Tips for building a Professional Website

Here are some of the steps that must be bypassed in order to build a professional website :-


Every Web developer has to know the building blocks of the Web:

* HTML 4.01
* The use of CSS (style sheets)
* XHTML - The Future of HTML
* XML - A Tool for Describing Data
* XSLT - A Tool for Transforming Data
* Client side scripting - Client-side scripting is about "programming" the behavior of an Internet browser. To be able to deliver more dynamic web site content, you should teach yourself JavaScript
* Server side scripting - Server-side scripting is about "programming" an Internet server. To be able to deliver more dynamic web site content, you should teach yourself server-side scripting.
* Managing data with SQL
* The future of the Web - One important thing to know is that the functionality of Web Sites will change very drastically. We will see a huge shift from sites displaying "static content" to data driven sites delivering "dynamic content".


Designing Your WebSite

Designing Web sites needs careful thinking and a lot of planning.

The most important thing is to KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE.

Users are Scanners - If you think a typical user will read the entire content of your Web pages, you are wrong.

No matter how much useful information you put into a Web page, a visitor will only spend a few seconds scanning it before they decide whether to leave it or to stay. If you want a visitor to read your text, be sure to make your point in the very first sentence of the page. After that you should try to keep them occupied with short paragraphs and interesting new headers all the way down the page.

Less is More - Try to keep all sentences as short as possible. Try to keep your paragraphs as short as possible. Try to keep your chapters as short as possible. Try to keep your pages as short as possible. Use a lot of space between your paragraphs and chapters. Pages overloaded with text will kill your audience.

Navigation - A common mistake made by many web designers is to develop a site on a local machine with direct access to the data, or to develop the site over a high-speed Internet connection. Sometimes developers are not aware of the fact that some of their pages take a long time to download. Internet usability studies tell us that most visitors will leave a Web page that takes more than 7 seconds to download.

Before you publish any content heavy pages, make sure they are tested over a low-speed modem connection. If your pages take a long time to download, you might consider removing some of your graphic or multimedia content.

Let Your Visitors Speak - Feedback from your users is a very good thing. Your visitors are your "customers". Very often they will give you some valuable wisdom, or advise you, completely free of charge, about what you could have done better.

Know Your Web User

*What Monitors do they have?

*What Browsers do they have?

*What Plug-Ins do they have?

*What about disabilities? - Some people have serious viewing or hearing disabilities. These users might want to visit your Web site. Some of them will try to read your pages with Braille or speech-based browsers. Remember that all of your visible content is lost if you don't provide them with some text based alternatives for pictures and other graphic elements.

Designing Web pages for people with disabilities is not an easy thing, but one small thing you can do - at least for people with poor eyesight - is to let your pages use a resizable font size.

Know the Web Standards

Web developers are often struggling with time-consuming double-coding to solve problems with different browsers versions. This situation will get much worse when new hardware (like mobile telephones and other handheld devices) and new software (like micro-browsers) start browsing the Web.

To make the Web a better place, for both developers and end-users, it is of paramount importance that both browser vendors and site developers follow standards when they develop new applications.

With its tremendous growth, the Web needs standards to realize its full potential. Web standards ensure that everyone has access to the same information. Future use of the Web, including applications that we only dream of today, will not be possible without world wide standards.

Web standards also make site development faster and more enjoyable. Future Web sites will have to be coded according to standards to shorten both development and maintenance time. Developers should not have to struggle with several versions of code to accomplish the same result.

To Web developers, the most important standard is ECMAScript, the standardization of JavaScript.

ECMAScript is a standardized scripting language to manipulate Web page objects specified by the W3C Document Object Model (DOM). With ECMAScript, DOM objects can then be added, deleted, or changed.

The ECMAScript standard is based on Netscape's JavaScript and Microsoft's JScript.

The latest ECMAScript specification is ECMA-262

Validate Your Site

Want to save yourself a lot of time? Make a habit of validating your pages with a validation service. Validation keeps your documents up to the standards and free of nasty errors.

W3C is the best markup validation service of web documents

What is W3C (World Wide Web Consortium)

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) creates the WWW standards.

W3C's mission is to lead the Web to its full potential, which it does by developing specifications, guidelines, software, and tools.

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), founded in 1994, is an international consortium dedicated to "lead the Web to its full potential".

• W3C Stands for the World Wide Web Consortium
• W3C was created in October 1994
• W3C was created by Tim Berners-Lee
• W3C was created by the Inventor of the Web
• W3C is organized as a Member Organization
• W3C is working to Standardize the Web
• W3C creates and maintains WWW Standards
• W3C Standards are called W3C Recommendations

Web Security

You are offering your IP address to the entire world at this very moment.

Make sure you are not offering access to your private data at the same time.

