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Where to go for my bday...
- h
- hungryabbey Nov 29, 2010 05:06 PM
Hey everyone,
My bday is coming up, and I need a place to go for dinner. Here are the requirements:
1. Open on tuesday
2. Preferably somewhere NEWish, or at least noteworthy
3. Nice decor, great food
4.High endish, no budget
5. No asian, indian, ethiopian etc.. has to be "global/continental"
6. Its just the two of us, so no worries about large reservations etc
Any suggestions would be wonderful. I have looked through the boards, but I feel a bit overwhelmed and need a bit of direction to guide my research. Thanks everyone!!!
There aren't a lot of new openings that match your description. I can think of none, personally. The newbies seem to skew towards comfort/rustic/value. Of you wish to go with 1, 2, and 3 -decor I'd go with Woodlot. I've only dined once, but me likey.
re: JennaBean
re: KARREN67
Mercatto isn't a special meal place in my opinion. It is somewhere I got for dinner with a friend on a Wed night for a casual dinner. Good quality at that price point but no really a 'special occasion' type place.
15 Toronto Street, Toronto, ON M5C 2E3, CA
What about ordering a special "whole beast" dinner from Beast? Suckling pig for two could certainly make for a memorable birthday meal. :)
Perhaps Maléna? Leans towards contemporary Greek/Italian/Mediterranean more than "Continental", but since both Greece and Italy are on the "Continent", maybe it will work.
Malena Estiatorio
120 Avenue Rd, Toronto, ON , CA
I would agree that Luma fits the specs here ... another wonderful (not nearly as new as Luma though) is Lucien Restaurant http://www.lucienrestaurant.com
330 King St W, Toronto, ON , CA
re: hungryabbey
7 days a week supposedly but you'll need reservations.
re: hungryabbey
I'd give Malena a big MEH. Disappointing and wallet clearing.
What about Quatrefoil? Your partner will have to graciously drive you out to Dundas, but apparently it's quite good.
Given that my latest meal at Scaramouche was reminiscent of their 'glory days', I would throw their name in the hat.
I looked at their menu a few days ago (as I am planning another dinner soon) and I was happily surprised by some of the changes.
When Frogett is on his game, he is arguably one of the (if not the) best chefs in Toronto.
So I guess I have a few planned birthday/post-exam outings... Luma and Woodlot next week, but Beast on wednesday.
When the cab dropped us off, my bf said "where they heck did you take me, Abbey?" Aka. this restaurant is on the corner of some little residential neighbourhood street. But that is just part of the charm of Beast
The room is very simple, but clean, cozy and well set up. The service was lovely, professional, friendly but not pretentious at all.
Now, the food was really good in general, but here is what we had...
Housemade Breads- Served warm, it was absolutely delicious.. but WHY do restaurants serve cold butter?
Foie Gras au Torchon with preserved cherry, brussels sprouts and hazelnut: Nice presentation, I didn't try it, but it got good reviews
Poutine (gnocchi, beef cheek gravy, creme fraiche): Lovely, I am surprised that I haven't thought of this before (or seen it done before).. Essentially gnocchi is LIKE a french fry, its potato, just with a bit of flour.. And these ones were fried and then topped with really delicious braised beef cheeks, and cheese curds. The gravy had a touch of a bitter afternote, but other than that, it was a really successful dish.
Duck Confit with celeriac puree, buttery cabbage and balsamic glaze: Both of us went for the duck main.. and GAH! I have been thinking about this dish all day long. The duck was SUPER crispy. I've eaten a lot of duck confit, and this was probably one of the crispiest I've had. So delicious against the soft, sweet and tangy cabbage, and the smooth celeriac.
Grape Sorbet with a mini PB&J sandwich: A baby portion, because but he said it was very decadent and rich for a sorbet.
Sticky Toffee Pudding with toffee sauce and clotted cream: So delicious, but very very sweet. It was essentially a ball of pudding cake swimming in a pool of sweet, sticky toffee sauce. I tried not to eat all of the sauce, but I "accidentally" pretty much finished it. It was delicious at the time, but I had a "sugar hangover" (aka. Have felt kind of sick) the whole day after. Share this if you are going to order it.
So for all of that plus a beer, wine and a tea (btw, the tea is so cute.. its like a french press with a little timer on it, and when the buzzer goes off, it's "steeped" enough to drink), the bill came to about $135 before tip, after tax. I think that's pretty good. And you can even do a lot better at Beast since they have the 4-7 pm Happy Hour menu ($4 tapas!), and their main courses can be ordered in half portions.
I am looking forward to returning soon, especially because their "happy hour menu" (aka $4 tapas) seem like a great value...and would love to try their brunch menu too! Beast Benny with Braised Rabbit? Yes please! Thanks for the tip everyone.
330 King St W, Toronto, ON , CA
re: hungryabbey
Nice! Glad you enjoyed your dinner. Next time ask if you can get a side of tater tots with your dinner. They are super yummy.
ascendance just posted the photos of our dinner at Woodlot from the other night. It's most of the menu, so a good way to get a preview. :)
re: hungryabbey
That space has hosted many great resto's including Lotus!
re: hungryabbey
Sounds great, my wife and I are going to go during the holidays!
So round two. We went to Woodlot last night for my ACTUAL birthday celebration. I like the room, its very cozy, especially with the wood oven. We had a 6:15 reservation, and the whole place was full by 6:30, I was pretty impressed and happy to see they're doing well.
Service was.. friendly, but a bit scattered. I would say they could have used at least one more server on, as it took a long time to order/receive drink refills, plate clearance etc.
Started with their home made bread... I agree with one of the previous comments that it would be better served warm. This bread was so hard that I thought I was going to break a tooth. It was IMPOSSIBLE to cut (if they were going for the wood theme... they got it.. I felt like I was sawing at a piece of stubborn lumber).
The menu has changed slightly since others have posted.. There was no venison pie, and in place was some type of ham pie.
We had:
The lamb tart- my favourite of the night. That tart shell.. I thought about it all night. I wish I knew how to make a tart shell like that because normally I dont like tart pastry. It was a touch salty (from the cheese I suspect), but I like that. Some others might find it too much.
Gnocchi main with sausage- Fluffy pasta, nice fennel flavour in the sausage. A great, comforting dish for a cold weather weekday meal.
Pork chop- Deliciously juicy. I found the serving small-ish compared with the pasta main and others I saw circulating through the room. If ordered, I would definitely say you'd require a side or two.
Brussels sprouts- They were simple, but good.
