skysight-inc/HackerNews huggingface dataset:
The part that's frightening is major medical expenses. Any trip to the Emergency Room or stay in the hospital is going to run into the thousands, and easily into the tens of thousands of dollars. The regular non-emergent basic stuff can and should be taken care of at an Urgent Care or at your primary care physician's office. Those visits are usually less than a couple hundred bucks. And, those can be managed by paying cash.

If you're interested in buying supplemental Health Insurance, may I suggest reading Consumer Reports section on Health Insurance: http://www.consumerreports.org/health/insurance/health-insur...

They're a non-profit consumer advocacy company, and my $25 yearly subscription to their website pays for itself every single year. Great information and great advice.
It is used as evidence that the US involvement was just, rather than just self-interested.
The problem is partly social in nature IMHO: if you allow people to make unsustainable minimum wages (by that notion you could also allow child labour, Manchester Capitalism, Darwinian chaos etc.) so that they cannot afford health care, legal protection, education, transportation, it becomes easier to prey on the weak. In effect you are breeding a class society based on money.

Adam Smith ("invisible hand of the market") was quite aware of the Darwinian nature of business people, who will try any angle to "conspire against the public". The free market is effective, yet must kept under control by the law. Certain labour standards are part of that equation.
SEO Traffic Spider | Stumble Upon & Stumble Xchange | How Does It Work
SEO Traffic Spdier, SEO Traffic, Internet Marketing, SEO Services, Web Marketing, StumbleUpon, Stumble Upon, online community, website content, website marketing, more traffic, How StumbleUpon Works, Stumble, good content, better rankings, Stumble Exchange, immediate traffic, website visibility, stumble exchanging, Stumble Xchange, seo suite of services, seo copywriting, adwords optimization, adwords optimization experts, affordable seo, affordable seo services, article submission, directory submission, social bookmarking, submission packages, internet businesses, internet marketing, internet marketing company, internet money, link building services, freelance writing, do it yourself seo, articles, brand marketing, copy writing, directory submission packages, global seo, google adwords professional, google page rank, google submission, guaranteed search engine positioning
I think you are wrong. My daughter just made me a boat with flowers all over it, 2 drivers, and a guy with a light saber on a throne in the middle.

I agree there's more 'formed' pieces in LEGO these days, but I don't think that takes away from the creativity at all. It just gives you a few more bits to play with.

There's always been a sort of divide between people who prefer to only make the models in the instructions, and those who get creative and make whatever they like. It's a skill that needs developing. I'm sure Lego could do more to prompt kids to do that, maybe with generic sets that just have ideas and no instructions - "Build a crane", etc then ask the kid to photograph and upload it for a possible prize.

You can still buy specific general technics sets, they're part of the 'education' range, but afaik anyone can buy them.

http://www.legoeducation.com/store/detail.aspx?ID=1277&b...

Similarly you can buy a pack of about 30 minifigures which is fun, and part of the same range.

http://www.legoeducation.com/store/detail.aspx?CategoryID=15...

Also go into a LEGO store, and you can get a tub, and fill it up with whatever bits they have in the wall that week.

Lego is still one of the best toys for developing creativity, mathematics, etc.

BTW, If you missed it last time, http://gizmodo.com/5022769/exclusive-inside-the-lego-factory
If you move somewhere Kaiser Permanente serves, I've been very happy with them. For all the histronics about how bad the health care system is in the US, I've found the care is quite good if you do some research and are willing to pay for it. My policy is about $250 per month, covers all emergency and severe horrible things, I can visit my doctor within a few days of scheduling, I can get a metabolic panel and have the results emailed to me for $10, etc.
Words are not steam shovels. Steam shovels require a great deal of energy and effort to use properly.

Words, on the other hand, require very, very little energy to be useful. That is the point - the effort and energy required to learn what "(void )func(void );" is useful for is equivalent to the energy required to learn what "jmp %ax" is useful for ..

You cannot compare word-working with hard working. Words are flat - they all require a similar environment in order to function, namely that of a fertile mind and the interest to watch them grow in the name of usage.
I've worked as an ER/Critical Care nurse for 15 years, and this author is correct in saying that health care costs in this country are particularly opaque. I have absolutely no idea how much the stuff I do costs. That can be a good thing as well as a bad thing. I'm not tempted to ration care at all because someone doesn't have insurance. So, if you get sick, we take care of you regardless of ability to pay. We have to, it's the law.

But, the other part of the problem, is that people without insurance often come to the ER when they are ill, because they haven't established a relationship with a doctor or clinic. So, when they get sick, they go to the ER and purchase the most expensive care possible for their earache or sore throat.

Think about it, in the ER, we are trained and prepared to save lives in a heart attack, keep you alive long enough to have an operation if you get shot in the chest, or administer antidotes in case you get bitten by a rattle snake. We have all that equipment lying around just in case, and we're trained to use it. But, many of our patients have ear infections, runny noses, back aches and sore throats. Not exactly cost effective care.

