STUDENT POLITICS IN BANGLADESH: manything to lose and nothing to gain..........

We have been hearing about the glory of Bangladesh student politics since our childhood but unfortunately that struggle has lost all signs of its industrious past. Students’ role in the language movement obviously ranks as historic; the uprisings of ’62, ’66 and ’69 had solid contributions in strengthening the Bengali nation’s pilgrimage towards freedom. Student participation in the struggle for freedom in 1971 will be ever recognized as an act of selflessness. Even the mass movement of the ‘90s, which paved the way to democracy, is witness to the role of All Parties Student Alliance in toppling down the military regime of General Ershad.

Students at the forefront in the language movement as well as those who were part of the freedom movement all emerged later as national leaders. For a motherland in distress, students had to respond in national interest, leave classrooms and take up rifles. After the fight for freedom was won in 1971, they had no more reason to keep carrying arms. Those active in 1990 used their unity alone to stand up for democracy, and like the student leaders and activists of ’52 and ’71 they even managed to pursue professional careers. Student politics was never a barrier for them in acquiring good education, even though many faced the wrath of British and later Pakistani rulers in the forms of detention and torture. Yet, they knew their struggle had to be two-pronged: one for freedom and the other to earn education in order to serve their nation and their lives.

It’s quite repetitive and misplaced to blame predecessors for failing to deliver a healthy nation. Every freedom history of the world carries examples of a handful of opportunist student leaders who encash advantages in a changed national scenario. But why pick up wrong examples and generalize them to pillow-pass our own responsibilities towards nation building. As a legacy of pre-liberation student politics, there are till date a number of veteran politicians and civil society leaders who helped steer Bangladesh towards democracy and prosperity. Why not exemplify them? Sadly, however, if we compare the student leaders of ’71 to those of ’90 degradation will emerge as the shocking truth.

Since the democratic movement of 1990 we have experienced four elected governments, hence it would be safe to say that the people of Bangladesh are now conscious enough to bring in political changes. Even during the 1/11 administration, the role of the masses, civil society and media was mature enough to ensure our train back to democracy.

So in such a tested society do we deserve to see photographs of student activists carrying arms? A black and white photo of a student freedom fighter of 1971 symbolizes the glory of a nation, while a colored image of an un-studently armed cadre earns nothing but mass disappointment. It’s about time we realized that the days of such warbotic cadres are numbered. Tolerance for their involvement in extortion and/or tender terrorism is fast vanishing. It’s no longer practical for either Awami League or BNP to mentor student wings in old fashioned manner. They have little choice but to learn some political culture from successful democratic states.

Students in politics have to be made to return to their classrooms and laboratories: the nation yearns for their contribution to development. This doesn’t, however, mean that the youth should become de-politicized bookworms. Political consciousness by no way means displaying arms, occupying student halls, oppressing rival student wings or becoming part of tender terrorism. Student politics developed as a voluntary zeal to learn, practice and respect the ways of democracy. Peaceful processions, gatherings, seminars, debates and cultural activities are supposed to be the tentacles of student politics. Turning into sychophants of political leaders, conniving for a license to bid in tender terrorism or opting for a career in extortion are nothing but beggarly ways to start life.

We have all been a witness to the heroism of a few wayward classmates who displayed arms in the campus and wore jeans and snickers extorted from Elephant Road shopping malls. We have moved on to better things, but their lives are still awaiting change, any change. They can be found hanging around the living rooms of political leaders, meekly asking for unethical or pseudo business favors. As they desired glory through political beggarhood, destiny has given them just that.

Nobel laureate Amartya Sen portrayed the concept of ‘freedom of choice’ with an example: there is a difference between a fasting monk and a hungry beggar; a monk fasts out of choice but a beggar has no choice but to go hungry. Relatedly so, student politics should be a means to achieve freedom of choice by pursuing knowledge, expertise and wisdom. Temporary success of un-studently students is a mere recipe for lifelong darkness and lack of choice.

TERRORISM: Not The Monopoly Of ISLAM.......

Is Terrorism a Muslim Monopoly?

This question arises in the minds of the people, during any discussion on religion or world affairs. Muslim stereotypes are perpetuated in every form of the media accompanied by gross misinformation about Islam and Muslims. In fact, such misinformation and false propaganda often leads to discrimination and acts of violence against Muslims.
Oxford Dictionary describes the word terrorism as: ‘the use of violent actions in order to achieve political aims or to force a government to act.’ The word terrorism was first coined in 1790’s during the French Revolution. The years 1793 and 1794 were called as ‘The Reign of Terror’ or ‘Years of Terror.’


During these years Maximilin Robespierre guillotined thousands of innocents. He arrested more than 500,000 out of which he executed 40,000. More than 200,000 were deported and more than 200,000 were starved and tortured to death in the prisons.


Today there is a statement, which is being repeatedly bombarded, especially in the western media and that statement is, ‘All Muslims are not Terrorist, but all Terrorist are Muslims.’ But here are the historical records on terrorist attacks that speak a different picture:

19th century – We hardly find any terrorist attacks done by Muslims.

* 1881 – Tsar Alexander was assassinated in a Bomb Blast. He was traveling in a bulletproof carriage in St. Pietersburg Street. The first bomb kills innocent 21 bystanders. The second bomb killed him while he was stepping out of the car. He was killed by Ignacy Hryniewiecki. He was Anarchists.
* 1886 – Bomb Blast at Haymarket Square, Chicago, during a labour rally. 12 people were killed; one among them was a policeman. Seven policemen were injured and they died in the hospital. The people responsible were 8 Anarchists all of them were non-Muslims.
* 6 September 1901 – The US President, William McKinley, was shot twice by an Anarchist named Leon Czolgosz. He was a non-Muslim.
* 1 October 1910 – Bomb blast in Los Angeles at Times newspaper building. 21 were killed. The blast was done by 2 Christians named James and Joseph. They were union leaders.
* 28 June 1914 – Archduke of Austria and his wife were assassinated which precipitated the World War I. The members of Young Bosnia assassinated them - most of them were Serbs. They were non-Muslims.
* 16 April 1925 – Bomb Blast in St. Nedelya Church in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria. 10,050 were killed and 500 injured. This was the biggest terrorist attack that was done on the soil of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Communist Party did it. They were non-Muslims.
* 9 October 1934 – King Alexander I of Yugoslavia was assassinated by a gunman by the name of Vlada Georgieff. He was a non-Muslim.
* 1 May 1961 – First US plane to be hijacked was not done by a Muslim. It was done by Ramierez Ortiz.
* 28 August 1968 – The US Ambassador to Guatemala was assassinated by a non-Muslim.
* 30 July 1969 – The US Ambassador to Japan was knifed by a Japanese non-Muslim.
* 3 September 1969 – US Ambassador to Brazil was kidnapped by a non-Muslim.
* 19 April 1995 - The famous attack of the Oklahoma Bombing in which a truck loaded with bombs ran into the federal building of Oklahoma, in which 166 were killed and 100 were injured. Initially in the press it came as ‘Middle East Conspiracy’. Later on they came to know that it was done by two Christians named Timothy and Terry.