Root vegetables- glazed with honey, they were nice and sweet. I would have preferred a bit of texture though.. I think they were just boiled/steamed, then tossed in the honey sauce, but I prefer when roots are roasted and a bit crispy.
Apple tarte tatin- I was a bit disappointed actually. It seemed overcooked to me to the point that the apples were no longer sweet, but rather, a bit bitter, and the pastry was dry. I have made better IMHO.
The bill was just over 100$ for a starter, two mains, 2 sides, a beer, sparkling water and 2 glasses of wine. I really dont think you can do much better than that, and I will definitely return to try some of the other offerings.
Does anyone know how often they change the menu??
Okay round three (this is it before Christmas!)
So I chose Luma because I felt the menu was "safe" enough for my picky parents, but interesting enough for a special evening. We also wanted to check out the Tim Burton exhibit, so we thought we would make a night of it.
Lets start with the room. I liked the simple, elegant decor. I like that the tables are very far apart. I am not really a "communal seating" person, so I liked the space.
The entire restaurant overlooks King St with a huge window, which WOULD have been nice to sit at, but it was FREEZING by the window, so I had to move. Something should be done about this.
Service was nice, friendly, professional. Our server was knowledgeable about the wine list and was kind enough to offer samples before we committed ourselves to a bottle. I do appreciate that, because its so disappointing to drink a glass of wine you don't really like.
Bread was served fresh and warm, a nice selection of raisin, whole grain and white baguette. Once again, cold butter. Is there a reason for cold butter? Does anyone like this? It just ruins the bread.
We ordered:
Potato and Leek Soup of the Day (x2)- Creamy, light, perfect for a cold night.
Burrata (fresh mozzarella cheese with beetroot, roasted eggplant, marjoram and pine nut vinaigrette)-Wonderfully soft, mild cheese with a sweet selection of beets. I also really liked the pine nuts against the pillowy cheese.
Foie Gras Torchon with pineapple, brioche, macadamia nut and vanilla- Huge portion, I thought. It was obviously no where near the best foie dish I've had, but I did love the pineapple with the macademia so I felt it was one of the most successful dish of the night.
Steak Frites with Luma pepper rub, northern woods mushrooms and truffle butter (x2)- I found the steak a little tough and overcooked, but again a big portion. The frites on the other hand were delicious. Very crispy and served with (upon request) a spicy ketchup and very garlicy aoli.
Grilled Beef Tenderloin- with braised beef cheeks, crispy potato chips, celery root puree, caramelized sunchokes, watercress and wild mustard jus- Like the steaks, the tenderloin again was a bit dry and overcooked, but the cheeks were very tender. I loved the seared sunchokes. I would order this dish again, just perhaps order it less done than I usually would.
Tagliatelle with confit duck, butternut squash, toasted almonds, sage and Parmesan- I really wished there was more duck, only like 1/2 oz, and a LOT of pasta. I just felt like the ingredients were so lovely (I mean... doesn't that description read nicely?) so I really wanted to like it, but together, it just didn't taste like that much. Could have used some salt (which I added, since they had salt and pepper shakers right on the table. Kind of a bad sign right there).
Side of frites- like I said, the frites were very crispy and perfect. But just be warned, they come topped with an obnoxious amount of truffle-scented (?) parm, which my family did NOT like as they don't eat cheese.
Side of sauteed mushrooms with garlic and thyme- Yum- very nice selection of wild mushrooms and a very big portion for the price ($6)
Opera Cake (almond sponge cake with layers of mocha buttercream and chocolate ganache) with popcorn ice cream and caramel popcorn (x2)- Nice creamy buttercream. The ice cream seemed to be just a vanilla but the "pop" came from some type of chocolate poprock candy underneath. I have seen this many times, but my food-virgin parents were amused. The caramel corn was fun, but a bit dry (probably wasn't fresh).
Lemon Tart with sour cream ice cream and blueberries- the star dessert, in my opinion. The lemon was beautifully bright, and the top was actually bruleed which added some texture to the dish.
Warm Pear galette with vanilla and ginger ice cream- Good, but not great. My sister had a hard time cutting through the puff pastry with her spoon so it was a bit awkward to eat, but tasted pretty good.
So lets do the tally.... For 4 apps, 4 mains, 2 sides, 4 desserts, 3 glasses of white wine, a half bottle of red, 2 cappuccinos and 2 regular coffees, the bill was about $400 after tip and tax. While portions were generous, and service was friendly, Luma still has a few bumps to smooth out before I would consider returning. The food was nothing noteworthy (though, I wasn't expecting anything groundbreaking), and it was very cold in there. Despite moving from the window to a booth in hopes of warming up, we were all freezing. But I still felt that it was a good choice for a "special occasion" family dinner if you have picky eaters to please. I hope they do work out the kinks, because it would be nice to have a good option on the theatre-strip of culinary wasteland.
330 King St W, Toronto, ON , CA
re: hungryabbey
Some pictures.
re: hungryabbey
I *love* that sour cream ice cream from Soma. Whenever I'm at Oliver and Bonacini (Bayview Village mall), I'll ask for that on its own as a dessert.
Sounds like you had reasonably successful birthday celebrations! Glad to hear that Luma is continuing the O&B trend of good food and good service at reasonable prices in a nice atmosphere. I've never had a "blow my mind" meal at any O&B restaurant (even Canoe), but I've also never had a bad meal. It's nice that someone in this city is consistent.
330 King St W, Toronto, ON , CA
re: TorontoJo
Good point. Yes I would say it is consistent. I should have asked if †hey could do their famous mushroom soup!


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Written by Christy Hinko, firstname.lastname@example.com Friday, 29 March 2013 00:00
Brushing aside widespread assertions to the contrary, Nassau County Comptroller George Maragos last week flatly declared: "The county is not broke."
In a wide-ranging discussion with editors of Anton Community Newspapers in Mineola, the Republican comptroller declared, "Why can't people believe that if we give an audited financial statement, performed by outside auditors and show that we have a surplus, why isn't it real?"
Maragos, who has not yet formally declared he is a candidate for re-election in November, said he even expects Nassau to show a slight surplus. The surplus, Maragos said, is a result of the ongoing cost cutting. But Maragos said Nassau borrowed about $300 million in the past term. He said about half of that was used to fund capital projects.
Maragos said he expects the county to post a surplus by the end if this year, even after it absorbs approximately $25 million in FEMA related, unreimbursable expenses. He explained that this surplus only takes into consideration current obligations and not future liabilities such as the next year's debt payments.
