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st4lz

47 karma · joined July 5, 2009

#--hackrtrackr:ClJhJ4KUFyyjNDIzHWqf8cWfDlCE13#
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st4lz··on Was Atlantis a Minoan Civilization on Santorini Island?
There is a myth of an ancient city Atlantis that was flooded, we also name the Bronze Age collapse as caused by the invasion of Sea Peoples. I drove this strange parallel lately, maybe the story is not exactly about the water?
st4lz··on Writing Python like Rust (2020)
> Every time something makes things easier, you get a wave of beginners set to create things they are not qualified to do. And because you now need software for everything, leaders also get into positions where are not qualify to make some decisions about it. You pair unqualified leaders with unqualified devs, and you get this.

How easy it is to call other people not qualified because they have different opinions.

I've seen more projects failed because the only thing the devs cared about was an abstract code correctness, which made even basic PRs getting polished for weeks. I don't think you need to worry too much about types or tests if you are just doing a prototoype to validate ideas or your user base is 0.

st4lz··on Show HN: I built a website to buy and sell used clothes in Indonesia
There is a similar company in Europe: https://www.vinted.com/

I think the popularity comes from the really good mobile experience, that would be a top priority from a service like this.

st4lz··on New work helps to explain how chronic stress can inflame the gut
I had some gut issues and switching jobs to WFH friendly made it all gone away. It's much easier to change your bad habits when you have more control of your environment. It wasn't in COVID times though, it was around 2015.
st4lz··on Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap
Well, the victory in Ukraine is low cost high profit business for the US.

There is unprecedented growth of oil and natural gas sales to Europe, which completely displaced Russia as the biggest supplier. The arms contracts are rising heavily, making at least half of the world's armies interested in replacing old equipment. Prices are rising as well as profits.

Secondly, securing Ukraine would add up to the capitalistic market huge amounts of resources like grains and metals. This is a huge area of future investments that would provide gains for capital markets for years. Not to mention educated, hard-working populace.

There is also a matter of prestige. It is hard not to see the military advantage that western weapons have over the soviet ones. The risk of any other conflict is lower elsewhere. Still, the US is considered a worthy ally, whose guarantees are reliable.

Those are the advantages. Costs? Old military equipment that should be replaced anyway. Some money as well, but hey, banks are being given free cash as well. No boots on the ground, NATO expansion, many of the help come from allies. You can't make it cheaper.

And above all, morally you are still on the right side. Incredible.

st4lz··on Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap
There is nothing wrong about arguing if all the parties are interested in truth. Discourse is a backbone of free people.

In my perspective, there is no doubt about japanese government stance on the matters in Ukraine. And any other non-totalitarian society. I am ready being convinced otherwise.

st4lz··on Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap
Why is that?
st4lz··on Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap
I can see the mutual partnerships are on the rise. There is a brand new polish-korean cooperation for producing various weapons. India may produce its own equipment by finding a reliable partner that would help with know-how.
st4lz··on Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap
Could you please list any other war of conquest with that much casualties, armour usage and refugee issue in Europe?

And what punishment are we talking about, voluntary economical sanctions? Those numbers of atrocities, stealing children, mass graves - I still can't understand how the international response is so mild.

st4lz··on Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap
I don't think events related to what happened in Iraq has any relevance to Japan's view of international relations, or any other democratic society.

The question was about if Japan has any reasons to feel threatened by what happened in Ukraine. My reason is, any democratic society should be, which is not hard to imagine.

The question of "who is more saint" does not have any strategical significance and is clear reflection of russian propaganda. Obviously, nobody is saint. That doesn't make what happened in Bucha less shocking.

st4lz··on Japan Breaks with U.S. Allies, Buys Russian Oil at Prices Above Cap
There is a shocking reality of how short-sighted and strategically shallow the opinions of people may be, even very literate ones with unlimited access to information.

There are very long tensions between Japan and Russia about the Kuril Islands, that both countries have a claim on. It is very possible, that the same vague claims used on annexing Crimea today, or Donbas, would be used against Japan, and may not stop there. What is more, Japan is an ally of the United States since WW2, and seems to benefit much both militarily and economically. What is more, another raising power in Asia and growing tensions around Taiwan may have the same consequences for Asia, which may threaten japanese influence in the reqion. We are also seeing proliferation of nuclear weapons, and the threats and blackmail is rising, when deescalation is seen as a sign of weakness.

Usually, being united against common threat is the cheapest strategy, and to pay a few bucks less for oil might turn to be very expensive in the long run. If there would be no punishment for disrespecting international law, the chaos would come.

st4lz··on Ask HN: What projects did you build to get better as a programmer?
> What projects can I start with?

It's like asking people on the internet what you should eat for dinner or who you should marry. Unless you don't learn programming just for the sake of it (assuming that's true based on the question you are asking), you either haven't learned enough yet to broaden your horizons to get ideas, or don't have enough geeky hobbies to put your new skills in motion. Have fun finding out what it is.

st4lz··on Don't let event-driven architecture buzzwords fool you
That's exactly what they want to avoid.

The true goal of event-driven is the separation of concenrns, so you don't call `execute_payment`, `send_confirmation_email`, `include_in_report_dashboard` etc inside a `complete_order`.

Instead, you emit "order_issued" event and all subscribers can act based on the event, completely unknown from `complete_order`.

