balooga's recent activity
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Comment on Performers claim unsafe conditions at Casa Bonita in ~food
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Comment on Japanese translation request - achievement stickers in ~humanities.languages
balooga LinkNot to be the guy who chimes in with an obviously AI response, but LLMs are particularly well-suited for translation. I dropped your photo into ChatGPT and asked it to translate each sticker...Not to be the guy who chimes in with an obviously AI response, but LLMs are particularly well-suited for translation. I dropped your photo into ChatGPT and asked it to translate each sticker twice: once literally and once more loosely to capture more of the feel of each joke. I don’t know any Japanese to verify but here’s what it came up with:
ChatGPT’s translations
A few recurring bits of context:
- イカす / イカしてる means “cool,” “slick,” or “stylish,” but it is old-fashioned Showa-era slang. It is still understandable, but often sounds retro, theatrical, or intentionally silly now. The squid pictures turn it into an ika = squid pun. Source: Kotobank: いかす
- ぴえん is cute modern crying slang. It can express small sadness, mock sadness, or being moved to tears, which fits the teary-face stickers. Source: Mynavi: ぴえん
- 勇者 means “hero,” but in this kind of sticker it strongly evokes Japanese RPG language, especially Dragon Quest-style fantasy/game dialogue. Source: Dragon Quest III official character page
- ほれてまうやろっ!! means “You’ll make me fall for you!!” and is a well-known comedy catchphrase associated with Chan Kawai of the duo Wエンジン. Source: Oricon article
- ブラボー!! can simply mean “Bravo!”, but in recent Japanese pop culture it can also evoke footballer Yuto Nagatomo’s repeated “Bravo!” during the 2022 World Cup buzz. Source: Mainichi article
Sticker Japanese Accurate translation Looser/localized version Context / joke 1A ぴえ〜〜ん かんげき！ “Piennn… I’m moved!” “I’m crying—so touched!” The teary face plus ぴえん makes this happy-crying praise rather than real sorrow. 1B やはりムテキ “As expected, invincible.” “Yep—unbeatable.” ムテキ = 無敵, “invincible,” written in katakana for a poppy/game-like feel. 1C おぬし…やりおるな “You… are quite capable.” “Well played, young warrior.” おぬし is archaic “you,” like samurai/RPG speech. The joke is praising a kid’s work as if by an old master. 1D ニクいほどすてき “So wonderful it’s almost annoying.” “Annoyingly awesome.” ニクい means “charmingly impressive / maddeningly good,” but the meat picture turns niku = meat into a visual pun. 1E さすがレジェンド “As expected of a legend.” “Legend status confirmed.” Over-the-top English loanword praise: calling a sticker recipient a “legend” for something small is the gag. 2A さすが！イカしてる！ “As expected! You’re cool!” “Squid-tacular as always!” Squid image + イカしてる. It literally does not mean “squidding,” but the sticker wants the pun. 2B さいこうにイカしてる “Supremely cool.” “Maximum squid-level cool.” さいこうに = “to the max / absolutely.” 2C にほんいちイカしてる “The coolest in Japan.” “Freshest squid in the land!” にほんいち is a classic exaggerated cheer: “Japan’s No. 1.” 2D イカす！イカしてる！ “Cool! You’re cool!” “Ink-redibly fresh!” This doubles down on the retro slang and squid pun. “Fresh” is a good localization because it captures coolness + sea/squid vibes. 2E ひゃ〜！イカしてる〜！ “Whoa! You’re cooool!” “Whoa—squid goals!” ひゃ〜 is a squeal of surprise/admiration. The long vowel makes it extra cartoony. 3A まさにレジェンド “Truly a legend.” “Absolute legend.” Same comic overpraise as 1E, with a cute tomato-like character. 3B とってもウマくなったね “You’ve gotten really good.” “You’ve gotten neigh-mazingly good.” うまく = “skillfully / well,” but ウマ in katakana also reads “horse,” matching the horse picture. 