The Mystery of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Posted by Collins Burl on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

In 1947 on the western shores of the Dead Sea a young Bedouin boy known as Muhammed the Wolf was tending to his herd of goats. He was part of a band of hearty adventurers who were smuggling goats from Transjordan into Palestine. This required that they take the long way around to avoid the Jordan Bridge and the customs officers who guarded it.

The route they chose took them through a barren ravine known to the Arabs as Qumran to the spring waters of the oasis at Ain Feshkha. Being a good shepherd Muhammed chased after one of his goats that had strayed up a cliff and got lost. When he found the goat he noticed the opening of a cave in the cliff wall. Curious, but wary of the snakes that would often hide from the heat of the sun in such caves, Muhammed simply threw a stone into the dark cave opening. He was intrigued when he heard the stone make a sharp crack but decided to tell his friends before he went into the cave.

Muhammed returned a while later with a friend of his and the two Bedouin boys found they could not resist exploring the cave, snakes or no snakes. What they discovered inside was collection of several large clay jars and the fragments of several others. Muhammed and his friend were fascinated and could only guess at what treasures might be hidden inside the mysterious jars. With visions of a Princes gold and jewels in their eyes the two boys lifted the lid off one of the great jars and with eager anticipation looked inside.

What they found inside was certainly a treasure but not the hoard of silver and gold they had dreamed of. Instead, the jars contained thin scrolls wrapped in linen that had been coated with pitch and wax. Remarkably, the scrolls were still legible, but the boys could not read the strange manuscripts as they were not written in Arabic. Muhammed and his friend decided their unusual find might still be worth something at the bazaar in Bethlehem.

As the story goes the Bedouins sold a few samples of the scrolls to a merchant in Bethlahem for a mere 20 Pounds, though some say it was 50. Oddly, the next several years saw the samples of the scrolls pass through many hands yet there was little interest in them. Finally, the scrolls were recognized for their incredible historical significance and most of them now reside in the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem.

What are now known as the Dead Sea Scrolls are a collection of about 900 scrolls including many from several other caves in the same area. Notably among them are the only know Biblical texts dated before 100 AD as well as the Isaiah scroll, The Manual of Discipline, The Copper Scroll and a commentary on the Book Habakkuk. Most of the texts are written in Hebrew, some are written in Aramaic and a few are written in Koine Greek.

The significance of The Dead Sea Scrolls is difficult to estimate as their are still some questions about their exact date of origin. There is also some debate about the way access to the scrolls has been restricted. But there can be no doubt about their effect on our interpretation of the ancient manuscripts.


Craft Your Cooking Skills At a Culinary Institute

Posted by West Andy on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

A dash of hard work and a pinch of talent are what make the perfect recipe for a successful culinary institute student. Individuals who go to a school to study culinary arts are looking for a career in a fast-paced environment. There are culinary arts schools all over the world that offer programs to prepare students for a profession that revolves around the kitchen. While studying the art of cooking, students will learn different techniques and skills that will be useful in their career. There are a variety of different programs available to students, as well as different specialties within culinary arts to choose from. Each specialty has unique techniques and skills necessary for the job.

In a typical restaurant kitchen there is an order of authority according to the specific type of chef and their specialty. The highest-ranking chef is an executive chef. This chef is responsible for planning and preparing the food that is to be served in the restaurant. A few of the job duties include devising a menu, ensuring the food quality is up to standard and deciding how much food is needed. In training to become an executive chef, students will learn about food preparation and managing a staff.

In addition, restaurants also have sous-chefs who are often times directly supervised by an executive chef. Sous-chefs assist executive chefs in many of the daily restaurant duties, such as planning the menu and requesting kitchen and food supplies. They are also responsible for teaching new techniques to the kitchen staff, as well as supervising other kitchen workers such as specialty chefs and cooks. While studying at a culinary institute, future sous-chefs learn different techniques for cooking, as well as teaching skills.

There are also specialty chefs that work in a kitchen. These chefs can specialize in anything from appetizers and pastries to poultry and fish. These chefs prepare complete meals, as well as decorative food trays, and they also prepare the food for presentation to customers by providing garnishes. Specialty chefs also help to supervise cooks and other kitchen staff. While studying at a culinary arts school, specialty chefs learn about all different aspects of cooking and often times decide their specific specialty while in school.

Lastly, there are also cooks who are part of the professional kitchen staff. Typically cooks do the grunt-work in regards to the cooking in a kitchen. They prepare and cook complete meals and supervise others who are on staff and help in the kitchen. Often times, executive chefs and sous-chefs will begin their career as a cook. It is one of the first stepping-stones to a successful career once a student graduates from a culinary institute.

