Graduate Management Admission Test Preparation Tips

Top business schools and management institutions around the globe recognize the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) results as an effective predictor of success and efficiency. The GMAT is considered the primary admission criterion in management schools that provide high-level education and training. The test's structure consists of verbal, quantitative, and analytical writing assessment sections. The test is typically administered on the Internet by means of temporary computer-based testing centers or as a paper-based test at local ones.

Preparing for the GMAT can be daunting and tough without help from experts. Although the GMAT measures fundamental grammar, reasoning, and mathematical skills, an average test taker only gets half of all the attainable points on the exam. If you're planning to take the GMAT soon, it helps to brush up on your high school mathematics and review technical English grammar to refresh your understanding of such subjects. Analytical writing is different from conversational grammar you use every day. Rehashing your high school notes and acquiring assistance from your loved ones and pals can enable you to go a long way.

Acquaint Yourself with the GMAT

Many people had no thought about the GMAT when they first began preparing for it. Folks didn't know what subjects were included, how many questions every single section has, or how the test is graded. By means of the assistance of technologies, nonetheless, you may familiarize yourself with GMAT as a whole and learn its subtleties by reading articles, blogs, and review sites on the Web. You may also peruse GMAT reviews suggested by top academic organizations. It is possible for you to devote a significant portion of your review time learning GMAT's intricacies and therefore get a general understanding of the entire picture.

Prepare a Study Strategy

Right after extensively reviewing such useful information resources, you are able to design a study strategy to systematically scan all of GMAT's sections and probable questions. For a comprehensive GMAT preparation experience, you can tackle reading comprehension, sentence correction, and critical reasoning, and at the same time data sufficiency and problem solving sections and therefore get a clear notion about what each component involves. You can try your hand at answering problems, comprehending review explanations, and analyzing errors to determine your strengths and weaknesses.

Accomplish Practice Tests

Previous GMAT takers absolutely recommend taking mock GMAT exams in a computer-based program that stimulates the actual testing atmosphere. You can take an online GMAT practice test and develop the kind of stamina vital to sit through a three-and-a-half-hour test. Such mock examinations allow your physique, mind, and emotions adjust to the GMAT demands and thus adapt to the actual test time.

Take a GMAT Prep Course

A full-length and comprehensive GMAT course online combines the freedom and flexibility of a self-guided study program with a conventional classroom course structure and personal. Such courses guide you through math, verbal, and essay portions and help increase your test-taking abilities and understanding.

Bacteria, Shared Pairs, Quantum Theory, and the Future of Bio-Inspired Thought Swapping

There have been some noted experiments in Africa with tribes who went hunting, and the rest of the tribe was back at their encampment, and they knew just when to start the fire to get it good and hot, and prepared and ready to cook the meat which would be brought back from some 35 miles away by the hunters which were tracking the herd after several days. Now then how did they know when to start the fire? Apparently the researchers who were observing this, noted that the tribe; just knew. Okay so, let's talk about this for second shall we.

Is it possible that since they ate the same food, and had the same bacteria in their bio-systems, and they also slept together very closely, that they were all on the same wavelength, and using the same brainwaves. Now then, since the human brain is an electromagnetic device, albeit an organic one, is it possible that they were using some kind of thought swapping communication? Theoretically this could be possible under quantum theory and the idea of shared pairs. The bacteria could respond a certain way based on the excitement of the kill of the hunters in the bodies of those doing the hunting.

This would trigger a neuron response in the guts of those back at the encampment of the same tribe, triggering that same brainwave. In other words, they were communicating vast distances using thought, and they were enabled by the bacteria in their system - perhaps, due to the fact that they had evolved over 1000s of years to do this, using that symbiotic bacterial relationship.

Although this seems like a paranormal type activity, it could easily be explained away by science, and therefore, we should be considering this rather than trying to dismiss this incident - especially considering that stories of other human tribes and other parts of the planet confirm this ability.

Lastly, shouldn't we understand how this works, and try to mimic this ability in modern day humans, perhaps we have lost the ability to do this over the last few thousand years, because it is not needed. It is doubtful we will find this skill again if we don't figure out how it works now due to the fact that we have cell phone technology, and instant communication through text messaging and social networks.

If we want to promote "thought swapping" future technologies with a new type of social networks interfacing with the human bio-system using computer chips, then we need to look for clues in these other human tribes, and then borrow these strategies to propel us forward. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

A New Teaching Model for Advanced Education

Indeed, I think just about anyone who has ever stopped to consider the challenge of education in the future would agree that it won't be long until everything is different. The way we have taught humans previously by sitting them down in rows, and making them memorize various facts seems to be quite archaic in a world flowing with information.

