Jane says…..

While a zoo definitely has it’s place in animal watching, it doesn’t compare to seeing animals in their own natural habitat. After a recent visit to Yellowstone National Park, this felt especially true for me. A traffic jam caused by young buffalo calves and their mothers crossing the road is an experience not to be missed. It made me wonder about other places that would be conducive to viewing wildlife in a natural setting. From my research I have come up with a list of some of the best places to visit if viewing animals in nature is your objective.

In the United States, national parks are the best place to start. For viewing sea animals, the best places include the Channel Islands off the coast of California. The islands are surrounded by sea lions, seals, gray whales and humpback whales. There are also numerous tide pools that house creatures such as sea urchins and anemones. Another area great for water animals is Glacier Bay in Alaska. Humpback whales and sea lions are in abundance off shore and on land bears and moose are often times available for viewing. For a different spin on water creatures, visit the Florida Everglades, the last remaining everglades on the planet. There you will see crocodiles and alligators co-exists along with turtles, dear, manatees and bobcats. The everglades contain large viewing towers that are devoted especially to wildlife watching or you can be a bit more daring and take a canoe ride in croc-infested waters.

Other national parks that make the list for best wildlife viewing are Denali National Park in Alaska, Glacier National park in Montana, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Denali, Glacier and Rocky Mountain offer animals such as dall sheep, grizzlies, caribou, wolves, mountain goats, elk, dear, bighorn sheep and marmots. Theodore Roosevelt is a less well known park and therefore offers great viewing of bison, wild horses, deer and elk without all the crowds.

Outside of the US, there are more exotic animals available for viewing at places such as Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, the Komodo Islands in Indonesia, Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo, Polar Bear Observation in Canada, and of course a Kenyan Safari.

The Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is a brilliant rain forest that contains over 100,000 acres of land and 5,000 acres of marine habitat. The park is home to 116 species of amphibians and reptiles, 139 species of mammals and more than 400 species of birds. There are no roads into the park, only hiking trails. Unless you are an avid hiker and have excellent map-reading skills, a guide is recommended. In addition to the trails, there are also viewing platforms built atop massive ajo trees.

The Komodo Islands in Indonesia house the world’s largest population of Komodo dragons. These animals can grow to be over 300 pounds and up to nine feet in length. These islands are now an Indonesian national park and permits and tour guides are required, but they make the experience much more user-friendly (Komodo dragons aren’t in petting zoos for a reason). In addition to land tours, you can also take a sea kayak around the park and see coral reefs, fish, dolphins, whales and sea turtles.

Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo is one of the last places to see orangutans in their own natural habitat. Through an elaborate network of hiking trails, you can see the orangutans up close, swinging from branch to branch, suckling their young, or building nests to sleep. There are also orangutans in captivity which can be viewed. They are being rehabilitated before being returned to the wild. There are other jungle species as well that can be viewed in the orangutan jungle, including clouded leopards, civets, Malaysian sun bears, deer, numerous species of birds, and butterflies.

Nowhere can you see polar bears so up-close and personal as you can in Churchill, Manitoba. When Hudson Bay freezes, between October and November, this town is overrun with polar bears as they travel their migration path. In early winter, they even stop to dine on the region’s seal population. For more up close views, you can take a tundra buggy (a converted school bus) into the migratory packs for a quick day-trip. For longer exposure, there are tundra lodges that provide all day exposure to the bears in their native environment.

One of the most famous places to view wildlife is Kenya, and what better way to see it than on a safari. Safari’s can take you through the likes of Masai Mara National Park, Amboseli Game Reserve and Mt. Kilimanjaro to view lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras, flamingos, black rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Safari’s range from less expensive options starting around $500.00 for an 8 day excursion to very luxurious safaris costing up to $9,000. Either way, you get to see what you like most…animals.

While a zoo definitely has it’s place in animal watching, it doesn’t compare to seeing animals in their own natural habitat. After a recent visit to Yellowstone National Park, this felt especially true for me. A traffic jam caused by young buffalo calves and their mothers crossing the road is an experience not to be missed. It made me wonder about other places that would be conducive to viewing wildlife in a natural setting. From my research I have come up with a list of some of the best places to visit if viewing animals in nature is your objective.

In the United States, national parks are the best place to start. For viewing sea animals, the best places include the Channel Islands off the coast of California. The islands are surrounded by sea lions, seals, gray whales and humpback whales. There are also numerous tide pools that house creatures such as sea urchins and anemones. Another area great for water animals is Glacier Bay in Alaska. Humpback whales and sea lions are in abundance off shore and on land bears and moose are often times available for viewing. For a different spin on water creatures, visit the Florida Everglades, the last remaining everglades on the planet. There you will see crocodiles and alligators co-exists along with turtles, dear, manatees and bobcats. The everglades contain large viewing towers that are devoted especially to wildlife watching or you can be a bit more daring and take a canoe ride in croc-infested waters.

Other national parks that make the list for best wildlife viewing are Denali National Park in Alaska, Glacier National park in Montana, Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado and Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota. Denali, Glacier and Rocky Mountain offer animals such as dall sheep, grizzlies, caribou, wolves, mountain goats, elk, dear, bighorn sheep and marmots. Theodore Roosevelt is a less well known park and therefore offers great viewing of bison, wild horses, deer and elk without all the crowds.

Outside of the US, there are more exotic animals available for viewing at places such as Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica, the Komodo Islands in Indonesia, Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo, Polar Bear Observation in Canada, and of course a Kenyan Safari.

The Corcovado National Park in Costa Rica is a brilliant rain forest that contains over 100,000 acres of land and 5,000 acres of marine habitat. The park is home to 116 species of amphibians and reptiles, 139 species of mammals and more than 400 species of birds. There are no roads into the park, only hiking trails. Unless you are an avid hiker and have excellent map-reading skills, a guide is recommended. In addition to the trails, there are also viewing platforms built atop massive ajo trees.

