October 2011 Masthead
In This Issue
Sirius Online Store
401K
Sirius Babies
Sirius Weddings
"Not So Sirius: Awards"
Breast Cancer Awareness
Sirius Client "Lights the Streets"
Article Headline
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Newsletter Signup
Featured Article
oct shirts
If you don't have time to participate in a fund raiser that supports breast cancer awareness but still want to do something for the "cause", you can purchase from our online store one of the following t-shirts. Trademark Promotions will donate 5% of the sale of every shirt to the American Cancer Society! You can order directly from our website www.siriustechnical.com. Thank you so much for supporting breast cancer research.
 
401K
401K
You still have time to change or enroll in 401k! October is new enrollment and changes. Please contact:
 [email protected]
or [email protected] if you wish to enroll or change your benefit.
 
Sirius Babies
bryant
You might remember Alan Bryant, Sirius August Employee of the Month. Now we are congratulating him on his new baby, Allison Louise Bryant born 7-12-2011. Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl!
 
Sirius Weddings
s+C wedding
Cricket Blaylock, Sirius customer married Samuel Snyder on July 16th, 2011 at The Harbert Center in Downtown Birmingham, AL. Samuel is a Civil Engineer. After the wedding, the couple spent a week in Ocho Rios, Jamaica. Congratulations to the happy couple!
 
Signature Lives
Breast Cancer and Diet
Breast Cancer Exercise
Below is a list of things we can implement in our every day lives through diet and exercise that comes from the National Cancer Association:
Eat a diet that is largely vegetarian (certainly low in red meats), centering on legumes, whole grains, fruits and vegetables.
  • Eat fish once or twice a week.  
  • Eat five to nine servings a day of fruits and vegetables.  
  • Include citrus fruits or other foods rich in vitamin C, dark leafy greens, high-fiber produce and cruciferous vegetables.  
  • Limit fat intake to mostly monounsaturated and omega-3 fats (from olive oil, canola oil, nuts and seeds).
  • Choose whole grains (whole wheat, oatmeal, brown rice) over refined grains.
  • Include a source of calcium (from diet or supplement).
  • Include soy and flaxseed in your diet.
  • Relax with a few cups of tea a day.
  • Exercise regularly.
Exercise
What role does exercise play in fighting cancer? Regular exercise (30 minutes or more on most days of the week) helps protect against colon cancer, and breast and lung cancers. In addition, exercise helps reduce the cancer risk associated with obesity by helping you achieve and maintain a healthy body weight.
There is an easy solution if you are too busy to fit in a good workout on most days. Squeezing in what has been coined as "fit bits" of physical activity (activity for short as a minute or two spread throughout the day) can keep you healthy and fit. The Cooper Institute for Aerobics Research in Dallas demonstrated that subjects who performed this type of lifestyle fitness lost as much weight as a group doing a 20 to 60 minute aerobic session three to five times per week. They also increased their aerobic endurance, although not as much as the control group.
So, what does that mean? When you've got a minute, do something physical. Below is a list to help gauge calories burned per activity. The amount you burn will vary, but this serves as a guide. The calories shown are based on a 140 lb. woman.
  • Sweep for 5 minutes = 20 calories
  • Push a stroller 1/2 mile in 10 minutes = 50 calories
  • Garden for 15 minutes = 55 calories
  • Play ACTIVELY with the children for 15 minutes = 60 calories
  • Park in far corner of the parking lot at work and walk 5 minutes briskly to desk = 25 calories
  • Walk briskly back to car, when leaving work, in 5 minutes = 25 calories
  • Four flights of stairs both ways = 40 calories  
  • Walk briskly to the store and then back in 8 minutes = 35 calories
  • Jump rope for 15 minutes = 150 calories!
 
Big Thank YOU to Austal USA for fueling our local economy...
  Announcements by Mobile's Austal USA were big enough to make Southern Business & Development Magazine list of the Top 10 Deals for 2010. On its Jobs 100 list, Austal ranked #4 with 2,000 jobs, and on its Investment 100, Austal expansion ranks No. 65 with 160 million.
October Employee of the Month
byronhunt
The Sirius Staff has awarded Byron Hunt our October Employee of the month. Byron has worked on assignment for Sirius for almost 4 years. He has always done an outstanding job working with our client companies and we are honored to have him as one of our own. Byron has also always been eager to send us referrals. A true team player! Congratulations Byron and thank you for being a key part of the Sirius team.
 
