Nooks & Crannies #4 · 9:57pm Feb 23rd, 2016
Another week, another post for Nooks & Crannies!
February is already coming to an end. By the gods, this year's moving faster than I had ever imagined.
Oh well, true to its not-exactly-fixed schedule, here's your daily dose of random tidbits, starting with:
The Pick Of The News
So, we shall start the news of the week with something light: data encryption.
- You may have heard of the debate of data encryption happening between Apple and the FBI. For those who don't know, the FBI has approached the tech giant to ask for their help in hacking an iPhone used by one of the terrorists responsible for the San Bernardino shooting last year. Apple immediately refused, with CEO Tim Cook stating that doing so 'expose its customers to a greater risk of attack'.
So this is how it works:
1) FBI wants to retrieve data from the iPhone that is not backed up into the cloud storage. The last backup made by the terrorist came weeks before the attack took place.
2) Apple uses full encryption on its devices, in that everything — the security system, the keys to unlocking this system and of course, all the phone's data — is stored in the device. Apple does not save a copy of the encryption lock; the only person who can bypass that lock manually is from the owner of the phone, who is dead.
3) FBI requests for Apple to create an OS that can break through the encryption: a backdoor. Up to this point, Apple had been assisting with providing the FBI data from the cloud storage, but after this request, Apple begins to fight back instead.
Right now, it's a bit of a mess. Leaders of the tech giants in Silicon Valley all agree on Apple's stance, while others, namely the White House and families of the victims of the shooting, go against it. It's a battle of ethics out there; one of them has to stand down eventually.
- In other news, an Indian electronics company has launched the cheapest smartphone in the world: the Freedom 251, which, true to its namesake, costs 251 rupees. To put into context, it costs as much as a cup of coffee. Many around the world are skeptical. All this reminds me of Kingsman really. Seems fishy.
- The Chinese government are planning to relocate 9,110 people in order to build and operate a giant telescope to search for extraterrestrial life. It would be the biggest radio telescope in the world, its diameter measuring twice the size of current record holder Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. All the residents will be compensated for their trouble. Only in China, it would seem.
- Lastly, the tweet by USA Republican presidential candidate Jeb Bush: a photo of a gun with a single word: America. Make what you will of that.
My Little Study
SUBJECT of STUDY
人類は衰退しました / Jinrui wa Suitai Shimashita / Humanity Has Declined
Anime • 2012 • AIC A.S.T.A. • Adapted from a light novel series by Romeo Tanaka ( kanji: 田中 ロミオ)
Comedy, Absurdist, Fantasy, Satire
The anime whose first episode spawned this little devil:
The title is a dead giveaway for the scenario: a post-apocalyptic world in which human civilization had fallen due to the declining birth rates. Instead, we're succeeded by a bunch of small, silly elf-like creatures known as fairies. We follow a nameless character who serves as a mediator between the humans and the fairies, only to find out her job isn't as simple as it would seem.
Humanity Has Declined is, suffice to say, strange. Though that may be an overused word when it comes to anime, this was actually one of the few shows that I watched that was just strange. In a good kind of way, of course. For such a depressing title, you'd think it would look a little dark as well. It does get dark (refer to bleeding toast image) but it's more for the sake of satire than anything else. The art style also looks like something from a fairy tale a la Grimms Brothers, which makes it even quirkier yet more referential.
Plot-wise, the story appears to be backward. I can't say for sure if it really is, since they didn't really specify the timeline, but the progression certainly is there. They are mainly segments of the main character's life, taken out and rearranged. Those segments and the chain of events that occur within them border to almost nonsensical; an absurdist method of satirizing our culture. Throughout the anime, the fairies are determined to replicate the aspects of human culture, though it was only for the fun of it in the end.
The extreme setting and strange, almost random plot would've turned me away, if it weren't for the main character. She's down to earth, witty and sarcastic behind her seemingly nice and polite demeanor, always not afraid to speak her mind if she can. Her being the narrator only made it an even funnier show to watch. The other characters are memorable too, all with their unique personality and quirks. Just goes to show that a great cast can go a long way.
Watching this had made me laugh at things I don't even know I'd laugh about. To put into perspective: the bleeding toast is just the start of many great things to come. It's a show that teases the human race: what more could you expect?
Updates
Short little note.
The next entry for Mamihlapinatapai will be out by Friday, latest Saturday. All others are due in March, though I can't promise that yet. I prepared that month to be a little busy, after all. Most likely, Perhaps Death and Lovely Days would make the cut.
Music Of The Week
If It Were You, We'd Never Leave
Andrew Bayer
Album, released on April 22nd, 2013Electronic
Though he's more well-known for his efforts in trance music, this album by Andrew Bayer follows a softer, mellower route down the musical avenue, featuring his more downtempo works. Even though there isn't much in terms of progression — one would get tired out after a few runs — there is something uplifting about this album. This isn't one of those albums where every listen you give it is fresh; this is an album where every listen you give it, it will bring you through the same journey over and over again. It may sound repetitive, though it wouldn't, trust me. Not with an album as transcendent as this.
So, that's it for this weeks Nooks & Crannies!
Please feel free to share what opinions you might have! Who knows, we might start up an interesting discussion because of it!
See you next Tuesday / Wednesday! 
