Rift: Planar Focus and Planar Essences UPDATED

Telarapedia defines Planar Focus as a piece of equipment characters wear that has sockets in which planar essences are inserted (second link).
http://telarapedia.com/wiki/Planar_Focus

Here is how they work (3rd paragraph).
http://rift.ign.com/articles/previews/7047/The-Telara-Times-Issue-1/p6/c1/

Planar currency
http://www.riftjunkies.com/2011/02/01/planar-currency-and-item-rundown/

Looks like planar essences are usually rift rewards .  They come in "greater" or "lesser" varieties which correspond to certain sockets or slots on the Planar Focus equipment. Two greater planar essences of the same family can't be equipped at the same time.
http://telarapedia.com/wiki/Planar_essence

Currency isn't stored in your bags, it is stored in your Currency section of your Character window.   Read more about Planar Essences and Planar Focus in the online manual, pages 17 and 36.
http://www.riftgame.com/en/docs/RIFT_Manual_EN.pdf

Apparently you can buy Planar Essences and other items from Planar Goods Merchants located in Silverwood, Freemarch, Gloamwood, and Stonefield.  (They may be in other places.)  Sorry I don't have more precise location information.  This talks about other planar pieces ("planar" seems to mean items that come from rifts).
http://www.riftjunkies.com/2011/02/01/planar-currency-and-item-rundown/

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

Cataclysm Runes and Guild UI UPDATED

These are still in beta but it looks like this will be useful information in the future.  First, here's a video tutorial  about the runes system.
http://pwnwear.com/2010/07/24/video-tutorial-on-how-the-cataclysm-rune-system-works/

Secondly, here is the new Guild UI.
http://www.wowhead.com/blog=164291

The regular UI is getting a big upgrade, too.
http://www.wow.com/2010/08/14/cataclysm-beta-ui-getting-a-serious-upgrade/

And relics will have sockets and bonuses apparently.
http://www.wow.com/2010/08/14/cataclysm-beta-relics-changed-to-carry-stats-and-sockets/

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

Socket Bonuses for Gemming

Interesting article explaining how to calculate socket bonues for gemming.

http://bighitbox.com/index.php/2009/08/lets-talk-about-socket-bonuses/

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