MurphyA/hacker-news huggingface dataset:
by floatrock | 2026-01-20 17:21:33+00:00
and to op's point about

> Its military has force projection to nearly every point on the globe, with hundreds of global military bases

How are the hosts to all those bases going to react when suddenly the guest acts belligerent? When the ally drops down to an occupier, that force projection suddenly starts looking like occupation, which becomes a lot more expensive to maintain.

And the expense has worked until now because everyone else has wanted our currency so what's a bit more currency printing, but when we kick our own global reserve currency status because we fucked all of our allies, well now that "force projections becomes a lot more expensive" actually becomes expensive^squared.

This is absolutely idiotic for anyone who indulges in the privileges of empire.
by vablings | 2026-01-20 17:21:38+00:00
> Via passage of laws, Congress over the years has chosen to delegate a lot of responsibility to the executive branch

Part of the reason for this is that 2-year presidents are more common, they make promises within the first two years and even if they meet them, it can take years for effects to be seen in the general population, so the party loses majority in the midterms and then nothing happens politically for the remaining two years. Congress is often slow and burdensome (for good reason) but it always makes out for a disenfranchised voter base
by isodev | 2026-01-20 17:21:41+00:00
> The US is more stable than the powers of Europe (which have constant political upheavals, snap elections that completely remake the political landscape, etc)

Can you name 26 countries with the same level of unity and cooperation with the US as what exists between the 27 members of the EU (and larger economic zone)?

The US is but one country. If you zoom into states, you’d see a lot more bickering and division - y’all just sent your military against your own people just now…
by Spooky23 | 2026-01-20 17:21:46+00:00
From Article 1, Section 8: Powers of Congress:

The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States;

To borrow Money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate Commerce with foreign Nations, and among the several States, and with the Indian Tribes;

...

To coin Money, regulate the Value thereof, and of foreign Coin, and fix the Standard of Weights and Measures;

...

To make all Laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into Execution the foregoing Powers, and all other Powers vested by this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any Department or Officer thereof.

Congress's authority in this area was upheld by the foundational case McCulloch v. Maryland in 1819. The Federal Reserve System was created in 1913 by Congress via the Federal Reserve Act.

There's no serious argument that the Federal Reserve is unconstitutional. People who espouse this are ignorant of the facts and law, or are either quacks or have paid heed to the arguments are quacks.
by netbioserror | 2026-01-20 17:21:50+00:00
There are also many Americans who have always desired de-dollarization, since the dollar has been the foundation of our imperial system and abuses of state power. Say what you will about how dated a gold standard is, but it forces immediate fiscal responsibility upon governments; fiat currencies defer responsibility, turning it into a Sword of Damocles that catastrophically falls upon future generations. You trade geopolitical dominance now for guaranteed future withering. Of course, fiscal responsibility and the rejection of imperial ambition were core principles of the Anti-Federalists, Democratic-Republicans, and Whigs. It's baked into our history and tradition to not want to be the unilateral arbiters of a global trade and alliance system.
by polyglotfacto | 2026-01-20 17:21:53+00:00
I'm a maintainer of Servo which is another web engine project.

Although I dissented on the decision, we banned the use of AI. Outside of the project I've been enjoying agentic coding and I do think it can be used already today to build production-grade software of browser-like complexity.

But this an example of how NOT to do agentic coding.

If those agents kept running for years they still wouldn't be able to bring the project to anything resembling completion.

Why? Because the code is extremely bad from a conceptual perspective.

I've just looked into the IndexedDB implementation, which happens to be what I am working on at the moment in Servo.

Now, my work in Servo is incomplete, but conceptually the code that is in place makes sense and there is a clear path towards eventually implementing the thing as a whole.

The indexeddb code in Fastrender doesn't even attempt to build a foundation on which the web standard could eventually be implemented.

Example: Arc<Mutex<Database>> is never going to work, because by definition a production browser engine will have to involve multiple processes. That doesn't mean you need the IPC in a prototype, but you certainly should not have shared state--some simple messaging between threads would do.

I glanced around the codebase and spotted other such inconsistencies. It's actually very hard to understand much about the codebase, despite it implementing specifications I know well. For comparison, when I look at the code of Ladybird, another browser project, thanks to my experience with the Web platform and the clarity of the code I can immediately find my way around what is otherwise an unknown codebase.

The bots seemed also obsessed with the whole metering thing, which I understand can be a useful feature, but that doesn't mean the logic needs to be peppered all over.

Regarding the wow factor of it being able to render something decent to the screen: that is expected since it just requires plugging together existing libraries. Not a hard problem in and of itself.

So what do I propose instead of autonomous agents? The focus should shift towards demonstrating how AI can effectively assist humans in building well-architected software.

