Rockets or Spacecrafts -- Launch pad

A launch pad is the area where rockets or spacecrafts lift off from earth. A typical launch pad consists of the service and umbilical structures.

• The service structure provides an access platform to inspect the launch vehicle prior to launch. Most service structures can be moved or rotated to a safe distance.
• The umbilical structure has propellent loading, gas, power, and communication links to the launch vehicle. The launch vehicle sits atop of the launch platform, which has the flame deflection structure to withstand the intense heat and load generated by rocket engines during liftoff.

Most rockets need stable support for a few seconds after ignition while the engines ramp up and stabilize at full thrust. This stability requirement is commonly met by the use of explosive bolts to connect the launch vehicle to the pad. When the vehicle is stable and ready to fly the bolts explode, severing the vehicle's ties to the launch pad and structures on the ground.

Lumbini - Birthplace of Lord Buddha

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Lumbini - After Renovation ........ Lumbini - Before Renovation

Lumbini is located about 300km south west of the Kathmandu city. Lumbini is one of the greatest pilgrimage sites for Buddhists and peace seekers of the world. It is a pilgrimage site for all who cherish peace and harmony.

The important spots of attraction in Lumbini include:-
- Sacred Lumbini Garden
- Sacred Pool 'Puskarini', where Mayadevi, the mother of Buddha, took holy dip before
giving birth to Buddha and also did the purifactory bath to infant Buddha.
- Store slab located deep in Sanctorum or Sacred Birth Place ( kept in bullet proof glass in
Maydevi temple)
- Ashoka Pillar erected by Emperor Ashoka in 249 B.C. to indicate the birth place of Buddha.
- Mayadevi temple

Lord Buddha himself proclaimed Lumbini as one of the foremost pilgrimage site among the Chatu mahasthan.
The Chatu mahasthan include :-

1. Lumbini ( the place of birth) in Nepal
2. Bodhgaya ( the place of enlightenment) in India
3. Saarnath ( the place of preaching sermon) in India
4. Kushinagar ( the place of Maha Parinirvana) in India

World Heritage Site - Pashupati Nath Temple

Pashupati Nath Temple is regarded as one of the holiest sites for Hindus all over the world. The temple is situated about 5 km east of the Kathmandu city center.
The temple is made in pagoda style which consists two-tiered golden roof with exquisitely carved four silver doors. The temple contains a phallic idol in its sanctum with four faces facing each direction and the fifth one looking towards the zenith.

The name of five faces of the phallic idol are as following:-
1. Tatpurus
2. Aghor
3. Bamdev
4. Sadhwojat
5. Isan

It is believed that hindu pilgrimage to the four dhams like Dwarika, Kedar Rameshwar, Jagannath and Pashupati becomes meaningful only after a final vist to Pashupati Nath temple and by taking a holy dip in the holy Bagmati River. It also includes conducting a proper puja and circling the 535 shiva lingas in the temple. This will free a person from the cycle of births and rebirths.

UNDERWATER HOTELS

1. Jules Undersea Lodge:

Jules Undersea Lodge is the world’s first underwater hotel. It was named after the author of the famed maritime tale '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea'. Originally built in the early 1970s as a groundbreaking research lab off the coast of Puerto Rico, the Lodge has been in business in Key Largo, Florida since relocating there and opening its hatch to the public in 1986.

Visitors to Jules who are not certified divers will go through a 3-hour crash course in scuba diving before shacking up in their room for the night. After all, the entrance to the hotel is 21 feet underwater on the sea floor. Patrons marvel at unobstructed views sea life in their natural settings through

2. Utter Inn:
Utter (Otter) Inn was constructed by Mikael Genberg in Vasteras, Sweden in 2000 A . An artist and sculptor, Mr. Genberg definitely had a vivid imagination and chose to focus on “making art for the public” when he built the Utter Inn.

This one-room inn offers guests the chance to sleep 3m below the surface of Lake Mälaren about 1km from shore. The Inn resembles a large buoy with the appearance of a Swedish red house with white gables.