After World War II

* After World War II from 1941 to 1948, the Jewish Terrorists conducted 259 terrorist attacks.
* 22 July 1946 – The famous bombing of King David Hotel was conducted under the leadership of Menachem Begin. 91 were killed, out of which 28 were British, 41 Arabs, 17 Jews and 5 others. The Ignun group dressed up as Arabs to show as though the Muslims did this bombing. Menachem Begin was called terrorist number one by the British government. Later on after a few years Menachem Begin the terrorist number one became the Prime Minister of Israel & got a Noble Prize for Peace. Imagine a person who was a terrorist number getting a Noble Prize for Peace. Menachem Begin and others were fighting to get a Jewish state. Before 1945 Israel did not exist in the World Map. These Jewish group were fighting for a Jewish state and later on with the power they kick the Palestinian out and now the same people are calling the same Palestinian who are fighting for a more just cause for getting their land back. And the Israelis label them today as Terrorist.
* Hitler killed 6 million Jews. The Palestinians welcome the Jews. Later on the Jews kick the Palestinians out of their own land and when the Palestinians are fighting to get their land back they are labeled as Terrorists. It is like I welcome a stranger in my house. After a few days that person throws me out of my house and when I shout out side my house that I want my house back, you call me a Terrorist.
* In Germany from 1968 – 1992, Baader Meinhoff Gang killed several innocent human beings.
* In Italy, Red Brigades kidnapped and killed Aldo Moro, the former Prime Minister of Italy.
* 20 March 1995 - Aum Shinrikyo a Buddhist Cult used Nerve Gas in the Tokyo Subway in which 12 people were killed and 5700 were wounded and injured.

IRA (The Irish Republican Army)

* In UK since hundred years IRA (The Irish Republican Army) is conducting Terrorist attacks against UK. They are Catholics. But are never called as Catholic Terrorist. In 1972 IRA conducted 3 bomb blasts. In the first blast 7 were killed, in second blast 11 were killed and in the third 9 were killed.
* In 1974 IRA conducted two bomb blasts. First at Guildford Pub in which 5 were killed and 44 injured; second at the Birmingham Pub which killed 21 and injured 182.
* In 1996 IRA conducted bomb blast in London in which 2 persons were killed and more than were 100 injured. In the same year IRA conducted bomb blast in Manchester shopping center in which 206 people were injured.
* On 1 August, 1998, the ‘Banbridge’ bomb blast took place. The IRA planted 500 pound of bomb, which was loaded in a car where 35 people were injured.
* On 15 August, 1998, ‘Omagh’ bomb blast took place. IRA planted 500 pound of bomb in a car where 29 people were killed and 330 injured.
* On the 4 March, 2001, the BBC was bombed by IRA.
* The IRA is never called as Catholic Terrorist. Today the UK government is more afraid of Muslim terrorist. Today Tony Blair is more afraid of the ‘Muslim terrorists’ than IRA who is conducting terrorist attacks for more than a hundred years. Why?


In Spain and France ETA conducted 36 terrorist attacks. In Africa there are many terrorist organisations. But the most notorious is the ‘Lord’s Salvation Army’; a Christian terrorist organisation in Uganda. They train young childrens to commit terrorist attacks.

In Sri Lanka, the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam) is the most notorious. It is the most violent terrorist organisation in the world. They are experts in suicide bombings and they even train children to take part in suicide bombings.

Normally people know Palestinian suicide bombings, Iranian suicide bombing, but they don’t know that LITTE are people who have popularized to suicide bombings. The LTTE i.e. Tamil tigers, they are Hindus.

In India majority of the terrorist attacks are talked about the Kashmiri militants. In India there are terrorist organization belonging to almost all different religions. We have Sikh terrorist, the ‘Bhindranwala’ in Punjab. If you go to South Asian Terrorism portal run by Non-Muslims, and if you see the list of terrorist attacks done by all the people, you will find the Muslims in a minority. But that is never highlighted in the media.

On 5 June, 1984, the Indian Security Forces took over the Golden Temple in which 100 people were killed. In retaliation on 31 October, 1984, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh security guard. In Tripura there are Christian terrorist organizations called ATTF (All Tripura Tiger Force) and NLFT (National Liberation Front of Tripura). On the 2 October, 44 Hindus were killed by these Christian terrorists.

In Assam we have ULFA (United Liberation Front of Assam). ULFA in the 16 years from 1990 to 2006 has conducted successfully 749 confirmed terrorist attacks. The ULFA will put the Kashmiri militants to shame. But in the newspapers we only hear of Kashmiri militant. Why? The ULFA are trained to kill the Muslims, they are Hindus. How many times do we hear about them?

The maximum terrorist attacks, which have been done in India, are done by the Maoists. Only in Nepal, in the past 7 years they have conducted 99 terrorist attacks. According to the Indian Government out of 600 districts in India Maoists are present in 150 districts of India. They have done terrorist attacks in one-third part of India. The Maoists are the biggest dangers to India but yet the Indian Government is afraid of the Muslim terrorist. Why? The reason is George Bush. The Times of India, edition dated 9 September, 2006, reported that 875 rockets and 30 launchers were confiscated by the police. It is the biggest haul in the history of India that the government has confiscated.