COSTUME CONTEST IN OCTOBER
HALLOWEEN

We would like to recognize the most creative "technical or engineered" costume among our newsletter readers. The only catch is your costume must have a technical theme or engineering theme. Please submit pictures to [email protected] by Friday, November 4, 2011. We will vote among our staff and announce the winners in the November 15th newsletter. 1st Place winner receives $100 gift card. The Sirius staff did the technical/engineering costumes a few years ago and it was a blast! Good Luck to everyone!

 

Industries We Serve
Shipbuilding and Marine
Specialty Chemical
Offshore
Power Utility
Steel
Nuclear
Petro-Chemical
Pulp and Paper
Manufacturing
Refining
Oct Logo
The only choice you need when it comes to staffing. We provide highly skilled designers, engineers, project managers and various other technical professionals to ensure the success of your project.
2011 National Staffing Employee Week Ends with Sirius Bash
On September 15, 2011 Sirius Technical Services, Inc. owners and staff honored some 200 contract employees and clients in a reception overlooking beautiful Mobile Bay at 5 Rivers in Spanish Fort, AL. The night was filled with great food, music, dancing, door prizes and awards. We appreciate all who came out to celebrate National Staffing Employee Week.
Sirius Bash
Winners of Contract Employee "Not So Sirius" Awards:
All in the Family -
Crawley Family
Michael, Bobby, Drew & Kathy 

Newcomer- Andrew Brunson

Best Personality -
Hershel Thurmond

Best Performance Under Pressure- Osborn Linam

Best Reputation-  

Todd Goff

Biggest Auburn Fan-  

Patrick Thomson

Mad Skills - Keith Brown

Biggest Alabama Fan-
 Mike Moore

Most Candidate Referrals - Ron Reed

Guidant Top Performer Contractor Awards

Prestigious Client Awards:

Christopher Berry

Evonik

Gloria Gusta

Austal USA

Nathaniel Bell

Guidant Group

We would like to give a special shout out to the vendors that made our night special:

Chico & Chris chicoandchris.5u.com 

Jimmy Cook

Cook & Associates

Lynette Alleman with Alleman's Catering

United Healthcare

Cindy Maddox

Jennifer Davison Photography

EWORC Web Design

www.e-worc.com 

Hank Lahti

Principal Financial Group

Ironcore Fitness

Fanci Lassiter

Lockerd & Williams
John Lockard & Windy Taylor
 
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month
pink ribbons Sirius, as an entire company, is dedicated to supporting the fight to find a cure for not just breast cancer, but all types of cancer. We are a blessed industry and feel our time and financial resources are well invested when we help cancer victims celebrate more birthdays. Please join our staff this month in doing something for the "cause". Many communities are coming together with events to promote breast cancer awareness. We are sharing a few local events if you need ideas.

Breast Cancer Awareness: The Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk
is a big event in downtown Mobile. Last year over 9,000 participated and $325,000 was raised. http://blog.al.com/live/2010/10/pink-clad_walkers_raise_325000.html
This year the Event is Sat October 29th 2011 - Bienville Square at 8:00 a.m.

Harleyween sponsored by Mobile Bay Harley-Davidson
  • October 29, 2011 9am-6pm
  • Bring the kids
  • Raffles, costume contest, food, trick or treating: All proceeds donated to American Cancer Society/Breast Cancer Awareness and National Alopeica Areata Foundation
Sirius Client Lights the Streets...
mobile lit up McFadden Engineering, Inc., (MEI) a Mobile-based environmental and civil consulting firm, has been retained by Mobile Gas Services Corporation (A Sempra Energy Company) to direct the remediation efforts at the old Manufactured Gas Plant (MGP) site in downtown Mobile,AL. The site began production in 1830 as the Mobile Gas Light and Coke Company when the need arose for gas to light the streetlights in Mobile. This site was the 5th municipal site in the US to manufacture gas from coal, thus tapping a new energy source. The MGP site continued to manufacture gas until the discovery of deep-well natural gas ca. 1930, whereby the need for manufacturing gas from coal was no longer cost effective. At that time, the MGP site was demolished and the Company utilized the property for its headquarters until moving to Dauphin Street in 1972. As a result of demolition, the old tar wells and gas holders were left below ground along with the residual tar and other contaminants that leached into the ground around the structures. In 2009, the Company decided that they would be proactive, although not required by regulators, and enter the Voluntary Cleanup Program with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) and transform the site into a useable greenspace for the residents of the area. McFadden Enginnering has been the lead firm for the Gas Company in working its way through the regulatory requirements and managing the remediation project. MEI has procurred the project lead professional geologists from Sirius Technical Services to manage the field work and provide PG services as required. The hard work of the Sirius management personnel to find the appropriate person for this task has resulted in a successful project for all concerned.
Congratulations to Frank McFadden and your team for your successful contributions to keeping Mobile beautiful.
 
