OBBB signed: Reinstates immediate expensing for U.S.-based R&D (kbkg.com | comments) The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has been signed, reinstating immediate expense deductions for U.S.-based research and development (R&D). The legislation revives full expensing for bonus depreciation, modifies tax credits related to R&D, and updates cost segregation and energy incentives under specific sections of tax law.

• If correct, this is a good thing on a generally bad, overstuffed bill. Immediate expensing never should have been changed in the first place, and it was always weird seeing people twist themselves in knots defending it.
• So this is going to get all those jobs back that people have been layed off for right? Right?

Robots move Shanghai city block [video] (youtube.com | comments) Robots are transforming a city block in Shanghai, showcasing their operational capabilities in urban environments. The initiative focuses on enhancing city services through automation, contributing to the smart city ecosystem and improving efficiency in urban management.

• This title is misleading. It makes it seem like the robots did this autonomously, when in reality hundreds if workers were involved. The “robots” were “smart jacks” I would say. Humans couldn’t have done this without hydraulic jacks, they used fancy hydraulic jacks.

Sleeping beauty Bitcoin wallets wake up after 14 years to the tune of $2B (marketwatch.com | comments) Inactive Bitcoin wallets, dormant for 14 years, have reactivated, resulting in a combined value of approximately $2 billion. These wallets reportedly contain Bitcoin accumulated during the cryptocurrency's early days, raising discussions about the implications of significant dormant assets on the market.

• I really wonder if Satoshi’s fortune is gone forever. Maybe the CIA found his real identity and uncovered his keys. Dumping that much BTC on the market would crash the market and probably even tank other financial markets.
• Is this why Martin Shkreli quit streaming? Did he actually crack them?

In a milestone for Manhattan, a pair of coyotes has made Central Park their home (smithsonianmag.com | comments) Coyotes have settled in Central Park, marking a significant shift in wildlife presence in Manhattan. Their emergence reflects the resilience of nature amidst urban development and poses challenges for city wildlife management.

• That we should be overprotective of dangerous animals--in this case celebrating that they are living in the middle of a very dense city--is a luxury belief. It makes dumb rich people feel good and the costs are borne by others. For another example see the reintroduction of wolves in Colorado.

Bcachefs may be headed out of the kernel (lwn.net | comments) The bcachefs filesystem's future in the Linux kernel is uncertain following Linus Torvalds' refusal to integrate a recent pull request for the 6.16-rc3 release. Torvalds expressed discomfort with the developer Kent Overstreet's approach to discussions, indicating that they may part ways during the 6.17 merge window.

• The older I get the more I feel like anything other than the ExtantFS family is just silly. The filesystem should do files, if you want something more complex do it in userspace. We even have FUSE if you want to use the Filesystem API with your crazy network database thing.

Ubuntu 25.10 Raises RISC-V Profile Requirements (omgubuntu.co.uk | comments) Ubuntu 25.10 will exclusively support RISC-V hardware that meets the new RVA23 profile specification, marking a significant shift from previous versions. Canonical aims to enhance compatibility and performance with this upgrade, ensuring that only modern hardware configurations can run this latest release.

• RVA23 is actually a decent ISA for linux machines for the long term, RVA20 was not. Presumably there's going to be some hardware releases later this year that Ubuntu has early knowledge of. Does this line up with what riscv android will also require?

The story behind Caesar salad (nationalgeographic.com | comments) Celebrating its 101st anniversary in July 2025, Caesar salad traces its origins to Tijuana, Mexico, diverging from the common myth linking it to Roman history. The article delves into the dish's surprising beginnings, challenging prevailing assumptions about its name and creator.

• It’s worth having the original at Caesar’s in Tijuana. Absolutely delicious.
• The first chicken Caesar salad I ever had was, I believe, at Metro Grill during the summer of 2006. I was not (and still am not) much of a salad fan, but that was the salad that made me say "maybe I can learn to like salad."

Learn to love the moat of low status (usefulfictions.substack.com | comments) Cate Hall argues that embracing low-status situations can provide unexpected benefits, offering less pain than anticipated. By navigating these experiences, individuals can develop resilience, gain essential insights, and cultivate stronger connections with others outside the success-driven norms.

• One thing that helps with this: getting old. You just stop worrying about what other people think of you. All the drama and gossip and cliquish behavior just gets so boring. Why do you think old fat guys walk around naked in the locker room at the gym? They've certainly got nothing to show off, but they don't give a shit.

Nvidia is full of shit (sebin-nyshkim.net | comments) NVIDIA faces backlash following the problematic release of its RTX 50 series, marked by issues such as scalper bots hoarding GPUs, melting power connectors, missing processing units, and deteriorating driver performance. Additionally, the company is reportedly pressuring media outlets to propagate a specific narrative regarding its hardware.