YOUR IP ADDRESS IS PUBLIC

Accessing the Internet is a security risk.

When you are connected to the Internet, an IP address is used to identify your PC. If you don't protect yourself, this IP address can be used to access your computer from the outside world.

A fixed IP address is a larger security risk.

If you're using a modem with a dial-up connection, you will get a new IP address every time you connect to Internet.

With an ADSL or cable connection users sometimes keep the same IP address for several months, this represents an increased security risk.

If you have a fixed IP address, you give potential Internet crackers all the time they need to search for entrances to your computer, and to store and share (with other crackers) information they might find about your unprotected private data.

For more info visit WWW Security FAQ


Web Glossary

Click here to know the list of useful terms used in web building. They are often encountered in this process.


Submitting Your Site to Popular Search Engines

Search Engines that will accept your URL

• Google
  http://www.google.com/addurl.html
• Yahoo!
  http://docs.yahoo.com/info/suggest/
• Altavista
  http://www.altavista.com/addurl/
• AllTheWeb
  http://www.alltheweb.com/add_url.php
• Dmoz
  http://www.dmoz.org/help/submit.html
• Webcrawler
  http://www.webcrawler.com
• Dogpile
  http://www.dogpile.com
• MetaCrawler
  http://www.metacrawler.com
• LookSeek
  http://www.lookseek.com

Finally How to Win an Award for your WebSite ???

The best way to win an award is of course to have an excellent Web Site, but there are some pointers that can help you. There are award giving Web Sites where you can submit your URL, and they review your Site and decide if they will give you their award or not.

Award Sites:

TechSightings gives you weekly reviews of the Best High-Tech Sights on the Net. They review pages in different categories. If your site wins, you will receive a prize that you can add to your page. You can suggest your site or another site via an input form.

The DailyWebSite introduces websites that they find very useful and interesting. You can suggest your site or another site via an input form.

WebBuilder reviews Web Sites which you send them via e-mail. They also rate the award giving Web Site.

WebbyAwards is the Internet's Oscar Prize. The awards are given once each year, in several categories. Each category has 2 winners, The Webby Award given by the judges, and the People's Voice award, given by the people. You can suggest your site as a nominee for the next year's award.

The GoldenWebAward Presented by The International Association of Web Masters and Designers. In Recognition for creativity, integrity and excellence. The Golden Web Award is a free service, presented to those sites whose web design and content have achieved levels of excellence deserving of recognition. You can suggest your site or another site via an input form.

The Webmaster Award is a special Internet award given only to those elite webmasters responsible for creating those websites that keep us up so late night after night. You can suggest your site or another site via an input form.

The Surfers Choice is a Best of the Web Portal specializing in content rich, high quality Websites. The goal is to provide you with a special service that will promote your site in a small, manageable database where surfers can find the best and most relevant sites. You can suggest your site via an input form.

The Golden Crane Creativity Award (GCCA) is awarded to sites providing free instructional information in arts, crafts, music, and other creative activities. If you would like to nominate a site for this award, you can add the URL to their directory for review.

Click here for more comprehensive resources

Your Suggestions are greatly entertained.

Please post your comments to help us improve from time to time and to refine our WORK.

Thank You.

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What do Teens Today Really Worry About???

Teens today are more Diverse, Different from each other, More Responsible though sometimes sound careless, Care for Relationships and are constantly under stress to bring the best out of them. To stand the tough competition they got to have sound minds and yeah brave souls too..!!
They want to show the world what they are, they always look for the slightest hint to project themselves on this broader platform. But there are certain issues which they don't seem to sort out for themselves and they don't tend to share either and some of them are quite sensitive as well...
Here I would like to share some aspects --""What do teens today really worry about? And why aren’t these issues brought up more with parents, counselors and teachers who can actually give advice and seek help?""( A post that I had recently come across)

1) Relationships
Teens frequently want to talk to other teens about relationships with parents, siblings, friends and teachers. This is a broad topic I know, but interactions, building relationships and friendships are extremely important to teenagers.

2) Abuse
This includes sexual, physical, verbal and neglect as types of abuse. Many teens call in for ‘friends’ or people they know who are being abused to talk about what abuse actually means. Frequently, teens want to know where is the line between parents who are yelling and verbal abuse? What are the laws on spanking children?

3) Sex
Despite the attempts of many school health classes, teens have lots of questions about pregnancy, condoms, abstinence and oral sex.

4) Drugs and Alcohol
Issues with addiction and parties come up for teens when they know of friends who might be dealing or using drugs.

5) Suicide
Unfortunately, a great number of teens think, worry about or know someone who is considering suicide. Many times teens feel isolated and alone and need someone to talk to, but do not know where to turn when they might get in trouble or have to divulge secrets they are not ready to tell.