There is one very good idea in the project: adding the web standards directly in the repo so it can be used as context by the AI and humans alike. Any project can apply this by adding specs and other artifacts right next to the code.
by drob518 | 2026-01-20 17:21:59+00:00
To be clear, I’m not harshing on Meshtastic’s node counts. In some sense these systems are like packet ham radio. They appeal to a specific user base. I just question how their protocols are going to scale, and even 150 nodes is extremely small compared to the number of people around you who are using the Internet, WiFi, etc.

So, for instance, at the URL you referenced, it says at the bottom:

> As meshes grow larger and traffic becomes more contentious, the firmware will increase these intervals. This is in addition to duty cycle, channel, and air-time utilization throttling.

> Starting with version 2.4.0, the firmware will scale back Telemetry, Position, and other ancillary port traffic for meshes larger than 40 nodes (nodes seen in the past 2 hours) using the following algorithm:

> ScaledInterval = Interval * (1.0 + ((NumberOfOnlineNodes - 40) * 0.075))

> For example an active mesh of 62 nodes would scale back telemetry.device_update_interval to 79.5 minutes instead of the 30 minute default.

It looks like they are already building back-off strategies as the net scales, and that starts to happen at very low node counts (just 40). So, what happens when node counts hit 500 or 1000? Again, not trying to throw stones; just trying to understand how far these protocols can go and how they degrade/fail as they scale. Ideally, they don’t fall over and even possibly get more robust (with more nodes, there are typically more topological connections between nodes, which provides more possible paths and resiliency).
by alnwlsn | 2026-01-20 17:22:17+00:00
My goal is to be able to do all steps of the typical Meshtastic youtube tutorial without access to the internet.

I like to liken it to my other hobby of retrocomputing. In the old days, your whole OS and all the applications ran from a few floppies and a couple of books for documentation. If you need to duplicate the environment, just make copies of your disks. And of course you need an original set to start with. But nobody thinks of that as "offline", that's just the normal way it works, and yet it seems more offline than modern projects who claim to be offline.
by alphazard | 2026-01-20 17:22:37+00:00
The headline is part of a widespread trend of the word "gambling" being used as synonymous with "betting".
This new use isn't constructive, as it makes it difficult to talk about either precisely.

Betting (risking something known for a payout which is uncertain), is ubiquitous in life, and really any game where the participants don't have perfect information.
You are betting even if you don't realize it. You can't opt out, it's part of the human condition.

Gambling refers to taking on risk for the feeling it brings. The fact that humans can gamble reveals a quirk of human neurology.
If we evolved to be more rational, then the phenomenon probably wouldn't exist.
We know the feeling is valuable (to gamblers) because they are willing to place negative EV bets to bring about the feeling.

Anytime people criticize betting, it looks to me like some kind of utopian scheme, where everyone can have everything without risk.
by PaulHoule | 2026-01-20 17:22:52+00:00
I came to really appreciate React over time.

My initial objections were: (a) circa 2006 I was making very demanding RIAs such as knowledge graph editors and GIS decision support software and I've yet to see any modern framework that is as good as what I was using then (not in JS but rather GWT and Silverlight w/ the same async comms) and (b) the React model is not a 100% match for the form-based applications that we usually write with it (but boy do I love react-hook-form)

React is like the code in Graham's On Lisp [1] in that functional programming is used to create a sort of DSL. There are a lot of ways to implement reactivity that usually require a special interpreter (spreadsheets) or compiler (Svelte). React's system does show seams (you really need to be on top of identity and equality) but it is remarkably simple.

React shines, in my mind, for things that aren't form applications. For instance, VR applications with AFrame -- it's somewhere between VRML and Unity. I am working on a (mainly) heart rate variability biofeedback application [2] and it is so easy to make dashboards that display real-time metrics as well as Poincare sections and time series. That is, I can slap together a few data processing functions and widgets and make a new dashboard with new metrics and charts or new sensors. One goal is to get it working on a tablet in a two player version.

The disadvantage of React is that it does not work so well for highly dynamic layouts. In my case I have a library of functions to "fetch" the data stream and put them into the top of the component (may even package as hooks) and then put the layout together with JSX. I'd like to have a version where the user can drag and drop the components to make a custom layout and the system figures out the dependencies for the data fetching, preparation and processing like the things I made in 2006 and that kind of application with a dynamic layout (think programs like Photoshop with lots of different little widgets and property sheets) wants a different approach to reactivity.

