According to Life Innovations Study, they concluded $300 billion is being lost in workplace productivity every year because of one word. Divorce! In any company, a percentage of your employee population is in one of three categories – headed for divorce, in the middle of one or just coming out of it. With over 50% of marriages ending in divorce, many employees are distracted and distraught. That makes them less productive at work.

Up to now, there has been no attempt to stop the bleeding of lost productivity. We accept it as business as usual.

The irony is most couples marry for love and divorce for irreconcilable differences. The inability to reconcile differences could be reduced if people had a clearer vision for marriage, stronger competencies in conflict resolution and tools to understand self sabotage. Those same abilities can make employees more valuable to the corporation even if they are not married.

In the future, corporate social responsibility will focus on solving the divorce dilemma. In the US, marriage rates are at an all time low. They have never been this low since they were first recorded in 1865. Marriage is a great path for a stable household to raise children in. In addition, married couples save more and have more stable lives when the relationship is healthy. In fact, couples in healthy relationships are better at resolving conflict at work. That means many personal skills are transferrable from home to work.

With that said, if people are taught to be more effective communicators at work along with conflict resolution skills, they will be better at resolving conflicts in their love relationships. Therefore, if corporate America wants to stop the bleeding of $300 billion in workplace productivity, it would be in their best interest to transform staff and management by developing their interpersonal skills. Through that strategy, not only will marriages be saved, employees will be able to sustain healthy productivity without being distracted by divorce.

What do you think? I would love to hear your feedback. And I’m open to ideas. Or is you want to write me about a specific topic, comment through my blog:

Counting your blessings each day is essential for positive growth.  God/Source/Universe is happy to provide for you as long as you are happy about what you already have.  If you are dissatisfied with your current situation, that energy muddles up your intentions.  The more dissatisfied you are, the more you get what dissatisfies you.

Remember, this is an attraction-based universe.  The happier you are about what you already have, the more you get what makes you happy.

-The 10/10 Visualization Process-

Make a list of 10 things you love about your life, your job, your product, the opportunities you have, and your customers.  Add anything that works well in your life, anything you like, and all the people you are happy about having in your life. Then add anything you are thankful for.

Make a list of 10 things you want to accomplish: your goals, dreams, visions, and aspirations in life.

Once you have the lists, you can begin to do your discipline.  Every morning find a comfortable place to sit with your back straight and feet on the ground. Before you start, take a moment to review both lists.  Then, close your eyes and take 10 deep breaths.  Hold each breath as long as you can. 

Then blow it out slowly.  (I call these the connector breaths. You are getting connected to your higher self.  Tapping into the universal consciousness.  If you feel light-headed, good!  See if you can get even more light-headed next time.  It simply means you are going into deeper states of consciousness.)

Now, that you are in a very powerful, conscious state, mentally review your list of everything that is good, that you’re happy about, etc.  Dwell on each item.  Get really connected with how great it is to have this in your life.  Let the emotions of gratitude well up inside of you and overflow.  It’s okay to cry tears of joy.  In fact, that’s the objective.

Once you have spent some time truly appreciating your life mentally, shift to your list of things you want to accomplish.  But keep the feeling of gratitude.  First think about how amazing your life is that you have these kinds of objectives. 

 Then start being thankful for each item as if it had already come true, or was already happening or occurring right now.  Think about it the same way you thought about the first list.  Let your imagination run away with you.

-Additional Thoughts-

One of the key elements to this visualization is emotionalizing.  By goosing up the desire, you turbo-boost the results you achieve.  During each 10/10 visualization, work to charge your emotions with gratitude and get as excited as you can about how great your life is.

Then transfer that same excitement to your desired outcomes and dreams.  Get excited as if your dreams are coming true right now.  You have hit maximum power when you are moved to tears of joy for the opportunities the universe has provided you.

Note that you won’t always be able to create the feelings you want, so don’t make yourself “wrong” when it doesn’t get as intense as it had before.  Keep doing the 10/10 visualization and your emotions will eventually ramp up.

This discipline is simple, yet, like all disciplines, you must structure your life so this happens daily.  I always recommend doing this in the morning before you get ready for your day. 

If you exercise in the morning, do this immediately afterward for best results.  Sit in a quiet place and spend 10 minutes meditating.  (For other meditations you can lie down, but not this one.)  

