Shop payments, Homepage redesign, Community Directory, LiveJournal Remixed

[news]

Our heartfelt thanks for sharing so much MJ love last week and for lending your support to gulf_aid_now and PFlag. We hope you'll continue to bid on auction items and send those purple rhino vgifts, since charity doesn't end with a rainbow parade. Frank was so inspired that he took a much-needed break to whip up his signature toasted pants nachos. Now he's dying to find out what you do to escape from the workaday grind. Tell him how you keep those creative juices flowing, and he'll twirl you a spinning pinwheel!


Important stuff to know

• Shop improvements: In response to user requests, we've added more payment methods. You can now purchase LJ Tokens using Amazon Payments, STi Prepaid Phone Cards, Pay By Cash, and more using our new Offerpal integration. Simply click the 'Use Offerpal' button on the LJ Tokens page, make your payment, and use your tokens to purchase in the LJ Shop.
• Community Directory: We're thrilled to announce our new Community Directory, which helps you locate journals and communities that match your interests. If you'd like to suggest a community you maintain, click here and select the community from the "Work as community" drop-down menu. You can choose up to two categories (for instance, entertainment/fandom and books_writing/fan_fiction). Please note that communities must be youth-friendly (adult concepts are cool, but no graphic adult content). In addition, we only accept communities that include a clear title and description.
• Homepage enhancements: No, you're not dreaming. We've added the following feature updates to keep you in the loop:
  • "Recent posts" shows a selection of recent entries from LiveJournal communities.
  • "Oh No They Didn't" shows popular entries from ohnotheydidnt.
  • "LiveJournal Major Notes" provides links to the last five news posts.
  • "Feature showcase" lists LiveJournal features and services.
  LiveJournal, Remixed
  
  
  
  We've added a splash of color to the community formerly known as LJNewsContests. Remixed is the new home for LiveJournal creative contests. Moving forward, we'll be posting even more competitions (we'll keep sponsored competitions under a cut) and continue to run the LiveJournal header contests too. We'll keep the sponsored prizes interesting and give you the opportunity to vote for your favorite entries. Finalists and winners will receive LJ Tokens and get to see their designs on LiveJournal! All users are welcome to participate. You can check out our first redesign contest, sponsored by Rickshaw Bagworks, here. We look forward to seeing your artistic creations. P.S. You can continue to submit your original LiveJournal header designs for this month's contest until June 30th! We'll post a poll in the next newsletter so you can choose finalists.
  
  For our featured photo and more fun with Frank & Meme, we'll catch you under the cut!
  
  Photo of the week
  
  
  
  
  Congrats to katruk, who won our 27th LJ_photophile poll. Click here to vote for the next photo of the week. Click here" to participate in this week's themed contest (the subject is "Repetition"). Both winners will receive 500 LJ Tokens!
  
  Who killed Alpha D. Stein?
  
  When we last joined Frank & Meme, they had just hired pre-eminent forensic pathologist, Dr. Tiger Sagitarius, in their quest to determine who killed Alpha D. Stein, pomeranian at law. After running a battery of tests, Dr. Sagitarius had reached the following conclusions:
  1. There was not one, but two incidents of shellfish consumption, the latter inducing the fatal anaphylactic shock
  2. Analysis of stomach contents revealed that the fatal antigen in both cases was oyster
  3. Dr. Fox, Dr. Nan, and Meme did not eat oyster at the Roar Bar on the date in question
  4. Frank and Dr. Chi Wa-Wa were at the hospital at the time of the first deadly intake, while Dr. Fox and Dr. Nan were seated at a nearby table at the Roar Bar
  
  As Dr. Nan gathered Alpha's possessions, Dr. Sagitarius inquired, "Have you notified the next of kin?"
  
  Dr. Nan strained to catch her breath, clasping her hooves so tightly her pads were tinged pink. "Y-y-yes, I have."
  
  "And when will Alpha's family arrive? I must ask them a few questions."
  
  "They, w-w-well, I m-m-mean, ... I am already here... I ... am Alpha's n-n-next of kin. We are... w-w-were legally s-s-separated when she died," she wheezed through convulsive tears. Excuse me, I h-h-ave to go." She rushed out, tailed by Dr. Fox and Nurse Chi Wa-Wa.
  
  "Ah-hah!!" The jackal cackled. "Dr. Nan was still married to Alpha, despite her impending nuptials with Dr. Fox. That means she was the beneficiary of Alpha's estate. It seems we have our murderer!"
  
  "Indeed," Dr. Sagitarius eyes grew wide, gazing glassy-eyed at a poster of a human infant giggling in a bath of bubbles, inscribed: 'i farts in yor gen’ral direkshun!'
  
  "It was Dr. Nan!" Meme yawped. "I KNEW she was a wolf in sheep's clothing!"
  
  Sagitarius growled his dissent. "I believe there were three culprits in this heinous murder. I must gather dispositive proof before I announce my conclusion!"
  
  Frank and Meme are sick with anticipation. Tell them your crime theory, and they'll send you a bouquet of flowers to show their appreciation.
  
  Thanks for joining us. We'll see you next week!