Obviously, it makes sense to leverage all of these new technologies, such as virtual reality, simulation, spectral imaging, electronic textbooks, the Internet, game-ification, dream technologies, and direct information downloading to the brain for the future. Okay so, let's talk about all this for moment shall we?

There was a very interesting article not long ago titled; "Stanford concludes raising $6.2B for new research, teaching model," published in the Silicon Valley and San Jose Business Journal on February 8, 2012 and written by Lisa Sibley. The article stated;

"The Stanford Challenge has transformed the way our faculty and students work," said Stanford President John Hennessy in the statement. "We've undertaken a new model in higher education, with experts from different fields joining together not only in research, but also in teaching. This kind of collaboration has enabled Stanford to assume a larger role in addressing global problems. We are already making a greater difference."

Now then, I totally agree that a new teaching methodology and model is needed, very much so, which is something we do indeed discuss here often enough at our think tank. There is no reason we can't turn the world of education on its head, it's time to upgrade all we know about the way we instruct our students. In fact, Stanford itself has done experiments with online professor videos and their online lecture series. It is amazing how folks all over the world can tune in and get this information at little or no cost.

If we really want to train people for the new future, then it makes sense to figure out a way to do it less expensively, and more efficiently. That is what Stanford is trying to do, and with that level of infusion into their research budget, they ought to be able to do just that, and why not? Have you looked at the increases of tuition costs in the United States? It's been going up at between 8 to 10% per year, for quite a while.

In fact, the information that's being learned by upper division degreed college students may not even be useful by the time they get out of school with that degree in hand. It will be outdated, but those loans will have to be paid back for decades to come. You can see the challenges and it's good to see that Stanford is working on it. Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.

Ancient Chinese Weapons and Armor

Similar to ancient Japanese Samurai swords like the katana, ancient Chinese swords like the Sanmei are works of art. Unlike their Japanese counterparts which are created purely for sword fighting, the Sanmei is supposed to be used in tandem with martial arts training. Wushu is the perfect example to this. Sword wielding is done in conjunction with movements of basic martial arts kicking, punching and for blocking.

Let's go into a little bit more detail about these Ancient Chinese weapons.

The Sanmei is composed of a hardened central layer with two softer steel layers on the outside. The softer steel provides the sword's resilience while the harder core carries the wicked sharp edge. Looking more closely at the blade, one sees the unique lines and fold marks left by the forging.

The Chinese sword fall into two categories, the Jian and Dao. The Jian is a single hand double edged straight sword. Grips for Jian swords were made of fluted hardwood. They were sometimes wrapped in ray skin or in cotton cord.

The Dao is a single edged curved sword longer and heavier than the Jian. It is often referred to as a Chinese broadsword or saber. Dao blades curve moderately and have a canted hilt, curving in the opposite direction to the blade. There is also a disc-shaped or S-shaped guard.

Chinese Sanmei metamorphosed for 2,500 years beginning with bronze then moving on to iron and then steel. At first, during the Han Dynasty, the weapon of choice for mounted cavalry was the Dao. Later on, the lighter Jian became the most commonly used infantry and cavalry sword because of its lightweight.

Like the history of Chinese swords, ancient Chinese armor also went through a metamorphosis. Early Shang Dynasty armor was light plated turtle shells tied together with cord. Later on, these were replaced with one-piece leather or bronze breastplates. In the 2nd Century B.C., plated wrought iron armor began to appear. These were laced together with leather and sometimes had overlapping leather plates as well.

During the period of the Ming Dynasty, light plated armor woven into leather and cloth fabrics became the norm since this did not hinder martial arts movements. It only covered the most important body parts vulnerable to injury. Trading with Arab and Persian neighbors introduced the Chinese to the European chainmail which was widely copied by many rich nobles, officials and military officers.

Astronomy Binoculars Can Be A Great Alternative To An Entry Level Telescope

So you've finally gotten the bug to get a telescope and really start seeing what is up there in the night sky. I know the feeling. But now you've got to decide what kind of telescope you want and what you can afford as well. Of course, a good quality telescope is the best choice for the serious amateur astronomer, but it is a big investment and maybe you aren't quite sure. There are so many options to choose from, each option adding to the price tag. Perhaps you might consider using a good quality pair of astronomy binoculars, rather than an entry level telescope instead to start your hobby.

Usually we think of binoculars as only to be used for bird watching or for hunting or for trying to see your favorite rock star at a concert when you are in the nose bleed section, but these are not binoculars that are designed mainly for astronomical viewing. If you are just starting out, do your research and evaluate your options and I believe that you will see that a good quality astronom binocular beats out an entry level telescope of similar optical quality every time. The following are a few advantages and disadvantages of buying an astronomy binocular.