From all these things we can surely say that Terrorism is not a Muslim Monopoly. Not a Muslim monopoly, it is not even a specialty of the Muslims. It is not even encouraged by Islam. The Holy Qur’an says in Sura Maidah, chp.5, verse.32, that “If anyone kills any human being, except as a punishment for murder or creating mischief in the land, it will as though he had killed the entire humanity”. Most of the religions don’t preach that you should kill innocent human being. Terrorism is not the monopoly of any religion.

The human being who has killed the maximum people is Adolf Hitler. Hitler incinerated 6 million Jews. He was Christian. Joseph Stalin (Uncle Joe) killed 20 million human beings; including 14.5 million were starved to death. Mao Tse Tsung of China killed 14 to 20 million human beings. He was Non Muslim. Benito Mussolini of Italy killed 400,000 human beings. Maximilin Robespierre during the French revolution starved and tortured 200,000 people to death and executed 40,000 people. Ashoka in one battle of Kalinga alone killed more than 100,000 people. He was a Hindu. Saddam Hussein killed a few 100 thousands people. But the embargo put by George Bush and the USA alone killed more than half a million Iraqi children. In Indonesia, Muhammad Suharto killed 500,000 people.

This is nothing compared to Hitler or uncle Joe nothing compare to Mao TSE sung each individual will put the Muslims to shame. I am not trying to say that these individual they were religious. If they would have religious then they would not have committed such acts. But yet we find in the international media that the Muslims are called as fundamentalist, extremists and terrorists. The American Revolution took place in the 19th century. According to the British Government the terrorist No. 1 that time was Benjamin Franklin and George Washington.


Views of world’s famous personalities

* The President of Venezuela, ‘Hugo Chavez’ says, ‘The biggest terrorist in the world is George bush’.
* The President Elect of Bolivia, ‘Evo Morales’, he says that George Bush is a terrorist.
* Famous singer and activist of America, Harry Bellefonte says that the biggest terrorist in the world is George Bush.
* An MP in UK by the name of George Galloway he said, ‘The blood that is on the hands of George Bush and Tony Blair is much more than the bombers who have done bombing in London. It will be justified that a suicide bomber goes and kill Tony Blair without injuring any other human being. This is type of suicide bombing will be justified’.
* Former Chief Minister of West Bengal, Jyoti Basu said, ‘The biggest terrorist in the world is George Bush’.
* Noble prize winner for Peace, Betty Williams said, ‘I would love to kill George Bush’.

Solution to terrorism

* Politicians should be honest and just and should not do wrong things for the vote bank.
* Innocent Indian citizens should not be instigated by the politicians and kill other human beings. Police should be upright and just and protect the innocent. They should not be ploy of the politicians. I know that there are times that they can be transferred. But if every policeman in India is honest, the new policemen who are transferred will also be honest. So what will the politicians do?
* People should not take the law in their hand and kill other human being.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “ If India has to improve it should be ruled by a dictator as honest and upright as Hadrat Umar (The Caliph of Islam). Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson said, ‘People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, they fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has already been dropped, it fell the day Prophet MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born’.

MECHANICAL ENGINEERING--Top Most Field of ENGINEERING in the 21st Century................

Mechanical Engineering is an engineering discipline that was developed from the application of principles from physics and materials science. According to the American Heritage Dictionary, it is the branch of engineering that encompasses the generation and application of heat and mechanical power and the design, production, and use of machines and tools. It is one of the oldest and broadest engineering disciplines.


The field requires a solid understanding of core concepts including mechanics, kinematics, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat transfer, materials science, and energy. Mechanical engineers use the core principles as well as other knowledge in the field to design and analyze manufacturing plants, industrial equipment and machinery, heating and cooling systems, motor vehicles, aircraft, watercraft, robotics, medical devices and more.


Contents
Development
...and mechanisms, machines, and robots.

Applications of mechanical engineering are found in the records of many ancient and medieval societies throughout the globe. In ancient Greece, the works of Archimedes (287 BC–212 BC) and Heron of Alexandria (c. 10–70 AD) deeply influenced mechanics in the Western tradition. In China, Zhang Heng (78–139 AD) improved a water clock and invented a seismometer, and Ma Jun (200–265 AD) invented a chariot with differential gears. The medieval Chinese horologist and engineer Su Song (1020–1101 AD) incorporated an escapement mechanism into his astronomical clock tower two centuries before any escapement could be found in clocks of medieval Europe, as well as the world's first known endless power-transmitting chain drive.

During the years from 7th to 15th century, the era called the Islamic Golden Age, there have been remarkable contributions from Muslim inventors in the field of mechanical technology. Al-Jazari, who was one of them, wrote his famous Book of Knowledge of Ingenious Mechanical Devices in 1206, and presented many mechanical designs. He is also considered to be the inventor of such mechanical devices which now form the very basic of mechanisms, such as the crankshaft and camshaft.

During the early 19th century in England, Germany and Scotland, the development of machine tools led mechanical engineering to develop as a separate field within engineering, providing manufacturing machines and the engines to power them.[3] The first British professional society of mechanical engineers was formed in 1847, thirty years after civil engineers formed the first such professional society.[4] On the European continent, Johann von Zimmermann (1820 - 1901) founded the first factory for grinding machines in Chemnitz (Germany) in 1848. In the United States, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) was formed in 1880, becoming the third such professional engineering society, after the American Society of Civil Engineers (1852) and the American Institute of Mining Engineers (1871). The first schools in the United States to offer an engineering education were the United States Military Academy in 1817, an institution now known as Norwich University in 1819, and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1825. Education in mechanical engineering has historically been based on a strong foundation in mathematics and science.



The field of mechanical engineering is considered among the broadest of engineering disciplines. The work of mechanical engineering ranges from the depths of the ocean to outer space.
Education

Degrees in mechanical engineering are offered at universities worldwide. In Bangladesh, China, India, Nepal, North America, and Pakistan, mechanical engineering programs typically take four to five years and result in a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc), Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech), Bachelor of Engineering (B.Eng), or Bachelor of Applied Science (B.A.Sc) degree, in or with emphasis in mechanical engineering. In Spain, Portugal and most of South America, where neither BSc nor BTech programs have been adopted, the formal name for the degree is "Mechanical Engineer", and the course work is based on five or six years of training. In Italy the course work is based on five years of training; but in order to qualify as an Engineer you have to pass a state exam at the end of the course.


