made moderation dialog work again after the merge

61 files changed, 1246 insertions, 395 deletions

diff --git a/askbot/conf/email.py b/askbot/conf/email.py
index 195f36e3..1b81fa96 100644
--- a/askbot/conf/email.py
+++ b/askbot/conf/email.py
@@ -274,8 +274,6 @@ settings.register(
     )
 )
 
-
-
 settings.register(
      livesettings.BooleanValue(
          EMAIL,
@@ -291,6 +289,31 @@ settings.register(
 )
 
 settings.register(
+    livesettings.StringValue(
+        EMAIL,
+        'SELF_NOTIFY_EMAILED_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN',
+        description = _(
+            'Emailed post: when to notify author about publishing'
+        ),
+        choices = const.SELF_NOTIFY_EMAILED_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN_CHOICES,
+        default = const.NEVER
+    )
+)
+
+#not implemented at this point
+#settings.register(
+#    livesettings.IntegerValue(
+#        EMAIL,
+#        'SELF_NOTIFY_WEB_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN',
+#        description = _(
+#            'Web post: when to notify author about publishing'
+#        ),
+#        choices = const.SELF_NOTIFY_WEB_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN_CHOICES,
+#        default =  const.NEVER
+#    )
+#)
+
+settings.register(
      livesettings.StringValue(
          EMAIL,
         'REPLY_BY_EMAIL_HOSTNAME',
@@ -301,8 +324,6 @@ settings.register(
     )
 )
 
-
-
 settings.register(
     livesettings.IntegerValue(
         EMAIL,
@@ -311,4 +332,3 @@ settings.register(
         description=_('Email replies having fewer words than this number will be posted as comments instead of answers')
     )
 )
-
diff --git a/askbot/conf/sidebar_question.py b/askbot/conf/sidebar_question.py
index 4416823d..bb71be7e 100644
--- a/askbot/conf/sidebar_question.py
+++ b/askbot/conf/sidebar_question.py
@@ -6,21 +6,35 @@ from askbot.deps.livesettings import ConfigurationGroup
 from askbot.deps.livesettings import values
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from askbot.conf.super_groups import CONTENT_AND_UI
-SIDEBAR_QUESTION = ConfigurationGroup(
+SIDEBAR_QUESTION = ConfigurationGroup(#shitty name - why sidebar?
                     'SIDEBAR_QUESTION',
-                    _('Question page sidebar'),
+                    _('Question page banners and sidebar'),
                     super_group = CONTENT_AND_UI
                 )
 
 settings.register(
     values.LongStringValue(
         SIDEBAR_QUESTION,
+        'QUESTION_PAGE_TOP_BANNER',
+        description = _('Top banner'),
+        default = '',
+        help_text = _(
+            'When using this option, please '
+            'use the HTML validation service to make sure that '
+            'your input is valid and works well in all browsers.'
+        )
+    )
+)
+
+settings.register(
+    values.LongStringValue(
+        SIDEBAR_QUESTION,
         'SIDEBAR_QUESTION_HEADER',
         description = _('Custom sidebar header'),
         default = '',
         help_text = _(
                     'Use this area to enter content at the TOP of the sidebar'
-                    'in HTML format.   When using this option '
+                    'in HTML format. When using this option '
                     '(as well as the sidebar footer), please '
                     'use the HTML validation service to make sure that '
                     'your input is valid and works well in all browsers.'
diff --git a/askbot/const/__init__.py b/askbot/const/__init__.py
index f7255455..2bed1c31 100644
--- a/askbot/const/__init__.py
+++ b/askbot/const/__init__.py
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ text in this project, all unicode text go here.
 """
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 import re
+
 CLOSE_REASONS = (
     (1, _('duplicate question')),
     (2, _('question is off-topic or not relevant')),
@@ -54,12 +55,51 @@ POST_SORT_METHODS = (
 
 POST_TYPES = ('answer', 'comment', 'question', 'tag_wiki', 'reject_reason')
 
+SIMPLE_REPLY_SEPARATOR_TEMPLATE = '==== %s -=-=='
+
+#values for SELF_NOTIFY_WHEN... settings use bits
+NEVER = 'never'
+FOR_FIRST_REVISION = 'first'
+FOR_ANY_REVISION = 'any'
+SELF_NOTIFY_EMAILED_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN_CHOICES = (
+    (NEVER, _('Never')),
+    (FOR_FIRST_REVISION, _('When new post is published')),
+    (FOR_ANY_REVISION, _('When post is published or revised')),
+)
+#need more options for web posts b/c user is looking at the page
+#when posting. when posts are made by email - user is not looking
+#at the site and therefore won't get any feedback unless an email is sent back
+#todo: rename INITIAL -> FIRST and make values of type string
+#FOR_INITIAL_REVISION_WHEN_APPROVED = 1
+#FOR_ANY_REVISION_WHEN_APPROVED = 2
+#FOR_INITIAL_REVISION_ALWAYS = 3
+#FOR_ANY_REVISION_ALWAYS = 4
+#SELF_NOTIFY_WEB_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN_CHOICES = (
+#    (NEVER, _('Never')),
+#    (
+#        FOR_INITIAL_REVISION_WHEN_APPROVED,
+#        _('When inital revision is approved by moderator')
+#    ),
+#    (
+#        FOR_ANY_REVISION_WHEN_APPROVED,
+#        _('When any revision is approved by moderator')
+#    ),
+#    (
+#        FOR_INITIAL_REVISION_ALWAYS,
+#        _('Any time when inital revision is published')
+#    ),
+#    (
+#        FOR_ANY_REVISION_ALWAYS,
+#        _('Any time when revision is published')
+#    )
+#)
+
 REPLY_SEPARATOR_TEMPLATE = '==== %(user_action)s %(instruction)s -=-=='
 REPLY_WITH_COMMENT_TEMPLATE = _(
     'Note: to reply with a comment, '
-    'please use <a href="mailto://%(addr)s">this link</a>'
+    'please use <a href="mailto:%(addr)s?subject=%(subject)s">this link</a>'
 )
-REPLY_SEPARATOR_REGEX = re.compile('==== .* -=-==', re.MULTILINE)
+REPLY_SEPARATOR_REGEX = re.compile(r'==== .* -=-==', re.MULTILINE|re.DOTALL)
 
 ANSWER_SORT_METHODS = (#no translations needed here
     'latest', 'oldest', 'votes'
diff --git a/askbot/doc/source/changelog.rst b/askbot/doc/source/changelog.rst
index 06808a9c..f975b83c 100644
--- a/askbot/doc/source/changelog.rst
+++ b/askbot/doc/source/changelog.rst
@@ -5,6 +5,11 @@ Development version
 -------------------
 * Welcome email for the case when replying by email is enabled (Evgeny)
 * Detection of email signature based on the response to the welome email (Evgeny)
+* Hide "website" and "about" section of the blocked user profiles
+  to help prevent user profile spam (Evgeny)
+* Added a function to create a custom user profile tab,
+  the feature requires access to the server (Evgeny)
+* Added optional top banner to the question page (Evgeny)
 
 0.7.43 (May 14, 2012)
 ---------------------
diff --git a/askbot/doc/source/management-commands.rst b/askbot/doc/source/management-commands.rst
index f6c5beec..4efbef6e 100644
--- a/askbot/doc/source/management-commands.rst
+++ b/askbot/doc/source/management-commands.rst
@@ -104,6 +104,14 @@ Any configurable options, related to these commands are accessible via "Email" s
 +-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+
 | command                             | purpose                                                     |
 +=====================================+=============================================================+
+| `send_respondable_welcome_email`    | Will send a respondable welcome email to **all** registered |
+|                                     | users whose email address was not validated.                |
+|                                     | This feature requires "reply by email" enabled and "lamson" |
+|                                     | email processor installed on the system.                    |
+|                                     | The email will be respondable. When the user responds,      |
+|                                     | askbot will validate the email and capture the signature in |
+|                                     | the end of the message.                                     |
++-------------------------------------+-------------------------------------------------------------+
 | `send_email_alerts`                 | Dispatches email alerts to the users according to           |
 |                                     | their subscription settings. This command does not          |
 |                                     | send instant" alerts because those are sent automatically   |
diff --git a/askbot/doc/source/optional-modules.rst b/askbot/doc/source/optional-modules.rst
index 0c013121..25bb5cc8 100644
--- a/askbot/doc/source/optional-modules.rst
+++ b/askbot/doc/source/optional-modules.rst
@@ -124,6 +124,49 @@ Also, settings ``MEDIA_ROOT`` and ``MEDIA_URL`` will need to be added to your ``
     be up to date, so please take the development version from the 
     github repository
 
+Custom section in the user profile
+==================================
+Sometimes you might want to add a completely custom section
+to the user profile, available via an additional tab.
+
+This is possible by editing the ``settings.py`` file,
+which means that to use this feature you must have sufficient 
+access to the webserver file system.
+
+Add a following setting to your ``settings.py``::
+
+    ASKBOT_CUSTOM_USER_PROFILE_TAB = {
+        'NAME': 'some name',
+        'SLUG': 'some-name',
+        'CONTENT_GENERATOR': 'myapp.views.somefunc'
+    }
+
+The value of ``ASKBOT_CUSTOM_USER_PROFILE_TAB['CONTENT_GENERATOR']``
+should be a path to the function that returns the widget content
+as string.
+
+Here is a simple example of the content generator 
+implemented as part of the fictional application called ``myapp``::
+
+    from myapp.models import Thing#definition not shown here
+    from django.template.loader import get_template
+    from django.template import Context
+
+    def somefunc(request, profile_owner):
+        """loads things for the ``profile_owner``
+        and returns output rendered as html string
+        """
+        template = get_template('mytemplate.html')
+        things = Thing.objects.filter(user = profile_owner)
+        return template.render(Context({'things': things}))
+
+The function is very similar to the regular
+Django view, but returns a string instead of the ``HttpResponse``
+instance.
+
+Also, the method must accept one additional argument -
+an instance of the ``django.contrib.auth.models.User`` object.
+
 Wordpress Integration 
 =====================
 
@@ -183,7 +226,7 @@ The minimum settings required to enable this feature are defining the port and b
 
     LAMSON_RECEIVER_CONFIG = {'host': 'your.ip.address', 'port': 25}
     
-    LAMSON_HANDLERS = ['askbot.lamson_handlers']
+    LAMSON_HANDLERS = ['askbot.mail.lamson_handlers']
     
     LAMSON_ROUTER_DEFAULTS = {'host': '.+'}
 
diff --git a/askbot/forms.py b/askbot/forms.py
index 81354cad..23da169a 100644
--- a/askbot/forms.py
+++ b/askbot/forms.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from django.contrib.auth.models import User
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 from django_countries import countries
 from askbot.utils.forms import NextUrlField, UserNameField
-from askbot.utils.mail import extract_first_email_address
+from askbot.mail import extract_first_email_address
 from recaptcha_works.fields import RecaptchaField
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 import logging
diff --git a/askbot/utils/mail.py b/askbot/mail/__init__.py
index 4f653e6b..7ff8a2d3 100644
--- a/askbot/utils/mail.py
+++ b/askbot/mail/__init__.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from django.core.exceptions import PermissionDenied
 from django.forms import ValidationError
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
 from django.utils.translation import string_concat
+from django.template import Context
 from askbot import exceptions
 from askbot import const
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
@@ -164,7 +165,9 @@ TAGS_INSTRUCTION_FOOTNOTE = _(
 the tags, use a semicolon or a comma, for example, [One tag; Other tag]</p>"""
 )
 
-def bounce_email(email, subject, reason = None, body_text = None):
+def bounce_email(
+    email, subject, reason = None, body_text = None, reply_to = None
+):
     """sends a bounce email at address ``email``, with the subject
     line ``subject``, accepts several reasons for the bounce:
     * ``'problem_posting'``, ``unknown_user`` and ``permission_denied``
@@ -206,25 +209,30 @@ def bounce_email(email, subject, reason = None, body_text = None):
             'site': askbot_settings.APP_SHORT_NAME,
             'url': url_utils.get_login_url()
         }
-    elif reason == 'permission_denied':
+    elif reason == 'permission_denied' and body_text is None:
         error_message = _(
             '<p>Sorry, your question could not be posted '
             'due to insufficient privileges of your user account</p>'
         )
+    elif body_text:
+        error_message = body_text
     else:
         raise ValueError('unknown reason to bounce an email: "%s"' % reason)
 
-    if body_text != None:
-        error_message = string_concat(error_message, body_text)
 
     #print 'sending email'
     #print email
     #print subject
     #print error_message
+    headers = {}
+    if reply_to:
+        headers['Reply-To'] = reply_to
+        
     send_mail(
         recipient_list = (email,),
         subject_line = 'Re: ' + subject,
-        body_text = error_message
+        body_text = error_message,
+        headers = headers
     )
 
 def extract_reply(text):
@@ -250,7 +258,29 @@ def process_attachment(attachment):
         markdown_link = '!' + markdown_link
     return markdown_link, file_storage
 
-def process_parts(parts):
+def extract_user_signature(text, reply_code):
+    """extracts email signature as text trailing
+    the reply code"""
+    if reply_code in text:
+        #extract the signature
+        tail = list()
+        for line in reversed(text.splitlines()):
+            #scan backwards from the end until the magic line
+            if reply_code in line:
+                break
+            tail.insert(0, line)
+
+        #strip off the leading quoted lines, there could be one or two
+        #also strip empty lines
+        while tail and (tail[0].startswith('>') or tail[0].strip() == ''):
+            tail.pop(0)
+
+        return '\n'.join(tail)
+    else:
+        return ''
+
+
+def process_parts(parts, reply_code = None):
     """Process parts will upload the attachments and parse out the
     body, if body is multipart. Secondly - links to attachments
     will be added to the body of the question.
@@ -266,7 +296,7 @@ def process_parts(parts):
             stored_files.append(stored_file)
             attachments_markdown += '\n\n' + markdown
         elif part_type == 'body':
-            body_markdown += '\n\n' + content
+            body_markdown += '\n\n' + content.strip('\n\t ')
         elif part_type == 'inline':
             markdown, stored_file = process_attachment(content)
             stored_files.append(stored_file)
@@ -274,25 +304,32 @@ def process_parts(parts):
 