While students are preparing for the real world and aspiring to become professional chefs, they will learn about all different aspects of cooking. First, students will learn the proper technique to cooking certain foods. They will also learn what ingredients compliment one another. One part of cooking that is often times overlooked but a very important part of the cooking process is food safety. Students will learn how to prepare food safely, as well as the proper cooking temperatures for different types of foods. Another important aspect to cooking is the nutritional benefits and health aspect of recipes and various foods. Students need to know what is in the food they are preparing and how it can affect people with certain health risks.

As a student at a culinary institute, individuals will learn all about these important aspects of cooking, as well as fine tune the cooking skills they already possess.


Top Online MBA Programs Focusing on Leadership

Posted by West Andy on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

The Master’s in Business Administration degree, or MBA, has been around for years, but evolved as management styles and business structures have changed over time. Today, top online MBA programs focus less on theories of management and more on proper leadership skills. The trend began in the late 1990’s and continues to gain momentum as more and more companies acknowledge that the way in which senior management and executives interact with their employees is crucial to getting the results they need.

The days of brutal, backstabbing competition and ruthless management like in the movie "The Bonfire of the Vanities" is gone. Many of today’s multi-national corporations are focusing on a kinder, gently approach to management and conducting business. In response to today’s increased interest in individual leadership as an essential component of good management, some of the top online MBA programs available are revising their curriculum to focus on individual leadership skills and personal growth as well as management theory and practice.

These progressive online MBA programs offer a great deal more than textbook learning and case studies. Real world scenarios, hands-on application of skills and collaboration with business leaders in a variety of industries are all central to the new breed of MBA’s. They teach students that the basis for successful team management is self-awareness and attention to the individuals within a team or company.

Because so many companies are finding success with these programs, some of the top online MBA programs focus on executives, that is, they offer specialized Executive MBA programs that are tailored to the needs of busy business people. These classes are primarily online, but feature some units that are on-site immersion sessions, usually lasting a week or less, with all executives meeting for intensive group learning sessions.

If you’re already working for a company and want to pursue an MBA in order to advance your career, keep in mind that not all MBA’s are the same. If you want one that offers skills specifically for executives who already have some years of work experience, look for EMBA’s that offer coaching or mentoring sessions in order to apply your leadership training to your own real-world situations. Look for immersion sessions that enhance your online learning experience and enrichment interaction with other executives. Also desirable would be a broad base of course work that includes leadership skills, personal development and organizational improvement strategies in addition to traditional management courses.

Be sure to look at all aspects of an EMBA. The top online MBA programs will be taught by a mix of instructors and corporate executives so that you receive a balance of theoretical and real-world experiences that will give you a firmer foundation for your own future and that of your company.


How to Choose The Right Fine Diamond Jewelry For Your Lover

Posted by Yu Yuan Cheow on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

When buying diamond jewelry for your lover, you will definitely want to buy the best for her. To choose the right piece for your lover, you will first need to spend some time educating yourself about diamonds. Especially if you are choosing a wedding ring, you need to make sure that it is flawless.

When choosing diamond, you need to consider what we call, the 4Cs. 4Cs stand for carat, cut, clarity and colour. These 4Cs is very important and you should always use it to help you choose the right one. So let us now discuss in more detail what 4Cs are about:

1. The Carat. This stands for the weight of a diamond. A larger carat is equivalent to a heavier diamond. Although larger diamonds are more expensive and impressive, they may not have a better clarity and colour when compared to those smaller diamonds.

2. The Cut. This refers to how the diamond is being cut, fashioned and designed by the manufacturer. There are tons of diamond shapes for you to choose from. Some of the shapes are oval, round, square, heart-shaped, pear-shaped, etc. Each kind of shape will bring out a different kind of overall appearance when your lover wears it. For those diamonds which have more facets, it will allow more light to reflect. A round-shaped diamond has the most facets and will absolutely make your ring sparkles.

3. The Clarity. Diamonds with good clarity has lesser flaws. Nowadays, it is very hard to find diamond which is completely flawless. Usually most of the diamonds in retailer outlets have some type of flaws which cannot be seen even under a strong magnification. Diamonds without flaws are rare stuffs, which are definitely more expensive and harder to find.

4. The Colour. Colourless diamonds are the most popular among women. There are a lot of colours for you to choose from. It can range from white, green, yellow, pink, red, black, purple, etc.

Besides knowing the 4Cs, you will also need to have a certain idea what kind of diamonds your lover prefers? Is she more interested in the carat of a diamond or the clarity and cut of it? As long as you can choose a diamond jewelry which captures your lover preference, you are one step nearer in capturing her heart.