A big reason for the lack of transparency in hospitl billing is that there are different tiers of payment depending on insurance. The hospital negotiates different rates with different categories of insurers.

Out of network private insurance pays full
price or at times refuses to pay full price. In-network private insurance generally negotiates a 70-80% rate. Medicare and state public insurance generally pays a 15-50% rate. Non-Insured patients get billed at the full rate, but generally only 20-30% of those people fully pay their bills. So, many hospitals will give you a discount if you pay cash within a month
or two of your visit.

Also, doctors aren't able to bill by the time they spend with you. Because of Medicare, the whole industry pays per diagnosis. So, if you get diagnosed with a pneumonia, Medicare pays a flat rate no matter how long you stay in the hospital, either 1 day or 10.

Finally, most hospitals, if they are making money at all, are operating on a 1-2% profit margin. It doesn't take much for them to go under, and they often need and get subsidized from the state or federal level.

15 years ago, I was very Conservative politically, thinking that market forces would sort it all out. But, the longer I work in health care, the more I think that we should just go to a single party payer system. I actually think that it would actually eliminate a lot of bureaucracy and cut a lot of costs. It'd be a hard sell in this country, though.
Garmin Edge 305 GPS with Cadence Sensor-The Personal Trainer
Whether you're prepping for your next century ride or want a more accurate way to measure your performance on the trails, take your training to the edge with the Garmin Edge 305 CAD GPS system having a cadence sensor which includes a self-calibrating, wireless speed sensor so you can monitor your pedaling cadence as you ride and measure your pedaling strokes per minute to the Edge and this 305 CAD GPS Navigator will help you to always know where you are and how far you've gone.I have got the best deal of Garmin Edge 305 GPS at buyelect.com.
Sup Dawg, We heard you like tumors so we...

No?

I'll get my coat.
IMHO, Bill seems to be a borderline psycho that could do anything as a businessman.

His DoJ deposition tapes are amazing to watch.
Yeah, I agree with you. My metric was erroneous, and I noticed too late to edit the comment. Thanks for calling me on it.
You can use Steve Yegge’s js2 mode, it detects issues of this type and warns you.

http://code.google.com/p/js2-mode/
Do you feel the same about starting a startup? Isn't that what most of HN readers are into anyways?
Why is he being down voted? Surely you may disagree, but it is not so far away from reality that it is more democratized now than a few decades ago.
Second hand Japanese Cars for Kenya and Zambia
Kenya and Zambia are big importers of Japanese used Vehicles in Africa. Recently Kenya and Zambia have changed the regulations for importing used Japanese cars. Pre-shipment inspection by JEVIC is now necessary for importing used Japanese cars to Zambia and Kenya.This post gives more details about these new export regulations for these African countries.
12 Year Old Gives a Google Tech Talk on JQuery
Devil won’t wear THIS Prada
> I said that all else being equal, the country with the higher minimum wage will have higher unemployment, because there is a larger barrier to entry to the job market.

While this seems a straight-forward thought, the fact whether or not minimum wages affect employment is undecided amongst economists.

Charges of ideological bias are flung from both sides, but there seems to be no concensu: "Until the 1990s, economists generally agreed that raising the minimum wage reduced employment. This consensus was weakened when some well-publicized empirical studies showed the opposite, but others consistently confirmed the original view. Today's consensus, if one exists, is that increasing the minimum wage has, at worst, minor negative effects." [1]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage#Empirical_studies

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimum_wage#Surveys_of_economi...
Actually the Dutch are much more open minded, individualistic then other continental European nations. This is reflected in their openness and willingness to engage in conversation etc. They seem to have an interesting blend between individualist and collectivist. The Germans e.g. are much more conform and shy (Dutch and German soccer teams play very different: Dutch allow for some action, while Germans play according to formations they've practiced).

Before the U.S. economy took off in the 20th century, it was the UK and Netherlands which had the most dynamic and open market place. Further, the Netherlands were always a tolerant place for divergent political and religious views.
We're launching June 1st, now that you asked, and I am looking for graphic designers :-)

As I stated clearly, do not join a startup for the salary. The ratio of dollar/headache is very low, and it hardly makes a wise choice if you have another offer for the same pay at an established company. By the same token, I probably wouldn't want to hire someone who didn't want to bleed with me on the baby company :-)

P.S. Don't let what a the majority of a community are "into" persuade you into behaving ways you wouldn't.
They also seem to be the tallest country: http://www.newyorker.com/archive/2004/04/05/040405fa_fact
Fast, cheap, long battery life -- pick zero. Or did I miss something?
Why would you be annoyed at this? It's not a dominant perspective, one that you hear every day.

