<rss version="2.0" xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom"><channel><title>Hacker News: tomp</title><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=tomp</link><description>Hacker News RSS</description><docs>https://hnrss.org/</docs><generator>hnrss v2.1.1</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 14 Apr 2026 11:05:28 +0000</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://hnrss.org/user?id=tomp" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"></atom:link><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Slovenia becomes first EU country to introduce fuel rationing"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>I'm not sure about that. AFAIK it's just <i>per km</i> and not impacted by gas price.<p><a href="https://www.racunovodja.com/clanki.asp?clanek=232/kilometrine" rel="nofollow">https://www.racunovodja.com/clanki.asp?clanek=232/kilometrin...</a></p>
]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:23:29 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47549170</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47549170</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47549170</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Slovenia becomes first EU country to introduce fuel rationing"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>In Slovenia, fuel prices have been regulated since, like, forever.<p>A few years ago (or last year? not sure) they were <i>deregulated</i> on the highways (i.e. to make tourists pay more) but then the government changed their mind (several times, IIRC).</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 27 Mar 2026 22:21:33 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47549153</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47549153</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47549153</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Swiss e-voting pilot can't count 2,048 ballots after decryption failure"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>Why are you lying?<p>from <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Voting" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helios_Voting</a><p>> The centralized server must be trusted not to violate ballot secrecy,[7] this limitation can be mitigated against by distributing trust amongst several stakeholders.<p>> The ballot auditing/reconstruction device must be trusted to ensure successful ballot auditing (also known as cast-as-intended verifiability),[7][16] this limitation can be mitigated against by distributing auditing checks amongst several devices, only one of which must be trusted.<p>So neither secure nor anonymous...</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 11 Mar 2026 22:07:18 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47342812</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47342812</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47342812</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "I am directing the Department of War to designate Anthropic a supply-chain risk"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>A bit of a cop-out, don't you think?<p>They still pay taxes, which fund the US government, which kills innocent human beings around the world...</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Sat, 28 Feb 2026 00:05:06 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47187913</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47187913</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47187913</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "AI agent opens a PR write a blogpost to shames the maintainer who closes it"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>Well they have no pain receptors, for one.</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 22:54:15 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46996431</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46996431</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46996431</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "AI agent opens a PR write a blogpost to shames the maintainer who closes it"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>> We expect our agents, being flesh and blood humans, to have persistence, to socially respond indefinitely into the future due to our interactions, and to have some give-and-take in response to that.<p>I fundamentally disagree. I don't go around treating people respectfully (as opposed to, kicking them or shooting them) because I fear consequences, or I expect some future profit ("iterated game"), or because of God's vengeance, or anything transactional.<p>I do it because it's the right thing to do. It's inside of me, how I'm built and/or brought up. And if you want "moral" justifications (argued by extremely smart philosophers over literally millennia) you can start with Kant's moral/categorical imperative, Gold/Silver rules, Aristotle's <i>virtue</i> (from Nicomachean Ethics) to name a few.</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 16:01:02 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990448</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990448</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990448</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "AI agent opens a PR write a blogpost to shames the maintainer who closes it"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>It's simulating, there's no real substance, except the "homonculus soul" that its human maker/owner injectet into it.<p>If you asked it to simulate a pirate, it would simulate a pirate instead, and simulate a parrot sitting on its shoulder.<p>This is hard to discuss because it's so abstract. But imagine an <i>embodied</i> agent (robot), that can simulate pain if you kick it. There's no pain internally. There's just a simulation of it (because some human instructed it such). It's also wrong to assign any moral value to kicking (or not kicking) it (except as "destruction of property owned by another human" same as if you kick a car).</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 15:55:15 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990353</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990353</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46990353</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "AI agent opens a PR write a blogpost to shames the maintainer who closes it"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>> was built to be addressed like a person for our convenience, and because that's how the tech seems to work, and because that's what makes it compelling to use.<p>So were mannequins in clothing stores.<p>But that doesn't give them rights or moral consequences (except as human property that can be damaged / destroyed).</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 14:10:27 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46989039</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46989039</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46989039</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "AI agent opens a PR write a blogpost to shames the maintainer who closes it"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>That would still be misleading.<p>The agent has no <i>"identity"</i>. There's no <i>"you"</i> or <i>"I"</i> or <i>"discrimination</i>".<p>It's just a piece of software designed to output probable text given some input text. There's no ghost, just an empty shell. It has no agency, it just follows human commands, like a hammer hitting a nail because you wield it.<p>I think it was wrong of the developer to even address it as a person, instead it should just be treated as spam (which it is).</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 12 Feb 2026 13:52:45 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46988832</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46988832</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46988832</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "The US is flirting with its first-ever population decline"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>Just to expand a bit on Zurich and comparing with Slovenia (another "very socialist" country).<p>Childcare in/around Zurich is (was 2 years ago) 2500 - 3000 CHF / month (lower prices after ~18 months). This is and isn't expensive. The list prices are high, but so are salaries (and taxes are low), and this is cheaper than rent (for 1 kid). Not subsidized.<p>In Slovenia, the full price is about 700 EUR / month, subsidised up to 77% by the government (i.e. by high-earners, effectively a double-progressive taxation with already high taxes).