halfbrown

Worst. Idea. Ever.

It's a personal decision, but to be honest you should talk to a lawyer who is familiar with the industry your LLC is involved with.

I've been listening to a lot of entertainment/comedy podcasts in 2019. I don't know if they're the "Best of 2019" but they're some of my faves.

The Joe Rogan Experience (Joe Rogan) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-joe-rogan-experien... Love him or hate him, Joe consistently gets some fascinating guests on his podcast, and he isn't afraid of getting into some deep topics with some of most brilliant minds out there.

Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend (Conan O'Brien) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/conan-obrien-needs-a-f... I'm a recent convert to this podcast, but I've had a lot of fun listening to it over the last few weeks. It's typical Conan, but in podcast form, so if you're a fan then this one is a no brainer.

Andrea Savage: Grown Up Woman #buttholes (Andrea Savage) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/andrea-savage-a-grown-... Yes, that's the title, including the hashtag. If raw, often awkward (on purpose?!), and sarcastic humor is your jam then you'll feel right at home with this podcast. I've always thought Andrea Savage was an under-rated comic performer, and so happy she's got a new podcast and TV show (have you seen "I'm Sorry" yet?!).

Id10t (Chris Hardwick) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id10t-with-chris-hardw... I've always enjoyed Chris and his goofball sense of humor. He's about as affable a podcast host as you could ask for, and he brings a lot of insight into all things nerdy and geeky.

WTF with Marc Maron (Marc Maron) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wtf-with-marc-maron-po... Marc gets deep with his guests, and sometimes he gets a bit too angsty, but it is what it is and he is what he is. He's got interesting guests from the all over the map (TV, the art work, and lots and lots of musicians), and he's the only podcaster I know of to have ANY President of the United States to visit and chat, so he's got that going for him.

Inside of You (Michael Rosenbaum) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/inside-of-you-with-mic... Smallville's Lex Luthor (among other things) brings all the realness to his podcast, which more often than not prompts his guests to do the same. Whether it's how the set of Guardians of the Galaxy was or what it's like in a mental health retreat (and anywhere in between), there's something for everyone.

Office Ladies (Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/office-ladies/id148031... Fan of The Office? Perfect! Pam and Angela, or rather their real-life human counterparts, discuss each episode of the The Office from start to finish and give behind the scenes details, have special guests (cast and crew), and more.

The Comedy Store Podcast (Eleanor Kerrigan and Rick Ingraham) https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-comedy-store-podca... From the World Famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles comes an unfiltered view into the lives of current and past stand-up comics, from all levels of fame. If you want all the comedy gossip from the folks who were there, this is the podcast to listen to.

Here's the actual URL to the podcast: https://kolemcrae.com/podcast/

100%

Always nice seeing a fellow submariner here at HN. :) I feel the same way, though I was in Radio on a fast attack out of Pearl: Checklists are the way to go. Now as a civilian, I'm always extolling the benefits of (regularly updated) checklists to my co-workers.

I've been there, many a time. I could provide examples and go into detail on a great many things I've tried, but at the end of the day what I've learned (the hard way) is short and sweet: Fire your toxic clients. Yesterday.

Take the revenue hit and find another client who is easier to work with, doesn't stress you out, and is collaborative vs. combative.

There are plenty of businesses out there who require help. You can find them with some research and some outreach. But what you cannot get back is time and the stress and anguish that a toxic client brings.

Your life and your health are more important than that, so take the temporary hit and move on. You'll feel -- and be -- better for it.

I would agree that a lot has been done, and believe me... I wasn't dumping on Uber. I still use the app myself. I'm just saying from a practical viewpoint, it's a serious consideration to be made if someone is moving to a new job.

Mostly what I was referring to regarding the gossip/cachet (which I admittedly didn't elaborate on) was the negative buzz that still circles around Uber. Another decent sized scandal could really tank things internally, which would likely affect their workforce.

Square, Flexport, Uber, Instacart... in that order. The reasons are myriad, but they include a combination of long-term viability, visibility within the market, stability in (or of) their industry, executive team (including the "gossip" surrounding it), and the social cachet a job at each place would look to a future employer, among other reasons.

Good luck out there!

This is one of my favorite responses to the OP's question due to the simple truth it tells.

It was down earlier, but it appears to be back up on the West coast.

You know how when you buy a car, you start to see it everywhere? This sounds similar, and I feel ya. Yes, there are plenty of Bootstrap themes out there, but there are also lots for Foundation and any of the other frameworks out there. Some good, some bad. But Bootstrap does indeed have the Lion's Share of searches, it seems.

Like some of the other folks above mentioned, Bootstrap really was one of the first to gain in popularity (thanks, Twitter) and to that end it's no wonder. For the most part it's fairly simple to get started with, there's plenty of pretty decent documentation, and a bajillion examples to gain inspiration (or insight) from.

Personally, I like it. It's not perfect and can be bloaty (that's a technical term, naturally) but in many/most cases it works just fine if you've had some experience with it and know how to tweak things.

Step 1. Ask your lawyer. Step 2. See Step 1. ;)

But seriously, congrats on your new client. I think this really does seem like something that would be best served by speaking to a lawyer specializing in contract law, and specifically with international business. I’d be willing to bet there are all kinds of factors involved.

That’s precisely what I was thinking!