• If you are a gamer, you are no longer NVIDIA's most important customer.
• This was an efficient, well written, TKO.
• Oh man, you haven't gotten into their AI benchmark bullshittery. There's factors of 4x on their numbers that are basically invented whole cloth by switching units.

Being too ambitious is a clever form of self-sabotage (maalvika.substack.com | comments) Ambition, often seen as a virtue, can paradoxically lead to self-sabotage. Individuals may set excessively high goals that result in burnout or decreased confidence. Reflecting on attainable targets may lead to better well-being and productivity, suggesting a more balanced approach could be beneficial.

• What is "too ambitious"? Are there dreamers who overthink and never get anything done? Absolutely! Are there also people who do what other people regularly say is impossible? Also an absolute yes. Ambition has nothing to do with it. There are doers and there are talkers.

Everything around LLMs is still magical and wishful thinking (dmitriid.com | comments) Discussions around Large Language Models (LLMs) showcase a divide between enthusiasts who consider them groundbreaking and skeptics who question their utility. The article argues that a lack of detailed understanding and quantification of LLM performance contributes to this disparity in perception, reflecting patterns seen in crypto discussions.

• LLM tech probably will find some legitimate use, but by then, everything will be filled with people misusing it. Millions of beginner developers running with scissors in their hands, millions of investment in the garbage. I don't think this can be reversed anymore, companies are all-in and pot commited.

How to Incapacitate Google Tag Manager and Why You Should (2022) (backlit.neocities.org | comments) Bob Leggitt argues that Google Tag Manager (GTM) poses significant threats to online privacy by facilitating invasive surveillance practices through its links with Google Analytics. He discusses how GTM obscures unethical tracking while pushing Google’s agenda to circumvent content-blocking. Leggitt advocates for users to incapacitate GTM to reclaim privacy rights.

• I'm all for blocking surveillance but how tiring is it to block JavaScript as suggested and then watch the majority of the internet not work?
• Is there a good way to collect basic analytics if you have a site you're hosting on GitHub pages? In such cases I'd rather not rely on Google Analytics if I don't have to.

Serving 200M requests per day with a CGI-bin (jacob.gold | comments) CGI programs, prevalent in the early 2000s for dynamic websites, are still capable of handling 200 million requests daily on modern hardware. These programs, typically in Perl or C, set up environment variables and spawn processes for each request. Benchmarks show CGI can manage over 2400 requests per second on current servers, suggesting its viability despite newer technologies.

• Try an apache tomcat 11 next. You can just dump .jsp files or whole java servlet applications as .war file via ssh and it will just work! One shared JVM for maximum performance! It can also share db connection pools, caches, etc. among those applications! Wow!

Why I left my tech job to work on chronic pain (sailhealth.substack.com | comments) The author reflects on leaving a tech job to focus on chronic pain, transitioning from feeling 'chronically sore' to 'chronically curious' about the complexities of the mind. This change underscores a personal commitment to understanding and addressing chronic pain issues, particularly in the context of mental health.

• For people on the spectrum here, just want to add to the thread the term Fibromyalgia It seems to be relatively common and under diagnosed. Also somehow controversial and not fully understood However, looking into it might shed some light on some issues of chronic pain and potential ways to address it

Developing with GitHub Copilot Agent Mode and MCP (austen.info | comments) The text details the author's use of GitHub Copilot's agent mode along with MCP (Model Control Protocol) to optimize their software development process. The author describes structured approaches for planning, implementation, and testing, suggesting that these techniques enhance their workflow significantly.

• Playwright MCP is intriguing. I'll definitely give it a run today. Anybody got any tipps or gotchas?

The Rise of Whatever (eev.ee | comments) The piece begins with reflections on the decline of fun in computing, previously titled 'I miss when computers were fun.' It notes that this change is linked to historical events impacting technology, specifically discussing the dominance of PayPal in the 2000s for online transactions and the implications of its non-bank status.

• > But the dream has died. I don't know why shitty ecosystem around cryptocurrencies drives the author to this conclusion. Crypto is the most convenient and respectful of your human rights way to just send money. It's there, it's useful and in many cases absolutely vital.

Mini NASes marry NVMe to Intel's efficient chip (jeffgeerling.com | comments) Mini Network-Attached Storage (NAS) devices are evolving with the introduction of models featuring Intel's efficient N100/N150 chip and NVMe storage. Notable options include the GMKtec G9, Aiffro K100, and Beelink ME, each with unique characteristics. The G9 has cooling issues, the K100 is compact with enhanced ventilation, while all models share 2.5 Gbps networking.

• I've been running one of these quad nvme mini-NAS for a while. They're a good compromise if you can live with no ECC. With some DIY shenanigans they can even run fanless If you're running on consumer nvmes then mirrored is probably a better idea than raidz though. Write amplification can easily shred consumer drives.