     #if the response separator is present - 
     #split the body with it, and discard the "so and so wrote:" part
+    if reply_code:
+        signature = extract_user_signature(body_markdown, reply_code)
+    else:
+        signature = None
     body_markdown = extract_reply(body_markdown)
 
     body_markdown += attachments_markdown
-    return body_markdown.strip(), stored_files
+    return body_markdown.strip(), stored_files, signature
 
 
-def process_emailed_question(from_address, subject, parts, tags = None):
+def process_emailed_question(
+    from_address, subject, body_text, stored_files, tags = None
+):
     """posts question received by email or bounces the message"""
     #a bunch of imports here, to avoid potential circular import issues
     from askbot.forms import AskByEmailForm
-    from askbot.models import User
+    from askbot.models import ReplyAddress, User
+    from askbot.mail import messages
 
+    reply_to = None
     try:
         #todo: delete uploaded files when posting by email fails!!!
-        body, stored_files = process_parts(parts)
         data = {
             'sender': from_address,
             'subject': subject,
-            'body_text': body
+            'body_text': body_text
         }
         form = AskByEmailForm(data)
         if form.is_valid():
@@ -301,8 +338,16 @@ def process_emailed_question(from_address, subject, parts, tags = None):
                         email__iexact = email_address
                     )
 
+            if user.can_post_by_email() == False:
+                raise PermissionDenied(messages.insufficient_reputation(user))
+
             if user.email_isvalid == False:
-                raise PermissionDenied('Lacking email signature')
+                reply_to = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
+                    user = user,
+                    reply_action = 'validate_email'
+                ).as_email_address()
+                message = messages.ask_for_signature(user, footer_code = reply_to)
+                raise PermissionDenied(message)
 
             tagnames = form.cleaned_data['tagnames']
             title = form.cleaned_data['title']
@@ -336,7 +381,8 @@ def process_emailed_question(from_address, subject, parts, tags = None):
             email_address,
             subject,
             reason = 'permission_denied',
-            body_text = unicode(error)
+            body_text = unicode(error),
+            reply_to = reply_to
         )
     except ValidationError:
         if from_address:
diff --git a/askbot/lamson_handlers.py b/askbot/mail/lamson_handlers.py
index d7dc7e13..f7053414 100644
--- a/askbot/lamson_handlers.py
+++ b/askbot/mail/lamson_handlers.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from lamson.routing import route, stateless
 from lamson.server import Relay
 from askbot.models import ReplyAddress, Tag
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 from askbot.skins.loaders import get_template
 
@@ -187,9 +187,13 @@ def ASK(message, host = None, addr = None):
 
     parts = get_parts(message)
     from_address = message.From
-    subject = message['Subject']#why lamson does not give it normally?
+    #why lamson does not give it normally?
+    subject = message['Subject'].strip('\n\t ')
+    body_text, stored_files, unused = mail.process_parts(parts)
     if addr == 'ask':
-        mail.process_emailed_question(from_address, subject, parts)
+        mail.process_emailed_question(
+            from_address, subject, body_text, stored_files
+        )
     else:
         if askbot_settings.GROUP_EMAIL_ADDRESSES_ENABLED == False:
             return
@@ -199,7 +203,8 @@ def ASK(message, host = None, addr = None):
                 name__iexact = addr
             )
             mail.process_emailed_question(
-                from_address, subject, parts, tags = [group_tag.name, ]
+                from_address, subject, body_text, stored_files,
+                tags = [group_tag.name, ]
             )
         except Tag.DoesNotExist:
             #do nothing because this handler will match all emails
@@ -220,28 +225,12 @@ def VALIDATE_EMAIL(
     the email signature
     todo: go a step further and
     """
-    content, stored_files = mail.process_parts(parts)
     reply_code = reply_address_object.address
-    if reply_code in content:
-
-        #extract the signature
-        tail = list()
-        for line in reversed(content.splitlines()):
-            #scan backwards from the end until the magic line
-            if reply_code in line:
-                break
-            tail.insert(0, line)
-
-        #strip off the leading quoted lines, there could be one or two
-        #also strip empty lines
-        while tail[0].startswith('>') or tail[0].strip() == '':
-            tail.pop(0)
-
-        signature = '\n'.join(tail)
-
-        #save the signature and mark email as valid
+    try:
+        content, stored_files, signature = mail.process_parts(parts, reply_code)
         user = reply_address_object.user
-        user.email_signature = signature
+        if signature and signature != user.email_signature:
+            user.email_signature = signature
         user.email_isvalid = True
         user.save()
 
@@ -257,8 +246,7 @@ def VALIDATE_EMAIL(
             body_text = template.render(Context(data)),
             recipient_list = [from_address,]
         )
-
-    else:
+    except ValueError:
         raise ValueError(
             _(
                 'Please reply to the welcome email '
@@ -272,12 +260,58 @@ def VALIDATE_EMAIL(
 def PROCESS(
     parts = None,
     reply_address_object = None,
+    subject_line = None,
+    from_address = None,
     **kwargs
 ):
     """handler to process the emailed message
     and make a post to askbot based on the contents of
     the email, including the text body and the file attachments"""
-    if reply_address_object.was_used:
-        reply_address_object.edit_post(parts)
-    else:
-        reply_address_object.create_reply(parts)
+    #1) get actual email content 
+    #   todo: factor this out into the process_reply decorator
+    reply_code = reply_address_object.address
+    body_text, stored_files, signature = mail.process_parts(parts, reply_code)
+
+    #2) process body text and email signature
+    user = reply_address_object.user
+    if signature:#if there, then it was stripped
+        if signature != user.email_signature:
+            user.email_signature = signature
+    else:#try to strip signature
+        stripped_body_text = user.strip_email_signature(body_text)
+        #todo: add test cases for emails without the signature
+        if stripped_body_text == body_text and user.email_signature:
+            #todo: send an email asking to update the signature
+            raise ValueError('email signature changed or unknown')
+        body_text = stripped_body_text
+
+    #3) validate email address and save user
+    user.email_isvalid = True
+    user.save()#todo: actually, saving is not necessary, if nothing changed
+
+    #4) actually make an edit in the forum
+    robj = reply_address_object
+    add_post_actions = ('post_comment', 'post_answer', 'auto_answer_or_comment')
+    if robj.reply_action == 'replace_content':
+        robj.edit_post(body_text, title = subject_line)
+    elif robj.reply_action == 'append_content':
+        robj.edit_post(body_text)#in this case we don't touch the title
+    elif robj.reply_action in add_post_actions:
+        if robj.was_used:
+            robj.edit_post(body_text, edit_response = True)
+        else:
+            robj.create_reply(body_text)
+    elif robj.reply_action == 'validate_email':
+        #todo: this is copy-paste - factor it out to askbot.mail.messages
+        data = {
+            'site_name': askbot_settings.APP_SHORT_NAME,
+            'site_url': askbot_settings.APP_URL,
+            'ask_address': 'ask@' + askbot_settings.REPLY_BY_EMAIL_HOSTNAME
+        }
+        template = get_template('email/re_welcome_lamson_on.html')
+
+        mail.send_mail(
+            subject_line = _('Re: %s') % subject_line,
+            body_text = template.render(Context(data)),
+            recipient_list = [from_address,]
+        )
diff --git a/askbot/mail/messages.py b/askbot/mail/messages.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..24091971
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/mail/messages.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+"""functions in this module return body text
+of email messages for various occasions
+"""
+import functools
+from django.template import Context
+from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
+from askbot.skins.loaders import get_template
+from askbot.utils import html as html_utils
+
+def message(template = None):
+    """a decorator that creates a function
+    which returns formatted message using the
+    template and data"""
+    def decorate(func):
+        @functools.wraps(func)
+        def wrapped(*args, **kwargs):
+            template_object = get_template(template)
+            data = func(*args, **kwargs)
+            return template_object.render(Context(data))
+        return wrapped
+    return decorate
+
+@message(template = 'email/ask_for_signature.html')
+def ask_for_signature(user, footer_code = None):
+    """tells that we don't have user's signature
+    and because of that he/she cannot make posts
+    the message will ask to make a simple response
+    """
+    return {
+        'username': user.username,
+        'site_name': askbot_settings.APP_SHORT_NAME,
+        'footer_code': footer_code
+    }
+
+@message(template = 'email/insufficient_rep_to_post_by_email.html')
+def insufficient_reputation(user):
+    """tells user that he does not have
+    enough rep and suggests to ask on the web
+    """
+    min_rep = askbot_settings.MIN_REP_TO_POST_BY_EMAIL
+    min_upvotes = 1 + \
+        (min_rep/askbot_settings.REP_GAIN_FOR_RECEIVING_UPVOTE)
+    site_link = html_utils.site_link(
+        'ask',
+        askbot_settings.APP_SHORT_NAME
+    )
+    return {
+        'username': user.username,
+        'site_name': askbot_settings.APP_SHORT_NAME,
+        'site_link': site_link,
+        'min_upvotes': min_upvotes
+    }
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/fix_answer_counts.py b/askbot/management/commands/fix_answer_counts.py
index 959e37b6..9f22422e 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/fix_answer_counts.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/fix_answer_counts.py
@@ -23,6 +23,5 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
         """function that handles the command job
         """
         self.remove_save_signals()
-        questions = models.Question.objects.all()
-        for question in questions:
-            question.thread.update_answer_count()
+        for thread in models.Thread.objects.all():
+            thread.update_answer_count()
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/fix_question_tags.py b/askbot/management/commands/fix_question_tags.py
index 9858e397..d575e651 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/fix_question_tags.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/fix_question_tags.py
@@ -39,33 +39,33 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
         transaction.commit()
 
         #go through questions and fix tag records on each
-        questions = models.Question.objects.all()
+        threads = models.Thread.objects.all()
         checked_count = 0
         found_count = 0
-        total_count = questions.count()
+        total_count = threads.count()
         print "Searching for questions with inconsistent tag records:",
-        for question in questions:
-            tags = question.thread.tags.all()
-            denorm_tag_set = set(question.get_tag_names())
-            norm_tag_set = set(question.thread.tags.values_list('name', flat=True))
+        for thread in threads:
+            tags = thread.tags.all()
+            denorm_tag_set = set(thread.get_tag_names())
+            norm_tag_set = set(thread.tags.values_list('name', flat=True))
             if norm_tag_set != denorm_tag_set:
 
-                if question.last_edited_by:
-                    user = question.last_edited_by
-                    timestamp = question.last_edited_at
+                if thread.last_edited_by:
+                    user = thread.last_edited_by
+                    timestamp = thread.last_edited_at
                 else:
-                    user = question.author
-                    timestamp = question.added_at
+                    user = thread.author
+                    timestamp = thread.added_at
 
-                tagnames = forms.TagNamesField().clean(question.tagnames)
+                tagnames = forms.TagNamesField().clean(thread.tagnames)
 
-                question.thread.update_tags(
+                thread.update_tags(
                     tagnames = tagnames,
                     user = user,
                     timestamp = timestamp
                 )
-                question.thread.tagnames = tagnames
-                question.thread.save()
+                thread.tagnames = tagnames
+                thread.save()
                 found_count += 1
 
             transaction.commit()
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/fix_revisionless_posts.py b/askbot/management/commands/fix_revisionless_posts.py
index 92c03425..9535bef3 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/fix_revisionless_posts.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/fix_revisionless_posts.py
@@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ from django.db.models import signals, Count
 from askbot import models
 from askbot import const
 
-def fix_revisionless_posts(post_class, post_name):
+def fix_revisionless_posts(post_class):
         posts = post_class.objects.annotate(
                                         rev_count = Count('revisions')
                                     ).filter(rev_count = 0)
-        print 'have %d corrupted %ss' % (len(posts), post_name)
+        print 'have %d corrupted posts' % len(posts)
         for post in posts:
             post.add_revision(
                         author = post.author,
@@ -39,5 +39,4 @@ class Command(NoArgsCommand):
         """function that handles the command job
         """
         self.remove_save_signals()
-        fix_revisionless_posts(models.Question, 'question')
-        fix_revisionless_posts(models.Answer, 'answer')
+        fix_revisionless_posts(models.Post)
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/post_emailed_questions.py b/askbot/management/commands/post_emailed_questions.py
index cc77b57f..acddcf43 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/post_emailed_questions.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/post_emailed_questions.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ import base64
 from django.conf import settings as django_settings
 from django.core.management.base import NoArgsCommand, CommandError
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 
 class CannotParseEmail(Exception):
     """This exception will bounce the email"""
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/send_accept_answer_reminders.py b/askbot/management/commands/send_accept_answer_reminders.py
index 47358a99..3a20ba27 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/send_accept_answer_reminders.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/send_accept_answer_reminders.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ from askbot import const
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from django.utils.translation import ungettext
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 from askbot.utils.classes import ReminderSchedule
 
 DEBUG_THIS_COMMAND = False
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/send_email.py b/askbot/management/commands/send_email.py
index 2493c51b..ff36b19f 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/send_email.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/send_email.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from askbot.utils.mail import send_mail
+from askbot.mail import send_mail
 from django.core.exceptions import ValidationError
 from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
 from django.core.validators import validate_email
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/send_email_alerts.py b/askbot/management/commands/send_email_alerts.py
index b7624e21..e890452d 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/send_email_alerts.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/send_email_alerts.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 from django.utils.datastructures import SortedDict
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 from askbot import const
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 from askbot.utils.slug import slugify
 
