The hottest Substack posts right now

according to Hacker News
Category
Day One 279 implied HN points 13 Jan 24
  1. Participate in the Day One Referral Program by inviting friends to subscribe and read Day One for special benefits and access.
  2. Share your referral link to earn rewards like discount coupons for courses and even a one-on-one consulting call.
  3. Focus on genuine sharing and personal experience when promoting the program to get the best results.
Concoda 313 implied HN points 28 May 25
  1. The shadow cash market involves various types of private transactions that are not easily tracked or regulated. This means that a lot of money moves around without official oversight.
  2. Overall, the liquidity in this market can act like bonds, providing a kind of security and stability for those involved. It’s an alternative way to manage and access funds.
  3. Understanding this market is important as it has impacts on the economy. It helps people see how money flows in ways that aren’t always visible.
Law of VC 268 implied HN points 25 Jun 25
  1. Emerging VC funds need to show they are 'institutional ready' to attract capital. This means they must have solid operational practices like audits and compliance in place.
  2. The venture capital landscape is changing, with large funds dominating the capital flow. Many emerging managers are now developing structured approaches to compete effectively.
  3. To succeed, emerging funds should build a strong foundation early on. Having a clean data room and understanding institutional requirements can set them apart in a crowded market.
Midwest Humble 35 implied HN points 30 Dec 25
  1. Community building is about people and partnerships, not just physical spaces. Events and hubs make that work visible and create momentum.
  2. A wide network of local leaders, meetups, accelerators, and coworking spaces across Michigan are actively supporting founders, creatives, and tech communities. They provide mentoring, programming, and connection points that keep the ecosystem growing.
  3. The region needs a more cohesive strategy to align hundreds of organizations and amplify their work so companies have reasons to scale and stay. Better coordination will help momentum lift the whole ecosystem.
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Alex Ghiculescu's Newsletter 67 implied HN points 25 Nov 25
  1. Non-coders who can describe their ideas are becoming really effective, especially with AI coding tools. This means anyone can create impressive projects, even if they don't have a lot of coding experience.
  2. Many university students are unaware of the benefits of AI coding because schools often discourage its use. This gap in knowledge might be holding them back in their careers.
  3. There are actually job opportunities for new developers, especially for those willing to participate in hackathons. Showing up and building something can lead to great prospects.
Optima & Outliers 39 implied HN points 11 Jul 24
  1. Life-saving charities often focus on minimizing costs per life saved, which can lead to overlooking the quality of life in poorer countries. Simply saving the cheapest lives doesn't account for how much those lives might suffer.
  2. Saving lives in low-income countries often involves addressing symptoms of deeper issues related to poor governance and societal conditions. These issues make it easier to save lives but often result in a lower quality of life.
  3. It's important to consider both present and future quality of life when deciding where to allocate resources for life-saving efforts. Countries with better governance and prospects for improvement may yield better outcomes for saved lives.
God's Spies by Thomas Neuburger 236 implied HN points 23 Jul 25
  1. Collapse doesn't always mean disaster; it can open up new possibilities for more humane living. Instead of seeing it as a loss, we might see it as a chance to rebuild society better.
  2. There are different ways to bring about change: peaceful methods through elections, forceful overthrow, or natural system collapse. Each method carries its own risks and potential benefits.
  3. The idea of civilization has often been romanticized, but collapsing big structures can allow communities to thrive independently, leading to a simpler, yet more supportive way of life.
S(ubstack)-Bahn 301 implied HN points 10 Jun 25
  1. Wirye New Town is a planned city in Seoul that looks great on the outside, with tall buildings and parks, but residents are unhappy due to missing public transport. They have protested and even sued the government over these transportation issues.
  2. Housing prices in Wirye spiked quickly, but now many homeowners feel anxious as prices have dropped significantly. The reliance on real estate for wealth in South Korea adds to their stress during this market instability.
  3. The city’s complex administrative setup creates confusion for residents, as the differing regulations lead to issues with services and community life. This mixed governance makes it hard for residents to get the help they need.
