Raid Gear for Level 80s (Level 254 and Above)

From the WOW Insder's Arcane Mage column.  This seems to be for all types of mages.
http://www.wow.com/2010/05/15/arcane-brilliance-level-80-mage-gearing-roadmap-part-1/

http://www.wow.com/2010/05/22/arcane-brilliance-level-80-mage-gearing-road-map-part-2/

Best Shadow Priest raiding gear (Patch 3.3.5)
http://www.shadowpriest.com/viewtopic.php?f=62&t=28437

Recommended raiding gear for the new Level 80 Shadow Priest.
http://twistedfaith.wordpress.com/2010/06/16/failsafe-shadowpriest-gearing-guide/

Help with Protection Paladin gear in ICC.  You may want to look at the earlier articles in this series also.
http://www.wow.com/2010/06/02/the-light-and-how-to-swing-it-gearing-a-new-level-80-tankadin/#continued

Feral Druid Tanks (slightly older information from January 2010)
http://www.tankspot.com/showthread.php?59727-3.3-277-Feral-Tank-Best-In-Slot-list

Hunter Gear from Heroics
http://www.wow.com/2010/04/05/scattered-shots-gearing-up-without-raids/

Level 80 Hunter Pre-Raiding Gear
http://www.wowhead.com/forums&topic=22358

Hunter Tier 9 Gear Analysis Patch 3.3.3
http://www.thehuntersmark.net/blog/2010/03/26/gearing-up-your-hunter-tier-9-and-heroic-rewards/

Hunter Gear Spreadsheet (web based)
http://www.femaledwarf.com/

Check this site for all class gear as it has been updated to Patch 3.3.5.  Put your mouse over the icons at the top of the page until you find the class you are interested and click.
http://www.wow-loot.com/

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Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com

Cataclysm's Beta Is Open (With Links to Info)

The Cataclysm Beta is open, but WOW Insider says invites haven't gone out yet.  Expect them in your email address you use for Battle.net login today.  Remember to be careful of pshished invites as these addresses have been stolen by spammers.
http://www.wow.com/2010/06/30/no-cataclysm-beta-invites-have-been-sent-out-yet/

If you particpate in the Beta, there are several sources summarizing helpful information.  WOWHead's got their database up.
http://www.wowhead.com/

There's a new kid on the block for Cataclysm information that has Cataclysm talent calcuators up already.
http://www.raevyn.net/

MMO Champion often is the first to post new information.
http://www.mmo-champion.com/content/

WOW Insider has their Cataclysm class guide up and running.
http://www.wow.com/2010/06/30/cataclysm-beta-new-skills-spells-and-talents/

They also have maps up. Maps are always great, right?
http://www.wow.com/2010/06/30/cataclysm-beta-new-maps/

Pwnwear is collecting flight paths.
http://pwnwear.com/2010/07/01/flight-paths-alpha/

Speaking of videos, WOW Head has a link to the Cataclysm videos Tankspot is making.
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=162029

http://www.wowhead.com/blog=161758

Empowered Fire is making movies, too.
http://www.empoweredfire.com/2010/07/05/empowered-fire-does-beta/

Mania' Arcania has information about the new pets and new slots.
http://www.maniasarcania.com/2010/07/01/cataclysm-beta-pet-info-stable-slots/

Birdfall is also posting videos of pets she finds.   You'll have to hunt for them, though.  Even though she labels each article on Catacalysm Pets as "pets" the search function doesn't seem to turn them all up.
http://birdfall.blogspot.com/

More Level One starting pet information
http://www.warcrafthuntersunion.com/2010/07/level-1-hunter-starting-pets-in-cataclysm/

and a baby pet video.  Big Red Kitty promises more pet videos.
http://www.bigredkitty.net/2010/07/05/cataclysm-beta-hunter-guide-movie-baby-pet/

Mania's Arcania has set up a Cataclysm Pet Spreadsheet to collect pet information from the beta.
http://www.maniasarcania.com/2010/07/11/got-a-cataclysm-pet-question-see-the-spreadsheet/

Because Cataclysm is in beta, you can't use addons or move the standard Blizzard UI frames around.  Unless of course you know Pwnwear, who has posted information on how to move the frames.
http://pwnwear.com/2010/07/02/how-to-move-the-standard-blizzard-ui-frames/

Here are the UI changes in Cataclysm to date.
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=162030

Specific info and screen shots of the UI changes that will show leveling notifications.
http://www.wow.com/2010/07/03/cataclysm-beta-new-level-up-ui-video/

More UI update information
http://blessingoffish.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/cataclysm-giving-the-ui-a-much-needed-polish/

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Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com

Addons For the New Player

WOW Insider is starting an Addons 101 series to help the new and confused.  As always, I'll update this blog entry as more is writtin in this series.

Part One:  The Basics
http://www.wow.com/2010/06/30/addons-101-the-basics/

Part Two:  The Default Interface and Different Types/Categories of Addons
http://www.wow.com/2010/07/07/addons-101-interface-elements/

Part Three:  DPS and Threat Meters, Raid Warnings, and Cooldowns
http://www.wow.com/2010/07/14/addons-101-the-other-essentials/

Part Four:  Customizing Interfaces
http://www.wow.com/2010/07/21/addons-101-the-basics-of-customization/

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Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com

Blizzard Answers Your Lore Questions

WOW Insider summarizes some of the interesting tidbits from Blzzard's creative development team and links to a forum posting soliciting questions and then posting answers to questions puzzling players.
http://www.wow.com/2010/06/30/blizzards-creative-development-team-answers-tons-of-lore-questi/

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Copyright Solo MMO Player at http://solommo.blogspot.com