Your statement, while pithy, misses the point.
Snake oil. False advertising. Advertising that stokes and intensifies desires far beyond the point at which they would exist sans advertising. Wanting a marshmallow now vs. two marshmallows later. Pepsi doing better on one-off taste tests, Coke doing better when consuming a 12-pack. Buying into the hype for something and deceiving yourself into believing it delivered. Misinterpretation. Projection. Insufficient information.
The Netherlands has a very strong history of working together. It was the only way to solve the never ending floods.

There was a good article from the NY Times posted a few weeks ago which provides a good summary of life in the Netherlands:
http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=595465
Python compiler package... I can think of a few better variable names
Seoindexsite.info-Deep Link Directory
I found Professional web directory offering premium and free submissions. Locate the most suitable category before you submit your site.
Useful jQuery plugins for Web Designers.
Good question. Because I thought of it first ( then Italy ).

What is it about the Ukraine that is curbing population growth? Also, what seems to increase population growth inside countries?
Just came here to post that. It really is amazing; incredibly handy for javascript development. (It even warns about redeclaring variables, all kinds of issues).
Chevy’s limited edition Bumblebee Camaro to launch
The car, available with either V6 or V8 power, will be available for order June 1 and the first cars are scheduled to roll down the assembly line on the 24th of that month, which, not coincidentally, is the same day the movie is scheduled for released in the U.S.
Looks like Seattle isn't covered by them - any other suggestions for providers? I've looked at Blue Cross, but I'm really quite clueless when it comes to which ones to go with and which ones to avoid. Any help would be awesome.

For the record, the company's offering is through Aetna - and my brief overview online comes up with some pretty bad horror stories. What's the general impression of them on HN?
"That was less true when Gates took it than it is now. Now, scores are "recentered", so you can get a couple questions wrong and still get a perfect 800."

Not true, for the math anyway. You can get a few wrong on the verbal section and still get an 800, and don't ask me how the writing works.

In any case, the effects of the 1994 recentering on higher-end scores (for whatever they're worth) are greatly exaggerated.
.NET Application Development | .NET Programmers For Hire 
Microsoft Certified .Net Development Company Offers ASP .Net Development, Offshore .Net Application Development, Dot Net Software Development Services.Offer cost effective - high quality outsourced services in Microsoft .NET Technologies in USA. Hire our expert, dedicated, experienced Offshore ASP.NET, ASP, VB, VB.NET, C#, C#.NET Developers.
I remember the first time I ran DR-DOS. It was so superior to MS-DOS it wasn't funny. It's a shame it didn't have the strategy to kill MS-DOS off.
I didn't read what he said as one being "better" than the other. Just "here are two options, pick which one you prefer".
It's a review of the book by the guy who wrote two articles from the Atlantic article that were popular on HN recently:
[http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200501/kirn]
[http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200711/multitasking]
Harihareshwar Beach
(Edit:Removed, so not to confuse people. Brain malfunction.

Didn't get the point that without new metastasis, the article's point is that the mutations of a given tumor will kill it.)
Payoff Over a Web Singing Sensation Is Elusive
In Defense of Distraction
Female Programmer Privilege Checklist:

Guilting every male programmer for both real and imagined slights.

The beauty of startups is that no one cares who or what you are, so long as you can deliver. So stop complaining , AND BUILD SOMETHING ALREADY.
60% of companies still use IE6 as their default browser (plus poll)
How Sesame Street Changed the World
Safari 4 beta leaves data, privacy trail in its wake
Python's CleverCSS
I am delighted whenever I read a Dijkstra EWD. He might be rather "angry", but he is often so damn right it hurts.
The problem with operators is that they have a binding strength. If you want the expression 7 + x * 4 to evaluate correctly operator * must be stronger than operator +. If programmers can define their own operators they'll either have to supply binding strength as a numeric parameter (ugly) or relative to other operators. For instance, you could have a list of operators per class type, where the first operator in the list is the strongest, and the last operator the weakest. You can then insert your operator in the "right" place in the list to specify the strength. This is a reasonable solution, but you'll run into different problems when two libraries each define operators on the same types. Either way it's not going to be an elegant solution.

It also is a problem on the grammar level. The expression 5--x is ordinarily parsed as 5 - (-x). But if you were to introduce an operator -- the meaning of that statement would change to 5 -- x. So the introduction of user defined operators can change the meaning of an expression.

Overloading and user defined operators is a hairy, hairy topic, and the "anything goes" approach is not necessarily the right solution.
Think about it, in the ER, we are trained and prepared to save lives in a heart attack, keep you alive long enough to have an operation if you get shot in the chest, or administer antidotes in case you get bitten by a rattle snake. We have all that equipment lying around just in case, and we're trained to use it. But, many of our patients have ear infections, runny noses, back aches and sore throats. Not exactly cost effective care.