In the U.S., most undergraduate mechanical engineering programs are accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) to ensure similar course requirements and standards among universities. The ABET web site lists 276 accredited mechanical engineering programs as of June 19, 2006. Mechanical engineering programs in Canada are accredited by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board (CEAB), and most other countries offering engineering degrees have similar accreditation societies.

Some mechanical engineers go on to pursue a postgraduate degree such as a Master of Engineering, Master of Technology, Master of Science, Master of Engineering Management (MEng.Mgt or MEM), a Doctor of Philosophy in engineering (EngD, PhD) or an engineer's degree. The master's and engineer's degrees may or may not include research. The Doctor of Philosophy includes a significant research component and is often viewed as the entry point to academic.
Coursework

Standards set by each country's accreditation society are intended to provide uniformity in fundamental subject material, promote competence among graduating engineers, and to maintain confidence in the engineering profession as a whole. Engineering programs in the U.S., for instance, are required by ABET to show that their students can "work professionally in both thermal and mechanical systems areas." The specific courses required to graduate, however, may differ from program to program. Universities will often combine multiple subjects into a single class or split a subject into multiple classes, depending on the faculty available and the university's major area(s) of research. Fundamental subjects of mechanical engineering usually include:


Mechanical engineers are also expected to understand and be able to apply basic concepts from chemistry, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, and physics. Most mechanical engineering programs include several semesters of calculus, as well as advanced mathematical concepts which may include differential equations and partial differential equations, linear and modern algebra, and differential geometry, among others.

In addition to the core mechanical engineering curriculum, many mechanical engineering programs offer more specialized programs and classes, such as robotics, transport and logistics, cryogenics, fuel technology, automotive engineering, biomechanics, vibration, optics and others, if a separate department does not exist for these subjects.

Most mechanical engineering programs also require varying amounts of research or community projects to gain practical problem-solving experience. In the United States it is common for mechanical engineering students to complete one or more internships while studying, though this is not typically mandated by the university.

License

Engineers may seek license by a state, provincial, or national government. The purpose of this process is to ensure that engineers possess the necessary technical knowledge, real-world experience, and knowledge of the local legal system to practice engineering at a professional level. Once certified, the engineer is given the title of Professional Engineer (in the United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh and South Africa), Chartered Engineer (in the UK, Ireland, India and Zimbabwe), Chartered Professional Engineer (in Australia and New Zealand) or European Engineer (much of the European Union). Not all mechanical engineers choose to become licensed; those that do can be distinguished as Chartered or Professional Engineers by the post-nominal title P.E., P. Eng., or C.Eng., as in: John Doe, P.Eng.

In the U.S., to become a licensed Professional Engineer, an engineer must pass the comprehensive FE (Fundamentals of Engineering) exam, work a given number of years as an Engineering Intern (EI) or Engineer-in-Training (EIT), and finally pass the "Principles and Practice" or PE (Practicing Engineer or Professional Engineer) exams.

In the United States, the requirements and steps of this process are set forth by the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES), a national non-profit representing all states. In the UK, current graduates require a BEng plus an appropriate masters degree or an integrated MEng degree plus a minimum of 4 years post graduate on the job competency development in order to become chartered through the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

In most modern countries, certain engineering tasks, such as the design of bridges, electric power plants, and chemical plants, must be approved by a Professional Engineer or a Chartered Engineer. "Only a licensed engineer, for instance, may prepare, sign, seal and submit engineering plans and drawings to a public authority for approval, or to seal engineering work for public and private clients." This requirement can be written into state and provincial legislation, such as Quebec's Engineer Act. In other countries, such as Australia, no such legislation exists; however, practically all certifying bodies maintain a code of ethics independent of legislation that they expect all members to abide by or risk expulsion.
Further information: FE Exam, Professional Engineer, Incorporated Engineer, and Washington Accord

Salaries and workforce statistics

The total number of engineers employed in the U.S. in 2004 was roughly 1.4 million. Of these, 226,000 were mechanical engineers (15.6%), second only to civil engineers in size at 237,000 (16.4%). The total number of mechanical engineering jobs in 2004 was projected to grow 9% to 17%, with average starting salaries being $50,256 with a bachelor's degree, $59,880 with a master's degree, and $68,299 with a doctorate degree. This places mechanical engineering at 8th of 14 among engineering bachelors degrees, 4th of 11 among masters degrees, and 6th of 7 among doctorate degrees in average annual salary. The median annual income of mechanical engineers in the U.S. workforce is roughly $63,000. This number is highest when working for the government ($72,500), and lowest when doing general purpose machinery manufacturing in the private sector ($55,850).

Canadian engineers make an average of $29.83 per hour with 4% unemployed. The average for all occupations is $18.07 per hour with 7% unemployed. Twelve percent of these engineers are self-employed, and since 1997 the proportion of female engineers has risen to 6%.

Mechanical Engineering is the second highest paid profession in the UK behind medicine. A Mechanical Engineer with a CEng Status earns an average of £55,000 a year.[citation needed]
Modern tools
An oblique view of a four-cylinder inline crankshaft with pistons.

Many mechanical engineering companies, especially those in industrialized nations, have begun to incorporate computer-aided engineering (CAE) programs into their existing design and analysis processes, including 2D and 3D solid modeling computer-aided design (CAD). This method has many benefits, including easier and more exhaustive visualization of products, the ability to create virtual assemblies of parts, and the ease of use in designing mating interfaces and tolerances.

Other CAE programs commonly used by mechanical engineers include product lifecycle management (PLM) tools and analysis tools used to perform complex simulations. Analysis tools may be used to predict product response to expected loads, including fatigue life and manufacturability. These tools include finite element analysis (FEA), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM).