Phone Interviews: Tricks or Treats
Five Tricks for Standing Out
on phone Often, our clients will request a phone interview as a pre-screen, or many times hire strictly from them. Here is some advice to help you ace your first (and possibly only) impression!
Phone interviews are a useful tool for potential employers -- the conversations help screen candidates quickly and possibly determine who's worth a face-to-face meeting. Here's how to make a mark during your over the phone impression:
    • Know what you speak of: Make sure you have a copy of your resume, and as many details about the job you can in front of you. It's also nice to add information about the company, the person who may be calling to interview you and any potential questions you know you'll want to ask.
    • Rehearse your responses: Prep for the conversation by thinking about the job and the qualities a candidate must have. How do your strengths match up? What are your weaknesses? Anticipate questions you might be asked and consider how you'll answer them. Bounce ideas off a friend if you're concerned about a particular aspect of the job description or use to gain information from others in that industry.
    • Watch your language: In a phone interview, it is important to speak slowly and clearly. Remember, the quality of your conversation and your ability to answer questions is all the interviewer has to go on over the phone. Keep the "ums," "ahs" and "you knows" to a minimum.
    • Think before you speak: Take the time you need to answer the interview questions completely and thoughtfully. Be sure not to interrupt or begin answering the question before the interviewer has finished speaking; there may be more to the question than you realize. If the interviewer calls at a time that is inconvenient for you, while you're at work or in a noisy environment, arrange another phone meeting in the near future.
    • Ask what the next step is: If you feel the interview has gone well, be confident and direct enough to request what that the next step in the process is. Will they call your or your recruiter if they want to meet you? E-mail? If you are out of the running, will they let you know?. Understanding the next step will help you sleep easier at night -- always a good thing when you are on the job hunt.
Nicole Williams/Monster.com
Safety Awareness
Breast Cancer Prevention As we focus on reducing risks in our workplace we can also encourage our loved ones to take actions to reduce the risks of developing breast cancer.
Below are some suggestions from the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Reducing Your Risk
You can take action to reduce your risk of developing breast cancer. M. D. Anderson suggests:
  • Talking to your doctor about your use of oral contraceptives and hormonal therapy
  • Maintaining your ideal weight
  • Eating at least five servings of fruits and vegetables per day  
  • Following recommended screening guidelines  
  • Exercising regularly
  • Eliminating tobacco use and using alcohol in moderation
  • Getting your breast cancer risk assessed if you're at increased risk and talk to your doctor about medications that can reduce your risk of developing breast cancer.
  • Take time to discuss your own risks with your health care provider who can best advise you on the screening exams and risk-reduction strategies that are right for you.
  • Want to learn how you can prevent cancer?
Get a personalized action plan by completing M. D. Anderson's Risk Check at www.mdanderson.org/prevention.
How many women get breast cancer?
pink ribbons The American Cancer Society's most recent estimates for breast cancer in the United States are for 2011:
  • About 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women
  • About 57,650 new cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be found (CIS is non-invasive and is the earliest form of breast cancer).
  • About 39,520 deaths from breast cancer (women)
Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States, other than skin cancer. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in women, after lung cancer.
The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is a little less than 1 in 8. The chance of dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 35.
Breast cancer death rates have been going down. This is probably the result of finding the cancer earlier and better treatment. Right now there are more than 2� million breast cancer survivors in the United States.
 
We are Sirius about you! At Sirius Technical, we recognize that YOU are a big part of what makes this company so great. Please let us know what we can do for you. 

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