frontpage.
newsnewestaskshowjobs

Made with ♥ by @iamnishanth

Open Source @Github

fp.

Open in hackernews

Bulging Biceps Don't Win Modern Wars – Paul Krugman

https://paulkrugman.substack.com/p/bulging-biceps-dont-win-modern-wars
9•rbanffy•4mo ago

Comments

SilverElfin•4mo ago
Tell that to the actual soldiers on the ground that have died. Videos of their encounters show that war is still extremely physical, moving through dense obstacle filled environments or large open fields while wearing thick outfits and carrying equipment. This is so obvious that I can’t understand how anyone would think physical fitness doesn’t matter, let alone rant incoherently about it.

Weirdly the author seems to acknowledge this despite the title:

> Combatants also have to be physically fit enough to endure incredible hardship.

But they discount the importance of having a culture that is appropriate for the job throughout the organization not just for combatants. Sure a programmer doesn’t need to be running a fast mile or whatever, but culture still matters and a soft one doesn’t seem appropriate for the military.

As for Russia’s failures - I don’t see why those would carry over to America. The author suggests their image of a masculine aggressive force hasn’t worked in Ukraine. I would say it isn’t enough on its own - you still need industrial strength and technology and all that. But dismissing the importance of a “warrior culture” on this one example feels like a leap.

foxyv•4mo ago
What culture? Hatred, bigotry, addiction, drunk driving, sexual assault, and psychological disorders? The culture we have now in the Military is rotten to the core. Don't forget the ignorance, sadism and stupidity under the guise of discipline. Also the kafkaesque bureaucracy that makes soldier's lives a hell.

Discipline is lacking at all ranks because every soldier has become inured to the endless stream of bullshit. I'm talking about the real military and not the jingoistic slop that is portrayed in novels.

There is a reason why no one is staying in the military anymore. Our actual culture has taught people that sadism and ignorance are not virtues. We also know that they do not make soldiers more ready for combat.

What makes a warrior is killing the enemy before they can kill you and your countryman, not bullying their comrades to suicide or hating them because of their gender or skin color.

yorwba•4mo ago
> war is still extremely physical, moving through dense obstacle filled environments or large open fields while wearing thick outfits and carrying equipment.

This requires endurance, not strength. Training to do this regularly won't give you bulging muscles. For those, you need short bursts of targeted high-intensity exercise. So a physically fit soldier won't necessarily look strong. Think marathon runner, not bodybuilder.

I agree that the article isn't particularly well-written, but I think it's trying to express the idea that military effectiveness isn't linked to maintaining a particular warrior esthetic.

lordkrandel•4mo ago
If you count women, you get a pool of 100% more soldiers.

Xkcd: Game AIs

https://xkcd.com/1002/
1•ravenical•1m ago•0 comments

Windows 11 is finally killing off legacy printer drivers in 2026

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/windows-11-finally-pulls-the-plug-on-legacy-p...
1•ValdikSS•1m ago•0 comments

From Offloading to Engagement (Study on Generative AI)

https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5729/10/11/172
1•boshomi•3m ago•1 comments

AI for People

https://justsitandgrin.im/posts/ai-for-people/
1•dive•4m ago•0 comments

Rome is studded with cannon balls (2022)

https://essenceofrome.com/rome-is-studded-with-cannon-balls
1•thomassmith65•9m ago•0 comments

8-piece tablebase development on Lichess (op1 partial)

https://lichess.org/@/Lichess/blog/op1-partial-8-piece-tablebase-available/1ptPBDpC
2•somethingp•11m ago•0 comments

US to bankroll far-right think tanks in Europe against digital laws

https://www.brusselstimes.com/1957195/us-to-fund-far-right-forces-in-europe-tbtb
3•saubeidl•12m ago•0 comments

Ask HN: Have AI companies replaced their own SaaS usage with agents?

1•tuxpenguine•15m ago•0 comments

pi-nes

https://twitter.com/thomasmustier/status/2018362041506132205
1•tosh•17m ago•0 comments

Show HN: Crew – Multi-agent orchestration tool for AI-assisted development

https://github.com/garnetliu/crew
1•gl2334•17m ago•0 comments

New hire fixed a problem so fast, their boss left to become a yoga instructor

https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/06/on_call/
1•Brajeshwar•19m ago•0 comments

Four horsemen of the AI-pocalypse line up capex bigger than Israel's GDP

https://www.theregister.com/2026/02/06/ai_capex_plans/
1•Brajeshwar•19m ago•0 comments

A free Dynamic QR Code generator (no expiring links)

https://free-dynamic-qr-generator.com/
1•nookeshkarri7•20m ago•1 comments

nextTick but for React.js

https://suhaotian.github.io/use-next-tick/
1•jeremy_su•21m ago•0 comments

Show HN: I Built an AI-Powered Pull Request Review Tool

https://github.com/HighGarden-Studio/HighReview
1•highgarden•22m ago•0 comments

Git-am applies commit message diffs

https://lore.kernel.org/git/bcqvh7ahjjgzpgxwnr4kh3hfkksfruf54refyry3ha7qk7dldf@fij5calmscvm/
1•rkta•24m ago•0 comments

ClawEmail: 1min setup for OpenClaw agents with Gmail, Docs

https://clawemail.com
1•aleks5678•31m ago•1 comments

UnAutomating the Economy: More Labor but at What Cost?

https://www.greshm.org/blog/unautomating-the-economy/
1•Suncho•38m ago•1 comments

Show HN: Gettorr – Stream magnet links in the browser via WebRTC (no install)

https://gettorr.com/
1•BenaouidateMed•39m ago•0 comments

Statin drugs safer than previously thought

https://www.semafor.com/article/02/06/2026/statin-drugs-safer-than-previously-thought
1•stareatgoats•41m ago•0 comments

Handy when you just want to distract yourself for a moment

https://d6.h5go.life/
1•TrendSpotterPro•42m ago•0 comments

More States Are Taking Aim at a Controversial Early Reading Method

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/more-states-are-taking-aim-at-a-controversial-early-read...
2•lelanthran•44m ago•0 comments

AI will not save developer productivity

https://www.infoworld.com/article/4125409/ai-will-not-save-developer-productivity.html
1•indentit•49m ago•0 comments

How I do and don't use agents

https://twitter.com/jessfraz/status/2019975917863661760
1•tosh•55m ago•0 comments

BTDUex Safe? The Back End Withdrawal Anomalies

1•aoijfoqfw•57m ago•0 comments

Show HN: Compile-Time Vibe Coding

https://github.com/Michael-JB/vibecode
7•michaelchicory•1h ago•1 comments

Show HN: Ensemble – macOS App to Manage Claude Code Skills, MCPs, and Claude.md

https://github.com/O0000-code/Ensemble
1•IO0oI•1h ago•1 comments

PR to support XMPP channels in OpenClaw

https://github.com/openclaw/openclaw/pull/9741
1•mickael•1h ago•0 comments

Twenty: A Modern Alternative to Salesforce

https://github.com/twentyhq/twenty
1•tosh•1h ago•0 comments

Raspberry Pi: More memory-driven price rises

https://www.raspberrypi.com/news/more-memory-driven-price-rises/
2•calcifer•1h ago•0 comments