The Komodo Islands in Indonesia house the world’s largest population of Komodo dragons. These animals can grow to be over 300 pounds and up to nine feet in length. These islands are now an Indonesian national park and permits and tour guides are required, but they make the experience much more user-friendly (Komodo dragons aren’t in petting zoos for a reason). In addition to land tours, you can also take a sea kayak around the park and see coral reefs, fish, dolphins, whales and sea turtles.

Tanjung Puting National Park in Borneo is one of the last places to see orangutans in their own natural habitat. Through an elaborate network of hiking trails, you can see the orangutans up close, swinging from branch to branch, suckling their young, or building nests to sleep. There are also orangutans in captivity which can be viewed. They are being rehabilitated before being returned to the wild. There are other jungle species as well that can be viewed in the orangutan jungle, including clouded leopards, civets, Malaysian sun bears, deer, numerous species of birds, and butterflies.

Nowhere can you see polar bears so up-close and personal as you can in Churchill, Manitoba. When Hudson Bay freezes, between October and November, this town is overrun with polar bears as they travel their migration path. In early winter, they even stop to dine on the region’s seal population. For more up close views, you can take a tundra buggy (a converted school bus) into the migratory packs for a quick day-trip. For longer exposure, there are tundra lodges that provide all day exposure to the bears in their native environment.

One of the most famous places to view wildlife is Kenya, and what better way to see it than on a safari. Safari’s can take you through the likes of Masai Mara National Park, Amboseli Game Reserve and Mt. Kilimanjaro to view lions, leopards, cheetahs, wildebeests, zebras, flamingos, black rhinos, giraffes and elephants. Safari’s range from less expensive options starting around $500.00 for an 8 day excursion to very luxurious safaris costing up to $9,000. Either way, you get to see what you like most…animals.

Emma Snow has always adored wild animals. Emma provides content for Wildlife Animals http://www.wildlife-animals.com and Riding Stable http://www.riding-stable.com.

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Every successful online marketer says this is the bar-none, top-of-the-list, number one way to guaranteed success for any online venture.

What Is it?

Any marketer knows that nothing beats word of mouth advertising. It is simply the most powerful and cost effective advertising ever known. Even before the days of the Internet. Word of mouth advertising got every business where it is today.

Many entrepreneurs never have and never will spend money on advertising. Their entire business comes from people telling other people about their product or service.Could you imagine never spending money on advertising, but always having a steady stream of customers on your door step begging for your product or service.

This word of mout is what we call viral marketing.

However, word of mouth does not come easily.There is one catch to running a business only on word of mouth advertising. You must be selling an outstanding product or service. If you sell crap, the only word of mouth advertising you’ll have is negative.

I’m sure you’ve heard the expression before. A satisfied customer will tell three people about your product or service, an unsatisfied customer will tell ten.

If your customers aren’t happy you’ll have to work ten times harder and spend more money on advertising to sell your product.

There are two ways you can benefit from positive word of mouth. These are:

1. It’s free advertising. This is self explanatory. The less you have to spend on advertising, the more money you can put in your pocket and back into your business.

2. People are endorsing your product or service. Having someone endorse your product puts you at a greater advantage. When someone tells their friend about the positive experience they’ve had with your product, there is instant trust. People trust their friends. If a friend says your product is it, they’ll instantly trust you. Trust is a huge barrier to break down when it come to selling anything, online or off.

The one way I have found to work well with positive word of mouth is list building.List building by refering like ten people from your own effort and then these ten will go on to build your list up to a big size.

To give you an idea of how powerful word of mouth advertising can be in helping you to build your list, take a look below. Your list can grow exponentially without you ever even having to lift a finger again.This is a whole new way to LEVERAGE your efforts into a MEGALIST of monstrous proportions!

Let’s say you enroll SEVEN people from your paid advertising or any other form of advertising Seven is still pretty conservative for a completely FREE program… And let’s say each of those 7 also told 7 people and enrolled them And each of those also enrolled 7 people and so on

That would look like this:

YOU
1×7 Members =7
7×7 Members =49
49×7 Members =343
343 x7 Members =2,401
2,401×7 Members =16,807

TOTAL: 19,607 Members

That is 19,607 subscribers you get to mail to! And you only referred seven subscribers yourself!

Want to run the example with 10 referrals each? (That’d be a whopping 111,110 subscribers!) Or 20? I

won’t even do the math on that one, because frankly, you wouldn’t believe the numbers!

You get the idea. More and more people just keep learning about your business all through friends and associates. And it’s all free advertising!

If you think the above numbers are a bit of an overstatement think again. Go to http://Google.com right now and do a search on Autoresponder Magic. Autoresponder Magic is an eBook that was written by Yanik Siler several years ago. More than 80,000 web sites advertise his Ebook on their sites right now for

FREE!

When Yanik started out several years ago he didn’t even know what an Ebook was. Today he has more traffic coming to his site in a day than most web sites do in a life time.

That is how powerful viral marketing is. Do not skimpon using it. You can set up your viral marketing system to build your list by using ebooks, writing free articles and others.

Visit Lubowa.M.Planet viral Internet marketing websites.For Marketing Visit: http://www.conqueryourniche.com/forum/planetlubs For List Building visit: http://www.most-important-marketing-tools.com/marketing.html For 127 marketing software visit: http://www.most-important-marketing-tools.com

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Keeping pace with today’s digital era, education is fast becoming a commodity that can be acquired online. This has paved the way for those students who wish to earn degrees, yet not in a position to attend regular classes in a university or a college.

Online nursing degree programs have particularly gained prominence of late, because among other reasons, the demand for nurses is estimated to grow exponentially in the coming decade. An online nursing degree program is aimed at preparing you for the mainstream job market while you retain the advantage of learning from a place of your choice and at a pace of your liking.