Using CAE programs, a mechanical design team can quickly and cheaply iterate the design process to develop a product that better meets cost, performance, and other constraints. No physical prototype need be created until the design nears completion, allowing hundreds or thousands of designs to be evaluated, instead of a relative few. In addition, CAE analysis programs can model complicated physical phenomena which cannot be solved by hand, such as viscoelasticity, complex contact between mating parts, or non-Newtonian flows

As mechanical engineering begins to merge with other disciplines, as seen in mechatronics, multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) is being used with other CAE programs to automate and improve the iterative design process. MDO tools wrap around existing CAE processes, allowing product evaluation to continue even after the analyst goes home for the day. They also utilize sophisticated optimization algorithms to more intelligently explore possible designs, often finding better, innovative solutions to difficult multidisciplinary design problems.


Subdisciplines

The field of mechanical engineering can be thought of as a collection of many mechanical disciplines. Several of these subdisciplines which are typically taught at the undergraduate level are listed below, with a brief explanation and the most common application of each. Some of these subdisciplines are unique to mechanical engineering, while others are a combination of mechanical engineering and one or more other disciplines. Most work that a mechanical engineer does uses skills and techniques from several of these subdisciplines, as well as specialized subdisciplines. Specialized subdisciplines, as used in this article, are more likely to be the subject of graduate studies or on-the-job training than undergraduate research. Several specialized subdisciplines are discussed in this section.

Mechanics is, in the most general sense, the study of forces and their effect upon matter. Typically, engineering mechanics is used to analyze and predict the acceleration and deformation (both elastic and plastic) of objects under known forces (also called loads) or stresses. Subdisciplines of mechanics include

* Statics, the study of non-moving bodies under known loads, how forces affect static bodies
* Dynamics (or kinetics), the study of how forces affect moving bodies
* Mechanics of materials, the study of how different materials deform under various types of stress
* Fluid mechanics, the study of how fluids react to forces[20]
* Continuum mechanics, a method of applying mechanics that assumes that objects are continuous (rather than discrete)



Mechanical engineers typically use mechanics in the design or analysis phases of engineering. If the engineering project were the design of a vehicle, statics might be employed to design the frame of the vehicle, in order to evaluate where the stresses will be most intense. Dynamics might be used when designing the car's engine, to evaluate the forces in the pistons and cams as the engine cycles. Mechanics of materials might be used to choose appropriate materials for the frame and engine. Fluid mechanics might be used to design a ventilation system for the vehicle (see HVAC), or to design the intake system for the engine.
Kinematics
Main article: Kinematics

Kinematics is the study of the motion of bodies (objects) and systems (groups of objects), while ignoring the forces that cause the motion. The movement of a crane and the oscillations of a piston in an engine are both simple kinematic systems. The crane is a type of open kinematic chain, while the piston is part of a closed four-bar linkage.

Mechanical engineers typically use kinematics in the design and analysis of mechanisms. Kinematics can be used to find the possible range of motion for a given mechanism, or, working in reverse, can be used to design a mechanism that has a desired range of motion.
Mechatronics and robotics
Training FMS with learning robot SCORBOT-ER 4u, workbench CNC Mill and CNC Lathe
Main articles: Mechatronics and Robotics

Mechatronics is an interdisciplinary branch of mechanical engineering, electrical engineering and software engineering that is concerned with integrating electrical and mechanical engineering to create hybrid systems. In this way, machines can be automated through the use of electric motors, servo-mechanisms, and other electrical systems in conjunction with special software. A common example of a mechatronics system is a CD-ROM drive. Mechanical systems open and close the drive, spin the CD and move the laser, while an optical system reads the data on the CD and converts it to bits. Integrated software controls the process and communicates the contents of the CD to the computer.

Robotics is the application of mechatronics to create robots, which are often used in industry to perform tasks that are dangerous, unpleasant, or repetitive. These robots may be of any shape and size, but all are preprogrammed and interact physically with the world. To create a robot, an engineer typically employs kinematics (to determine the robot's range of motion) and mechanics (to determine the stresses within the robot).

Robots are used extensively in industrial engineering. They allow businesses to save money on labor, perform tasks that are either too dangerous or too precise for humans to perform them economically, and to insure better quality. Many companies employ assembly lines of robots, and some factories are so robotized that they can run by themselves. Outside the factory, robots have been employed in bomb disposal, space exploration, and many other fields. Robots are also sold for various residential applications.

Structural analysis
Main articles: Structural analysis and Failure analysis

Structural analysis is the branch of mechanical engineering (and also civil engineering) devoted to examining why and how objects fail and to fix the objects and their performance. Structural failures occur in two general modes: static failure, and fatigue failure. Static structural failure occurs when, upon being loaded (having a force applied) the object being analyzed either breaks or is deformed plastically, depending on the criterion for failure. Fatigue failure occurs when an object fails after a number of repeated loading and unloading cycles. Fatigue failure occurs because of imperfections in the object: a microscopic crack on the surface of the object, for instance, will grow slightly with each cycle (propagation) until the crack is large enough to cause ultimate failure.

Failure is not simply defined as when a part breaks, however; it is defined as when a part does not operate as intended. Some systems, such as the perforated top sections of some plastic bags, are designed to break. If these systems do not break, failure analysis might be employed to determine the cause.

Structural analysis is often used by mechanical engineers after a failure has occurred, or when designing to prevent failure. Engineers often use online documents and books such as those published by ASM to aid them in determining the type of failure and possible causes.

Structural analysis may be used in the office when designing parts, in the field to analyze failed parts, or in laboratories where parts might undergo controlled failure tests.

Thermodynamics is an applied science used in several branches of engineering, including mechanical and chemical engineering. At its simplest, thermodynamics is the study of energy, its use and transformation through a system. Typically, engineering thermodynamics is concerned with changing energy from one form to another. As an example, automotive engines convert chemical energy (enthalpy) from the fuel into heat, and then into mechanical work that eventually turns the wheels.