 DEBUG_THIS_COMMAND = False
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/send_respondable_welcome_email.py b/askbot/management/commands/send_respondable_welcome_email.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c386b531
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/send_respondable_welcome_email.py
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+"""Management command that sends a respondable
+welcome email to all users.
+User's responses will be used to validate
+the email addresses and extract the email signatures.
+"""
+from django.core.management.base import NoArgsCommand
+from askbot.models import User, send_welcome_email
+
+class Command(NoArgsCommand):
+    def handle_noargs(self):
+        for user in User.objects.filter(email_isvalid = False):
+            send_welcome_email(user)
diff --git a/askbot/management/commands/send_unanswered_question_reminders.py b/askbot/management/commands/send_unanswered_question_reminders.py
index 424e45cc..82b6ecd8 100644
--- a/askbot/management/commands/send_unanswered_question_reminders.py
+++ b/askbot/management/commands/send_unanswered_question_reminders.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ from askbot import models
 from askbot import const
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 from django.utils.translation import ungettext
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 from askbot.utils.classes import ReminderSchedule
 from askbot.models.question import Thread
 
diff --git a/askbot/models/__init__.py b/askbot/models/__init__.py
index 0855abcd..b686818f 100644
--- a/askbot/models/__init__.py
+++ b/askbot/models/__init__.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ from askbot.utils.decorators import auto_now_timestamp
 from askbot.utils.slug import slugify
 from askbot.utils.diff import textDiff as htmldiff
 from askbot.utils.url_utils import strip_path
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 
 def get_model(model_name):
     """a shortcut for getting model for an askbot app"""
@@ -207,9 +207,12 @@ def user_update_avatar_type(self):
 
 def user_strip_email_signature(self, text):
     """strips email signature from the end of the text"""
+    if self.email_signature.strip() == '':
+        return text
+
     text = '\n'.join(text.splitlines())#normalize the line endings
-    if text.endswith(self.email_signature):
-        return text[0:-len(self.email_signature)]
+    while text.endswith(self.email_signature):
+        text = text[0:-len(self.email_signature)]
     return text
 
 def _check_gravatar(gravatar):
@@ -294,7 +297,7 @@ def user_can_have_strong_url(self):
     followed by the search engine crawlers"""
     return (self.reputation >= askbot_settings.MIN_REP_TO_HAVE_STRONG_URL)
 
-def user_can_reply_by_email(self):
+def user_can_post_by_email(self):
     """True, if reply by email is enabled 
     and user has sufficient reputatiton"""
     return askbot_settings.REPLY_BY_EMAIL and \
@@ -1249,6 +1252,11 @@ def user_delete_comment(
                     timestamp = None
                 ):
     self.assert_can_delete_comment(comment = comment)
+    #todo: we want to do this
+    #comment.deleted = True
+    #comment.deleted_by = self
+    #comment.deleted_at = timestamp
+    #comment.save()
     comment.delete()
     comment.thread.invalidate_cached_data()
 
@@ -1500,18 +1508,18 @@ def user_edit_post(self,
 
 @auto_now_timestamp
 def user_edit_question(
-                    self,
-                    question = None,
-                    title = None,
-                    body_text = None,
-                    revision_comment = None,
-                    tags = None,
-                    wiki = False,
-                    edit_anonymously = False,
-                    timestamp = None,
-                    force = False,#if True - bypass the assert
-                    by_email = False
-                ):
+                self,
+                question = None,
+                title = None,
+                body_text = None,
+                revision_comment = None,
+                tags = None,
+                wiki = False,
+                edit_anonymously = False,
+                timestamp = None,
+                force = False,#if True - bypass the assert
+                by_email = False
+            ):
     if force == False:
         self.assert_can_edit_question(question)
 
@@ -1870,6 +1878,14 @@ def user_set_status(self, new_status):
         if self.is_administrator():
             self.remove_admin_status()
 
+    #when toggling between blocked and non-blocked status
+    #we need to invalidate question page caches, b/c they contain
+    #user's url, which must be hidden in the blocked state
+    if 'b' in (new_status, self.status) and new_status != self.status:
+        threads = Thread.objects.get_for_user(self)
+        for thread in threads:
+            thread.invalidate_cached_post_data()
+
     self.status = new_status
     self.save()
 
@@ -2283,12 +2299,18 @@ def user_approve_post_revision(user, post_revision, timestamp = None):
     post = post_revision.post
     post.approved = True
     post.save()
+
     if post_revision.post.post_type == 'question':
         thread = post.thread
         thread.approved = True
         thread.save()
     post.thread.invalidate_cached_data()
 
+    #send the signal of published revision
+    signals.post_revision_published.send(
+        None, revision = post_revision, was_approved = True
+    )
+
 @auto_now_timestamp
 def flag_post(user, post, timestamp=None, cancel=False, cancel_all = False, force = False):
     if cancel_all:
@@ -2497,7 +2519,7 @@ User.add_to_class('is_following_question', user_is_following_question)
 User.add_to_class('mark_tags', user_mark_tags)
 User.add_to_class('update_response_counts', user_update_response_counts)
 User.add_to_class('can_have_strong_url', user_can_have_strong_url)
-User.add_to_class('can_reply_by_email', user_can_reply_by_email)
+User.add_to_class('can_post_by_email', user_can_post_by_email)
 User.add_to_class('can_post_comment', user_can_post_comment)
 User.add_to_class('is_administrator', user_is_administrator)
 User.add_to_class('is_administrator_or_moderator', user_is_administrator_or_moderator)
@@ -2569,12 +2591,13 @@ User.add_to_class(
     user_assert_can_approve_post_revision
 )
 
-#todo: move this to askbot/utils ??
+#todo: move this to askbot/mail ?
 def format_instant_notification_email(
                                         to_user = None,
                                         from_user = None,
                                         post = None,
-                                        reply_with_comment_address = None,
+                                        reply_address = None,
+                                        alt_reply_address = None,
                                         update_type = None,
                                         template = None,
                                     ):
@@ -2621,16 +2644,16 @@ def format_instant_notification_email(
         revisions = post.revisions.all()[:2]
         assert(len(revisions) == 2)
         content_preview = htmldiff(
-                            revisions[1].html,
-                            revisions[0].html,
-                            ins_start = '<b><u style="background-color:#cfc">',
-                            ins_end = '</u></b>',
-                            del_start = '<del style="color:#600;background-color:#fcc">',
-                            del_end = '</del>'
-                        )
+                revisions[1].html,
+                revisions[0].html,
+                ins_start = '<b><u style="background-color:#cfc">',
+                ins_end = '</u></b>',
+                del_start = '<del style="color:#600;background-color:#fcc">',
+                del_end = '</del>'
+            )
         #todo: remove hardcoded style
     else:
-        content_preview = post.format_for_email()
+        content_preview = post.format_for_email(is_leaf_post = True)
 
     #add indented summaries for the parent posts
     content_preview += post.format_for_email_as_parent_thread_summary()
@@ -2664,16 +2687,21 @@ def format_instant_notification_email(
         'post_link': '<a href="%s">%s</a>' % (post_url, _(post.post_type))
     }
 
-    can_reply = to_user.can_reply_by_email()
+    can_reply = to_user.can_post_by_email()
 
     if can_reply:
-        reply_separator = const.REPLY_SEPARATOR_TEMPLATE % {
-                        'user_action': user_action,
-                        'instruction': _('To reply, PLEASE WRITE ABOVE THIS LINE.')
-                    }
-        if post.post_type == 'question' and reply_with_comment_address:
-            data = {'addr': reply_with_comment_address}
-            reply_separator += '<br>' + const.REPLY_WITH_COMMENT_TEMPLATE % data
+        reply_separator = const.SIMPLE_REPLY_SEPARATOR_TEMPLATE % \
+                    _('To reply, PLEASE WRITE ABOVE THIS LINE.')
+        if post.post_type == 'question' and alt_reply_address:
+            data = {
+                'addr': alt_reply_address,
+                'subject': urllib.quote(
+                        ('Re: ' + post.thread.title).encode('utf-8')
+                    )
+            }
+            reply_separator += '<p>' + \
+                const.REPLY_WITH_COMMENT_TEMPLATE % data
+            reply_separator += '</p>'
     else:
         reply_separator = user_action
                     
@@ -2691,7 +2719,56 @@ def format_instant_notification_email(
         'reply_separator': reply_separator
     }
     subject_line = _('"%(title)s"') % {'title': origin_post.thread.title}
-    return subject_line, template.render(Context(update_data))
+
+    content = template.render(Context(update_data))
+    if can_reply:
+        content += '<p style="font-size:8px;color:#aaa">' + \
+                    reply_address + '</p>'
+
+    return subject_line, content
+
+def get_reply_to_addresses(user, post):
+    """Returns one or two email addresses that can be
+    used by a given `user` to reply to the `post`
+    the first address - always a real email address,
+    the second address is not ``None`` only for "question" posts.
+
+    When the user is notified of a new question - 
+    i.e. `post` is a "quesiton", he/she
+    will need to choose - whether to give a question or a comment,
+    thus we return the second address - for the comment reply.
+
+    When the post is a "question", the first email address
+    is for posting an "answer", and when post is either
+    "comment" or "answer", the address will be for posting
+    a "comment".
+    """
+    #these variables will contain return values
+    primary_addr = django_settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL
+    secondary_addr = None
+    if user.can_post_by_email():
+        if user.reputation >= askbot_settings.MIN_REP_TO_POST_BY_EMAIL:
+
+            reply_args = {
+                'post': post,
+                'user': user,
+                'reply_action': 'post_comment'
+            }
+            if post.post_type in ('answer', 'comment'):
+                reply_args['reply_action'] = 'post_comment'
+            elif post.post_type == 'question':
+                reply_args['reply_action'] = 'post_answer'
+
+            primary_addr = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
+                                                    **reply_args
+                                                ).as_email_address()
+
+            if post.post_type == 'question':
+                reply_args['reply_action'] = 'post_comment'
+                secondary_addr = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
+                                                    **reply_args
+                                                ).as_email_address()
+    return primary_addr, secondary_addr
 
 #todo: action
 def send_instant_notifications_about_activity_in_post(
@@ -2715,52 +2792,31 @@ def send_instant_notifications_about_activity_in_post(
     if update_activity.activity_type not in acceptable_types:
         return
 
+    #calculate some variables used in the loop below
     from askbot.skins.loaders import get_template
     update_type_map = const.RESPONSE_ACTIVITY_TYPE_MAP_FOR_TEMPLATES
     update_type = update_type_map[update_activity.activity_type]
-
     origin_post = post.get_origin_post()
-    for user in recipients:
-      
-        #todo: this could be packaged as an "action" - a bundle
-        #of executive function with the activity log recording
-        #TODO check user reputation
-        headers = mail.thread_headers(post, origin_post, update_activity.activity_type)
-        reply_with_comment_address = None#only used for questions in some cases
-        if askbot_settings.REPLY_BY_EMAIL:
-            reply_addr = "noreply"
-            if user.reputation >= askbot_settings.MIN_REP_TO_POST_BY_EMAIL:
-
-                reply_args = {
-                    'post': post,
-                    'user': user,
-                    'reply_action': 'post_comment'
-                }
-                if post.post_type in ('answer', 'comment'):
-                    reply_addr = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(**reply_args)
-                elif post.post_type == 'question':
-                    reply_with_comment_address = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(**reply_args)
-                    #default action is to post answer
-                    reply_args['reply_action'] = 'post_answer'
-                    reply_addr = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(**reply_args)
-
-            reply_to = 'reply-%s@%s' % (
-                            reply_addr,
-                            askbot_settings.REPLY_BY_EMAIL_HOSTNAME
+    headers = mail.thread_headers(
+                            post,
+                            origin_post,
+                            update_activity.activity_type
                         )
-            headers.update({'Reply-To': reply_to})
-        else:
-            reply_to = django_settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL
+    #send email for all recipients
+    for user in recipients:
+        reply_address, alt_reply_address = get_reply_to_addresses(user, post)
 
         subject_line, body_text = format_instant_notification_email(
                             to_user = user,
                             from_user = update_activity.user,
                             post = post,
-                            reply_with_comment_address = reply_with_comment_address,
+                            reply_address = reply_address,
+                            alt_reply_address = alt_reply_address,
                             update_type = update_type,
                             template = get_template('instant_notification.html')
                         )
       
+        headers['Reply-To'] = reply_address
         mail.send_mail(
             subject_line = subject_line,
             body_text = body_text,
@@ -2770,6 +2826,18 @@ def send_instant_notifications_about_activity_in_post(
             headers = headers
         )
 
+def notify_author_of_published_revision(
+    revision = None, was_approved = None, **kwargs
+):
+    """notifies author about approved post revision,
+    assumes that we have the very first revision
+    """
+    #only email about first revision
+    if revision.should_notify_author_about_publishing(was_approved):
+        from askbot.tasks import notify_author_of_published_revision_celery_task
+        notify_author_of_published_revision_celery_task.delay(revision)
+    
+
 #todo: move to utils
 def calculate_gravatar_hash(instance, **kwargs):
     """Calculates a User's gravatar hash from their email address."""
@@ -2815,14 +2883,6 @@ def record_post_update_activity(
         created = created,
         diff = diff,
     )
-    #non-celery version
-    #tasks.record_post_update(
-    #    post = post,
-    #    newly_mentioned_users = newly_mentioned_users,
-    #    updated_by = updated_by,
-    #    timestamp = timestamp,
-    #    created = created,
-    #)
 
 
 def record_award_event(instance, created, **kwargs):
@@ -3167,22 +3227,10 @@ def make_admin_if_first_user(instance, **kwargs):
         instance.set_admin_status()
     cache.cache.set('admin-created', True)
 