Advantages 

Budget - You can usually buy a pair of good quality astronomy binoculars for around $250. To buy a telescope of similar optic quality you would need to spend around $500. To buy a good quality telescope your investment will most likely be in the thousands. You may decide at a later date that you desire more observing power, but you can get a great start with astronomy binoculars.

Portability - Unless you live in the Boonies, you will probably have to transport your telescope to a more remote area where there is less human light (city lights, street lights, etc). Anyone who owns a quality telescope knows what a pain it can be to transport, and if not done correctly, the alignment can be off and your viewing disrupted. Binoculars on the other hand can be transported easily and gives you more viewing time without set up and tear down.

Learning Curve - To operate a telescope takes some trial and error. You have to learn how to set it up correctly, tune it for optimum viewing and how to diagnose problems and fix them when they happen. All of this takes away from your stargazing time while with a pair of astronomy binoculars; you just put them up to your eyes and start looking.

Versatility - Binoculars are lightweight and easy to use for almost anything. Although they are designed for use in stargazing, they can be used for most any activity where you want to see images closer up - even Bon Jovi.

Disadvantages 

Magnification - Of course, a telescope will have a much greater ability to magnify objects than will the binoculars. Astronomy binoculars tend to have a static magnification of around 20X, while telescopes can usually magnify up to 100X or more depending on your options. This will limit the detail that you will be able to see.

Light Gathering - A telescope will be much better at light gathering than will the binoculars and that is due to the aperture size. A larger aperture will allow more light to enter your instrument. Binoculars, even those designed for astronomy usually have an aperture of around 10 cm while telescopes can go up to 30 cm and more - but you will pay dearly for that ability.

GPS Technology - Many telescopes these days come with standard GPS technology that will help you to know exactly what heavenly objects will be in your viewing range. It will also let you program exactly where to move the telescope to see certain objects. Obviously, the astronomy binoculars will lack this feature, but again, it all depends on budget.

Viewing - Since your objective lens will generally be smaller with binoculars, you may not be able to orient yourself to what you are seeing as easily as you would with a telescope, meaning that you may spend more time consulting your star chart at first than actually viewing objects.

So let's say you've decided that maybe a pair of astronomy binoculars is in your future. How do you know what to look for to get a good pair? Here are a few tips to get you started. Binoculars always are rated with 2 numbers. You'll see things like 10X20 (pronounced 10 "by" 20) in their product descriptions. The first number refers to the ocular lens closest to your eye which will tell you how much magnification you will get - in this example - 10X.

The second number represents the diameter of the objective lens in millimeters at the far end of the binocular - in this case 20 mm. The larger the objective lens, the more light that will be gathered and the better the viewing, but this will also determine the physical size and weight of your binoculars. There are tripods available for larger astronomy binoculars though, so don't let size be the only deciding factor.

As with any purchase, you will have to take all factors into consideration before making your decision. If you are not sure how serious you will be with this hobby, or are starting out on a shoestring budget, astronomy binoculars can be a great alternative to an entry level telescope for you.

Ancient Chinese Weapons and Armor | The Kung Fu Connection

Throughout a long period of time, archeological discoveries continuously unearth ancient Chinese weapons, some of them ancient kung fu weapons. Recently, a 2,200 year old metal and jade weapon was unearthed. While jade is considered as a decorative element, forging a weapon of this type has never been within the bounds of imagination of many archeologists, up until now.

In many Hollywood films, these Ancient Chinese Weapons and Armor have been featured. Just what is the history of these Kung Fu accessories and how has the art of creating such weapons evolved since then?

As far back as 6,000 years ago, the ancient Chinese fashioned many types of weapons ranging from meteorite metal, iron, bronze, bamboo, wood, stone and jade. Because they were martial arts weapons, some of them were supposed to mimic or simulate the movements of animals and insects, whether real or in myth. Long before Hinduism and Buddhism brought Kung Fu from India, the Chinese had already mastered the art of melee weaponry and combat. The influence of Kung Fu merely improved ancient Chinese fighting styles. In actual fact, weapon fabrication, technique of usage, materials and shape greatly depended on the ruling dynasty or emperor at any period of time. A single dynasty may last for many centuries so weapons of a future dynasty may also have been influenced by a previous one.

With the discovery of iron, many types of iron weapons could now be forged and mass produced at a faster rate. In practical terms, iron was, of course, stronger and could last longer and so the quality of ancient Chinese weapons and armor greatly improved.