3C さすがムテキ “As expected, invincible.” “Unbeatable, just as expected.” Star image + game/anime-style praise. 3D きみは…てんさい？ “Are you… a genius?” “Wait—are you secretly a genius?” The question mark makes it mock-dramatic: “I’m beginning to suspect you’re a genius.” 3E ニクいね！ノッてるね！ “You’re impressive! You’re on a roll!” “You’re a cut above—and on a roll!” Meat image = niku pun. ノッてる means in the groove / on a roll. 4A 森のタヌキにほめられた “Praised by the forest tanuki.” “Even the forest tanuki approves.” Absurd cute achievement humor. A tanuki is a Japanese raccoon dog, also a folklore trickster figure. 4B ヒツジ「やるじゃないか」 “Sheep: ‘Not bad.’” “The sheep says: ‘Okay, you’ve got game.’” やるじゃないか is a cool, slightly smug “you did pretty well.” 4C 森のネコにほめられた “Praised by the forest cat.” “Forest-cat certified.” Another intentionally random “nature creature approves of your work” sticker. 4D タヌキ「よっ！にほんいち」 “Tanuki: ‘Yo! Japan’s No. 1!’” “The tanuki says: ‘You’re the GOAT!’” よっ！ is a stage-cheer style shout, like calling out to a performer. 4E 森のヒツジにほめられた “Praised by the forest sheep.” “Five-star review from a forest sheep.” Same surreal praise format as 4A and 4C. 5A ほれてまうやろっ！！ “You’ll make me fall for you!!” “Careful—I’m gonna catch feelings!!” Kansai-flavored comedy line. It is basically “that’s so charming I might fall in love,” made famous as a gag phrase. 5B まさにムテキ “Truly invincible.” “Straight-up unbeatable.” まさに = “precisely / truly / exactly.” 5C いよっ ニクいね！ “Hey! You’re impressive!” “Yo! You’re a cut above!” いよっ is a theatrical cheer. Meat picture makes ニクい into a “meat/cut” pun. 5D がんばった！かんげき！ “You worked hard! I’m moved!” “Amazing effort—I’m tearing up!” The teary face makes 感激 feel like praise through happy tears. 5E おぬし…できるな “You… are capable.” “You’ve got skills, warrior.” Archaic master/mentor tone, like an elder recognizing hidden talent. 6A ニクいよっ ニクいね！ “You’re impressive—really impressive!” “You’re one fine cut!” Repeats the ニクい / meat visual pun. 6B ゆうしゃどの さすがやぞ “Sir Hero, as expected of you.” “Brave Sir, you absolute legend.” どの is an old honorific like “Lord/Sir,” and やぞ is a masculine/Kansai-ish emphatic ending. Very RPG-NPC. 6C ブラボーー！！ブラボーー！！ “Bravo!! Bravo!!” “Bra-vooo! Standing ovation!” Tomato/round red character cheering. Could read as generic Italian-style praise, or a light echo of the Nagatomo “Bravo!” buzz. 6D すごい！ウマくなったね “Amazing! You’ve gotten good.” “Amazing—you’ve gotten neigh-mazingly good!” Horse image again makes ウマく a horse pun. 6E ゆうしゃさま つよい… “Hero, you’re strong…” “Oh mighty hero…” さま is very respectful; the teary うるうる eyes make it worshipful, like a weak NPC admiring the protagonist. 7A やはり…てんさい？ “As I thought… a genius?” “Called it: secret genius?” The ellipsis and question mark make it playful suspicion rather than a flat compliment. 7B がんばりにかんどう！ “I’m moved by your effort!” “Your hard work hit me right in the feels!” がんばり emphasizes effort/process, not just the result. 7C さいこうにクール “Extremely cool.” “Peak cool.” Sunglasses make the English loanword クール literal and visual. 7D ほうしゅうをてにいれた！ “Obtained a reward!” “Achievement unlocked: reward acquired!” Written like an RPG item message. The meat/bone icon looks like loot. 7E もはやムテキ “At this point, invincible.” “Basically unbeatable now.” もはや = “by now / at this point,” so it implies the recipient has leveled up beyond normal praise. -
Comment on Performers claim unsafe conditions at Casa Bonita in ~food
balooga LinkI've never heard of this place... it sounds like a really cool, unique attraction. Hope the workers are able to get what they're asking for. I'd like to visit sometime!I've never heard of this place... it sounds like a really cool, unique attraction. Hope the workers are able to get what they're asking for. I'd like to visit sometime!