Surprisingly, Teenline gets an equal number of male and female callers. All kinds of teens today are dealing with these issues, not just girls, not just poor kids, not just rich kids, not just kids in private school…everyone is dealing with these important, and sometimes very serious issues.

For parents, maybe you are wondering—why your teen does not talk to you about these issues. Teens feel uncomfortable talking to adults because they feel they will not understand what is going on for them today, they are afraid they will get in trouble and worry that they will be judged.

Therefore, it is important for adults to be aware that even though teens might not act like drugs or sex is a big deal to them, they do actually worry about these issues.

Original post by Vanessa

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How do ya Taste the success @ ur college!!!

It is this time of the year that most people find themselves starting yet another year of their Graduation. Iam back at my college as well... n so I thought I better pen down this article which I would say if not get u a job , at least be helpful in some respect , so cheerz! to your new academiks n remember these...

Its not always the Grades!!
I find the students spending a hell a lot of time in the libraries, referring as many books as possible and ensuring that they have a better grip on the subject. But heyy academics and grades arent the only things that make you a person eligible for the job. Get a little experience beyond your school work, start exploring the world around you, Have a broader view...

Get involved in your Campus
As I already mentioned academics isn't the only part of your curriculum. Your campus is a better platform you can ever get. Give your best, start involving in various technical,cultural competitions ,activities ,Organize a few if possible, meet different people, share ideas and there you go....

Play a sport
All round development is quite an essential part so choose your favorite game and start playing it for a while coz ,you never know u might end up havin a career on your favorite game. Make yourself stress-free, feel refreshed!!!

Learn some parallel courses
Today's world demands a better person who not only has a knowledge about the subjects as part of his curriculum but also keeps up with the latest , has a wider view, what I actually want to tell u is if you are a student of say computer science, then you might have the subjects like programming,database,design,etc etc but you might not have a subject say Flash design , Photoshop etc , but learning these would surely be an advantage , u would be a step ahead of your pals!!

Try to do things which you are not good at
I know this sounds a bit crazy-''try doing things which u'rnt good at''. But heyy its sometimes helpful to learn new things and also the ones that you felt are 'not your kind of jobs'.Iam not asking you to master them but do have a brief idea at least so that you don't have to ...... think again!!!

Follow your Mentor/Career Councilor
Its always advised that you be in touch with your career councilor.These are the people who can guide you, position you, show you a better path.They know what you are capable of n can enhance your skills.If you find yourself thinking the people at your college’s career center are idiots, it’s probably a sign that you really, really don’t know what you’re doing.

Separate your Expectations from those of your parents
Iam not here to ask you go against your parents n stuff. Well its your career , who would better know as what you are upto and what best you can do regarding your studies. So don't just obey your parents choice. They have their own expectations but remember that its U who has to choose a career not your parents.Its you who got to live up to your expectations and otherwise you'll wake up to realize that you are not living your own life!!

Make your job search a top priority
A job does not fall in your lap, you have to chase it. Especially a good one. It’s a job to look for a job. After all you join the graduation only to have a job or a step closer to it .So make sure to stay organized,focussed, equipped, and keep a track using the online tools and job expos or whatever.....

And finally 'Define Success for Yourself'
“Society defines success very narrowly. Rather than defining success as financial gain or accolades, define it in terms of individual interests and personal happiness'

I hope these points are a worth though cant guarantee you with a job(kiddin) .

WINNERS DON'T DO DIFFERENT THINGS ,THEY DO THINGS DIFFERENTLY!!

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What can a blog do for u???

The blogging movement is picking up speed as businesses begin to realize the benefits of blogging. Discover what a business blog can do for you.

What is a Blog?

According to Pyra Labs Blogger, "A blog is a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically—like a what's new page or a journal." The term is actually weblogs coined by Jorn Barger in 1997.

The boom of weblogs happened in 1999 when several companies & developers made easy blogging software and tools. Since 1999, the number of blogs on the Internet has exploded from a few thousand to over 100 million.

Blogs can fall into two general categories.

Personal Blogs: a mixture of a personal diary, opinion posts and research links.

Business Blogs: a corporate tool for communicating with customers or employees to share knowledge and expertise.

Business blogs are sweeping the business community. Blogs are an excellent method to share a company's expertise, build additional web traffic, and connect with potential customers..

What does Blogging Provide to Small Business?

• Blog software is easy to use. Simply write your thoughts, link to resources, and publish to your blog, all at the push of a few buttons. Blog software companies such as: Movable Type, Blogger.com and Typepad all offer easy blogging tools to get started.
• Blogging is a low-cost alternative to having a web presence. For small business owners without the time to learn web html or the money to hire a designer/developer, blogging offers an inexpensive method to get your company's name out on the Internet.
• Updating the weblog is a much quicker process than contacting a web designer with changes or doing the coding and uploading yourself.
• Business blogs provide your small business with a chance to share your expertise and knowledge with a larger audience. A powerful benefit for consultants and knowledge workers.

