Help Your Pet Have “Paw”-fectly Balanced Nutrition

Help Your Pet Have “Paw”-fectly Balanced Nutrition Reading labels before buying food can be good for your health–and it's just as important to read labels carefully when choosing food for your dog.

Nutrients play an important role in a pet's health. Learning more about what pets need can help pet owners be sure their dogs get everything they need.

Dog owners also need to realize that a dog's dietary requirements change based on age, weight and activity level.

Dogs require the right balance of proteins, fats, antioxidants (beta-carotene and vitamin E), omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals. Also, a dog typically needs more fat for energy and a healthy skin and coat, and less fiber for good intestinal health, than people. Good fat sources for dogs include chicken fat and fish oil.

A combination of carbohydrates, such as corn, barley and other whole grains, helps maintain energy levels. Beta-carotene, Vitamin E and other antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, like those found in Iams' new Healthy Naturals formula, can help boost a dog's immune system.

If you decide to change your pet's diet and introduce a new dog food, one key to a successful transition is to introduce the new food gradually:

• Start by mixing 25 percent of the new food with 75 percent of the old food. Gradually adjust the proportions over the course of three days until he is eating 100 percent of the new food.

• Dogs love routine, so feeding them at the same time and place every day will help the transition.

• When reading labels, also keep in mind that premium pet foods are often packed with more nutrients; therefore, smaller portions are usually recommended.

For more tools, tips and information to help your dog live a happy, healthy life, visit www.iamshealthynaturals.com.

Know the Fun of Being a Project Manager

A forty-year old veteran of engineering and project management stresses that more people must consider the career because it is a fun job that yields tangible results.

Freelancer project manager Tom Klein who was able to complete his engineering diploma in 1967 and has worked in project management for the past 15 years on large infrastructure roll-outs.

“The number one thing about project management is it is fun and something that, at the end, you see a result,” Klein said.

“It really is fun. When I started it was based on my engineering background, but today it has progressed somewhat and some sort of accreditation is a must.”

“When you receive a project the main thing is to remain calm for a few days. People get a high heart rate and want to do everything now,” Klein says.

Klein has worked on a GSM roll out for Vodafone, data centre build outs, switching equipment installations for PowerTel (AAPT) and a 700 kilometre fibre optic cable deployment for energy Australia connecting 200 substations.

He says there are two types of project managers – generalists and specialists.

Klein believes people should think of all tasks as projects and manage them that way.

“Did you ever prepare a dinner? You project manage everything. You should see everything as a project,” he says. “Lately people interchange the words of project and event. You do the same in project management as with event management.”

Klein sees people as more conscious of delivering things on time and on budget and require services of professional project managers.

On project management software and tools, Klein says “keep it simple and it’s 'horses for courses'”.

“Collaboration and knowledge sharing is an absolute must for project management,” Klein said.

When asked why so many projects fail, Klein said: “Projects don’t fail, the expectations do.”

Klein recently finished working on projects for NSW RailCorp and is now looking for another challenge “because project management is fun”.

Los Angeles project manager staffing

Want to Get a Merchant Account But Troubled With Your Bad Credit History? Here Are Ways on How to Do It!

Merchants with a bad credit history can still obtain a merchant account and here are some ways on how to do it: do your research, be persistent, and improve your credit history.

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Important Factors to Consider When Picking for the Best Baby Boy Bedding

Are you expecting a baby boy? If you are, your hands are full in trying to create the perfect and unique nursery for him.However, there are plenty of things to consider such as picking out the perfect baby crib, the accessories, and most specially a baby boy bedding. This can be quite overwhelming especially for first time moms and it poses a big dilemma to them.

Here are themes you may adapt for your own little angel.

Outer Space Theme

This theme features celestial bodies, rockets or even extra-terrestrial creatures. Wall-E and Star Wars are best examples of this theme.

Dinosaur Land Theme

Although dinosaurs are extinct creatures, many find them interesting making them one of the great choices for boy beddings.

The movies Land before Time and Jurassic Park definitely captured millions of people. It is also easy to find accessories that will go with the beddings.

Jungle-Inspired Theme

As a child, Tarzan may have fascinated you. If that is the case, this theme will best fit your taste.

Disney Characters Theme

Almost all Walt Disney characters are close to every child's heart. They have these magic that draws not only the kids but also those kids-at-heart.

The Disney Company produces vast choices for baby beddings including Mickey Mouse, The Incredibles, Aladdin, Hercules, and a lot more.

