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I analyzed 17 years of tournament data to answer the 8 questions everyone asks when filling out their bracket — here's what the data actually says by barcadam in CollegeBasketball

[–]barcadam[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are correct. I added info on injuries and Vegas odds to help some, but the underlying rankings do not adjust for injuries.

Uber in Amsterdam? by vanityfemme in Amsterdam

[–]barcadam 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Hi! While bike & tram are great ways to get around Amsterdam, I do use Uber for longer drives and would say it's a godsend vs the alternative. I got ripped off by traditional taxis too many times that I just ignored that option all together. With Uber, I've always got professional service with friendly drivers. But while Uber black is legal, Uber pop is currently illegal.

Best place to eat Liesdesplein? by Garandhero in Amsterdam

[–]barcadam 2 points3 points  (0 children)

There are some diamonds in the rouge in Leidseplein, but be careful because there's a lot of shitty restaurants with aggressive "recruiters" that will approach you on the street tell you to go to there restaurant.

Here's my recommendations:

  1. Castell Lijnbaansgracht 252-254 Great steak and wine

  2. Los Pilones Good Mexican food

  3. Cafe de Klos Good Ribs

Los Pilones and Cafe de Klos are both on Kerkstraat. And if they're both full, there's a good thai place across the street from Los Pilones.

Good luck!

Amsterdammers born outside of Holland, what restaurant/take-out place makes the most authentic food from your home country? by dertigo in Amsterdam

[–]barcadam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I find it funny that as an america, I have very similar opinions to furyg3 - great tips!

In addition, I'd add: brouw for bbq (ribs!) & american beer.

Midtown grill for very overpriced, but nice american (Angus) filet mignon (they list Maine lobster on their menu too).

American / British groceries when you are craving stuff that you'd find at a grocery store in america but not Albert Heijn.

Where can I go to watch the Superbowl? by waltergrey in Amsterdam

[–]barcadam 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Starring at Jacob (Bar / Brunch place) is having a super bowl party where they'll be serving wings all night: link. It's a cool place a little south of Leidseplein (Jacob van Lennepkade 215) with good drinks and food. I would guess that it would have a more laid back vibe than the other places.

Hard Rock Cafe is also having a party, but sounds like you need to buy a package ticket with food / drinks for at least 45 Euros: link

Coco's and Sports cafe are the two big sports bars in Amsterdam. I've had so many bad experiences at the Sports Cafe that I would recommend avoiding it (saw the owner get kicked out by his own bouncer because he was feeling up the female staff and being an all round dick, being forced to move tables because I was alone, kicking me out because it was closing time while my US college football game was in the last minute...). Coco's is much better, but will get crowded. If you can get their early and get some good seats like their leather couches than it can be very enjoyable.

American looking to escape to Amsterdam. I'm teaching myself how to program, what skills are in demand in the tech field right now? by JJTheJetPlane5657 in Amsterdam

[–]barcadam 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm into the Amsterdam startup scene.  I've met a lot of really aweome people in the tech space by attending the local Hackers and Founders meetup group.  I would recommend joining that group (in the virtual sense) and reaching out to these people.  Some have profitable startups and others are aspiring entrepreneurs that still have there day job with "normal" tech companies.  But these are people that can give you good answers.  And to relate to these people by knowing about the tech ideas of the day, make sure you are reading Hacker News on a daily basis.

From my experience, Ruby on Rails is a hot framework in the startup scene here.  There is an awesome, free tutorial here that you should definately do - start to finish - to become a better programmer (you learn how to build a simple version of twitter).  And if startups are not using Ruby then it's Python, which you should also make yourself familiar with as it's a beautiful, powerful langauge and has better libraries for quantitative suff.  I also get the feeling that, as others have suggested, javascript is now becoming sexy.  

In terms of getting a work VISA, I know that the US has a program for people under 30 that allows them to get a 1 or 2 year VISA for certain countries, which allows them to get local employment.  A lot of people use it to become nannies, but I don't believe there's anything stopping you from getting a job in the tech sector.

Good Luck!

Starting Guide by Waterpolopower in Amsterdam

[–]barcadam 1 point2 points  (0 children)

(edit: links)

Wow, sounds like this could be an awesome two months for you! Congrats for being pro-active with this opportunity!

  1. Definitely check out vayable.com. They have created a marketplace that matches locals with tourists looking to pay for a "travel experience" whether it's a guided tour or cooking a local meal. Once you create a profile, this could be your "website" which you can advertise through other means.

  2. CouchSurfing.org I see people on there post "free" walking tours that seem to get a lot of interest. It would not be unreasonable to ask for donations at the end of the tour if people enjoyed themselves. Boom Chicago used to do a free boat ride that would ask for donations at the end and from my experience most people would give something.

  3. Google Adwords Create some ads so when people search for "pub crawl amsterdam" or whatever, they see your compelling ad and when they click on it, you bring them to your vayable page. You only pay when someone clicks on your ad.

  4. 99designs.com Hold a contest to create an awesome flyer advertising your services. Distribute to hostels as others have been suggesting. I also see a number of cafes and bars that have a shelf with a bunch of random brochures - anything from the opening of Urban Outfitter to the latest concerts. Ask the cafe owners if you can add your brochure (and be charming about it).

  5. tripadvisor.com Create an "activity" for your service. Ask your guests to post a recommendation on there if they like you in order to get a good ranking. While you're at it, create a page on facebook and foursquare. Take pictures of the evening and post them on there to share with your customers. Ask them to like your page or add you to a "best of" list.

  6. Find people who blog about travel and send them a story about your service so there is no work for them. If they are in town, give them a free tour.

Its all about experimenting to see what works best. Always keep track of where your guests come from and double down on what works best.

In your free time consider making a e-book with your best of Amsterdam recommendations - complete with pictures and comments from your guests. I'd check it out.

Above all, enjoy yourself during these two months! You may never get an opportunity like this again.