Blogs emerge as new job hunting tools!!

Its true that blogs have constantly been criticized n some of them have even earned a bad name but the lesser known fact is that more people are actually getting jobs -thanks to their blogs!
Now put a thought on this, a text resume provides just a brief outline of candidate's qualifications,skills,experience n nothing more.
Comparatively,your blog conveys your voice to the world-to the people who do not know anything about you.It represents who you really are and helps you get noticed ,get hired,get promoted!!.

In fact,Adam Darowski, an ardent blogger goes as far as to suggest that "The blog is the new resume".

Blogging is serious business:-

• A blog creates a personal brand that sets you apart from the rest of the herd.It creates opportunities, connections and opinion about you.
• So, develop a mature ,coherent and well-written blog that doesn't indulge in unnecessary flaming or venting.
• Remember that a blog is a part of your personal reputation and steer clear of divulging your deepest secrets,indecisiveness or other gory details that can come back to haunt you...
• Again your blog should say the right things and not paint you in unfavorable light.Be purposeful and specific in choosing what you blog about.
• It's all about self promotion, show the world that you are the best by exposing yourself,your ambitions,motivations,your history and skills...
• Write posts that delve deeper into your experience and document your accomplishments.Tell interesting stories, projects etc...
• Showcase your creativity , attract the eyeballs, therz a lotta stuff over the net , spend some time surfing n get the best deals to decor your blog...
• You can pen your social n political views ,social causes,hobbies,music you like and generate a sense of what is relevant to you..
• Maintain the blog on regular basis and soon you will have a well-studied web presence that can augment your position no end.
• And next time someone wants to know more about you ,you can confidently flaunt , ""JUST GOOGLE MY NAME n YOU"LL FIND ME!!""

Here are some business blogs you would like to have a look...


Research Buzz is an excellent resource tool for Internet research. An information provider, Research Buzz provides advertising and a special paid edition of their newsletter.

Joel on Software is a blog that displays Joel Spolsky's knowledge and views on software development. The blog acts as a method for Joel to highlight his expertise and promote his small business, Fog Creek Software.

Jupiter Research, a top business market research company has a blog for each company analyst. The weblog provides analysts with the means to connect with their audience on a regular basis.

Loosetooth.com Shop Blog, by Brandy Agerbeck, is an online art shop blog that provide customers with a way to get to know the store owner. This blog is an e-commerce site with buy and shop options.

MacroMedia the software company provides a customer service blog for users and staff to share solutions in an organized fashion.

So, blog's just a click away,start your blog today!!! "Happy Blogging " from my side.......cheerz!!

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Freelance Magazine Writing-a great step towards journalism

Most magazines you see on newsstands every day rely on freelance writers for their content. From fillers to features, most parts of a publication are fair game for writers hoping to break in. No, you don't have to have a cousin in the publishing world to see your name in print. You just have to follow the rules like every other journalist until, one day, the editors start calling you.

Get Clips

Magazine editors want to see examples of your work when you approach them with a story idea, so start writing for local publications, student newspapers, or Web sites to get some experience before contacting the big names.

Submit! FreelanceWriting.com: Writers' Contests Writing-World.com: Writing Contests Yahoo! Directory: Writing Contests

Any time you manage to get your name in print, whether it's for a company newsletter or a specialty magazine, make lots of copies and keep a file of your work. You'll want to organize the file according to the type of writing it contains. For example, business or marketing content is quite a different thing from a human-interest story. When it comes time to send clips to an editor, you must be able to match your clips to the article ideas you are proposing.

Upload... Web publishing is a great way for new writers to get their name out -- and all it takes is a little HTML.


Read Up

Read as many copies of the magazine you want to write for as possible. This is called learning your market. You'll have to prove to the editor that you can write for his or her target audience and the best way to learn how to do this is through research. Take note of the publication's different departments, columns, and fillers. You will be more likely to get an editor's attention if you pitch an idea that perfectly fits an existing page. New freelancers often break in with a small blurb in the front of a magazine rather than a 5,000 word cover feature.

Know Your Market Freelance Writing Glossary Glossary of Writing Terms Researching the Markets

If you are part of the demographic the magazine targets, you may have an easier time getting your story sold.


Brainstorm

Come up with loads of ideas for articles you would enjoy researching and writing. The name of the game is perseverance, and you'll need to be armed with lots of enthusiasm and ideas if you are serious about getting published. After all, your first 10 ideas might be rejected. Don't despair, just keep coming up with new angles.