Once you have all these information on hands, you will be able to go out there and choose the right diamond jewelry for your lover.


Try Forex Demo Account Before Starting Trading

Posted by Olson Alex on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

Newcomers to the Forex or stock market need time to be able to learn and comprehend the details of trading. Having a Forex demo account is an excellent method for rookies that are new to the investment world. Having a Forex demo account is where the newbie learns not to fumble away his or her investments.

Having a Forex demo account is where the newbie learns not to fumble away his or her investments. You always hear stories about traders losing money in the Forex market. Forex demo trading is a method whereby you can reduce the number of these stories. This technique allows the new investor the ability to practice without putting their investments in jeopardy. You do not have to pay anything for the Forex software as it is free and is readily available to any new traders that are looking to gain experience and knowledge in the Forex market.

Forex demo trading is all about learning how to be successful. It does not take the place of you having to have a trading plan or of technical and fundamental analysis. What Forex demo trading does is to test the waters by putting your own research to the test as well as a plan so that you are sure that you understand just what it takes to invest in the Forex market. Forex trading is a refined skill and it forces investors to master a very high level of expertise.

Large amounts of money can be made or lost in the Forex market. With this form of investing, you can lose a lot more money than what you had originally invested. Just like the NFL, the stakes are high so training is of the utmost importance.

Many of the brokerage companies that are involved in Forex trading have demo accounts readily available. Some of them are free and some may require a small fee. However, the fee that is paid is usually well worth it because a Forex trader can use his knowledge and skills to make vast profits after spending some time practicing with a Forex demo account.

You can easily and quickly set up a Forex demo account through a broker. You can always go online and find a great number of companies that are ready and willing to help the new student trader set up an account so as to enhance his or her trading skills. It is always a smart thing to know what you are doing no matter what game you are playing. Forex trading can be likened to an advanced financial game.

If there is any hesitation, then a Forex demo account is definitely the way to go. When you set up your own Forex demo account you are allowed to make trades as though you were using real money. As the saying goes, "practice makes perfect"!

In conclusion, having a Forex demo account is much like learning NFL. Forex trading can often seem like a contact sport, and if you are not careful you may be taking hits in your wallet if you do not learn the ins and outs of the game. A Forex demo account will help you learn the investment basics before you have a chance to dive into the real game.


Searching Goverment Grant On The Internet

Posted by Tan Sean on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

Making grant applications is supposed to be quite a difficult process, and it really is difficult when you consider the number of people who actually get grants from the total number of applicants. Though there is all provision for individuals to make grant applications, the procedure might be too cumbersome for some people, and of course it has to be done the right way for the grant application to meet with any positive consideration. That is the reason why it becomes imperative to take help of some online, because that can help you to get all the advice and assistance necessary for making a winning grant application.

Here are some of the things that you can stand to get if you become a member of a grant application resource :-

1. You will get all required tips on grant writing. Many of website resources will allow you to access an eBook that will have lots of important inside information on the grant application process. Government grants provide titled winning grant strategies.

2. Another important resource that they provide is an access to thousands of government grant providing programs. This is important because it helps people to choose the kind of federal grant they are really interested in and eligible for. There are also exhaustive lists on the kind of grant that can be provided by state organizations.

3. If you are not meeting the eligibility requirements of federal government grant funding, then you can try out for some of the private grant providers. There are several such private organizations around, but they do not make themselves much public because then they would be inundated with applications. However, government grants provide list of private grant providers.

4. One more important resource is for student grants. There is good information on the kinds of educational grants that are available for students who are wishing to study anywhere in the United States or in foreign countries.

5. Similarly, there is information on providers of government and private grants for purposes as home buying, home repair, home improvement, purchase of land and preparation of site for building a residence, etc.

6. You will also find information on where to ask for grants if you are a senior citizen with a health condition and a minimal income. There is also a list of all providers of daycare grant providers on government grants.

7. Finally, if you need professional help in writing grants. You can choose among these professional grant writers and give better chances for your grant application to get approved.


Pastry Chef Schools Offer Tasty Career Options

Posted by West Andy on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

Pastry chef schools cater to a particular segment of the cooking sector. Pastry chefs are unique when it comes to cooking professionals. You may love baking everything from basic oatmeal cookies to decadent cheesecakes. Or, you’ve always been happy focusing more on dessert than the main course. Maybe, in your eyes, part of the joy of a sweet treat is the way it is decorated and served. If you feel this way, you should consider attending one of the increasingly popular pastry chef schools across the United States to start a career that combines pleasure with practicality.

