HNHacker News
TopNewBestAskShowJobs

MontgomeryPi2

105 karma · joined February 24, 2023

submissionscomments
MontgomeryPi2··on Slacking, career goals/development, and mgmt pressure in corporate analytics
Just another IC here but I've seen middle managers just bureaucratize an existing process for their benefit. Something like: a) identify a process that is working well/delivering results b) insert a reporting procedure/step for everyone to now follow on the process (e.g. Google Forms) c) manager then builds a weekly report on reporting data collected d) manager circulates their report up/down the org to show their value as part of successful process e) bonus: internally tout the innovative new reporting process as a big win and highlight the 100% adoption rate achieved

So, if all these "colleagues all throughout the org" come to you, you could potentially put in place a request process to document and report on all these interactions and what you delivered. So your metrics are the number of requests you handle and the "successful outcomes" are just fulfilling those requests. In short, document everything. Lot's of unnecessary busywork to gatekeep your access? Yes, but there's your "tangible output".

MontgomeryPi2··on The subtle art of designing physical controls for cars
...and the Saab cup holder. Not a control per se but always fascinates the odd passenger. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/tjVN6p8VkPM
MontgomeryPi2··on IRS Direct File team disbanded
Hopefully doesn't impact eFile/Free File Fillable Forms or it's back to paper returns to the IRS for me vs HR Block
MontgomeryPi2··on White House rescinds federal aid freeze
Probably a large donor's money spigot was affected (e.g. FAFSA private loan servicers) and the WH got a call from them. Same with the plan to deport prisoners, queue the calls into the WH from private prison lobbyists in 3,2,1...
MontgomeryPi2··on What Expats Don't Tell You About Moving Abroad
Similar sentiment shared in this week's NY Times: https://archive.md/WwK1J

my .02, I had a great 3 year expat experience. I think the difference was I was young and in a large city. While I certainly connected with many locals, other expats from many different countries formed my core friend group and I was often inviting local colleagues out with us.

MontgomeryPi2··on The mystery of why left-handers are so much rarer (2016)
An easier snowboard test is to tell someone to turn around and tell them you are going to give them a push. Give them a shove to the upper back and see which foot they put forward first to brace.
MontgomeryPi2··on Things I Learned from Doing Triathlon in My 70s (2023)
Older runner as well and have also had to take sporadic time off to deal with plantar fascitis, IT band, achilles, etc. Agree with listening to your body and what I'm hearing is slow down to stretch out my total running lifespan/days. I'd rather run 5K every other day on gravel/dirt paths indefinitely than risk some really long term injury running 26 miles on asphalt (seen others have to hang up their running shoes after doing the big races).
MontgomeryPi2··on Want to start a startup? Meet all the YC partners in Boston – Apr 20th
Maybe an end-around? Here are some Harvard summer courses... https://courses.dce.harvard.edu/?srcdb=202403&summer_school=.... (a long time ago now, I landed a job this way because I said I was "studying at Harvard")
MontgomeryPi2··on How to do things if you're not that smart and don't have any talent
The article made me think of General Kurt von Hammerstein-Equord's officer classification: "I distinguish four types. There are clever, hardworking, stupid, and lazy officers. Usually two characteristics are combined. Some are clever and hardworking; their place is the General Staff. The next ones are stupid and lazy; they make up 90 percent of every army and are suited to routine duties. Anyone who is both clever and lazy is qualified for the highest leadership duties, because he possesses the mental clarity and strength of nerve necessary for difficult decisions. One must beware of anyone who is both stupid and hardworking; he must not be entrusted with any responsibility because he will always only cause damage."
MontgomeryPi2··on Daft Social: Anti-social social network for minimalists
Nice idea, tks
MontgomeryPi2··on Daft Social: Anti-social social network for minimalists
I could see this being useful for a community-based website where it could be embedded into a page on the site (like an iframe), so many 'admins' could provide updates.
MontgomeryPi2··on Why are not all FAQ pages already powered by AI assistants?
Agreed and I don't know. For that matter, why not an AI assistant for the whole website? I think chat interfaces might take over site search. So good luck with Gali!

...I'm surprised OpenAI has not made Custom GPTs easily embeddable into a creator's own website, perhaps that is their next step. I don't know how they expect anyone to easily find Custom GPTs when there are 3 million in their GPT Store.