"The county's finances are stable," said Maragos. "We've managed to keep the A+ bond rating, which is the second highest that the county has had in the past 10 years. "We are fiscally sound, but we are not drowning in money," concluded Maragos. His Comptroller's Report will be made public in about one week.
Maragos said that in 2005 there was $400 million in county reserves, and by 2009 the reserves were down to $60 million as a result of borrowing and drawing from the reserves. He said there is approximately $50 million in reserves currently.
Former Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman, a Democrat who lost his seat to Maragos four years ago and is running to win it back in November, took issue with Maragos' remarks. Weitzman noted that in 2012 Nassau posted a $45 million deficit. He said there are a number of issues Maragos is not taking into account when he talks about a surplus, including court decisions that have gone against Nassau in cases involving repayments to county workers.
Weitzman said he doubted the county will show a surplus.
Is the County Broke?
The county's total debt is at $3 billion, accrued through property tax refunds, which have accumulated over the years, and also money borrowed for capital projects. The county would also owe $180 million as part of the wage freeze ruling reversal, if the ruling were reversed.
"If I have a liability, I will put it on my balance sheet," said Maragos. "I'm the comptroller; I am not going to pay a bill until it's due." He said he would ensure there were funds in the budget to allow the bill to be paid when it becomes due.
"Every municipality is challenged," said Maragos. "Most from having to confront 15-25 percent in pension contribution increases, health insurance premium increases, and unfunded mandates. "
In context, the county's debt is approximately 1:1, meaning the actual budget costs are near the debt level. The federal government is at 4:1 debt. The state is about 2:1 debt. "We are not drowning in debt," said Maragos. "The county's borrowing capacity is about $18 billion; and I am still not saying we should borrow."
He said if the county truly needed money, it could easily raise taxes. "We've been paying our bills; we are not borrowing to pay our bills and we have not raised property taxes."
"Raising property taxes at this point is regressive," said Maragos. "I'd much rather do things to stimulate the economy and continue to have equivalent increases in other sources."
The county earns approximately $800 million in property taxes from all property classes. Instead of property tax increases, Maragos is convinced the county can do more with streamlining government, bringing in better technology, implementing programs, and making a small reduction in the county's workforce.
Maragos said his office is presently studying some of the financial challenges that face the county, specifically why young adults are leaving. The findings are obvious, he said: the high cost of housing and high property taxes. Overall, he said raising taxes would drive more people and more businesses away from the county.
Property tax refunds
Assessments remain unchanged for a cycle of four years unless a homeowner challenges. Approximately one-third of county homeowners appealed their assessments last year and about 85 percent of those received a reduction as a result of the appeal. Maragos explained that last year most of the residential property grievances were resolved before the assessments took effect, saving the county from a $30 million liability.
"The issue comes with the commercial; that is still an issue, with an outstanding liability, but from a budgetary point of view, those are being contested in court and those liabilities are not current," said Maragos. The court-contested properties are not listed against the county's budget, but are listed on the balance sheet as potential liabilities.
Definition of a Comptroller
"As the chief financial officer of the county, I have a responsibility to monitor the budget and make sure that we stay on course," he said. He is the fiscal watchdog, raising red flags along the way when he feels that the county is deviating from its financial goal. Maragos also makes sure that contracts the county approves deliver value for the dollars spent, and ensures that claims that are paid against contracts are a result of valuable work performed.
Most recently, Maragos said that the county dispatched electricians and plumbers to residences affected by Hurricane Sandy. "We sent people to knock on doors to check on claims before we paid them, check that the work was done and that people were satisfied with the work done." He estimates that staff from his office visited the homes of about 70 residents who were affected by Hurricane Sandy to get a personal response whether they were receiving the services and restoration assistance necessary.
"Government has this habit of giving contracts that define a scope of work and provide for progress payments that are not tied to any deliverable milestone performance," Maragos said. "DPW is infamous for cost overruns," said Maragos, demanding that contracts over 10 percent of budget go back for re-approval. He said that more than $300 million has been saved over the past three years by contract cost controls that are in place. He said that some contracts have been cancelled, some better values have been offered, contracts and are not automatically renewed for more than five years without being rebid.
"I'd like to think I've been partially responsible for [the county] being able to stay afloat financially during the difficult, past three years we've been in the middle of a recession."
Ways to Reduce Costs
"We need to become more efficient, have our workforce become more productive, employ technology better," and not lay off county workers, said Maragos. "They [unions] also have to give something back," citing police overtime and unlimited sick days, union workers comp time and accruals. He said the county pays out approximately $16 million annually in overtime at the police department. "A lot of the police officers earn as much in overtime as they do in salary," said Maragos. "We cannot afford to have cops earning [up] to $300,000; someone has to stand up to that." Maragos conceded, "[This] is not my responsibility as a comptroller. My responsibility ends where policy-making begins."
Red Light Cameras
Maragos said the county earns between $27 and $40 million in revenue from ticketing through the red light cameras after 40 percent of the total is paid to the camera vendor, which provides the hardware, technology, and monitoring.
"Shouldn't we have a company here that we incubate, not only as a start-up, but take the business and leverage it out to other municipalities?" Maragos suggested that not only would there be a viable new business in the county, but the county could share in the profits.
Sales Tax Revenue
According to Maragos economic stimulation is key, while sales tax in Nassau County is more than 40 percent of the county's source of revenue. He said that after Hurricane Sandy, sales were up by four percent; in the first quarter of this year, the sales are up over seven percent. Every percentage point is equal to $10 million.
Some of the highest sources in recent quarters have been from automobile sales, hurricane recovery, FEMA and insurance reimbursements.
The county requested $6.7 billion through the Federal Supplemental Appropriation. "Given what was finally passed, we expect that we are going to get anywhere from $4 to $4.5 billion to help the county recover and rebuild."
Maragos spoke about Weiztman's claim to savings by eliminating double healthcare for county employees who are married to each other. "That claim is, and I am going to use strong language, may be fraudulent," said Maragos. Weitzman denied the assertion, saying the program to eliminate double healthcare for county workers was approved in a bi-partisan vote in the county legislature, and is currently in effect.
"It's a matter of record," Weitzman said.
The county's healthcare is provided by NYSHIP. The plan gives reimbursements for what is underspent, given back as reduced costs to the municipalities. Maragos said that the savings for eliminating joint coverage is something that is already built into the NYSHIP plan.
Audits performed by Maragos' office that resulted in significant savings included one that identified more than 18,000 telephone lines through the county, for a workforce of about 8,000 employees. The lines were disconnected, saving approximately $2 million annually. Additionally, an audit on infrastructure electric meter units identified more than 300 meters on buildings that no longer belonged to the county, or that were being leased, and were being billed to the county.
