rtp4me

Same here. We have really cut down on the amount of "out for lunch/dinner" activities we plan. One reason is the tip situation; the other is because we can cook as well at home than out of the house. In the past (80s), going out to dinner was considered a real treat. In the 2000s, it was commonplace. Now, I think we are back to the 80s mentality (cost, tipping, food quality, etc)

>If you say “I didn’t tip because the service was what I expected”, you’re pretty much considered an asshole

Sorry, this is definitely not the case. Many times the worker is doing exactly what is needed and nothing more (eg: pour a beer in a glass, handing me a pizza). Why would I be considered an asshole if I didn't tip? That is ridiculous.

As other people have said, tipping in the US has really become obnoxious. I definitely tip while seated for a meal, but asking for a tip to hand me a cup of coffee, pour a beer, etc only makes the system worse.

I started using Claude code (CC) a couple weeks back and have some very positive outcomes. For clarity, I have been in the IT field since 1990, and my background is mainly infrastructure engineering (now DevOps). I don't write code professionally; I write tools as needed to accomplish tasks. That said, I understand end-to-end systems and the parts in the middle pretty well.

Here are some projects Claude has helped create:

1. Apache Airflow "DAG" (cron jobs) to automate dumping data from an on-prem PGSQL server to a cloud bucket. I have limited Python skills, but CC helped me focus on what I wanted to get done instead of worrying about code. It was an iterative process over a couple of days, but the net result is we now have a working model to easily perform on-prem to cloud data migrations. The Python code is complex with lots of edge conditions, but it is very readable and makes perfect sense.

2. Custom dashboard to correlate HAProxy server stats with run-time container (LXC) hooks. In this case, we needed to make sure some system services were running properly even if HAProxy said the container was running. To my surprise, CC immediately knew how to parse the HAProxy status output and match that with internal container processes. The net for this project is a very nice dashboard that tells us exactly if the container is up/down or some services inside the container are up/down. And, it even gives us detailed metrics to tell us if PGSQL replication is lagging too far behind the production server.

3. Billing summary for cloud provider. For this use case, we wanted to get a complete billing summary from our cloud provider - each VM, storage bucket, network connection, etc. And, for each object, we needed a full breakdown (VM with storage, network, compute pricing). It took a few days to get it done, but the result is a very, very nice tool that gives us a complete breakdown of what each resource costs. The first time I got it working 100%, we were able to easily save a few thousand $$ from our bill due to unused resources allocated long ago. And, to be clear, I knew nothing about API calls to the cloud provider to get this data much less the complexities of creating a web page to display the data.

4. Custom "DB Rebuild" web app. We run a number of DBs in in our dev/test network that need to get refreshed for testing. The DB guys don't know much about servers, containers, or specific commands to rebuild the DBs, so this tool is perfect. It provides a simple "rebuild db" button with status messages, etc. I wrote this with CC in a day or so, and the DB guys really like the workflow (easy for them). No need to Github tickets to do DB rebuilds; they can easily do it themselves.

Again, the key is focusing my energy on solving problems, not becoming a python/go/javascript expert. And, CC really helps me here. The productivity our team has achieved over the past few weeks is nothing short of amazing. We are creating tools that would require hiring expert coders to write, and giving us the ability to quickly iterate on new business ideas.

I have been using Claude to iterate through some complex Powershell code to convert Azure VMs from Intel to AMD SKUs, and I simply can't believe how good it is. I am definitely NOT an Azure or Powershell expert by any means, but the power and ease of idea iteration is truly a game changer (I have been in IT since about '91). Yes, Claude makes some mistakes - typically with certain command arguments, but I am able to lean on my experience to work through those issues.

What would have taken me a week to get up-to-speed with Powershell and all the Azure powershell commands/syntax has now taken me about 4hrs.

Just started using Claude (very late to the game), and I am truly blown away. Instead of struggling for hours trying to get the right syntax for a Powershell script or to convert Python to Go, I simply ask Claude to make it happen. This helps me focus on content creation instead of the mind-bending experience of syntax across various languages. While some might call it laziness, I call it freedom as it helps me get my stuff done quicker.

I have been using it for other stuff (real estate, grilling recipes, troubleshooting electrical issues with my truck), and it seems to have a very large knowledge base. At this point, my goal is to get good at asking the right kinds of questions to get the best/most accurate answers.

Interesting read, but I find it very lacking. PGSQL memory consists of lots of parts; shared_buffers, work_mem, maintenance_work_men, OS Cache size, etc. For those who are interested in a deeper Postgresql tuning tutorial, I suggest this[1] as it highlights a number of important tuning options - specifically for PGSQL 17. Once your DB has been running for a while, run the postgresql-tuner app[2] to see if you have correctly applied RAM settings[2]. The repo has been around for a long time, but I find the recommendations (especially the estimated RAM usage) really good.

[1] https://www.pgedge.com/blog/postgresql-performance-tuning

[2] https://github.com/jfcoz/postgresqltuner

Sorry, nothing prevents the poor from working smarter. Just because you are poor does not mean you are uneducated. And, investment opportunities are NOT gated based on wealth and income. Literally anyone in the US can open an investment account and get started. The lack of desire is the real issue.

Right, because the average worker has insider connections that set policies that affect the economy. /s

Please, this thread is about the average wage-grade worker (money earned via the "sweat of one's brow"), not an "accredited investor". In this example, almost anyone in the US can open up a Robin Hood, Vanguard, Schwab, Fidelity, etc account with probably $25. You don't need access to the most lucrative investment opportunities to make money; simply buy a standard S&P 500 ETF and call it a day. Over time, the chances of you making money with your investments are high, and the tax burden is lower, meaning you get to make and keep more money in your pocket. That is a win for everyone - not just the magical "billionaire".