-def place_post_revision_on_moderation_queue(instance, **kwargs):
-    """`instance` is post revision, because we must
-    be able to moderate all the revisions, if necessary,
-    in order to avoid people getting the post past the moderation
-    then make some evil edit.
-    """
-    if instance.needs_moderation():
-        instance.place_on_moderation_queue()
 
 #signal for User model save changes
 django_signals.pre_save.connect(make_admin_if_first_user, sender=User)
 django_signals.pre_save.connect(calculate_gravatar_hash, sender=User)
-django_signals.post_save.connect(
-    place_post_revision_on_moderation_queue,
-    sender=PostRevision
-)
 django_signals.post_save.connect(add_missing_subscriptions, sender=User)
 django_signals.post_save.connect(record_award_event, sender=Award)
 django_signals.post_save.connect(notify_award_message, sender=Award)
@@ -3207,6 +3255,10 @@ signals.user_updated.connect(record_user_full_updated, sender=User)
 signals.user_logged_in.connect(complete_pending_tag_subscriptions)#todo: add this to fake onlogin middleware
 signals.user_logged_in.connect(post_anonymous_askbot_content)
 signals.post_updated.connect(record_post_update_activity)
+
+#probably we cannot use post-save here the point of this is
+#to tell when the revision becomes publicly visible, not when it is saved
+signals.post_revision_published.connect(notify_author_of_published_revision)
 signals.site_visited.connect(record_user_visit)
 
 #set up a possibility for the users to follow others
diff --git a/askbot/models/post.py b/askbot/models/post.py
index b6ee6d2a..673b4c6f 100644
--- a/askbot/models/post.py
+++ b/askbot/models/post.py
@@ -345,7 +345,7 @@ class Post(models.Model):
         db_table = 'askbot_post'
 
 
-    def parse_post_text(post):
+    def parse_post_text(self):
         """typically post has a field to store raw source text
         in comment it is called .comment, in Question and Answer it is
         called .text
@@ -361,18 +361,18 @@ class Post(models.Model):
         removed_mentions - list of mention <Activity> objects - for removed ones
         """
 
-        if post.post_type in ('question', 'answer', 'tag_wiki', 'reject_reason'):
+        if self.post_type in ('question', 'answer', 'tag_wiki', 'reject_reason'):
             _urlize = False
             _use_markdown = True
             _escape_html = False #markdow does the escaping
-        elif post.is_comment():
+        elif self.is_comment():
             _urlize = True
             _use_markdown = True
             _escape_html = True
         else:
             raise NotImplementedError
 
-        text = post.text
+        text = self.text
 
         if _escape_html:
             text = cgi.escape(text)
@@ -384,12 +384,12 @@ class Post(models.Model):
             text = sanitize_html(markup.get_parser().convert(text))
 
         #todo, add markdown parser call conditional on
-        #post.use_markdown flag
+        #self.use_markdown flag
         post_html = text
         mentioned_authors = list()
         removed_mentions = list()
         if '@' in text:
-            op = post.get_origin_post()
+            op = self.get_origin_post()
             anticipated_authors = op.get_author_list(
                 include_comments = True,
                 recursive = True
@@ -416,10 +416,10 @@ class Post(models.Model):
             #find mentions that were removed and identify any previously
             #entered mentions so that we can send alerts on only new ones
             from askbot.models.user import Activity
-            if post.pk is not None:
+            if self.pk is not None:
                 #only look for previous mentions if post was already saved before
                 prev_mention_qs = Activity.objects.get_mentions(
-                    mentioned_in = post
+                    mentioned_in = self
                 )
                 new_set = set(mentioned_authors)
                 for prev_mention in prev_mention_qs:
@@ -442,51 +442,51 @@ class Post(models.Model):
         return data
 
     #todo: when models are merged, it would be great to remove author parameter
-    def parse_and_save_post(post, author = None, **kwargs):
+    def parse_and_save(self, author = None, **kwargs):
         """generic method to use with posts to be used prior to saving
         post edit or addition
         """
 
         assert(author is not None)
 
-        last_revision = post.html
-        data = post.parse()
+        last_revision = self.html
+        data = self.parse_post_text()
 
-        post.html = data['html']
+        self.html = data['html']
         newly_mentioned_users = set(data['newly_mentioned_users']) - set([author])
         removed_mentions = data['removed_mentions']
 
         #a hack allowing to save denormalized .summary field for questions
-        if hasattr(post, 'summary'):
-            post.summary = post.get_snippet()
+        if hasattr(self, 'summary'):
+            self.summary = self.get_snippet()
 
         #delete removed mentions
         for rm in removed_mentions:
             rm.delete()
 
-        created = post.pk is None
+        created = self.pk is None
 
         #this save must precede saving the mention activity
         #because generic relation needs primary key of the related object
-        super(post.__class__, post).save(**kwargs)
+        super(self.__class__, self).save(**kwargs)
         if last_revision:
-            diff = htmldiff(last_revision, post.html)
+            diff = htmldiff(last_revision, self.html)
         else:
-            diff = post.get_snippet()
+            diff = self.get_snippet()
 
-        timestamp = post.get_time_of_last_edit()
+        timestamp = self.get_time_of_last_edit()
 
         #todo: this is handled in signal because models for posts
         #are too spread out
         from askbot.models import signals
         signals.post_updated.send(
-            post = post,
+            post = self,
             updated_by = author,
             newly_mentioned_users = newly_mentioned_users,
             timestamp = timestamp,
             created = created,
             diff = diff,
-            sender = post.__class__
+            sender = self.__class__
         )
 
         try:
@@ -496,13 +496,6 @@ class Post(models.Model):
         except Exception:
             logging.debug('cannot ping google - did you register with them?')
 
-    ######################################
-    # TODO: Rename the methods above instead of doing this assignment
-    parse = parse_post_text
-    parse_and_save = parse_and_save_post
-    ######################################
-
-
     def is_question(self):
         return self.post_type == 'question'
 
@@ -611,40 +604,26 @@ class Post(models.Model):
         """
         return html_utils.strip_tags(self.html)[:max_length] + ' ...'
 
-    def format_tags_for_email(self):
-        """formats tags of the question post for email"""
-        tag_style = "white-space: nowrap; " \
-                    + "font-size: 11px; color: #333;" \
-                    + "background-color: #EEE;" \
-                    + "border-left: 3px solid #777;" \
-                    + "border-top: 1px solid #EEE;" \
-                    + "border-bottom: 1px solid #CCC;" \
-                    + "border-right: 1px solid #CCC;" \
-                    + "padding: 1px 8px 1px 8px;" \
-                    + "margin-right:3px;"
-        output = '<div>'
-        for tag_name in self.get_tag_names():
-            output += '<span style="%s">%s</span>' % (tag_style, tag_name)
-        output += '</div>'
-        return output
-
-    def format_for_email(self, quote_level = 0):
+    def format_for_email(
+        self, quote_level = 0, is_leaf_post = False, format = None
+    ):
         """format post for the output in email,
         if quote_level > 0, the post will be indented that number of times
+        todo: move to views?
         """
-        from askbot.templatetags.extra_filters_jinja import absolutize_urls_func
-        output = ''
-        if self.post_type == 'question':
-            output += '<b>%s</b><br/>' % self.thread.title
-            
-        output += absolutize_urls_func(self.html)
-        if self.post_type == 'question':#add tags to the question
-            output += self.format_tags_for_email()
-        quote_style = 'padding-left:5px; border-left: 2px solid #aaa;'
-        while quote_level > 0:
-            quote_level = quote_level - 1
-            output = '<div style="%s">%s</div>' % (quote_style, output)
-        return output
+        from askbot.templatetags.extra_filters_jinja \
+            import absolutize_urls_func
+        from askbot.skins.loaders import get_template
+        from django.template import Context
+        template = get_template('email/quoted_post.html')
+        data = {
+            'post': self,
+            'quote_level': quote_level,
+            #'html': absolutize_urls_func(self.html),
+            'is_leaf_post': is_leaf_post,
+            'format': format
+        }
+        return template.render(Context(data))
 
     def format_for_email_as_parent_thread_summary(self):
         """format for email as summary of parent posts
@@ -657,47 +636,32 @@ class Post(models.Model):
             if parent_post is None:
                 break
             quote_level += 1
+            """
+            output += '<p>'
             output += _(
-                'In reply to %(user)s %(post)s of %(date)s<br/>'
+                'In reply to %(user)s %(post)s of %(date)s'
             ) % {
                 'user': parent_post.author.username,
                 'post': _(parent_post.post_type),
                 'date': parent_post.added_at.strftime(const.DATETIME_FORMAT)
             }
-            output += parent_post.format_for_email(quote_level = quote_level)
+            output += '</p>'
+            """
+            output += parent_post.format_for_email(
+                quote_level = quote_level,
+                format = 'parent_subthread'
+            )
             current_post = parent_post
         return output
 
-    def format_for_email_as_metadata(self):
-        output = _(
-            'Posted by %(user)s on %(date)s'
-        ) % {
-            'user': self.author.username,
-            'date': self.added_at.strftime(const.DATETIME_FORMAT)
-        }
-        return '<p>%s</p>' % output
-
     def format_for_email_as_subthread(self):
         """outputs question or answer and all it's comments
         returns empty string for all other post types
         """
-        if self.post_type in ('question', 'answer'):
-            output = self.format_for_email_as_metadata()
-            output += self.format_for_email()
-            comments = self.get_cached_comments()
-            if comments:
-                comments_heading = ungettext(
-                                    '%(count)d comment:',
-                                    '%(count)d comments:',
-                                    len(comments)
-                                ) % {'count': len(comments)}
-                output += '<p>%s</p>' % comments_heading
-                for comment in comments:
-                    output += comment.format_for_email_as_metadata()
-                    output += comment.format_for_email(quote_level = 1)
-            return output
-        else:
-            return ''
+        from askbot.skins.loaders import get_template
+        from django.template import Context
+        template = get_template('email/post_as_subthread.html')
+        return template.render(Context({'post': self}))
 
     def set_cached_comments(self, comments):
         """caches comments in the lifetime of the object
@@ -1055,10 +1019,7 @@ class Post(models.Model):
         return self.revisions.order_by('-revised_at')[0]
 
     def get_latest_revision_number(self):
-        if self.is_comment():
-            return 1
-        else:
-            return self.get_latest_revision().revision
+        return self.get_latest_revision().revision
 
     def get_time_of_last_edit(self):
         if self.is_comment():
@@ -1677,11 +1638,15 @@ class PostRevisionManager(models.Manager):
 
     def create_question_revision(self, *kargs, **kwargs):
         kwargs['revision_type'] = self.model.QUESTION_REVISION
-        return super(PostRevisionManager, self).create(*kargs, **kwargs)
+        revision = super(PostRevisionManager, self).create(*kargs, **kwargs)
+        revision.moderate_or_publish()
+        return revision
 
     def create_answer_revision(self, *kargs, **kwargs):
         kwargs['revision_type'] = self.model.ANSWER_REVISION
-        return super(PostRevisionManager, self).create(*kargs, **kwargs)
+        revision = super(PostRevisionManager, self).create(*kargs, **kwargs)
+        revision.moderate_or_publish()
+        return revision
 
     def question_revisions(self):
         return self.filter(revision_type=self.model.QUESTION_REVISION)
@@ -1784,7 +1749,8 @@ class PostRevision(models.Model):
                 self.post.thread.save()
             #above changes will hide post from the public display
             if self.by_email:
-                from askbot.utils.mail import send_mail
+                #todo: move this to the askbot.mail module
+                from askbot.mail import send_mail
                 email_context = {
                     'site': askbot_settings.APP_SHORT_NAME
                 }
@@ -1824,6 +1790,33 @@ class PostRevision(models.Model):
         #todo: make this group-sensitive
         activity.add_recipients(get_admins_and_moderators())
 
+    def moderate_or_publish(self):
+        """either place on moderation queue or announce
+        that this revision is published"""
+        if self.needs_moderation():#moderate
+            self.place_on_moderation_queue()
+        else:#auto-approve
+            from askbot.models import signals
+            signals.post_revision_published.send(None, revision = self)
+
+    def should_notify_author_about_publishing(self, was_approved = False):
+        """True if author should get email about making own post"""
+        if self.by_email:
+            schedule = askbot_settings.SELF_NOTIFY_EMAILED_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN
+            if schedule == const.NEVER:
+                return False
+            elif schedule == const.FOR_FIRST_REVISION:
+                return self.revision == 1
+            elif schedule == const.FOR_ANY_REVISION:
+                return True
+            else:
+                raise ValueError()
+        else:
+            #logic not implemented yet
+            #the ``was_approved`` argument will be used here
+            #schedule = askbot_settings.SELF_NOTIFY_WEB_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN
+            return False
+
     def revision_type_str(self):
         return self.REVISION_TYPE_CHOICES_DICT[self.revision_type]
 
diff --git a/askbot/models/question.py b/askbot/models/question.py
index a18e719b..1729b531 100644
--- a/askbot/models/question.py
+++ b/askbot/models/question.py
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ class ThreadManager(models.Manager):
                 by_email = False,
                 email_address = None
             ):
+        """creates new thread"""
         # TODO: Some of this code will go to Post.objects.create_new
 
         thread = super(
@@ -349,6 +350,20 @@ class ThreadManager(models.Manager):
         contributors = User.objects.filter(id__in=u_id).order_by('avatar_type', '?')[:avatar_limit]
         return contributors
 
