MurphyA/hacker-news huggingface dataset:
by simoncion | 2026-01-27 16:36:00+00:00
> The violence in Minnesota--that is, law enforcement killing people who are not obeying them--is nothing new. Happens in every state every day.

Sure, agreed.

> ICE deporting people isn't new, either.

Yeah, agreed.

> What's new is the folks trying to stop federal agents from doing their jobs...

Nah. Cops of all flavors have been lying (even under oath) about how they beat the shit out of (or assaulted with chemical weapons (or killed)) someone because "I was afraid for my life", "I was being obstructed during the discharge of my lawful duties", and similar for ages. That's nothing new.

What is probably new is the scale of the deployments of killer cops. What's definitely new is the extent of the media coverage of the obviously-illegal-but-roughly-noone-will-be-punished actions of many of those cops.

That these cops are injuring folks, stealing and breaking their property, kidnapping folks, and killing folks is one huge fucked-up thing. The other huge fucked-up thing is that approximately noone will ask "So, why aren't these cops immediately in jail awaiting trial? Why don't the courts think this is obviously illegal? What has gone wrong here?". Instead, this will generally be pinned on either the Trump Administration, or Trump personally... so once he's out of office, folks will go "Job's done!" and nothing will change to fix the underlying long-standing problem. [0]

[0] Do carefully note: I'm absolutely not saying that the Trump Administration (or perhaps Trump, himself) is blameless. They absolutely are responsible for the flood of poorly-trained ICE officers who pretty clearly have orders to engage in domestic terrorism. I'm pointing out that these domestic terrorists absolutely should be immediately sent to jail for what they've done. Trump and the Trump Administration have pretty much nothing to do with the fact that USian cops can kidnap, brutalize, steal, and murder with almost complete impunity... that's a long-standing problem.
by ImPostingOnHN | 2026-01-27 16:36:12+00:00
> There are structural incentives online that reward signaling, amplification

Those same structural incentives reward people organizing around a topic about which they're genuinely both passionate and informed. So how are you determining the difference?

> and rapid norm enforcement over slower, substantive engagement

Different people have different opinions over whether violation of norms should be tolerated, and how quickly. Note that this is different from tolerating disagreement, but some disagreement is so heinous as to violate norms in and of itself (e.g. a nazi salute).

> That does not require explicit coordination to function like a pile on, and it does not require bad intent from participants.

Sure, but a "pile on", which I'll refer to by the more impartial term "many people disagreeing with a person or their take" or "many people validly expressing that a person has violated norms" is totally okay and valid in a society. The speed and degree of that enforcement is itself a social norm, and if it seems people prefer a high speed and high degree, then that is the norm.

I could speculate why that has become the norm, but I'll just generalize that there is a lot of hurt going around, and a lot of callousness to it, and a lot of failures of the traditional ways of addressing it.
by schaefer | 2026-01-27 16:36:28+00:00
Sure.
I am not a lawyer, but I can give one example to the best of my ability.

One Civil liberty I see Ice violating is the Fourth Amendment which protects against unreasonable search and seizure. But, for Boarder Patrol (under the Department of Homeland Security) there is a border search exception to the forth amendment. Border patrol can conduct searches without a warrant or reasonable suspicion.

You might be on the fence about that. We do have to protect our boarders... sure. but the way the law is written, this border exception is applicable anywhere 100 miles from the border.

That area covers 2/3rds of the population of the United States.
--

So if you are wanting a power grab against your own citizens you would definitely try to use that loophole in creative ways. And that starts by using DHS staff that can claim their actions fall under the border search exception.

This write up is a little off the cuff, so the details might be loose, but I hope this demonstrates the rough outline.
by tokyobreakfast | 2026-01-27 16:36:33+00:00
> Now it seems Amazon is going to leave us a grocery desert yet again.

There are more reasons you live in a food desert than Amazon shuttering it's doomed-to-failure minimart of the future. Like Seattle's crazy defacto-legalized shoplifting problem for instance, which forced one store to be remodeled into a prison-like maze:

https://www.kiro7.com/news/local/changes-qfc-location-bring-...
by aix1 | 2026-01-27 16:36:35+00:00
To clear up potential confusion, you seem to be talking about the Gemini app (https://gemini.google.com).

