Hacker News: RickJWagner

New comment by RickJWagner in "Silicon Valley 'sex assault list' with 'over 100' names circulated"

RickJWagner — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 19:35:49 +0000

Weinstein is doubly bad. At the same time he was raping starlets and blacklisting victims, he cultivated a ‘woman friendly’ public image, famously bankrolling Hillary Clinton’s campaign and acting as an industry mentor to Obamas daughter.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Toyota is taking the Corolla electric"

RickJWagner — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 12:55:59 +0000

I’ve got a Corolla hybrid. Fantastic car— great basic utility, reasonable comfort, zero sporting pretension and an honest high 50s mpg.

If you consider one, be sure to get blind spot detection in the mirrors. I didn’t, it is the worst car I’ve ever had for blind spots.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Show HN: How long do I need to work at my salary before I can coast, or retire?"

RickJWagner — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:55:03 +0000

For those serious about retirement preparation, I heartily recommend the Bogleheads community. They offer free, simple, proven ideas that can be life changers.

Source: personal experience. Retired a bit early 2 years ago, much credit to Bogleheads.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Show HN: How long do I need to work at my salary before I can coast, or retire?"

RickJWagner — Thu, 24 Sep 2026 12:53:04 +0000

I retired at 59 about 2 years ago. My career was coding and product development, I put together some ideas about what I’d code after I left the workplace.

To my surprise, I haven’t missed it at all. Playing music, reading for pleasure and language studies ( to help with a part time volunteer gig ) have totally met my needs. You never know.

New comment by RickJWagner in "The darker side of being a doctor"

RickJWagner — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:18:19 +0000

A few years back a great doctor working at a local children’s hospital took his own life. News said he’d become despondent over children dying when he couldn’t save them. The whole thing is heartbreaking.

Mad Max 'Humungus Machine' Is Up for Auction on Bring a Trailer

RickJWagner — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 20:23:08 +0000

Article URL: https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a73781356/ford-f150-based-mad-max-humungus-machine-auction/

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49779703

Points: 1

# Comments: 0

New comment by RickJWagner in "The first new cat species discovered in 100 years"

RickJWagner — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 18:37:40 +0000

About seemingly nice cats… Anyone remember Pinky the cat?

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/in1ANEEba2s

New comment by RickJWagner in "US interest rates raised for first time in three years"

RickJWagner — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:34:49 +0000

In the long run, inflation is probably the most potent tool in the government toolbox for managing the debt. Raised interest rates are the brakes on that tool.

I wouldn’t be surprised to see above average inflation sporadically jumping up for a while.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Fed hikes rates as inflation worries push up bond yields"

RickJWagner — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 20:28:43 +0000

The whole point of inflation is to reduce demand? Please further explain, including your ideas about causes and effects.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Fed hikes rates as inflation worries push up bond yields"

RickJWagner — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:48:45 +0000

Yes. It is a tax. He raised a tax.

You might argue it is inflationary.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Fed hikes rates as inflation worries push up bond yields"

RickJWagner — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:44:26 +0000

Arbitrarily decided by the person with political convictions blinding them.

Yes, it happens to both sides. People convince themselves their side always makes right decisions, the other side always wrong.

The truth is that the secret sauce is in the pendulum going back and forth. The excesses of one side are soon erased by the other. It is working, as it has for many years.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Ex-FTC boss Khan: break out the handcuffs for AI CEOs, citing 1934 precedent"

RickJWagner — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 18:53:56 +0000

Almost a good reply, but Baldwin tried saying he did not pull the trigger. ( Nobody believed him. )

New comment by RickJWagner in "Show HN: The bottom 50% of U.S. households are short after essentials (BLS data)"

RickJWagner — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 18:38:56 +0000

A visit to Disney World introduces some questions that bring doubts to this article. The park is overrun with young families, with a great many speaking English as a second language. They don’t seem to be top percenters, but they’ve got cash for tickets and food. ( The food seems to be priced about 5x what I’d imagine it to be at a real store. )

If they truly are poor, they’re surely living YOLO.

The New Tesla Roadster Is Finally Probably Maybe Coming on October 1

RickJWagner — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 21:47:47 +0000

Article URL: https://www.edmunds.com/car-news/tesla-roadster-reveal-date.html

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49704593

Points: 3

# Comments: 1

No Atlantic hurricanes by Sept. 12 breaks a 60-year record

RickJWagner — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 23:44:44 +0000

Article URL: https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/no-atlantic-hurricanes-by-sept-12-breaks-a-60-year-record/1932278

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49678432

Points: 91

# Comments: 64

Atlantic hurricane season 2026 sets a new record

RickJWagner — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 23:43:19 +0000

Article URL: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/weather/2026/09/12/atlantic-hurricane-season-2026-sets-record/91658860007/

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49678420

Points: 3

# Comments: 0

New comment by RickJWagner in "How to buy a good car for $1000"

RickJWagner — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 12:31:46 +0000

I used to use the two car method. I was single and carefree, so I had a Corvette and a hot rod El Camino. Perfect for a young shade tree mechanic.

Then I was taking a long trip in the El Camino and overheated, cracking the heads. While the machine shop work was underway, one of the half-shafts driving the Corvette broke loose, severely beating the underside of the car.

It was bitterly cold January, and I was left going to work on a bicycle.

I sold both classics and bought a new Saturn. Much less style, but much more reliability.

New comment by RickJWagner in "Measuring the sloppiness of code"

RickJWagner — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 14:55:40 +0000

If coding is ever solved, and if software does it, sloppiness probably won’t matter much.

Code will become throwaway stuff, like the results of AI prompts. Cook it up, test it for adequacy, and run it. When something comes along that adds new requirements, just update the requirements/prompt and make a new one.

Test suites will be important.

A Better Way to Predict Long-Term Stock Returns

RickJWagner — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:23:43 +0000

Article URL: https://www.morningstar.com/financial-advisors/better-way-predict-long-term-stock-returns

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49657235

Points: 2

# Comments: 0

AI Hysteria Jumps the Shark

RickJWagner — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 12:23:08 +0000

Article URL: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/09/09/artificial-intelligence-will-not-kill-us-all/

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49657228

Points: 3

# Comments: 0