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CptJamesCook

468 karma · joined January 15, 2016

I've worked as a software engineer for the past 2 decades.
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CptJamesCook··on The only skin care that works? science video response (2020)
Let the sun hit your chest, upper legs, butt, etc. Places that have suffered less skin damage over the years. And that you wouldn't mind getting a bit of sun damage since they are always covered in clothing.
CptJamesCook··on The only skin care that works? science video response (2020)
It is unfortunate that the most clinically backed skincare treatment, retinols, cause so many problems for rosacea sufferers. Not to mention, the 1-month of breakouts people experience when they begin using them.
CptJamesCook··on Economic costs of war
37% federal, 13.3% california = 50.3

Most wealthy people spend another 1-2% of their income on property taxes and a bit on sales taxes, etc. I estimate I pay 53% of my income to taxes. I agree that 55% is unlikely tho

CptJamesCook··on Researchers find stem cells for hair regeneration
This is my surgeon's response to your question:

The angle, orientation and position of EACH AND EVERY transplanted graft (of hair follicles) determines the final naturalness of the outcome. This is determined by the “stroke” of the surgeon’s hand while making the recipient sites and cannot be changed by technicians during placement.

A typical poor outcome from a “chop shop” or inexperienced surgeon will likely be unnatural due to a combination of a poorly designed 2-dimensional hairline shape as well as poor angulation of the grafts creating a contrived appearance—like the example you described, but there are many other pitfalls that can occur.

An artistic surgeon will excel at the nuances of hairline shape, variations of transplanted density across the recipient area, graft size (1, 2 or 3 hair grafts) and angles of growth to create undetectability AND coverage at the same time.

CptJamesCook··on Researchers find stem cells for hair regeneration
A hair transplant isn't extremely expensive, and price is definitely not the limiting factor on the result you can achieve. They cost around $10k on the low end and $35k from the most expensive doctors in the USA.

Elon was lucky to have great donor sites for the hair. Likely also started using finasteride, minoxidil, and a DHT inhibiting shampoo right around when he got the transplant if not a couple years before.

I've had 3 hair transplants myself, and have spent enough time in and around hair transplant surgeon's offices to know that the vast majority of cases don't turn out as well as Elon's. Most people just don't have enough hair.

CptJamesCook··on Citing revenue declines, Airbnb cuts 25% of workforce
In the US every company pays unemployment insurance. When employees are laid off, they receive unemployment benefits from this fund until they find a new job (for up to 39 months). Severance is the company "willing" to paying the laid-off employee more money than unemployment insurance.
CptJamesCook··on Jack Dorsey Is Gwyneth Paltrow for Silicon Valley
What does Jack do that you consider to be bullshit?
CptJamesCook··on WhatsApp co-founder tells everyone to delete Facebook
https://ijr.com/2018/03/1077083-ex-obama-campaign-director-f...
CptJamesCook··on WhatsApp co-founder tells everyone to delete Facebook
https://ijr.com/2018/03/1077083-ex-obama-campaign-director-f...

Director of the Obama campaign seems to feel they did very similar things, with the tacit support of Facebook (at least after the fact)

CptJamesCook··on Introducing Airbnb Plus
How about a guarantee that the guests won't throw a party in my house and disturb my neighbors? This has been a constant problem for me.
CptJamesCook··on Optimizely’s decision to ditch its free plan
SplitOptimizer.com is a very cheap a/b testing tool. It’s not as full featured as optimized but it works perfectly.
CptJamesCook··on The Great American Share – Sam Altman Interview on Basic Income
Reminder: Communism killed 100 million people in the 20th century.
CptJamesCook··on Problems with MacBook butterfly switch keyboards
I despise my new Macbook's touchbar. I can't get to the volume button without stopping what I'm doing for 4-5 seconds to find the key, then press multiple buttons, I can't use the function keys, and it generally adds no value.
CptJamesCook··on Kids Praised for Being Smart Are More Likely to Cheat
Boss here. I care a lot about how hard an employee is working.
CptJamesCook··on How much CO2 does a single volcano emit?
How do you explain temperatures dropping from 1940-1975 during the same time that CO2 in the atmosphere was increasing faster than ever before?
CptJamesCook··on Q&A with YC Partners at the Female Founders Conference [video]
"Kat Manalac – Does YC fund and work with later stage companies? Do you want me to kick that over to you?

Anu Hariharan – So yes, yes we do. So the YC continuity fund that was launched two years ago, our primary goal is to really help support the companies in the growth state. So we do invest in companies in the later stage."

She managed to start every sentence with the word 'so'. Very impressive :)

CptJamesCook··on I'm a founder in the current Y Combinator batch, Ask Me Anything!
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CptJamesCook··on EFF's Letter to Zillow on Behalf of McMansion Hell [pdf]
Zillow has been threatening small startups for years. Most just go away quietly. It's good to see people fighting back on their behalf.
CptJamesCook··on Thoughts on Insurance
It's surprising to see an article about insurance without references to black swan risks.
CptJamesCook··on Uber loses ground in US as rival Lyft accelerates
Hmm. I've heard it in Maryland and California.
CptJamesCook··on WSJ Ends Google Users' Free Ride, Then Fades in Search Results
Can you explain this in more depth? I can't make it work. Thanks
CptJamesCook··on Chelsea Manning Is Expected to Leave Prison, 28 Years Early
Assange has spent the better part of a year implying that Seth Rich was a Wikileaks source. If true, this is a shocking turn of events that could have broad implications.

If false, Assange will have permanently damaged his reputation, at least in my eyes.

CptJamesCook··on Clifford Stoll: The call to learn
"The first time you do something it's science The second time you do something it's engineering The third time you do something you're a technician"

Funny quote.

CptJamesCook··on Airbnb “Bribes” Host with Cash Under NDA After Partiers Destroy Apartment
I cleaned it myself.. it took like 10 minutes. It was pretty annoying. We are good friends.
CptJamesCook··on Airbnb “Bribes” Host with Cash Under NDA After Partiers Destroy Apartment
That seems to hurt me in the Airbnb ranking algorithm. I probably should.
CptJamesCook··on Airbnb “Bribes” Host with Cash Under NDA After Partiers Destroy Apartment
My neighbors don't have a problem with me running the airbnb. They do it themselves, too, or at least like having the option to. The balcony was a mess but it wasn't damaged, nor did it cost anything to clean.
CptJamesCook··on Airbnb “Bribes” Host with Cash Under NDA After Partiers Destroy Apartment
Airbnb is at fault because they do nothing to discourage partying on the platform. As a host, I am in a never-ending battle to keep partiers out of my home.
CptJamesCook··on Airbnb “Bribes” Host with Cash Under NDA After Partiers Destroy Apartment
Airbnb guests constantly rent my place to party. It's been a problem for years, at both of my homes. I block many of them, but can't detect them all. The other day an airbnb guest held a party, and they trashed my neighbor's balcony (below mine).

They need to get partying off the platform. It's terrible for neighbors and hosts, and it's not even much revenue; the partiers usually book for one night. Regular guests on average stay 4-5 nights.

CptJamesCook··on Uber takes its self-driving cars off the road after one flipped over in Arizona
I imagine this is a response to the awful press around the company the past several months. The Uber of 2015 would not have taken these cars off the road.
CptJamesCook··on Michael Seibel, CEO of YC, is doing an AMA
From Paul Graham's tweets (https://twitter.com/paulg/status/322219801525223424), it appears that YC ranks startups when they are accepted into YC.

Do you really do this for every startup in YC?

If so, are your internal rankings accurate predictors of startup success?

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