Recent submissions

Comment · 10 years ago
Pfft... Reminder to self: sense of humour not allowed on HN unless you're part of the clique, when then becomes permitted.
Comment · 10 years ago
Comment · 10 years ago
It would just be replaced with a new shiny organization having a new name, more freedom to do more harm (given its lack of baggage) and probably end up employing the same people.

Sadly being on the brink of destruction is likely going to be the only motivator for real change.

Comment · 10 years ago
> ... so US companies are to blame?

Blame is irrelevant. These countries are choosing to backlash against a product problem.

> ... they should be considered a threat?

Yes. Unless, in the long term, they want to become level-B American citizens. Believe me I know - I'm Canadian and we are close.

> Companies like this don't come out of Europe for a reason.

New tailored products will grow and gain success when the old behemoth products are gone.

Comment · 10 years ago
People who "actively" avoid churches often do so for reasons other than their personal life challenges.

Also, you're painting a picture as though you can come for the other benefits and not have to deal with their primary purpose of existence; kinda like a time-share salesman who offers $500 and a free lunch provided you listen to the 3 hour brainwashing session. It's a disingenuous statement. I know this from being sold the same free lunch - many times :)

Comment · 10 years ago
> discriminatory rejection patterns.

Maybe I'm lacking imagination, but how do you account for the renter and Airbnb having vastly different sets of information to work from? Also your sample size would have to be huge to rule out coincidental outcomes, which I dare say would rarely be found for the average property.

For example my property gets about 100 customers per year. I'm guessing in the last 4 years I've had 3 black customers, all accepted by the way, but if I rejected all 3 can an algorithm reasonably rule out coincidence having such a low sample size? It just seems like it would be the kind of algo doomed to fuck it up.

Comment · 10 years ago
There's a huge flaw in there. When I rent a unit, I will do some client research and to the extent I can I will block the rental based upon my findings. For example if I read their blog and they come across as a risky customer (a profile photo with machine guns, money, and drugs or postings showing a they have a lack of character). Now it could be they also happen to be black, but when they create a fake profile and then get accepted it does not mean I blocked them due to race.

At a minimum you would need to make sure you fake both profiles to ensure everything but skin color is the same.

Comment · 10 years ago
> ... entire category of jobs became obsolete fast enough...

I don't see how this is an 'entire category' replacement nor do I see how it will happen any faster than say automated checkouts that also replaced droves of clerks. Sure people complain, but it happens so gradually (or gradually enough) that people will just eat crow like they always do.

Comment · 10 years ago
However it is possible that the perfect machine ends up being largely the same as human beings with a built in evolutionary path for advancement. Such machines would then face the same problems.
Comment · 10 years ago
Side question: what prevents a basic income from being a driving force behind an inflation jump making the system less stable?

For example: rent. Wouldn't landlords managing properties at the low end of the market price, raise those prices knowing people both 1. have more distribution control over their money (cash vs. coupons for things) and 2. More people in their target market have cash to pay.

Comment · 10 years ago
Welcome to corporate America. I agree with you, but the people on this forum are not writing comments defending the old boys club when they suggest her pay is not abnormal in the market. If we want to change these things it requires changes in government and regulation so we need to lobby for that change.
Comment · 10 years ago
I see it as defending the free market economy. I don't think any of them deserve hundred million dollar pay checks, but really the supply/demand of talented CEOs is so out of whack that the pay scales have ballooned. Welcome to capitalism. What I don't understand is why this general problem with CEO pay has to degrade into targeted Mayer bashing.
Comment · 10 years ago
Her severance would be due to a sale. There are lots of regular employees that get severance packages when they're let go due to a sale.

What's her severance in proportion to her annual salary along with tenure? The norm for my area/role, as an engineer, is 4 weeks per year of service. So 6 years would get me half a years salary, but you know what - it's only two weeks per year for "lesser" roles in my company such as support.

Comment · 10 years ago
The comment has context. So read: adopts much more responsibility than an engineer. On a day by day basis she makes decisions that have a more significant impact. She has to cover much more territory for understanding aspects over the whole organization.

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