I was really liking internet explorer 8 until I started having a random issue with opening new tabs and opening new windows freezing or hanging up.  I would sometimes happen when I first open internet explorer 8 or other times when I opened tabs the page would just sit at “connecting to site” and never do anything.  I searched the web off and on for several weeks and finally came across a blog post here at cornerpixel.  It was just a minor registry setting related to the loosely-coupled feature in IE 8.  I was getting desparate so I tried it.  Sure enough not an issue since.  The scary thing is I have seen this particular issue on 5 separate machines with IE8. 

MS you need to take note of this!