The Hub
Prior to the public vote last year, Maragos held a press conference, speaking out against issues with rebuilding of the Nassau Coliseum, the Hub. He did not agree with the county's proposed deal with Charles Wang. "The deal was atrocious," but Maragos said he is not against the rebuilding of the structure. His feelings about the Coliseum remain, "Let's get something done, get something off the ground and we can improve it from there."
If the Islanders leave in 2015 — Maragos said the net revenue currently is a little more than $2 million, including concessions and rentals. The loss will not destroy the county's budget. Maragos does believe that having a better facility, which supports conventions, entertainment, and sporting events, is the key to stimulating the local economy; the redevelopment will boost the local economy and help the county's budget.
Impact of Consolidating The Police Precincts
Maragos said that taking more officers from behind desks and putting them in cars has helped county finances. "It's gone very well," said Maragos. "It has helped us reduce costs by almost $20 million annually." Not considering the public safety costs due to Hurricane Sandy, Maragos also said the overtime costs are lower.


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Filmed under the Spanish sunshine Muriel receives an expert oil massage designed to soothe and relax.
You can almost imagine the sensation of the warm sun and gentle breeze brushing across her skin, the scent of fresh air and flowers in season as the masseuse works all the tension out of Muriel's muscles.
Beautiful, natural and peaceful – life doesn't get much better than this!


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About Me
- Read the daily musings of our beloved Angel Abby who passed over to the Rainbow Bridge August 12,, 2013. Our sister Gracie recently passed OTRB 2/11/14. Join our two Tabby Brothers, Ping and Jinx, and their Tuxedo sister Boo along the journey as they all adapt to new life with Manx Calico Annabelle who joined our family December 2013.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Leave Me Alone
23 comments:
- Prancer Pie said...
No, matter of fact, you don't.
Pee Ess - your white stomach fur is shining!
- 12:26 AM, February 24, 2012
- Cheysuli and gemini said...
I know exactly how you feel! Hello handsome Ping!
- 12:26 AM, February 24, 2012
- Andrea and the Celestial Kitties said...
Well, to be fair... most of the light on you is from your sun puddle... still, humans... sheesh! MOL
- 1:33 AM, February 24, 2012
- Princess Jasmine said...
How dare the flashy beast interrupt your sun puddle session! Can they ever give us any peace to be pampered :)xx
- 2:26 AM, February 24, 2012
- The Furries of Whisppy said...
It's just so annoying when we're enjoying a nice sun puddle and the human comes along with that flashy beast.
- 2:43 AM, February 24, 2012
- dArtagnan Rumblepurr/Diego Hamlet Moonfur said...
Humans. They will never learn!
- 3:02 AM, February 24, 2012
- Sparkle said...
Abby, we are of like minds.
- 4:16 AM, February 24, 2012
- Mariodacat said...
I so want to hide the flashy box where M will never find it again.
- 4:35 AM, February 24, 2012
- Old Kitty said...
Abby - you are too beautiful to be left alone! Yay! Take care
- 6:10 AM, February 24, 2012
- Fuzzy Tales said...
Abby, we understand completely. Not only are you being disturbed, you're being disturbed while sun-puddle snoozing, which just adds insult to injury.
- 7:14 AM, February 24, 2012
- Becky~ said...
Talk about cozy and comfy.The sun is wonderful shining on you.I cant wait for it myself...hot sun and the beach.
Meow hugs!
- 7:31 AM, February 24, 2012
- Cat said...
Your tummy sure looks snorgle-able!!!!
- 8:08 AM, February 24, 2012
- Hannah and Lucy said...
Abby that looks a very warm sun puddle so don't let your Mom spoil it with that flashy box. Give her the back of disrespect instead.
Luv Hannah and Lucy xx xx
- 8:42 AM, February 24, 2012
- 3 doxies said...
But dat pose was so temptin to da hooman. My mum would haves done da same and went on and on bouts da beautiful light...sheez.
- 9:34 AM, February 24, 2012
- Brian said...
Just ignore it pretty girl!
- 10:58 AM, February 24, 2012
- Madi and Mom said...
Abby what is it with our Moms...they never ever say 'please and thank you'!!
Hugs Madi
- 11:23 AM, February 24, 2012
- The Meezers or Billy said...
i hates the flasy box too.
purrrss to mine gorgeous sweet tuxie princess Abby
your adoring floofy cocoapuff meezerman Sammy
- 2:22 PM, February 24, 2012
- Carolyn said...
Oh Abby, do I ever know that look!!! lol
- 4:20 PM, February 24, 2012
- The Island Cats said...
You really don't Abby...but we don't think that's gonna work for you.
- 6:55 PM, February 24, 2012
- Eric and Flynn said...
We know how you feel Abby.
- 8:11 PM, February 24, 2012
- Natalie said...
If looks could kill... That's the same look I get from Melly whenever I accidentally wake her up while taking her picture.
- 9:54 PM, February 24, 2012
- Mark's Mews (Ayla, Iza, and Marley) said...
Well, at least ya had a sunpuddle ta lay in while being bothered...
- 2:54 PM, February 25, 2012
- AttieCattie said...
oh my. certainly has your crankypants on doesn't you? can not says i blames you.
- 10:45 PM, February 25, 2012


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We know that emotion is tied directly to giving, but does it matter when it comes to sharing online? This week, Business Insider featured a chart to illustrate the primary emotions evoked by the top 10% of most shared content.
Awe, amusement, and joy are among the top emotions that prompt people to share with their networks. However, the emotions that work to power the viral engine are not necessarily the same ones that drive people to give. You're not BuzzFeed, after all—your mission is to connect with your donors on a primal level and inspire giving.
Imagine: You've worked long and hard to grow a strong relationship with your communications colleagues (or, if you're on the communications side, with your fundraising colleagues). You all know that working as a team to solicit, gather, and share insights on supporters is the path to strong and lasting relationships that motivate greater giving, plus desired actions on other fronts.
Note: If you haven't launched this partnership yet, do it right now!
You've put in the time and sweat to build this vital partnership within your organization, and you've probably seen some payoff already. But all too often, once we get some satisfaction, partners begin to take each other for granted. This happens in the vital fundraising–marketing partnership as well as in love.
Here are four ways to keep the fundraising–marketing partnership alive and productive:
The latest Giving USA report was released today, showing that total U.S. charitable giving increased for the fourth consecutive year in 2013. Overall giving grew 4.4% last year to an estimated $335.17 billion, with donations from individuals driving much of the growth that sees giving inching closer to pre-recession levels.
