Apple

 

The Day Apple Left The Tech World’s Collective Mouth Agape

$46.33 billion in revenue. It’s a number the biggest and best tech companies in the world can only dream to hit in a year. Apple hit it in one quarter. $13.06 billion in profit. It’s a number no tech company would ever aspire to in one quarter because it’s ridiculous. The only companies that have ever thought about such numbers are oil companies. And even then, only 3 of them have actually hit it. Ever.

Until yesterday.

I’ve already tried to give some context to the stunning Q1 2012 results that Apple posted. But the truth is that they’re still unbelievable.

Oh wow. Just wow. Usually I’m just like yeah, yeah company made some profit. But OMG follow the “only 3 of them have actually hit it” link. Or go to the Wikipedia entrythat prompted it. It’s a list of all the companies that have a quarterly profit > 10 billion. There’s only 1 company on the list who isn’t an oil company. Yep it’s Apple.

A Cold Creek Secret by RaeAnne Thayne

A Cold Creek Secret by RaeAnne Thayne

My rating: 1 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I got this as part of a Harlequin reader panel.

I honestly thought it was horrid. I had to result to MST3K’ing it to get through it.. One problem I thought it didn’t have enough from the male lead’s perspective. There was a huge gap in the thought process from her walking away to him walking in on her in his house on his return. It was like a longer book had severely gotten parts chopped away.

You can read several of my snarky comments of individual parts at my Kindle page.

View all my reviews

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The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

A quick, fun read. I always enjoy trying to guess from his descriptions who the classical greek/roman mythology monsters are before he names them.

View all my reviews

Gearing up Book in 4.3

Profiles: Armory :: Ask Mr Robot :: WoWhead :: Shadowcraft

The listed is all items she aspires to that are better than current gear. The weights are relative + from Ask Mr Robot.

Ranged

1. Razor Saronite Chip – Morchok Heroic+139
2. Windslicer Boomerang – 700 VP +80
3. Razor Saronite Chip – Morchok +55
4. Morningstar Shard – FL Heroic +26

Head

1. Blackfang Battleweave Helmet – Warmaster Blackhorn Heroic +484
2. Blackfang Battleweave Helment – Warmaster Blackhorn +226

Shoulder

1. Underdweller’s Spaulders – Morchok Heroic +199
2. Blackfang Battleweave Spaulders – Hagara the Stormbinder Heroic +82

Back

1. Dreadfire Drape – Lord Rhyolith Heroic +118
2. Batwing Cloak – 1250 VP +57

Chest

1. Blackfang Battleweave Tunic – Ultraxion Heroic +639
2. Blackfang Battleweave Tunic – Ultraxion +370
3. Shadowbinder Chestguard – 2200 VP +200
4. Dark Phoenix Tunic – Alysrazor Heroic +187
5. Breastplate of the Incendiary Soul – Baleroc Heroic +123
6. Blackfang Battleweave Tunic – Ultraxion LFR +57

Wrist

1. Shadow Wing Armbands – Warmaster Blackhorn Heroic +175
2. Bladeshadow Wristguards – crafted +154
3. Shadow Wing Armbands – Warmaster Blackhorn +32

Hands

1. Blackfang Battleweave Gloves – Warlord Zon’ozz Heroic +177

Waist

1. Belt of Flayed Skin – Warlord Zon’ozz Heroic +414
2. Belt of Hidden Keys – 1650 VP +266
3. Belt of Flayed Skin – Warlord Zon’ozz +222
4. Nightblind Cinch – Dragon Soul World Drop +143

Legs

1. Blackfang Battleweave Legguards – Yor’sahj Heroic +253
2. Bladeshadow Leggings – crafted +61
3. Blackfang Battleweave Legguards – Yor’sahj -3

Feet

1. Molten Blood Footpads – Spine of Deathwing Heroic +271
2. Interrogator’s Bloody Footpads – Yor’sahj Heroic +244
3. Molten Blood Footpads – Spine of Deathwing +72
4. Interrogator’s Bloody Footpads – Yor’sahj +44

Ring

1. Seal of Primordial Shadow – Boss Random Drop Heroic +220
2. Signet of Grasping Mouths – Hagara Heroic +167
3. Emergency Descent Loop – 1250 VP +61
4. Seal of Primordial Shadow – Boss Random Drop +58

Trinkets per Elitist Jerks

1. Wrath of Unchaining (H. Spine)
2. Vial of Shadows (H. random boss)
3. Wrath of Unchaining (Spine)
4. Starcatcher Compass (H. Blackhorn)
5. Vial of Shadows
6. Wrath of Unchaining LFR (Spine)
7. Matrix Restabilizer (H. Rags)
8. Starcatcher Compass
9. Vial of Shadows LFR **HAVE**
10. Hungerer (H. Domo)
11. Matrix Restabilizer (Rags)
12. Starcatcher Compass LFR
13. Kiroptyric Sigil VP
14.  doesn’t exist
15. Hungerer **HAVE**
16. Arrow of Time
17. Prestor’s Tailsman of Machination (H. Nefarion)
18. Essence of the Cyclone (H. Halfus) **HAVE**
19. Fluid Death JP **HAVE**
20. Ancient Petrified Seed

Trinkets from Shadowcraft

1. Wrath of Unchaining
2. Vial of Shadows (Heroic)
3. Starcatcher Compass (Heroic)
4. Kiroptyric Sigil VP
5. Vial of Shadows
6. Starcatcher Compass
7. Matrix Restabilizer (Heroic)
8. Vial of Shadows LFR **HAVE**
9. Starcatcher Compass LFR
10. Matrix Restabilizer
11. Hungerer (Heroic)
12. Hungerer
13. Arrow of Time
14. Prestor’s Tailsman (Heroic)
15. Essence of the Cyclone (Heroic)
16. Ancient Petrified Seed
17. Wrath of Unchaining LFR
18. Tia’s Grace
19. Prestor’s Tailsman
20. Fluid Death