Thermodynamics principles are used by mechanical engineers in the fields of heat transfer, thermofluids, and energy conversion. Mechanical engineers use thermo-science to design engines and power plants, heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems, heat exchangers, heat sinks, radiators, refrigeration, insulation, and others.
Drafting
A CAD model of a mechanical double seal
Main articles: Technical drawing and CNC

Drafting or technical drawing is the means by which mechanical engineers create instructions for manufacturing parts. A technical drawing can be a computer model or hand-drawn schematic showing all the dimensions necessary to manufacture a part, as well as assembly notes, a list of required materials, and other pertinent information. A U.S. mechanical engineer or skilled worker who creates technical drawings may be referred to as a drafter or draftsman. Drafting has historically been a two-dimensional process, but computer-aided design (CAD) programs now allow the designer to create in three dimensions.

Instructions for manufacturing a part must be fed to the necessary machinery, either manually, through programmed instructions, or through the use of a computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) or combined CAD/CAM program. Optionally, an engineer may also manually manufacture a part using the technical drawings, but this is becoming an increasing rarity, with the advent of computer numerically controlled (CNC) manufacturing. Engineers primarily manually manufacture parts in the areas of applied spray coatings, finishes, and other processes that cannot economically or practically be done by a machine.

Drafting is used in nearly every subdiscipline of mechanical engineering, and by many other branches of engineering and architecture. Three-dimensional models created using CAD software are also commonly used in finite element analysis (FEA) and computational Frontiers of research
fluid dynamics (CFD).

Mechanical engineers are constantly pushing the boundaries of what is physically possible in order to produce safer, cheaper, and more efficient machines and mechanical systems. Some technologies at the cutting edge of mechanical engineering are listed below (see also exploratory engineering).
Micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS)

Micron-scale mechanical components such as springs, gears, fluidic and heat transfer devices are fabricated from a variety of substrate materials such as silicon, glass and polymers like SU8. Examples of MEMS components will be the accelerometers that are used as car airbag sensors, gyroscopes for precise positioning and microfluidic devices used in biomedical applications.
Friction stir welding (FSW)



Main article: Friction stir welding

Friction stir welding, a new type of welding, was discovered in 1991 by The Welding Institute (TWI). This innovative steady state (non-fusion) welding technique joins materials previously un-weldable, including several aluminum alloys. It may play an important role in the future construction of airplanes, potentially replacing rivets. Current uses of this technology to date include welding the seams of the aluminum main Space Shuttle external tank, Orion Crew Vehicle test article, Boeing Delta II and Delta IV Expendable Launch Vehicles and the SpaceX Falcon 1 rocket, armor plating for amphibious assault ships, and welding the wings and fuselage panels of the new Eclipse 500 aircraft from Eclipse Aviation among an increasingly growing pool of uses.
Composites
Composite cloth consisting of woven carbon fiber.
Main article: Composite material

Composites or composite materials are a combination of materials which provide different physical characteristics than either material separately. Composite material research within mechanical engineering typically focuses on designing (and, subsequently, finding applications for) stronger or more rigid materials while attempting to reduce weight, susceptibility to corrosion, and other undesirable factors. Carbon fiber reinforced composites, for instance, have been used in such diverse applications as spacecraft and fishing rods.
Mechatronics
Main article: Mechatronics

Mechatronics is the synergistic combination of mechanical engineering, electronic engineering, and software engineering. The purpose of this interdisciplinary engineering field is the study of automata from an engineering perspective and serves the purposes of controlling advanced hybrid systems.
Nanotechnology
Main article: Nanotechnology

At the smallest scales, mechanical engineering becomes nanotechnology and molecular engineering—one speculative goal of which is to create a molecular assembler to build molecules and materials via mechanosynthesis. For now that goal remains within exploratory engineering.

Finite element analysis
Main article: Finite element analysis

This field is not new, as the basis of Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or Finite Element Method (FEM) dates back to 1941. But evolution of computers has made FEM a viable option for analysis of structural problems. Many commercial codes such as ANSYS, Nastran and ABAQUS are widely used in industry for research and design of components.

Other techniques such as finite difference method (FDM) and finite-volume method (FVM) are employed to solve problems relating heat and mass transfer, fluid flows, fluid surface interaction etc.
Related fields

Manufacturing engineering and aerospace engineering are sometimes grouped with mechanical engineering. A bachelor's degree in these areas will typically have a difference of a few specialized classes.

Is Osama Bin Laden dead or alive?


Screen showing the face of Osama Bin Laden
The face of Bin Laden has become instantly recognisable around the world

Osama Bin Laden died eight years ago during the battle for Tora Bora in Afghanistan, either from a US bomb or from a serious kidney disease.

Or so the conspiracy theory goes.

The theory that has developed on the web since 9/11 is that US intelligence services are manufacturing the Bin Laden statements to create an evil bogeyman, to justify the so-called war on terror in Afghanistan, Iraq and back at home.

So is the world's most wanted man still alive?

For a decade, Osama bin Laden has managed to evade the world's superpower and the biggest manhunt in history.

Bruce Riedel, who chaired President Barack Obama's Afghanistan/Pakistan policy review, and who has seen the intelligence on Bin Laden, says the trail has not so much gone cold as "frozen over".

"We don't have a clue where he is," he says.

In the absence of any concrete intelligence, Bin Laden has become shrouded in myth and rumour.

'Certainly fake'

Numerous audio and video statements purporting to be from Bin Laden have been released, but their authenticity has been continually questioned.

The veracity of all of the videos is questioned by David Ray Griffin, a former theology professor and member of the 9/11 Truth Movement, which also questions mainstream accounts of the attack on the World Trade Centre.

"None of them can be proven to be authentic," he says. "At least three of them can be shown to be almost certainly fake.

"And if somebody is faking Bin Laden videos, then that leads to the suspicion that all the videos and audio tapes have been faked."

Osama Bin Laden
Experts have examined many different images of Osama Bin Laden

His first example is a video released by the US Department of Defense in December 2001. In it, Bin Laden confesses to 9/11, yet Mr Griffin points out that al-Qaeda has only rarely admitted responsibility for terrorist attacks.

He also maintains that the Bin Laden figure looks very different to previous footage - fatter, with shorter fingers, and that he is even writing with the wrong hand.

Most of Bin Laden's statements are audio only. Only two that show Bin Laden speaking have been issued since 2001.

Griffin claims both are fakes.

