news.ycombinator.com
Ask HN: Can I help you be more awesome today? (No strings. Inquire within.)https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2767448This last week has been absolutely ridiculous for me. I'd like to make it up to myself by doing something meaningful for some strangers. I like this community a lot and want to see if there's anything I can do to make you a little more successful. No strings. To give you an idea of what I might be able to help you with, let me tell you a few things I've done to help others...- Last night, I volunteered at TEDxMIA's screening of TEDGlobal where I fulfilled their video stream management and multiplexing fantasies,- I've built network operations center monitoring software for proprietary wireless protocols. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnleO8H4lyY)- I regularly brainstorm with others in the SoFL entrepreneurial and tech circles as we look for ways to grow our community and attract talent to our market.- I'm an early adopter, enjoy playing with new tech and can provide strong, constructive, specific feedback.- I understand good design from bad design. Aesthetics are not lost on me.- I hJul 15, 2011 2:25 PM
news.ycombinator.com
New documentary #killswitch exposes media consolidation and government collusionhttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2656444#killswitch The Battle over the Internet Educator and Writer Chris Dollar is teaming with filmmakers Ali Akbarzadeh and Jeff Horn of Akorn Entertainment to create the full-length documentary #killswitch. They are raising funds on KickStarter.com to produce the documentary so they can educate the Western world about the fact that big corporations will continue to have more and more control over our news and Internet… unless we do something now. Check out the trailer and learn how to become involved in this project here: (#killswitch trailer) (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/akorn/killswitch-a-documentary-film?ref=live) ____________________________________________Everyone who is a regular to Hacker News knows we have a culture of corruption in Washington and are in desperate need of media reform and legislation protecting Net Neutrality. So, why does mainstream media ignore the massive amounts of corruption and collusion between large corporations and big government, while also ignorJun 15, 2011 9:08 AM
news.ycombinator.com
Online Computer Science BS Degree?https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2599618Does anyone know of a good online undergraduate Computer Science program? My girlfriend is almost done her Masters of Science in Nursing online at Vanderbilt. All her courses are online, she does clinicals at local hospitals and private practices, and flies to Nashville for a long weekend every couple of months. I've been looking for something similar for Computer Science, but can only seem to find programs at scam schools. If it's possible to get the credentials which will give you the ability to suture and prescribe narcotics online, shouldn't computer science be handled similarly?Yes, I am aware of the social implications (e.g. college is a great place to meet people, develop as a person, etc...). I did attend a traditional college, and have about 85 credits. The difficulty is, my business started making money, so I'm too busy to attend scheduled courses. The university wouldn't work with me, at all, so I stopped going. I see value in having a degree, and would like to finish, but iMay 30, 2011 3:28 PM
bing.com
Tokorozawa Civic Cultural Centre Musehttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8aaacc5fff4ae5b6cf1a4e566e52c0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.timeout.com%2Ftokyo%2Fmusic%2Ftokorozawa-civic-cultural-centre-muse&c=2659384179781747994&mkt=en-usBack when it was conceived during the Bubble era, Tokorozawa's multi-venue arts complex probably seemed like just the cultural leg-up that this Saitama city needed. Today, its three halls – ranging ...May 29, 2011 9:36 AM
geekomaniac.com
Why isn't Singapore as entrepreneurial as Israel? [Part 1 - Technology]http://geekomaniac.com/Over the next few days, I hope to publish a 4-part series on answering the question: Why isn't Singapore as entrepreneurial as Israel?It is a mystery, especially for a Singaporean like me. Both nations have limited natural resources, rely heavily on its manpower for its growth. Yet, why is it that the Singapore government is struggling to make its citizen create its own jobs?Back in May 2010, I had the opportunity to embark on a 10-days trip to Israel, to investigate the reasons behind its entrepreneurial economy.Introduction:From my internship stint at the Singapore's Ministry of Trade, I learnt about successful Israel’s Yozma fund, and unsuccessful TIF Ventures in Singapore. Ever since then, I realized that the Singapore government has been mimicking what the Israeli government does. I signed up for Israel BSM to find out the real reasons behind Israel’s booming entrepreneurship ecosystem and why Singapore is not on par. On the 26th April, as I boarded the plane to Tel Aviv, all gearMar 8, 2011 8:32 PM
news.ycombinator.com
