Hacker News: Eddy_Viscosity2

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "The AI Layoff Trap"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 11:57:00 +0000

Large populations of humans not getting their basic needs fulfilled is a feature. That way, those who do have lots of resources get to have even more intense feelings of superiority and that of having high status. That is, after all, the point of wealth accumulation (at least a certain point where more money does not change your life quality meaningfully). For status, its the delta between you and others that matters most. If raising your own wealth has diminishing quality of life returns, then lowering other peoples is the only effective way of increasing the delta.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "US appeals court declares 158-year-old home distilling ban unconstitutional"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:43:27 +0000

> whether a society would rather be individualistic or collectivist

Like many of these sorts of choices, its false to think of it as binary because its about choosing a place on the continuum between them.

On the methanal risk issue, one possible compromise would to have places which can run free checks on booze for methanal. Not too different from the practice in France where you can bring in mushrooms you've collected to the pharmacist who can tell you which ones are delicious and which are death incarnate. But of course this would have to be a publicly funded service which america seems to loathe ("I'd rather go blind than have a single tax dollar go to free booze testing!")

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Installing every* Firefox extension"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:17:35 +0000

Where is the video, I scanned through and only saw still images.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "YouTube locked my accounts and I can't cancel my subscription"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 12:01:06 +0000

"They", being a trillion dollar company, can effortlessly draw this out while you expend all manner of time and resources and still not pay you or resolve the problem. Any regulation that would change this to be better for the average consumer (and therefore worse for the trillion dollar company) will never pass because they have more say in the laws then you do.

This is a defeatist comment I know, but I do feel defeated when it comes to tech companies.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "YouTube locked my accounts and I can't cancel my subscription"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:56:35 +0000

Since we all know that age verification is just tracking validation, then your predictions and indignation are justified.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Artemis II and the invisible hazard on the way to the Moon"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:49:18 +0000

Can these cookies be weaponized? Are there secret cookie enrichment factories? Would weapons-grade cookies still be good with milk?

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "US plans to automatically register young men for military draft"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:19:19 +0000

> you can always develop bonespurs

I've looked into it, and this ailment is weirdly linked to the wealth of your parents.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Maine is about to become the first state to ban major new data centers"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:27:24 +0000

> Is a data center worse than an iron smelter or aluminum refiner

It may not be worse, but it is more likely. There just aren't trillions of dollars being poured into new smelters across the country. If there were, then I imagine laws being enacted about them to.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "How Iran is making a mint from the current war"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 12:51:13 +0000

Will this income come anywhere near the cost of replacing all the infrastructure that was destroyed?

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "TSA lines are so out of control that travelers are hiring line-sitters"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 15:50:12 +0000

Governments are reactive. So if any of these other things ever successfully destroy a building then you can absolutely count on new rules and laws that, at a minimum, will include screening.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "What if AI doesn't need more RAM but better math?"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Sun, 29 Mar 2026 13:13:41 +0000

The comment feels a bit like Verdex may have dated a mathematician at some point and it went sour.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Turns out your coffee addiction may be doing your brain a favor"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:29:11 +0000

>we would expect to see reduced consumption among people with reduced general health.

I would not expect this at all as it goes against my real world observations of people with poor general health consuming caffeine in as high doses. Some of the same causal factors for poor general health, like long work hours and long commutes can lead to increased caffeine consumption.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "I built an AI receptionist for a mechanic shop"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 12:08:25 +0000

I would rather just be sent to a regular old answering machine. Dealing with an AI is dehumanizing. In almost every single case where I actually need to call a place, its because I need to talk to them about something an automated system like booking an appointment, can't handle.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Just make it hard to fail"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 19:17:37 +0000

The guy who figured out how to make a blue LED (which was world changing), also worked every single day.

Fascinating story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF8d72mA41M

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Just make it hard to fail"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 19:15:39 +0000

I found the 'every day' approach also works for exercise. Instead of a mon/wed/fri or other such routine, I just go every day and do something. Even when I feel a bit crap (not sick, that is the only exception), I still go and just do some light cardio or something easy. Always feel better after doing so. It also removes any decision stress.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Why I'm Not Worried About Running Out of Work in the Age of AI"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Sat, 21 Mar 2026 13:20:35 +0000

This is all that needs said about this article.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "FAQs About the Public Debt"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 14:38:23 +0000

Or yes, some gold coins are debt.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "FAQs About the Public Debt"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 11:52:03 +0000

> Is a gold coin a debt instrument?

It is if you lend or borrow it or use it as collateral.

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Sci-Fi Short Film “There Is No Antimemetics Division” [video]"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 13:09:38 +0000

Nicely done, thanks!

New comment by Eddy_Viscosity2 in "Sci-Fi Short Film “There Is No Antimemetics Division” [video]"

Eddy_Viscosity2 — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 11:20:28 +0000

I read it based on a reddit search for 'good sci fi books' and that's it. Going in with no hype or expectations and I thought it was great.

PS. HNers, any good sci-fi book recommendations?