He argues that a video released in October 2004 - just days before the presidential election - lacks the religious rhetoric contained in previous statements.

This video, he says, helped George W Bush secure a second term.

But it is the last video, released in September 2007, that has attracted most attention.

'Western conspiracy'

Mr Griffin calls it "Blackbeard: the terrorist tape". Bin Laden's trademark grey beard has been replaced with a neat, jet-black beard, and there are a number of frames in the video, where Bin Laden carries on speaking but the picture of him freezes.

One former CIA agent also questions its authenticity. Robert Baer dismisses the suggestion of a conspiracy by Western intelligence but thinks that al-Qaeda may have faked the video.

"[al-Qaeda has] an interest in manipulating it to look like current tapes," he says. "You can digitally manipulate voice to say anything. You can change months, years, you can tape vowels and syllables and put it into a recording and change it."


I think those conspiracy theories that he is dead are pretty much laughable
Art Keller, former CIA agent

Andy Laws, a former military imaging analyst for the RAF, was asked by the BBC to forensically test an undisputed Bin Laden tape from 1998 against the 2001 so-called "confession tape" and the 2007 "blackbeard tape".

He says the fact that Bin Laden appears fatter in the 2001 tape is down to the editing process, when subtitles were added and the image was squashed. His conclusion is that all the videos are of the same person - Bin Laden.

Furthermore, Mr Laws says it is not realistic to think that the US military would fake such tapes.

"Technologically in this day and age, those kinds of things can be done, but not quietly," he says.


If you stop the war, then that is fine. If you choose not to stop the war, then we have no other option but to continue the war of attrition against you on all possible axes
Audio statement attributed to Osama Bin Laden, 13 September 09

Read Mike Rudin's blog
Afghan warlord 'paid $2m by UK'

"There would be a number of people involved and word of it would have spread by now."

Bin Laden has issued around 40 statements since 9/11, and many include clear contemporaneous date references. Two recent statements released last year mentioned US President Barack Obama.

Mike Scheuer, the former CIA officer who set up and ran the agency's Bin Laden unit, thinks Bin Laden is still alive.

'Difficult reality'

"Whenever he speaks on audio tape, he always says something in there that's fairly current. Also, the US National Security Agency (NSA) and UK Government Communication Headquarters (GCHQ) are very good at voice prints," he says.

Mr Scheuer concludes that if it was not Bin Laden's voice, these organisations would make sure governments were well aware that the tapes were fakes.

Another former CIA agent, Art Keller, is more damning:

"I think those conspiracy theories that he is dead are pretty much laughable," he says.

"It's easier to explain things away with a conspiracy than to face up to the difficult reality.

"In this case, the difficult reality is that we're trying to operate in possibly the worst area in the world and track someone who's very crafty and elusive and putting considerable effort to stay off our radar."

Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (Urdu: ذاکر عبدالکریم نائیک, Hindi: ज़ाकिर अब्दुल करीम नायक; born 18 October 1965) is a Muslim apologist, public speaker, and writer on the subject of Islam and other comparative religion. Naik is a medical doctor by profession, having attained a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) from Maharashtra.

Naik is the founder and president of the Islamic Research Foundation(IRF), a non-profit organization which also owns and broadcasts the free-to-air global Peace TV channel from Mumbai,
Contents

Biography

Naik was born in Mumbai, India He attended St. Peter's High School (ICSE) in the city of Mumbai. Later he joined the Kishinchand Chellaram College and then studied medicine at Topiwala National Medical College and Nair Hospital in his native city and received his MBBS degree from the University of Mumbai. In 1991 he started working in the field of Da'wah.

Naik says he was inspired by the late Ahmed Deedat, who had himself been active in the field of Da'wah for more than 40 years. According to Naik, his goal is to "concentrate on the educated Muslim youth who have become apologetic about their own religion and have started to feel the religion is outdated", He considers it is the duty of every Muslim to remove perceived misconceptions about Islam to counter, what he considers as the Western media’s anti-Islamic bias in the aftermath of September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks upon the United States. He has lectured and authored several books on Islam and comparative religion as well as those directed towards removing misconceptions about Islam. Some of his articles are also published in Indian magazines like the Islamic Voice.

Anthropologist Thomas Blom Hansen has written that Naik's style of memorizing the Qur'an and hadith literature in various languages and related missionary activity has made him extremely popular in Muslim and non-Muslim circles. Many of his debates are recorded and widely distributed in video and DVD media as well as online. His talks are usually recorded in English, to be broadcast at weekends on several cable networks in Mumbai's Muslim neighborhoods, and on the channel Peace TV, which he co-promotes Topics he speaks on include: "Islam and Modern Science", "Islam and Christianity", and "Islam and secularism".

In an issue of Indian Express dated 22 February 2009, in a list of “100 Most Powerful Indians in 2009” Naik was ranked #82. In the special list of the "Top 10 Spiritual Gurus of India" Naik was ranked #3, after Baba Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and was the only Muslim on that list. Lectures and debates

Naik has held many debates and lectures around the world as well as in Mumbai, India. One of Naik's debates took place in Chicago in April, 2000 featuring Dr. William Campbell of Pennsylvania, USA on the topic "The Qur'an and the Bible: In the Light of Science".

Delivering a lecture titled Why Westerners embrace Islam in November 2002 at King Fahd Hospital auditorium in Jeddah, Naik argued that Islam offers practical solutions to various problems facing the West such as adultery, alcoholism, and filial ingratitude.

Naik also stated that "despite the strident anti-Islam campaign, 34,000 Americans have embraced Islam from September 2001 to July 2002." He cited an article by Edward Said published in the Time Magazine, which said that 60,000 books about Islam and the Orient have been written between 1800 and 1950 alone.

In 2004, Naik visited New Zealand and then the Australian capital at the invitation of Islamic Information and Services Network of Australasia. At his conference in Melbourne, journalist Sushi Das commented that "Naik extolled the moral and spiritual superiority of Islam and lampooned other faiths and the West in general", adding that Naik's words "fostered a spirit of separateness and reinforced prejudice".