The room offers panoramic views of the lake and an old switcheroo with the fishes. Instead of looking at fish in an aquarium, guest of the Utter are in the aquarium with the fish looking in. The Utter is truly a singular experience that few have known.

3. Hydropolis:
The Crescent Hydropolis of Dubai is one of the underwater hotel to be completed soon. At a cost of some $550 million, the luxury resort is being built on the Persian Gulf floor – 66 feet below the surface.

When completed, the project will cover 27 acres and compose of an above ground “land station” connected by a 1700 foot transparent train tunnel to the undersea hotel which resembles the shape of a jellyfish. The 220 suites will be bubble-shaped, with clear glass comprising both the sleeping area walls and the bathtubs.

Dubai has become notorious in recent years for its fabulously modern architecture. The Hydropolis is a perfect example of it.

4. Poseidon Undersea Resort:
The Poseidon Undersea Resort of Fiji, is set to open in 2009 . This resort is being built 40 feet underwater. Activities are also available on Poseidon Mystery Island, which has been artificially constructed for the resort’s purposes.

Each guest will have a personal Triton submarine at their disposal for exploring within the lagoon. For excursions to the area’s depths, tours on a 16-passenger luxury submarine will be provided. Visitors will be able to see everything from their rooms through transparent acrylic walls and even feed fish swimming by.

5. Underwater Hotel
Istanbul has intended to open an Underwater Hotel in 2010. It will be 7 floors under sea level and according to experts, it may not be deep enough to really appreciate the underwater view.

Hotel ratings-- Stars and Diamonds?

The Star classification system is a common one for rating hotels. Higher star ratings indicate more luxury. Hotels are independently assessed in traditional systems and rest heavily on the facilities provided.

Some consider this disadvantageous to smaller hotels whose quality of accommodation could fall into one class but the lack of an item such as an elevator would prevent it from reaching a higher categorization.

The hotels from One Star upto Five Star are common worldwide.

Six star hotels

• Crown Macau on Taipa Island in the Chinese territory of Macau
  
• St. Regis Shanghai Hotel in China
  
• Oriental Bangkok in Thailand
  
• The Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast in Australia
• Manila Hotel in the Philippines
  

Seven star hotels

The Burj Al Arab is the only, self-declared, "seven star" hotel

But, several "7-Star" hotels are under construction.These include:

• Laucala Island in Fiji
  
• Morgan Plaza in Beijing of China
  
• Flower of the East in Kish of Iran
  
• Centaurus Complex in Islamabad of Pakistan
  
• Pentominium, Grand Chola in Chennai of India
• Metro Manila in the Philippines
• Royalties Castle for Davao City in the Philippines
  

The American Automobile Association (AAA) and their affiliated bodies used Diamonds instead of stars to express hotel and restaurant ratings levels.

Bio Medical Engineering (BME)

Biomedical engineering (BME) is the application of engineering principles and techniques to the medical field. It combines the design and problem solving skills of engineering with medical and biological sciences to help improve patient health care and the quality of life of individuals.

Diagram of A JARVIK-7, an artificial heart for cardiothoracic surgery

An example of a BME application of mechanical engineering with biocompatible materials

As a relatively new discipline, much of the work in biomedical engineering consists of research and development, covering an array of following fields:-

bioinformatics,

medical imaging,

image processing,

physiological signal processing,

biomechanics,

biomaterials and bioengineering,

systems analysis,

3-D modelling etc.

Disciplines in biomedical engineering:

1. Clinical engineering
2. Medical devices
3. Medical imaging
4. Tissue engineering

Wood Carving - The World Famous Sculpture of Nepal

Peacock Window
(A Nepalese fine wood carving)

The ancient city of Bhaktapur (Nepal) is adorned by artistic wooden doors and windows carved by the traditional sculptors- the Shilpakars, who have been contributing in this sphere from times untraceable. One of the most beautiful and famous of such windows is the Peacock Window.

With the peacock protruding from the center of the window, this master-piece of wood is sure to add an attraction to the Bhaktapur area of Nepal. The window can surely be used for adding add flavor to any decoration too.

This piece of peacock window is about 30 inches in height, 40 inches wide and 6 inches thick.