+    def get_for_user(self, user):
+        """returns threads where a given user had participated"""
+        post_ids = PostRevision.objects.filter(
+                                        author = user
+                                    ).values_list(
+                                        'post_id', flat = True
+                                    ).distinct()
+        thread_ids = Post.objects.filter(
+                                        id__in = post_ids
+                                    ).values_list(
+                                        'thread_id', flat = True
+                                    ).distinct()
+        return self.filter(id__in = thread_ids)
+
 
 class Thread(models.Model):
     SUMMARY_CACHE_KEY_TPL = 'thread-question-summary-%d'
@@ -772,6 +787,7 @@ class Thread(models.Model):
         return False
 
     def retag(self, retagged_by=None, retagged_at=None, tagnames=None, silent=False):
+        """changes thread tags"""
         if None in (retagged_by, retagged_at, tagnames):
             raise Exception('arguments retagged_at, retagged_by and tagnames are required')
 
diff --git a/askbot/models/reply_by_email.py b/askbot/models/reply_by_email.py
index 4398f693..0db7244c 100644
--- a/askbot/models/reply_by_email.py
+++ b/askbot/models/reply_by_email.py
@@ -4,11 +4,11 @@ import string
 import logging
 from django.db import models
 from django.contrib.auth.models import User
-from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
+from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from askbot.models.post import Post
 from askbot.models.base import BaseQuerySetManager
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 
 class ReplyAddressManager(BaseQuerySetManager):
     """A manager for the :class:`ReplyAddress` model"""
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ class ReplyAddressManager(BaseQuerySetManager):
 REPLY_ACTION_CHOICES = (
     ('post_answer', _('Post an answer')),
     ('post_comment', _('Post a comment')),
+    ('replace_content', _('Edit post')),
+    ('append_content', _('Append to post')),
     ('auto_answer_or_comment', _('Answer or comment, depending on the size of post')),
     ('validate_email', _('Validate email and record signature')),
 )
@@ -74,36 +76,69 @@ class ReplyAddress(models.Model):
         """True if was used"""
         return self.used_at != None
 
-    def edit_post(self, parts):
+    def as_email_address(self, prefix = 'reply-'):
+        """returns email address, prefix is added
+        in front of the code"""
+        return '%s%s@%s' % (
+                        prefix,
+                        self.address,
+                        askbot_settings.REPLY_BY_EMAIL_HOSTNAME
+                    )
+
+    def edit_post(
+        self, body_text, title = None, edit_response = False
+    ):
         """edits the created post upon repeated response
         to the same address"""
-        assert self.was_used == True
-        content, stored_files = mail.process_parts(parts)
-        self.user.edit_post(
-            post = self.response_post,
-            body_text = content,
-            revision_comment = _('edited by email'),
-            by_email = True
-        )
-        self.response_post.thread.invalidate_cached_data()
+        if self.was_used or edit_response:
+            reply_action = 'append_content'
+        else:
+            reply_action = self.reply_action
+
+        if edit_response:
+            post = self.response_post
+        else:
+            post = self.post
 
-    def create_reply(self, parts):
+        if reply_action == 'append_content':
+            body_text = post.text + '\n\n' + body_text
+            revision_comment = _('added content by email')
+        else:
+            assert(reply_action == 'replace_content')
+            revision_comment = _('edited by email')
+
+        if post.post_type == 'question':
+            assert(post is self.post)
+            self.user.edit_question(
+                question = post,
+                body_text = body_text,
+                title = title,
+                revision_comment = revision_comment,
+                by_email = True
+            )
+        else:
+            self.user.edit_post(
+                post = post,
+                body_text = body_text,
+                revision_comment = revision_comment,
+                by_email = True
+            )
+        self.post.thread.invalidate_cached_data()
+
+    def create_reply(self, body_text):
         """creates a reply to the post which was emailed
         to the user
         """
         result = None
-        #todo: delete stored files if this function fails
-        content, stored_files = mail.process_parts(parts)
-
         if self.post.post_type == 'answer':
             result = self.user.post_comment(
                                         self.post,
-                                        content,
+                                        body_text,
                                         by_email = True
                                     )
         elif self.post.post_type == 'question':
             if self.reply_action == 'auto_answer_or_comment':
-                wordcount = len(content)/6#todo: this is a simplistic hack
+                wordcount = len(body_text)/6#todo: this is a simplistic hack
                 if wordcount > askbot_settings.MIN_WORDS_FOR_ANSWER_BY_EMAIL:
                     reply_action = 'post_answer'
                 else:
@@ -114,13 +149,13 @@ class ReplyAddress(models.Model):
             if reply_action == 'post_answer':
                 result = self.user.post_answer(
                                             self.post,
-                                            content,
+                                            body_text,
                                             by_email = True
                                         )
             elif reply_action == 'post_comment':
                 result = self.user.post_comment(
                                             self.post,
-                                            content,
+                                            body_text,
                                             by_email = True
                                         )
             else:
@@ -131,7 +166,7 @@ class ReplyAddress(models.Model):
         elif self.post.post_type == 'comment':
             result = self.user.post_comment(
                                     self.post.parent,
-                                    content,
+                                    body_text,
                                     by_email = True
                                 )
         result.thread.invalidate_cached_data()
diff --git a/askbot/models/signals.py b/askbot/models/signals.py
index 28fe70b0..d538de76 100644
--- a/askbot/models/signals.py
+++ b/askbot/models/signals.py
@@ -32,6 +32,12 @@ post_updated = django.dispatch.Signal(
                                             'newly_mentioned_users'
                                         ]
                             )
+post_revision_published = django.dispatch.Signal(
+                                providing_args = [
+                                    'revision',
+                                    'was_approved'
+                                ]
+                            )
 site_visited = django.dispatch.Signal(providing_args=['user', 'timestamp'])
 
 def pop_signal_receivers(signal):
diff --git a/askbot/models/tag.py b/askbot/models/tag.py
index 805f2174..0c3af52f 100644
--- a/askbot/models/tag.py
+++ b/askbot/models/tag.py
@@ -135,7 +135,9 @@ class GroupTagManager(BaseQuerySetManager):
         #replace spaces with dashes
         group_name = clean_group_name(group_name)
         try:
-            tag = self.get(name = group_name)
+            #iexact is important!!! b/c we don't want case variants
+            #of tags
+            tag = self.get(name__iexact = group_name)
         except self.model.DoesNotExist:
             tag = self.model(name = group_name, created_by = user)
             tag.save()
diff --git a/askbot/skins/common/media/js/post.js b/askbot/skins/common/media/js/post.js
index f867eed5..7a21a46b 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/common/media/js/post.js
+++ b/askbot/skins/common/media/js/post.js
@@ -1062,10 +1062,11 @@ var questionRetagger = function(){
         var tags_str = '';
         links.each(function(index, element){
             if (index === 0){
-                tags_str = $(element).html();
+                //this is pretty bad - we should use Tag.getName()
+                tags_str = $(element).attr('data-tag-name');
             }
             else {
-                tags_str += ' ' + $(element).html();
+                tags_str += ' ' + $(element).attr('data-tag-name');
             }
         });
         return tags_str;
diff --git a/askbot/skins/common/media/js/utils.js b/askbot/skins/common/media/js/utils.js
index 641de201..4e0f91f1 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/common/media/js/utils.js
+++ b/askbot/skins/common/media/js/utils.js
@@ -888,8 +888,11 @@ SelectBoxItem.prototype.createDom = function() {
     elem.data('itemOriginalTitle', this._description);
 }
 
-SelectBoxItem.prototype.decorate = function() {
-    throw "not implemented";
+SelectBoxItem.prototype.decorate = function(element) {
+    this._element = element;
+    this._id = element.data('itemId');
+    this._name = element.html();
+    this._description = element.data('originalTitle');
 };
 
 /**
@@ -1015,10 +1018,12 @@ SelectBox.prototype.getSelectHandler = function(item) {
 SelectBox.prototype.decorate = function(element){
     this._element = element;
     var me = this;
-    var items = this._element.find('.select-box-item');
-    items.each(function(idx, item_element){
-        var item = this.createItem();
+    var box_items = this._items;
+    var item_elements = this._element.find('.select-box-item');
+    item_elements.each(function(idx, item_element){
+        var item = me.createItem();
         item.decorate($(item_element));
+        box_items.push(item);
         setupButtonEventHandlers(
             item.getElement(),
             me.getSelectHandler(item)
@@ -1112,7 +1117,9 @@ Tag.prototype.decorate = function(element){
         this._delete_icon.decorate(del);
     }
     this._inner_element = this._element.find('.tag');
-    this._name = this.decodeTagName($.trim(this._inner_element.html()));
+    this._name = this.decodeTagName(
+        $.trim(this._inner_element.attr('data-tag-name'))
+    );
     if (this._title !== null){
         this._inner_element.attr('title', this._title);
     }
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/media/style/style.less b/askbot/skins/default/media/style/style.less
index 5b33e044..02635b7c 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/media/style/style.less
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/media/style/style.less
@@ -1748,7 +1748,10 @@ ul#related-tags li {
     }
 
     #fmanswer_button{
-        margin:8px 0px ;
+        margin:8px 0px;
+    }
+    #fmanswer_button.answer-own-question {
+        width: 150px;
     }
     .question-img-favorite:hover {
         background: url(../images/vote-favorite-on.png)
@@ -3183,6 +3186,11 @@ ul.post-tags li {
 ul.post-retag {
     margin-bottom:0px;
     margin-left:5px;
+    input {
+        width: 400px;
+        height: 1.5em;
+        margin: 3px 0 0 -3px;
+    }
 }
 
