Sunday, September 22, 2013

The Truth is Now Binary

There was a time, when people used to savor the flavor of their morning cup of tea and biscuits with the news that would flash in the headlines. There were times when the family sibling would share the papers and read their own liking. Then came the era of motion pictures, the silver screen framed in wooden boxes and the CRT would flash some pixels encrypted for NEWS. They were authentic times.


Till then the binaries were understood in simple terms. Every frequency did utter the same news; with minor modifications which were significantly not high (p>0.05). But with the advent of commercial and private news channels, many feeds were on offer (technically and personally). People has different versions of everything. The maximum variability comes with politics. The least variability comes with sports. If plotted with an ANOVA between the two variables in cohorts, even the statistical tool would shy off in showing any result. And then, it dawns on the general public... "that's XXX party's channel" or " that's against XXX". (No porn intended!)

The electrical pulses onto your LED or LCD now becomes real binary. It was binary since it's inception, but the contrast has increased so much that it's difficult to comprehend the truth. And then, through different frequencies, you search out different codes and if you have time and zeal to know more about it; you can decode to see the full picture. But again, its a hard time...



And with polls 2014 coming upfront, the TRP-hunters would love to impose more variability and colours. Sometimes the red will be invisible and to some, it will be of highest hue saturation! To me, a general public, it's never any important. The news makers and givers have all lost their trust under the pile of currency notes. I am sorry to say that responsibly!

Sunday, September 15, 2013

What it Takes...

"The grass is always greener on the other side", is a famous phrase that most of us have heard or uttered, in the context that "I hate my Job; Wish I was...." Dear friends, each and every one has their own perspective and I would not undermine it. It just takes the correct idea and mindset to appreciate that what you have may be envied by others, because these few others might wish to be in your shoes as well.

I have come across many, who have said the same thing in my profession; PhD. The hardships come without warning and sometimes stays there to extend your misery like a never-ending tale. A cup of coffee seems to cool down, but it always seems to be less, always, when such a spot of bother patches with your very existence. I also, sometimes used to utter, "I hate the situation", or "How I wish I had pursued engineering", etc, etc. But as the Reverend says, "God has offered you the most valuable gift, your Life and it's style. Many don't have it your way. So appreciate it's essence and freedom." Not believing it all, but with my passion overtaking my vices, I have photography and cultural toasts to go with the bitter ale. And well, the books also come to my rescue.

This happened yesterday, a fresh loaf of bread from the bakery. I was going through my book store, in a small cupboard, packed with Holmes, Poirot, Blyton classics and the bengali Masterminds of Byomkesh and Feluda. My fingers were browsing over the dusts that have settled in there for the past 10 years, may be more. My childhood friend, my classic brain teasers and something that always had drove me through the lonely alleys. A single child, a Bengali Kid... had some deprivation. With the golden sun of the 90's, pouring it's warm rays through the south-western window of my room, the "mesmerizing sound" of rusted decade old fan, a child in a Bengali household played with those pages in front of my eyes. I always had an unsung aspiration to be a Private Investigator... Solve cases similarly like the "Hound of the Baskervilles "or may something like the "Curtain".

Infact, the friend circles that I had and still do are always bound with five or six core group. Take for example, S5; comprising Sangbaran, Sandip, Soumillo, Sourav and myself. Or may be the M.Sc group with Budhaditya, Joydeep, Arijit, Avisek, Kanad and myself. We never had a common aspiration of becoming Famous Five or the Secret Seven; but somehow, the subconscious mind weaved us together.

Curtain fell and facts arrived. A self analysis made me realize that may be, I am not totally abstracted from my fascinating dream. I am still running behind the Biological mysteries.... I was doing a PhD (!!!)... and if I am on the right track, I will become a Project Investigator, a scientist or an academician... Abb. PI... its almost equivalent to becoming a "Private Investigator".

May be...


After all, what it takes is you always need a positive look towards life, because, whatever is taking place with you, has a bigger cause.... It's best done by you, with you and for you!!!

Photograph: Sinchan Sinha, May 2013.