The USPS website confirms that shipping potatoes is allowed, but with some caveats. Potatoes should be packaged securely to prevent damage and leakage during transit, and the packaging should allow for adequate ventilation. While not explicitly prohibited, the USPS generally discourages mailing perishable items like potatoes due to the potential for spoilage and odor issues, especially during longer transit times or warmer weather. They recommend using a fast shipping method and considering insurance for valuable potato shipments.
Busy Bar is a macOS menu bar app that provides a visual representation of upcoming calendar events and reminders. It displays a compact, customizable bar that fills up as events approach, offering a quick glance at your schedule's density. Users can configure the bar's appearance, choose specific calendars and reminder lists to display, and adjust the timeframe it represents, from the next few hours to the entire day. The app aims to provide a passive, unobtrusive way to stay aware of upcoming commitments without constantly checking a full calendar window.
Hacker News users generally found the Busy Bar concept intriguing but impractical. Several commenters questioned the target audience, suggesting that truly busy people likely wouldn't have the time or inclination for such a bar. The lack of detail regarding the actual activities or programming was also a point of contention, with some speculating it might just be a regular bar with a catchy name. Concerns about the bar being overly stimulating or noisy, thus counterproductive to productivity or relaxation, were also raised. While some saw potential for networking, the overall sentiment leaned towards skepticism about its viability and usefulness. A few commenters humorously suggested alternative names like "Anxiety Bar" or "Procrastination Station," reflecting the perceived disconnect between the concept and the reality of being busy.
OpenNutrition is a free and open-source nutrition database aiming to be comprehensive and easily accessible. It allows users to search for foods by name or barcode, providing detailed nutritional information like calories, macronutrients, vitamins, and minerals. The project aims to empower individuals, researchers, and developers with reliable nutritional data, fostering healthier eating habits and facilitating innovation in the food and nutrition space. The database is actively growing and encourages community contributions to improve its coverage and accuracy.
HN users generally praised OpenNutrition's clean interface and the usefulness of a public, searchable nutrition database. Several commenters expressed interest in contributing data, particularly for foods outside the US. Some questioned the data source's accuracy and completeness, particularly for branded products, and suggested incorporating data from other sources like the USDA. The discussion also touched upon the complexity of nutrition data, including varying serving sizes and the difficulty of accurately capturing all nutrients. A few users pointed out limitations of the current search functionality and suggested improvements like fuzzy matching and the ability to search by nutritional content.
Theophile Cantelo has created Foudinge, a knowledge graph connecting restaurants and chefs. Leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs), Foudinge extracts information from various online sources like blogs, guides, and social media to establish relationships between culinary professionals and the establishments they've worked at or own. This allows for complex queries, such as finding all restaurants where a specific chef has worked, discovering connections between different chefs through shared work experiences, and exploring the culinary lineage within the restaurant industry. Currently focused on French gastronomy, the project aims to expand its scope geographically and improve data accuracy through community contributions and additional data sources.
Hacker News users generally expressed skepticism about the value proposition of the presented knowledge graph of restaurants and chefs. Several commenters questioned the accuracy and completeness of the data, especially given its reliance on LLMs. Some doubted the usefulness of connecting chefs to restaurants without further context, like the time period they worked there. Others pointed out the existing prevalence of this information on platforms like Wikipedia and guide sites, questioning the need for a new platform. The lack of a clear use case beyond basic information retrieval was a recurring theme, with some suggesting potential applications like tracking career progression or identifying emerging culinary trends, but ultimately finding the current implementation insufficient. A few commenters appreciated the technical effort, but overall the reception was lukewarm, focused on the need for demonstrable practical application and improved data quality.
A new model suggests dogs may have self-domesticated, drawn to human settlements by access to discarded food scraps. This theory proposes that bolder, less aggressive wolves were more likely to approach humans and scavenge, gaining a selective advantage. Over generations, this preference for readily available "snacks" from human waste piles, along with reduced fear of humans, could have gradually led to the evolution of the domesticated dog. The model focuses on how food availability influenced wolf behavior and ultimately drove the domestication process without direct human intervention in early stages.
Hacker News users discussed the "self-domestication" hypothesis, with some skeptical of the model's simplicity and the assumption that wolves were initially aggressive scavengers. Several commenters highlighted the importance of interspecies communication, specifically wolves' ability to read human cues, as crucial to the domestication process. Others pointed out the potential for symbiotic relationships beyond mere scavenging, suggesting wolves might have offered protection or assisted in hunting. The idea of "survival of the friendliest," not just the fittest, also emerged as a key element in the discussion. Some users also drew parallels to other animals exhibiting similar behaviors, such as cats and foxes, furthering the discussion on the broader implications of self-domestication. A few commenters mentioned the known genetic differences between domesticated dogs and wolves related to starch digestion, supporting the article's premise.
