[spaznode]

Actually that's exactly the opposite of true. In fact you -need- old data to validate that your mathematical model actually works by applying it to whatever historical timespan of data you are trying to derive intelligence from. At least if any sort of unit of time is applicable to any of your models.

Of course just sitting on the data doesn't do anyone any good at all..and randomly picking at stuff isn't likely to do much either unless you go in knowing what you want to find.