Trinkets from Mr. Robot

1. Wrath of Unchaining +823
2. Wrath of Unchaining LFR + 565
3. Vial of Shadows +486
4. Starcatcher Compass +414
5. Kiroptyric Sigil VP +294
6. Vial of Shadows LFR +266 **HAVE**
7. Starcatcher Compass LFR + 202
8. The Hungerer (H) + 189
9. Arrow of Time +143
10. Matrix Restabilizer (H) +125
11. Fluid Death JP +93
12. Prestor’s Tailsman of Machination (H) + 30

Tools of WoW Investigation: WoW Professions

While I can spout off such things as what is the basic stat you want (ie Agility, Strength, Intellect) for each spec a lot of the “finer” details I have to research. So I thought I’d share some sources I currently use.

Wow Professions http://www.wow-professions.com

I get a lot of info about power leveling professions here. Usually they try for the cheapest & fastest method.

Got any you’d suggest? Any I forgot? Leave it in the comments.

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• Tools of WoW Investigation: Elitist Jerks (tatianamik.wordpress.com)

Tools of WoW Investigation: Tankspot & Learn2Raid

While I can spout off such things as what is the basic stat you want (ie Agility, Strength, Intellect) for each spec a lot of the “finer” details I have to research. So I thought I’d share some sources I currently use.

Tankspot http://www.tankspot.com

Learn2Raid http://www.learntoraid.com

My two sites for videos of encounters. This way I can see what is supposed to happen before I go into a fight.

End Time

Well of Eternity

Hour of Twilight

Tools of WoW Investigation: PlayerScore

While I can spout off such things as what is the basic stat you want (ie Agility, Strength, Intellect) for each spec a lot of the “finer” details I have to research. So I thought I’d share some sources I currently use.

PlayerScore http://www.tentonhammer.com/playerscore

This is useful for determining where to concentrate on.

Used to be Gearscore add on, It’s now a website as well as an Addon. It now gives you a PvE & a PvP gearscore. It takes into account achievements as well. For example, I may not have great gear, but if I was skilled enough to do the encounter with lower gear then it means I can make up for a lack of gear with skill & precision timing & it takes this into account and gives bonus points.

One complaint I have is number inflation. I remember when a 3.6k gearscore was high. Now gear scores are over 10k.

A large part of the gearscore problem was Pick Up Group (PUG) raid leaders would overvalue content and would not take raiders with a gearscore under the number they chose, which was a raid leader issue and not a site/add on issue.

Tools of Wow Investigation: Shadowcraft

While I can spout off such things as what is the basic stat you want (ie Agilty, Strength, Intellect) for each spec a lot of the “finer” details I have to research. So I thought I’d share some sources I currently use.

Shadowcraft http://shadowcraft.mmo-mumble.com

Rogue only dps simulator. Put in your rogue’s name, gear’s pulled up, enter buffs/debuffs & presto. Your therortical dps.

Tools of WoW Investigation: WoW-Heroes & Guild Ox

While I can spout off such things as what is the basic stat you want (ie Agility, Strength, Intellect) for each spec a lot of the “finer” details I have to research. So I thought I’d share some sources I currently use.

WoW-Heroes http://www.wow-heroes.com

Guild Ox http://www.guildox.com

I kinda like these sites to tell me where i should concentrate on. Green zone should be easier content. Yellow zone should be doable, but a bit of a challenge at your gear level. Red should not be attempted unless you have the group’s full consent.  A world top 100 raiding guild might be able to waltz through red content, but most guilds will not progress though it until it’s at yellow level. I knew one guild that if you wanted to PUG with them you had to be yellow for the content before they would take you. I think that’s reasonable.

Of course my warlock got dragged into ICC10 when she still had blues & greens in her gear. But it was a case of they needed magic ranged dps for Lady Deathwhisper & my newly 80 warlock was the only available option outside of trade chat luck. Basically the other 9 guildies knew they were dragging my warlock through & were okay with it.

Tools of WoW Investigation: Ask Mr. Robot

While I can spout off such things as what is the basic stat you want (ie Agility, Strength, Intellect) for each spec a lot of the “finer” details I have to research. So I thought I’d share some sources I currently use.

Ask Mr. Robot http://www.askmrrobot.com

Evaluate gear for sidegrades or min/max stats.

Gear is not ideal for every spec. Surprise! The Breastplate of the Incendiary Soul (stat-ed with haste/mastery secondary) may beat out my Dark Phoenix Tunic (same Agility/Stamina but with Expertise/Crit) for me as assassination, but a subtlety rogue will value thier secondary stats differently & may prefer Expertise/Crit over haste/mastery. (Note: haven’t looked up subtlety stat priorities to actually see what they are). Also one of the problems I was seeing with WoWhead was rating hit items as having a higher value over non hit items even if I was over the hit cap. Hit over the cap is wasted.

I like how Mr Robot has what they call “Absolute” & “Relative” when picking the best in slot gear. Absolute is without taking ANY other gear and/or set bonuses into account. Basically mathmatically saying you’re naked except for item X, what’s it’s value to your role/spec. I also figured out this is how WowHead does its item ranking. But let’s face it, no one’s going to take you anywhere if you only have 1 piece of gear… Well maybe to a naked molten core run, but that’s another story…. So I usually use the Relative function. This looks at set bonuses, if you’re already above the hit cap, etc. It devalues hit over the cap & it may change the ranking of gear based on that.

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• Readers ask Ask Mr. Robot about optimizing their gear (wow.joystiq.com)