 #question-controls .tags {
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/ask_for_signature.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/ask_for_signature.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e4449433
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/ask_for_signature.html
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+{% import "email/macros.html" as macros %}
+<p style="{{ macros.heading_style() }}">
+    {% trans %}{{ username }}, please reply to this message.{% endtrans %}
+</p>
+<p>
+    {% trans %}Your post could not be published, because we could not detect signature in your email.{% endtrans %}<br/>
+    {% trans %}Please make a simple response, without editing this message.{% endtrans %}<br/>
+    {% trans %}We will then attempt to detect the signature in your response and you should be able to post.{% endtrans %}
+</p>
+{% include "email/footer.html" %}
+<p style="{{ macros.fine_print_style() }}">{{ footer_code }}</p>
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/insufficient_rep_to_post_by_email.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/insufficient_rep_to_post_by_email.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da4c93ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/insufficient_rep_to_post_by_email.html
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+{% import "email/macros.html" as macros %}
+{# parameters:
+    * min_upvotes
+    * username
+    * site_name - for the footer
+    * site_link - html for the link
+#}
+<p style="{{ macros.heading_style() }}">
+    {% trans %}{{ username }}, your question could not be posted by email just yet.{% endtrans %}
+</p>
+<p>
+    {% trans %}To make posts by email, you need to receive about {{min_upvotes}} upvotes.{% endtrans %}<br/>
+    {% trans link=site_link|safe %}At this time, please post your question at {{link}}{% endtrans %}
+</p>
+{% include "email/footer.html" %}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/macros.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/macros.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1acbf515
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/macros.html
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+{% macro quoted_post(
+        post = None,
+        quote_level = 0,
+        format = None,
+        is_leaf_post = False
+    )
+%}
+    {% spaceless %}
+        {{ start_quote(quote_level) }}
+            {% set author = post.author.username %}
+            {% if post.post_type == 'question' %}
+                <p>
+                    {% if format == 'parent_subthread' %}
+                        {% if is_leaf_post %}
+                            {% trans %}Question by {{ author }}:{% endtrans %}
+                        {% else %}
+                            {% trans -%}
+                                In reply to {{ author }}'s question:
+                            {%- endtrans %}
+                        {% endif %}
+                    {% else %}
+                        {% trans %}Question :{% endtrans %}
+                    {% endif %}
+                    {{ post.thread.title }}
+                </p>
+                <p>
+                    {% if format != 'parent_subthread' %}
+                        {% trans %}Asked by {{ author }}:{% endtrans %}
+                    {% endif %}
+                </p>
+                {% set tag_names = post.get_tag_names() %}
+                {% if tag_names %}
+                <p>
+                    {% trans %}Tags:{% endtrans %}
+                    {{ tag_names|join(', ') }}.
+                </p>
+                {% endif %}
+            {% elif post.post_type == 'answer' %}
+                <p>
+                    {% if format == 'parent_subthread' %}
+                        {% if is_leaf_post %}
+                            {% trans -%}
+                                {{ author }}'s answer:
+                            {%- endtrans %}
+                        {% else %}
+                            {% trans -%}
+                                In reply to {{ author }}'s answer:
+                            {%- endtrans %}
+                        {% endif %}
+                    {% else %}
+                        {% trans %}Answered by {{ author }}:{% endtrans %}
+                    {% endif %}
+                </p>
+            {% else %}
+                <p>
+                    {% if format == 'parent_subthread' %}
+                        {% if is_leaf_post %}
+                            {% trans -%}
+                                {{ author }}'s comment:
+                            {%- endtrans %}
+                        {% else %}
+                            {% trans -%}
+                                In reply to {{ author }}'s comment:
+                            {%- endtrans %}
+                        {% endif %}
+                    {% else %}
+                        {% trans author -%}
+                            Commented by {{ author }}:
+                        {%- endtrans %}
+                    {% endif %}
+                </p>
+            {% endif %}
+            {{ post.html }}
+        {{ end_quote(quote_level) }}
+    {% endspaceless %}
+{% endmacro %}
+
+{% macro start_quote(level = 0) %}
+    {% for number in range(level) %}
+        <div style="padding-left:5px; border-left: 2px solid #aaa;">
+    {% endfor %}
+{% endmacro %}
+
+{% macro end_quote(level = 0) %}
+    {% for number in range(level) %}
+        </div>
+    {% endfor %}
+{% endmacro %}
+
+{% macro heading_style() %}
+font-size:14px;font-weight:bold;margin-bottom:0px;
+{% endmacro %}
+
+{% macro fine_print_style() %}
+font-size:8px;color:#aaa;margin-bottom:0px;
+{% endmacro %}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/notify_author_about_approved_post.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/notify_author_about_approved_post.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..085141d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/notify_author_about_approved_post.html
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+{#
+    parameters:
+    * reply_separator_line
+    * replace_content_address
+    * mailto_link_subject
+    * post
+    * reply_code (comma-separated list of emails to respond to this message)
+#}
+{{ reply_separator_line }}
+<p>{% trans 
+        post_text = post.text|safe_urlquote,
+        subject = mailto_link_subject|safe_urlquote,
+        author_email_signature = author_email_signature|safe_urlquote
+%}If you would like to edit by email, please
+<a href="mailto:{{ replace_content_address }}?body={{ post_text }}{{ author_email_signature}}&subject={{ subject }}">click here</a>{% endtrans %}</p>
+<p>{% trans %}Below is a copy of your post:{% endtrans %}</p>
+{% if post.post_type == 'question' %}
+    <p style="font-size:16px">{{ post.thread.title }}</p>
+{% endif %}
+{{ post.html }}
+<p style="font-size:8px;color:#aaa;">{{ reply_code }}</p>
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/post_as_subthread.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/post_as_subthread.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9b6eb728
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/post_as_subthread.html
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+{% from "email/macros.html" import quoted_post %}
+{% if post.post_type in ('question', 'answer') %}
+    {{ quoted_post(post) }}
+    {% set comments = post.get_cached_comments() %}
+    {% if comments %}
+        <p>
+            {% trans count=comments|length -%}
+                {{ comment }} comment:
+            {%- pluralize -%}
+                {{ count }} comments:
+            {%- endtrans -%}
+        </p>
+        {% for comment in comments %}
+            {{ quoted_post(comment, quote_level = 1) }}
+        {% endfor %}
+    {% endif %}
+{% endif %}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/quoted_post.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/quoted_post.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ecc20ad9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/quoted_post.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+{% from "email/macros.html" import quoted_post %}
+{{ quoted_post(
+        post, quote_level, is_leaf_post = is_leaf_post, format = format
+    )
+}}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/welcome_lamson_on.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/welcome_lamson_on.html
index bcca4234..0efa7096 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/welcome_lamson_on.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/email/welcome_lamson_on.html
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
+{% import "email/macros.html" as macros %}
 {# site_name - is short name of the site, email_code - address portion
 of the reply email used for this message, we scan to the last appearance
 of the email code to detect the response signature that will appear under #}
-<p style="font-size:16px;font-weight:bold;">
+<p style="{{ macros.heading_style() }}">
     {% trans %}Welcome to {{ site_name }}!{% endtrans %}
 </p>
 <p>
@@ -11,4 +12,4 @@ of the email code to detect the response signature that will appear under #}
     {% trans %}Until we receive the response from you, you will not be able ask or answer questions on {{ site_name }} by email.{% endtrans %}
 </p>
 {% include "email/footer.html" %}
-<p style="color:#aaa;font-size:8px">{{ email_code }}</p>{# important #}
+<p style="{{ macros.fine_print_style() }}">{{ email_code }}</p>{# important #}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html
index 56c6e735..fcb75944 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/macros.html
@@ -200,7 +200,8 @@ poor design of the data or methods on data objects #}
         search_state = None,
         css_class = None,
         tag_css_class = None,
-        tag_html_tag = 'li'
+        tag_html_tag = 'li',
+        truncate_long_tags = False
     )
 -%}
 <ul {% if id %}id="{{ id }}"{% endif %}
@@ -214,7 +215,8 @@ poor design of the data or methods on data objects #}
                 deletable = deletable,
                 is_link = make_links,
                 search_state = search_state,
-                html_tag = tag_html_tag 
+                html_tag = tag_html_tag,
+                truncate_long_tag = False
             )}}
         {% endfor %}
     {% endif %}
@@ -276,7 +278,8 @@ poor design of the data or methods on data objects #}
             css_class = None,
             search_state = None,
             html_tag = 'div',
-            extra_content = ''
+            extra_content = '',
+            truncate_long_tag = False
         )
 -%}
   {% if not search_state %}  {#  get empty SearchState() if there's none; CAUTION: for some reason this doesn't work inside `spaceless` tag below! #}
@@ -291,7 +294,12 @@ poor design of the data or methods on data objects #}
             title="{% trans %}see questions tagged '{{ tag }}'{% endtrans %}"
             {% endif %}
             rel="tag"
-        >{{ tag|replace('*', '&#10045;')|truncate(20,True)}}</{% if not is_link or tag[-1] == '*' %}span{% else %}a{% endif %}>
+            data-tag-name="{{ tag|replace('*', '&#10045;')|escape }}"
+        >{% if truncate_long_tag -%}
+            {{ tag|replace('*', '&#10045;')|truncate(17, True) }}
+        {%- else -%}
+            {{ tag|replace('*', '&#10045;') }}
+        {%- endif %}</{% if not is_link or tag[-1] == '*' %}span{% else %}a{% endif %}>
         {% if deletable %}
             <div class="delete-icon"
                 {% if delete_link_title %}
@@ -608,7 +616,7 @@ answer {% if answer.accepted() %}accepted-answer{% endif %} {% if answer.author_
 {%- endmacro -%}
 
 {%- macro user_website_link(user, max_display_length=25) -%}
-    {% if user.website %}
+    {% if user.website and (not user.is_blocked()) %}
         <a 
             href="{{user.website}}"
             title="{% trans username=user.username|escape, url=user.website %}{{username}}'s website is {{url}}{% endtrans %}"
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/question.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/question.html
index f4f36586..5403a644 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/question.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/question.html
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@
                 var add_answer_btn = document.getElementById('add-answer-btn');
                 if (askbot['data']['userIsAuthenticated']){
                     if (askbot['data']['userId'] == {{question.author_id}}){
+                        add_answer_btn.className += ' answer-own-question';
                         add_answer_btn.setAttribute(
                             'value',
                             '{% trans %}Answer Your Own Question{% endtrans %}'
@@ -156,6 +157,9 @@
     </script>
 {% endblock %}
 {% block content %}
+    <div>
+        {{ settings.QUESTION_PAGE_TOP_BANNER }}
+    </div>
     {% if is_cacheable %}
         {% cache long_time "thread-content-html" thread.id %}
             {% include "question/content.html" %}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/question/content.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/question/content.html
index 738738dd..58b1bcca 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/question/content.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/question/content.html
@@ -37,5 +37,5 @@
 {% include "question/new_answer_form.html" %}
 {# ==== END: question/new_answer_form.html ==== #}
 {% if request.user == question.author %}{# this is outside the form on purpose #}
-    <input type="button" class="submit after-editor" id="fmanswer_button"  value="{% trans %}Answer Your Own Question{% endtrans %}"/>
+    <input type="button" class="submit after-editor answer-own-question" id="fmanswer_button"  value="{% trans %}Answer Your Own Question{% endtrans %}"/>
 {%endif%}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/tags.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/tags.html
index 6b89bdba..007388af 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/tags.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/tags.html
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@
                 {{ macros.tag_widget(
                             tag = tag.name,
                             html_tag = 'div',
+                            truncate_long_tag = True,
                             extra_content = '<span class="tag-number">&#215; ' ~
                                             tag.used_count|intcomma ~ '</span>'
                     )
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/custom_tab.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/custom_tab.html
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bc5647f7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/custom_tab.html
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+{% extends "user_profile/user.html" %}
+{% block profilesection %}{{ custom_tab_name }}{% endblock %}
+{% block usercontent %}{{ custom_tab_content|safe }}{% endblock %}
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/reject_post_dialog.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/reject_post_dialog.html
index 987c511a..3483e83e 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/reject_post_dialog.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/reject_post_dialog.html
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@
             <ul class="select-box">
                 {% for reason in post_reject_reasons %}
                 <li 
+                    class="select-box-item"
                     data-original-title="{{reason.details.text|escape}}"
                     data-item-id="{{reason.id}}"
                 >{{reason.title|escape}}</li>
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user.html
index bb293b9b..fb40b206 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user.html
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 {% extends "one_column_body.html" %}
 <!-- user.html -->
 {% block title %}{% spaceless %}{{ page_title }}{% endspaceless %}{% endblock %}
-{% block forestyle%}
+{% block forestyle %}
 <style type="text/css">
     .history-table td { padding: 5px; }
 </style>
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_info.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_info.html
index 18e74464..ad460dbc 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_info.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_info.html
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@
                     <td><strong title="{{ view_user.last_seen }}">{{ macros.timeago(view_user.last_seen) }}</strong></td>
                 </tr>
                 {% endif %}
-                {% if view_user.website %}
+                {% if view_user.website and (not view_user.is_blocked()) %}
                 <tr>
                     <td>{% trans %}website{% endtrans %}</td>
                     <td>{{ macros.user_website_link(view_user, max_display_length = 30) }}</td>
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
         </td>
         <td width="380">
             <div class="user-about">
-            {% if view_user.about %}
+            {% if view_user.about and (not view_user.is_blocked()) %}
                 {{view_user.about|linebreaks}}
             {% endif %}
             </div>
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_moderate.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_moderate.html
index 048f35b4..347ec3af 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_moderate.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_moderate.html
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@
                 $('#id_user_status_info').html("{% trans %}Suspended users can only edit or delete their own posts.{% endtrans %}");
                 $('#id_user_status_info').show('slow');
             } else if (optionValue == "b"){
-                $('#id_user_status_info').html("{% trans %}Blocked users can only login and send feedback to the site administrators.{% endtrans %}");
+                $('#id_user_status_info').html("{% trans %}Blocked users can only login and send feedback to the site administrators, their url and profile will also be hidden.{% endtrans %}");
                 $('#id_user_status_info').show('slow');
             } else {
                 $('#id_user_status_info').hide('slow');
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_stats.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_stats.html
index b125589c..177df214 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_stats.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_stats.html
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@
                             tag.name,
                             html_tag = 'div',
                             search_state = search_state,
+                            truncate_long_tag = True,
                             extra_content =
                                 '<span class="tag-number">&#215; ' ~
                                 tag.user_tag_usage_count|intcomma ~
diff --git a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_tabs.html b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_tabs.html
index b8c56479..c7df4187 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_tabs.html
+++ b/askbot/skins/default/templates/user_profile/user_tabs.html
@@ -49,6 +49,11 @@
             href="{% url user_profile view_user.id, view_user.username|slugify %}?sort=moderation"
         ><span>{% trans %}moderation{% endtrans %}</span></a>
         {% endif %}
+        {% if custom_tab_slug %}
+        <a id="{{ custom_tab_slug }}" {% if tab_name == custom_tab_slug %}class="on"{% endif %} 
+            href="{% url user_profile view_user.id, view_user.username|slugify %}?sort={{ custom_tab_slug }}"
+        ><span>{{ custom_tab_name }}</span></a>
+        {% endif %}
     </div>
 </div>
 <div class="clean"></div>
diff --git a/askbot/skins/loaders.py b/askbot/skins/loaders.py
index 24559512..aa3188e9 100644
--- a/askbot/skins/loaders.py
+++ b/askbot/skins/loaders.py
@@ -129,4 +129,3 @@ def render_text_into_skin(text, data, request):
     skin = get_skin(request)
     template = skin.from_string(text)
     return template.render(context)
-
diff --git a/askbot/startup_procedures.py b/askbot/startup_procedures.py
index a5b0c940..0fec6d5f 100644
--- a/askbot/startup_procedures.py
+++ b/askbot/startup_procedures.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ the main function is run_startup_tests
 import sys
 import os
 import re
+import urllib
 import askbot
 import south
 from django.db import transaction, connection
@@ -481,6 +482,36 @@ def test_avatar():
             short_message = True
         )
 
+def test_custom_user_profile_tab():
+    setting_name = 'ASKBOT_CUSTOM_USER_PROFILE_TAB'
+    tab_settings = getattr(django_settings, setting_name, None)
+    if tab_settings:
+        if not isinstance(tab_settings, dict):
+            print "Setting %s must be a dictionary!!!" % setting_name
+            
+        name = tab_settings.get('NAME', None)
+        slug = tab_settings.get('SLUG', None)
+        func_name = tab_settings.get('CONTENT_GENERATOR', None)
+
+        errors = list()
+        if (name is None) or (not(isinstance(name, basestring))):
+            errors.append("%s['NAME'] must be a string" % setting_name)
+        if (slug is None) or (not(isinstance(slug, str))):
+            errors.append("%s['SLUG'] must be an ASCII string" % setting_name)
+
+        if urllib.quote_plus(slug) != slug:
+            errors.append(
+                "%s['SLUG'] must be url safe, make it simple" % setting_name
+            )
+
+        try:
+            func = load_module(func_name)
+        except ImportError:
+            errors.append("%s['CONTENT_GENERATOR'] must be a dotted path to a function" % setting_name)
+        header = 'Custom user profile tab is configured incorrectly in your settings.py file'
+        footer = 'Please carefully read about adding a custom user profile tab.'
+        print_errors(errors, header = header, footer = footer)
+
 def run_startup_tests():
     """function that runs
     all startup tests, mainly checking settings config so far
@@ -532,6 +563,7 @@ def run_startup_tests():
     test_media_url()
     if 'manage.py test' in ' '.join(sys.argv):
         test_settings_for_test_runner()
+    test_custom_user_profile_tab()
 
 @transaction.commit_manually
 def run():
diff --git a/askbot/tasks.py b/askbot/tasks.py
index e5ba143d..da07477b 100644
--- a/askbot/tasks.py
+++ b/askbot/tasks.py
@@ -21,9 +21,13 @@ import sys
 import traceback
 
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
+from django.template import Context
+from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from celery.decorators import task
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
-from askbot.models import Activity, Post, Thread, User
+from askbot import const
+from askbot import mail
+from askbot.models import Activity, Post, Thread, User, ReplyAddress
 from askbot.models import send_instant_notifications_about_activity_in_post
 from askbot.models.badges import award_badges_signal
 
