Updating/inputing text in MYSQL?

1

I have kind of got a html form that uses php to write to databse working. that said it actually isnt working lol:stunned: here is the what my form looks like:

<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />
<title>Serverworks - update news</title>
</head>

<body>

<FORM NAME="fa" ACTION="writing_code.php" METHOD="POST">
<B>Date: </B> <INPUT TYPE="date" NAME="date" SIZE=40>
<B>Update: </B> <TEXTAREA NAME="text" ROWS=5 COLS=40></TEXTAREA>
<P><INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="Add Update"></P>
</FORM>

</body>
</html>

and then here is what my php file looks like:

<?php

$usr = "arctosde_damz";
$pwd = "damz01";
$db = "arctosde_cms";
$host = "localhost";

$cid = mysql_connect($host,$usr,$pwd);
if (!$cid) { echo("ERROR: " . mysql_error() . "
"); }

?>

<?php

if ($REQUEST_METHOD=="POST") {

$SQL = " INSERT INTO news ";
$SQL = $SQL . " (date, text) VALUES ";
$SQL = $SQL . " ('$date', '$text') ";
$result = mysql_db_query($db,"$SQL",$cid);

if (!$result) {
    echo("ERROR: " . mysql_error() . "
$SQL
"); }

echo ("New update Added
");

}

mysql_close($cid);
?>

I cant seem to find the problem no errors come up when i test it…It just doesnt work:crying:? Would anyone be able to help me out?please. Also just one other queastion how hard would it be to use a flash input form instead of a html??? I only using html cos i dont know how to do it in flash.
cheers