The article is about AI Overviews, a feature of Google Search (the LLM-generated box that sometimes shows up above the search results).

They're powered by the same pretrained model but, in true Google style, are two otherwise unrelated products built by two completely separate orgs.

Then there's AI Mode (https://www.google.com/ai), NotebookLM and probably some others I'm forgetting right now. :)
by superkuh | 2026-01-27 16:36:58+00:00
As much as I dislike TikTok, I dislike this dangerous mischaracterization even more. If you start propagating the meme that screens are like chemically addictive drugs the governments of the world will feel emboldened to use violence force to 'regulate' them. Screens are not drugs. They do not directly manipulate the biochemistry of incentive salience regardless of valence of perceived stimuli. They just provide enjoyable stimuli. It is VASTLY different. Conflating them is playing in to the hands of the authoritarians.
by ryandrake | 2026-01-27 16:37:06+00:00
> TikTok is known for tipping the scales on political keywords everywhere.

All social media does this. Even HN (through its users flagging articles). This article will be flagged by users and removed from the front page very soon, just as a similar one[1] was already.

1: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46777652
by adgjlsfhk1 | 2026-01-27 16:37:13+00:00
> Wait hang on, would they "control" file by finding natural sources (volcano, lightning strike wildfire, etc.) and then make use of that source for controlled sources of light/heat/etc?

Pretty much. Being able to transfer/build a fire is a lot easier than starting one. Fire starting requires bow/flint&steel and a lot of patience. Control basically means using simple torches to transfer fire from one place to another (where the initial source is either lightning/wildfire or embers of a previous fire).
by Forgeties79 | 2026-01-27 16:37:13+00:00
I don’t think that’s the lesson here if you’re looking for one. I think it’s just a clarity/phrasing issue. If that’s not what you meant then that’s fine, no harm no foul as far as I’m concerned. I was just going off how I read it.

If you’re looking for feedback, “I’m not saying…” without saying what you are saying generally comes off as obfuscating or at best wishy washy.
by augusteo | 2026-01-27 16:37:17+00:00
The "1000 people in India watching cameras" reveal was the moment the magic died. Once you know the wizard is just a guy behind a curtain, you can't unsee it.

The interesting question isn't whether the tech was ready. It wasn't. The question is whether Amazon learned anything useful from the attempt.

Computer vision for retail checkout is a legitimate hard problem. Occlusion, similar-looking products, people changing their minds. I've worked on CV pipelines and the gap between "works in the demo" and "works at scale" is brutal.

My guess: they collected a ton of training data from those human reviewers. Whether they'll use it for a v2 or just write it off, who knows.
by whartung | 2026-01-27 16:37:18+00:00
Starting with Assembly is simply a bad idea because the tooling is terrible, and the learning curve of the tooling is steep. Filled with arcane codes and abbreviations and workflow right out the gate.

Programming concepts are pretty much universal. Being distanced from computer architecture is not a limitation for novice programmers, Python et al succeeds for a reason.

If you're determined to start with assembly, then I hope you can find someone to help you get started with all the machinations necessary to get from LDA #0 to A9 00 with as little drama as possible. Someone to show you how to use the assembler, what the directives mean, the linker, a symbolic debugger (if you're lucky). Someone to provide you with a .DUMPREG "START OF SORT" and .DUMPMEM BUFF $80 "AFTER INPUT" macros that you can liberally scatter throughout your code so you actually progress and get some insight into what the heck you code is doing. Perhaps some way to stop your programs that doesn't include hitting the reset button on the machine.

I mention that because, again, the tooling is terrible. All of the is easier said than done. None of the assembly books address this, none of the assembly program reference guides do either. Assembly is VERY black box. It's a large step up to even get started.

It's much easier to "learn programming" first at a higher level, where you can quickly progress and succeed, before turning into the dark hole that is assembly, particularly on older machines.