From Andrew Chael: https://twitter.com/thisgreyspirit/status/111651854496183091...

From personal experience I'd say it's 100% worth it for the networking alone (as long as you are open, willing, and able to actually do it authentically), not to mention the knowledge gained from the speakers.

Over the years I've earned easily 10x in contracts what I spent on tickets, airfare, and hotels/transportation/food across all events, not to mention gaining new friends, colleagues, and industry connections. I highly recommend finding the right conference(s) and hitting them as often as you can, even if it's just once every few years.

But don't limit yourself to just the big conferences, either. Finding the right Meetups and smaller venues and groups can be just as valuable. You'll get as much out of them as you put into them.

Have you looked at places like 99designs.com and fiverr.com?

Truth!

I've been working in software for the better part of two decades, and from my experience the answer is... all of the above and more. But ultimately I don't believe anyone can give you a formula that will work specifically for you since only you know you the best.

For me personally it's reading every pertinent book, magazine or blog post I can get my hands on, endless sandbox experiments, side projects when I can, and meeting other developers face-to-face. YMMV.

Three suggestions:

1. Create an outline of all of the key points you want to bring up to the person you'll be speaking with on the phone. The outline can be as detailed or as sparse as you feel you need, but having something to use as a checklist of sorts, along with any additional details that are pertinent to the conversation, will help give you a boost when it comes to stumbling over your words. And really go over your outline, because familiarity with what you're speaking about will help you instill confidence within yourself, which will help you sound "smooth."

2. Work on leading the conversation without dominating it. There's a fine line there, but with time and practice you'll get get the hang of it. Your main goal here is to keep the conversation focused by sticking to your outline. This will help remove any awkward pauses.

3. Smile when you're speaking. Most people sound friendlier when they smile when they talk, even if you're not sitting in front of the other person.

Hope this helps!

From what I read, Winston Groom (the author) made a deal that specified payment based on the Net profits vs. the Gross profits. That Hollywood accounting makes it so even super-popular films show little-to-no Net profit since they add in marketing expenses and who knows what all else. Long story short: Always go with the Gross profits.

PHP pays most of my bills, too. Used to write a lot of Perl, too, but that's fallen by the wayside. I'm integrating more Python and Node.js, but the lion's share is still PHP.

I assume you're talking about starting an LLC in the United States.

If law says you can't work for a company that isn't your sponsor, doesn't that only pertain to work that is here in the US? Surely it doesn't cover the whole world. And if so, why not just create the corporate shell in your native country?

Many assumptions made above, but I'm not a lawyer, I don't know the first thing about H1B visas, and I have no idea what starting a company in your country is like. :) I'm also assuming the company your H1B is through is also fine with you doing other work.

I use Amazon a lot and I don't have the same experience. I've trended toward buying more through Amazon than elsewhere for things like clothes and various sundries like soap, toothpaste, etc. and overall it's been a good experience.

Granted, I try to use Prime whenever possible, and as much as I can, I try to buy items that are fulfilled by Amazon. Where I have run into issues are things shipped directly from China. Those can take weeks, but generally speaking I know ahead of time.

Fake reviews are a part of ecommerce so I'm not too terribly worried about that, but some of the reviews can be funny, too. Mostly I try to use the stars a product has received as a barometer and then vet the 5-star ones to see if they seem real. Ditto for the 1-star reviews, because often times people will complain about something that is outside of the seller's control, or even something that is subjective.

I'd say the best pocket tool/knife I've used is the Leatherman Sidekick.

I've got a handful of different Leatherman multi-tools (Charge, Wave, Wingman, etc.), but for my money, the Sidekick is best one for every day usage. It combines useful features, reasonable price, and a lightweight package that just can't be beat: https://www.leatherman.com/sidekick-9.html

The Sidekick retails for around $50, but it's well worth the money. So much so that I've bought a few over the years for friends and relatives.

If I were to recommend "just" a knife for everyday carry, it would be the Spyderco Tenacious G10. Both the Leatherman and Spyderco can be found on Amazon.

I was in the US Navy on a fast-attack submarine. As a submariner, we all have a very strong brotherhood/sisterhood due to the intense conditions and rigorous training we go through to become submarine qualified, and so in that regard I identify with my military service very much.

I've found that there are plenty of companies out there looking for people with a well-rounded set of skills... but they tend to be smaller companies. Look for businesses with smaller staff, because they need people who can pick up where others leave off.

"Specialization is for insects." - Robert Heinlein

My iPhone 6 is doing pretty much the same thing, though when it turns off doesn't seem to tied to any particular percentage. A few days ago I made a call and pulled the charging cord out to chat. I walked outside, and 20 minutes later the phone was dead, from 100% when I walked out. I put it back on the charger and checked about 5 minutes later and it said it was at around 65%.

I love WordPress but you're right... it can be a PITA when it comes to security, not to mention a host of other issues.

I, too, have been looking for alternatives for certain projects, and while I can't specifically recommend any yet, as far as keeping WordPress secure goes I've always found that folks who consistently run into issues always seem to either choose poorly when it comes to basic security (i.e. crappy passwords, only ever using the Admin user, etc.) OR they haven't done any basic WordPress security hardening.

WordPress has a decent intro to making itself more secure here: https://codex.wordpress.org/Hardening_WordPress, but if you just look up "wordpress hardening" in your search engine of choice you'll find a ton of resources to get you going.