Since nursing as a subject requires practical competence, many online nursing degree programs will only allow you to complete the non-clinical portion of your coursework via online classes, while arranging clinical lessons at a medical facility near your home. As you can imagine, there are no schools that allow you to fulfill clinical requirements online.

Let us now look at some important features of online nursing degree programs:

1. Compared to easy pacing of coursework by some programs, many others that are affiliated with traditional universities will require online students to maintain same quarter or semester schedule as on-campus students.

2. While some online nursing degree programs allow the students to commence the course at any time, there are many that are structured like traditional classes/degree programs, which means that students are made into groups and scheduled to go through together. In the latter case, there will usually be a designated start date.

3. Although online nursing degree students generally do not meet instructors and classmates in person, it is seen that communication via email or online discussions often proves equally rewarding. The other benefit in favor of online students is that they usually receive instructors’ lectures in written form.

4. Online nursing degree programs commonly offered are RN-to-BSN and MSN degrees. Although some institutions do offer a variety of advanced degree and certificate options, but they are rather few. In most cases, only one or a handful of degree programs are offered online.

5. Students, who wish to receive credit for work experience while pursuing online nursing degree program, generally have one or two options depending on the institute they plan to attend. Many institutes now allow students to complete proficiency exams such as the College Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the Proficiency Examination Program (PEP) in lieu of course-work in areas in which they have work experience or knowledge gained though independent study. If you are planning to enroll in an online nursing degree program, you will be happy to know that there are certain distinct advantages associated with it, enumerated below, though not all may be available together for a particular program. 1. You will be able to complete your online nursing degree coursework quickly and conveniently.

2. Online nursing degree programs are less expensive than traditional programs. While the cost widely varies by school and degree program, students may expect to pay anywhere from a little less than $100 to more than $300 dollars a credit, with average tuition for online programs sponsored by public universities generally falling in the $110-170 range. In addition, registration or enrollment fees may also be charged, though out-of-state tuition is not typically charged. Overall however, online nursing degree programs cost less than their traditional counterparts.

3. Flexible online nursing programs allow you to work around personal commitments. This is especially true for female nurses who are would-be mothers or have home and kids to look after.

4. Your curriculum can be tailored to meet your specific goals and you may be studying an up-to-date curriculum that addresses the critical needs of the health care industry.

5. If you work hard, you may look forward to completing your online nursing degree in just 2 to 3 years, or even sooner if you have qualifying credits or prior work experience.

Copyright 2006 Linda Raye

Linda Raye, editor at NursingChoice, is well known for her writing on healthcare topics. Nursing is one of her passions.

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Hybrid cars are fast becoming more and more popular due to the rising fuel costs and the prices of hybrid cars are becoming more and more affordable. The performance of hybrid cars are also comparable to diesel/petrol cars so there’s no reason not to get it.

There are plenty of new hybrid car models introduced every year but here are my top 3 picks that offers the best performance and features for the price.

#3 Honda Civic Hybrid

The Honda Civic hybrid is not a new model and has been on the market for some time. The price retails around $20,000 and the fuel performance is 47 city mpg and 48 highway mpg.

Though it isn’t terribly fast, what I like about the honda civic hybrid is that it can carry up to 5 people. It is more functional and is suitable as a family car. It also pass the crash test rating with a good score of 5.

If you have a family and do not need to get anywhere fast, then going with a honda civic hybrid is a good buy.

#2 Honda Insight

The honda insight is a two seater hybrid car which have fuel performance of 57 city mpg and 56 highway mpg. The price is about the same as the honda civic hybrid. It is a very reliable car which I have owned for a couple of years. So far, it has not given me such problems.

There are a couple of disadvantages, firstly it is 2 seater which means it’s not a family type of car. Secondly, the horsepower isn’t that great with only 71 hp.

It is my second top pick because I like its reliability and when you compare price to performance, it is pretty good.

#1 Toyota Prius

The Toyota Prius hybrid car is my top pick because it offers the best performance for the price you get. It cost around $19,000 which is the cheapest out of the three. It has more horsepower at 110 hp and can do 60 city mpg and 51 highway mpg. It is a family sized car which can hold 5 people quite comfortably with some space left in the trunk.

It also get a 4.5 score for it’s crash test rating. For price and performance, you can’t beat the toyota prius.

Ricky Lim operates a hybrid cars site at http://all-hybrid-cars.info Visit his site for more information on hybrid car battery and hybrid car tax and other hybrid cars information.

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Almost everyone thinks they know how to write a screenplay. We’ve all heard someone watching TV saying “I could write a better script than that”!

The truth is that just about everyone does have a story worth telling. Unfortunately most do NOT know how to write a screenplay.

Most professional artists are very particular about their tools. The screenplay writer is no different. The key to writing is being organized. Before even writing a single word, you must have an inner road map that your characters are going to follow.

If you are writing a novel, you CAN take the time to ramble and develop your descriptive talents. A screenwriter cannot!

Just like any muscle, the writing ‘muscle’ has to be exercised on a regular basis. The simple process of sitting in front of a computer for set periods of time is critical in training the subconscious that THIS time is when you are going to call on your creativity. In order to learn how to write a screenplay you have to understand STRUCTURE. Unlike a novelist, you do not have the luxury of allowing your script to develop into 300 plus pages. It will not get read if it does not conform to an industry standard of around 110 pages.

The structure of most contemporary screenplays: 1) Establish the character and general situation, 2) force them up a tree and throw rocks at him and 3) get the hero down again.

Firstly: you get the audience to know something about the character and his situation.

Secondly: a situation must be created that goes against your characters comfort zone. He must have a nemesis trying to destroy everything he stands for. This ‘bad’ guy takes pleasure putting your hero up that tree and making it as uncomfortable as possible.

Thirdly: our hero needs to overcome all odds and ‘payoff’ the bad guy.

If it really is that simple, then why isn’t everyone a screenwriter? The answer is they do not know how to write a screenplay.