[1] use of macros in that book is a red herring, the one example in it where you really need macros is when he is implementing cooperative multitasking, a feature that Python and Javascript already have -- most examples from that book as with Norvig's Lisp book can be coded up just fine with

[2] see https://github.com/paulhoule/VulpusVision it might "just work" if you npm install, npm run dev, and look at it in Chrome and connect with a Polar H10 or other BT monitor
by selectodude | 2026-01-20 17:22:57+00:00
Paying Chinese companies in RMB isn’t the issue. If I sell something and a Chinese company pays me in RMB, I can’t really do anything with a billion yuan. Can’t buy a company (limitations on foreign ownership), can’t buy property (99-year lease that can be canceled on the whims of the government at any time), can’t buy Chinese debt (terrible yields, very small foreign market access, incredibly opaque laws and accounting), and nobody else in the world wants it so I have no choice but to sell it back to China in exchange for a real currency at whatever horseshit exchange rate they’ve concocted.

It’s worthless money and I don’t see anything out of china that would cause that to change.
by vacuity | 2026-01-20 17:22:59+00:00
I agree with your descriptions of the terms, but I think there's often a divergence between empathy (which I find great) and reflecting people's feelings (which I find good with caution). I want people to understand and help each other. But in some situations, reflecting people's feelings encourages them to make poor decisions. I should always provide a space for people to speak without scorn and with understanding, but I don't want to give a false impression of my concerns. Acknowledging that someone's life sucks is subtly different from acknowledging it aloud, and sometimes the subtlety is crucial.
by torettoyoung | 2026-01-20 17:22:59+00:00
Vibe Coding Coach is a service that provides instant help from our senior software engineers via video calls, offering dead loop resolving, maintainable feature building, API and Database implementing, and more. I built this service due to my personal repeated problem. I've been using vibe coding tools for a while. I’ve often hit dead loops or failures(Implementing certain features) that felt impossible to solve by neither LLM nor myself. Every time I turned to my more experienced peers for help, they managed to find a fix. This made me realize: why not bridge this gap for everyone? I’m launching this specialized support service so that other vibe coders don't have to struggle in isolation any more. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
by oasisbob | 2026-01-20 17:23:27+00:00
And also entirely ironic.

> Repetition and redundancy, ambiguity, illogical ordering of content, rambling sentences, opaque grammar.

Repetition AND redundancy?

Illogical ordering in an unordered list of things.

Rambling (could be more items or less).

What's the grammar of a sentence like this? Diagramming it would be a challenge. I'd call that opaque.
by brendoelfrendo | 2026-01-20 17:23:31+00:00
> Your answer to "how do we stop this" is "do something until it stops."

That is, in part, a major aspect of resistance, yes. Protests on the weekends are great for community engagement and visibility, but constant pressure and activism are necessary. I think Minneapolis is a great example of how people should react when the situation gets bad. But even before that, getting involved in local organizations so that you're ready to help your neighbors is huge. For those of us not in Minneapolis, a general strikes would be great.
Show HN: Built a children's hospice donation site using AI agents as team in 8h
by Sem_pre | 2026-01-20 17:23:35+00:00
I was sick in bed and couldn't code. So I guided my son (no prior experience) through building a production-ready donation site using the BMAD method.

BMAD (Multi-Agent Development) structures AI into specialized agents:
- Analyst (requirements)
- Architect (system design)
- UX Designer (experience)
- Developer (implementation)

Each agent has a distinct personality and expertise. They discuss, debate, and collaborate - like a real team.

The result: hoki.help - a donation platform for HoKi NÖ, a children's hospice organization in Austria.

Stack: Next.js 14, Tailwind, Stripe Checkout, Vercel

What worked:
- Natural conversation instead of prompt engineering
- Agents challenged assumptions I would have missed
- From idea to production in days

What surprised me:
- My son picked it up faster than expected
- The structured roles prevented the usual AI chaos
- Code quality was better than I anticipated

100% of donations go to the hospice. I cover all costs and donate 3% from my other projects too.

The BMAD method is open source. Happy to discuss the approach or implementation details.

hoki.help
by jdefr89 | 2026-01-20 17:23:41+00:00
Vulnerability Researcher/Reverse Eng here... Aspects about it generating an API for read/write primitives are simply it regurgitating tons of APIs that exist already. Its still cool, but its not like it invented the primitives or any novel technique. Also, this toy JS is similar to binaries you'd find in a CTF. Of course it will be able to solve majority of those. I am curious though.. Latest OpenAI models don't seem to want to generate any real exploit code. Is there a prompt jail break or something being used here?
Show HN: I built a little catfishing helper
by hamzaawan | 2026-01-20 17:23:54+00:00
We have all been there when you have been asked to send a selfie but the one you took is not making it maybe its lighting but you dont look good.

And you think that person on the other side is going to judge you and maybe ghost you.

So I have created half twin for it, where you post that selfie and it touches it up, fixing up all of your insecurities with a single click so you can send that care free.