Normally, Chinese ancient weapons are organized into different categories depending on their use. Here are a few of the most widely accepted categories of ancient Chinese weapons and armor.:

1. Daggers 

2. Sai (thrusters) 

3. Broadswords 

4. Long-handled swords 

5. Double-edged swords 

6. Long swords 

7. Sweepers 

8. Axes 

9. Halberds 

10. Spears 

11. Butterfly knives 

12. Flutes 

13. Cane, staff and hook weapons 

14. Firewheels 

15. Fans 

16. Hammers 

17. Bows (longbows and crossbows) 

18. Chain weapons 

19. Shovel blades 

20. Forks 

21. Sectional sticks 

22. Shields

Each category can often have hundreds of sub-categories. For example, spears can come in sub-categories of long, short, very short, soft and projectile sub-categories, each having its own sub-categories as well. The same holds for Chinese swords. Shields are the only objects considered as "defensive weapons" while flutes, canes, staffs and fans are what is referred to as "covert" weapons used by spies and assassins.

Renting College Textbooks - Three Big Advantages

Going to college can be expensive and often students have no options when it comes to saving money. However, one way a student can save money is with college textbook costs. If you want to save money on textbook costs, the best way to do it is to rent the textbooks, rather than buy them. Textbook rental companies will rent college textbooks for a price that will save the student more than 50% over purchasing costs.

There are three big advantages to renting college textbooks. The first big advantage to renting textbooks is the cyber advantage. Textbook rental is done completely online. The student can access a rental company's online catalog from the convenience of their dorm room, apartment or library. If you have a computer, you can rent textbooks. The student doesn't have to fight lines in the bookstore at the beginning of the semester waiting in line to pay for his or her books. Online rental saves money and time.

Another advantage to renting textbooks is comparison shopping. Online rental companies boast that their catalogs have everything. However, the only company that has everything is the Library of Congress! The student may find prices vary widely from company to company. Plus, some rental companies may favor certain subjects such as science or history over health or education. Since comparison shopping is easy to do online, you may as well take advantage of it, especially if it saves you money.

If you take courses that tend to not be in the mainstream, such as music, library science, or theology, to name a few, you may want to find those books in the catalog first to see which company offers them for rent. Most online rental companies have large catalogs and you should be able to find what you need. But certain courses may not be as well stocked as others.

In some areas, college freshman are required to take remedial writing or math courses their first semester. Buying such textbooks to accompany these classes would not be advisable since their worth greatly diminishes when the course is over.

Lastly, the advantage of offering free shipping when returning the textbooks at the end of the semester is a huge incentive. Have you ever gone through an unbearable course only to say on the last day "I never want to think about that class again." Just think how nice it would be to put the textbook in a bag and ship it back for free. No more packing up heavy textbooks to bring home for the summer. Why bring them home when you have no intention of looking at the?. Usually students simply bring the textbooks back to college in the fall with the hope of selling them at a used book sale for a fraction of what they paid for them.

EMT Training for Providing Better Emergency Care

People needing emergency care are people who became seriously injured or seriously ill. They don't have a medical regular doctor that they could turn to. They often end up in emergency rooms and ambulances with EMTs and paramedics. When they are involved in car accidents, natural disasters, or fatal heart attacks EMTs and paramedics come to their aid and take them to the emergency room for more treatment.

EMTs and paramedic should have the proper and specialised EMT training needed to do a proper job in the field. They will learn many things and become familiar with what to do and what to expect during emergency cases. Most of the time these medical emergencies may just be one of the several conditions or scenarios they learned during their EMT training in EMT courses. They have to practice and learn what to do during these situations to pass the course.

Quick reaction to situations like trauma is just one of the many essential skills that a professional emergency medical technician have to obtain. Training and practicing starts preparing the students for the emergency medical services field by developing their competency to provide emergency medical care. Several EMT training courses are available to students to develop their skills.

EMTs and paramedics provide the necessary emergency medical care to people who need it the most. They stabilize the patient and take them to the nearest hospital. Special training is absolutely necessary when you want to become an EMT or paramedic. You'll have to provide accurate emergency assessments and medical care in a variety of situations.

There are different levels in various areas but you usually have to start at the basic level of competency. And as you get more experienced and knowledgeable you'll be able to take on better challenges and situations. To advance in the emergency medical services field you have to continue training and learning. You'll also earn more as you progress and gain more experience in the field.

Each level of training has its own skills and set of knowledge you can acquire and use during emergencies. From the very basic to the advanced level, each are equally important and should be improved even after you're working as a professional. These EMT training are also required to provide the students the knowledge to get certified. Each state has its own courses and programs approved and monitored in every level from the initial training to maintaining certification.