HyperArc 39 implied HN points 11 Jul 24
  1. A metrics layer helps standardize how companies measure data, making it easier for everyone to understand what is important. It can automate calculations, like rolling averages, which saves time and reduces confusion.
  2. Traditional business intelligence tools often lose useful underlying information, which makes it hard to understand how certain metrics were created. More context is needed to ensure decisions are well-informed and based on complete data.
  3. HyperArc offers a solution by capturing the team's insights and reasoning during analysis. It helps keep track of not just the final metrics, but also the thought process behind them, making it easier to revisit and understand decisions in the future.
Faster, Please! 1736 implied HN points 06 Mar 24
  1. Productivity and worker pay have increased together over the years, contrary to popular belief.
  2. Income inequality has actually decreased since 2007, suggesting concerns might be overstated or outdated.
  3. Global poverty and inequality have declined since the 1980s, even after adjusting for systematic survey misreporting.
Passing Time 267 implied HN points 29 Jun 25
  1. Creating something takes time, teamwork, and skill. It's a careful process that can easily fall apart with just one mistake.
  2. Destroying things is much easier and faster than creating them. Just a small action can ruin a whole system while building it requires collaboration and effort.
  3. In life and politics, it's often harder to prove false claims than to spread them. We need more people focused on building a better future instead of just tearing down what's there.
Entry Level Investing 84 implied HN points 05 Nov 25
  1. Startups should focus on delivering AI solutions tailored to specific customer needs rather than just competing with big models. It's about making the technology usable for people.
  2. Being really in tune with customer problems is key. Companies that understand their users deeply can create more valuable and successful products than those that just offer standard solutions.
  3. Vertical-focused startups in areas like legal and healthcare will find huge success by providing precise answers, while 'good enough' solutions will dominate less critical fields. Focus on the last mile to make a real difference.
The Rectangle 84 implied HN points 07 Nov 25
  1. Apple introduced a new design called Liquid Glass that was meant to look like glass, but it didn't work well on devices like phones and laptops. Many users found it confusing and hard to use.
  2. Apple did make some changes to Liquid Glass to improve accessibility, allowing users to adjust how transparent it is, but they didn't address other big problems with their operating systems.
  3. There seems to be a shift in Apple's approach, as they focused on a new design instead of fixing bugs and improving user experience. This has raised questions about their commitment to quality and usability.
Rings of Saturn 58 implied HN points 29 Nov 25
  1. The Dreamcast build has hidden "fast cheats" you unlock by holding L+R and entering a specific button sequence (stored backwards as "Y R R A B Y R R A B"). Once enabled, hold L+R+Start and press Up/Down/Left/Right to restore health, spawn guns, spawn ammo, or show the character's position.
  2. There are several other in-game codes: one (A,B,X,Y) shows a silly message, another completes the current stage, and another toggles draw distance which you adjust with the analog stick. A few strings referenced in the source (like LARALARA and BLADDUR) are present in code but don’t work in the final release.
  3. Access to the game's source code (and simple reverse-engineering) is what revealed these cheats and how they operate. The PlayStation version doesn’t appear to include the same in-game cheats, though it does have a separate "all levels" cheat available from the menu and shown in source snapshots.
DYNOMIGHT INTERNET NEWSLETTER 796 implied HN points 21 Nov 24
  1. LLMs like `gpt-3.5-turbo-instruct` can play chess well, but most other models struggle. Using specific prompts can improve their performance.
  2. Providing legal moves to LLMs can actually confuse them. Instead, repeating the game before making a move helps them make better decisions.
  3. Fine-tuning and giving examples both improve chess performance for LLMs, but combining them may not always yield the best results.
Technology Made Simple 179 implied HN points 11 Mar 24
  1. Goodhart's Law warns that when a measure becomes a target, it can lose its effectiveness as a measure.
  2. The law often unfolds due to complications in real-world systems, human adaptability, and evolutionary pressures.
  3. To address Goodhart's Law, consider using multiple metrics, tying metrics to ultimate goals, and being prepared to adapt metrics as needed.