At least on a KIM-1 you can hit the STOP button and cursor through memory (being conscious that the memory architecture of the KIM is quite funky), something that simple is quite difficult on an Apple ][.
by b00ty4breakfast | 2026-01-27 16:37:46+00:00
even setting aside the particulars of a US-controlled tik-tok, that our entire view of the world is through these narrow balistraria controlled by a few platforms is extremely detrimental to a free society, especially one so dependent on the flow of information.

You could leave tik-tok but that's where folks are at and the average tik-tok viewer is unlikely to leave their dank maymays just because of some "alleged" (and I use that term lightly) censorship
by augusteo | 2026-01-27 16:37:52+00:00
Technical blogs from infrastructure companies used to serve two purposes: demonstrate expertise and build trust. When the posts start overpromising, you lose both.

I don't know enough about this specific implementation to say whether "implemented Matrix" is accurate or marketing stretch. But the pattern of "we did X" blog posts that turn out to be "we did a demo of part of X" is getting tiresome across the industry.

The fix is boring: just be precise about what you built. "We prototyped a Matrix homeserver on Workers with these limitations" is less exciting but doesn't erode trust.
by embedding-shape | 2026-01-27 16:38:09+00:00
As long as you take ownership, test your stuff and ensure it actually does what you claim it does, I don't mind if you use LLMs, a book or your dog.

I'm mostly concerned that something we used to see as a part of basic "software engineering" (verify that what you build is actually doing what you think it is) has suddenly made a very quick exit from the scene, in chase of outputting more LOC which is completely backwards.
Show HN: PolyMCP – Expose Python and TypeScript Functions as MCP Tools
by justvugg | 2026-01-27 16:38:22+00:00
I built PolyMCP, a framework that lets you transform any Python or TypeScript function into an MCP (Model Context Protocol) tool ready to be used by AI agents — no rewriting, no complex integrations.

Examples

Python function:

from polymcp.polymcp_toolkit import expose_tools_http

def add(a: int, b: int) -> int:
"""Add two numbers"""
return a + b

app = expose_tools_http([add], title="Math Tools")

Run with:

uvicorn server_mcp:app --reload

AI agents can now call add(3, 4) directly.

TypeScript function:

import { z } from 'zod';
import { tool, exposeToolsHttp } from 'polymcp';

const uppercaseTool = tool({
name: 'uppercase',
description: 'Convert text to uppercase',
inputSchema: z.object({ text: z.string() }),
function: async ({ text }) => text.toUpperCase(),
});

const app = exposeToolsHttp([uppercaseTool], { title: "Text Tools" });
app.listen(3000);

Agents can call uppercase("hello") and get "HELLO" instantly.

Business workflow function (Python example):

import pandas as pd
from polymcp.polymcp_toolkit import expose_tools_http

def calculate_commissions(sales_data: list[dict]):
df = pd.DataFrame(sales_data)
df["commission"] = df["sales_amount"] * 0.05
return df.to_dict(orient="records")

app = expose_tools_http([calculate_commissions], title="Business Tools")

Now AI agents can generate reports automatically.

Why it matters
• Reuse existing code immediately: legacy scripts, internal libraries, APIs.
• Automate workflows: AI can orchestrate multiple tools reliably.
• Cross-language: expose Python and TypeScript functions on the same MCP server.
• Plug-and-play: no custom wrappers or middleware needed.
• Built-in reliability: input/output validation and error handling included.

PolyMCP makes any Python or TypeScript function immediately usable by AI agents, standardizing integration across enterprise software.

Repo: https://github.com/poly-mcp/Polymcp
by smithza | 2026-01-27 16:38:24+00:00
Amusing Ourselves to Death by Neil Postman is the book that comes to mind with this article link. 2 years ago my wife and I took the TV off the wall. My kids don't have Bluey or the latest Disney cartoon to keep them company. I am not going back... It has been the most blissful time. Amazing that the TV is not required to lead a thriving life despite what the incessant sales-industrial-complex will tell you.
by throwup238 | 2026-01-27 16:38:28+00:00
Our last common ancestor with our closest non-human primates (Pan genus) diverged about 6-8 million years ago, so what constitutes “human” is murky and I don’t think archaeologists give the matter much thought. “Human” means homo sapiens, “archaic human” means a few subspecies like neanderthals up to about 600 kYA, and the rest are just “hominins”.