Different Kinds of Chromatography

Chromatography is a technique used to isolate the various components of a mixture and this makes its application in analysis of biomolecules very important. It is used to separate and analyse the complex DNA sequences and other compounds, and also the concentration of the samples. There are many types of chromatography used in the study of biomolecules which range from DNA/RNA to recombinant proteins and antibodies. Here are some types of chromatography that you should know about.

High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Small particles and High pressure is required to carry out this type of liquid chromatography. HPLC has many forms and its application revolves around drug analysis and other forensic applications. There are forms of HPLC which specifically deal with enzymology and purification of other biomolecules.

The reversed phase chromatography has a larger application in industry. In this the stationary phase is non-polar, while the solvent or mobile phase used is polar which is opposite to normal chromatography where stationary phase is polar and the mobile phase is non-polar. The advantage of reverse phase liquid chromatography is that it allows the separation of a large variety of samples, with a wide range of molecular weights and polarities involved. It is easy to use and results are attained rapidly.

Fast Protein Liquid Chromatography

FPLC is also a form of liquid chromatography and it specializes in separating proteins from complexes, as the name suggests. FPLC is popularly used in enzymology, with a complete setup designed especially for separation of proteins and other biomolecules. Cross linked agarose beads are used.

Aqueous- Normal Phase Chromatography

This type of chromatography has a special feature, it has a mobile phase which is somewhere between polar and non-polar. The mobile phase is based on an organic solvent and a small amount of water which results in it being semi polar.

Affinity Chromatography

This type is again used in the purification of proteins which are bound to tags. The proteins being analysed are marked or labelled with compounds like antigens or biotins. To get pure proteins in the end, the labels are removed; the labels are just there to provide accurate separation of proteins. The mechanism uses a property of biomolecules i.e. affinity for metals, hence various metals are used in the chromatography columns. Immobilized Metal Affinity Chromatography is an advanced and much refined version of affinity chromatography used in identification of biomolecules these days.

A Benefit for Astronomers

Astronomers have realized that all the time they spend in the arrangement and set up of their telescope and other instruments can be saved with the help of observatory domes. Without an observatory, the astronomers have to spend most of their time in arranging the instruments and material involved in taking photographs. There are two reasons for this. First is that all such equipments are highly technical as well as sensitive to use. With more technology they are more difficult to use. The larger the telescope is, the harder it is to manage the settings. Secondly, the constantly changing trend of weather makes it more difficult. Once the instruments are ready, the weather changes and all the efforts go futile. Ignoring the modern technology is almost impossible in every single field. Everyone has to work and adjust with the modern pieces of technology to live in the modern society and compete. Observatory domes makes it easy for the astronomers to manage and arrange their instruments. These domes take sixty percent less time in the arrangement and there is more probability that the results would be best. The astronomers would not need to carry their equipment and set it all over again when they need to use it. For private domes, there are two options. First one is a home dome and the second one is a pre dome type dome. Both are available in certain specifications which matches the demand of astronomers.

The observatories for sale have different types of material used today. Some parts of the domes are made from high quality fiberglass while some parts are constructed with high density HDPE/polythene. The fiberglass used is totally free from forming any corrosion and the polythene is strong, weather resistant and durable. Both of these materials are chosen because of their characteristics which makes them perfect for the outdoor constructions. Such observatory for sale can be organized anywhere. A pre dome type can be positioned on any leveled ground or field. The dome can be installed on a base of wood or gravel. A good rotating dome depends on a good and firm foundation, so foundation must be strong and firm. The foundation of the dome is costly part of the whole process.

An automatic observatory would work and rotate without the help of human hands. The dome can also be automated so that the shutter would open or close according to the use of telescope and also to protect the delicate parts in strong or worse weather condition. The dome will need to be unplanned with electric rotating system. Nowadays, the DDW or digital dome works is very common in observatories. Mostly it is not necessary to add electrical equipment in the initial construction of the dome. The customers would prefer to purchase physically operated observatories first and then they would slowly shift to the automatic and motorized system.

After sale of these observatory domes, there is mostly one year warranty on them. The domes must be observed and checked properly by the purchaser even though they offer warranty. You can also make changes or repair but can't give them back and get whole cost back. So a careful analysis is important in purchasing a dome. Also, a buyer must make sure he has a good foundation and place for the dome. It must be positioned at the best location for great results and proper service. An observatory dome has gained high importance in the eyes of astronomers. All their work is now as simple as it could be with the help of an observatory dome.