So let us say that you have a clear idea of what your three acts are going to be. Well now you begin to develop the characters. They have to play off each other and either support or destroy our main character. Any time the characters are neutral, the screenplay is dead. Just remember: conflict equals drama. No conflict, no drama.

So what does it take to become a screenwriter, besides learning how to write a screenplay? It takes discipline - to sit at your workplace, even when you are not sure what you are going to write. It takes having a thick skin, so that when the inevitable rejections come, you do not BELIEVE in their judgment as to your potential. It takes major BELIEF in yourself. But MOST of all it takes LUCK!

The film industry is littered with great scripts that never got made. - Directors fall out with producers. A great idea yesterday turns into a pariah today. The studio that WAS going to make your picture has changed hands and the new studio head wants to stamp his own directorial policy on his new position - and you were chosen by the previous head! There are a million legitimate reasons why Hollywood should not immediately fall at your feet - but YOU are going to overcome this. If you do not believe this, then do not even attempt to learn how to write a screenplay! If you DO believe in yourself, then hey - why shouldn’t you be the one that gets lucky?!

So yes, learning how to write a screenplay isn’t so difficult. The difficult part comes AFTER you have written the screenplay.

Richard Patton is the CEO of http://www.pitchmyscripts.com , the UNIQUE system for pitching screenplays directly to Hollywood. Whether you are a writer looking for the best screenplay writing software or simply trying to learn how to write a screenplay, you will find all the information you need . Having worked on movies from “Cliffhanger” to “Max Headroom” , Patton has a unique insider perspective on what works!

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Uganda has developed its lodges and hotels into world class. Kampala for example has 3star, 4star and five star hotels and the serena group has acquired the Nile hotel and renovated it it a 5 star deluxe facility at a cost of $18M. Lodges will be found in wildlife areas like queen Elizabeth.

Semilik Safari Lodge

The lodge has eight double rooms that allow for total comfort. Guests are also accommodated in large canvas tents with permanent thatched roofs. The tents have en-suite bathrooms with running water and private verandas with a breathtaking view. Sofas are piled with cushions, with ample lounging spaces. The lodge’s resident chef offers a creative mix referred to as the ‘Best food in Uganda’. Everything is homemade, from the fresh bread to the soups. The lodge employees are from the surrounding communities.

Semilik Safari Lodge offers guests interesting activities like chimpanzee trekking, guided walks and hiking, jungle walks fishing, bird-watching, spot lit night drives, game drives and visits to local communities. The lodge is working closely with the Indiana State University of the US in primate research projects. The cost for double rooms for foreign non-residents is US $296 and for East African Nationals US $218.

The mystery of Kabale

Bunyonyi Safari Resort (BSR), located deep in the highlands of Kabale District, southwestern Uganda, is a secret yet to be discovered. Located on the shores of Lake Bunyonyi, this unique tranquil place has spacious, self-contained and spacious cottages right at the waterfront. Guests can tour the numerous islands on the lake by motorboat. ‘Bunyonyi’ means ‘little birds’ and, indeed, at BSR guests are woken up every morning by the chirping of numerous birds. Some of the areas across the lake are famous rare bird species. Lake Bunyonyi is about 900m deep and it winds around numerous hills, creating islands. It has signs of volcanicity and mystery still surrounds its formation. It is a bilharzias-free lake and therefore safe for swimming. The area is also mosquito-free.

BSR have a pad out in the water for guests to sunbathe ands swim in private. Form there or the balcony, one can occasionally view the elusive water birds, the otters, as well as the surrounding hills. Guides will take guests round and give them the historical and cultural backgrounds of some of the islands. Visitors can also meet the pygmy tribes. In the evenings, one can enjoy a barbeque dinner with a campfire by the lakeside.

Lake Bunyonyi is one of the places in Uganda where guests can get clayfish, BSR’s specialty. The cuisine is mostly African but the chef is well versed in all continental dishes. Self-catering is also allowed at a minimal cost for small groups. Bunyonyi Safari Resort extends from the cottages to a small hilltop overlooking the lake. From this vantage point, the view of the Lake Bunyonyi, its surrounding islands against a backdrop of the volcanoes of Muhavura is splendid. The hall on this hilltop is furnished with a bar, a pool table, darts and other games. It is ideal for conferences and parties. The surrounding gardens are well manicured and beautiful.

BSR is offering special full board rates this season of US $40 per person per day. Visitors should look out for BSR’s new introductory package of US $110 per person for a two-night weekend that includes accommodation, meals and transport to and from Kampala, and lake tours. The minimum number of this tour is 12 people sharing in doubles. This tour can be combined with gorilla trekking in Bwindi or a visit to Lake Mburo National Park or Queen Elizabeth National Park at an added cost.

Hotel industry comes of age

The Uganda hospitality industry has evolved rapidly into a dynamic institution that places the interest of the client above all else. A visit to Uganda may be marked by stops in the following regions represented by a number of towns: Jinja, Mukono, Kampala, Entebbe, and towns within the refreshing tour circuit of western, north-western and north-eastern Uganda. In all these regions and towns, the hotels meet international standards and offer value for money.

Kampala, Entebbe and Mukono

Central Uganda boasts the country’s top hotels, with Kampala having hosted major international and regional conferences. Kampala has a variety of hotels that cater for different categories of tourists.

Colline Hotel

Colline Hotel is an old establishment in Mukono about 15 kilometres east of Kampala. The three-star hotel boasts a town-countryside tropical setting. It is an hour’s drive from Entebbe International Airport through Kampala along Jinja road. The hotel has more than 100 self-contained rooms, with 24-hour room service, DStv and direct telephone communication. It caters for transit tourists heading to and from Kampala.

Mukono’s unique setting in an area with bird life is reinforced by its high service standards. Colline offers guests unhindered access to all facilities such as the steam bath and health club. With a large garden, swimming pool and well-equipped health centre, Colline Hotel is another home away from home.