Pastry chef schools offer a variety of programs. To choose the right pastry chef program for you, think about what you’re really looking for in a baking and pastry education. There are many culinary arts schools that include pastry and baking instruction in a complete culinary program for chefs. These programs will teach you quite a bit, but only as a sub-unit of a larger, more comprehensive curriculum that prepares you to be a chef in any capacity from salad preparation to intricate main courses. You’ll get an excellent education, but pastries and baking will be only a part of it. If you like cooking as much as baking, a degree in the Culinary Arts can give you the best of both worlds.

If your heart is set strictly on being a pastry chef, however, look for a culinary school that can offer a baking and pastry chef certification or associate’s degree. These certifications or degrees indicate to potential employers that you not only know all of the expected baking skills, but that you’ve mastered an additional level of expertise by specializing in the pastry arts. These programs will take less time to complete than a broader based culinary program, but in that time you’ll learn more advanced pastry baking, decorating and plating techniques.

If you are currently a chef and want to deepen your knowledge of pastry preparation and baking, contact some of the pastry chef schools in your area and ask about continuing education opportunities. The pastry industry is always evolving and a refresher course can introduce you to new techniques, improved ingredients and great trends that you can then introduce to your clientele.

There are many career options for pastry chefs. High-end restaurants usually hire pastry chefs who are responsible solely for desserts and baked goods and function independently within the kitchen staff. Cafes and boutique restaurants also used pastry chefs, as do bakeries. Many bakeries and cafes specialize in a particular style of food, such as primarily specialty breads, wedding cakes or desserts. Specialization can be rewarding and enjoyable in the world of baking. If you have a special talent, be sure to take advantage of it.

And of course, if you have a degree from a pastry chef school, you can turn your talent into your own successful business. Specialty bakeries and catering services can be very successful for the individual who loves baking with a passion and has the drive to turn it into their business.


Distance Learning MBA - Get One Step Ahead Of The Competition

Posted by West Andy on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

Many business professionals are always looking for a way to advance their career and climb up the corporate ladder, quickly. While a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration is the first step to a successful career in the business world, often professionals are looking for something else to set them apart from their peers. One way to do this is to pursue and advanced degree, such as a Masters of Business Administration, otherwise known as an MBA. Many professionals would prefer to continue to work while they are pursing a master’s degree so that they can continue to advance in their current job. However, completing an advanced degree takes a lot of time and effort. One option for these professionals is pursing a distance learning MBA.

Distance learning is when an individual completes course work away from the established college or university. Most of the classes students are required to take are completed online. Students also learn through a series of textbooks and possibly videos to get the knowledge they need to advance them in a business career. Working over the Internet allows for a flexible schedule for the student and enables them to continue to work while they pursue a master’s degree online. This is something important to a business professional who wants to advance in their career fast.

One of the key elements a student will learn while pursing an MBA over the Internet is leadership. A professional can be a hard worker and knowledgeable in his job, but if that particular individual cannot lead a group of peers or staff members, then his or her career is not going to advance very far. On the opposite side, it is also important to be a good follower as well. The most successful business people know when to lead and when to follow and are able to balance the two. While pursing a distance learning MBA, students will learn the important skills of leading a group, as well as following directions.

Students will also learn other important skills and knowledge necessary for advancing a business career while completing course work for an MBA. This course work includes learning about corporate strategies. Knowledge in this segment will give individuals a competitive edge over others in this particular career field. They will learn how corporations operate and different strategies to make an organization as successful as possible. This type of course work typically focuses on the global economy and how an organization matches up to its global competition.

Course work also includes studying shareholder relations. This aspect of business is often overlooked or not as strongly presented in typical bachelor’s degree programs. Curriculum that typically focuses on shareholders enforces the importance of shareholder relations and how to issue concerns from shareholders. Students will gain an understanding of financial reports and how a corporation and shareholders relate to one another.

A distance learning MBA is typically for individuals who already have a bachelor’s degree in business administration and have experience in the career field as well. They already have a basic knowledge of business and understand what a career in this field entails. This type of program is ideal for individuals who are already in the career field because it allows them to work and go to school at the same time. For these individuals it is important that they continue to work while pursuing a higher education so that they do not fall behind on their peers. It also allows them to keep up with current business trends and happenings.


Online Shopping Carts - Preventing Customer Frustration Online

Posted by West Andy on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

There are millions of retail websites on the Internet that use online shopping carts to enable customers to order products or services online. If you’ve ever shopped online, however, you know that all online shopping carts are not created equal. Some are confusing to use, don’t allow you to make changes as you progress through the ordering process or are limited in terms of payment options and other features.