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Comment on Consequences of advertising and enshittification on the Internet in ~tech
balooga Link ParentWish they made ad blockers for highway billboards and those guys that approach you from the midway kiosks at the mall.Wish they made ad blockers for highway billboards and those guys that approach you from the midway kiosks at the mall.
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Comment on REO Runabout, gas truck starting at $21,500 in ~transport
balooga Link ParentFeels like yet another culture-war-based player in the conservative grift economy. Appropriating the aesthetic of Slate but with extra “America!”, “Texas!”, and “Gas!” signposts scattered about....Feels like yet another culture-war-based player in the conservative grift economy. Appropriating the aesthetic of Slate but with extra “America!”, “Texas!”, and “Gas!” signposts scattered about. Fleecing red-staters who gravitate toward trendy truck identity politics but mistrust climate science and renewable energy. Sometimes I wonder if the only reason that culture is constantly legitimized by the establishment is because it’s being bred for grifters to slaughter like a herd of prize cattle.
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Comment on Tildes Game Giveaway: June 2026 in ~games
balooga Link ParentLate to respond, but please add me to the Lingo 2 raffle! My favorite game like this is the relatively obscure LOCK, which was created by Pixel_Gorilla in Dreams for PS4. Since most won’t easily...Late to respond, but please add me to the Lingo 2 raffle! My favorite game like this is the relatively obscure LOCK, which was created by Pixel_Gorilla in Dreams for PS4. Since most won’t easily be able to play it themselves, I recommend watching this playthrough video. It’s very well designed and quite challenging.
I love Worms Armageddon too but I already have that one so I’ll leave it for another to discover.
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Comment on Nations previously opposed voted for Chat control, next vote July 6th in ~society
balooga Link ParentIt’s infuriating that there’s no mechanism to prevent repeated attempts that have failed. There should be like a mandatory 5-year cooldown period or something before the same matter can be...It’s infuriating that there’s no mechanism to prevent repeated attempts that have failed. There should be like a mandatory 5-year cooldown period or something before the same matter can be proposed again. The well-funded interest groups will just keep grinding away until the non-funded regular folk slip up or exhaust their resolve.
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Comment on Papa Johns can predict when your fridge is empty in ~tech
balooga Link ParentAll marketing is just varying degrees of psychological manipulation. The strategies are many, but ultimately they all boil down to “make people want to give us their money.” My wants and needs are...All marketing is just varying degrees of psychological manipulation. The strategies are many, but ultimately they all boil down to “make people want to give us their money.”
My wants and needs are internal to me. I will determine how to allocate my own budget, in the way that best suits me. I don’t appreciate having third parties insert themselves into that equation. Marketers don’t have my best interests in mind. They just see me as a wallet that might open for them if they tickle it right. That’s not a friendly posture to take with people. I think that whole sector of the economy is fundamentally perverse and anti-human.
(I recognize that businesses still need a way to tell people they exist and find customers. I don’t have a solution for doing that, that isn’t also on the spectrum of marketing. So I realize my extreme attitude isn’t workable in the real world. Just the same, I’m actively hostile to ads. I go out of my way to limit my exposure to them. A company may have the right to promote itself, but I also have the right to ignore its messaging with every moral fiber of my being.)