The hotel has two restaurants, Maxims and Kob, serving continental, international, oriental and local cuisine. It has three bars fully stocked with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The hotel has a launders residents’ linen. Cultural troupes perform there regularly, keeping the guests fully entertained.

Hotel Africana

Hotel Africana overlooks the beautiful Uganda Golf Club’s par 72 Kitante course. The hotel is 40 minute drive from Entebbe and a mere three-minute drive to the city centre. It has 115 rooms compromising five suites, 23 deluxe rooms and 87 twin-bedrooms. The rooms are elaborately furnished to meet client needs. They are individually air-conditioned, have private baths and showers, telephones, multi-channel TV, radio and fridges. For children under three years, accommodation is free of charge while those between three and 12 pay half the rate of a single room. There are also rooms with connecting doors for families, and there is a large swimming pool.

Hotel Africana has a well-designed purpose-built, air-conditioned conference and banquet rooms, complete with modern audio-visual facilities, to cater for any function. Due to its location, the hotel offers a suitable venue for workshops of 10 to 250 people and outdoor functions of up to 1,000 people. The conference rooms are equipped with a high-speed wireless Internet connection.

Holiday Express Hotel

Located in the heart of Kampala at the junction of Luwum and Dastur Streets, Holiday Express Hotel allows business tourists to access vital services such as foreign exchange, downtown shopping and transport in and out of Kampala. The facilities are designed to meet regional and international standards. All the 42 rooms are soundproofed to allow maximum comfort. This eliminates the CBD-related cacophony. The hotel has a special rate for East African nationals. All the rooms are fitted with TV with more than 10 channels and a spacious study area. Holiday Express has hosted business tourists from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi and Congo.

Hotel Equatoria

Hotel Equatoria is part of the Imperial Group of Hotels chain - Grand Imperial, Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel, Imperial Resort Beach and Hotel Equatorial. It is located in Kampala’s central business district, about 40 kilometres from Entebbe International Airport. Its strategic location provides an ideal environment for conferences, meetings, workshops, parties, recreation and rest. Hotel Equatoria has features that supplement its quality of service. Recently the hotel added 30 more shops to meet the shopping needs of the guests. Hotel Equatoria has one of the biggest shopping malls in the country and 89 air-conditioned rooms, 24 of which are executive class, with satellite television and in-house movies. Security is guaranteed as an electronic key card system is used. The executive rooms have a sitting area complete with speed special satellite Internet connections, mini-bars and direct dialing telephone services.

Grand Imperial Hotel

The Grand Imperial Hotel is one of the first hotels in Uganda built in the colonial era. It is the only hotel that has been used by every governor of the colonial era. The 103 rooms, including suites, reflect the urban elegance and easy southern charm of the city. The hotel, part of the Imperial Group of Hotels, is centrally located in Kampala, and is just a 30 minute drive from Entebbe International Airport. All the rooms have high-speed Internet connection, electronic safes and mini-bars and direct dialing telephone services. The hotel has a swimming pool, saunas and Jacuzzi, massage rooms, steam and spa baths, a shopping mall and a large secure car park. It also offers free personalized airport service, forex bureau and doctors on call 24 hours.

Imperial Resort Beach Hotel

The five-star Imperial Resort Beach Hotel is situated in Entebbe on 27 acres of landscaped gardens on the shores of Lake Victoria. It is only a seven-minute drive from Entebbe International Airport, and a 30 minute drive to Kampala. The hotel is the finest convention centre in Uganda and a global landmark, offering technologically advanced conference facilities overlooking the lake.

With 191 rooms on six floors, extensive conference and banquet facilities and restaurants and bars, it is an ideal venue for meetings. A modern amphitheatre, 1 km private beach stretch along Lake Victoria, swimming pool and health club are just some of the delights.

Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel

The Imperial Botanical Beach Hotel has hosted a number of key conferences, including a summit of African leaders and former American President, Bill Clinton. It has modern well-equipped conference facilities, high-speed internet connection in all rooms, electronic safes and mini-bars, direct dialing telephone service, swimming pool, saunas and Jacuzzi, large secure car parking, free personalized airport service and a doctor on a 24-hour call.

Speke Resort & Country Lodge

Speke Resort and Country Lodge is a luxurious resort on the shores of Lake Victoria in Munyonyo, 12km from Kampala. This resort is spread over 50 acres of pristine land. It hosts leisure travelers, business and executive groups, weddings and other special travellers, business and executive groups, weddings and other special events. It is the epitome of an ultimate resort in the Great Lakes region. The emphasis is on exclusivity and comfort, with the décor incorporating ethnic design elements from various African communities.

The resort extends for over 400 metres along the shores of Lake Victoria. Landscaped gardens with indigenous plants and trees attract colourful birds and butterflies. Wide and well-lit pathways link the cottages, apartments and public areas. It includes 10 self-contained cottages, 20 serviced studio rooms, 11 one-bedroom apartments and 24 two-bedroom apartments with the latest amenities such as telephones, internet access and satellite TV. It has a large swimming pool, a restaurant, grocery, bar and an equestrian centre with 29 thoroughbred horses. There is a jetty where guests can hire speedboats

Mweya Safari Lodge

Mweya safari lodge is located on a peninsula in the heart of the Queen Elizabeth National Park. It offers sumptuous meals and luxurious accommodation and there are amazing views from every room, an abundance of game and birds. Easily accessible by air and road, Mweya Safari Lodge is the perfect place to start a refreshing experienced of Uganda.

