diff --git a/etc/web.xml b/etc/web.xml
index 81e1226..15ce7e2 100644
--- a/etc/web.xml
+++ b/etc/web.xml
@@ -246,6 +246,14 @@
     <servlet-class>com.silverwrist.venice.servlets.CommunityLogo</servlet-class>
   </servlet>
 
+  <servlet>
+    <servlet-name>gateway</servlet-name>
+    <description>
+      Gateways access to a specific URL through the Venice login screen.
+    </description>
+    <servlet-class>com.silverwrist.venice.servlets.Gateway</servlet-class>
+  </servlet>
+
   <!-- the following are test servlets, they should go away -->
 
   <servlet>
@@ -374,6 +382,11 @@
     <url-pattern>/commlogo</url-pattern>
   </servlet-mapping>
 
+  <servlet-mapping>
+    <servlet-name>gateway</servlet-name>
+    <url-pattern>/gw</url-pattern>
+  </servlet-mapping>
+
   <!-- the following are test servlets, they should go away -->
   <servlet-mapping>
     <servlet-name>testformdata</servlet-name>
diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/Account.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/Account.java
index 786256d..ce42907 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/Account.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/Account.java
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ public class Account extends VeniceServlet
 
   private static final int COOKIE_LIFETIME = 60*60*24*365;  // one year
 
-  private static Category logger = Category.getInstance(Account.class.getName());
+  private static Category logger = Category.getInstance(Account.class);
 
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Internal functions
@@ -140,6 +140,9 @@ public class Account extends VeniceServlet
   protected String getMyLocation(HttpServletRequest request, VeniceEngine engine, UserContext user,
 				 RenderData rdat)
   {
+    String rc = super.getMyLocation(request,engine,user,rdat);
+    if (rc!=null)
+      return rc;
     if (request.getAttribute(DISPLAY_LOGIN_ATTR)!=null)
       return "account?cmd=" + getStandardCommandParam(request);
     else
@@ -173,6 +176,7 @@ public class Account extends VeniceServlet
       // this is a Login command - display the Login page
       LoginDialog dlg = makeLoginDialog();
       dlg.setupNew(tgt);
+      setMyLocation(request,tgt);  // fake out the location so we can display the "Log In/Create Account" links
       return dlg;
 
     } // end if ("L" command)
diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/Gateway.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/Gateway.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5e3ccf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/Gateway.java
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/*
+ * The contents of this file are subject to the Mozilla Public License Version 1.1
+ * (the "License"); you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at <http://www.mozilla.org/MPL/>.
+ * 
+ * Software distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" basis, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the specific
+ * language governing rights and limitations under the License.
+ * 
+ * The Original Code is the Venice Web Communities System.
+ * 
+ * The Initial Developer of the Original Code is Eric J. Bowersox <erbo@silcom.com>,
+ * for Silverwrist Design Studios.  Portions created by Eric J. Bowersox are
+ * Copyright (C) 2001 Eric J. Bowersox/Silverwrist Design Studios.  All Rights Reserved.
+ * 
+ * Contributor(s): 
+ */
+package com.silverwrist.venice.servlets;
+
+import java.io.*;
+import java.net.URLEncoder;
+import javax.servlet.*;
+import javax.servlet.http.*;
+import org.apache.log4j.*;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.core.*;
+import com.silverwrist.venice.servlets.format.*;
+
+public class Gateway extends VeniceServlet
+{
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Static data members
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  private static Category logger = Category.getInstance(Gateway.class);
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Overrides from class HttpServlet
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  public String getServletInfo()
+  {
+    String rc = "Gateway servlet - \"Gates\" a URL request based on whether or not the user is logged in\n"
+              + "Part of the Venice Web Communities System\n";
+    return rc;
+
+  } // end getServletInfo
+
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Overrides from class VeniceServlet
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  protected VeniceContent doVeniceGet(HttpServletRequest request, VeniceEngine engine,
+				      UserContext user, RenderData rdat)
+    throws ServletException, IOException, VeniceServletResult
+  {
+    String target = request.getQueryString();
+    if (target==null)
+      throw new ErrorResult(HttpServletResponse.SC_BAD_REQUEST,"no parameter specified");
+    if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+      logger.debug("they want to redirect to: " + target);
+    if (user.isLoggedIn())
+      throw new RedirectResult(target);
+    else
+      throw new RedirectResult("account?cmd=L&tgt=" + URLEncoder.encode(target));
+
+  } // end doVeniceGet
+
+} // end class Gateway
diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/RedirectResult.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/RedirectResult.java
index 32b3301..b42cc41 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/RedirectResult.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/RedirectResult.java
@@ -22,6 +22,13 @@ import com.silverwrist.venice.servlets.format.RenderData;
 
 public class RedirectResult extends ExecuteResult
 {
+  /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   * Static data members
+   *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+   */
+
+  private static final String[] absolute_prefixes = { "http://", "ftp://" };
+
   /*--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    * Attributes
    *--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -48,6 +55,14 @@ public class RedirectResult extends ExecuteResult
 
   public void execute(RenderData rdat) throws IOException
   {
+    for (int i=0; i<absolute_prefixes.length; i++)
+      if (target.startsWith(absolute_prefixes[i]))
+      { // this is an absolute redirection...do it!
+	rdat.redirectAbsolute(target);
+	return;
+
+      } // end if and for
+
     rdat.redirectTo(target);
 
   } // end doRedirect
diff --git a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/RenderData.java b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/RenderData.java
index 6c59ad0..0c287ef 100644
--- a/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/RenderData.java
+++ b/src/com/silverwrist/venice/servlets/format/RenderData.java
@@ -401,6 +401,12 @@ public class RenderData implements ColorSelectors
 
   } // end redirectTo
 
+  public void redirectAbsolute(String url) throws IOException
+  {
+    response.sendRedirect(url);
+
+  } // end redirectAbsolute
+
   public String getActivityString(Date date)
   {
     if (date==null)