Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: Cool Things You've Done (Brag Thread)

news.ycombinator.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

21–30 of 253 posts

Re: Ask HN: Cool Things You've Done (Brag Thread)

#21

Post by arethuza »

I grew up in a fishing village in the north of Scotland - when I was 19 one of my school friends insisted that I experience what it is like working on a trawler in the North Sea.

After a few days of sea sickness, hard work, lack of sleep, and fear I probably would have shot myself if someone had given me a loaded pistol.

Nothing I did since then (and I had summer jobs while I was a student doing things like weeding large fields of barley, digging ditches etc.) was anything like that.

So I learned to have a LOT of respect for people who don't have the chance to make lots of money sitting at a computer for most of the day.

Re: Ask HN: Cool Things You've Done (Brag Thread)

#22

Post by froo »

* I lead the charge in 2008 to win the Best Act Ever award for Rick Astley at the MTV EMA's

* I was the youngest competitor at a car rally event here in Australia, competing against the likes of Sir Jack Brabham. (side note, we managed to get the porsche off the clock at nearly 300 km/hr)

* I designed a forced induction cooling system (originally for the same Porsche - the waste heat was then distributed to the fuel rail as a warmer), which then subsequently sold the idea to a racing team here in Australia. I'm pretty sure they shelved it.

* Some years ago, I accidentally set naughty bits on fire while trying to cook Ramen.

Re: Ask HN: Cool Things You've Done (Brag Thread)

#24

Post by ErrantX »

buro9 wrote: post #17
tome wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up on the streets, and how did you end up off them?

Rough family, poverty. I grew up in council housing in West London, there was physical violence and there was crime everywhere around. I put myself on the streets to get myself away from the immediate physical danger and to prevent myself from continuing the vicious cycle of being nurtured in crime having that define my own life. Whilst on the streets I hitch-hiked around, and as I did so I discovered that you slept…

I dont think I can post my list of "achievements" now; not much could nail that as a personal achievement :) Kudos.

By the way; how did you manage to fix the brit? (if you dont mind me asking). That tickled me.

Post reply on HN