“Under the Sea” Theme

This is an ideal theme since it often features the color blue. As we all know, blue is the most identified color for baby boys.

Sea creatures like Finding Nemo will look great on baby boy bedding.

Description of Lords in an Astrological Charts

A detailed description of lords of astrology chart how it is being interpreted by astrologers and psychics. Know this term as used by Vedic astrology and how it is being incorporated to some interpretations from ancient times through astrology chart.

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The Coming Renaissance of Electrical Contractors

In the next ten to twenty years, “electrical contractor” will no longer be a suitable job title for electricians.

A study by the American Solar Energy Society projects renewable energy jobs for electricians to grow approximately 900% by 2030, just in the state of Colorado.

To take advantage of upcoming opportunities, electricians will need to “green” their skill-set and re-brand themselves. We’ll share more on this later. First, let’s take a look at the trends driving this change.

Green Construction is on the Rise

According to a 2009 Booz Allen Hamilton study, green construction will skyrocket over the next five years. The report projects green construction to generate 554 billion dollars in GDP, provide 396 billion dollards in labor earnings and support or create over 7.9 million jobs from 2009 to 2013. These figures are way up from the previous 8-year period. From 2000-2008, GDP from green construction was just 173 billion dollars, labor earnings was 123 billion dollars and number of jobs created was 2.4 million.

This growth comes directly from increased demand for green buildings, which is largely driven by cost savings from reduced property operating expenses, and by new regulations from federal legislation (e.g. American Clean Energy and Security Act).

Clearly, environmentally friendly construction affects the architecture engineering construction (AEC) industry collectively. But how will this impact electricians?

Electricians are in High Demand

The growing green construction market will create new demand for electricians. And to keep up with demand, electricians will need to diversify their skill-set. We obviously expect to see electricians working on solar photovoltaic and wind turbine installations, but that’s just the beginning.

They’ll work on building retrofits, mass transit and light rail projects, “smart” electrical grid transmission systems and more. Here are a few examples of the unique places we expect electricians to find work:

Lighting system upgrades – There are an estimated 2.2 million commercial buildings in the U.S. that have antiquated lighting systems (old fixtures, ballasts, lamps and controls). Additionally, all federal buildings are required to switch to Energy Star lighting products by the end of 2013 (in accordance with the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007). Some of these upgrades can be handled by the local maintenance guy, but others will require the expertise and skill of electrical contractors.

Parking lot electrical outlets – A state bill in Minnesota will require half of new parking facilities to include outlets to charge electric vehicles. Who will install these docking stations? Electricians of course. Members of the Minnesota Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 292 are already preparing to provide labor for these projects. If successful, we expect other states and cities to follow Minnesota’s example.

Wind turbine manufacturing – According to a report from the American Solar Energy Society (ASES), a typical 250-person wind turbine manufacturing company has two electricians as employees.

Electric vehicle electricians – Jobs for electricians will also emerge in adjacent industries. For example, electricians will need to be trained in auto mechanics – or auto mechanics will need to be trained in electrical contracting – in order to meet demand for electric vehicle maintenance. And the career outlook is good: electric vehicle electricians make an average of 39-59 thousand dollars a year.

El Dorado Hills electricians

How to sleep like a baby

Most adults are having lack of sleep, but a fitful and proper sleep should not be sacrificed, especially when babies and young children are involved.

Studies have identified that having proper sleep can enhance a child's mental and physical growth 3 times more than children who lack adequate sleep during the crucial period of 3 to 6 months after birth.

Having an adequate also helps the body repair cells and tissues throughout a person's life.

Sleeping patterns vary by age but Dr. Luis Rivera of the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine said there are common sleeping principles for various age groups.

baby boy bedding

Winding down

“You minimize stimulant intake like coffee, tea, iced tea, or cigarettes. For older children and adults, lessen computer time. Your mind is still so active. So essentially, it's winding down particular activities for that age–computer, sports, work, TV–once you're hitting the time for sleep,” Rivera said.

Adults can also follow this pattern for a fitful sleep, like taking a soothing bath or doing self-massage before bed.

Cribs in U.S. Recalled by Ontario Firm

An Ontario firm is recalling about 1,000 dangerous cribs in the U.S. after several reports that slats have detached from the rails which could result to an entrapment hazard.

Moon and stars crib bedding

Caramia Furniture, based in Mississauga, says it has received 18 reports of detaching slats but no injuries have been reported.