In the lecture at Melbourne University, Naik argued that only Islam gave women true equality. He stressed the importance of the headscarf by arguing that the more "revealing Western dress" makes women more susceptible to rape.

On 21 January 2006, Naik held an inter-religious dialogue with Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. The event was about the concept of God in Islam and Hinduism, the aim being to bring understanding between the two major religions of India, and at best to point out the commonalities between both Islam and Hinduism, such as how idolatry is prohibited. It was held in Bangalore, India with up to 50,000 attending at the Palace Grounds.

Following a lecture by Pope Benedict XVI in September 2006, Naik offered to engage in a live public debate with him, but the Pope has not responded to this invitation.

In a lecture delivered on 31 July 2008 on Peace TV, Naik argued that 9/11 was an insider job carried out by George Bush himself, so that Bush could then attack oil-rich countries.

On 7th March, 2010 Zakir Naik debated (among others) Soha Ali Khan in a TV debate on the show We The People on NDTV.[28] At this time, he claimed that he doubts the existence of Osama bin Laden and that he doesn't think the Taliban is a terrorist organization as has been claimed by mainstream media because he hasn't seen any proof on either matter with his own eyes. He was also skeptical of the widely held belief that Taliban suppressed women. He was unequivocal about the fact that he neither considers osama Bin Laden as terrorist and nor as a saint.
Peace conferences

Every year, since November 2007, Naik leads a 10-day "Peace Conference" at Somaiya Ground, Sion, Mumbai. Lectures on Islam were presented by Naik as well as twenty other Islamic scholars from around the world.[29] Another prominent personality was the Malaysian politician, Anwar Ibrahim in 2008.

During one of the lectures at the Peace Conference, Naik provoked anger among members of the Shia and Sunni community, when he mentioned the words “Radiallah ta'la anho” (meaning 'May Allah be pleased with him') after mentioning the name of Yazid I and made remarks that the battle of Karbala was political. Others, however, believed the comment was blown out of proportion.

In November 2009, the IRF organized a 10-day international Islamic conference and exhibition titled 'Peace – the solution for humanity' at the Somaiya grounds in Mumbai. Lectures on Islam were presented by Naik as well as thirty other Islamic scholars from around the world.
Writings

In 2007, the Saudi Publishing house, Dar-us-Salam Publications, published two titles written by Naik, entitled "The Concept of God in Major Religions" and "The Qur'an & Modern Science: Compatible or Incompatible?".[citation needed]
Criticism

On the issue of the theory of evolution, Naik commented that it contradicts Islam since it remains "just a theory and not a fact".[citation needed] Political Analyst Khaled Ahmed argues that, Naik, through his claims of Islam's superiority over other religious faiths, practices, what he calls reverse Orientalism.

Referring to Naik's conference in Melbourne, journalist Sushi Das remarked, "Naik extolled the moral and spiritual superiority of Islam and lampooned other faiths and the West in general", adding that Naik's words "fostered a spirit of separateness and reinforced prejudice".

In August 2006, Naik's visit and conference in Cardiff (UK) were the object of controversy, when Welsh MP David Davies called for his appearance to be cancelled. He argued that Naik as a 'hate-monger', and said his views did not deserve a 'public platform'; Muslims from Cardiff, however, defended Naik's right to speak in their city. Saleem Kidwai, Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Wales, disagreed with Davies, stating that "people who know about him (Naik) know that he is one of the most uncontroversial persons you could find. He talks about the similarities between religions, and how should we work on the common ground between them", whilst also inviting Davies to discuss further with Naik personally in the conference. The conference went ahead, after the Cardiff council stated it was satisfied that he would not be preaching extremist views.

Khushwant Singh, a prominent Indian journalist, politician and author argues that Naik's pronouncements are "juvenile" and said that "they seldom rise above the level of undergraduate college debates, where contestants vie with each other to score brownie points".

Lucknow based cleric Kalbe Jawad argued that "Naik is bringing a bad name to Muslims. Such people should be condemned and socially boycotted" and claimed that Naik was being financed by the Wahabi sect that supposedly perpetrates violence in the name of Islam and expressed the need for an inquiry into, how Naik was running a TV channel on his own and where he received the funds from. Another Lucknow based cleric Naib Imam Maulana Khalid Rasheed Firangi Mahali claimed that Naik has "mugged up some verses from the Koran and pretends to be an Islamic scholar".

Naik's criticism also comes over his stance that apostates of Islam should be put to death. He justifies this opinion by comparing it to death penalties meted out to national traitors (army generals who defect being the example cited) and proclaims that apostates fall into the same category.
Fatwas

In August 2008, Darul Uloom Deoband issued a fatwa stating: "The statements made by Dr Zakir Naik indicate that he is a preacher of Ghair Muqallidin. One should not rely upon his speeches."

The Shariah Board of America has also issued more than 20 fatwa’s against Naik on their website. They believe Naik has gone astray, as he is not a scholar and issues Islamic teachings without authority or any knowledge to do so, which is dangerous to Islam; "Naik is known for discussions on comparative religions. He is not a qualified Aalim of deen. His comments on fiqh have no merit. If it is true that he condemned the fiqh of the Imams, then that in itself is a clear indication of his lack of fiqh and understanding of Shairah. We have come across a fatwa from Darul Ifta Jamia Binnoria, Pakistan regarding Zakir Naik not being a certified Aalim of Deen. He should consult with Ulama in his endeavor of propagating deen."

In November 2008 the Lucknow based cleric Abul Irfan Mian Firangi Mahali issued a fatwa against Naik, describing Naik as a "Kafir" (non-believer) and stating in the fatwa, that Naik should be ex-communicated from Islam. He claimed that "Naik is not an Islamic scholar. His teachings are against the Koran. In his speeches, he insults Allah and glorifies Yazeed, the killer of Imam Hussain" and that Naik had supported Laden and called upon all Muslims to become terrorists. Naik, however, said that his speeches were misquoted and that he was allegedly targeted by people with vested interests and said of the fatwa "fatwas mean nothing. They should also issue fatwas against Imam Bukhari. Some clerics who have limited understanding of Islam are doing these things. It doesn't affect me". The All-India Sunni Board and Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jilani Foundation have also defended Naik.