Show HN: Edit Text, See Relevant Images. ~200 Lines Of JavaSripthttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2112230I was experimenting with different term-extraction API's and I came up with this simple HTML5/CSS3/JS thing that shows you relevant images as you enter text. http://bupad.agen.si Basic scenario- User enters text- Terms are instantly extracted from content via Alchemy API- Google Image search is used to find relevant images on Flickr- Images are shown in the backgroundThere are some minor perks like the fact that the image searches are rotating around the color wheel (Google let's you specify a desired color of the image), and content is also stored in LocalStorage.The prototype has a "bug" (HTML5 ContentEditable isn't a good enough replacement for a WYSIWYG, only works in Chrome in Safari) and a few "missing features" (Enlarging images and so on).Right now it's pretty much client-side, everything happens in JS (OOP Prototype and jQ for Cross-site JSON-P requests): http://bupad.agen.si/javascripts/application.js Reasons for posting:I want to gauge the potential and get some feedback. I Jan 17, 2011 2:33 PM
bing.com
An Amateur Tames a Tricky Open Coursehttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8a83c35d2848d7a8532ee9677c02c8&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2010%2F07%2F09%2Fsports%2Fgolf%2F09golf.html&c=4408065728823839214&mkt=en-usOAKMONT, Pa. As the amateur Kelli Shean’s name shot up the leader board at the United States Women’s Open on Thursday, spectators exchanged quizzical glances. Who was this foreigner making herself at ...Jul 8, 2010 5:14 PM
bing.com
Remove Additional Guard (Uninstall Guide)http://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a894f0dc60d4646b79cd8c3ddc0892c&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.bleepingcomputer.com%2Fvirus-removal%2Fremove-additional-guard&c=18413940036570698816&mkt=en-usThis method of creating the files that will be detected by the same program is becoming more and more common with rogues. They do this to substantiate the existence of supposed malware files even on ...Nov 23, 2009 4:00 PM
news.ycombinator.com
Ask HN: Does changing locales to fix productivity doldrums work for you?https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=757407The article about the creative bliss of moving to an attractive, cheaper foreign environment to bootstrap a startup:http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=756570... got me thinking on a somewhat tangential question: Does moving around to change your environment actually help you work? Or is it solving the wrong problem the wrong way?From a personal state-of-mind angle that the author is pushing, I guess I'm not entirely sold on the fact that a change of scenery will let a hundred flowers of creativity bloom - in a sustainable way - to an extent that confers upon a startup a meaningful economic advantage. The cost differences might, but I'm not so sure about the aesthetic/spiritual quality.I've moved around a lot in my 23 years. I emigrated from Russia with my parents when I was 6, and moved around the US several times during childhood. Within the last few years spent in Georgia, I've moved several times within the general area I inhabited, including twice within Atlanta. When I was young,Aug 12, 2009 5:53 AM
news.ycombinator.com
On Buying Silicon Valleyhttps://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=500785Silicon Valley 2If one wishes to replicate the Valley's success and status as a startup hub one needs to mimic the ecosystem and support structures that have grown up around it, the angels, VC funds, (money) legal expertise, financial infrastructure (enabling infrastructure) and entrepreneurial culture (residual). The money and enabling infrastructure will accrete around the residual if it exists, quickly or slowly. Paul Graham has proposed that for US$30m-$100m this could probably be achieved in any US city fulfilling certain criteria, with greater or lesser likelihood of success dependent on the degree to which it fulfils them.The money can realistically come from three types of sources, governments of whatever level, private individuals, or corporate bodies, profit-oriented or not, or some combination of the three, acting in concert. Given the electoral dynamics they labour under it is unlikely that any politician or party in serious danger of being out of power 10 years after the fMar 2, 2009 11:29 PM
bing.com
Colonel's secret recipe in new, safer vault at KFC headquartershttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8a538406404e04a171b03dc38455c0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.idahopress.com%2Fnews%2Fcolonels-secret-recipe-in-new-safer-vault-at-kfc-headquarters%2Farticle_b5dba1f7-2324-5119-a075-d157458c4a11.html&c=15337511493762327006&mkt=en-usLOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Colonel Sanders' handwritten recipe for fried chicken was back in its Kentucky home Tuesday after five months in hiding while KFC upgraded security around its top corporate ...Feb 10, 2009 11:00 PM
bing.com
Colonel's secret recipe in new, safer vault at KFC headquartershttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8a539c126448f2b6aac6a83b7bba27&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.idahopress.com%2Fnews%2Fcolonels-secret-recipe-in-new-safer-vault-at-kfc-headquarters%2Farticle_b5dba1f7-2324-5119-a075-d157458c4a11.html&c=15337511493762327006&mkt=en-usLOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Colonel Sanders' handwritten recipe for fried chicken was back in its Kentucky home Tuesday after five months in hiding while KFC upgraded security around its top corporate ...Feb 10, 2009 11:00 PM
bing.com
Colonel's secret recipe in new, safer KFC vaulthttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8a538406404e04a171b03dc38455c0&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.semissourian.com%2Fnews%2Fcolonels-secret-recipe-in-new-safer-kfc-vault-1500886%2F&c=16794387578384271195&mkt=en-usLOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Colonel Sanders' handwritten recipe for fried chicken was back home Tuesday after five months in hiding while KFC upgraded security around its top corporate secret. Nothing went ...Feb 10, 2009 4:00 PM
