Monday morning and it’s time for weekly round-up.  If you follow me on twitter (@StrateSQL), you’ll know that throughout the day I tweet out some links of things I find interesting.  While these links aren’t the answer to life, the universe, and everything, they do share a few things about SQL Server and other topics that people that follow me may find useful.

The links included in this summary are those prefixed with ”Reading” and are items I’ve read over the past few days, usually after hours when sharing would be less than useful, and spaced out to avoid spamming.  The content of the links usually pertain to SQL Server, technology, and career topics; which I think others would find useful.

Most Popular LinkS

The most popular link from last week was about a novel idea going around arguing that the US should switch from four to two time zones.  In reality, this isn’t that novel, over the last year I’ve been traveling quite a bit and have seen how time between the two are fairly arbitrary.  Definitely an idea that would be worth having the politicians put under some consideration.

"America should have two time-zones" http://t.co/318ipNefe8

— Jason Strate (@StrateSQL) November 3, 2013

Last week’s top 20 “Reading” Links

Along with the top link, here are the top twenty items relating to SQL Server, technology and careers that were sent out last week.  If you missed them throughout the week, here’s the opportunity to get caught up on some items that other’s read after I linked them out.

1. When the vendor support rep says, ‘You don’t need a SQL Server DBA – Watch me handle this!’ [39 clicks]
2. 10 Easy Steps to a Complete Understanding of SQL [32 clicks]
3. What makes a successful SQL Server Pro? [28 clicks]
4. 20 Ways to Gain the Respect you Deserve [26 clicks]
5. What Interviewers Wish They Could Tell Every Job Candidate [23 clicks]
6. How Microsoft helped this bar figure out that vodka was costing it a fortune [21 clicks]
7. Why the Lazy Spool Is Bad [20 clicks]
8. The SQL Server 2012 Periodic Table of Dynamic Management Objects [19 clicks]
9. 12 Tips for Being a Valued Speaker [18 clicks]
10. Customers Gain Roadmap for the Future with Microsoft, SQL Server 2014 and In-Memory OLTP [17 clicks]
11. Real life SQL Working Set Trimming issue [16 clicks]
12. T-SQL Tuesday #48 – Cloud Atlas [15 clicks]
13. How Much is Offline During an Index Rebuild? [14 clicks]
14. Make the PASS Summit Work For Your Employer [13 clicks]
15. Perfmon: Database pages + Stolen pages + Free pages = Total pages [12 clicks]
16. Backup and Restore Enhancements in SQL Server 2014 CTP2 [12 clicks]
17. Outstanding PASS Volunteer [12 clicks]
18. Best Advice Ever: Learn By Helping Others [12 clicks]
19. SQL Server XQuery: Functions (sql:variable() & sql:column()) [11 clicks]
20. Origins: No, Simple Mode Doesn’t Disable The Transaction Log [9 clicks]

Other Stuff Shared

Of course, no week would be complete without a few off-topic links.  These have nothing to do with technology or your career, but they are interesting and worth a second look.

1. America should have two time-zones [83 clicks]
2. The Death Star Plans Are Now In YOUR Hands! [78 clicks]
3. ‘Controversial Dating Site’ Is the Hottest New Business Model [59 clicks]
4. In what world is this in the vicinity of good ideas? [42 clicks]
5. Girlfriend To Stay Underneath Blanket For Next 5 Months [25 clicks]
6. Star Wars Invades Thomas Kinkade Paintings [14 clicks]
7. When no one said anything: How racism goes unquestioned [14 clicks]
8. For some reason, I think @peschkaj colored this picture [14 clicks]
9. 3 Simple Ways to Time Travel (& 3 Complicated Ones) [9 clicks]
10. ‘Doctor Who’: Top 5 game-changing moments [7 clicks]
11. Hockey Team Takes ‘Star Wars Night’ to Whole New Galaxy [7 clicks]
12. Ray Condo – Swing, Brother, Swing! [7 clicks]
13. Netflix testing Ultra High Definition video ready for launch next year [2 clicks]
14. Jim Carrey – Cuban Pete [2 clicks]
15. Indigo Swing – How Lucky Can One Guy Be [2 clicks]

Got something you think I should read and share, leave a comment below.  Also, if you want to see all of the links that were tweeted out last week?  Then follow the links on my tumblr blog or subscribe to it’s RSS feed.