QUALITY BOSS 59 implied HN points 17 Jun 24
  1. Time blocking can be challenging because admin tasks often take over the blocks. It's important to set separate times for these tasks to protect your focused work.
  2. Interruptions can break your flow, so setting 'do not disturb' periods or specific times to check messages can help. Communicating the importance of your focused time to your team is crucial.
  3. Procrastination can still happen even with a schedule. Breaking tasks into smaller steps or tackling the hardest tasks first can make projects feel more manageable.
Points And Figures 612 implied HN points 28 Jan 25
  1. Quantum computing could potentially break the security of cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. This means new, stronger security measures might be needed constantly.
  2. Crypto operates on an open network that encourages wide accessibility and data collection, while traditional fiat systems are closed and controlled by central authorities like the Federal Reserve.
  3. There's a debate about whether the benefits of paying to use a closed financial system outweigh the risks of using an open one, especially with the advent of advanced technologies.
The Joyous Struggle 474 implied HN points 01 Mar 23
  1. The McGilchrist Manoeuvre highlights the importance of acknowledging the different but equally valuable perspectives of the right and left hemispheres of the brain.
  2. It emphasizes the relative trustworthiness of the right hemisphere's viewpoint in guiding us on understanding reality and making progress in philosophy.
  3. The maneuver involves transcending contradictions and recognizing the generative nature of coinciding opposites, ultimately enriching our perception and understanding of complex aspects of life.
The Novelleist 879 implied HN points 14 Oct 24
  1. José María Arizmendiarrieta believed workers should own their companies, promoting equality and fairness in the workplace. He thought that if workers shared in profits, it would create a better community for everyone.
  2. He emphasized the importance of education, encouraging workers to become skilled and capable of managing their own businesses. This led to the creation of cooperatives where everyone could participate and benefit.
  3. Arizmendiarrieta's model showed that creating jobs and opportunities for workers was essential for a prosperous society. He taught that by working together and sharing resources, communities could thrive without relying solely on government intervention.
High ROI Data Science 317 implied HN points 15 Jan 24
  1. CEOs face challenges with limited skills and expertise in implementing AI initiatives.
  2. Businesses struggle with data complexity and ethical concerns when it comes to utilizing AI.
  3. Companies need to align AI opportunities with business goals, estimate costs upfront, and prioritize continuous reskilling for successful AI implementation.
Humanities in Revolt 319 implied HN points 21 Dec 23
  1. Our thoughts shape our world: The power of critical thinking and mindfulness is evident in how our thoughts influence our experiences and actions.
  2. Mindfulness over gut reactions: While automated thinking can be useful, critical thinking requires self-awareness to assess situations, especially new and unfamiliar ones.
  3. Interpretation and critical thinking: Understanding how interpretation and inference impact our understanding of the world is crucial for developing critical thinking skills and constructing meaningful beliefs.
Not Boring by Packy McCormick 192 implied HN points 08 Aug 25
  1. The U.S. Department of Energy is making strides in nuclear energy by partnering with companies to create safer, advanced fuel types. This could strengthen America's energy independence and reduce reliance on foreign uranium.
  2. OpenAI has launched GPT-5, an improved version of its AI model that offers better performance without replacing humans. It's a sign of ongoing progress in making AI tools more reliable and useful for everyday tasks.
  3. A new AI from Google, called Genie 3, can create interactive environments based on text prompts. This technology can change the way we think about gaming and virtual experiences, making them more dynamic and engaging.
DeFi Education 599 implied HN points 04 Aug 23
  1. Coinbase cut its costs significantly, laying off 30% of its staff, and is focusing on expanding beyond just trading. They want to include features like payments and messaging in their app.
  2. A big challenge for Coinbase is the current regulatory environment in the U.S. The company is actively fighting these regulations to promote the growth of the crypto market.