@@ -32,6 +36,62 @@ from askbot.models.badges import award_badges_signal
 #       (i.e. if Celery tasks are not deferred but executed straight away)
 
 @task(ignore_result = True)
+def notify_author_of_published_revision_celery_task(revision):
+    #todo: move this to ``askbot.mail`` module
+    #for answerable email only for now, because
+    #we don't yet have the template for the read-only notification
+    if askbot_settings.REPLY_BY_EMAIL:
+        #generate two reply codes (one for edit and one for addition)
+        #to format an answerable email or not answerable email
+        reply_options = {
+            'user': revision.author,
+            'post': revision.post,
+            'reply_action': 'append_content'
+        }
+        append_content_address = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
+                                                        **reply_options
+                                                    ).as_email_address()
+        reply_options['reply_action'] = 'replace_content'
+        replace_content_address = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
+                                                        **reply_options
+                                                    ).as_email_address()
+
+        #populate template context variables
+        reply_code = append_content_address + ',' + replace_content_address
+        if revision.post.post_type == 'question':
+            mailto_link_subject = revision.post.thread.title
+        else:
+            mailto_link_subject = _('An edit for my answer')
+        #todo: possibly add more mailto thread headers to organize messages
+
+        prompt = _('To add to your post EDIT ABOVE THIS LINE')
+        reply_separator_line = const.SIMPLE_REPLY_SEPARATOR_TEMPLATE % prompt
+        data = {
+            'site_name': askbot_settings.APP_SHORT_NAME,
+            'post': revision.post,
+            'author_email_signature': revision.author.email_signature,
+            'replace_content_address': replace_content_address,
+            'reply_separator_line': reply_separator_line,
+            'mailto_link_subject': mailto_link_subject,
+            'reply_code': reply_code
+        }
+
+        #load the template
+        from askbot.skins.loaders import get_template
+        template = get_template('email/notify_author_about_approved_post.html')
+        #todo: possibly add headers to organize messages in threads
+        headers = {'Reply-To': append_content_address}
+        #send the message
+        mail.send_mail(
+            subject_line = _('Your post at %(site_name)s is now published') % data,
+            body_text = template.render(Context(data)),
+            recipient_list = [revision.author.email,],
+            related_object = revision,
+            activity_type = const.TYPE_ACTIVITY_EMAIL_UPDATE_SENT,
+            headers = headers
+        )
+
+@task(ignore_result = True)
 def record_post_update_celery_task(
         post_id,
         post_content_type_id,
@@ -156,6 +216,7 @@ def record_post_update(
                             post = post,
                             recipients = notification_subscribers,
                         )
+
                         
 @task(ignore_result = True)
 def record_question_visit(
diff --git a/askbot/templatetags/extra_filters_jinja.py b/askbot/templatetags/extra_filters_jinja.py
index b03e4a89..3643e3c9 100644
--- a/askbot/templatetags/extra_filters_jinja.py
+++ b/askbot/templatetags/extra_filters_jinja.py
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@ def add_tz_offset(datetime_object):
     return str(datetime_object) + ' ' + TIMEZONE_STR
 
 @register.filter
+def safe_urlquote(text, quote_plus = False):
+    if quote_plus:
+        return urllib.quote_plus(text.encode('utf8'))
+    else:
+        return urllib.quote(text.encode('utf8'))
+
+@register.filter
 def strip_path(url):
     """removes path part of the url"""
     return url_utils.strip_path(url)
diff --git a/askbot/tests/db_api_tests.py b/askbot/tests/db_api_tests.py
index 1f3d3b9b..3a0c9582 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/db_api_tests.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/db_api_tests.py
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 import datetime
 
 class DBApiTests(AskbotTestCase):
+    """tests methods on User object,
+    that were added for askbot
+    """
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.create_user()
@@ -161,7 +164,8 @@ class DBApiTests(AskbotTestCase):
         matches = models.Post.objects.get_questions().get_by_text_query("database'")
         self.assertTrue(len(matches) == 1)
 
-class UserLikeTests(AskbotTestCase):
+class UserLikeTagTests(AskbotTestCase):
+    """tests for user liking and disliking tags"""
     def setUp(self):
         self.create_user()
         self.question = self.post_question(tags = 'one two three')
@@ -387,3 +391,14 @@ class CommentTests(AskbotTestCase):
         self.other_user.upvote(comment, cancel = True)
         comment = models.Post.objects.get_comments().get(id = self.comment.id)
         self.assertEquals(comment.score, 0)
+
+class TagAndGroupTests(AskbotTestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.u1 = self.create_user('u1')
+        
+    def test_group_cannot_create_case_variant_tag(self):
+        self.post_question(user = self.u1, tags = 'one two three')
+        models.Tag.group_tags.get_or_create(user = self.u1, group_name = 'One')
+        tag_one = models.Tag.objects.filter(name__iexact = 'one')
+        self.assertEqual(tag_one.count(), 1)
+        self.assertEqual(tag_one[0].name, 'one')
diff --git a/askbot/tests/email_alert_tests.py b/askbot/tests/email_alert_tests.py
index abdb1c58..9ec1a412 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/email_alert_tests.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/email_alert_tests.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from django.test import TestCase
 from django.test.client import Client
 from askbot.tests import utils
 from askbot import models
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 from askbot import const
 from askbot.models.question import Thread
@@ -949,3 +949,67 @@ class EmailFeedSettingTests(utils.AskbotTestCase):
         new_user.add_missing_askbot_subscriptions()
         data_after = TO_JSON(self.get_user_feeds())
         self.assertEquals(data_before, data_after)
+
+class PostApprovalTests(utils.AskbotTestCase):
+    """test notifications sent to authors when their posts
+    are approved or published"""
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.reply_by_email = askbot_settings.REPLY_BY_EMAIL
+        askbot_settings.update('REPLY_BY_EMAIL', True)
+        self.enable_content_moderation = \
+            askbot_settings.ENABLE_CONTENT_MODERATION
+        askbot_settings.update('ENABLE_CONTENT_MODERATION', True)
+        self.self_notify_when = \
+            askbot_settings.SELF_NOTIFY_EMAILED_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN
+        when = const.FOR_FIRST_REVISION
+        askbot_settings.update('SELF_NOTIFY_EMAILED_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN', when)
+        assert(
+            django_settings.EMAIL_BACKEND == 'django.core.mail.backends.locmem.EmailBackend'
+        )
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        askbot_settings.update(
+            'REPLY_BY_EMAIL', self.reply_by_email
+        )
+        askbot_settings.update(
+            'ENABLE_CONTENT_MODERATION',
+            self.enable_content_moderation
+        )
+        askbot_settings.update(
+            'SELF_NOTIFY_EMAILED_POST_AUTHOR_WHEN', 
+            self.self_notify_when
+        )
+
+    def test_emailed_question_answerable_approval_notification(self):
+        self.u1 = self.create_user('user1', status = 'a')#regular user
+        question = self.post_question(user = self.u1, by_email = True)
+        outbox = django.core.mail.outbox
+        #here we should get just the notification of the post
+        #being placed on the moderation queue
+        self.assertEquals(len(outbox), 1)
+        self.assertEquals(outbox[0].recipients(), [self.u1.email])
+
+    def test_moderated_question_answerable_approval_notification(self):
+        u1 = self.create_user('user1', status = 'a')
+        question = self.post_question(user = u1, by_email = True)
+
+        self.assertEquals(question.approved, False)
+
+        u2 = self.create_user('admin', status = 'd')
+
+        self.assertEquals(question.revisions.count(), 1)
+        u2.approve_post_revision(question.get_latest_revision())
+
+        outbox = django.core.mail.outbox
+        self.assertEquals(len(outbox), 2)
+        #moderation notification
+        self.assertEquals(outbox[0].recipients(), [u1.email,])
+        self.assertEquals(outbox[1].recipients(), [u1.email,])#approval
+
+
+class MailMessagesTests(utils.AskbotTestCase):
+    def test_ask_for_signature(self):
+        from askbot.mail import messages
+        user = self.create_user('user')
+        message = messages.ask_for_signature(user, footer_code = 'nothing')
+        self.assertTrue(user.username in message)
diff --git a/askbot/tests/page_load_tests.py b/askbot/tests/page_load_tests.py
index ebfba0c3..e3e699a7 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/page_load_tests.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/page_load_tests.py
@@ -67,7 +67,9 @@ class PageLoadTestCase(AskbotTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.old_cache = cache.cache
-        cache.cache = DummyCache('', {})  # Disable caching (to not interfere with production cache, not sure if that's possible but let's not risk it)
+        #Disable caching (to not interfere with production cache,
+        #not sure if that's possible but let's not risk it)
+        cache.cache = DummyCache('', {}) 
 
     def tearDown(self):
         cache.cache = self.old_cache  # Restore caching
@@ -610,3 +612,18 @@ class QuestionPageRedirectTests(AskbotTestCase):
         #point to a non-existing comment
         resp = self.client.get(url, data={'comment': 100301})
         self.assertRedirects(resp, expected_url = self.q.get_absolute_url())
+
+class CommandViewTests(AskbotTestCase):
+    def test_get_tag_wiki_text_succeeds(self):
+        tag1 = self.create_tag('tag1')
+        response = self.client.get(
+            reverse('load_tag_wiki_text'),
+            data = {'tag_id': tag1.id}
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+
+    def test_get_tag_wiki_text_fails(self):
+        tag1 = self.create_tag('tag1')
+        response = self.client.get(reverse('load_tag_wiki_text'))
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 400)#bad request
+        
diff --git a/askbot/tests/post_model_tests.py b/askbot/tests/post_model_tests.py
index dd1399c1..9a4d47c8 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/post_model_tests.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/post_model_tests.py
@@ -344,7 +344,7 @@ class ThreadRenderLowLevelCachingTests(AskbotTestCase):
         # Make sure that title and body text are escaped properly.
         # This should be obvious at this point, if the above test passes, but why not be explicit
         # UPDATE: And voila, these tests catched double-escaping bug in template, where `&lt;` was `&amp;lt;`
-        #         And indeed, post.summary is escaped before saving, in parse_and_save_post()
+        #         And indeed, post.summary is escaped before saving, in parse_and_save()
         # UPDATE 2:Weird things happen with question summary (it's double escaped etc., really weird) so
         # let's just make sure that there are no tag placeholders left
         self.assertTrue('&lt;&lt;&lt;tag1&gt;&gt;&gt; fake title' in proper_html)
diff --git a/askbot/tests/reply_by_email_tests.py b/askbot/tests/reply_by_email_tests.py
index e46d6b3d..698662fc 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/reply_by_email_tests.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/reply_by_email_tests.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
 from askbot.models import ReplyAddress
-from askbot.lamson_handlers import PROCESS, get_parts
+from askbot.mail.lamson_handlers import PROCESS, VALIDATE_EMAIL, get_parts
 from askbot import const
 
 
@@ -8,13 +8,7 @@ from askbot.tests.utils import AskbotTestCase
 from askbot.models import Post, PostRevision
 
 TEST_CONTENT = 'Test content'
-TEST_EMAIL_PARTS = (
-    ('body', TEST_CONTENT),
-)
 TEST_LONG_CONTENT = 'Test content' * 10
-TEST_LONG_EMAIL_PARTS = (
-    ('body', TEST_LONG_CONTENT),
-)
 
 class MockPart(object):
     def __init__(self, body):
@@ -23,10 +17,23 @@ class MockPart(object):
 
 class MockMessage(dict):
 
-    def __init__(self, body, from_email):
-        self._body = body
-        self._part = MockPart(body)
+    def __init__(
+        self, content, from_email, signature = '', response_code = False
+    ):
         self.From= from_email
+        self['Subject'] = 'test subject'
+
+        if response_code != False:
+            #in this case we modify the content
+            re_separator = const.REPLY_SEPARATOR_TEMPLATE % {
+                                    'user_action': 'john did something',
+                                    'instruction': 'reply above this line'
+                                }
+            content += '\n\n\nToday someone wrote:\n' + re_separator + \
+                '\nblah blah\n' + response_code + '\n' + signature
+
+        self._body = content
+        self._part = MockPart(content)
 
     def body(self):
         return self._body
@@ -35,7 +42,7 @@ class MockMessage(dict):
         """todo: add real file attachment"""
         return [self._part]
 
-class EmailProcessingTests(AskbotTestCase):
+class ReplyAddressModelTests(AskbotTestCase):
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.u1 = self.create_user(username='user1')
@@ -79,30 +86,6 @@ class EmailProcessingTests(AskbotTestCase):
         self.assertEquals(self.answer.comments.count(), 2)
         self.assertEquals(self.answer.comments.all().order_by('-pk')[0].text.strip(), "This is a test reply")
 
-
-
-class ReplyAddressModelTests(AskbotTestCase):
-
-    def setUp(self):
-        self.u1 = self.create_user(username='user1')
-        self.u1.set_status('a')
-        self.u1.moderate_user_reputation(self.u1, reputation_change = 100, comment=  "no comment")
-        self.u2 = self.create_user(username='user2')
-        self.u1.moderate_user_reputation(self.u2, reputation_change = 100, comment=  "no comment")
-        self.u3 = self.create_user(username='user3')
-        self.u1.moderate_user_reputation(self.u3, reputation_change = 100, comment=  "no comment")
-
-        self.question = self.post_question(
-            user = self.u1,
-            follow = True,
-        )
-        self.answer = self.post_answer(
-            user = self.u2,
-            question = self.question
-        )
-
-        self.comment = self.post_comment(user = self.u2, parent_post = self.answer)
-    
     def test_address_creation(self):
         self.assertEquals(ReplyAddress.objects.all().count(), 0)
         result = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
@@ -118,7 +101,7 @@ class ReplyAddressModelTests(AskbotTestCase):
                                         post = self.answer,
                                         user = self.u1
                                     )
-        post = result.create_reply(TEST_EMAIL_PARTS)
+        post = result.create_reply(TEST_CONTENT)
         self.assertEquals(post.post_type, "comment")
         self.assertEquals(post.text, TEST_CONTENT)
         self.assertEquals(self.answer.comments.count(), 2)
@@ -128,7 +111,7 @@ class ReplyAddressModelTests(AskbotTestCase):
                                         post = self.comment,
                                         user = self.u1
                                     )
-        post = result.create_reply(TEST_EMAIL_PARTS)
+        post = result.create_reply(TEST_CONTENT)
         self.assertEquals(post.post_type, "comment")
         self.assertEquals(post.text, TEST_CONTENT)
         self.assertEquals(self.answer.comments.count(), 2)
@@ -139,7 +122,7 @@ class ReplyAddressModelTests(AskbotTestCase):
                                         post = self.question,
                                         user = self.u3
                                     )
-        post = result.create_reply(TEST_EMAIL_PARTS)
+        post = result.create_reply(TEST_CONTENT)
         self.assertEquals(post.post_type, "comment")
         self.assertEquals(post.text, TEST_CONTENT)
 