bing.com
Colonel's secret recipe in new, safer KFC vaulthttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8a539c126448f2b6aac6a83b7bba27&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.semissourian.com%2Fnews%2Fcolonels-secret-recipe-in-new-safer-kfc-vault-1500886%2F&c=16794387578384271195&mkt=en-usLOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Colonel Sanders' handwritten recipe for fried chicken was back home Tuesday after five months in hiding while KFC upgraded security around its top corporate secret. Nothing went ...Feb 10, 2009 4:00 PM
bing.com
Preen Gets Ready For Fashion Week With Visions Of Kate Moss And Helium Balloonshttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8a1f955cf44d1ab151ca7c9a9dc94f&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.glamour.com%2Fstory%2Fpreen-gets-ready-for-fashion-w&c=3282895592929447010&mkt=en-usPreen Gets Ready For Fashion Week With Visions Of Kate Moss And Helium Balloons Justin Thornton and Thea Bregazzi, the design duo behind the super laid-back, cool-girl-chic British import label Preen, ...Feb 10, 2009 7:36 AM
news.ycombinator.com
Ask YC: Auction-based pricing?https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=402131We are organizing a coworking office space in Sofia, Bulgaria. One of our biggest problems is finding the right price to ask for rent, as the difference in income for freelancers here can be as big as 15 times.Therefore, we are leaning towards auctioning off the 30 office spaces one by one. (Technically, the 30 best bids will win, with the minimal bid being the cost of electricity and water for the person.)Pros:- Maximal usage of office space. We better have 1 person pay $5/mo instead of leaving the workspace empty.- If this is a blind auction, the best bid could be as much as twice the average.- We can accommodate people from different levels of income (e.g., underpaid artists).Cons:- Confusion on behalf of people wanting to sign up.- If the auction is open (everyone can see the bids) we won't get such a good price, because we don't think there will be more than 100 people bidding for the 30 places.- Winner's curse. People may feel tricked if they pay more than their peers.- We won't Dec 18, 2008 2:37 PM
news.ycombinator.com
Ask HN: Do you think primarily in English?https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=387921Rather, do you think primarily in your native language, or more in terms of abstract imagery?I've noticed that rather than forming images in my head to represent ideas, I will instead often think in English. For example, if I'm working through a logic problem, I will repeat the various elements of the problem in my head in English repeatedly until I solve it.I'm unfortunately unilingual. English is the only human language I have ever learned. I've noticed that when I speak phrases in Spanish, I'm actually speaking English in my head. It's like a lookup table. By that I mean, let's say I want to communicate "How are you?". Rather than attempting to reason through this task in Spanish (by trying to communicate the individual elements "how", 'in what way', "are", 'your state of being', and "you" 'the person I am communicating with'), I try to remember the phrase in Spanish that corresponds to the ordered set of words "How are you?". So it is rote memorization -- I'm not thinking in SpanisDec 6, 2008 6:54 AM
news.ycombinator.com
Trader Joe's Is Not Your Average Business (2002)https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=340188One day a few years ago, a guy at a Boston financial firm called up Trader Joe's headquarters and said he'd like to tour a store with a group of visiting Japanese investors. The brass at Trader Joe's was blunt: "You can't come." Not "We'd rather you didn't," or "Please don't." The visit was officially forbidden.This led to a predictable go-round about it being a free country and all, and Trader Joe's finally said okay, okay, you can come, but you don't get a tour. And as the investment company guy tells it, the tension in the air during the visit was thick enough to cut with a machete.Well, you probably can't blame the folk at Trader Joe's. They've got a phenomenal thing going, and don't want to give it all away. Some observers think that sales per square foot at Trader Joe's are hovering at about $1,000 -- twice the level of typical supermarkets. And with between about 70% to 85% of its products being private label (depending on who you ask), Trader Joe's has reached a benchmark otherOct 22, 2008 4:19 PM
bing.com
For Skybus, High Load Factor Doesn't Mean Successhttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8974bd3c44472498d6b18535888b61&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cbsnews.com%2Fnews%2Ffor-skybus-high-load-factor-doesnt-mean-success%2F&c=12739700572773140322&mkt=en-usThe December DOT data is now in, and though I haven't had a lot of time to poke through the data yet, I have found a couple interesting things. For today, let's focus on Columbus-based Skybus. Even ...Mar 18, 2008 3:04 PM
bing.com
Copthorne's gone but not forgottenhttp://www.bing.com/news/apiclick.aspx?ref=FexRss&aid=&tid=6a8a53f0d38b4347b715972af1ee20e8&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.coventrytelegraph.net%2Flifestyle%2Fnostalgia%2Fcopthornes-gone-but-not-forgotten-3101667&c=12394211851712656123&mkt=en-usPAUL BUTTLE is so fond of his old school that he has created a web-site to preserve the memories. Paul, who now lives in the Lake District, was a pupil at Copthorne School between 1958 and 1963. The ...Feb 19, 2008 4:12 AM