Blocked? How to overcome writer's block Using dreams for story ideas Journal Writing Exercises

Try to keep your pitches timely. Link them to recent books or hot issues. Offer to write about things you are uniquely suited to research. For example, if you are a former guidance counselor, you'd be a good author for a parenting article about helping your teen get into college. Keep an idea logbook and add to it each time something piques your interest.

Here's an example of the process -- in this case, an unsuccessful attempt, as so many of them will be. I recently sent out an idea to Cosmopolitan magazine about how young women can sneak more savings into their lives without feeling like they're on a budget. I carefully put together a query package (see the next section), and sent it off last week. Yesterday, I received an impersonal form letter wishing me luck placing my work elsewhere. This is not the first time I've been rejected by a magazine of this size…and it won't be the last. What to do? I promptly sent a thank you note to the editor for looking at my query and will send out another idea to her this week. Meanwhile, I will turn around and pitch the original idea to a competing publication. My philosophy is one of careful inundation, you could say. If I experience complete rejection from national magazines, I may rework the idea or start pitching to smaller, regional publications. The whole process could literally take over a year.

Some tips to keep in mind:

• Keep track of what you send where. Use a notebook to record the fleet of proposals making their way to and from New York or regional publishers.
• Don't let rejections bring you down. They are simply a call to action -- to send out another idea and to send the first idea somewhere else.
• Include a self-addressed, stamped envelope with your proposals. This way, you will hear something back, even if it's only a form letter. Just be patient and think of more ideas!

Query

Write a query letter. This is the most important part of the process -- actually contacting the editor you'd like to work for. The query letter should have four parts:

• Start off the letter by grabbing the reader's attention. All magazine articles begin with a compelling sentence or paragraph, and your query should do the same thing. Do not say, "My name is ______ and I want to write for your magazine."

• Show the editor why your article idea is important for readers. This paragraph can discuss current issues surrounding your subject, give a quote from an expert, and mention other significant reasons the magazine must publish your story ASAP.

• Give the editor the nuts and bolts of how you will write the story. How many words? What will it include? What experts will you be contacting for their input? Will you provide sidebars, photos, etc.? Reveal exactly how you will approach the piece.

• Finally, list your qualifications as a writer. This is where you'll want to mention previous work and experiences that make you uniquely suited to write the piece. Don't hold back, you must brag! Tell the editor everything you think will help your case. If your previous (or current) career is linked to the pitch, mention it.

Put these four paragraphs on a one-page letter with your letterhead containing contact information. Enclose three or four appropriate clips and a self-addressed, stamped envelope. Mail the whole package, and then be patient. Editors often take up to three months to respond to query letters.

First Impressions...

• How to write a perfect query letter
• The Killer Query
• How to Write a Successful Query

Know Your Contact

Send it to the right person. An essential part of getting published is getting your query letter into the right hands at the magazine you want to write for. Many magazines publish writer's guidelines in books like The Writers Market 2002. Guidelines tell you what the magazine wants and who to get in touch with. The Writers Market is the freelancer's bible. It is a nice resource, containing contact information and other good stuff like pay rates for thousands of magazines.

However, don't be afraid to look elsewhere for guidelines. You can request them right from a publication itself and they can also be found on many Web sites -- but make sure the information is up-to-date. It never hurts to call a magazine just to ensure that so-and-so is still the senior articles editor, for example. Just don't try to pitch your idea over the phone.

If you don't have the patience to look for guidelines, simply get a copy of the magazine and address your proposal to the editor whose department you'd like to write for. This information can be found in the masthead, usually about 10 pages from the front of the magazine.

Rights and Payment

Once you get an assignment, finish it on time and use your momentum to get other work. If you did not have to sell all the rights, try to reprint the piece in a non-competing market after about six months. This way, you can get paid two, three, or four times for the same work. Always sell as few rights as possible, but don't worry about it too much when you're just starting out.

Some important terms for freelancers about rights:

• One-time or first North American serial rights - This is the right to publish your story once or the right to publish your story for the first time in North America. If this is all you agree to, you're gold for selling the reprint.
• All rights - This is just what it says: You cannot resell an article if you've signed these away.
• Electronic rights - This is the right to publish your work on the Internet or on CD-ROM. See if you can get more money to sell these rights.
• Reprint or second rights - This is the right to publish your article a second time.

If you have questions, ask your editor at the time of contract signing. Or, consult a writer's resource like The Writer's Market.

Payment varies greatly among different publications. National magazines usually pay between $0.75 and $2.00 per word. Local publications are more in the $0.10 per word range. This information can usually be found in a magazine's guidelines. The larger a magazine's readership, the bigger your paycheck.

If you choose to seek freelance writing work listed on job sites throughout the Web, look out for anyone who wants you to pay them for the chance to write. That's crazy!

Getting published in a magazine is not an easy task, but it's not impossible either. Successful writers have all been rejected many times, but they refused to give up. The key is good queries, and lots of them. Good luck!

