Infobright (database based on MySQL/connects via DBI using standard MySQL coding standard) is hosting a coding competition. It lasts until Mid-April, and the top prize is $1500. One of the topics is creating analytics for Machine-Generated Data using the LAMP Stack. Instead of using MySQL, you'd use Infobright's open-source DB instead.

More details here: http://www.infobright.org/contest/2011q1/

Cheers, Jeff