doctortofu's recent activity

  1. Comment on 8.8 magnitude earthquake near Russia prompts tsunami alerts in Hawaii, Alaska and West Coast in ~enviro

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    Yes - one of the very few times in my life I was glad to see commercials ;)

    Yes - one of the very few times in my life I was glad to see commercials ;)

    4 votes

  2. Comment on 8.8 magnitude earthquake near Russia prompts tsunami alerts in Hawaii, Alaska and West Coast in ~enviro

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    Thanks, I'm in the middle of Tokyo, so I'm safe, but a friend who moved to Okinawa is panicking a bit. I do hope everyone is safe and there's no major damage, but I'm glad people are taking the...

    Thanks, I'm in the middle of Tokyo, so I'm safe, but a friend who moved to Okinawa is panicking a bit. I do hope everyone is safe and there's no major damage, but I'm glad people are taking the warnings seriously this time: better safe than sorry.

    9 votes

  3. Comment on 8.8 magnitude earthquake near Russia prompts tsunami alerts in Hawaii, Alaska and West Coast in ~enviro

    doctortofu
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    Large parts of Japan's coast are on tsunami alert - even as far south as Okinawa. Warnings to immediately evacuate are constantly repeated on TV. No reports of any damages yet, but it's pretty tense.

    Large parts of Japan's coast are on tsunami alert - even as far south as Okinawa. Warnings to immediately evacuate are constantly repeated on TV. No reports of any damages yet, but it's pretty tense.

    13 votes

  4. Comment on In Tokyo for a couple of days, inviting recommendations in ~travel

    doctortofu
    (edited )
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    One of my favorite places in Tokyo is the garden of the Nezu Museum (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezu_Museum) - a serene place with lots of moss-covered stone lanterns and figures, right in...

    One of my favorite places in Tokyo is the garden of the Nezu Museum (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nezu_Museum) - a serene place with lots of moss-covered stone lanterns and figures, right in the middle of a huge metropolis. Highly recommended if you get a bit overstimulated by everything else Tokyo has to offer.

    With regard to food, I don't think you'll be able to get a reservation without speaking Japanese, but there's a small sushi place near Shiinamachi station (close to Ikebukuro) called Matsunozushi (松野寿し: https://guide.michelin.com/jp/ja/tokyo-region/tokyo/restaurant/matsunozushi) that's been featured in the Michelin guide for something like 8 years in a row, and is the absolutely best sushi I've ever had. I tried Michelin-starred restaurants too, and to me they still don't compare at all - Matsuno is my favorite sushi place in the world.

    4 votes

  5. Comment on You're going to use Gemini on Android whether you like it or not in ~tech

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    I'm personally a big fan of Canta (https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/io.github.samolego.canta) and Shizuku (https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/moe.shizuku.privileged.api) - they allow...

    I'm personally a big fan of Canta (https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/io.github.samolego.canta) and Shizuku (https://apt.izzysoft.de/fdroid/index/apk/moe.shizuku.privileged.api) - they allow you to do the same thing without ever having to connect to a computer, fully on your smartphone. Shizuku uses wireless debugging to launch adb, and then Canta allows you to uninstall all bloatware. Same thing, different (and IMHO easier) method.

    5 votes

  6. Comment on What lesser-known alternative would you recommend as a substitute for something more popular? in ~talk

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    Ahh, thank you, that's why I couldn't find anything, I just wasn't familiar with that name! I've been using cheap ones that I get in 100-yen stores here, because they still work well and they last...

    Ahh, thank you, that's why I couldn't find anything, I just wasn't familiar with that name!

    I've been using cheap ones that I get in 100-yen stores here, because they still work well and they last quite a bit, dry instantly, and pack really small too, so I always bring one along when going on a trip somewhere. I love how easy it is to clean my back with them too, even with mild shoulder pain I developed after turning 40 :)

    1 vote

  7. Comment on What lesser-known alternative would you recommend as a substitute for something more popular? in ~talk

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    That's quite similar to what I use in Japan! Here they're called ゴシゴシタオル (goshi-goshi towel, or scrub towel), come in various levels of softness, from ones you barely feel on your skin to ones...

    That's quite similar to what I use in Japan! Here they're called ゴシゴシタオル (goshi-goshi towel, or scrub towel), come in various levels of softness, from ones you barely feel on your skin to ones that will make you turn red from scrubbing, and are fantastic - never going back to a sponger loofah!

    Can't really find much about them in English, but they're cheap, durable and available everywhere - I had no idea they were used in Africa too!