It Couldn't Hurt...

• Guide to Grammar & Writing
• Proofreading tips
• Common grammar mistakes

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How do i become an Astronaut?

If you are looking for a career that combines cool technology, interesting science and great adventure, you could hardly make a better choice than becoming an astronaut. And there is potential for growth in the field. With the construction of the International Space Station, there will be a permanent human presence in outer space and a need for astronauts. But becoming an astronaut in the U.S. space program is not easy, and the process can take several years.

There are three types of astronauts in the U.S. space program:

• Commander/pilot
• Mission specialist
• Payload specialist

The commander is responsible for the mission, the crew and the vehicle. The pilot assists the commander in operating the vehicle and deploying satellites. The mission specialist works with the commander and pilots in shuttle operations, performs spacewalks and conducts experiments. The payload specialist performs specialized duties as the mission requires. Payload specialists are people other than NASA personnel, and some are foreign nationals.

The basic qualifications for becoming an astronaut include:

• U.S. citizenship (for pilots and mission specialists)
• Bachelor's degree (engineering, biological sciences, physical sciences, mathematics) from an accredited college or university
• Three years of related experience after obtaining the bachelor's degree - A master's degree equals one year of experience, and a doctorate equals three years.
• Passing a NASA space physical examination - Pilots need to pass a Class I physical; mission/payload specialists must pass Class II. Both are similar to civilian and military flight examinations.
• More than 1,000 hours experience as pilot-in-command of a jet aircraft (pilots only)
• Height of 64 to 76 inches (162.5 cm to 193 cm) for pilots, 58.5 to 76 inches (148.5 cm to 193 cm) for mission/payload specialists

To apply for an astronaut position, you fill out the appropriate forms and submit them to NASA, which accepts applications continuously. You can download the forms here. NASA then screens the applications, and you may be asked to go for a weeklong session where you will participate in personal interviews, medical tests and orientations. Your screening performance will be evaluated, and if you are lucky, you may be accepted as an astronaut candidate. NASA announces candidates every two years, selecting about a hundred men and women out of thousands of applicants.

If you are selected, you will report to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, for training and evaluations, which last two years. During the training period, you will take classes in basic science (math, astronomy, physics, geology, meteorology, oceanography), technology (navigation, orbital mechanics, materials processing), and space shuttle systems. You will also be trained in land and sea survival techniques, SCUBA, microgravity, high- and low-pressure environments, and spacesuits. You must pass a swimming test (swim three lengths of a 25-meter pool in flight suit and tennis shoes, and tread water for 10 minutes). If you are a pilot, you will train in NASA's T-38 jet aircraft and shuttle training aircraft at least 15 hours each month. Mission specialists fly four hours each month.

At the end of the two-year training period, you may be selected to become an astronaut. As an astronaut, you will continue classroom training on the various aspects of space shuttle operations that you started as an astronaut candidate. You will begin training on each individual system in the shuttle with the help of an instructor. After that, you will train in simulators for pre-launch, launch, orbit, entry and landing. Depending upon whether you are a pilot or mission specialist, you will learn how to use the shuttle's robotic arm to manipulate cargo. You will continue generic training until you are selected for a flight.

Astronauts training underwater to build the International Space Station

Once you are selected for a flight, you will receive specific training for the mission at least 10 months prior to the flight. This includes training in flight simulators, full-scale mockups of the shuttle and space station, and underwater training for spacewalks. The simulations will prepare you for every type of emergency or contingency imaginable.

After your training, you will prepare for your flight with training in the shuttle itself (pilots), meetings and more simulations. After your flight, you will have several days of medical tests and discussions; these are called debriefings.


Astronauts are expected to stay with NASA for at least five years after their selection. They are federal civil service employees (GS-11 to GS-14 grade) with equivalent pay based on experience. They are eligible for vacation, medical and life insurance, and retirement benefits.

So, you can see that you will need education, hard work and steadfast dedication to become an astronaut. However, the view is tremendous!

These links will help you learn more:-

NASA: Astronaut Selection
NASA Astronaut Biographies
How to become an Astronaut 101
The Ultimate Field Trip: An Astronaut's View of the Earth
So You Want to be an Astronaut
Young Astronaut Council
Space Flight Questions and Answers
Class 1:Flight Physical Examination
Class 2:Flight Physical Examination

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What constitutes a person's IQ?

The term IQ, or Intelligence Quotient, generally describes a score on a test that rates the subject's cognitive ability as compared to the general population. IQ tests use a standardized scale with 100 as the median score. On most tests, a score between 90 and 110, or the median plus or minus 10, indicates average intelligence. A score above 130 indicates exceptional intelligence and a score below 70 may indicate mental retardation. Like their predecessors, modern tests do take in to account the age of a child when determining an IQ score. Children are graded relative to the population at their developmental level.

