Hacker News Reader

Overtonwindowon A copy of a copy of a copy: FDA medical device clearances

This is incredibly fascinating, and some great work. Is it possible to do the same for pharmaceuticals?

Overtonwindowon "AI, no ads please": 4 words to wipe out $1T

With Google manipulating AI results this is not guaranteed to work, but would help identify the human intervention.

Overtonwindowon Google CEO tells employees Gemini AI blunder 'unacceptable'

Which means it is not really artificial intelligence. Maybe the culture at Google prevented someone from raising this very issue. It’s almost like they ran a search, didn’t like the results, and someone said that results must include diversity equity and inclusion. So they deliberately programmed the algorithm to include diversity, equity and inclusion in all results and thereby negated any AI.

Overtonwindowon US rail safety legislation stalled one year after East Palestine Ohio disaster

This kind of deadlock should not happen. I think it’s indicative of what has gone wrong with the United States. Congress, nobody is willing to give an inch, and everything is a personal fight to the death.

Overtonwindowon 'Mr Bean' actor Rowan Atkinson blamed for slumping electric car sale in the UK

Full disclosure, I have a Tesla and I love it. I have access to superchargers and home charging, and it has not really increased my utility bill. We should all want emissions free driving, I don’t think that is the issue, but to get there the quality of the vehicle, charging networks, and driving behavior will have to change. I am ok with having both ICE and EVs, let people choose, but I also believe in the long run emissions free will win out. Today it’s EVs but who knows where we might go.

Overtonwindowon FCC rules AI-generated voices in robocalls illegal

As with everything, it’s all about enforcement.

Overtonwindowon Hearing aids slow cognitive decline in people at high risk

Makes you wonder if social isolation is a cause of dementia, thinking less means less brain stimulation.

Overtonwindowon Comcast reluctantly agrees to stop its misleading "10G Network" claims

I’ve wondered if what we need in society are nonprofits that advocate exclusively against certain evil and nefarious corporations. Imagine what an org could do with a few million and a mission to combat Comcast and expose their behavior. One organization whose mission is to expose Amazon’s bad behavior. A PR check on monopolies.

Consumer Affairs, etc. do good work, but we need a more 1:1 relationship.

Overtonwindowon A plan to save democracy by ending homelessness, reducing the prison population

Arguably permissible hard drug use has been a disaster. Maybe we need government disassociation houses where you can feed an addiction or desire, but carefully managed. I don’t see how that is possible when hard drugs are so pervasive and unyielding in general.

Overtonwindowon A plan to save democracy by ending homelessness, reducing the prison population

Agreed. There is a utopian naïveté that reminds me of trust fund kids.

Overtonwindowon Why do programmers need private offices with doors?

pribacy. There are other things but when you get down to it, it’s privacy. To not be observed and create your own space is natural..

Overtonwindowon No one should be the second person to die on a dangerous street

As soon as it is taxpayer funded and people are directly involved in eating the costs for making things safer, previously high standards drop to ankle level.

Probably the number one argument against universal healthcare, or any governmental program.

Overtonwindowon There's More Proof That Return to Office Is Pointless

IF WFH

THEN LAYOFF

ELSE REWARD

Overtonwindowon There's More Proof That Return to Office Is Pointless

it’s dominated by niche groups of ultra-elite workers providing unique services within otherwise mixed work environments.

Which applies to most people on HN.

Overtonwindowon There's More Proof That Return to Office Is Pointless

I am now fully returned to the office, and while I miss not having to put on clothes, it’s much better for my career. A lot of my job is meeting and talking to people, and making those connections for later. I can’t do that at home. Isolated jobs could be work from home, but if your job interfaces with people, it really should be in person as much as possible .

Overtonwindowon Kenneth Smith 'struggled for life' for 22 mins in Alabama nitrogen gas execution

What about a process similar to sudden depressurization on an airplane? You just go to sleep.

Overtonwindowon YouTube blocks Russell Brand from making money through its platform

But that doesn't quite line up with what is going on. They did not remove his videos, they demonetized them. Youtube is still running ads on Brand's videos, so the content is still being paid for by advertisers. If advertisers were beating down their doors then there would be no advertising on those videos.

Overtonwindowon YouTube blocks Russell Brand from making money through its platform

Nay: The Vox Populi hate controversy. Like any cancellation, the masses bombard something demanding a pound of flesh. To avoid controversy and pacify the masses, platforms cave. There is no downside for YouTube demonetizing someone that has been accused of anything. If it turns out to be completely false, then YouTube will say they were acting out of an abundance of caution. If then the exonerated person seeks redress, YouTube can just shrug and say where else are you going to host content?

