msb

Agreed. Got spam from the same site today.

I find that there is big difference between "Jim, I need to talk to you." and "Hey, how's it going Jim?". When someone leads into a conversation with my name I typically anticipate a negative context. On the other hand, if someone (particularly acquaintances) uses my name mid greeting or conversation, I find it incredibly comforting.

Great idea on the rotation. I just flipped my 22in. I have an Asus VH242H 24" as my main display and like it quite a bit. Just under $200.

I also use a rig of 3/4 in. natural gas pipes and some cheap VESA wall mounts that let me position my monitors however I like.

Not sure about AT&T, but Sprint does not have a data cap either.

I have had similar experiences with my Pre, but FWIW not consistently. As expected, the more apps left running load times for new apps definitely increase. I tend to keep most apps closed when not actively using the phone and rarely experience more than a one or two second delay. For example, I just took a picture and capture to view was less then 5 seconds. I closed the camera app as a phone call came in and saw the keypad immediately. On the few occasions where the phone has started creeping, I popped out the battery. Once the OS reloaded all was smooth again.

That settles it, I am going to have to try the barefoot run this week. I have yet to come across a bad overall experience by anyone who has run barefoot or used the Five Fingers or the Nike Free. I wonder if returning to lightweight running shoes after a period of barefoot running would help to improve form at all.

BTW - Light review and photo comparison of the Vibram and Nike here: http://skylertanner.com/2009/05/17/nike-free-vs-vibram-five-... for anyone interested.

Great writeup. I love that you are evolving it as the HN discussion grows.

My biggest stress point has always been dealing with accounting and taxes. I realize that hiring a bookkeeper would be ideal, but as my revenue stream has had some wild fluctuations over the years I have always been a little hesitant to make the commitment. I am curious what you or the other consultants here have found to be a fair price for bookkeeping service.

As others have said, it really needs to be per project. There may be some projects where frustration and resentment can creep in. For example, when the work is all design/static content or heavy programming.

Perhaps the best way to do this is treat it like a company. Your friend gets a reasonable finder's fee or percent of sales for bringing in the business. Someone else might have a better number but I would think 5-8%. When writing project estimates, you each add the hours it will take to complete your respective tasks. Track your hours in detail (I like to use Klok, but there may be better) and when the project is complete get paid accordingly. If you both come in under, then perhaps consider splitting the 'profits' 50/50.

I think this type of structure accommodates the variation of skill requirements in web projects and will also ensure that you both are getting what you deserve.

I agree regarding the rate. If you have professional experience there is no reason to start off at so low just because you are new to consulting. The voucher or one time discount is also a good idea. I have found it very difficult to increase rates on customers over the years. It is important to make clear that if you do discount that it is not permanent.

I was having this discussion with a friend last night...

Like you, I have struggled to find personal relevance with the social aspects of the service. My friend pointed out to me that the recent mainstream growth that Twitter has been going through is starting to create a lot of services that lay outside the two demographics you mention. The one that I found most interesting was local businesses (movie theaters, coffee shops, restaurants) tweeting about day only or hour only specials etc.

If you start to think about the Twitter service outside the bounds of social networking there is a lot of potential value that is just starting to be discovered.

Did it three times on this thread alone. Here's hoping for 15!

I just passed my 7th year of self-employment and have been through many ups and downs. I have learned a lot but still have a lot of questions. I don't comment much on HN, but I respect and trust this community quite a bit. I think a support group is a great idea. Anyone else?

This one is not bad...

http://projects.nikhilk.net/WebDevHelper/Default.aspx

You are right. After reading the title for this post, it occurred to me that we are at a pinnacle moment in US history. We suffer from slow innovation, excessive consumerism and financial greed, but any attempt to change these problems is quickly shot down because nobody wants to risk damaging the economy. But now, with a failing economy that fear, at least in political terms is gone. If our new President really wants to represent change then leading congress against the lobby must be the first place to start.

I took Spanish all through High School and never managed to get the roll down. Then in my early thirties I was challenged by a friend and in about a week it finally clicked. The problem is, I find it very hard to keep up without practice and it is never flows out naturally.

However, non-CRA lenders did pressure CRA regulated banks. From the reference:

"Many of these companies are like the one in which my next-door neighbor is employed: they are middlemen who arrange mortgage loans for borrowers including "subprime" borrowers with banks, including CRA-regulated banks"

http://mises.org/story/2963

Same here. Incredibly stressful. The only positive side is that after screwing taxes up for a few years and even being audited, the IRS has treated me with the utmost respect. They have waived penalties and interest and given me ridiculously forgiving extensions. A little humility mixed with a touch of patronization can go along way.

Grind it coarser and add one of these:

http://www.sweetmarias.com/frpress.nylon-screens.jpg

Makes a big difference.

Roast your own. A decent bean is usually $4-5 a pound (less when bought in bulk) and lasts well over 6 months. If you drink a pound of coffee a week, the savings would return the initial cost of a roaster ($200-300) within two years.

A $20 blade grinder works just fine with a little care. You can pick up an additional filter screen for the press for a couple of bucks to compensate for the increase in grit.

Not sure why you think a press requires any additional cleanup than any other coffee maker, even the clover has to be wiped down and have the grounds removed. At the end of the day I have a dirty press and coffee mug which I simply rinse out and reuse while the water is boiling.

I am probably viewing a much revised version of the site at this point, because everything is looking really nice right now. I am loving it.

Really friggin great idea.

The name is perfect. I wouldn't worry about blokes crying NSFW here today, you shouldn't be shopping for T-shirts at work anyway. Plus I think the name will go over well with the crowd that typically purchases these types of shirts.

The front page is better, but the insightful and intelligent comments are lost forever.

He has an elixir which allows him to be resurrected. He uses it in the Baroque Cycle as well as Cryptonomicon. If I remember correctly he also uses it to revive Bobby Shaftoe.