What is this cognitive ability being measured? Simply put, IQ tests are designed to measure your general ability to solve problems and understand concepts. This includes reasoning ability, problem-solving ability, ability to perceive relationships between things and ability to store and retrieve information. IQ tests measure this general intellectual ability in a number of different ways. They may test:

• spatial ability: the ability to visualize manipulation of shapes
• mathematical ability: the ability to solve problems and use logic
• language ability: This could include the ability to complete sentences or recognize words when letters have been rearranged or removed.
• memory ability: the ability to recall things presented either visually or aurally

Questions in each of these categories test for a specific cognitive ability, but many psychologists hold that they also indicate general intellectual ability. Most people perform better on one type of question than on others, but experts have determined that for the most part people who excel in one category do similarly well in the other categories, and if someone does poorly in any one category, he also does poorly in the others. Based on this, these experts theorize there is one general element of intellectual ability that determines other specific cognitive abilities. Ideally, an IQ test measures this general factor of intelligence, abbreviated as g. The best tests, therefore, feature questions from many categories of intellectual ability so that the test isn't weighted toward one specific skill.

Because IQ tests measure your ability to understand ideas and not the quantity of your knowledge, learning new information does not automatically increase your IQ. Learning may exercise your mind, however, which could help you to develop greater cognitive skills, but scientists do not fully understand this relationship. The connection between learning and mental ability is still largely unknown, as are the workings of the brain and the nature of intellectual ability. Intellectual ability does seem to depend more on genetic factors than on environmental factors, but most experts agree that environment plays some significant role in its development.

But can you increase your IQ score? There is some evidence that children develop higher intellectual ability if they receive better nurturing and diet as babies, and a higher degree of intellectual stimulation in preschool tends to boost children's IQ scores for a few years of elementary school but does not permanently increase IQ scores. For the most part, adult IQ scores don't significantly increase over time. There is evidence that maintaining an intellectually stimulating atmosphere (by learning new skills or solving puzzles, for example) boosts some cognitive ability, similar to the way maintaining an exercise regimen boosts physical ability, but these changes aren't permanent and do not have much effect on IQ scores.

So your IQ score is relatively stable, no matter what education you acquire. This does not mean that you can't increase your intelligence. IQ tests are only one imperfect method of measuring certain aspects of intellectual ability. A lot of critics point out that IQ tests don't measure creativity, social skills, wisdom, acquired abilities or a host of other things we consider to be aspects of intelligence. The value of IQ tests is that they measure general cognitive ability, which has been proven to be a fairly accurate indicator of intellectual potential. There is a high positive correlation between IQ and success in school and the work place, but there are many, many cases where IQ and success do not coincide.

Here are some interesting links:

brain.com-an excellent site with a lot of information on intelligence and the brain.

Lists of IQ tests on web

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~Top 10 Certifications to begin ur IT career~

Are you just starting out in IT, or looking for a way to begin an IT career? The following certifications will help you verify and learn the skills needed to find a job in IT. Once you have one of these, you can begin to gain the experience and higher certifications that will land you a great IT career.




1.CompTia A+

At the top of the list, the A+ certification is one of the most popular ways for people to break into the computer biz. The A+ certifies you as a computer technician and covers topics such as hardware, OS, and networking. 6 months of technician experience is recommended and two exams are required. Both exams lend themselves nicely to self study. So get a good book and sign up to get your A+ certification.
More: CompTia A+


2.Microsoft Certified Professional

To get any Microsoft certification, this will be the first stepping stone. You will be an MCP once you take your first exam and until you complete the exams needed for any other Microsoft certification (MCSD, MCSE, etc.).

More: MCP


3,Microsoft Certified Desktop Service Technician

If you like to troubleshoot, then this certification is for you. You'll take two exams and then be able to support end user desktop systems.

More: MCDST


4.CompTia Security+

Two years of networking experience is recommended for this certification so the true IT newbie might be in over their head with this one. However, security is a big issue and if you have the familiarity to take the one exam required, the Security+ cert works as a prerequisite for the MCSA and CNE.

More: Security+


5.CIW Associate

If you are into internet technologies and would like to define your skills, then go for the Certified Internet Webmaster (CIW) certification. The Associate level requires only one exam called the Foundation exam, which covers html, dhtml, networking, graphics, and internet history. From there you can advance to the Professional and Master CIW levels.

More: CIW


6.Sun Certified Java Programmer

This is the first step to higher Java certifications and will prove your skills as a Java programmer on the Java 2 Platform, Standard Edition. You must understand the fundamentals of the language so get a good book and maybe a training class before taking the exam.