We have both observational and archaeological evidence of tool use in chimpanzees, macaques, and capuchins so it’s a pretty widespread behavior. I think the archaeological evidence for monkeys only goes back about four thousand years but thats because we havent studied the issue as much in archaeology.
by pjc50 | 2026-01-27 16:38:36+00:00
The Spectator is 99% opinion pieces. They're not somewhere I'd go for news. It all seems a bit unconfirmed sources. Zhang being purged is confirmed on the BBC and absolutely everywhere else, along with pointing out that there's been a "clean sweep" of senior PLA staff. The street violence seems a bit less corroborated.

(by contrast, while the Daily Mail is absolutely terrible at opinion and domestic news, they seem to have some capacity left for doing overseas reporting that isn't just wire service, so if they report on overseas events you can be reasonably sure that something like that happened)
by sheept | 2026-01-27 16:39:07+00:00
our university has been rolling out just walk out markets across campus due to rampant stealing. shopping there doesn't feel like stealing, but the store design feels oppressive with racks of cameras and thick black shelves because it's designed for sensors first not humans

one minor downside (especially since I don't live on campus anymore) is that in order to walk around and peruse the shelves, I have to give them my payment info just to enter
by not_clear | 2026-01-27 16:39:11+00:00
As mentioned in the link above, Assembly Lines is still in print as a paper book (maybe it's print on demand, but it's a hardcover).

I just noticed that Understanding the Apple IIe also got a re-issue from Call-A.P.P.L.E. in 2024 (print edition from Lulu) - https://www.callapple.org/books-3/understanding-the-apple-ii... .
by snowpid | 2026-01-27 16:39:18+00:00
1.) These trade deals were discussed for 20 years.
2.) Politics always needs discussion of loosy "all people that matter"
3.) EU by definition has a broad definition of "everyone matters". That's why it is lame but that is why it is interesting for countries outside of the EU becoming a member.

4.) EU does get things done. Maybe you don't read the news (where do you live?)
by braincat31415 | 2026-01-27 16:39:28+00:00
I know about this, but again, this does not mean that Browder himself was squeaky clean. My opinion is that he bit off more than he could chew, aligned with the wrong crew and lost the fight with the people more powerful than he was. Of course I don't know anything for sure, but it is highly unlikely that an investment fund in the 90s Russia was compliant with the law. At the very least, a lot of wheels had to be greased in order to be able to operate, and that opens the door for more shady stuff. It is a bad example of an innocent person being referred to Interpol.
by augusteo | 2026-01-27 16:39:43+00:00
The mobility discussion is interesting to me as someone who navigated US immigration.

Moving countries is hard. Not just paperwork hard, but restarting-your-life hard. Credit history, professional networks, understanding how things actually work versus how they officially work.

If the mobility framework makes it meaningfully easier for skilled workers to move between India and Europe, that's significant. Not because of labor economics, but because talented people having more options is generally good for everyone.

The H1B system in the US has created a lot of anxiety and frustration. Competition for that talent pool seems healthy.
by sophacles | 2026-01-27 16:40:02+00:00
This youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/stefanmilo has a lot of good stuff. I don't know enough to know where he's right or wrong, but provides entry points for to looking more into it.

I have gone down a couple rabbit holes based on his videos and while it seems like he's occasionally gotten some facts wrong or misunderstood an argument, I'm pretty confident he's doing a decent job accurately representing the archaeology.
by MattDamonSpace | 2026-01-27 16:40:03+00:00
Not to be rude but there’s 4 Amazon Fresh locations in the greater Seattle area and each of them is next to multiple other large/small grocery options.

For instance, the one in north Seattle (Shoreline) is within eyesight of a Safeway, a Sprouts, two international markets and a chef wholesaler.

The other three locations are similarly crowded with options.

