Star Wars

Points: Star wars of fiction becoming fact — US space programmes — USSR counter offensive. 

             Fiction is becoming fact. George Lucas’s widely popular screenplay Star Wars seems now not a fiction but a pre-view of the actual space warfare of the future. Long ago H.G. Welts and Jutes Vernes in their science fictions gave imaginary descriptions of wars between planets and distant stars. But now both USA and USSR are actually preparing for some such wars in the outer space. These, too, are popularly known as ‘Star Wars’. 
             President Reagan is eager to develop a space-based ballistic missile defence system which is officially called Strategic Defence Initiative. The idea is to intercept and destroy the enemy’s ballistic missiles before they can hit the target. This is a defensive measure. The offensive measure will consist of a device of attack from the space with orbital electromagnetic rail guns. Nearly two hundred floating war stations’ in the outer space are envisaged for this, each costing about ten crore US dollars. 
             Mikhail Gorbachov of Russia, while condemning the US space war programmes, has hinted that USSR would also install counter-offensive devices in space, if necessary, against US Star War programmes. Nobody will minimize the gravity of the threat and the possibility of a total destruction of this planet. Critics of the Star War programme, however, point out that any space-based defence system is also vulnerable to ‘space mines’. According to scientists, a single nuclear blast in outer space will easily destroy laser weapons, particle beams and satellites. The feasibility of Star War itself is thus called into question. 
Above all, the peace-loving men all over the world are demanding an immediate disbanding of all programmes of Star Wars, The recent treaty between  Gorbachev and Reagan to destroy middle-range missiles is a hopeful step in that direction. 

An Interesting TV Serial

Points: My favorite TV serial Ramayana — The different parts — Its universal appeal.

             To the highbrows TV is a nuisance at home, an ‘idiot box’. But I am no highbrow. And make no secret of my love for not all but some TV programmes.  If I am to mention a recent one, I must mention the TV serial’ Ramayana directed by Ramanand Sagar.
             During 1987  and 1988  the Ramayan drew viewers like a  magnet. Very few among us let me confess, have read the whole of any version Ramayan —Valmiiki, Kamba, Tulsidas or Krittibas. It was thanks to Doordarshan that the full story of Rarmayana came vivid on the mini screens and we. viewers, were transported  to the mythical day of Rama ana Ayodhya. Sunday at 9:30 A.M. everybody was under a spell; we were transported into subjects of  the kingdom of Rama.
             I remember two other TV serials Humlog and Buniyad which were also popular and ran for over a year each. But Ramayans was really epical in length and made a record in the history of Indian
TV, having run for over Two years. Arun Govil as rama, Sunil Lahiri as Lakshman, Dipika as Sita and Arvind Trivedi as Ravana played their parts so superbly (that they recreated the aura of ancient time. I should not omit mentioning also Dara the athlete who pIayed Hanuman. His fame-as an athlete played before his popularity as Vajrangvali.
             The appeal of the Ramayana story is  universal. The sweet familial bond that binds Rama. Lakshmnan and Sita the eternal, conflict between good and evil, which is highlighted in the Lanka war, the  loyalty and courage played by Hanuman or Jatayu are unforgettable table TV produced them audio visually the serial and so it became popular .
Everyone like myself  became a Ramayan  addict so to say. Now let us see how Mahabharata which is far more complex and surely more eventful than Ramayana fares on the TV screen.

Noise Pollution

Points: The loudspeaker, a menace—Noise an aggression on quiet loving individual Misuse of microphones should be punished.

             Silence is golden, says the proverb. Time has come perhaps when this proverb should be hung at every road-bend or against each tree or wall. For, who is not afraid of the loudspeaker and who has the infinite patience to turn a deaf ear to it ? Human speech does not pollute, but microphones  do. They din volumes of noise into our ears either in the name of Rabindra sangeet  or in the name of the State lottery offering to make everybody a millionaire.

             Occasions like marriage, reception and public meeting have multiplied in recent years. Each such occasion has the constant backdrop—the long-playing whining from morn till midnight. Even private apartments blurt out radio or TV programmes upon the innocent passers-by for nothing. Noise is now an all-out aggression,” it is above law and beyond remedy. It is the worst epidemic that goes on unabated . The people who generate volumes of noise through Loud speakers are cruel, They have no mercy for even the heart-patients.” What is play to them is death for others. But who cares? We talk of road hazards. But the new road hazard is surely the non-stop electronic horn on the road that deafens the passersby.
             ‘Misuse  will surely be a very tame word. For, spraying noise  just like hot water is not misuse, but a criminal act.’ it is not only unethical but obscene  God help us if we have no remedy for this modern disease called noise or the demon known as ‘loudspeaker.’

How to write a good paragraph?

             Paragraph writing is akin to essay working. But it is not just essay writing in a small compass. A paragraph is not a mini-Essay, it is something else. An essay demands a somewhat complete treatment of a subject or topic. It has a formal beginning called Introduction, and a formal ending called Conclusion. A Paragraph needs neither.
             A Paragraph begins at once. It jumps straight away into the subject, The opening sentence of a Paragraph may be introductory. but is not a formal Introduction. Often the first sentence contains the theme itself. No doubt it is the most natural position for announcing the theme. But a Paragraph can do without any such introductory statement.
             A Paragraph is more business-like than an Essay. It never aims at a comprehensive treatment of all the points, and never bothers to be exhaustive. In fact, a Paragraph or who cannot cope with more than one or two salient points.
             What is essential is that the Paragraph (which includes all the sub- paragraphs in i) should be written in a coherent way. A few loose, logically disjoined sentences will not make a good Paragraph. Whatever is said in a Paragraph must be said compactly and lucidly. Good examples may be taken from newspaper reportage. A Paragraph is a connected whole. It consists of a series of sentences connected with one another by the main theme. The Paragraph explains, illustrates and elaborates one central theme. The unity of a Paragraph "implies a sustained purpose, and forbids digressions and irrelevant matter" (Bain). The topic of the Paragraph may be Descriptive or Narrative or Reflective. Sometimes a topic is both Descriptive and Reflective, or both Descriptive and Narrative. In any case, the unity in the writing of a Paragraph should be maintained.
             Students will be asked to write one or two or three Paragraphs  on  topics of common experience. They are generally treated objectively. But some times may allow some personal touch. An eye-witness account of an event may be subjective or objective. The paragraphs in a newspaper are usually objective, factual and impersonal. 
             Paragraph writing needs practice. A student has to write within the given word limits. The examples given below are mostly within the range of 150 and 250 words. Two, three or four paragraphs form the usual pattern. These paragraphs really form part of one big Paragraph.