MontgomeryPi2··on Why can't today's young adults leave the nest? Blame high housing costs
My son found work last year in a seaside town, I helped him in finding an apartment over summer timeframe. I looked online in the usual places and there was near zero apartment inventory which I though was odd. Then I pulled-up AirBnB and there were hundreds of listings, all unaffordable of course. He did eventually find something, but only a 6-month off-season rental unit. Next summer will be same issue.
MontgomeryPi2··on The Difference Between Vermont and New Hampshire (2016)
Great read! As 'flatlander' with no residency bias here (MA), I visit NH and VT often and would say VT is the better place for a casual visit (can't comment on live). Those NH billboards and box stores add-up whereas the entire state of VT can seem like a large national park.
MontgomeryPi2··on Show HN: GPT-4V audit for your landing page
Good stuff! I actually had the same idea as I was building a custom GPT. Not as slick as your effort but if you want to take a look: https://chat.openai.com/g/g-lwQixzKwd-web-optimizer
MontgomeryPi2··on Anti-ChatGPT
fyi good article on where the ends of the horsehoe have bent toward each other I think: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-55957298
MontgomeryPi2··on “Stop Making Sense” is having a theatrical rerelease
Agreed. Peak studio album was Speaking in Tongues imho. I remember seeing Stop Making Sense at the theater originally and it had everyone dancing in the ailses (hadn't seen that before nor since).
MontgomeryPi2··on It's Cheaper to Live on a Boat Than Rent an Apartment in These U.S. Cities
The McGee series are fun reads, timewarp back to 60s/70s gumshoe work.
MontgomeryPi2··on Norway Fining Meta $98,500 per Day for User Privacy Breach
Indeed. How many centuries would Meta need to pay this fine before it starts to begin to hurt/be noticed I wonder.
MontgomeryPi2··on Ask HN: Deal with feeling of not knowing anything well enough?
Maybe consider a role 'following the money'? Perhaps your skills are even stronger than Gregg/Dean in either explaining/solutioning/selling/deploying the tech to solve your customer's problems.
MontgomeryPi2··on Show HN: Van, truck or car camp for $0 a night
It reminds me of a mooring exchange website I built 20 years ago, where boaters could freely exchange and/or temporarily use each other's moorings. I eventually pulled the plug because harbormasters were complaining about it and it was just consuming time (no monetization). Maybe I should try again with an annual fee ;)
MontgomeryPi2··on The Mellotron, an electronic keyboard of recorded samples, changed pop music
Obligatory Moody Blues song link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlMebMCru9s
MontgomeryPi2··on 12 years since Saab’s bankruptcy: Secret NEVS electric cars revealed
My first Saab odometer only had 5 digits (Saab 96). I remember it cycling past 99999, resetting, and ultimately driving it to about 13000 miles :)
MontgomeryPi2··on 12 years since Saab’s bankruptcy: Secret NEVS electric cars revealed
Interesting to see Top Gear wax nostalgic on Saab when they regularly sh*t on them back in the day. Saab pushback on GM is good now but was bad then? I suspect their takes had no small impact on sales. e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCpjyC6h9J4
MontgomeryPi2··on The decline and fall of the hit instrumental song
Thanks! Damn ChatGPT to provide a correct answer, the answer seemed right ;)
MontgomeryPi2··on The decline and fall of the hit instrumental song
I was curious so if anyone else wants to know: the last #1 instrumental song on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in the US was "Frankenstein" by The Edgar Winter Group
MontgomeryPi2··on Taking Back the Cannonball Run Record (2022)
For anyone interested, the coast-to-coast-to-coast Cannonball record (65:28) was set by a Saab 9-5 last year too. https://www.saabplanet.com/cannonball-run-record-a-saab-9-5-...

As for safety, I think these folks are safer drivers than many I see on our highways staring at their phones.

MontgomeryPi2··on Generative AI set to affect 300M jobs across major economies
I'll offer up gifted salesperson. The kind who might not even fully understand say the tech they are selling but have innate skills at reading the room, knowing what to chase/drop, etc. It's not like they teach this in college, but the training is self taught over years I suppose.
MontgomeryPi2··on Grand jury votes to indict Donald Trump
Bingo. This strategy doesn't 'backfire' if it helps Trump become the 2024 GOP candidate. Feature not bug.
MontgomeryPi2··on Secret ChatGPT plugins can be revealed by removing a parameter from an API call
Got it. Even better if it automatically suggested plugins to enable to help with a stated task.
Page 1 of 2Next →