1. Database Truth of the Week
“A network is a directed acyclic graph (the "direction" of the transitive relationship) and, thus, amenable to transitive closure (TC). In the Relational Data Model (RDM) that usually means the smallest set that includes all the members that satisfy the transitive relationship in question (for the count of each object type the closure is computed and the count ignores level). While the Relational Data Model (RDM) can handle an important subset of graph theory via special graph domain operators and extensions to the original relational operators, which could be made efficient, it is a very difficult problem. Certain computations on finite sets such as TC are not in general computable in a language based on first order predicate logic (FOPL) that is declarative, decidable and supports physical independence (PI) -- a core relational objective. They require a computationally complete language (CCL) that is imperative and recursive.
A ‘TC function’ can be implemented using a host CCL that returns its result in the form of a relation; then a symbol (i.e., pure syntax) of type relation can be defined in relational algebra that references/invokes that function. From within the algebra it appears to be just a relation and is up to the user to understand what the value of the returned relation means --i.e., that it represents the TC. That understanding/interpretation is outside the algebra and passed to users only via documentation (e.g., some meta-language).” --David McGoveran
2. What's Wrong With This Database Picture?
"I don’t like talking about the relational theory of data. It is absolutely fundamental to any deep understanding of data, but most practitioners get along fine without it. It’s more the implementers of database management systems (DBMSs) who need to understand relational theory, so teaching relational theory to ordinary practitioners is a bit like tormenting people with irrelevant theory before you let them get on with the business at hand. Moreover, some of those who understand relational theory use their knowledge to beat other people over the head with it. I don’t want to be associated with that high-handed approach to this important theory.
But I’ve been goaded. Google made me do it. My attention was drawn to a video put out by some folks at Google, Data Modeling for BigQuery. The video is fine for the most part, but it makes some misstatements about relational theory that just drive me crazy. They repeat commonly accepted misconceptions about relational databases—misconceptions that, unfortunately, have driven some of the “advances” we’ve seen of late in the realm of database technology. There have definitely been some true advances, but some new technology is merely different without being better.If you’re a practitioner, designing, implementing, and using databases, whether SQL or NoSQL, this won’t matter much to you, although it never hurts to learn a little more about the theory of data. However, if you are a programmer who might be the one who builds the next NoSQL mega-star that will replace decades-old technology, you need to know this, because this knowledge will enable you to blind-side every established DBMS vendor, whether SQL or NoSQL." --Ted Hills, Understand Relational to Understand the Secrets of Data
3. To Laugh or Cry?
Enhancing Relational Models with Graph processing in SQL Server 2017
4. Publications
- NEW!!! Paper #2 in the new UNDERSTANDING OF THE REAL RDM series, Logical Symmetric Access, Data Sub-language, Kinds of Relations, Database Redundancy and Consistency, is available for ordering here.
- Paper #1 in the new UNDERSTANDING OF THE REAL RDM series, Interpretation and Representation of Database Relations, is available for ordering here.
- My book, THE DBDEBUNK GUIDE TO MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT DATA FUNDAMENTALS, is available to order here.
5. Oldie but Goodie
Something “Old,” Something “New,” Neither True
6. Elsewhere
- Why There Are No Foreign Keys in the Database (particularly my comments)
- Automatic Database Management System Tuning Through Large-scale Machine Learning
- Reactive Relational Programming with PLRelational
- The Big Data-ization of Artificial Intelligence
- [Data scientist] Imposter syndrome
7. Of General Interest
- How can something be “proven” in science or math
- Data swamped, US spy agencies put hopes on AI Be afraid, be very afraid!
- What We Get Wrong About Technology
- Algorithms Are Opinions Embedded in Code
- The Fundamental Limits of Machine Learning
- Algorithm Cited as Factor in Crime
- The regulatory future of algorithms
- Algorification of Movies -- Will Big Data Eat Hollywood’s Lunch?
- UK Bank IT Train Wreck Demonstrates Why Algos Can Be a Terrible Idea
- XML? Be cautious!
And Now for Something Completely Different --The Corruption, Ruination and Decline of Western Civilization
Utopian Dystopia -- The Sillicon Valley State: Mechanism of Tyranny and Destruction of Free Civilized Society
My Take: Out of Control -- Tech/Data corporations have unlimited power, no public responsibilities or obligations whatsoever, serve only themselves and, predictably, have turned outright evil.