Show HN: I AI-coded a tower defense game and documented the whole process (github.com/maciej-trebacz | comments) A developer has created a tower defense game using artificial intelligence (AI) programming techniques, thoroughly documenting each step of the development process. This project showcases the integration of AI in game development, emphasizing how AI tools can be leveraged to streamline coding and improve gameplay mechanics.

• That's pretty impressive and super motivating. Love that you documented the prompts. From my experience "vibe coding" can either speed you up or slow you down. As long as you are using succinct and clear instructions and know how to review code quickly, as well as understand the architecture you can really speed up the process

Is an Intel N100 or N150 a better value than a Raspberry Pi? (jeffgeerling.com | comments) The analysis compares the Intel N100 and N150 mini PCs with the Raspberry Pi 5, revealing that while the Intel models often outperform the Pi in benchmarks, efficiency varies depending on configuration. The article suggests used Intel mini PCs may be more affordable alternatives for those seeking budget-friendly computing options.

• > I have a video that goes through everything in this post, embedded below: > If you prefer to read the post instead, please continue: More sites like this, please
• Unless you need the features on the Pi's 40-pin GPIO connector or very low power consumption a mini PC is a much better bet for general compute.

WASM Agents: AI agents running in the browser (blog.mozilla.ai | comments) The article presents a method for running AI agents using WebAssembly (WASM) directly in web browsers, eliminating the need for additional installation tools. It addresses barriers to adoption for open-source agents and illustrates how to create executable HTML files for seamless agent operation in online environments.

• I recently wrote some Javascript to automate clicking coupons. The website checks for non-human clicks using event.isTrusted. Firefox allowed me to bypass this by rewriting the JS to replace s/isTrusted/true, while Chrome Manifest V3 doesn't allow it. Anyway, Firefox might be the future of agents, due to its extensibility.

LooksMapping (looksmapping.com | comments) LooksMapping is an interactive web application utilizing Mapbox for geospatial visualization. It features a responsive design, allowing easy navigation and city assessments, enhanced by retro pixelation effects and various metrics display. Its user interface includes search functionality and a mobile-friendly layout for seamless interaction.

• This is some old internet style shenanigans powered by modern technology. I am here for it. I want more of this.
• > But we judge places by the people who go there. We always have. Does anyone do this for a restaurants? That's not something that ever really factored into my food habits

Can Large Language Models Play Text Games Well? (arxiv.org | comments) This technical report evaluates the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT and GPT-4 in playing text-based games, which require players to engage with the game environment through dialogue. Findings suggest that while ChatGPT performs competitively, it struggles with tasks such as world model construction and inferring game goals, revealing significant limitations.

• Has anyone tried having them DM text games? Seems like they could create a dungeon and DM a game pretty well. It should be easier than playing, I'd think. Though I'd be curious how good they are at making fun games or whether they struggle with that.

Writing a Game Boy Emulator in OCaml (linoscope.github.io | comments) The article details the development of CAMLBOY, a Game Boy emulator created using OCaml, designed to run in web browsers. It covers the project's goals, implementation challenges, and optimizations, including the CPU's architecture, integration testing, and JavaScript compilation. The author reflects on their experience with OCaml, noting both strengths and weaknesses.

• I know it’s a long shot, but does anyone know of a tutorial for the sound of a game boy emulator? Most of these tutorials never cover that piece and when I try it on my own I find it hard to properly implement or even understand the reference material well enough to implement on my own.

Context Engineering for Agents (rlancemartin.github.io | comments) Context engineering is crucial for optimizing how agents, particularly those powered by Large Language Models (LLMs), process and utilize context. By managing different types of context—such as instructions, knowledge, and feedback—developers enhance an agent's performance in tasks that require extensive information management. This article categorizes context engineering into strategies like writing, selecting, compressing, and isolating context, addressing challenges such as context poisoning and distraction that arise during long tasks and extensive feedback loops.

• Another article handwaving or underselling the effects of hallucination. I can't help but draw parallels to layer 2 attempts from crypto.
• I read these things and I think : this can never work. This is passing a huge set of parameters to a probabilistic map function.. one token changes and you get a completely useless result.

Major reversal in ocean circulation detected in the Southern Ocean (csic.es | comments) Recent findings reveal a significant reversal in ocean circulation patterns in the Southern Ocean, which may have substantial climate implications. This change impacts global climate systems and marine ecosystems, prompting further scientific investigation into its long-term effects and potential consequences for climate change.

• Most climate research studies provide a range from optimistic to pessimistic outlooks on climate impacts. It would be interesting to know how the studies from the last 30 years have fared. I have the feeling that rather the pessimistic estimates have come to pass.