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Comment on Papa Johns can predict when your fridge is empty in ~tech
balooga Link ParentI don’t think most people have any understanding of what “their data” even is. Personally I don’t think there’s even much point in trying to spread awareness either. The technology being used...I don’t think most people have any understanding of what “their data” even is. Personally I don’t think there’s even much point in trying to spread awareness either. The technology being used today has long exceeded the public’s ability to comprehend it, regulate it, or defend against it.
I think that’s why things seem to be accelerating these days. Palantir, Flock Safety, Oracle, and the pantheon of tech vendors, marketing firms, data brokers, and political / law enforcement agencies have realized that we’re at critical mass; most people don’t know about what they’re doing, and if they learn they don’t understand the implications, and if they do understand they feel powerless to resist. So all of these parties are now in “let ‘er rip” mode, expanding and grabbing everything as fast as they can like it’s Black Friday at Walmart.
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Comment on Gerrymandle: Daily puzzle game where you redraw electoral district lines to rig results in ~games
balooga Link ParentMaybe I’m too cynical but I don’t think most people would be able to solve a typical puzzle, if they even understood the assignment in the first place. But a video that shows the starting board...Maybe I’m too cynical but I don’t think most people would be able to solve a typical puzzle, if they even understood the assignment in the first place. But a video that shows the starting board (“look: 6 people voted pink, 8 people voted orange, and 14 people voted purple so what color’s going to win?”) and then shows the solution (“surprise, pink won! stick around to the end of the video to find out how”) might be an effective format.
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Comment on Gerrymandle: Daily puzzle game where you redraw electoral district lines to rig results in ~games
balooga LinkI love this. The "Well done, you've won the election!" success message in the tutorial is such a diabolically undemocratic zinger.I love this. The "Well done, you've won the election!" success message in the tutorial is such a diabolically undemocratic zinger.
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Comment on IO Interactive announces plans to lay off unknown number of employees after Xbox pulled funding and publishing support for its in-development project codenamed "Project Fantasy" in ~games
balooga LinkUgh. Honor your agreements, people. If you commit to something and later regret it, suck it up and make different agreements next time. But have a little integrity.Ugh. Honor your agreements, people. If you commit to something and later regret it, suck it up and make different agreements next time. But have a little integrity.
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Comment on I need more hilariously awful pick up lines to make my wife roll her eyes at me in ~talk
balooga Link ParentThat’s about as funny as a screen door on a battleship.That’s about as funny as a screen door on a battleship.
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Comment on I need more hilariously awful pick up lines to make my wife roll her eyes at me in ~talk
balooga Link ParentMy college roommate used to carry a sugar packet everywhere he went, just so he’d always be prepared to use this one, lol. You never know when the opportunity might strike!Hey girl, you dropped your name tag. Hand her a packet of sugar
My college roommate used to carry a sugar packet everywhere he went, just so he’d always be prepared to use this one, lol. You never know when the opportunity might strike!
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Comment on Physical disc production ending in January 2028 for new games releasing on PlayStation consoles in ~games
balooga LinkMan, I used to get rankled about this sort of thing but I just don’t anymore. The PS5’s internal SSD read speeds are literally 120x faster than those of its Blu-ray drive. This means discs are...Man, I used to get rankled about this sort of thing but I just don’t anymore. The PS5’s internal SSD read speeds are literally 120x faster than those of its Blu-ray drive. This means discs are only actually used for game installation and license verification anyway, because there just isn’t the bandwidth to play from optical media directly. And discs are susceptible to physical damage over time; so a disc is in effect just a non-replaceable key to content that lives elsewhere, whereas your PlayStation Store purchase keys are safely backed up in the cloud.