Paraa Safari Lodge

Built in the early 1950s, Paraa offers visitors the dramatic Murchison Falls and a large variety of bird and animal species. Winston Churchill walked the 85 kilometres from Masindi to view the falls. Paraa is sandwiched by Lake Kyoga and Lake Albert in north-western Uganda and Murchison National Park. During Uganda’s political turmoil, the lodge collapsed but today the story is different. Guests can access it from Kampala by road or air

24 hours in Kampala

I had decided to venture into the unknown - Uganda. With only a sketchy knowledge of the history of the country, I had covered most of Kenya and my visits to Tanzania were becoming monotonous. Coming all the way from Mombasa, the thought of flying to Nairobi then to Entebbe offered a mixed package. On the one hand, I would arrive fast and embark on my working holiday, but on the other, I would miss invaluable experiences that my grandchildren would love to hear.

I settled for the long journey by road from Mombasa. The Mombasa to Nairobi trip was uneventful and by morning, I was on my way to the Malaba border. Through the Kenyan towns of Nakuru, Eldoret and others, which I knew like the palm of my hand, we reached the border and disembarked, passport in hand. I eyed the surroundings curiously. We completed immigration formalities and set off from Malaba through Tororo to Kampala. The Owen Falls Dam provided a spectacular view of the source of the Nile. And Kampala beckoned.

By 6:30pm, the bus arrived in Kampala. Dusk was swiftly giving way to night and I had not made any accommodation arrangements. I tried to recollect the names of some of the hotels and approached an all too willing taxi driver (here they are called ’special hires’). I addressed him in English and mentioned the names of the various hotels that came to mind, three to be precise, but he immediately ruled out two as being upcountry! So, he took me to the one in town. It was a three-star hotel. I was caught in the horns of a dilemma. I didn’t wish to appear as someone with no clue of what I wanted, yet I had this ominous feeling that the cost would subject my pockets to unwarranted, self-inflicted shock therapy. I decided to bite the bullet and approach the receptionist, who appeared rather busy with some clients. I waited. The wait seemed rather long; I know places in my home city (Mombasa) where the moment you step in you are literally lavished with service.

I boldly confronted the receptionist and politely asked her to attend to me. Turning the look of being offended by my perceived interruption, she promptly read out the room rates. The figures sounded rather odd; USh 100,000 etc. I settled for the cheapest, which was USh 100,000. Someone told me the Kenyan Shilling was quite strong regionally so I need not worry, just spend and be happy. I fished out a wad of notes and counted USh 100,000 for that night. I was shown the self-contained room with a sitting area, a TV with numerous channels, among a host of other things. I settled in the room, took a shower, started counting the money while reconverting the currency mentally to Kenya Shillings, and realized that i had spent a whopping KSh 8,000 even before dinner!

I was however determined that the little shock therapy would not ruin my first evening in Kampala. Furthermore, there was no way I could dine at the same hotel as that would choke any attempts at sampling Uganda’s growing economy. I moved to Steers on Kampala Road around the CBD. There was little difficulty in following the directions to the fast food joint. They seemed more efficient than the three-star hotel.

It was Friday and I began my nocturnal tour at about 8:45pm. The city was teeming with not just vehicles, but human traffic too. I got a ’special hire’ to the ‘happening places’ as the seemingly enlightened driver called them. He quickly noticed two things: that I was new in Uganda and that I was from Kenya!

The driver through the city took me to what he rated as a client-friendly pub in the heart of the city and a couple of other places after which I thought: “well, i now know Kampala!” I decided to go it alone and the next 24 hours were a real rollercoaster ride. I entered what I later was told was a sleazy joint (not my type) and moved on to what surprised me most - a Kenyan nyama choma joint. There was a good number of Kenyans and Tusker flowed like water. It felt good to be ‘home’ again. The joint-hoping craze went on, this time with a group of homeboys who seemed to disappear in what I considered dark alleys, only to re-emerge stone drunk! I was told that they had gone to ‘re-charge the Tusker’ with some potent traditional gin by the name Kasese Kasese.

It was well past midnight. Back home, I would be worried about the police and robbers but here that did not bother the Friday night crowd. I met a young woman who said she was a Ugandan university student and we went to a disco. I do not remember the names of the clubs because we entered no less than three that night. The mood was real carnival with folks partying hard. I learnt a lot from the student on why people seemed so relaxed and at ease with foreigners.

The last disco we entered was playing a floor-closing number. It was 5:30 in morning. I escorted my guide to a special hire, paid for her trip back to campus wherever it was, and I took mine to my USh 100,000 hotel room. Later, some homeboys who promised to show me a ‘more affordable’ place lived up to their promise. I moved to an equally decent hotel within the CBD for less than half the previous cost!

I spent the afternoon visiting the famous Makerere University, Entebbe International Airport and its environs, the National Museum, Ndere Cultural Centre, the palace of the Kabaka of Buganda and the National Parliament. I went to bed early that Saturday evening because of the long journey ahead. In any case, the bus was set to leave at 7:00am on Sunday. I arrived back from Kampala with fond memories, having spent 24 great hours in Kampala. I most likely will go back, particularly to visit my university friend whom I guess must be about to graduate.

Robert Muhoho is a tour consultant in Kenya and has planned business and vacation safaris for over 10,000 tourists in the East African region. He is a tour operation- major and involved in National tourism policy development in Kenya.

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If you are looking for fine Italian wine and food, consider the Abruzzi region of central Italy. You may find a bargain, and I hope that you’ll have fun on this fact-filled wine education tour.

Abruzzi is located on the central eastern part of Italy on the coast of the Adriatic Sea. The area is 2/3 mountains and 1/3 hills. Over time Abruzzi has belonged to the Romans, the Lombards, and the kingdom of Naples. While this area was once very poor, its income is now growing. Abruzzi and Molise were a single region from 1948 to 1965. Its population is 1.275 million.

Agricultural products include grapes, olives, wheat, sugar beets, tobacco, saffron, pigs, and sheep. The Adriatic Sea and inland lakes and streams provide a wide variety of fish and shellfish. If I remember correctly, the first time that I heard of this region was decades ago, when I learned that according to Craig Claiborne, at the time Food Editor of the New York Times, Italy’s best food was found in Abruzzi.

