mysql date format? help!

[wxdqz]

hi everyone,

new here and at mysql. please be gentle. =)

this is what i want to do..

after i insert a data into my table, i want to show a 'new' image next to it for 30 days. after 30 days, that image will disappear.

so my question is..

1. how do i insert a date value into my table (i.e. is there a way that it'll automatically insert the date?)

2. once i do that, how does my 'if' statement look like?

thanks for the help!