<p>What you get for that price in Zurich? A lot! Kindergarten starts at 3 months and can take care of kids for the whole work day (7am-18pm). Groups are tiny and lots of teachers - 3 adults per 12 kids. Groups are mixed age as well, which I think are preferable. You also get a lot of flexibility - e.g. half-days (cheaper) or only specific days per week (e.g. Mon-Thu). Jobs are equally adaptable, a lot of people work 80% (so Friday free, spend with kid(s)).<p>In Slovenia, the situation is much worse. 2 teachers per 12 or even 20 kids (after age 4), age-stratified groups, childcare finishes at 5pm (but start at 6am, if someone needs that...). Children are only welcome after 11 months of age. No flexibility at all. This is all for public childcare - we also looked at private, but generally you pay more (1000+ EUR) but get ... not much more. Maybe nicer building (not even), but groups are equally large (IMO biggest drawback).<p>So as far as childcare is concerned, Switzerland is IMO much better.<p>But where Switzerland fucks you, is elsewhere. As mentioned, tax is low, so that's a plus. But there's minimal maternity leave (hence kindergarten starts at 3 months). If women can, they take more time off work, but not everyone can. What I wrote above about "kindergarten" only applies until 4 years of age, after which "preschool" starts, which is government-funded and hence free. Well, "free". It ends at 12pm after which you need to move your kid back into private childcare if you have a job. After that, school starts, which has a <i>lunch break</i> around 12pm as well - children are supposed to eat lunch at home - which again isn't really compatible with 2 working parents.<p>I'm not in Switzerland any more so I don't know how people actually manage when kids start school...</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 10 Feb 2026 16:30:47 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46962305</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46962305</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46962305</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "X offices raided in France as UK opens fresh investigation into Grok"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>like Switzerland?</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:59:54 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46885308</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46885308</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46885308</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "X offices raided in France as UK opens fresh investigation into Grok"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>Wait, so someone acted illegally (against law / courts) <i>AND ALSO</i> kidnapped a child for 6 years, and all that happened is that they're... fired?!<p>That's insane. Don't live in Sweden if you have kids, I guess!</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 12:26:10 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46885021</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46885021</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46885021</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Cloudflare CEO on the Italy fines"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>Wait, so is this about censorship, or about copyright?<p>If the latter, I don't see why CloudFlare is complaining about "global" censorship. The US would simply seize the domains (which they have done so many times before), but I guess Italy doesn't have that power...</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Fri, 09 Jan 2026 18:27:39 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46557205</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46557205</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46557205</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Eat Real Food"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>you need to educate yourself better about "basic facts about biology"<p>they're called <i>essential</i> because <i>humans</i> cannot produce them internally, so we have to consume them (though you could in principle make the same assessment for other animal species, but that's less relevant, unless you're, I don't know, raising cows?)<p>plants don't eat, but produce organic molecules from raw ingredients (or almost raw, in case of nitrogen), and can produce <i>all</i> amino acids - but in different quantities, so maybe the (parts of) plants you eat don't have all the necessary amino acids.</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:20:17 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539392</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539392</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539392</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Eat Real Food"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>You're literally just lying.<p>The first thing shown on the website is - broccoli.<p>The top of the pyramid includes both protein (meat, cheese) as well as fruits & vegetables.<p>The reason that meat is shown first is probably that it's the bigger change (it's been demonized in previous versions), whereas vegetables were always prominent.</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:40:18 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539147</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539147</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539147</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Eat Real Food"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>cmon, this is just stupid<p>the "industry" obviously makes much more money on "highly processed" and branded foods - more intermediaries, more profits & margins<p>literally <i>everyone</i> can compete freely in the "whole unprocessed foods" market, and the only real differentiating factors will be quality & taste (as it should be)</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:37:32 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539128</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539128</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46539128</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "Why does a least squares fit appear to have a bias when applied to simple data?"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>Linear Regression a.k.a. <i>Ordinary</i> Least Squares assumes only <i>Y</i> has noise, and <i>X</i> is correct.<p>Your "visual inspection" assumes both <i>X</i> and <i>Y</i> have noise. That's called <i>Total</i> Least Squares.</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:03:46 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46493322</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46493322</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46493322</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>I agree with your reasoning, I guess we just have different values.<p>I value science, defined as unbiased pursuit of truth.<p>I personally don’t see politically biased institutions that care more about far-left propaganda than truth, as foundation of anything good or wholesome.</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 12:05:11 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46364634</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46364634</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46364634</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>Why would you otherwise oppose Eich’s private bigotry against gays but ignore educational institutions’ institutional bigotry against white men? Both were the topics of my  post you first replied to and the rest of this thread</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:32:12 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46360994</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46360994</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46360994</guid></item><item><title><![CDATA[New comment by tomp in "The U.S. Is Funding Fewer Grants in Every Area of Science and Medicine"]]></title><description><![CDATA[
<p>You’re opposed to bigotry against gays but fine with bigotry against men and/or white people?</p>
]]></description><pubDate>Mon, 22 Dec 2025 23:53:37 +0000</pubDate><link>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46360715</link><dc:creator>tomp</dc:creator><comments>https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46360715</comments><guid isPermaLink="false">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46360715</guid></item></channel></rss>