At least that is how I understand it.

st4lz··on Data Classification: Does Python still have a need for class without dataclass?
There is a slight distinction between a dictionary and a class. Dict is a mutable key-value storage, so can be used as a collection of objects (or values) and benefit from its dynamism. Dataclasses are meant to define an object, so the emphasis is on clearly declaring the purpose of it upfront, enhancing readability.
st4lz··on The army of maths prodigies who helped Brighton conquer the transfer market
With a lot of promises the data analytics may bring to football, I still don't see the outcome. It is probably the most difficult sport to measure. In fact, a lot of money has been invested into it and all we can see as amateurs is the marketing with buzzwords like in this article.

I found the Friends of Tracking youtube channel quite interesting, it is run by Soccermatics author David Sumpter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yX85v-ASzQw&list=PLedeYskZY0...

I am very interested in that area, but most of the resources are a bit shallow. Do you have any recommendations?

st4lz··on The hardest part of being a junior developer
You describe something that I experience in almost any organisation. I am not a CS grad, I've seen many projects in different technologies through the years and also have more business-oriented mindset as for software engineer. The amount of arbitrary requirements in code, especially in languages with no clear code styles (like Python) and specifically with people who don't expose themselves to different technologies (work in the same company for years or so) is a major productivity and motivation killer.

What are the useful techniques to deal with such people? Many times, it is just easier to comply to their vague requirements rather than engage in prolonged discussions, as they usually don't have the ability or will to look at things from the other side. I consider escalation to a higher management the last resort.

Does anyone produced some successful strategies to deal with that?

st4lz··on Ask HN: What would you do if you didn't have to work?
Which specific certifications would you recommend?
st4lz··on Ask HN: How to best take advantage of the coming recession?
I don't say you have to rush and buy anything now. After the uncertain long-term peace, there would be many issues to rebuild the country for years.

That is why I don't see many people living in the West would consider it safe enough anytime soon. If the correct legislation and public funds would build up over the years, with the natural resources, land fertility and industrious population it may grow even faster than post soviet block in the 90s.

I don't say it's certain, I just consider it possible.

st4lz··on Ask HN: How to best take advantage of the coming recession?
Plan all big improvements to your house, when the construction sector would have a hard time finding a job. Any expensive improvement like roof, road, fence should be much cheaper.

I consider the Eastern Europe having unique opportunity these days, as the Ukrainian market has extremely good potential to grow in many areas. If it goes EU+NATO direction after the war, it may boost the whole region and follow the direction set by other countries two decades ago. Just the property market alone rose manyfold in those countries after the EU access.

I am in a similar position to you, living in EE country as well. We may exchange some contact and share some more info if you are interested.

st4lz··on Walmart pulls children's toy that swears and sings in Polish about doing cocaine
DISCLAIMER: I'm living in Poland.

That song went viral during lockdowns, as it was a part of the deepfake video with the Minister of Health of that time, who had eyes with dark rings around them at the tv conferences (probably makeup), indicating he is working day and night to fight the pandemic. The healthcare quality decreased and the successes were only visible in state-controlled media, while multiple accusations of corruption in buying the medical equipment. Before he resigned, he complained that he can't stop himself reading multiple jokes and memes about him appearing online every day.

The lyrics translation: "It's the only thing in my mind, 5g of cocaine..."

Link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COzSF-7_6Dc

st4lz··on The Origins of Altruism - Edward O. Wilson's Alternate Theory
Following the assumption above if you take more benefits belonging to a group, it doesn't matter what you think is correct, in evolutionary sense at least.

I didn't try to say that atheism is uncooperative, rather there are attempts to put some theories in favor of religion in evolutionary biology.

st4lz··on The Origins of Altruism - Edward O. Wilson's Alternate Theory
I had the impression that precise arguments for each hypothesis are completely not important, and it looks more like being about politics than science.

If we assume that groups of cooperators can out-compete groups of non-cooperators (called 'heresy') as complete and true, we challenge Dawkin's atheism.

st4lz··on Ask HN: Any possibilities of a career in proprietary trading remotely?
I have no knowledge of raising capital and managing a fund. I don't think I could operate on that large scale yet, just want to concentrate simply on trading, with money provided.
st4lz··on No Survivors in Crash of Flight Carrying Polish Leader
Assasination the President and many officials including all military leaders from coutry which is a member of NATO might worsen current not good relations between the coutries. Plus honour and polish national pride. But there's any reason it's not an accident at all.
st4lz··on No Survivors in Crash of Flight Carrying Polish Leader
I wouldn't go too far. Cadence of President Kaczynski ends this year, and he would be probably beaten in the next elections. Moreover too many people died in this accident and any justified suspicions might lead to war. The fact it happened in Russia don't make it's not coincidence. But that's right, Mr. Kaczynski was known for his anti-kreml policy.
st4lz··on No Survivors in Crash of Flight Carrying Polish Leader
Belarussian aircraft informed crew about tough conditions in Smolensk airport - rather old, soviet military airfield - which after that was closed in case of heavy fog and the plane redirected to Minsk or Moscow. Unfortunately, the pilots decided to land anyway, even though three approaches to landing failed.

In fact Tu-154 was aged, but after solid and expensive modernization. For now it looks like a mistake of a pilot connected with really bad weather conditions.

st4lz··on Ask HN: Good programming language for kids
I've recently introduced http://hetland.org/writing/instant-hacking.html tutorial to my 14 years old brother, hope python is simple enough.
st4lz··on Ask HN: A martial art for a programmer
Doesn't matter if you start with python or scheme, but the next one makes you understand more and gets closer to mastery.
st4lz··on HN: share your unneeded Google Wave invites
myUsername + z [at] gmail [dot] com