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1. What's wrong with this picture? 

RB: "From the tabular point of view, does it make sense why we can't have duplicate rows in a relation?"

John Sullivan: "As with everything else in life, it depends what you are trying to do (and exactly what you mean when you talk about a DBMS table v. a formal relation). From an operational (transactional) database point of view, for obvious reasons, you don't want duplicate rows (enforce a natural key). But if you're analysing data from various legacy sources (e.g. spreadsheets) it might be useful. Then again, you might introduce a surrogate key to give you more control over what's going on - again, depends on what you are trying to do." --Question about the relational model

2. Quote of the Week

"The logical model already imposes something of the physical world, depending on which logic you use to define it. Logical modeling and physical modeling... I used to skip the logical model and implement the physical straight into the database. Nowadays, after being infected... ahem, influenced by Martijn Evers, I use PowerDesigner for both." --Ronald Kunenborg

3. To Laugh or Cry?

The NoSQL SQL Illusion (particularly the comments; see also Moving in Circles SQL for NoSQL).

4. Of Interest

• Codd’s Relational Vision Has NoSQL Come Full Circle
• Say NO to Venn Diagrams When Explaining JOINs

And now for something completely different

The PostWest (Oh, No, Not in Nice!)

• Palestinian dead after ramming Israelis, wounding 9
• Palestinian Woman in Car Ramming Attack Shot Dead
• 2 Palestinians Shot Dead in Separate Car-Ramming Attacks
• West Bank car ramming attempt, Palestinian attacker killed
• West Bank car ramming, Palestinian attacker killed
• Palestinian Terrorist Attempts Car-Ramming, Shot Dead
• Israelis killed in Jerusalem bus stabbing and car ramming
• Would-be Palestinian assailant shot dead in aborted car ramming attack
• Palestinian dies from injuries in car ramming near Nablus
• . . .

Pinch me of the week

"Look for empire builders, self-servers in the hiring process — and don’t hire them. All companies screen candidates for skill sets and experience. Everyone wants to hire the best and smartest people they can find." --How Facebook [i.e., Zuckerberg] Tries to Prevent Office Politics [i.e., avoid competitors].

Book of the week (purchase via this link to support this site)

R. M. Unger and L. Smolin, THE SINGULAR UNIVERSE AND THE REALITY OF TIME