Module development and code questions

I'm looking at a query in syscrusher's hof module (I want to make it display vote averages and point totals in conjunction with moshe's node moderation module) and seeing something in the syntax I see often, but can't seem to find an explanation for:

$sql = "select n.nid,n.title,c.totalcount from {node} n left join {node_counter} c on n.nid=c.nid...(long line of stuff)..."

In this instance, specifically, the "n" in "n.nid", and where the "n" and "c" appear relative to the left join statement.

I'm new to Drupal. I'm trying to create a family website and I need to use the events module. I can't seem to find clear instructions on how to use it after it's installed. Could someone please provide me with a step by step guide on how to install the events module (just in case I missed a step) and how to use it to add new events and show them on the front page.

At a request I've created some files to integrate/use PRADO pages in Drupal. Included are a user class so the Drupal user works as a PRADO user integrated in it's security system, and from PRADO one may take advantage of Drupals security/user system. You may create regular Drupal menu items pointing to specific PRADO pages in the form ?q=prado/modulename/pagename (path configuration changeable). My client (and I) would like to contribute this, but I'm not sure how appropriate it is, PRADO not being Drupal and all.

Hi, sorry I've asked these questions before elsewhere but nobody picked up on them. Hope you don't mind my asking it again, hopefully more efficiently this time.

I have a site I'm eager to launch but have sort of been waiting for some modules to be upgraded to 4.6 before I progress. Would the authors of these modules please provide an ETA for if/when they will be updated for Drupal 4.6:

Postcard
Copyright
Creative Commons
Donations
Opt-In
Printer Friendly Pages
Project
Volunteer
Weather

Thanks!

Anyone knows good automatic script/site that would take <project>.mysql and produce <project>.pgsql ?
(Of course retouches will be needed, but still)