title: SQL/MySQL NOT NULL vs NOT EMPTY
body: <p>I'd like to limit my query to show only rows where a certain field is not empty. I found <a href="http://www.sitepoint.com/forums/showthread.php?571768-SELECTING-field-is-not-empty-using-mysql">this thread</a> where someone posed the same question and was told to use <code>IS NOT NULL</code>. I tried that, but I'm still getting rows where the field is empty.</p>
  
  <p>What is the correct way to do this? Is Null the same thing as Empty in SQL/MySQL?</p>
  
  <p>My query, if you're interested is:
  <code>SELECT * FROM records WHERE (party_zip='49080' OR party_zip='49078' OR party_zip='49284' ) AND partyfn IS NOT NULL</code></p>