2010 and we're hoping that we'll be able to deliver them all to you, that you will find it useful/cool/lovely and then you will use the site even more. Behind-the-scenes work like this will give us the capacity to handle the anticipated traffic, so expect a few more maintenance windows especially in the beginning of next year as we've got some neat ideas to improve performance around here! We had the recent 30-45 minute outage yesterday due to one of our logging databases filling up disk space -- not so great design coupled with my human error in handling the initial problem -- and it looks like we're going to finally have some resources to eliminate stuff like that. I can't wait!

As usual, I will be updating status.livejournal.org before and after, just in case you are not able to reach our main website during the work.

sixwordstories
Whether you're in the mood for a creative challenge or you're short on time or attention span, this semi-addictive community is perfect for those who find flash fiction way long. Once you get the hang of it, you won't be able to stop. The prince turned into a frog. The girl ran home to mother. Tough to write. Easy to read. It's a double threesome of fun.

dailyfoodie
Delicious, ambitious, and occasionally nutritious dishes make for an eclectic, all-you-can-eat feast. Whether you're searching for recipes for your next dinner party or you're jonesing for a late-night brownie fix, your cravings are sure to be well sated. A warm and inclusive community that welcomes all orientations, from carnivores to vegans, from gourmands to junk-food junkies. Guaranteed bias-free, food-positive, and pan-epicurian.

Сегодня вечером пообщались с Алексом Левитасом (alex_levitas ). Алекс Левитас - человек, который умеет объяснять начальникам продажников, как существенно повысить стоимость чека и выручку. А маркетологам - как объяснить потенциальным покупателям, что счастье наступит для них (покупателей) в тот же миг, как они избавятся от подозрительной приставки "потенциальные" к слову "покупатели". Причем правтически без затрат для продавца на это осознание.

По моему мнению, Алекс Левитас - один из немногих людей, пользу которого для компании можно выразить в конкретных цифрах: в сотнях тысяч рублей, или в миллионах - в зависимости от масштабов компании и выбранного периода времени.

Так вот, Алекс приятно удивил меня и очень обрадовал, проделав путь их Хайфы в Тель-Авив, чтобы наша встреча состоялась. Этот путь, в принципе, не так и сложен, но только не в пятницу вечером, когда транспорт в Израиле почти замирает из-за Шабата. Поезда же из Хайфы в Тель-Авив на общественном транспорте в Щабат - задача нетривиальная. Тем приятнее было, что Алекс приехал.

Алекс показал мне очень интересный ресторанчик с аутентичной эфиопской кухней. Это вкусно и необычно. А если такого рода ужин - лишь дополнение к общению с Алексом, то он (ужин) просто великолепен. Пообщались очень интересно и полезно..


Меню этого заведения выглядит так:
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Одна из функций конкурентной (и не только) разведки - взгляд на проблему "со стороны". Т.е.,, по возможности, объективно и с использованием информации из разных источников. Чтобы не накладывались на оценку обстановки эмоции, и не возникало зашоренности.

Я сейчас нахожусь в Израиле в отпуске. И, одновременно с отдыхом, столкнулся с интересными фактами, иллюстрирующими базовые постулаты конкурентной разведки.
В данном случае речь идет о том, что в борьбе против переписывания некоторых важнейших моментов истории, союзники находятся там, где их не ожидает увидеть большинство людей. Или, точнее, не не ожидает увидеть, а вообще не задумывается об их существовании и точке зрения.
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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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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.

Отличный материал с блога Александра Кузина (al_kuzin ). Отсюда.
Показывает на реальном примере, как авторы провокации спалились на собственной лени.

Кто хочет почитать его на блоге Александра - перейдите туда, а кому переходить неохота, посмотрите под катом.
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