What food desert are you referring to?
by dchest | 2026-01-27 16:40:17+00:00
While Fossil uses SQLite for underlying storage (instead of filesystem directly) and various support infrastructure, its actual format is not based on SQLite: https://fossil-scm.org/home/doc/trunk/www/fileformat.wiki

It's basically plaintext. Even deltas are plaintext for text files.

Reason: "The global state of a fossil repository is kept simple so that it can endure in useful form for decades or centuries. A fossil repository is intended to be readable, searchable, and extensible by people not yet born."
by _fat_santa | 2026-01-27 16:40:18+00:00
> Unsure of the actual issues people run into at this point outside of very niche workflows or applications, to which, there are X11 fallbacks for.

I don't know if others have experienced this but the biggest bug I see in Wayland right now is sometimes on an external monitor after waking the computer, a full-screen electron window will crash the display (ie the display disconnects).

I can usually fix this by switching to another desktop and then logging out and logging back in.

Such a strange bug because it only affects my external monitor and only affects electron apps (I notice it with VSCode the most but that's just cause I have it running virtually 24/7)

If anyone has encountered this issue and figured out a solution i am all ears.
by jacquesm | 2026-01-27 16:40:39+00:00
This is building an interesting case for those that say that the rest of the world can not build successful competitors to US entities: they can, but then they get taken away. I wouldn't use TikTok, but I find the whole situation a bit strange, ostensibly the rest of the world has a capability problem, but then when they are successful that can't left to stand.
by WorldMaker | 2026-01-27 16:40:41+00:00
"Dieselpunk" is sometimes considered the next door neighbor term for WW1 through early 1950's retrofuturism with electricity and radios/very early televisions.

Sometimes people use "Steampunk" for shorthand for both because there are some overlaps in either direction, especially if you are trying for "just" pre-WWI retrofuture. Though I think the above poster was maybe especially trying to highlight the sort of pre-WWI overlap with Steampunk with more electricity but not yet as many cars and "diesel".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieselpunk
by mattkrause | 2026-01-27 16:41:04+00:00
Research is going up; clinical is going down.

The idea behind the recent boom in low-field stuff is that you'd like to have small/cheap machines that can be everywhere and produce good-enough images through smarts (algorithms, design) rather than brute force.

The attitude on the research side is essentially "por qué no los dos?" Crank up the field strength AND use better algorithms, in the hopes of expanding what you can study.
by vadiml | 2026-01-27 16:41:15+00:00
I've been working on extending CDC File Transfer to support Linux→Linux and macOS builds. This is an open-source project born from Google Stadia – fast file sync tools (cdc_rsync) and a streaming filesystem (cdc_stream) that use Content Defined Chunking (FastCDC) to transfer only the changed portions of files.

Originally Windows→Linux only, designed for game developers to iterate on 40+ GB builds. The CDC-based diffing is up to 30x faster than rsync (1500 MB/s vs 50 MB/s).

What I added (40 commits):

Linux Client Support:

Ported cdc_rsync client to run on Linux (was Windows-only)
Added process_linux.cc (~700 lines): Process management using fork/execve
Added port_manager_linux.cc: Port detection using POSIX shared memory
Now you can sync Linux→Linux, not just Windows→Linux
macOS Support:

Full build support for macOS (ARM64 and x86_64)
Fixed 17+ platform-specific issues:
/tmp, /var, /etc are symlinks to /private/* – breaks path comparisons
POSIX shared memory rounds ftruncate() up to 16KB, rejects shrinking
BSD fts_* API reports Bazel runfiles symlinks as FTS_SL not FTS_F
strerror(0) returns different strings per platform
stat64 doesn't exist on macOS (just use stat)
All 41 tests now pass on macOS
Infrastructure:

GitHub Actions CI for Linux and macOS (self-hosted runner for macOS)
Added comprehensive CLAUDE.md for AI-assisted development
The project uses Bazel with gRPC, protobuf, and FUSE. Dependencies via git submodules or http_archive.

GitHub (original): https://github.com/google/cdc-file-transfer
My fork: https://github.com/Vadiml1024/cdc-file-transfer

I've been using Claude Code (Anthropic's AI coding assistant) for most of this work. Happy to discuss the experience or the technical challenges.