Some highlights:
You can visit Giving USA for a free summary, or to purchase the full data set and reports.
How do these stats line up with your own fundraising results? Chime in below and let us know how you use reports like Giving USA and what other data you'd like to see .
Don't let the speed and convenience of technology suck the life out of your fundraising. Online or off, you must connect with your donors and inspire them to take action. When creating your online giving strategy, keep these three rules in mind:
1. Keep donors in the moment of giving.
2. Make it easy.
3. Focus on the relationship with the donor.
Here's a quick slideshow that helps illustrate these key qualities:
Download the full webinar recording and slides, then register for the free Ultimate Donation Page Course to get more in-depth guidance on optimizing your online fundraising.
Next week, I will join PayPal's Tanya Urschel to present a free webinar, Mobile Impact 301: How to Raise More Money via Mobile. This event is part of the Mobile Impact series offered in conjunction with BetterWorld Wireless and TechSoup. The session will take place on Thursday, June 19 at 2pm EDT — register now to reserve your spot.
Tanya and I will share the best practices in mobile fundraising to help you optimize your nonprofit's mobile experience and increase your online results. You'll get the inside scoop on the latest research on mobile usage, learn how to engage donors in a mobile world, and find out how to take advantage of the rise of smartphones. (Bonus: Network for Good and PayPal will release a new mobile fundraising whitepaper next week, so you'll get first dibs on your copy by attending the webinar!)
To tide you over, here are 7 juicy stats to help you think about how mobile might affect your nonprofit fundraising and marketing efforts this year:
58% of all American adults are now smartphone adopters. Source: Pew Tweet this.
Ever since super-smart statistician Nate Silver brought presidential campaign data to the headlines in 2012, we've become a metrics-obsessed nation. That's changed the life of most marketers I know, who have been asked (pressured even, in some cases) to harvest and analyze more data than ever before.
This hyperfocus on data parallels nonprofits' increasing use of social media and mobile communications, whether they jump in whole hog or enter it in experimentation mode. This high-speed ramp-up is a real pressure for us marketers who are already overstretched.
The right marketing measures deliver huge value to your organization…
But you just can't say no to assessing impact, whether via metrics or anecdotal insights (and marketing measures have to include both types of insights, otherwise you're getting only half the picture). Without taking the time to define, harvest, analyze, and act on the right insights, you continue with your existing marketing program based on what you think your prospects and supporters care about. And you fail.
The all-about-me/insight-free approach will always be a huge fail. Everything you do nonprofit marketing-wise has to be about your audience if you want to engage and motivate them to give, volunteer, or sign a petition. Data plus other insights is the best way to see how you're doing.
…And to your marketing team's resources and reputation.
You know it, and I know it. Many of your colleagues simply have no idea what you do to market the organization and frequently doubt the value of your work.
Marketing ROI (return on investment) is the answer. Concrete insights—harvested, analyzed, and shared in a way that is relevant to your colleagues' work (for example, there will be no program participants and few donors will become volunteers without effective marketing)—are the most reliable way build understanding and support of and financial investment in your marketing agenda.
Take these three steps to pinpoint up to five marketing insights that really matter to your organization.
(Tip: Use the marketing planning template in our Nonprofit Marketing Plan course to lead you through these steps in detail.)
1. GOALS: Up to three marketing goals for the next year.
How can marketing be used best to move your organization toward its overall goals?
Example: To seed partnerships with two or more other organizations working with children and families in our community.
2. BENCHMARKS: Three to five concrete, specific, and measurable (when possible) steps to complete en route to achieving your marketing goals.
Vague benchmarks will get you nowhere.
Example: Finalize partnerships with two community organizations (for example, PTO, YMCA) to cross-promote new programs for families and children.
3. MEASURES: Up to five metrics or other insights that indicate you are (or aren't) moving down the right marketing path.
Focus on measures that shed light on one or more of the following:
Establish a baseline measure for each data point or insight over two to three months, and then look for upward trending. Absolute measures are largely irrelevant—who knows what role that same element plays in another organization's marketing? But upward trending at a good clip shows you're making progress.
Your options for harvesting insights:
1. Launch periodic online surveys of up to five questions to solicit feedback and test perspectives. Use Survey Monkey (free, SurveyMonkey.com).
2. Form an ad hoc marketing advisory group composed of representatives from all primary groups you hope to motivate to take action.
3. Set up and analyze website and social media impact via Google Analytics.
4. Log the number of incoming email, social media, and phone queries, including the source (how the person found out about your program/campaign/service).
5. Ask donors, program participants, or petition signers how they heard about the program or petition. Ideally, you'll ask them what was the last campaign they saw before taking that action and what other campaign elements influenced them along the way.
Source is everything.
Pinpoint the right marketing insights today—then harvest, analyze, share, and act on them.
Remember that insights—whether data or anecdotal—are absolutely worthless if you don't assess and act on them. Just do it!
With refreshing practicality, Nancy Schwartz rolls up her sleeves to help nonprofits develop and implement strategies to build the strong relationships that inspire key supporters to action. She shares her deep nonprofit marketing insights—and passion—through consulting, speaking, and her popular blog and e-news at GettingAttention.org.
Are you red hot? Or true blue? It's no secret that color evokes emotion and is a key visual indicator that communicates meaning. But just how much goes on in our minds when it comes to color? Marketing strategist Gregory Ciotti offers an excellent review of how color can influence brand preference and, in turn, how we feel about the messages we receive.
Some highlights:
What does any of this have to do with your fundraising approach? The various ways you use color to communicate with your donors can affect how your brand is remembered, and even affect the likelihood of a donor acting on your next appeal.
Be consistent with your nonprofit's branding.
Ciotti notes that research has shown our brains tend to prefer recognizable brands. Establish a core set of images and colors for your organization and use them consistently throughout your marketing so potential supporters can immediately recognize you. This helps your audience form an association with your work and your visual identity, and can help build a preference for your organization. (Read how ASPCA made orange its signature color.)
Don't be afraid to stand out.
People often ask what color they should use for their organization's donation button. Many feel that a strong color, like red, is always the right answer. The reality is that it depends. If your organization's marketing materials and website are predominantly red or orange, a contrasting color (such as blue) will likely perform much better. Our brains immediately notice the things that deviate from our surroundings. Use this to your advantage and avoid being too color coordinated. Consider how contrasting colors and bold highlights can help your key points and calls to action be seen by busy readers on the go. (Think about how yellow highlighting or red editorial marks in direct mail pieces effectively lead eyes down the page.)