Its little tool so you can catfish a little bit :)
by hnburnsy | 2026-01-20 17:24:28+00:00
>Hybrids, which combine a gas engine, electric motor, and battery, have 15 percent fewer problems on average than gas-only cars. EVs and PHEVs have about 80 percent more problems on average than gas-only cars.

>“Many of the problems with EVs and plug-in hybrids are because they are newer designs compared to gas technology, so some kinks still continue to be worked out,” says Jake Fisher, senior director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. “By comparison, hybrids have been around for nearly three decades, and the technology is tried and true.”

https://www.consumerreports.org/cars/car-reliability-owner-s...
by wkjagt | 2026-01-20 17:24:43+00:00
Does anyone know when it started to be "ok" to disguise ads as search results? And I don't mean making them look more similar, but including them at all, even as the top results. I'm genuinely wondering how this started because it feels like such a bad idea, but everyone is now doing it anyway because we got used to it by adding it to our list of noise to filter out when interacting with anything connected to the internet.
by epistasis | 2026-01-20 17:24:50+00:00
No, it's largely the media. Compare what passes for political journalism from, say the New York Times to the rest of the world and it becomes clear that the US media politics coverage is in its best form mere both-sidesism.

Most people who were tricked were people who don't pay much attention, and might only get a few articles of news, if anything. When the media doesn't tell people that there are plans for mass deportations at numbers that require legal immigrants to be deported, then the media is lying to its consumers. When the media is not willing to report that Project 2025 is Trump's plan, and instead places Trump's lie about ignorance on the same footing as the reality of people saying it is his plan, then the media lies to people.

Media consumers expect that journalists will react normally to extreme news. But instead the media is normalizing extremely unpopular and ridiculous policies that everybody would hate if they knew what the media knew.

I know large families of Mexican descent who have lived in the US for generations, that had many Trump voters in the recent election, from people that don't follow much news, and believed ridiculous things like Trump being a "Peace President." As you might imagine, there's a bit of intense discussion these days about how they were tricked into voting for secret police that will imprison family members and detain them for days without cause. If somebody reads a single article, they shouldn't have to read 5 more in order to get the real story merely because the media was more concerned about normalizing Trump's views than it was about reacting like a normal person would to the insanity of Trump.

Do people have personal responsibility to be better informed? Sure! But when they go to CBS they should get a real news article, not glazing of the most radical opinions out there on the political spectrum.
by EvanAnderson | 2026-01-20 17:24:51+00:00
Back in the late 90s I delivered a couple of LTO drives and a bunch of tapes to a Customer in my car (not a station wagon, sadly). As I drove I thought "drive faster to decrease the latency!"

(The car was a Geo Metro and my co-workers described it as not much bigger than one of the backup tapes-- one of them likening it to some kind of interchangeable backup module itself.)
by wildzzz | 2026-01-20 17:25:16+00:00
I had a dock for my Thinkpad X200. It was a chunk of plastic the same size as the laptop but it also had a bay for a disc drive (since the laptop didn't have one) and also had a pop-out connector for charging a second battery. Since it was the same footprint, it didn't take up any extra desk space and still allowed you to use the laptop's own ports too (except for power), it just made the laptop thicker. And you could even take the dock on the go if you really needed the extra I/O and disc drive. Pretty innovative design when docks at the time were just a big box at the rear of the assembly.
by jorblumesea | 2026-01-20 17:25:16+00:00
I'm surprised that people are so surprised by this. Funds operate with risk management models and practices. As the US becomes more unstable, politically, these will weigh in on how much money people keep in US markets. US threats to annex Canada and invade greenland. US kidnapping foreign heads of state. Actively using federal agents as shock troops against blue cities. All of this has true economic impact, either real in terms of losses but also USD as a stable currency run by legitimate people.

Would they implement capital flight controls? if you invest in the US, can you get your money out? No one knows but it seems increasingly less likely. Red lines are being crossed weekly.

The country is heading towards a decline into a developing world style authoritarian dictatorship.
by monero-xmr | 2026-01-20 17:25:28+00:00
I think there is too much emphasis placed on the “decline” of the US. The real decline is in the EU, which essentially has remained flat or shrank in real terms over the last 50 years. They have coasted on the Euro and past wealth and innovation, but the chickens are coming home to roost now. Notice how they pivot from the US to China when daddy war bucks stops subsidizing them. Europe has nothing. No children, no new businesses, no armies, can’t defend itself, can’t make energy. It’s a disaster. Truly decadence and no one wants to hear the truth.

The US is fine. The real strength is in its economy and government system that is tilted far more to the wealthy and business than Europe, which is too exposed to democracy and orators promising something for nothing