This is is my weekly link post.  It is here that I note the web sites and posts that I have run across that interest me – whether it be related to work or play.

Application Development/Design

• BlackWasp has published an article that explains C# Implicitly Typed Variables. They talk about the var keyword (new to C# 3) which can be used to implicitly type a variable. Before C# 3, variables were only explicitly typed.
• In her post F# Mutable vs Redefine, Amanda Laucher talks about how to change an identifier’s value in F# even though all values are immutable.
• I ran across a good article on Object Reference .NET that demonstrates how to give enums more readable names: Enum to Friendly String Extension Method
• Great article on GridViewGuy titled Creating Rounded Corners Using Only CSS.
• BlackWasp has posted a good article explaining C# Anonymous Types.
• Kevin Miller has posted a great article on Cleanly Handling Ctrl-C In Console Applications.
• Mohammad Azam provides his take on the Future of .NET.
• Jimmy Bogard provides great detail on Some improved LINQ operators. The improvements make for cleaner implementations.
• Joe White has posted very detailed notes from TechEd 2008:  #1 ~ #2 ~ #3 ~ #4 ~ #5 ~ #6 ~ #7 ~ #8 ~ #9 ~ #10
• Article(s) from Code project: Basic C# Web Browser in Visual Studio 2008 ~ Simple LINQ to SQL in C# ~ The differences between Cache, Session & ViewState
• Snippet(s): ZipCode Struct With Parser ~   
• Tip(s):  —

SQL Server & PowerShell

• Good article on SQLServerPedia that talks about the use of SQLCMD to detach a DB, move the trans log and reattache the DB.
• Denis Gobo has posted an article on Less Than Dot listing some Good SQL Articles To Read If You Can’t Afford Books.
• Jeremy Jamison provides a way to Count Rows in All Databases.
• Kimberly Tripp continues her explanation of Indexes in SQL Server 2005/2008 – Part 2 – Internals.
• Snippet(s):  Get days in a month

 Houston Area & Regional Technology Events

• Houston Area User Group Meetings – This is my monthly listing of Houston area user group meetings.

Internet, Software and General Technology

• Goosh.Org is a pretty cool shell environment for Google. I am not sure how much I would use it, but it is cool.
• Shawn Wildermuth linked (via Twitter) to this cool AJAX Diagonal Stripes Background Designer.

Blogging and Social Networking

• Michael Koby gives his take on the different social networks in his post Twitter vs. FriendFeed vs. Jaiku.
• Jeff Atwood talks about a service called Yelp and ethics in the post Please Give Us Your Email Password.

Self-Improvement, Productivity and Career

• Jarkko Laine provides some great advice on eliminating distractions: Eliminate Distraction: The 8 Things to Let Go First.
• Sarah Dutkiewicz gives her opinions on the Deep Fried Bytes podcast as well as some of her adventures in interviewing: Deep Fried Bytes : Interview War Stories
• Dumb Little Man posted a couple of good articles this week: 7 Websites You MUST Check Before You Go On A Vacation ~ 8 Useful Tips To Manage And Avoid RSS Overload.
• Gretchen Rubin lists 8 Tips for Making Yourself Happier in the Next Hour. Some pretty good tips.
• Rick Strahl talks about his Levels of Enthusiasm.
• StationStops provides us with the Top 10 Tips for Working From Home. Tip #3 is important to me whether I work at home or in a cubicle at the office.

Sports, Entertainment and Everything Else

• The Diet blog lists 7 Gym Exercises You Need to Avoid.
• Dwight Silverman has started a series reviews of Houston-area coffee shops that offer Wi-Fi. The first review is for Catalina Coffee. 
• Movie Trailers:  The Happening  
• Funny Dilberts this week:  6/2 ~ 6/4 ~ 6/5

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Great Link Blog Sources

• Jason Haley – Interesting Finds
• Steve Pietrek – Links
• Arjan Zuidhof – LinkBlog
• Christopher Steen – Link Listing
• Matt Hinze – Links Today
• Mike Gunderloy – Double-Shot
• David Vidmar – Links of the week
• Matt Goyer – Links
• Sam Gentile – New and Notable
• Chihn Do – Finds of the Week
• Craig Bailey – On Microsoft
• Alvin Ashcraft – Daily Links
• Chris Alcock – Morning Brew
• Darren Stokes – Visual Studio Links
• Chris Love – Links of the Week
• Scott Koon – Links
• Michael Koby – Daily Links
• Dilip Krishnan – Weekly SOA/MS Crumbs

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Happy Surfing.