on:
http://osmlib.rubyforge.org/osmlib-sqlite/rdoc/files/doc/sql-schema.html

you say, "Every node, way, and relation gets its own table and a table for its tags (called node_tags, way_tags,
and relation_tags)."

This sounds like every node item gets its own table--crazy right? So this should read, "There is a separate table
for each of the node, way and relation types, and a table for the tags of each (called node_tags, way_tags, and
relation_tags)."