There are some gremlins in our servers today, causing Squidoo to load slowly. We’re working to get the problem fixed as speedily as possible.

Update: …and what a nasty one it was. We finally exterminated the gremlin, and things are back to normal here at SquidHQ.

The most common problems related to the gremlin were:
-Slow connection or inability access the site
-Newly uploaded photos not saving properly
-No Lensrank update

Thanks for hanging in there with us as we figured out the problem.

Over the weekend we released an update to the eBay module which appears to have caused trouble with the Pick by Seller option. We are aware of the issue and are working to correct it as quickly as possible.

Update: This bug is now fixed. Thanks for your patience.

When Willy Wonka knew he needed help running his chocolate factory, he started the Golden Ticket contest. Those who found the 5 winning tickets would, he thought, be his best customers, the people who bought often and in quantity, the people who were the most passionate (and critical and delighted and genuine) about his candy. Unfortunately, people who couldn’t care less about candy gamed the system just to snag a ticket (and perhaps fortune), leaving Wonka with only 1 worthwhile candidate in the group of winners.

That’s how most organizations hire… they look among strangers and hope for someone amazing.

At Squidoo, when we decided it was time to bring on a Community Organizer, we did a reverse-Wonka. Over the past year and a half we’ve had the privilege of hearing from and watching a few hundred passionate lensmasters as they’ve used and evaluated and championed and criticized and grown and talked about our site. We’ve taken their comments to mind, and their support to heart.

So we didn’t have to look among unknown faces and unproven talent to find someone for the job. We had her right in front of us, in the SquidU forums, in our inboxes, on lenses, and on other sites around the web talking about Squidoo. Who better to hire than a lensmaster who has been on the site since beta, seen our ups and downs, and has never failed in her enthusiasm for trying new ideas, mentoring other lensmasters, pushing the platform just a little harder, and bringing new people in.

I’m delighted to announce that Kimberly Dawn Wells is joining the SquidTeam as Community Organizer, working with us a few days a week to keep Squidoo a fascinating, rich, growing community of passionate people.

It seems to me that we’re the ones who found a golden ticket.

We’re looking for stars for our first-ever Squidmercial.

All it takes is a video camera, 10 seconds, and a little Squidlove.

We’ve gotten a bunch of great submissions, and are on the hunt for more.

(Deadline extended to Sept 14th 2007).

Due to a failure in one of our servers, we experienced about an hour of downtime this morning. Our servers are now back online.

We apologize for the inconvenience.

Thanks for your patience everyone.

Superlensmaster Damon Hedman sent this in with a note:

“Am I hooked or what?”

Wow. Our very first license plate. So cool that a lensmaster nabbed it and not a CEO. I wonder who has GOOGLE and FACEBK and YOUTUBE?

Just watch out for cops on I-5, Damon!

Recently a bug appeared which prevents auction photos from being displayed in eBay modules. This appears to be the result of a recent API change at eBay.

We are currently researching a fix. Thanks for your patience.

If you’ve been following our progress kicking spam (and more importantly, spammers) to the curb, you’ll be interested in SquidDon’t.

It’s the latest round of improvements in our commitment to keeping Squidoo a clean, well-lighted place.

Read about it here.

P.S. Lensmasters, we’ll be testing, tweaking and improving the spam filter over the next few days, so please bear with us. Thanks.

Last week’s Squidoo love letter contest made our little hearts go pitter patter.

Who was the most convincing suitor? None other than Mr. Lewis Smile, with his jazzy rendition of Why Do I Love Squidoo With All My Heart?

So, why does he love Squidoo?

Reason 1. The things I write get found by people. The things I write, from weird mind control tricks, to the evils of Coca Cola, to what to buy me for christmas, to my favourite charities, are being read and APPRECIATED.
Reason 2. Squidoo is a Social Networking site. The lens I make is linked to hundreds and hundreds of other lenses automatically. They link back here. We all link together.
Reason 3. The money is nice
Reason 4. I get to help people
Reason 5. Squidoo paid for my laptop
Reason 6. Squidoo paid for my PSP
Reason 7. Squidoo does amazing things for charities

Don’t miss these other finalists, all showing the love on their blogs and lenses.

http://artbyjean.blogspot.com/2007/07/love-letter-to-squidoo.html
http://www.squidoo.com/HowIlovesquidoo/
http://www.squidoo.com/SquidooLoveSong/
http://happynutritionist.blogspot.com/2007/07/for-love-of-squidoo-do-you-squidoo.html
http://2edges.com/hotbrain/2007/07/30/love-letter-to-squidoocom/
http://www.squidoo.com/squidoo_love
http://www.squidoo.com/odetosquid/
http://www.squidoo.com/OdeToSquidoo
http://www.squidoo.com/squidoolove/
http://www.squidoo.com/I-Love-Squidoo-How-Much/
http://www.squidoo.com/victorianloveletter
http://dojc.newsvine.com/_news/2007/08/01/871380-calamari-dreaming-how-i-got-swaddled-in-squidoos-sexy-tentacles
http://squidoo-it-all.blogspot.com/2007/08/squid-love.html
http://www.squidoo.com/i-love-squidoo/

Thanks, everyone. We love you too

Squidoo makes it really really (really!) easy to share your favorite stuff online, discover great recommendations, earn a little dough and even give to charity. All for free. What's your passion (insert: hobby, job, favorite music, holiday wishlist, pet stories, marketing tips, sports heroes, and so on)? Don't get addicted, we dare you.