The blog post humorously explores the perceived inverse relationship between kebab quality and proximity to a train station. The author postulates that high foot traffic near stations allows kebab shops to prioritize quantity over quality, relying on transient customers who are unlikely to return. They suggest that these establishments may skimp on ingredient quality and preparation, leading to inferior kebabs. The post uses anecdotal evidence and personal experiences to support this theory, while acknowledging the lack of rigorous scientific methodology. It ultimately serves as a lighthearted observation about urban food trends.
HN commenters generally agree with the premise of the "kebab theorem," sharing their own anecdotal evidence supporting the correlation between proximity to transportation hubs and lower kebab quality. Several suggest this applies to other foods as well, especially in tourist-heavy areas. The methodology of the "study" is questioned, with some pointing out the lack of rigorous data collection and potential biases. Others discuss the economic reasons behind the phenomenon, suggesting higher rents and captive audiences near stations allow lower quality establishments to thrive. A few comments mention exceptions to the rule, highlighting specific high-quality kebab places near stations, implying the theorem isn't universally applicable.
Yhangry, a YC W22 startup offering private chef services for groups, is hiring for various roles. They're seeking talented individuals passionate about food and hospitality to join their growing team. Specifically, they're looking to fill engineering, operations, sales, and marketing positions. They emphasize a collaborative, fast-paced environment and the opportunity to build a disruptive brand within the food-tech industry. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply through the provided links regardless of specific experience matching the listed roles, as Yhangry prioritizes passion and drive.
The Hacker News comments are primarily focused on Yhangry's business model and the challenges it faces. Several commenters question the long-term viability of the "shared dining experience" for corporate catering, citing potential logistical issues, varying dietary needs, and the inherent awkwardness of forced socialization with coworkers. Some express skepticism about the target market's willingness to pay a premium for this service, particularly during economic downturns. Others suggest alternative business models like individual meal delivery or focusing on niche markets. There's also a brief discussion on the ethics and implications of sharing compensation information. Overall, the comments express a cautious curiosity about Yhangry, acknowledging the potential while also raising significant concerns about its scalability and market fit.
Summary of Comments ( 187 )
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43722486
HN commenters were amused by the USPS's seemingly random web page dedicated to mailing potatoes. Several questioned the purpose and target audience, wondering who frequently mails potatoes and why the USPS felt the need to provide specific instructions. Some speculated about the historical context, suggesting it might be a relic from a time when shipping produce through the mail was more common. Others joked about the potential for potato-based mischief, like mailing a single spud or sending an exploding potato. A few users shared anecdotes of receiving or sending unusual items through the mail, further highlighting the absurdity of the dedicated potato page. The overall sentiment was lighthearted bemusement at the USPS's quirky attention to detail.
The Hacker News post titled "Potatoes in the Mail" (linking to an article about mailing potatoes via USPS) generated several comments, with a focus on the practicality, legality, and overall strangeness of sending potatoes through the postal service.
Several commenters discussed the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of mailing potatoes. Some questioned the logic, pointing out that potatoes are readily available in most locations, making mailing them unnecessary and potentially more expensive than buying them locally. Others considered specific scenarios where it might be marginally justifiable, such as sending a particularly rare variety to a collector or sending a small quantity as a novelty gift. The general consensus leaned towards it being a rather inefficient method of potato transportation.
The legality of mailing potatoes was also a topic of discussion. Commenters referenced experiences with sending and receiving agricultural products, highlighting the potential for issues with customs and agricultural regulations, particularly when shipping across state lines or internationally. Concerns about potential infestations and the spread of plant diseases were raised.
The novelty and humor of the concept were acknowledged by several commenters. Some shared anecdotes about unusual items they had mailed or received, while others simply expressed amusement at the idea. The overall tone of the discussion was lighthearted, with many commenters embracing the inherent absurdity of mailing potatoes.
Beyond the core discussion about mailing potatoes, some commenters branched into tangential topics. These included discussions about the history of the postal service, alternative shipping methods, the environmental impact of various forms of transportation, and even the nutritional value of potatoes.
A particularly compelling comment thread explored the historical context of sending unusual items through the mail in the past, before modern shipping logistics and widespread availability of goods. This provided a perspective on how mailing a potato might have been more practical in certain situations in the past. Another interesting comment thread discussed the regulations surrounding sending seeds and other plant materials through the mail, providing insight into the complexities of agricultural regulations.