Having a shopping cart system that doesn’t work well or is limited in functionality is often a mistake new websites make. They lavish lots of time and money on making the site appealing, showing off their products or services in the best possible light and even adding cool flash add-ons and other extras, but cut corners on the shopping cart because they see it as a mundane, boring feature that is strictly utilitarian. The problem that arises from that attitude is that shoppers can quickly lose their enthusiasm for purchasing a product or products if they become frustrated when going through the online checkout.

Online shopping carts should be customer friendly. People make mistakes; it’s a fact of life. If your website’s online shopping cart system is well-designed, it will allow for errors by having links on each page for going back and making corrections or enabling the shopper to change his mind on one item without losing his entire order in the process.

Internet shopping is only as convenient as the payment options for most people. If a retail website offers wonderful gifts, clothing or furniture but doesn’t accept credit cards, it will lose a hefty proportion of its customers. Conversely, if a variety of options such as major credit cards, PayPal and e-checks are available; shoppers will be more inclined to make purchases.

Shopping carts must also have back end flexibility. Of course, offering lots of different options and services through your online shopping cart system is great for your customers, but if it isn’t easy to use and adapt to your own company’s needs from the back end as well, it won’t help. If you have a flexible, intuitive back end design, however, you’ll find that a more complex shopping cart system can actually make your work easier.

There are many companies today who offer custom designed online shopping carts as well as companies that offer several different software packages that you can tailor to fit your specific needs at a reasonable cost. Using these specialists to help you implement an online shopping cart experience for your website can improve everything from your customer service to your bookkeeping, since you can use these systems for not only placing orders, but for tracking inventory and assessing sales trends.

When researching online shopping cart options for your website, ask some serious questions about what the provider can offer you. Considerations on whether the software package will include the source code so that you can customize your online shopping cart as your needs change should be an option. Find out if there is technical support available if and when you need it. Research what types of payment options can be set up with the shopping cart program. And learn if the system is a dynamic one that can evolve and change, as shopper’s needs change.

Be sure when you’re looking for the right online shopping cart service or package that you really know what you’ll need. Whether you offer customized gifts or require drop-down menus for color, size and style choices, your decision will be based on your needs. Also, find out what the return policies are for the particular product you are interested in. Knowing as much as possible about what you want will ensure that you don’t fall short when you invest in your website’s online shopping cart system.


Executive MBA Online: A Course in Leadership

Posted by West Andy on November 21st, 2007 in · 0 Comments

Leadership is the single most important quality that a businessperson can have. Think about it. If you had excellent business knowledge but didn’t have the leadership ability to get others to follow your advice, it would be difficult to know what type of a business you were able to run. Many people find that they only move up so far in a company and then get stuck somewhere in the humdrum world of middle management. To bust out of that area and move into a higher position, it is often necessary to hone your leadership skills. An Executive MBA online is one way that people gain the leadership abilities that they need to move forward in their careers.

An Executive MBA online can teach you many different things. You can use it to learn about specific organizational systems and how to work best within them. You can take courses for the degree, which will apprise you of updated technology for the business sector. You may even improve your ability to do company taxes in a way that favors your business. But the real skill that you get out of a program like this lies not in the content that you learn. It lies in the leadership abilities that you develop as a result of this kind of study. You will learn how to command a room, how to negotiate with employees in a way that keeps them happy but keeps you in charge and essentially how to run a business from the top down.

The reason that many people opt to gain these skills through an Executive MBA online rather than by attending a traditional college is because they don’t want to pause their careers. The goal here is to move forward. Cutting back on work so that you can attend college classes doesn’t help you to achieve that goal. In contrast, the Executive MBA online can be completed on your own schedule. You can get the work that you need to do done during the day and then deal with your classes at night or on the weekends. The best part about this is that you’ll be taking what you learn from your courses and applying it directly to your work. You’ll see your leadership skills go into practice immediately, reaping almost instant rewards from your efforts.

Some people fear that getting a degree in something like leadership through an online program won’t prepare them for that type of real world application. After all, it’s one thing to read a theory in a book and another to actually act it out with real people. But the way that the web world works these days, it’s easy to make a classroom as interactive online as it is in real life. You can incorporate video technology, conferencing options and voice communication to simulate a real classroom. That facilitates putting your leadership skills to the test with real people who will give you live feedback. And it will also translate well to your business since much of your leadership may be taking place online these days.

An Executive MBA online isn’t the only way to develop your leadership abilities. You can attend leadership seminars, read books and work by the practice makes perfect approach. Consider what your goals are and whether the credibility of a degree will assist you in meeting those goals. And when the going gets tough, focus on the fact that you really don’t want to be languishing in middle management forever. There is no reason that you have to let anyone else be the boss of you. You can be your own boss and lead others as well.


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