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Housetraining your cat

Cats are naturally clean creatures, so housetraining a kitten isn’t normally a difficult job.



■ Put a layer of litter in a tray, or use sand if your cat will eventually use outdoor facilities. For two cats, provide at least two trays.
■ Place the tray in a quiet corner, away from food and water bowls.
■ If the kitten messes on the floor, transfer the puddle or solid matter to the tray. Don’t be cross, but do it with a firm “This is where you do it.”
■ Clean the tray twice a day, using only hot water and detergent.
■ If your cat has an accident, wash the area with a 10 per cent solution of biological washing powder, spray with vinegar and scrub again.

Do Better In Exams When You Eat Better

The brain is a complex organ that requires nutrients and enough rest to function better.  That is why it is essential to eat better to avoid getting exhausted during activities that require brain power and too much thinking.  Analytical exams especially problem solving tests in math can really subject the brain to stress as you try to remember formulas and analyze the question.  That is why it is just normal to feel hungry after an exam since the brain has took so much of your energy that almost all your energy reserves are depleted.  But consuming too much food before an exam is also not helpful at all.  It is best to prep your diet with vegetables and fruits prior to an exam.

Fatty foods will only make you feel sleepy and tired.  If you think that sugar can energize you, you better think twice about eating a bar of chocolate.  Simple sugars will only energize your for a short while and your body will immediately get drained thereby ending up feeling too sleepy.  Try to eat better with nutrient-filled food choices by simply getting more of fruits and vegetables in your daily meals.  Still, never avoid meat as you also need soluble protein and other nutrients found in meat and dairy products.  Just be keen in including the right portion size of meat products and still get rid of the fatty sections when preparing meat dishes.

Vitamins and health supplements may be helpful to the body; however, do not just easily believe that Vitamin B supplements will give you that brain or memory boost.  You will do better when you eat better since you are introducing natural and soluble nutrients from organic sources.  Perhaps some brain boosting herbal products may help but taking in real food that are rich in omega 3 and other vitamins and mineral are more helpful than relying your academic performance on pills.  Vegetables have more to give than popping a pill.  Of course, you will never do better academically if you do not study.  Hence, study better by maintaining a balanced diet and avoid starving the body.  Eat on time and get fill your brain with happy thoughts by including some simple exercises.

Professor Ir Dr Dominic foo from The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus (UNMC) has been named the winner in the academic category of the outstanding Young Malaysian Award 2012.

Dr Foo, Professor of Process Design and Integration from the Department of Chemical and environmental engineering and Director for the Centre of Excellence for Green Technologies, joins an illustrious list of past winners including actress Datuk Seri Michelle Yeoh and Olympic silver-medallist Datuk Lee Chong Wei.

"I am honoured to receive this recognition and am also proud to be a Malaysian who has received all his education right up to the postgraduate level. I would like to acknowledge all the teachers and lecturers who have taught me. I feel that it is they who have made me an outstanding Malaysian," says Professor Foo.

"Perhaps the judges were impressed that I achieved a full professorship at the age of 34 within five years of graduating with a PhD. My friends in the academic field have said that I am the youngest engineering professor in Malaysia. Tome it is hardwork and smart work which has paid off," Professor Foo details possible reasons he was given this award.

Professor Ian Pashby, Ceo & Provost of The University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus says, "This year's award presentation is especially meaningful to us at the University of Nottingham because two of our academics, Dominic foo and Alain Chong, who are based at the China campus, were presented with The Young outstanding Malaysia Award".

The awards recognise young people who excel in their chosen fields, and are sponsored by Junior Chamber International (JCI), one of the biggest nonpolitical youth service organisations in the world.

"The academic community at the Malaysia Campus has an excellent track record both externally and internally for receiving awards for their groundbreaking research and their world-class teaching and learning. recently, 10 academics at UNMC clinched the inaugural Chancellor's Award from The University of Nottingham, which is awarded based on feedback from students," Professor Pashby adds.

MENTORING YOUNG MALAYSIANS

"I am also passionate about working with young people to help succeed in their careers. I spend time with them to provide career guidance and also mentor new researchers and academics in planning their research career. This consumes a great amount of my personal time but seeing the younger generation succeed is very rewarding to me," says Professor Foo.

Prior to the outstanding Young Malaysian Award, Professor Foo was awarded the Innovator of the Year Award 2009 by the Institution of Chemical engineers UK (ICheme), as well as the Young Engineer Award 2010 by the Institution of Engineers Malaysia (IEM).

He also conducts professional training for practising engineers. He is currently the Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Technical Division of IEM and also an active member of IChemE (Malaysia branch), and is a Professional Engineer registered with the Board of Engineers Malaysia (BEM).

Professor Foo is also an active author, who has published more than 75 journal papers and two books, and has made more than 120 conference presentations, with more than 15 keynote and plenary speeches.