Hey buddy,

Quick Hacker News Catch-up

So, you know how I usually check out Hacker News on Sunday? Saw some pretty interesting stuff today. Just wanted to give you the quick rundown.

Spaced Repetition Systems Got Smarter?

First off, there was a big post about Spaced Repetition Systems, like Anki, getting way better. Remember how those things help you remember stuff by showing you flashcards at just the right time? Well, the algorithm behind it apparently got a big upgrade. People in the comments were talking about how the old ones were more for *not forgetting* stuff you already knew, not really *learning* it. Someone even had this wild idea about using it for "Inbox Zero" for your brain. Another commenter mentioned maybe using AI, like those LLMs, to make it even smarter based on what's actually on the card.

France is Big on Open Source Now

Then there was this thing about France officially backing the UN's open source principles. Sounds cool, right? But some folks in the comments were kinda skeptical, saying "open source" doesn't even mean much anymore, like putting "fat-free" on junk food back in the day. They were worried about fake foundations and stuff. But hey, someone else pointed out the UN is using this cool encrypted form software called CryptPad Forms to collect these endorsements, and the French government is even building their own fully open source workspace. So maybe it's not all talk?

Solving the Voynich Manuscript with Code?

Okay, this one's wild. Someone posted a Show HN about using some fancy AI text analysis thing (SBERT) on the mysterious Voynich Manuscript. You know, that old book with the weird pictures and language nobody understands? This guy tried to see if the text had any structure. The comments were full of theories. Some people think it might just be "naive art" or someone faking a language, not a real one at all. Others were talking about how hard it is to even figure out if a translation attempt is any good.

Ditching Obsidian and Building My Own Note App

This one hit home for a lot of people. An article titled "Ditching Obsidian and building my own" note-taking system. Lots of comments poured in because, apparently, everyone struggles with finding the perfect note app. People were sharing their own solutions, like just using plain files and folders, or how some apps just feel like overkill. Someone mentioned you can even self-host Obsidian sync if you want to avoid relying on their service.

Homemade $30 Automated Blinds

Had to share this cool DIY project: $30 Homebrew Automated Blinds Opener. This person just built a little gadget to open and close their blinds automatically. Comments brought up integrating it with Home Assistant, which makes sense. Someone else weirdly pointed out how common automated blinds are, but automated *windows* aren't, which is kinda true. And get this, one person said their whole house has automated "blinds" but it's actually just plants that cover the walls in summer! Ha!

Mexican Navy Ship Crashes into Brooklyn Bridge

This was kinda shocking. A Mexican Navy ship apparently crashed into the Brooklyn Bridge during some kind of tour, and sadly, two people died. The comments were discussing the logistics of big ships in ports, especially sailing ships. Someone pointed out that leaving on a strong flood tide like they apparently did was super risky if they lost power. Just a really sad and unexpected event.

Tornado Warnings Delayed Because of Cuts?

This one's a bit heavy. An article claimed tornado warnings were delayed because of cuts related to some government spending bill (DOGE cuts). Obviously, people were debating the politics, but some comments tried to explain the actual process of how the National Weather Service issues warnings and how complex it is. It's worrying if funding cuts are messing with something as critical as severe weather alerts.

Chat with 19 Years of HN Data

Finally, someone made a Show HN where you can chat with almost 20 years of Hacker News data using AI. Pretty neat tech! But the comments immediately went into the "ick" factor. Like, it's public data, sure, but having a tool specifically designed to search and summarize *your* posts feels a bit weird or even creepy to some people. Raises some interesting privacy questions even for public forums.

Anyway, that's the main stuff. Talk later!