Abruzzi has no large cities. Its administrative center l’Aquila has a population of about 70 thousand. But big cities are hardly a requirement for good wine. Few would ever claim that Italy’s best wines come from Rome, or the surrounding area.

Abruzzi devotes about eighty two thousand acres to grapevines, it ranks 10th among the 20 Italian regions. Its total annual wine production is about 110 million gallons, giving it a 5th place. About 90% of the wine production is red or rosé (not very much rosé), leaving 10% for white. The region produces 3 DOC wines. DOC stands for Denominazione di Origine Controllata, which may be translated as Denomination of Controlled Origin, presumably a high-quality wine and 1 DOCG red wine, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Colline Teramane. The G in DOCG stands for Garantita, but there is in fact no guarantee that such wines are truly superior. About 17% of Abruzzi wine carries the DOC or DOCG designation. Abruzzi is home to about two dozen major and secondary grape varieties, a few more white and than red.

Widely grown international white grape varieties include Trebbiano and Chardonnay. Sauvignon Blanc. The best known strictly Italian white variety is Trebbiano d’Abbruzzi, felt by some to be Bombino Bianco.

The best known Italian red variety is Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. The Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC is the most widely exported Italian DOC wine.

Before we reviewing the Abruzzi wine and cheese that we were lucky enough to purchase at a local wine store and a local Italian food store, here are a few suggestions of what to eat with local wines when touring this beautiful region.

Start with a Pizza Rustica, Cinnamon-Scented Pie Stuffed with Proscuitto, Cheese, and Eggs.

Then move on to Polenta sulla Spianatora, Polenta (Cornbread) Topped with Sausage in Spicy Tomato Sauce.

For desert enjoy a Crostata di Ricotta, a Ricotta Tart.

OUR WINE REVIEW POLICY While we have communicated with well over a thousand Italian wine producers and merchants to help prepare these articles, our policy is clear. All wines that we taste and review are purchased at the full retail price.

Wine Reviewed

Abruzzo Illuminati Montepulciano d’Abruzzo “Riparosso” 2004 DOC 13% alcohol about $11.50

The marketing materials state that this wine has hints of an Amarone (a much more expensive wine) or a Ripasso ( a more expensive wine). There are raisings, currants, and tar on the nose whilst the taste profile is ripe, mellow fruit flavors of raspberry jam and ocha. It doesn’t contain a lot of acidity so drink it within a year. Pair it with pizza, burgers, or any meat dish that you tend to eat during the week.

This wine is said to complement pasta, red meats, and savory cheeses.

I found the Riparosso to be somewhat robust, with cherry and plum flavors. I didn’t have the feeling that I was drinking a regular Montepulciano d’Abruzzo, but instead almost a Ripasso, a wine that I prefer. This wine managed to feel full-bodied even with its light tannins. It balanced nicely the tanginess of barbecued eggplant loaded with garlic, and demonstrated notable spiciness when paired with a meat ball and vegetable stew. Its acidity was pleasant. I did not discern all the flavors listed above. For me the dominant flavor was black cherry. The final meat dish that accompanied this wine was a barbecued boneless rib steak with a spicy curry and cumin sauce. The wine seemed to pick up strength to accompany this meat, which by the way, we don’t eat on a regular basis during the week.

I tasted this wine with two related cheeses. Pecorino Toscano is a soft, nutty cheese. Interestingly enough, I found that the wine was no longer robust, it seemed to soften to accompany this mild cheese. In the presence of a Pecorino Fiore Sardo, a balsamic sheep’s milk cheese with a stronger flavor and coarser consistency than its Tuscan cousin, the wine almost magically picked up flavor to meet the challenge.

Final verdict, as you can tell this wine is a definite keeper.

Extra note. Several months ago on a whim I bought a $6 bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo. Given the realities of the marketplace, I really doubt that any producer can come up with a decent bottle at that price. At first the wine was terribly acidic. I held out, finished the bottle and the last glass was almost OK. Yes, there are bargains, such as this Riparosso, but few in the $6 range.

Levi Reiss has authored or co-authored ten books on computers and the Internet, but to be honest, he would rather just drink fine Italian or other wine, accompanied by the right foods. He teaches classes in computers at an Ontario French-language community college. His wine website is www.theworldwidewine.com . You can reach him at ital@mail.theworldwidewine.com.

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Known as the single best ski resort in the South, Wintergreen Resort in Virginia has quite a bit to offer skiers. Featuring 11,000 acres with 19 trails, Wintergreen has a top elevation of 3516 feet, with a 1003 foot vertical drop. Beginners, intermediates, and experts will all find suitable trails at Wintergreen Resort.

To accommodate skiers, there are six lifts, including five chair lifts and one surface lift. There is also a dedicated terrain park for snowboarding. The resort is located near Charlottesville, Virginia, and you will experience breathtaking views of the Appalachian Mountains, and be surrounded by luxury that most people only dream of. There is also a world class golf course located near the resort.

Other activities include tubing, snowmobiling, tennis, hiking, and horseback riding. The Out of Bounds Adventure Center is a very popular attraction at the resort with rock climbing and bungee trampolines. The Outdoor Wilderness Leadership school offers corporate retreats, real rock climbing, rappelling, and mountain biking.

This is an ideal spot for a family vacation. You and your children can participate in a variety of craft workshops, enjoy campfires and storytelling, go on hay rides, and enjoy many more community events that are scheduled throughout the year. There are many planned activities for families, including winter hiking, skiing, snowboarding, tubing, and swimming in a cozy indoor pool.

While vacationing at Wintergreen Resort, make time to see the civil war history attractions, and visit the local wineries as well. Also take time to enjoy the Wintergreen Spa. At the spa, you can be pampered with massages, body wraps, skin treatments, and nail care. You can also visit the Mountaintop Aquatic and Fitness Center which features the latest in cardiovascular equipment, strength equipment, heated pools, hot tubs, steam rooms, and saunas.