@@ -148,6 +131,58 @@ class ReplyAddressModelTests(AskbotTestCase):
                                         post = self.question,
                                         user = self.u3
                                     )
-        post = result.create_reply(TEST_LONG_EMAIL_PARTS)
+        post = result.create_reply(TEST_LONG_CONTENT)
         self.assertEquals(post.post_type, "answer")
         self.assertEquals(post.text, TEST_LONG_CONTENT)
+
+class EmailSignatureDetectionTests(AskbotTestCase):
+    
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.u1 = self.create_user('user1', status = 'a')
+        self.u2 = self.create_user('user2', status = 'a')
+
+    def test_detect_signature_in_response(self):
+        question = self.post_question(user = self.u1)
+
+        #create a response address record
+        reply_token = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
+                                        post = question,
+                                        user = self.u2,
+                                        reply_action = 'post_answer'
+                                    )
+
+        self.u2.email_signature = ''
+        self.u2.save()
+
+        msg = MockMessage(
+                'some text',
+                self.u2.email,
+                signature = 'Yours Truly',
+                response_code = reply_token.address
+            )
+        PROCESS(msg, address = reply_token.address)
+
+        signature = self.reload_object(self.u2).email_signature 
+        self.assertEqual(signature, 'Yours Truly')
+
+    def test_detect_signature_in_welcome_response(self):
+        reply_token = ReplyAddress.objects.create_new(
+                                            user = self.u2,
+                                            reply_action = 'validate_email'
+                                        )
+        self.u2.email_signature = ''
+        self.u2.save()
+
+        msg = MockMessage(
+                'some text',
+                self.u2.email,
+                signature = 'Yours Truly',
+                response_code = reply_token.address
+            )
+        VALIDATE_EMAIL(
+            msg,
+            address = reply_token.address
+        )
+
+        signature = self.reload_object(self.u2).email_signature 
+        self.assertEqual(signature, 'Yours Truly')
diff --git a/askbot/tests/utils.py b/askbot/tests/utils.py
index fdeea371..4bc69ac4 100644
--- a/askbot/tests/utils.py
+++ b/askbot/tests/utils.py
@@ -115,10 +115,11 @@ class AskbotTestCase(TestCase):
                     title = 'test question title',
                     body_text = 'test question body text',
                     tags = 'test',
+                    by_email = False,
                     wiki = False,
                     is_anonymous = False,
                     follow = False,
-                    timestamp = None
+                    timestamp = None,
                 ):
         """posts and returns question on behalf
         of user. If user is not given, it will be self.user
@@ -135,6 +136,7 @@ class AskbotTestCase(TestCase):
                             title = title,
                             body_text = body_text,
                             tags = tags,
+                            by_email = by_email,
                             wiki = wiki,
                             is_anonymous = is_anonymous,
                             timestamp = timestamp
@@ -155,6 +157,7 @@ class AskbotTestCase(TestCase):
                     user = None,
                     question = None,
                     body_text = 'test answer text',
+                    by_email = False,
                     follow = False,
                     wiki = False,
                     timestamp = None
@@ -165,16 +168,30 @@ class AskbotTestCase(TestCase):
         return user.post_answer(
                         question = question,
                         body_text = body_text,
+                        by_email = by_email,
                         follow = follow,
                         wiki = wiki,
                         timestamp = timestamp
                     )
 
+    def create_tag(self, tag_name, user = None):
+        """creates a user, b/c it is necessary"""
+        if user is None:
+            try:
+                user = models.User.objects.get(username = 'tag_creator')
+            except models.User.DoesNotExist:
+                user = self.create_user('tag_creator')
+
+        tag = models.Tag(created_by = user, name = tag_name)
+        tag.save()
+        return tag
+
     def post_comment(
                 self,
                 user = None,
                 parent_post = None,
                 body_text = 'test comment text',
+                by_email = False,
                 timestamp = None
             ):
         """posts and returns a comment to parent post, uses 
@@ -187,6 +204,7 @@ class AskbotTestCase(TestCase):
         comment = user.post_comment(
                         parent_post = parent_post,
                         body_text = body_text,
+                        by_email = by_email,
                         timestamp = timestamp,
                     )
 
diff --git a/askbot/utils/email.py b/askbot/utils/email.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 34b11c45..00000000
--- a/askbot/utils/email.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,28 +0,0 @@
-from django.core.mail import EmailMultiAlternatives
-from django.conf import settings as django_settings
-from django.template import loader, Context
-from django.utils.html import strip_tags
-from threading import Thread
-
-def send_email(
-            subject,
-            recipients,
-            template,
-            context = {},
-            sender = django_settings.DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL,
-            txt_template = None
-        ):
-    context['settings'] = django_settings
-    html_body = loader.get_template(template).render(Context(context))
-
-    if txt_template is None:
-        txt_body = strip_tags(html_body)
-    else:
-        txt_body = loader.get_template(txt_template).render(Context(context))
-
-    msg = EmailMultiAlternatives(subject, txt_body, sender, recipients)
-    msg.attach_alternative(html_body, "text/html")
-
-    thread = Thread(target=EmailMultiAlternatives.send,  args=[msg])
-    thread.setDaemon(True)
-    thread.start()
diff --git a/askbot/utils/html.py b/askbot/utils/html.py
index f91fa980..1ce3ad35 100644
--- a/askbot/utils/html.py
+++ b/askbot/utils/html.py
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 """Utilities for working with HTML."""
 import html5lib
 from html5lib import sanitizer, serializer, tokenizer, treebuilders, treewalkers
-import re, htmlentitydefs
+import re
+import htmlentitydefs
+from urlparse import urlparse
+from django.core.urlresolvers import reverse
 
 class HTMLSanitizerMixin(sanitizer.HTMLSanitizerMixin):
     acceptable_elements = ('a', 'abbr', 'acronym', 'address', 'b', 'big',
@@ -51,6 +54,16 @@ def sanitize_html(html):
     output_generator = s.serialize(stream)
     return u''.join(output_generator)
 
+def site_link(url_name, title):
+    """returns html for the link to the given url
+    todo: may be improved to process url parameters, keyword
+    and other arguments
+    """
+    from askbot.conf import settings
+    base_url = urlparse(settings.APP_URL)
+    url = base_url.scheme + '://' + base_url.netloc + reverse(url_name)
+    return '<a href="%s">%s</a>' % (url, title)
+
 def unescape(text):
     """source: http://effbot.org/zone/re-sub.htm#unescape-html
     Removes HTML or XML character references and entities from a text string.
diff --git a/askbot/views/commands.py b/askbot/views/commands.py
index a1dc5420..79c266c2 100644
--- a/askbot/views/commands.py
+++ b/askbot/views/commands.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ from askbot.conf import should_show_sort_by_relevance
 from askbot.conf import settings as askbot_settings
 from askbot.utils import decorators
 from askbot.utils import url_utils
-from askbot.utils import mail
+from askbot import mail
 from askbot.skins.loaders import render_into_skin, get_template
 from askbot import const
 import logging
@@ -499,6 +499,9 @@ def get_tag_list(request):
 @decorators.get_only
 def load_tag_wiki_text(request):
     """returns text of the tag wiki in markdown format"""
+    if 'tag_id' not in request.GET:
+        return HttpResponse('', status = 400)#bad request
+
     tag = get_object_or_404(models.Tag, id = request.GET['tag_id'])
     tag_wiki_text = getattr(tag.tag_wiki, 'text', '').strip()
     return HttpResponse(tag_wiki_text, mimetype = 'text/plain')
diff --git a/askbot/views/meta.py b/askbot/views/meta.py
index 5f4c70ac..b8411b41 100644
--- a/askbot/views/meta.py
+++ b/askbot/views/meta.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from django.views.decorators import csrf
 from django.db.models import Max, Count
 from askbot.forms import FeedbackForm
 from askbot.utils.forms import get_next_url
-from askbot.utils.mail import mail_moderators
+from askbot.mail import mail_moderators
 from askbot.models import BadgeData, Award, User
 from askbot.models import badges as badge_data
 from askbot.skins.loaders import get_template, render_into_skin, render_text_into_skin
diff --git a/askbot/views/users.py b/askbot/views/users.py
index a5860b14..9d9419e1 100644
--- a/askbot/views/users.py
+++ b/askbot/views/users.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ from django.views.decorators import csrf
 
 from askbot.utils.slug import slugify
 from askbot.utils.html import sanitize_html
-from askbot.utils.mail import send_mail
+from askbot.mail import send_mail
 from askbot.utils.http import get_request_info
 from askbot.utils import functions
 from askbot import forms
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ from askbot.skins.loaders import render_into_skin
 from askbot.templatetags import extra_tags
 from askbot.search.state_manager import SearchState
 from askbot.utils import url_utils
+from askbot.utils.loading import load_module
 
 def owner_or_moderator_required(f):
     @functools.wraps(f)
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ def owner_or_moderator_required(f):
 
 def users(request, by_group = False, group_id = None, group_slug = None):
     """Users view, including listing of users by group"""
+    users = models.User.objects.exclude(status = 'b')
     group = None
     group_email_moderation_enabled = False
     user_can_join_group = False
@@ -591,12 +593,13 @@ def user_recent(request, user, context):
 
         elif activity.activity_type == const.TYPE_ACTIVITY_PRIZE:
             award = activity.content_object
-            activities.append(AwardEvent(
-                time=award.awarded_at,
-                type=activity.activity_type,
-                content_object=award.content_object,
-                badge=award.badge,
-            ))
+            if award is not None:#todo: work around halfa$$ comment deletion
+                activities.append(AwardEvent(
+                    time=award.awarded_at,
+                    type=activity.activity_type,
+                    content_object=award.content_object,
+                    badge=award.badge,
+                ))
 
     activities.sort(key=operator.attrgetter('time'), reverse=True)
 
@@ -661,7 +664,8 @@ def user_responses(request, user, context):
     #3) "package" data for the output
     response_list = list()
     for memo in memo_set:
-        #a monster query chain below
+        if memo.activity.content_object is None:
+            continue#a temp plug due to bug in the comment deletion
         response = {
             'id': memo.id,
             'timestamp': memo.activity.active_at,
@@ -847,6 +851,24 @@ def user_email_subscriptions(request, user, context):
         request
     )
 
+@csrf.csrf_protect
+def user_custom_tab(request, user, context):
+    """works only if `ASKBOT_CUSTOM_USER_PROFILE_TAB`
+    setting in the ``settings.py`` is properly configured"""
+    tab_settings = django_settings.ASKBOT_CUSTOM_USER_PROFILE_TAB
+    module_path = tab_settings['CONTENT_GENERATOR']
+    content_generator = load_module(module_path)
+
+    page_title = _('profile - %(section)s') % \
+        {'section': tab_settings['NAME']}
+
+    context.update({
+        'custom_tab_content': content_generator(request, user),
+        'tab_name': tab_settings['SLUG'],
+        'page_title': page_title
+    })
+    return render_into_skin('user_profile/custom_tab.html', context, request)
+
 USER_VIEW_CALL_TABLE = {
     'stats': user_stats,
     'recent': user_recent,
@@ -858,6 +880,12 @@ USER_VIEW_CALL_TABLE = {
     'email_subscriptions': user_email_subscriptions,
     'moderation': user_moderate,
 }
+
+CUSTOM_TAB = getattr(django_settings, 'ASKBOT_CUSTOM_USER_PROFILE_TAB', None)
+if CUSTOM_TAB:
+    CUSTOM_SLUG = CUSTOM_TAB['SLUG']
+    USER_VIEW_CALL_TABLE[CUSTOM_SLUG] = user_custom_tab
+
 #todo: rename this function - variable named user is everywhere
 def user(request, id, slug=None, tab_name=None):
     """Main user view function that works as a switchboard
@@ -877,8 +905,11 @@ def user(request, id, slug=None, tab_name=None):
     elif askbot_settings.KARMA_MODE == 'hidden':
         can_show_karma = False
     else:
-        if request.user.is_administrator_or_moderator() \
-            or request.user == profile_owner:
+        if request.user.is_anonymous():
+            can_show_karma = False
+        elif request.user.is_administrator_or_moderator():
+            can_show_karma = True
+        elif request.user == profile_owner:
             can_show_karma = True
         else:
             can_show_karma = False
@@ -904,6 +935,9 @@ def user(request, id, slug=None, tab_name=None):
         'search_state': search_state,
         'user_follow_feature_on': ('followit' in django_settings.INSTALLED_APPS),
     }
+    if CUSTOM_TAB:
+        context['custom_tab_name'] = CUSTOM_TAB['NAME']
+        context['custom_tab_slug'] = CUSTOM_TAB['SLUG']
     return user_view_func(request, profile_owner, context)
 
 @csrf.csrf_exempt