More: SCJP


7.CCNA or CCDA

Both of these certifications will require some dedicated training if you are new to IT. These will be tough for those considering a career change, but well worth the effort. Cisco certifications are popular and respected. Once you have the experience to back up the cert, you will be able to move on to the advanced Cisco certifications.

More: Cisco


8.Microsoft Office Specialist

If you have experience with Microsoft Office products, you can achieve a Microsoft Office Specialist certification on any one product such as Word, or Excel by taking a single exam. A Master designation requires several exams and comprehensive knowledge of multiple products.

More Info


9.MySQL

One exam and knowledge of basic SQL and MySQL software will get you this certification. An additional exam and more advanced SQL skills will get you a Professional level certification.

More Info


10.Graphics & Internet Certifications

Finally, there are several good certifications for graphic designers and web developers. Most of these are vendor-specific and typically require one exam. Check with the product vendor you work with (or want to work with) and see if they have a certification program. Also check with associations such as WebYoda and WOW.

More Info

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Crack the CAT!!!

So What is CAT???

Common Admission Test (CAT) is for students who want to pursue Post Graduate level Management Degree from world renowned IIM’s. With Growing Reputation of IIM’s in the world for management education and emergence of powerful alumni for IIM’s in the Global Corporate sector made IIM’s a destination to dream for all students aspiring for managerial studies in India. Also the placement records of these institutes with salary packages run into several lakhs made IIM’s first and foremost choice among students. As popularity increases the number of students twisting their arms for this CAT exam also increases many fold over recent years. This naturally converges all the toughest youth minds of India over this exam and that makes the exam toughest that means which requires some serious preparation.CAT has been rated as the most difficult MBA entrance test in the world by the Economist Intelligence 2003 Survey Over the year many other institutes also accept this CAT score for their admission processes.Actually there is growing momentum to make CAT as a single entrance exam for all business schools in India.Also effort is undergoing to get world accreditation for CAT.

Over the year many other institutes also accept this CAT score for their admission processes.Actually there is growing momentum to make CAT as a single entrance exam for all business schools in India.Also effort is undergoing to get world accreditation for CAT.

The IIMs

IIMs, which carry the crown of autonomous management institutions, were established four decades back. Out of the Seven IIMs functioning at present, IIM-Calcutta established in the year 1961, was the first one to commence teaching. It collaborated with MIT Solan School of Management for teaching and training activities. Later on other IIMs came into existence.

THE SEVEN :

• Ahmedabad (Gujarat),
• Bangalore (Karnataka),
  
• Kozhikode(Kerala),
  
• Calcutta (West Bengal),
• Lucknow(Uttar Pradesh)
  
• Indore(Madhya Pradesh)
  
• Shillong (Meghalaya).

But all the Seven IIMs enjoy the similar status in the world academic platform irrespective of their age.

The Seven Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) have also made their position in the elite group of institutions like the IITs, NITs, and Research Institutions like ISRO, CSIR, ICAR etc.

To tap the best talent in the country and to train them to be excellent, IIMs take the route of Common Admission Test (CAT). The test takes place annually across the country in which lakhs of aspirants try their skills. The students shortlisted by them are given such sort of training that wherever they go they leave an impact. The manpower mended in IIMs deliver excellent leadership to the society.

So what is tested at CAT?

CAT is an aptitude test. There is no set or defined syllabus for the exam. what we can say about CAT is it is designed to assess the natural ability of a person towards their desired objective. Hence CAT is designed to test the inclination of the applicant towards managerial tasks and roles.

Mainly the questions are asked from

Quantitative Aptitude,
Reading Comprehension & Verbal Ability,
Data Interpretation & Data Sufficiency.

So who is eligible to take CAT exam??

For all IIMs, the minimum eligibility criterion for admission to PGP is at least a three-year Bachelor's degree or equivalent in any discipline recognized by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)/ All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) as eligible for Post-Graduate Studies in Management.

Scholarships/Financial Assistance

It is the endeavor of the IIMs that no Student be denied opportunity to pursue the Post-Graduate Programme in Management for want of adequate financial resources. Substantial need-based scholarship schemes covering even up to 100% of expenses are available.

Last but not the least--Reservations??

As per Government of India requirement 15% and 7½% seats are reserved for SC and ST candidates. 3% seats are reserved for Persons with Disability (PWD) of which 1% each is reserved for low-vision/blindness, hearing impairment and locomotor disability/cerebral palsy.

source: indicareer

External links which are pretty much helpful for MBA aspirants!!

onestopmba-->>Contains Free MBA Preparation Material, MBA Sample Papers. CAT, GMAT, XLRI, MBA Entrance Exams 2008 - 2009 Exam Results. GMAT Preparation Downloads & much more.

ascenteducation

www.mbadreams.com

coolcareers

Get a mock test right now

mbauniverse

2iim.com

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