The average worker in the US needs these sorts of opportunities to be self reliant. You don't need to be a billionaire to make money on the market, you just need a few dollars, some time, and the will to take a little risk. Stop hating on the average worker...

Mainly to encourage people to save their money. You know, "work smarter, not harder"...

Thanks, I should have been more clear.

With $50B in the endowment, how are they financially vulnerable? Honest question.

Because investment income is not the same as wage income. Nor should they be.

Interesting. How will (physically) AI install a new HVAC system? There must be some form of physical presence to get the job done. And, the current set of installers have a difficult time as it is (running duct work, low/high PSI lines, etc).

Again, how will (physically) AI take over lawn maintenance? Do you expect a fleet of self-driving lawn-mowers to take to the streets? How will they get to your place? Who will be managing them? So many questions.

Personally, I think the AI hype is way overblown. Sure, AI can help give better data for these areas, but I highly doubt AI will take over. I think AI can help smart people get even smarter (better ways to mow, more efficient ways to run HVAC lines, etc), but at the end of the day, you still need physical presence for many/most jobs.

The purpose of government is to generate opportunity for the masses so they can become self sustainable.

A better quote for you: "Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country" (JFK).

Thanks for this. Young people think UBI is great since they don't have much invested in the system. Instead they just have propaganda from media/social sites telling them how the world is falling apart, how they don't have a chance to succeed, etc. The answer: UBI! It is the "easy" answer since it literally requires no effort on their part to participate in society. They get up, eat free food, live in a free house, and enjoy the day without any worry.

Sounds great until they realize the human condition eventually kicks in. People will decide not to work - they will just take and not give back. In the end, we need a society where people are required to put forth the effort to participate.

How about get educated/trained in something AI can't eat? Become a HVAC technician, Nurse/Doctor, lawn care maintenance owner, teacher, industrial shop owner, etc. There are plenty of fields that don't require AI to compete. They just require effort on your part to become educated and participate.

ROTH conversions.

Especially if you hit the RMD threshold in retirement. Even more important is how RMDs affect Medicare premiums(1). The best advice I have is to avoid RMDs as much as possible since they can/will affect other parts of your retirement strategy. Thus, converting to ROTH today may save you lots of cash in the future.

(1) https://www.fedsmith.com/2024/10/23/rmds-are-silently-increa...

On the bright side, this may be a good opportunity to convert 401(K) or IRA funds into a ROTH account.

Thanks for this. To me, this makes more sense than some random "tariffs are bad" messaging on social media. Do you have a link to the video you mentioned above? I would like to learn more.

As an aside, for those who have 401(K) and IRA accounts in the US, the stock market plunge might be a great time to convert funds into ROTH accounts (lower taxes now, etc). At least there is a silver lining...

And honestly, you should have been downvoted for calling them "low-information" voters. Not only is it condescending, you simply discounted them for being part of the "other" party. Perhaps they are very informed - maybe much more than you regarding the deficit, the economy, their frustrations, etc.

It is great to have a spirited debate, but to call people derogatory names simply because they don't share your viewpoint is the wrong path to take.

I don't know - the article specifically said Honda will produce the cars "to avoid potential tariffs". I don't think the Trump tariffs were in place "years ago"...

Yes, and I think this is the core motivation behind the Trump messaging - bring it back to the US if possible. In fact, he wants to bring back commercial and maritime ship building back[1]. Pretty cool! Hopefully this will employ lots of people.

[1] https://news.usni.org/2025/03/05/trumps-make-shipbuilding-gr...

It seems Honda just decided to produce the next Civic in Indiana. See [1].

[1] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/honda-...

Honestly, my gut feeling tells me the same. Time will tell...

Agreed 100%. No way should any American soldier be sent to fight in that war. It will be a never ending quagmire - both people and money. Full stop.

<rant> And, good luck getting any real discussion from anyone here. Most of the Redditors are here now and have brought their "hate on America" flag to HN. Regardless of how much our President does or how much the US gives, it will never be enough. And, the ironic thing is, many of these "intellectuals" on HN routinely put down our "uneducated" voter population while at the same time pleading for their tax dollars to fund a never ending war. Oh, the hypocrisy! As if their countries are any better.

At best, this war is at a stalemate unless the EU really steps up to the plate to save their neighbor. Imagine, your neighbor's house is burning down all around you, and the best you can do is give a cup of water while shouting at your distant relative across the ocean to send truck loads of water. If anything, they should be ashamed they let their countries fall so behind they have to rely on someone else to help defend their own property. Crazy!

Here's a hint for our EU friends: Step up and help your neighbor! Send all your money to fight the war (that is what you are asking the US tax payers for, right?). Drain your savings accounts, send them your retirement money, send everything you have - until it hurts. Next, go to your closet, put on your fighting boots, and head out to the front lines. The time for taking real action is now. Don't rely on foreign money, governments, boots, equipment, etc. to defend your own property. Rely on _yourselves_ to solve this problem.

</rant-off>

Same. I tried to use Finder for a while but landed on Forklift. I consider it the best choice of file manager tools for MacOS.

According to the article, “the administration maintains they have not fired positions essential to public safety”. I guess it depends on whose viewpoint is used to determine public safety.

Yes, I understand. But, why can’t states help provide funding for the people who take care of the land? The states wouldn’t take over the land, just help maintain it. Volunteers, non-profits, etc could certainly help out here.