• Text Link Ads: The Best Alternative to Google’s AdSense
  Perhaps I am the last to know about this... It seems interesting if you have a decent PageRank. I have an outstanding question about multiple domains, i.e. can they handle that in one account?
• Should Living At Altitude Be Banned Like Steroids?
  One of the reasons I like to read Techdirt.
• Google's Desktop Offensive
  Is it me, or does this seem to be a redux of a yearly (at least) article that appears. It always seems to boil down to Microsoft battling someone for desktop supremacy... Hey I am all for battles, but I just wonder how many times this story line can be repeated? I seem to spot a trend with these "battles".
• Getting Things Done With SpeedFiler
  I am checking this out. With hundreds of emails a day flooding in, I need to find a better system for handling all of it. This looks promising.

Top 10 custom Javascript functions of all time
- A pretty good list of essential DOM related javascript functions. Please note the functions are mostly DOM related.

Speaking of Javascript - (AJAX) XmlHttpRequest Insanity Solution
- Cross-domain requests are not possible with XmlHttpRequest. While this is somewhat understandable (a solution is needed), sub-domain access is also not possible! For example, your page www.somedomainofyourse.com cannot make a request to data.somedomainofyours.com. A solution is provided, albeit a little jumping through hoop action is required.

Tooltip.js
- A nice tooltip functionality for web apps, including a good Netflix facsimile. The drop shadow is also nice to see.

Here we go with the Google click-to-call. I am quite intrigued by the potential, especially when linking it up with the rumored print ads and Google Talk. Screenshots and more information can be found via Greg Yardley's blog.

I am a huge fan of VMware and accordingly I have been chomping at the bit to see VMware 5.5 released from beta. As of today it has been and can be downloaded here. I need to get back to gorging myself on turkey so I will be brief... The new version increases performance, inclusion of the free VMware player, advanced snapshot management and what I think are two biggies... full 64-bit host/ guest support and guest systems and virtual smp.

1. Microsoft files patent for Phantom Car
   via engadget
   BB: On a better patent note, this does look kind of interesting, at least in concept.
2. Patently Absurd
   BB: Yes, I did post about this; but for good measure I provide the link again. If you care about the rights of individual inventors, small and medium businesses, and their right to invent - read it.
3. Robert Scoble Meets Steve Jobs
   BB: You have to love it, not only is Steve Jobs wearing his trademark outfit, but the line quoted is something right out of a (made for TV) movie. Pretty good.
4. VMWare 5.5 beta
   via Bink.nu
   BB: One word - nice! 3rd party vm support and better still full x64 support for both host and guest.

• Free Wi-Fi? Get Ready for GoogleNet.
  via Business 2.0
  BB: An interesting what if, especially since it is well documented that Google has been buying up dark fiber.
• PTO Fee Diversion is Constitutional
  via Patently-O: Patent Law Blog
  BB: Sad. While I understand the decision, the patent office needs to have the resources necessary to complete the job in a reasonable time. In short, if a customer pays a fee to have something processed, how effective does it seem to not use those fees to fund the service or divert the fee for an unspecified time? No wonder it takes five (5) years for some patents to get a grant, not to mention the quality issues.
• Absolute Beginner's Video Series to Visual Studio 2005 Express Editions
  via MSDN
  BB: Appears to be a good resource for those of you interested in developing and or learning a little .NET.
• Microsoft may dump proposed RSS name
  via InfoWorld
  BB: Is it just me, or does this spark a "who cares"? I have to believe people are smart enough to understand "branding" and marketing names. Do people walk around saying "hey, go check out the hypertext markup page." Like how most people understand the "net", "Internet", "Information Super Highway" can mean the same thing, I think people can learn more than one marketing term for a technology. Speaking of which, when you visit, the site will work with whatever hypertext glyph rendering application you choose to use.