Tuesday Morning Post: Lift up the gates edition

So here we are. It's been a while since Patch 3.3 started, and we've had a suspiciously early downtime announcement to boot. The holidays are winding down, and most of us, including, one would assume, the Blizzard devs, have finished our eggnog and put our noses back to the grindstone. As of this writing, there's no official word either way, but I'm feeling pretty optimistic about waking up to news of a new section of ICC being opened, or at least a nice mini-patch full of some bug fixes -- say, to certain borked class cooldowns. We can't say for sure, though. All we can say for sure is that the realms are down, and will be for a while, until at least 11 AM pacific time.

With that in mind, it's a good time to catch up on the news. As usual, we have a roundup of some of the best articles from the past 7 days or so. We're shaking off the holiday drowsiness and getting into full gear to help you get through the next phase of ICC, find out when we'll see more Cataclysm news, and more. Join us in the server downtime vigil and read on.

Hot News and Features

• Check out yesterday's list of in game hot fixes.

• Blizzard's been making a few coy remarks about Cataclysm and those in-game earthquakes.

• With the new year upon us, check out the last few installments of the 2009 best of WoW.com as picked by our staff.

• Allison is tired of looking at a few ugly things.

• Blizzard recently helped police track down a WoW-playing fugitive.

• Moviewatch takes a look back at the machinima highlights of 2009.

• The new Death Knight Manga is out from Tokyopop, and we have a review.

Class News and Guides

• Lichborne takes a look back at 2009 for death knights.

• Encrypted Text has some roguish new years resolutions.

• Arcane Brilliance helps mages gem up.

• The Care and Feeding of Warriors continues taking on Icecrown Citadel.

• It's time for the Raid Rx 2009 Boss Healing awards.

Items, Dungeons, Professions, PvP, and More

• Some people have been naughty when running Halls of Reflection.

• Rossi comes to PuGs hungry (for groupmates who cooperate with the tank).

• Insider Trader takes a look at the ICC Primordal Saronite craftables.

• Ready Check has a guide to help you take on female Kel'thuzad - I mean Lady Deathwhisper.

• Ready Check also continues to look back at the year 2009 in raiding.

• Blood Sport offers another installation of the beginner's guide to the Arena.

• The Art of War(craft) looks back at 2009 in the Battlegrounds.

• Officers' Quarters looks at the problems of mixing different playstyles in a single guild.

Odds and Ends

• WoW Rookie helps you preserve those WoW memories.

• Know Your Lore takes a look at the lore of the Alliance.