Okay, so you're not a candidate for the Mars suicide mission. And probably not for the Lewis and Clark expedition, either. But that doesn't mean that this guy isn't, and that his comment was infantile hyperbole.

Without people who would die to blaze new trails, there would be no new countries to visit, or people like Jimi Hendrix to meet.

Just because evolution has different values than you doesn't mean it's "turned upside-down." Evolution's "goal" has never been an intelligent, rich, well-educated society.

Timothy's other hobbies include feeding mice to snakes, setting up barrels loaded with fish then handing out guns, and throwing blood in the water at shark-infested beaches. Wow. I really do kinda feel bad for the guy who wrote this original post. Kinda, but not really.

Basic relational database design is about logic and structure. When compared with other areas of computing, I would argue that the the original materials worked out by Codd and Date have not changed nearly as dramatically. There are certainly exceptional sub-areas where there have been major changes (e.g. the introduction of the object model and development of XML and RDF, to name but two prominent examples), but if I were you, I would suggest doing two things:

1. Do some research into existing relational database platforms (e.g. SQL Server, Oracle, PostGRES), figure out which model will ultimately work best for you, and get a book on that implementation of SQL and RDMS. Every intro to databases book has a chapter on relational database design. That will get you started. You can also skip the platform selection process if you are already stuck with a database.

2. Read this: Date on Database: Writings 2000-2006 by C. J. Date

Codd (now deceased) and Date are still the authorities, IMHO, and this latter book will give you a good overview of major conceptual issues in relational database design.

Put another way: In western medicine, we use things that work in randomized, double-blind, short-term studies. In non-western medicine, we use things that have consistently worked in practice over the course of many, many generations, rather than continuously testing to see if things work in special cases, particular forms of administration, and particular contexts.

There are good reasons why traditional remedies so consistently prove to be effective. I do not dispute that

once upon a time. But do not discount the longitudinal studies that comprise tradition.

It depends on whether my notes are likely to have any graphics-- and that depends on the context in which I'm taking notes. I like graph paper for graphics, college-ruled lined paper for text-only.

Airlines loose an average of 90,000 pieces of luggage every day... and I've often wondered how many of these were actually stolen. I'm sure it's not an insignificant figure, and that this couple is not the only example of luggage stealing taken to the level of a business.

But airlines have very little incentive to take care of your luggage once you've paid to check it. Lost luggage is just accepted by so many travelers as part of the risk of air travel.

There is science, logic, reason; there is thought verified by experience. And then there is California.

-Edward Abbey

He reminds me of Marc Andreesen, back when Marc was that age.

Funny you should mention him....