    4 votes

  8. Comment on Do you have games that you play (almost) exclusively? in ~games

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    It's Warframe for me too - I play other games in between Warframe sessions, but for 5 years or so now Warframe is the only game I've been playing daily, even if it's just for a couple of minutes...

    It's Warframe for me too - I play other games in between Warframe sessions, but for 5 years or so now Warframe is the only game I've been playing daily, even if it's just for a couple of minutes to play a single mission.

    It's like a warm comfy blanket now - I'm MR30 and have no major things left to do, but somehow it's still fun to me, so I keep coming back. Love the developer too - their streams on Twitch are always fun and I try to watch whenever I can.

    2 votes

  9. Comment on Chatbots urged teen to self-harm, suggested murdering parents, Texas lawsuit says in ~tech

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    Completely agreed. In addition to these, I also think there should be hard-coded and immutable answers provided to any variation of "are you real?", "am I talking to a person?" and all similar...

    Completely agreed. In addition to these, I also think there should be hard-coded and immutable answers provided to any variation of "are you real?", "am I talking to a person?" and all similar questions, CLEARLY and unequivocally stating that the responses are generated by AI with no control or oversight by any human, and should be treated as such...

    9 votes

  10. Comment on Chatbots urged teen to self-harm, suggested murdering parents, Texas lawsuit says in ~tech

    doctortofu
    Link
    It's really scary how advanced these chatbots are. I remember watching a video after that teenager killed himself, and a guy decided to test one of these bots. And even though he KNEW they were...

    It's really scary how advanced these chatbots are. I remember watching a video after that teenager killed himself, and a guy decided to test one of these bots. And even though he KNEW they were not real, he was a fully aware and sceptical adult, it still made him doubt himself at times: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FExnXCEAe6k

    Now imagine a naive teenager, possibly with mental health issues, being exposed to something like this. Bone-chillingly scary, but apart from an outright ban I really don't know how to address it...

    7 votes

  11. Comment on Microsoft lays off another 650 staff from its video game workforce in ~games

    doctortofu
    Link
    Another blood sacrifice on the altar of CoD? How many more will they need?

    Another blood sacrifice on the altar of CoD? How many more will they need?

  12. Comment on How it feels to get an AI email from a friend in ~comp

    doctortofu
    Link
    I'm pretty sure AI can generate a Shakespearean sonnet on why not even bothering to write an email yourself is degrading, offensive and unacceptable, and why any other emails like that will be...

    I'm pretty sure AI can generate a Shakespearean sonnet on why not even bothering to write an email yourself is degrading, offensive and unacceptable, and why any other emails like that will be deleted without response.

    And I'm not even joking or being facetious - I hope no friends of mine ever stoop down to have AI write their emails to me, but if they do, that's what they'll get in response...

    9 votes

  13. Comment on IGN Entertainment acquires Eurogamer, GI, VG247, Rock Paper Shotgun and more in ~games

    doctortofu
    (edited )
    Link
    More consolidation in games media is exactly what we needed - after all, it worked so well for game developers, right? <facepalm> I miss the time when both games themselves and game journalism...

    More consolidation in games media is exactly what we needed - after all, it worked so well for game developers, right? <facepalm>

    I miss the time when both games themselves and game journalism made me happy, excited and hopeful - so much of it recently just makes me angry, sad and/or defeatist...

    6 votes

  14. Comment on Google lays off hundreds of ‘Core’ employees, moves some positions to India and Mexico in ~tech

    doctortofu
    Link
    I will freely admit that I'm pretty severely radicalized by the ongoing big tech shenanigans, but it just angers me SO much that a company can announce mass layoffs and record profits in the same...

    I will freely admit that I'm pretty severely radicalized by the ongoing big tech shenanigans, but it just angers me SO much that a company can announce mass layoffs and record profits in the same damn breath. And then in the next breath, they quite often request tax breaks and preferential treatment, because they are JOB CREATOOOOOOOORS...

    Makes my blood boil, in part because I feel completely powerless and unable to do anything about it.

    92 votes

  15. Comment on Dragon’s Dogma 2’s combat is sloppy and unrefined — on purpose in ~games

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    Fully agreed. I'm close to hitting level 60 soon, and while the game does have its flaws, I think the combat is great. Many styles to choose from, possibility to mix them up even (Wayfarer class),...

    Fully agreed. I'm close to hitting level 60 soon, and while the game does have its flaws, I think the combat is great. Many styles to choose from, possibility to mix them up even (Wayfarer class), and even though the amount of skills you can equip is very limited, I'm having loads of fun with it. I wouldn't call it sloppy at all.

