Hacker News: sideshowb

New comment by sideshowb in "Sustainable energy without the hot air (2008)"

sideshowb — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 18:41:30 +0000

Although in this case, iirc the argument that using renewables in isolation would be challenging came in an even later chapter

New comment by sideshowb in "Sustainable energy without the hot air (2008)"

sideshowb — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:12:27 +0000

The updated version of this book is available in game format with the blessing of UK government https://my2050.energysecurity.gov.uk/?levers=111111111111111

Risking the HN hug of death here, but my own prototype of a car miles model inspired by the David's approach can be found at https://trafred.cardiff.ac.uk/

New comment by sideshowb in "Sustainable energy without the hot air (2008)"

sideshowb — Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:10:00 +0000

He does correct for the efficiency of both electric cars, and heat pumps in later chapters. His line of argument is "here is the current energy supply and demand - now here are ways we can increase one and reduce the other".

The wind analysis was reasonable for the time, iirc the main error there was that he failed to foresee offshore wind dropping in price so much.

Show HN: Browser puzzle game, try to convince NPC the world is ruled by lizards

sideshowb — Fri, 31 Oct 2025 11:30:50 +0000

I've been making an experimental browser game on the topic of conspiracy beliefs and how they arise - would love to know what you think :) The underlying model is a belief network, though for the purpose of gameplay not strictly Bayesian. Your goal is to convince the main character the world is ruled by lizards.

(Full disclosure: Although I’m only here to test the game, I’m doing so as an academic researcher so have to tell you that I may write a summary of responses, and record clicks, as anyone else testing a game would. I won’t record usernames or quote anyone directly. If you're not ok with that, please say so, otherwise commenting necessarily implies you consent. Full details linked from the title screen.)

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45770856

Points: 1

# Comments: 0

New comment by sideshowb in "The death of industrial design and the era of dull electronics"

sideshowb — Mon, 06 Oct 2025 04:36:11 +0000

In that case, estate cars would like a word with the current crop of SUVs

Show HN: Bruto's Bullshitometer: conspiracy theory browser puzzle game

sideshowb — Fri, 03 Oct 2025 10:32:21 +0000

(Note: Although I’m only here to test the game, I’m doing so as an academic researcher so have to disclose that I may write a summary of responses, and record clicks on the game, as anyone else testing their game would. I won’t record usernames or quote anyone directly. If you're not ok with that, please say so, otherwise commenting implies you consent. Full details linked from the title screen.)

Comments URL: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45461263

Points: 1

# Comments: 0

New comment by sideshowb in "Quantum mechanics provide truly random numbers on demand"

sideshowb — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:34:32 +0000

My regular mechanic does that. "How much to get this car working again?" [sucks through teeth...]

New comment by sideshowb in "Are children better off when one parent has a job or when both do?"

sideshowb — Sat, 24 May 2025 06:44:02 +0000

So many variables unmeasured. How many hours per week? What sort of job? Something the parent finds meaning and purpose in, or just a paycheck? Surely these moderate the sign of the outcome

New comment by sideshowb in "The vocal effects of Daft Punk"

sideshowb — Mon, 05 May 2025 21:33:24 +0000

The built-in one in ableton is fine by me

New comment by sideshowb in "Cozy video games can quell stress and anxiety"

sideshowb — Sat, 19 Apr 2025 02:19:25 +0000

Horses for courses...

If the game in the article captures what these are about, it didn't do anything for me. Interesting to read, though.

I've enjoyed some games that have a cozy vibe while actually presenting me with puzzles to solve. Monument Valley for example.

New comment by sideshowb in "Brain Scans of Infants Reveal the Moment We Start Making Memories"

sideshowb — Tue, 25 Mar 2025 09:59:06 +0000

I suspect it goes deeper than language even. We have associative memories, right? Given our learning, modelling, pigeonholing of the world along with our changing bodies, our older selves are unlikely to experience anything close enough to what our younger selves experienced to trigger that association and recall the memory.

New comment by sideshowb in "Finland applies the “Housing First” concept (2020)"

sideshowb — Thu, 06 Mar 2025 14:16:15 +0000

FWIW I didn't read that as an argument against providing housing, I read it as an argument in favour of providing housing and treatment.

New comment by sideshowb in "Please Commit More Blatant Academic Fraud (2021)"

sideshowb — Fri, 21 Feb 2025 08:57:44 +0000

Yes. As the saying goes, If we knew what we were doing it wouldn't be research. Finished papers often have flaws, if you try to write something perfect you may never finish it. They're called limitations and you list them in conclusions and suggest addressing in future work.

(Experience check: I is one)

New comment by sideshowb in "Tips for mathematical handwriting (2007)"

sideshowb — Sat, 08 Feb 2025 20:49:06 +0000

While we're here, any suggestions on what works better for writing math to a digital whiteboard? Wacom type tablet with no display, or an ipad type tablet with pen?

New comment by sideshowb in "The FizzBuzz that did not get me the job"

sideshowb — Sat, 25 Jan 2025 19:42:14 +0000

to correctly judge some fizzbuzz solutions (or approaches to refactoring) you would also have to be knowledgeable. Guess what I think the problem is.

New comment by sideshowb in "Google begins requiring JavaScript for Google Search"

sideshowb — Sat, 18 Jan 2025 10:26:52 +0000

this is the only time in 15 years i've wished hn had a lol react. :D

New comment by sideshowb in "David Lynch has died"

sideshowb — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 22:38:15 +0000

Exactly

For example, 2001 was a great movie but Clarke's worst book imo because he collaborated with Kubrick to write it for for big screen.

New comment by sideshowb in "David Lynch has died"

sideshowb — Fri, 17 Jan 2025 22:21:40 +0000

Not without its issues but it also prominently featured the mentats, which the recent version didn't.

New comment by sideshowb in "Type 2 Diabetes and cardiovascular disease attributable to sugar beverages"

sideshowb — Wed, 08 Jan 2025 08:12:09 +0000

> Sucrose is 50% fructose

What? They're different molecules

New comment by sideshowb in "A Return to Polymathy (2015) [pdf]"

sideshowb — Sat, 04 Jan 2025 21:29:17 +0000

Hard to publish interdisciplinary stuff in scientific journals when it's usually shot down by disciplinary specialists who don't get it