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 Most Popular “Reading” Link

This weeks most popular link last week is a post by Remus Rusanu (Blog) on understanding how SQL Server executes a query.  This is a post that I read through from time to time.  It’s a great refresher and reminder on how SQL Server operates and can help with understanding why SQL Server performs the way that it does.  This article is definitely worth taking a look at.

Reading: "Understanding how SQL Server executes a query" http://t.co/yOXQ1VZhiE #sqlserver

— Jason Strate (@StrateSQL) August 4, 2014

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 shared 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. Understanding how SQL Server executes a query [41 clicks]
2. NUMA (Non-Uniform Memory Access): An Overview [29 clicks]
3. The Introvert’s Guide to Successful Networking [27 clicks]
4. Couple Uses Diet Coke to Announce Pregnancy [26 clicks]
5. Overly Complex Views, Procedures And Functions [25 clicks]
6. Say Thank You [19 clicks]
7. Mentoring, Ambition, and Your Career [18 clicks]
8. 7 Ways to Solve the Sour Puss Problem [15 clicks]
9. Break Stuff Like an Expert [15 clicks]
10. More Thoughts about ROWS and RANGE [14 clicks]
11. Transitioning from SMP to MPP, the why and the how [13 clicks]
12. Adventure Works! [12 clicks]
13. SQL Server 2014: Partition Improvements [12 clicks]
14. SQL Server Configuration Check [10 clicks]
15. PASS Summit 2014: Inside the World’s Largest Gathering of SQL Server and BI Professionals [9 clicks]
16. A Tour of the Hekaton AMR Tool [9 clicks]
17. Why Archive Data? [9 clicks]
18. Trace Flags 1117, 1118, and Tempdb Configuration [8 clicks]
19. Writing and Delivering a Successful Full-Day Technology Seminar [6 clicks]
20. What security options should you be using for linked servers? [4 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. The Three Words a Minnesota Cafe Is Putting on the Bottom of Every Customer Bill Is Igniting a Nasty War of Words [39 clicks]
2. 368 Feet Underground, This Salt Mine Has Been Transformed Into A Popular Amusement Park [33 clicks]
3. Fox’s reaction to Guardians of the Galaxy [33 clicks]
4. The Pros And Cons Of Going Vegetarian [23 clicks]
5. If You Thaw Your Steaks Before Cooking, You’re Doing It Wrong [22 clicks]
6. One Mother’s Epic Struggle To Put Her Twins To Bed Is Awesome… And Too Funny [16 clicks]
7. Female Runner Who Uses Nike+ to Draw Dicks [15 clicks]
8. How to turn Barbies into Doctor Who Weeping Angels [12 clicks]
9. Report: Disney To Release Unaltered Original Trilogy On Blu-Ray [11 clicks]
10. Dice Shameing Really needs to be a thing [10 clicks]
11. Coloring Book For Grown-Ups [8 clicks]
12. Insane case of mistaken identity: Woman arrested, told she’s actually dead, jailed anyway [6 clicks]
13. Ronald D. Moore Talks Outlander, Helix & Trek [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?