The Wintergreen Performing Arts has many musical performances throughout the year that are sure to delight you and your family. If you are less interested in culture, and more interested in nature, the Wintergreen Nature Foundation is for you. This foundation promotes the understanding and conservation of natural resources that the Blue Ridge Mountains are famous for.

No matter what your interests are, if getting away from the hustle and bustle of city life is what you want, this is the number one spot in the South for fun, relaxation, and rejuvenation. The Wintergreen Resort is open all year long, with activities that are suitable for every season.

Burt Cotton http://www.myskiholiday.com

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Like every parent, you too expect the best for your child- the best clothes, best house, best school and the best college. Expecting the best for your child does not mean that you will always be able to give him/her the best. There may be financial constraints that you can face. The big problem arises when you pay for your child’s higher education. 529 is an effective tool that will be useful for you in paying the education cost of college.

This is a known truth that the college costs go up each year. In order to provide your child with a good higher education you should start saving money now. 529 is an investment plan that helps you save money in a smarter way. 529 plan is the program, which takes away all your worries related to your ward’s future education. It is a plan that can really help you save money for the college fees. 529 plans offer two options, one is the college savings plan and the other is prepaid tuition plan.

Some of the advantages of 529 plan are:

* The money that you earn is income-tax free.

* You have complete control over the account proceedings. In other words, the parent who is investing money in the account has control over the assets within the program. The age of the beneficiary doesn’t matter; the control still remains in your hands and not your childs.

* You can change the beneficiary of the plan at any time.

* The money that you withdraw can be used for expenses such as college fees, books, boarding charges, lodging charges, computers etc.

* Your familys income level is not a constraint for saving in the 529 plans.

If you want to ensure quality education for your child in the future years, then you must start saving now. For example, suppose your child is 8 years old, then you have almost 10 years to save for his/her college education. A 529 plan will help you do so smoothly and with a lot of ease. Ten years of saving might seem a long time, but if you look at the increasing costs of college education, you will realize how crucial saving in these years will be. So, if you don’t start saving now then realize that you are putting your child’s future at stake.

Jay White is an author, copywriter, and marketer who’s trying to figure out how he’s going to put 2 kids through college. For more great tips, techniques, and strategies about how to save money with 529 plans, check out http://www.529-comparison.com 529 Comparison

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While a number of topics are currently being discussed in the United States, one of the most controversial is that of the right to privacy. This hot button issue is made more complex in a post 9-11 environment. We struggle to find and maintain a balance between personal rights and public safety.

Most people would vigorously defend the right to privacy, feeling that the accessibility of too much personal information is not only an invasion, but morally wrong, and unconstitutional. After all, prior to September 11th, the United States had not been subjected to the overt terrorism that had plagued other countries.

The events of September 11th pervaded our false sense of security and caused us truly question if the enemy was in a far off country or our next door neighbor. In our post 09/11 world, the government’s responsibility to protect Americans has taken on new meaning. In an aggressive effort to protect us from the threat within, the government has adopted a “by any means necessary” approach even if that means listening in to phone calls, reading emails, reviewing library records or scouring through websites. The recent foiled plot of airline bombings in Britain is an example of how invasion of privacy can in fact keep us safe. The individuals stopped for this heinous crime were discovered first by a tip but second from police monitoring private activity which included phone calls.

In the instance where a terrorism plot is averted because of the invasion of privacy there can be no argument to the validity of the practice. Yet, we also know that innocent people have had their privacy invaded when they did not pose a threat to national security.

The national debate over privacy has repercussions on a smaller level as well. Corporations and employees struggle with privacy issues in the workplace. Companies also are seeking to protect themselves from a different kind of terrorism - that of legal and financial exposure caused by the actions of its employees, whether innocent or intentionally malicious.

Privacy is legally protected by the Constitution of the United States, and at the very core of America’s existence. As politicians, voters and special interest groups debate these constitutional issues, employees and employers seek to understand the rules of engagement within business.

Does an employee have privacy rights at work? How far can employers go in monitoring the activities of employees to ensure that they are protected from liability?

Employers not only have a right to monitor the activities of employees but a responsibility. Computer activity, including e-mails and phone calls can be monitored by the employer. In fact, some degree of monitoring is recommended. Emails are discoverable in legal action exposing employers to a great degree of risk. Even if the employer has a policy that expressly states that personal emails are allowable, the company still has a right to monitor individual emails.

Phone calls, except those placed on designated “for personal use” phones, can also be monitored. Call center and customer service employees are routinely monitored for quality assurance and training. There are however, federal and state regulations which must be adhered to which in many locations including notifying parties that the call is being monitored. Most employees will need to place or receive a personal call from work at some point in time. However, as a best practice, employees should use pay phones or cell phones when they must conduct personal business during the work day.

As we seek to balance privacy and protection on a national stage, we will undoubtedly make adjustments on a more personal level. We have already become accustomed to much of our lives being monitored through security cameras, electronic tracking and internet use so it is possible that what is now viewed as invasion will simply become normal. In the interim, it is wise to assume that what happens in Vegas, may not stay in Vegas!

Richard A. Hall is founder and President/CEO of LexTech, Inc., a legal information consulting company. Mr. Hall has a unique breadth of experience which has enabled him to meld technology and sophisticated statistical analysis to produce a technology driven analytical model of the practice of law. As a busy civil trial attorney, he was responsible for the design and implementation of a LAN based litigation database and fully automated document production system for a mid-sized civil defense firm. He developed a task based billing model built on extensive statistical analysis of hundreds of litigated civil matters. In 1994, Mr. Hall invented linguistic modeling software which automatically reads, applies budget codes, budget codes and analyzes legal bill content. He also served as California Director and lecturer for a nationwide bar review. Mr. Hall continues to practice law and perform pro bono services for several Northern California judicial districts.

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