Well if you read my comments on the dribbble shot, this was simply done as part of a Windows8 demo app in collaboration with MS for the Build conference. Our CEO demo'd an app we created just to show off the ease of which you can build apps with HTML, CSS and JS for the Windows8 app store.
Just thought it would be fun to slightly re-imagine the Hacker News logo, esp since it doesn't really have it's own. It just uses the Y-Combinator logo.
Also, as a creative, taking on projects for fun often is a terrific "creative release" where you can do whatever you want in the realm of creativity because there are not actual client requirements.
And FTR, I do plenty of my own stuff. Just check out my other dribbble shots, or my site (http://joelglovier.com).
This was answered on the same page that showed the logo, really. It was designed as an application icon, for a Hacker News reader demo application for Windows 8.
At least get pg to pay you for it. Seriously. He has the money, he should pay for it.