- The Banality of the Equifax Breach
- For Americans who want to protect their personal information, there is no way, in our current system, to do so
- Equifax Breach Response Turns Dumpster Fire (must read)
- No matter what, Equifax may tell you you’ve been impacted by the hack
- Equifax's dox of America: Sign up for free monitoring, get billed forever
- Are you an Equifax breach victim? You could give up right to sue to find out
- Facebook Wins, Democracy Loses
- Why we can’t trust Facebook’s story about Russian ads
- How Silicon Valley is erasing your individuality
- If Mark Zuckerberg runs for president, will Facebook help him win
- Big Other surveillance capitalism and the prospects of an information civilization
- New America Foundation Botches Laundering Google’s Money
- Yes, Google Uses Its Power to Quash Ideas It Doesn’t Like—I Know Because It Happened to Me
- Google, Don't Be Evil
- Facebook wants your SMS txt history and Google wants your web and app browsing history. (and they'll force you to give it up
- The truth will not be Googled
- Why You Should Be Very Skeptical of Google’s and ProPublica’s “Hate Crimes” Initiative
- Trump Damaged Democracy, Silicon Valley Will Finish It Off
- Facebook's new 'early bird' spy tool is just the tip of the iceberg
- Google wants to change what TV computer scientists look like
- Google's Sword Of Damocles
- Silicon Valley Courts Brand-Name Teachers, Raising Ethics Issues
- Silicon Valley has been humbled. But its schemes are as dangerous as ever
- The Mystery of the Vanishing Tech Workers
- Twitter has a big bot problem
- Why is Google spending record sums on lobbying Washington
Internal Collapse
- Large Companies Considered Harmful
- Vast number of Americans live paycheck to paycheck
- Trump clears way for local police to obtain military gear
- The coming economic disaster and the last chance to avert it
- Ivy League Scholars Urge Students: 'Think for Yourself'
- A Provocative Look at the Harm From Corporate Heft
- The Strange Disappearance of Cooperation in America
External Demise
- America’s strategic paralysis
- China Leapfrogs U.S. in Critical Strategic Technology
- The Danger of the United States Losing to North Korea
- Korea, Afghanistan and the Never Ending War trap
- In renegade North Korea, some see a potential precursor of nuclear Iran
- North Korea’s ultimatum to America
- The more things change, the more they stay the same.
- Lessons from the Syrian strike
- Obama will rue the day he made the Iran nuclear deal
- North Korea's latest nuclear test reflects failure of Trump's bellicose rhetoric
- Iran Is Taking Over Syria. Can Anyone Stop It?
- Latest talks see US yield to Russia over southern Syria
- Alarming West, Turkey nudges closer to Russia arms deal
- Is Pakistan Willing to Lose America?
- The real BRICS bombshell
- Kim Jong-un and the Art of Tyranny
- The axis of destruction
Anti-Semitic Hypocrisy, the Myth of a "Palestinian Nation" and the "Peace Process" Delusion
- Palestinian Settler-Colonialism
- When great institutions lie
- Israel, the Palestinians and the Tide of History
- Reframing the Arab-Israeli Conflict
- Preparing for the post-Abbas era
Washington Post: Israel 'Suppressing Its Majority Population' - It's OK for everybody else to do it, but not for Jews, the only ones actually defending themselves from annihilation --Saudi-led force admits strike in Yemen's capital hit civilians, At Least 11 Afghan Civilians Killed in American Airstrikes, U.S.-led forces acknowledge killing 61 more civilians in Iraq, Syria, Somali government 10 civilians were killed in joint Somali-US raid
- PA spends more on terrorists' stipends than on welfare benefits
- Abbas Threatens to sever Gaza electricity and Sends medical aid to Venezuela
- Pinch Me: UN funding legal aid for terrorists but Key UN panel urges US to reject racist hate speech, crimes
- 'Foreign entities give millions to groups aiding infiltrators in Israel'
- Jewish Life in an Increasingly Muslim Europe
- Palestinian journalists face crackdown as Abbas tightens grip on media
- Follow the Money The Israel-Boycott Movement and Its Accomplice
Recommended Reading: Educate Yourself on Monopoly Power The Open Markets team has put together a reading list for those looking to educate themselves about monopolies and concentrated financial power.
Note: I will not publish or respond to anonymous comments. If you want to say something, stand behind it. Otherwise don't bother, it'll be ignored.
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