That's one of the biggest goofs of the American medical system. Trying to treat catastrophic care and routine care in exactly the same way makes it difficult to craft a system that works. The right insurance policy to pay a $50,000 accidental injury claim is not the right policy to get $25 worth of tetracycline. In trying to combine an insurance policy against large unforeseen medical costs with a prepaid, tax-free, employer sponsored routine care spending account, we've created an ungainly monster that just about does neither. Like those ridiculous "boat-cars" they tried to build in the 60's. Look! Its a boat and a car! No, its a car that barely drives and a boat that barely floats.
Andrew Lipson's Lego Sculptures: Escher, Rodin, Dilbert and more.
SEO Services
The SEO Services provided by Submitedge ensures that each directory submission would be of relevance to the client's site. Each directory which is chosen for directory submission is has its base upon lineage and dependability. Any popular search engine that in point of fact meticulously maintains a directory must fulfill certain criteria.
This is the full length-version of http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=624887, which contains no different information. It seems likely that the other story is copied from this Business Week article without attribution for compilation among other short stories about business for an ebook.
Building Successful Global Teams
maybe it's time .. same was saying for software a few years before but that didn't stop it ..
Naruto Games
Naruto Scene is a free Naruto site with Naruto Avatars, Naruto Episode Guide, Naruto Games, Naruto Manga, Naruto Music, Naruto Wallpapers and more!
GitHub's Hg-Git mercurial plugin
Maybe it also gives hope for a new cancer therapy: induce tumors on tumors. Similar to radiation therapy, except indirect.
Incanter is a Clojure, R-like statistical computing and graphics environment
Most (nearly all) dinosaurs were smaller than current whales.

To get a first hand impression, please visit the Museum of Natural History in New York City, which has many skeletons of both in display.
The original anti-singularity book: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6del,_Escher,_Bach
Medical Alert Systems
Distributor of emergency medical monitoring equipment.
Poll: Should we ban TechCrunch?
Ask YC: Ban TechCrunch?

I know this was discussed a few months ago, but I think TechCrunch has significantly changed for the worse over that time. It is too biased and unprofessional to serve the important role in the startup community that it has assumed. My 3 problems with TechCrunch are:

1) Strong negative bias

TechCrunch has started personal vendettas against Last.fm (http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/22/deny-this-lastfm/ http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/02/20/did-lastfm-just-hand-over-user-listening-data-to-the-riaa/ http://www.techcrunch.com/2009/05/23/another-blanket-denial-by-lastfm/) where they continously bring strongly trust anonymous reports but practically ignore official statements from Last.fm and CBS. Furthermore, all those posts were made entirely based on anonymous sources, without reaching the Last.fm/CBS parties for comment.

2) Strong positive bias

The last 500 posts on TechCrunch contain 1200 mentions of Twitter. Twitter is clearly getting more TC coverage than any other startup in existence. Twitter and Twitter Search are always mentioned as a source, but you'd never see the phrase "a Google search reveals..". On top of that, TC covers random and uninmportant events such as a 104-year old woman using Twitter (followed by a denial), an astronaut using Twitter (followed by a denial), a cat using Twitter, Kanye West not being happy with Twitter, ad nauseam.

3) Censorship

There are reports of people that had their comments deleted from TC because they argued againt TC's position. The most recent example is http://twitter.com/alexmuller/status/1903186356

Should TechCrunch be banned from News.YC?
Yes, ban TechCrunch
No, don't ban TechCrunch
Do you feel newbies are being misled? Isit not the case that older hands are sufficiently aware of TC's proclivities? Is it not enough simply to flag the contributions when they are clearly wrong, or down-mod stupid, irrelevant or content-free comments?

What would banning them add? Is it impossible that they might yet say something useful?
Based on what metrics?

Where are your #s coming from? What are you defining as "a computer scientist"?
>> "Is it impossible that they might yet say something useful?"

I'm struggling to remember the last useful TC 'article'. Any example?

edit: It's quite hard to remember a TC article that didn't mention twitter also ;)

Maybe it'd be better to just create 2 front pages - one with everything, and one which removes some of the less useful gossip sites.

I agree with the OP - in the last few months TC seems to have descended into gossip and rumor.
I'm gonna go with ban but not categorically. I'd guess most of us have TC in our RSS feeds. We don't need reposts to HN for every new blurb that comes along. Rarely there is an interesting tidbit that merits discussion here. Rarely. We don't really need to use HN as an aggregator.

That said, the voting system does a decent job of keeping excessive TC off the front page. Lets just agree to think about the kind of discussion that can be had about each TC submission and act accordingly.
I am the wrong person to ask, I consider myself a contentious objector to the insurance cartels.
You could do what I do and just not click on any link to a TechCrunch article.
Agreed. But how much does that benefit outweigh the obvious negative? And is the amount of bile being spewed by the TechCrunch writers good for the startup community?