Overtonwindowon Tests find many popular omega 3 supplements are rancid

It's like a lot of things: A lot of dietary supplements are scams, but a lot of them are legitimate. The core issue for people who take dietary supplements is that a) they probably don't need it, b) they may be taking too much, and c) unless they are getting a mineral and metabolic panel, etc. they have no idea if they even need the supplement.

IMO before taking any supplements one should get a panel done to see if you even need it.

Overtonwindowon Tests find many popular omega 3 supplements are rancid

Dietary supplements in America are very loosely regulated. The law that governs this is the Dietary Health Supplements Act. Tl;dr DSHEA classified dietary supplements as a food or food product which the FDA classifies as "generally recognized as safe." (GRAS)

It also said that so long as a manufacturer is using a vitamin, mineral, or dietary substance that was available before 1994 then are ok to manufacturer and it would be considered safe (GRAS.)

There are additional requirements about manufacturing processes available before and after that date but that is the gist.

The problem with this law is that supplements are not required to undergo any kind of testing or validation. If a dietary supplement causes a problem, the FDA does not really have the authority to order a recall. Instead it has to depend on the Federal Trade Commission, which can order a recall and levy sanctions due to mislabeling.

Anyone can manufacture and sell a dietary supplements and sell them to anyone, there are no age restrictions. It's something that IMO needs greater oversight.

DSHEA: https://ods.od.nih.gov/About/DSHEA_Wording.aspx

General Recognized as Safe: https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-are-Generally-Recognized...

FTC and FDA: https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/speeches/ftc-dietary-su...

Congressional Research Service, 2021: "Regulation of Dietary Supplements" https://sgp.fas.org/crs/misc/R43062.pdf

Overtonwindowon Americans can barely afford homes

IF you're on a VPN that can cause it to not work.

Overtonwindowon Americans can barely afford homes

"Americans can barely afford homes.. where they want to live." There, fixed it. America is full of affordable homes but they're not in cute little walkable communities. Zoning, demand, and density has driven up the price of homes in cities. People can afford homes, they just don't want to live in those places.

Overtonwindowon iPhone 15 USB-C port is 100% standard; MFi certification rumors wrong

Wireless charging is the way to go. When the charging port on my iPhone 12 started to go I switched to wireless. The constant plugging and unplugging, etc. put too much strain on that jack.

Overtonwindowon Public restrooms are hard to find in America

Europe solved this problem ages ago with pay toilets and regular police patrol. Some even clean themselves which has an added benefit of dissuading long term residents. The problem has been solved but city's avoid this because NIMBY's will say it incentives drugs, sex, homelessness, etc.

Citizens do not trust that the government will maintain and police them properly, and I think the homeless and sanitary situation in San Francisco is a perfect example.

Overtonwindowon 3 Republicans just saved California’s magic mushroom bill

Yet. After Oregon and Canada I could absolutely see California legalizing everything. There is a strong push to the extreme left in California and it seems inevitable.

Overtonwindowon 3 Republicans just saved California’s magic mushroom bill

Drugs like mushrooms and marijuana can lead to dependency but they don't have the debilitating life-destroying effects that the harder stuff does.

The hard stuff causes the societal problems you saw. Marijuana and mushrooms, can't speak for LSD yet, create personal problems but not societal ones. Despite that, they are still widely prosecuted harshly. Legalizing marijuana and shrooms is a step to separate those drugs which are a personal issues, and those which create societal issues.

Overtonwindowon Teachers nationwide are flummoxed by students’ newfound chess obsession

Depends on who you ask. For people who play chess, it is art and it has great relevance. The fact you're commenting on this shows it.

Overtonwindowon Why does a plastic-wrapped turkey sandwich cost $15 at the NYC airport?

You're captive to the airport. If you want something to eat you have to pay airport prices, there's not a lot you can do about it other than bringing in your own food. Airport vendors know this so they charge accordingly.

Overtonwindowon Why did journalists help the Justice Department identify a leaker?

No, it wasn't meant to, it was to refute your claim that no one was talking about it.

Overtonwindowon Why does a plastic-wrapped turkey sandwich cost $15 at the NYC airport?

I think this sums it up best. Airports charge more for food because, well, they can. Travelers or a captive market, and have no other choice. I'm old enough to remember when people thought you couldn't bring food through security.