iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Lad just went to play Mario Kart on my phone and Nintendo has shut it down. I feel a bit weird about having an app I paid for unilaterally shut down.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

At a sushi store and the IT system is down, causing lots of problems for the poor staff. For the first time, I am wondering whether this is the result of an AI attack.

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Reposted by Rich

Tristan Felix B. @tristiger.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The Voice of the Snow is outttt (tr. me) 🥰👦🏻❄️

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

I noticed when looking up single words with Google Translate it was producing some bonkers colloquialisms. Turns out there’s now an AI mode. I guess it works well for longer text.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

During Peak Typhoon yesterday, there was a bird somewhere near our house doing what could only be considered screaming. I don’t know whether it was in pain or anxiety but it was a terrible, terrible sound. I hope that bird got through the storm and could enjoy the sun today.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Don’t be hard on yourself. Charlie’s light must shine on in that baby you delivered.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 11/09/2026

Article includes a link to a tweet with this illustration.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

I misread something yesterday. Test results are available this Thursday.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The org can’t even guarantee accepting applications throughout the application period. There’s not enough space on earth for the applicants or something.

JLPT tests could be an opportunity for SpaceX.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

So test results for July come in late September. Applications for the December exam close Sept. 7. The website to apply is crashing nonstop.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Is JLPT taking applications for the December exam without having announced results from July?

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

Just spotted a JR poster targeting trainspotters. I guess they always found them annoying but can now frame is as against tourists and so acceptable to Japanese.

A poster by JR asking for better behavior from trainspotters.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

The guy doing sign language for Andy Burnham looks like Andy Burnham in disguise.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Also enjoyed this. “There is a deeply-rooted sneering, condescending inability to imagine that working people — and working class men, who always are assumed to be white in these instances — could ever vote for anyone other than a slovenly, alcoholic townie oaf.” www.garbageday.email/p/the-curdli...

garbageday.email

The curdling of the American man

Read to the end for Tucker Costanza

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Reposted by Rich

Sheffield Wednesday @swfc.co.uk · 09/07/2026

Welcome home, Baz! 🦉 Barry Bannan returns to the Owls on a permanent transfer from Millwall.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

I do not know why parts of that photo disappeared, but welcome to my phone, unrequested AI features, I guess.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Everything is pro wrestling.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

The recent YBA exhibition in Tokyo seemed to just avoid addressing this aspect of 90s UK life. You really had Oasis and Blur packaged with a lot of artists that had more to do with music company bottom lines than any sort of movement of contemporary cultural experience.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Living out of the UK, you see Cool Britannia projected a lot. But there was always this pervasive aspect of British culture that was acceptable to Daily Mail readers that has very little to do with cool culture. I’m pretty sure around the same time, Robbie Williams released an album of jazz covers.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Like, who were the people that made Texas and Beautiful South so big, and what did they do after? Maybe they just fell into the reality TV pop-star vortex but I doubt it. Ed Sheeran, Snow Patrol etc.?

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

There was a moment in 1996 in the UK where the perception has become Oasis dominated popular culture. I don’t think that’s exactly right. Beautiful South were also massive. And shortly after Texas. I wonder about this a lot.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Not much to show. Was just talking at home about last time there wasn’t completely insane news to worry about and we got to pre-Covid. There were bad things before always, but since Covid into Israel/Palestine there has been no reprieve.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

“Burnham’s victory in a by-election in the North of England should not be misread. Labour’s coming leadership switch does not portend any real change for the country or its position in the world.” Tariq Ali on Labour’s shakeup in the UK. newleftreview.org/sidecar/post...

newleftreview.org

Tariq Ali, Tweedledee — Sidecar

Farewell Starmer?

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

I could but it has never worked for me. I only consistently take notes if I am using an app for other stuff such as messaging at the same time.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

Last night the quake alarm went off as Japan waited for a double typhoon to hit with El Niño lurking and no guarantees of a peaceful path playing out in the Middle East as Europe scorched and Venezuela began uncovering the dead.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

I tried to do a timeline of when stressful stuff started accelerating and I guess it must be the start of Covid. Feels like there was some alleviation after that, but the Hamas attacks and Israel’s response began during Covid.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Crisps in Japan are now in black and white because America! Freedom absence of ink or something.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

A very big quake just struck north Japan, 6+ on the domestic scale in Aomori. No tsunami warning though.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Glad to see Starmer getting his marching orders, but doubt Burnham will do the stuff needed: - Defense of immigration - Reinstatement of left of party (Corbyn et al) - Support for transgender rights etc. www.reuters.com/world/uk/uk-...

reuters.com

Report says UK PM Starmer ready to quit, but source says he is still focused on the job

Britain's Observer newspaper said Prime Minister Keir Starmer was expected to resign on Monday and set ‌out a timetable for his departure, though a government source said Starmer remained focused on g...

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Sometimes just writing stuff down helps you come up with the solution… I can use WhatsApp for notes to self.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

The company is boasting about all the snazzy stuff its AI can do to help you organize your life through Teams. I want to send myself a recipe so I do not lose the link.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

You can do so from browsers, but seemingly only those on computers. Trying to do so from Safari on mobile etc. just results in a message telling you to download the app, which does not support messaging self.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I send messages to myself in Microsoft Teams with recipes, notes, links etc. turns out it was to a Skype me and will be abolished and the app seems not to support messaging yourself.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

I told him and then asked why he was doing such crazy stuff in the game… Learned from YouTubers.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 13/06/2026

Insisted to my son while he was playing Minecraft he should speak to me in English. “How do you spell sniper” and “How do you spell rifle” were the first things he asked…

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

Teikoku Databank claims bankruptcies in Japan are accelerating, in part because of changes brought about by the spread of generative AI.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

Osaka Osho is selling gyoza curry. I didn’t try, and probably won’t, but I am impressed.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 04/06/2026

Discontent among U.S. workers of Japanese store Muji. Their complaints make it sound like the staff are working for a Japanese company! Worth a listen.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 01/06/2026

It’s a long time since I listen to the Drugdealer album. It still makes me smile. music.apple.com/jp/album/raw...

music.apple.com

Raw Honey by Drugdealer on Apple Music

Album · 2019 · 9 Songs

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

Nope. It was the day I reserve an appointment to buy a phone.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

You can argue everything other than the currency has worked. The problem is what comes next I guess. Toyota just scrapped plans for a new EV Lexus.

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Rich @richardsmart.bsky.social · 31/05/2026

The second-order stuff is coal is a good store of energy and most risk realization is later on. The roads help prepare for the deliveries and logistics stuff that graying Japan will increasingly rely on as the population gets less mobile.

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