  3. While Coinbase's trading revenue has dropped, they are making more money from interest on USDC. They have a lot of cash in hand, which helps them stay financially healthy even during tough times.
First 1000 452 implied HN points 19 Oct 23
  1. TechCrunch's journey started with a personal blog and grew into a media giant through credibility and breaking big tech news stories.
  2. TechCrunch rode the wave of the Web 2.0 era, evolving from a research tool into a significant news outlet.
  3. The pivotal moment for TechCrunch was breaking the accurate story of Google acquiring YouTube, leading to a surge in subscribers and solidifying its position in the tech media industry.
Good Better Best 2 implied HN points 26 Feb 26
  1. Connect PricingSaaS MCP to your LLM (Claude, ChatGPT, or Gemini) to query PricingSaaS data directly; setup takes about two minutes.
  2. Use it for pricing, packaging, and product research to see what other companies have done and get tailored feedback for launches, credit models, or price changes.
  3. Monitor competitor pricing and get market summaries — pull recent pricing changes, request additions for missing competitors, and produce instant benchmarks consultants can use with clients.
Venture in Security 255 implied HN points 24 Jan 24
  1. Hero culture in cybersecurity is common and involves individuals working long hours and taking on immense responsibilities, leading to negative consequences.
  2. Hero culture in cybersecurity has roots in the original hacking culture, the adversary's presence, reliance on knowledgeable individuals, and a special relationship with the military.
  3. Hero culture is reinforced through employees' sense of identity, belonging, and fear, as well as by companies' reluctance to invest in adequate security measures.
Alex's Personal Blog 65 implied HN points 24 Nov 25
  1. GLP-1s are showing promise in helping with addiction treatment. They might change how we approach addiction care, offering a new tool beyond traditional methods.
  2. Microsoft is creating a marketplace where publishers can sell content for AI use. This could lead to better AI development while allowing content creators to earn from their work.
  3. Google's Gemini 3 Pro is currently leading the AI model race, surpassing competitors like OpenAI and generating excitement in the AI community. This signals a shift in the AI landscape with Google gaining a strong position.
Tanay’s Newsletter 208 implied HN points 29 Jul 25
  1. Verticalized AI coworkers are designed for specific jobs like insurance adjusters or nurses, handling repetitive tasks that humans usually do. They can help fill roles where there are not enough workers.
  2. These AI coworkers integrate directly with existing tools and systems, allowing them to manage tasks efficiently. They aim to take some of the workload off human employees.
  3. Many of these AI systems are starting with easy, high-volume tasks, such as document processing and customer interactions. Over time, they may take on more complex tasks as they improve.
The Micromobility Newsletter 471 implied HN points 29 Jun 23
  1. McLaren has introduced their first electric scooter called the Series 1 with impressive features and design.
  2. An upcoming conference, Micromobility America, in the SF Bay Area offers Early Bird tickets for 24 hours with a 75% discount.
  3. Various companies like Super73, GasGas, and Ducati are launching new innovative micromobility rides with unique features and designs.
ceonyc 471 implied HN points 27 Jun 23
  1. Moving away from centralized platforms like Medium and Substack can offer more control over audience engagement and branding.
  2. Maintaining a direct relationship with your audience on your own site that you control can be beneficial in the long run.
  3. Audience growth and engagement may require more effort when transitioning between platforms, but the control and personal touch can be worth it.
Hot Takes 471 implied HN points 07 Jul 23
  1. Threads faces challenges in attracting users away from established platforms due to oversaturation and user fatigue.
  2. The lack of financial incentives for users on Threads puts it at a disadvantage in a landscape where users value their time and content.
  3. Privacy concerns, trust issues, and the risk of censorship could deter users from joining Threads, impacting its success.
Topsoil 471 implied HN points 31 May 23
  1. Farmers need to consider demand when deciding what crops to grow.
  2. Proximity to markets can influence a farm's choice of crops to grow.
  3. Various stakeholders, including farmers, cooperatives, commodity groups, and the government, work together to grow demand for agricultural products.