Color descriptions matter.
People seem to gravitate more to colors that have elaborate or more descriptive names. Think raspberry instead of pink, or mahogany instead of brown. This is likely because these names are more specific and allow us to precisely visualize and remember them. While this fact is probably more important to paint manufacturers and fashion designers, it's worth noting as you incorporate descriptive elements in your nonprofit storytelling. Replace generic descriptions with richer details to paint a more realistic and vivid picture in your donor's mind.
How are you using color to communicate your organization's brand values and personality? Have you tested the use of different colors in your fundraising materials? Chime in below and share your experiences or best examples.
Donor communications that connect—that appreciate, energize, and activate your prospects and donors—are the key to fundraising success. But you already know that.
What you may not know, however, is that few organizations do donor communications well. Most have lots of room to improve, as evidenced by the focus on donor communications in conference agendas, e-newsletters, blog content in the field, Facebook chats, Twitter discussions, and more. If that's your organization, you're not alone!
Now, with the release of Integrated Fundraising: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly, by Mal Warwick/DonorDigital, we have proof of the ways most donor communications fail and the impact of those failures. If you've asked for resources to strengthen donor communications and have been turned down or just haven't found the time to tackle them, this is the kick in the pants you need.
These striking findings come from a six-month study of donor communications—both online and offline—from 16 large nonprofits, following online contributions to each organization. Since "multichannel donors are more loyal than single-channel donors," researchers focused on how much and how well outreach is coordinated across channels for a consistent, recognizable, and satisfying donor experience.
What I love about this report is that the researchers share what's good, bad, and ugly in multiple dimensions so we get an idea of what's working well (that is, what to strive for and what's happening in organizations you're competing with for donor dollars), as well as what's not. Take a look at these findings:
There's much more to learn in the full report, and I recommend that you download it now. Wherever your organization currently sits on the good, bad, and ugly continuum, there's always room to do donor communications better.
With refreshing practicality, Nancy Schwartz rolls up her sleeves to help nonprofits develop and implement strategies to build the strong relationships that inspire key supporters to action. She shares her deep nonprofit marketing insights—and passion—through consulting, speaking, and her popular blog and e-news at GettingAttention.org.
Conventional wisdom says it's more cost effective to retain donors than acquire new donors. Of course you should spend a fair amount of your time tending to your active donors, ensuring they're seeing the impact of their donation and making them a part of your community. In this case, an ounce of prevention is definitely worth a pound of cure. But what do you do if these supporters stop giving? Write them off and move on?
Not so fast, says donor retention expert, Lisa Sargent. In a recent newsletter, Lisa outlines her perspective, complete with a Monty Python reference. She offers superb examples of what to test with your lapsed and long-lapsed files (especially multiple or long-time lapsed givers), instead of immediately purging or ignoring these former donors.
As you assess your own approach, consider these five things before addressing your lapsed donors:
Lapsed donors probably don't consider themselves "lapsed." Be careful how you reach out to these donors—many may consider themselves to still be active givers to your nonprofit. Just because they're not giving at the frequency you prefer, that doesn't mean they don't feel they're important contributors to your cause. Acknowledge their contributions and make sure to let them know the difference they've made. In most cases, your next outreach to this group could be considered an "impact report catch-up."
Different segments have different needs. As you build relationships with donors, remember that you have affinity groups who have specific motivations for giving, and give in different ways. Create a cultivation plan with these variances in mind, and do the same for those who have skipped a donation. Preventing a lapse is the best solution, but early intervention can help bring a portion of these donors back from the brink. (Alan Sharpe has a top-notch framework for a 'win back' letter.
Engage them with something different. It's likely these so-called lapsed donors are still interested in supporting your cause in some way. Offer something new to this group, such as surveys, advocacy tools, volunteer opportunities, or event invitations to assess if they're still interested. These activities will help keep your cause top of mind and communicate the impact of your work, which will allow you to build a case for giving again.
Look in the mirror. Is your donor stewardship model all it could be? Perform an audit of your donor communications from the point of giving throughout the lifespan of that donor. Then, compare that to a timeline of your donor churn rate. These are the critical moments at which you need to prepare compelling, proactive outreach. If you already have communications just before these time periods, it's time for an overhaul. (Need some help? Listen to our recent webinar with Donor Relations Guru, Lynne Wester.)
Have a conversation. If a long-time or high-dollar donor stops their support, it's time to pick up the phone and find out more. Use this as an opportunity to reach out and understand if everything is ok—for both your donor and your organization. Is something going on in your donor's world that interrupted their support, or have they been soured by a miscommunication? Perhaps they've outgrown their current relationship with you and are unsure of other opportunities to do more with your cause. Be prepared to embrace any and all feedback—it's likely to be an eye-opening conversation that could change your understanding of your donors.
So when do you cut them loose? Some fundraising advisors say never, while other experts say to take a hint after one year. I say: it depends. Look at the reasons why donors may stop giving to your organization and your fundraising cycles. Understand those first, then put a process in place to remediate, reactivate, or retire these contacts.
How do you handle your "lapsed" donors? Chime in and share your experiences below!
Affectionately known as "Queen of the Net," Mary Meeker is back with her zeitgeist of digital insight. Meeker, partner at venture capital firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, presented the 2014 Internet Trends report during this week's Code Conference. This annual report is full of useful nuggets, including key stats and opportunities for innovation. As fundraising and nonprofit marketing evolves in an increasingly digital world, this type of insight can help you understand how the landscape is changing and how these changes may affect and inform your efforts to acquire and engage donors over the next few years. A few highlights:
Mobile usage, smartphones, and tablets are still on the rise.
The percent of mobile traffic is growing over 1.5x per year, with this growth expected to continue or accelerate in the coming years. Mobile traffic is currently 25% of all global Internet traffic, a sharp jump from the 14% seen this time last year.
Takeaway: No surprise: mobile is now a primary way we access information and services online. It's time to understand how your audiences are using mobile by analyzing your own traffic, then plan accordingly for a mobile-friendly experience.
Smartphone users now make up 30% of all mobile phone users. Meanwhile, tablets are growing more rapidly than PCs ever did, as technology and processing power becomes more inexpensive and portable.
Takeaway: Test your key online interaction points to ensure they are functional and friendly to smartphone and tablet users. Think about how smartphone and tablet use differs from PC (not just how these devices are used, but also where and when), and leverage the smart interfaces and features that users expect on these devices.
Communication continues to shift from broadcast to targeted conversations.
