It’s Monday time for this week’s weekly link round-up.  If you want to catch these links “live” (so exciting), follow me on twitter (@StrateSQL).  And see these throughout the day as I tweet out links of things I find interesting.  While these links aren’t the answer to life, the universe, and everything, they often share a few things about SQL Server and related technology topics that others 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.

The Second Most Popular Link

We’re skipping over the most popular link from last week, since it’s just a bunch of GIFs of people with drinking problems.  Instead, the second more popular link was from Jeff Attwood (@codinghorror), published back in 2007, about locking your computer – or at least the revenge you can take on co-workers who do not lock their computers.  Provided you don’t work in an environment where these types of activities are banned – it is great fun to nail your co-workers for this slip-up.

Coding Horror: Don't Forget To Lock Your Computer http://t.co/bfzIN4G2Gi

— Jason Strate (@StrateSQL) December 24, 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. Coding Horror: Don’t Forget To Lock Your Computer [39 clicks]
2. Iron Maiden uses piracy data for tour locations [36 clicks]
3. Virtualizing SQL Server: 8 Things to Avoid [26 clicks]
4. Filtered Indexes vs. Table Partitioning [21 clicks]
5. SqlDev PowerShell 101: Getting Started with PowerShell [21 clicks]
6. Transaction Log Monitoring [17 clicks]
7. Why is log_reuse_wait_desc saying LOG_BACKUP after doing a log backup? [16 clicks]
8. IO Resource Governance in SQL Server 2014 [16 clicks]
9. Trimming More Transaction Log Fat [16 clicks]
10. Cleanse and Match Master Data by Using EIM [15 clicks]
11. Getting Started with Extended Events in SQL Server 2012 [14 clicks]
12. Recovering From Cluster Quorum Loss with SQL Server AlwaysOn Availability Groups [14 clicks]
13. Halloween Problem [12 clicks]
14. Antipathy for Entity Attribute Value data models [11 clicks]
15. Cargo Cult Data Professionals [11 clicks]
16. SQL Server Database Server Hardware Upgrade Case Study [9 clicks]
17. What You Can (and Can’t) Do With Filtered Indexes [8 clicks]
18. The Halloween Problem – Part 1 [8 clicks]
19. New In-Memory OLTP Sample for SQL Server 2014 CTP2 [7 clicks]
20. Performance and Stability Related Fixes in Post-SQL Server 2012 SP1 Builds [7 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. 16 GIFs of People Who Are Bad at Drinking [58 clicks]
2. UPS backlog means missing Christmas gifts; Amazon responds [37 clicks]
3. Mom who baked cookies for school bus riders for 15 years shut down by complaint | Fox News [32 clicks]
4. McDonald’s on employee resources site: Not lovin’ it [22 clicks]
5. We’re having a tea party [18 clicks]
6. Geography World Maps Knowledge: Overlay Maps That Will Change The Way You See The World [16 clicks]
7. Insecure, Frustrated Bully With Something To Prove Considering Career In Law Enforcement [16 clicks]
8. Talent Trumps Twerking: Jennifer Lawrences Beat Out Miley Cyrus For AP Award [15 clicks]
9. Troy Hunt: What is LOIC and can I be arrested for DDoS’ing someone? [10 clicks]
10. Winners of National Geographic Photography Contest – Business Insider [9 clicks]
11. Habit Mastery: Creating the New Normal [8 clicks]
12. I will always remember when the Doctor was me. [6 clicks]
13. Man dressed as Santa Claus shot with pellet gun in Southeast Washington – The Washington Post [5 clicks]
14. Alan Turing granted Royal pardon by the Queen [5 clicks]
15. When ‘Superman: The Movie’ Became ‘Santa Claus: The Movie’ – Forbes [4 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.