    1 vote

  16. Comment on From ‘crookies’ to flavored versions: The French croissant reinvents itself to battle American snacks and attract Gen Z in ~food

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    That's a great point actually - good croissants are amazing, but you can't half-ass them I think - it makes them underwhelming and totally pointless, might as well just try some bread or buns or...

    That's a great point actually - good croissants are amazing, but you can't half-ass them I think - it makes them underwhelming and totally pointless, might as well just try some bread or buns or whatever.

    A good, fresh croissant in the morning though, either on its own or with some savory toppings (canned tuna and lettuce is my personal favorite) is simply divine. I'm lucky that Tokyo has some good bakeries where I can get them once in a while, because a lot of "bread" (quotation marks intentional) sold in Japan is just not good at all.

    12 votes

  17. Comment on From ‘crookies’ to flavored versions: The French croissant reinvents itself to battle American snacks and attract Gen Z in ~food

    doctortofu
    Link
    I might be too old and curmudgeonly, but after trying similar variations on the theme of croissant (in Tokyo though, not in Paris), I still prefer the classic buttery flaky goodness of the...

    I might be too old and curmudgeonly, but after trying similar variations on the theme of croissant (in Tokyo though, not in Paris), I still prefer the classic buttery flaky goodness of the traditional version. One variation I did love dearly were croissants made with sourdough, but the bakery that made them closed down - clearly my tastes don't align with the general populace.

    Having said that, it's good to see people experimenting - I don't think crookies and such ever fully replace traditional croissants, so I'll still be able to have the classics,while others can be more adventurous :)

    19 votes

  18. Comment on Notes on conciseness in ~life

    doctortofu
    Link Parent
    This is only tangentially related to both the article and your post, but I think a lot of issues mentioned in both are caused (or at least exacerbated) by internet discourse at large following the...

    This is only tangentially related to both the article and your post, but I think a lot of issues mentioned in both are caused (or at least exacerbated) by internet discourse at large following the exact opposite rules to ones we have here - instead of looking for a charitable interpretation, a large number of people (I feel like it might even be the majority, but might be my personal bias) is trying to find the most uncharitable interpretation and either argue with or make a fool of others.

    I'm guilty of this too - very often my first instinct is to think "well look here at this moron/asshole!", but thanks to Tildes, more often than not I try to correct myself and look for ways this person could be right instead of trying to find ways in which they are wrong. Could they mean something else than what I understood it as at first glance? Maybe it's just their command of the language that's an issue rather than the message itself? Maybe they just have a bad day? Sure, telling someone off or making a fool out of them publicly can feel great (for some damn reason), but it's amazing how one's reaction can change if you don't give in to that first impulse and instead give it a bit more thought...

    I'm sadly the opposite of concise most of the time so apologies for droning, but I wish so much there were more places online when people actively try to agree or at least actually talk to each other instead of hurling insults, nitpicking and degrading other posters. I love it here because I feel this is what is happening on Tildes - even though I don't post much, I'm continuously amazed at how civil and... I don't know, just... nice a conversation online can be, even when people disagree with each other.

    I do hope there is a way to make this style of posting and discussion a trend - the internet needs more nice forums and fewer toxic garbage dumps...

    4 votes

  19. Comment on Does anyone else have posting anxiety? in ~tech

    doctortofu
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    In my case it's not really anxiety, but simply not having anything profound, interesting, funny or otherwise meaningful to contribute. I don't want to litter the web with even more meaningless...

    In my case it's not really anxiety, but simply not having anything profound, interesting, funny or otherwise meaningful to contribute. I don't want to litter the web with even more meaningless "this" or "exactly!" garbage comments or silly puns, so most of the time I just read without posting anything.
    This, plus living in a timezone that is most active when a lot of anglophone countries are asleep means that most of my interactions are rather one-sided, but tbh I don't mind

    5 votes

  20. Comment on Can you recommend songs or musicians/bands with lyrics in Spanish? in ~music

    doctortofu
    Link
    I don't speak Spanish, but I enjoy Sebastián Yatra, a Columbian singer, a lot – Cómo Mirarte is one of my favorite ballads ever, in any language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsbqH5bJURc He has...

    I don't speak Spanish, but I enjoy Sebastián Yatra, a Columbian singer, a lot – Cómo Mirarte is one of my favorite ballads ever, in any language: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lsbqH5bJURc

    He has a lot of other songs I like a lot too - in general I prefer his older ones too his newer ones, but give them a listen and see what you think!