New social channels and messaging apps (such as WhatsApp) have allowed online communications to shift from large broadcasts of fewer messages to more frequent communications with smaller groups.
Takeaway: You don't have to Snapchat with your donors, but think about how more personalized and targeted messages may be more effective for your organization's most valuable relationships.
Technology requires us to re-imagine content.
Social content distribution is driven more frequently through a few key platforms: Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter now drive nearly 30% of all social traffic referrals. The life cycle is relatively short, though, with an average piece of content reaching half its total social referrals in just 6.5 hours on Twitter or 9 hours on Facebook.
Takeaway: Find out which channels are referring the most traffic to your site and key content. Offer news and updates that are optimized for social platforms and sharing, then plan your distribution accordingly to take the social "half life" into account.
The 'visual social web' has grown rapidly over the past year, with platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and Vine providing a powerful intersection of mobile, social, and visual content. Over 1.8 billion photos are uploaded and shared each day, much of that volume being driven by real-time platforms like Snapchat and WhatsApp.
Takeaway: Beyond engaging your supporters with your own images, encourage them to share photos of your impact and work to help build interest and amplify your reach.
Our multi-screen world has unlocked a new age of video consumption, with digital audiences watching more on-demand long form video, as well as short, online. It's also worth noting that smartphones are now the most viewed/used medium for video in many countries.
Takeaway: Your best stories can be even more compelling in video form. Consider the video opportunities you already have—event footage, historic clips, testimonials—and make them part of your regular communication with supporters. For best results, host your videos in such a way that they are mobile-friendly and sharable.
The report also contains keen observations on the shifts in the education and healthcare sectors, and the opportunities of big data.
Check out the full report for more, then chime in below to let us know which stat is most exciting for you and your organization.
In last week's edition of Tips, Network for Good's weekly e-newsletter, we wanted to get a feel for what's going on around the sector, especially in the trenches. So in our first-ever reader survey, we asked, "What's the one thing about your organization that keeps you up at night?"
Here's how you responded:
We had a friendly bet going around the department for the #1 reason nonprofit professionals lose sleep and we are astounded and delighted by the results! (Shhh … don't tell my boss I guessed management—just kidding!) But seriously, fundraising keeps most of you from getting your 8 hours of beauty rest?! Well, we completely understand and fortunately, we've got something better than warm milk to cure your insomnia—tons of experience!
With 2014 nearly half over, December will be here before you know it. In the nonprofit world, we recognize year-end as prime fundraising time and too often, it's met with nonchalance, trepidation, or worse—woeful unpreparedness. After seeing the results of the survey, we're surer than ever that our next Nonprofit 911 webinar can help.
On Tuesday, June 3rd at 1pm EDT, Network for Good's own Caryn Stein will lead a lively workshop on How to Create the Ultimate Donation Page. She'll share some online fundraising best practices and must-do tasks to either create a brand new donation page or maximize your existing page. With just a few tips that can be a breeze to implement, you'll be well on your way to bringing in the big bucks for the back half of the year.
We're here to help and we want you to be prepared to get the most out of your online fundraising efforts. Register now! (Even if you can't attend, go ahead and sign up and you'll receive a copy of the slides and recording delivered straight to your inbox.)
(Graphic created with Infogr.am.)
Much has been written recently about the changes in Facebook's algorithm and its pay-to-play philosophy.
Many nonprofits who spent years or months building up an engaged online community on the biggest social network are now seeing a dramatic decline in the number of fans they are able to reach with each post.
If this sounds familiar, you may be wondering if Facebook Ads will help your nonprofit reach more fans and get more bang for your Facebook buck.
At the recent Social Media for Nonprofits Conference in Boston, Cody Damon of Media Cause provided some insightful advice on whether or not a nonprofit should jump into the Facebook Ads ocean.
Before you sit down and purchase a Facebook Ad for your nonprofit, ask yourself these three vital questions:
1. What is my goal?
Without a goal, your ad campaign will mean nothing and you will be simply throwing money away (and trust me, Facebook doesn't mind taking it).
A reasonable goal could be an increase in email signups from your website. When you create your ad, this will be called the "advertising objective" – it's what you want people to do when they encounter your ad.
Cody suggests (and I agree) that you pick a goal much more in depth than simple clicks to your website. Do you want to measure "website conversions", which means that when people visit your website, they take an action and "convert"?
A successful "conversion" could be signing up for your email newsletter, subscribing to your blog, or making an online donation.
2. Can I measure it?
Whatever the objective, make sure that you can measure it. Just saying "raising awareness for my nonprofit" may not be enough, unless you have specific benchmarks in place to measure your progress.
You need to know what success looks like. What will happen if your Facebook Ad is successful? What will have changed?
3. Can I afford it?
Clients frequently ask me about the price of Facebook Ads. Unlike traditional newspaper ads or billboards, there is no set price for a Facebook Ad.
You can set your daily budget, or "lifetime" budget, and you will need to choose a CPM (cost per thousand impressions) or CPC (cost per click bid). You only pay for the impressions or clicks that your ad receives, and if they are targeted well, this can be very effective.
If this all seems like Greek to you, you are probably not ready to run a Facebook Ad without outside help. Facebook has a great help center on their website, and there are many firms and consultants who can help you set it up and run it.
General best practices for your Facebook Ad:
For more on using Facebook Ads to build your online community and engage with your fans, read these great posts by Jon Loomer, John Haydon, Nancy Schwartz and David Serfaty.
Julia Campbell works with nonprofits to help them raise money online, conquer social media, and become content experts. Her blog on nonprofit marketing is at www.jcsocialmarketing.com
Network for Good's Nonprofit of the Week spotlight gives us the chance to highlight the work of some of the our community's superstars. In May, we celebrated a diverse group of organizations working hard to better their corner of the world.
Check out the great things these organizations are doing for their communities:
Taproot Foundation seeks to build capacity through pro bono service by uniting skilled professionals with nonprofits in need. By creating these connections between professionals that want to serve and nonprofits that don't have access to the marketing, strategic planning, human resources, design or technology resources they need to really succeed, Taproot Foundation is furthering the pro bono movement and helping the nonprofit sector grow and innovate.
Homeless Children's Playtime Project works to nurture the healthy development of children living in temporary housing in Washington DC. Playtime is powered enthusiastic staff and volunteers that believe every child has the right to a safe and fun place for play. By protecting the right to play and advocating for children and their families Playtime seeks to create a city that provides opportunities for success for homeless children.