It is said that the voluntary recall of Caramia Furniture is in conjunction with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

Caramia, established in 1992, has become a prime supplier of baby and juvenile furniture in Canada and the United States. It has factories in Croatia, China, Brazil and Slovenia, where the recalled cribs were made.

The cribs were sold throughout the U.S. at Buy Buy Baby and other mass merchandise stores between September 2002 and December 2005.

The owner of Toronto-based Mother Hubbard's, which is also a distributor, said none of the recalled cribs was sold in Canada.

Consumers are advised to stop using the recalled Diane crib and contact Caramia Furniture to receive a free replacement drop side, which will be available at the beginning of March.

Get that warm feeling and elegant look with scarves

Last weekend was a chiller! With all my winter wear stored comfortably in a Manhattan storage facility, I was left defenseless as unexpected 50-degree weather moved in.

white silk aviator scarf

Given that many local fashionistas have a limited cold- weather wardrobe, several light layers will do the trick. Forget the bulky winter coats. Think tank top, long sleeve blouse, cardigan, blazer and top it all off with the sweetest frosting for the season, a chic scarf.

With the cool weather we're now having, dust them off and try out one of my favorite ways to wear them for a look that is weather appropriate and au courant as there are tons of ways to wear your scarf — tied, knotted or draped.

I have always loved the elegance of a silk scarf. For those who must slip on a suit for the office, this is also a chic way to keep your neck warm when the temperatures drop.

My favorite way to wear a silk scarf is in a French knot around the neck. Follow these five steps to get the look yourself!

Silk Scarf: French Knot

* Take your square scarf and fold it along the bias until you get a band that is two inches wide.

* Center your scarf around your neck with ends facing the back. Wrap around and bring ends to front.

* Tie a loose single knot in the middle of your neck underneath the chin.

* Twist the scarf to one side of the neck so that the knot is not centered under the chin but slightly twisted to the side of your choice.

* Tie a double knot and let the ends of the scarf hang freely and voila — a French knot scarf!

For those who need a little extra warmth around the neck, forgo the silk and grab your pashmina. With pashminas available locally for 10 bucks a pop, this humble accessory is one of the best bangs for your buck and a timeless investment. We typically use pashminas as shawls but their uses are endless.

Pashmina: European Look

* Fold the pashmina in half lengthwise.

* Fold the pashmina in half along the width.

* You will be left with a looped end and an open end with the tassels hanging.

* Place the pashmina around your

neck so that looped end is on your right shoulder and the tassels on your left.

* Pull the open end with the tassels through the loop and tighten as desired, and voila, a chic pashmina to keep you warm!

29th annual science fair featured more than 250 science projects held at Homer Junior High School

The 29th annual science fair featured more than 250 projects held at Homer Junior High School from Jan. 12 to Jan.13.

environmental science fair projects

The projects delved in topics such as engineering, behaviorial science, chemistry and botany.

“The projects were just excellent this year,” science teacher Jacqueline Maida said. “The students put forth a lot of effort and I am proud of them. They learned a lot not only in science but also in research and public speaking.”

Students worked on the projects during the second half of the second quarter before presenting them to judges and the public Jan. 12 and 13.

Of the 256 projects entered, 26 earned “Outstanding” awards. Eighth grader Max Czerwonka's “Up, Up and Away” project was one of them.

Eighth grader Jeff Jerger is an amateur ham radio operator, and used his skills to complete his project, which also earned an Outstanding award.

Jarger tested which material was best at stopping radio waves before determining that aluminum was the most potent material.

Eighth grader Ramy Elian derived his project from what he hopes to be one day — a dentist.

Out of four liquids — coffee, coke, tea and water — Elian determined that coffee stained teeth the most. He used real teeth his dentist gave to him.

“I thought coke would stain the most, but coffee was the worst for teeth,” Elian said.

Other students earning Outstanding awards were: Brandon Vlach, Kaitlin Ruane, Nicole Troha, Julie Wilk, Klaudia Wiszowaty, Jenna Mitchell, Roscoe Rea, Billy Mrowczynski, Justin McCurdy, Reeva Gestre, Lauren Sexton, Gabrielle Serpico, Elizabeth Rutter, Jordan Relyea, Brandon Standish, Aubrey Elwood, Melanie Kurzawa, Cameron Wiegmann, Lindsay Martin, Elena Kamely, Jacob Polke, Daniel Kaleel, Jacob Shepski, Keri Martinez, Alaina Federick, Alexander Mintari, Becca Namikas, Amanda Eminger, Natalie Kulik and Emily McCann.