Now it’s true that the disc contains the game data too, so I hear the local archivist argument, but let’s be honest: That really only matters if you’re trying to preserve the release version 1.0.0 of a particular game. Kinda sucks if that game is, say, No Man’s Sky or Cyberpunk 2077. Even with a disc you’re going to be downloading updates after installation. It’s also worth pointing out that the disc format tops out at 100 GB capacity, which games are increasingly exceeding. So then you’ve got to either ship multiple discs in the case, or just ship a mostly empty disc that holds an installer that downloads from the web. So pointless and wasteful.
None of this changes the fact that physical media is ownership and digital downloads are revocable licenses. That remains a real problem. But what we should be pushing for is DRM-free downloads, self-hosted or local console data backups, and third-party game marketplaces… not the continuance of legacy formats that are growing more irrelevant every year.
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Comment on Odd gestures in public in ~tech
balooga LinkI don’t think I’m going to be truly happy with future smart tech until there is a safe, non-invasive bidirectional brain-computer interface that runs 100% on-device locally, that’s pocket-size and...I don’t think I’m going to be truly happy with future smart tech until there is a safe, non-invasive bidirectional brain-computer interface that runs 100% on-device locally, that’s pocket-size and doesn’t obstruct any part of my body.
And I suspect that’s literally not possible under any current understanding of physics, so we’re just going to have to make amends with endlessly encroaching dystopia for the rest our lives.
Because we can’t just, y’know, change direction. Or heaven forbid, reverse course.
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Comment on Reddit will require you to be logged in to use old.reddit.com in ~tech
balooga Link ParentI haven’t seen that one before… seems to work pretty well! Thanks for the link!I haven’t seen that one before… seems to work pretty well! Thanks for the link!
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Comment on Reddit will require you to be logged in to use old.reddit.com in ~tech
balooga Link ParentHonestly, I’m stunned that they’ve kept it online as long as they have. It was always meant to be a temporary concession while they transitioned over to the redesign. It’s been over eight years...Honestly, I’m stunned that they’ve kept it online as long as they have. It was always meant to be a temporary concession while they transitioned over to the redesign. It’s been over eight years now. For comparison, old.reddit.com is older than GDPR, Avengers: Infinity War, the Thai cave rescue, Red Dead Redemption 2, and the Notre Dame fire. Crazy! Feels weird even referring to the current look of Reddit as a “redesign,” connoting newness, when plenty of other sites would already be talking about how old this design is and how the site’s probably due to replace it with something even newer.
I mean, I’m with you… I think of it that way too. It’s just hard to believe they didn’t pull the plug on old. ages ago. I remember being sure its days were numbered the day they announced the thing. I figured we’d only have it for a few months at best. It’s hard to be mad about that.
I walked away from Reddit (for real this time) in the 2023 exodus and haven’t looked back. Of course, web searches will still lead me back to it on occasion but I’m not browsing it anymore. When I do end up there, old. is essential. But they’ve already been making it harder for years by blocking VPN users. This is just another hurdle.
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Comment on I made a satirical AI detector in ~tech
balooga Link ParentNot X. Not Y. A full helping of Z. That’s what makes it so tragically perfect.Not X. Not Y.
A full helping of Z.
That’s what makes it so tragically perfect.
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Comment on The local weather in ~society
balooga LinkI’m not sure what to make of this. It’s an interesting, dystopian vignette. It reads like sci-fi but it’s not. I think it pretty effectively encapsulates the weirdness of the times we’re living in...I’m not sure what to make of this. It’s an interesting, dystopian vignette. It reads like sci-fi but it’s not. I think it pretty effectively encapsulates the weirdness of the times we’re living in right now. I wish he had more of a point to make, but maybe I’m just blind to the subtext. I’m not familiar with this blogger or other things he’s written, to be able to piece together more meaning.
Hehe, nope. That kind of humor never appealed me so I’ve kept it at arm’s length. I’m moderately more in the target demographic for Book of Mormon but haven’t seen that either. Stone and Parker have managed to stay almost entirely out of my personal cultural awareness. Like, I’ve known their stuff exists for decades but it’s never been must-watch.