The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library brings to life the unique culture and history of the Czech and Slovak people through their museum's displays and community events. Their exhibits allow visitors to interact with the history, language, culture and people of the Czech and Slovak Republics in fun and innovative ways. As a part of Cedar Rapids' Czech Village, the NCSML plays an important role in preserving Czech and Slovak heritage and culture in the US.
Join us in thanking these amazing causes and keep up with the latest Nonprofit of the Week by following us on Facebook or Twitter.


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PC - Windows
Cheat mode for ArmA: Cold War AssaultHome / PC - Windows /
This page contains ArmA: Cold War Assault Codes for PC - Windows called "Cheat mode" and has been posted or updated on Aug 2, 2011 by firefox. Let us know what you think of this Code by thumbs voting.
- Developer: Bohemia Interactive
- Publisher: Bohemia Interactive
- Genre: Action Shooter First-Person
- Release Date: Jul 13, 2011
- ESRB: Mature
Cheat mode
During gamplay press: Left Shift and Minus on the keypad to enable cheatmode, then use one of the following cheat codes:
|Create Saves game.
|Every campaign mission unlocked.
|God mode.
|Next mission.
|View map eleveations.
Back to all Cheats
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Circa 1910
A pair of partial-gilt bronze double arm sconces with ribbon and bow finial.
Overall: 14-1/2" h. x 7-1/2" w. x 5" d.
Backplate: 14-1/2" h. x 3-1/2" w.
2 Candelabra sockets, maximum 60 watts per socket
Also available with 2 Edison sockets
Will not cover a 2" X 3" Junction box
Backplate extenders and dry UL listing available with modifications, please contact your salesperson for pricing.
1 pair total available.
Please contact your local showroom about viewing this item.


text:
Main Page Risk Factors Symptoms Diagnosis Treatment Screening Reducing Your Risk Talking to Your Doctor Living With Osteoarthritis Resource Guide
Symptoms of osteoarthritis include the following:
Pain in the joint
- Most commonly affected joints are those of the knees, hips, hands, or spine.
- Pain usually increases when the joint is used or stressed.
- Pain is usually decreased by resting the joint.
- May be described as a dull, achy pain or a sharper, stabbing sensation.
- Stiffness can make everyday activities difficult, such as leaning down to pick something up, putting on shoes, opening a jar, walking, or climbing stairs.
- Stiffness occurring first thing in the morning is common, usually lasting under 30 minutes after you resume activity.
- Stiffness after any period of inactivity is common (such as after sitting still for a couple of hours in a movie theater or on an airplane).
- Stiffness decreases your range of motion, so that you can't bend or unbend a joint as far as you normally could.
- You may have a feeling of instability in the joint. For example, your knee may feel as if it is going to buckle underneath you.
- You may feel or hear a grating or creaking sound when you bend or unbend your joint.
Your joint may develop an abnormal appearance:
- It may appear inflamed, red, swollen.
- It may appear misaligned or misshapen.
Revision Information
- Reviewer: Michael Woods, MD
- Review Date: 05/2014 -
- Update Date: 05/07/2014 -


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LC to ST Singlemode Duplex Fiber Optic Patch Cable
Fully compatible with 9/125 singlemode fiber applications. Our OFNR Duplex 2.0mm cable with yellow cable jacket and Duplex ST connector to Duplex LC connector. Factory terminated with individual test data. Custom variations available
Connector Type: ST DUPLEX to LC DUPLEX
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text:
The sword of a thousand truths*
This week:
1:01 - Could players ever get their hands on Sargeras' legendary sword?
4:11 - Why are there no more group bosses while questing?
8:23 - Will we ever get a faster mount speed?
11:40 - Is the idea of a hardcore gamer just dying out?
19:06 - Should there be servers for old content, like Classic or TBC?
25:12 - What can be done to make potions and elixirs more useful?
31:32 - Are the more complex rotations at any risk of being made too easy?
37:32 - What can I do to go from being a good player to a great one?
The sword of a thousand truths*
Are the more complex rotations at any risk of being made too easy?
DoC feral wants a word or two!
The complexity however, must not be confused with how punishing it is to mess up. Back in Wrath the feral rotation was fairly complex, and if you messed up your dps took a massive hit. Now the DoC rotation is very complex, but as long as you get the basics right you will still put out some dps
Last edited by lubz; 05-15-2013 at 03:10 AM.
Classic Servers
I do not think Blizzard will ever make a "Classic" only server (or TBC only server) mainly because they have always stated that they will always focus on progressing the World of Warcraft story. Personally I would love to see the ability to slow down XP gain to "Classic" level gain. As it stands now we can turn off XP gain (unless that has been removed, I've never used it myself) so if it is possible we could set the XP gain rate to "Classic" allowing players to level slower so they will have to explore the world for quests fully.
Spell Rotation
I tanked quite a lot as Protection Paladin during WotLK, at the time I had never tanked as any class and was lucky enough to have guild mates who helped me learn. While I was not good enough to tank raid progression bosses, I tanked the snot out of 5 man normal/heroics and a few alt raid bosses. The introduction of Holy Power in Cataclysm added to the class and I was really enjoying myself still. Now we have MoP Protection Paladin tanking I am finding tanking a little beyond me. For me I am finding that prot seems to rely on procs and building holy power while bashing 11 keys with 10 fingers, so I have not tanked more than 4 dungeons this expansion.
I am having the same issue with my Mage as well, I read several guides and most of the rotation list Fireball as a "Filler Spell" surely Fireball (as a Fire Mage that is) should be the main spell and not one you use when you have nothing else to do.
Last edited by Banhammer72; 05-15-2013 at 08:58 AM. Reason: Added a bit.
Gor'shelakh is going to be wielded by Lorewalker Cho, obviously!!
And elite status was lost in Cataclysm, to smooth the levelling experience more (waiting around for a group was against the new leveling philosophy)
Mists of Pandaria Protection Warrior SpreadsheetOriginally Posted by Ion
Warlords of Draenor One Minute Field Guides
Really? you don't spend most of your time casting fireball as a fire mage? bombs are instant or have a CD, PB should only be cast when it's instant, IB is instant and has a CD as does combustion and mirror images and rune of power i try not to cast more often than I have to; I'd guess i spend maybe half my time casting Fireball and the rest of the time casting everything else.
Harsh Words and Steel: A Protection Warrior Guide
MoP RPS Calculator
Hunters, Just get a Sporebat, most LFRs will be missing that buff.
Like I said "Does not seem that way"


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Check the compressor with a ohm meter to see if the windings are grounded out.Does it trip the breaker right away all the time?Is it a ground fault breaker?
... I have 0 resistance across all of the three pins on the compressor.
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