Example Database Models

This link is probably one of the most sought after I have blogged. It is the example model listing for Database Answers a website devoted to database modeling and design. The site provides “base” designs for many of the most common database layouts based on usage. While it may not be interesting to non-programmers/developers/DBAs; it is undoubtably something that we, those of us who fall into those catagories, have all searched for a generally come up empty.

I Forgot a Title

Remembering names is a skill I have long respected but never had.  If there was a single skill that I could magically obtain (like a brain dump out of The Matrix) it would be the ability to control people with my mind… but my second pick would be to a photographic memory with respect to people I have met and their names. Two articles I found provide some hints to those of us who lack this skill.  The first article is specifically catered to name recollection.  The second article is a more general memory “HOW-TO.”

The Climate of FUD

The Wall Street Journal is running on opinion piece by Richard Lindzen of the MIT school of Atmospheric Science. In it he answers some commonly misunderstood preceptions about the effects and causes of global warming.

While we are on global climate check out “What if all the ice melts
and “Faqs vs Global Warming.” Non of these articles are suprising to climatologists and meteorologist (trust me, I live with one) but to the vast majority of the population is comes as a total suprise because of the ignorance of the general population on this subject.

AJAX Links

Couple quick links to some quality AJAX and DHTML.

  • DHTMLGoodness – Website for DHTML and AJAX scripts. Well managed and useful, the scripts are fairly well encapilated. Includes demo pages of their scripts.
  • Max Kiesler’s Blog – Max has a roundup of some of the best AJAX tutorials around. Good way to give new developers an intro to web application development using XML and Javascript.
  • Catalyst – A Perl/AJAX framework for rapid web application development. It is similar in functionality to Ruby on Rails including such niceties as template auto-creation, structured MVC controls, and a plugin interface. All this and, because its Perl, you can use your regular CPAN modules including mod_perl.

Of VC’s and Management

Two great articles covering the business world. The first article is titled “The Venture Capitalist Wishlist.” Provides a nice overview of the major desires that VC’s have in providing capital to new businesses.

The second article talks about the famous superplant GE Durham, NC. The plant is famous because it employees 170 jet engine workers, with only one manager. The 9 teams that make up the plant personal are entirely self sufficent and make all decisions for their teams from unpacking parts, to assembly, to working hours.