D@tabasics...

I wound up having to build a database at work to handle some of the tasks involved with my job. There was another database that we use (it's quite useful, once you get the hang of it), but it didn't do a few things that I needed.

So, back in 2004, I figured out that the copy of Microsoft Office XP that was on my computer at work actually included Microsoft Access 2002, a database builder. At that point in time, I did not realize I was on a crash course to learning the basics of database design.

Go visit the Saint Bernard Parish Website please... Don't worry, I'll wait. No, seriously, go visit their web site and look for links on the Updated Demolition Lists... Here's a direct link to the demolition lists.

I'm looking for a way to get those lists into Microsoft Access 2002 (during a 30 minute lunch break, mind you) and to run a query on the lists to eliminate matches. Why? Because I want to see what's left of them when we cross-reference all of the addresses.

If we clear away all of the matching data from any version of the lists at SBPG.net, we will have a list of places on each list which have not been dealt with on any other list. For example, a house that's on this list of complaint calls of houses that have not been gutted and that's also on this list of demolished houses means that the house has been complained about enough to have it demolished by the Parish.

But I quit trying to mine the data sometime after 4:30 a.m. a few days ago, because there's this thing called "work" where I go to make money, and I need this thing called "sleep" to make sure I can survive the thing called "work."

Any data miners out there who'd like to give this stuff a whack? If you know a software app that will import the data for me and keep it in proper tabular format, please post a comment.

Thanks!