Vogue of 1938

Just saw a futuristic movie, "Vogue of 1938". The movie was shot in 1937. They all are dressed so impeccably that the guys from the next movie, shot in 1957, compared to those ladies and gentlemen, look more like santacruzan dudes and dudettes - although they are wearing neckties and gloves.

Vogue of 1938. Life seemed so perfect then.

"all your base are belong to us"

All your database. And all your data.

Someone has just patented arbitrary data transformations. http://www.freshpatents.com/Mapping-architecture-for-arbitrary-data-models-dt20050303ptan20050050068.php?type=claims

What is claimed is:

1. A system that facilitates mapping arbitrary data models, comprising a mapping component that receives respective metadata from at least two arbitrary data models, and maps expressions between the data models.

2. The system of claim 1, the data models are query languages.

3. The system of claim 1, the data models are data access languages.

4. The system of claim 1, the data models are data manipulation languages.

5. The system of claim 1, the data models are data definition languages.

6. The system of claim 1, the data models include at least an object model and at least one relational model where the object model is mapped to at least one of the relational models.

7. The system of claim 1, the data models include object models where one of the object models is mapped to at least one of the other object models.

8. The system of claim 1, the data models include an XML model and at least one relational model where the XML model is mapped to at least one of the relational models.

9. The system of claim 1, the data models are XML models where one of the XML models is mapped to at least one of the other XML models.

10. The system of claim 1, the data models include an XML model and at least one object model where the XML model is mapped to at least one of the object models.

11. The system of claim 1, the data models are relational models where one relational model is mapped to at least one of the other relational models.

12. The system of claim 1, the data models include an XML model and an object model where the object model is mapped to at least one of the XML models.

13. The system of claim 1, the data models are of the same structure.
(Meaning that even identical data transformation is patented. You cannot copy data anymore.

family problems

(from an email, ***@***.ca.gov)

Two men met at a bus stop and struck up a conversation. One of them kept complaining of family problems. Finally the other man said:
"You think you have family problems? Listen to my situation."
"A few years ago, I met a young widow with a grown-up daughter. We got married, and I got myself a stepdaughter. Later, my father married my stepdaughter. That made my stepdaughter my stepmother. And my father. became my stepson. Also, my wife became mother-in-law of her father-in-law."
"Much later the daughter of my wife, my stepmother, had a son. This boy was my half-brother because he was my father's son. But he was also the son of my wife's daughter which made him my wife's grandson. That made me the grandfather of my half-brother.."
"This was nothing until my wife and I had a baby. Now the half-sister of my son, my stepmother, is also the grandmother. This makes my father, the brother-in-law of my child, whose stepsister is my father's wife; I am my stepmother's brother-in-law, my wife is her own child's aunt, my son is my father's nephew, and I am my OWN GRANDFATHER!"
"And you think you have FAMILY PROBLEMS!!!"