Sit up straight in a chair with your eyes closed and take your ten deep breaths.  You want to be consciously in control of your mental process.

Five minutes of visualizing everything you are grateful for keeps those things persisting in your life.  Five minutes of seeing your outcomes, goals, visions and dreams as if they are happening right now will trigger the universe to have all your dreams come true.  No kidding!

Some F1 students have a difficult time connecting with that person and sometimes it is partly due to the fact that they don’t attend to some basic aspects that guide good communication. Here are a few tips for contacting your professor through email. Following these will help reduce miscommunications.

Fill in the Subject Heading

Be sure to fill in the subject heading of the email. You’re doing this for a few reasons. First of all an email without a subject heading may just go into the professor’s junk folder. Also, an email without a subject heading looks unimportant and sometimes suspicious. Without a heading, that email may be overlooked, go unread and put in the trash.

If you are applying for a fellowship or other type of aid, then that is the subject. If you are going to be the professor’s teaching assistant, then that is the subject. If you will be their research assistant, then that is the subject. Keep the subject of the email short, clear and identifiable.

Use Clear language and Good Grammar

Some students have taken to writing to professors in the manner they would text someone on their phone. Do not do this. Use a proper salutation such as “Dear Professor Smith.” Once you get to the main body of the email be sure to use paragraphs and within those paragraphs complete sentences and words.

If your English is not very good, then get some help in writing the letter and have someone proof read it before you send it. By the way, do not create the letter in the email. Use a writing program first, proof read it and spell check it and then insert it into the email. You may also attach it to the email but make sure you also put the text of your letter into the body of the email. The attachment may not open or it may be missed entirely.

Explain Who You Are

Most professors receive many communications from many students. To avoid confusion, you should explain who you are and your connection to the person to whom you are writing. Don’t go on forever. Say enough so the person reading it understands your connection to them.

Ask questions Clearly and Succinctly

If you have questions, then get to the point and ask them. It’s a good idea to use bullet points to differentiate each question. These make your questions easier to read and they will catch the reader’s eye.

Provide them with Contact Information

Provide the professor with your contact information. If you use an instant messenger or something like SKYPE, then be sure to include your online name or address. Of course they will have your email address but giving them a few choices if they have to contact you can be useful and it may save time. Also, it tells them that you want to communicate with them. That’s usually taken as a good sign by a professor.

Finally, if after two weeks the professor does not respond, you may want to write a polite email asking if they received your first email. Sometimes emails get misplaced, directed to the trash or are simply forgotten.

In applying for a F1 visa, you want to make sure than you follow all steps properly.

Marco Polo- Born in 1254

Marco Polo was only six years old when his father and uncle left to travel east to trade goods. When he got back to Venice he discovered his wife had died, leaving Marco who was fifteen to be taken care of.

In 1271, Marco, his father, and his uncle headed back east.

He knew 4 languages.

We are used to paper money now, but Marco couldn’t believe it when he first saw it in the east. Gold and silver coins were used in Marco’s land, and the paper seemed so worthless.

He was also amazed by coal, or stones that burn like logs,” as he described it in his book.

Marco met the Great Khan, and the Khan liked him so much that he gave Marco different official jobs.

The Khan liked Marco so much that he wouldn’t let him leave, but when the khan got to be 70, Marco began to get nervous that he wouldn’t get to take all his money if he didn’t leave before the khan died. Marco had to ask the khan’s permission several times before he was allowed to leave.

The khan said Marco could only leave if he would bring the princess to her new home. She was supposed to marry the Persian King.

They left by sea with about 600 people. It was a very hard journey and almost everyone died.

When the princess got to her destination she found the man she was supposed to marry had died, so she married his son, instead.

They also found out that the Khan had died.

When Marco, his father, and his uncle got back to Venice, they talked to everyone in the town about their adventures. They would invite everyone over to dinner and dress up in clothes from Asia, but none of their neighbors were really sure if they believed them.

When Marco got back to Venice he joined the army. He was captured by the Genoas and imprisoned.

While he was in prison he told his life story to a man. This would become published as the Travels of Marco Polo.

Some experts believe that he never went to all of the places he said he did, and that many of the things he said he did were really just stories he heard from other people, but he did describe many of the cultures, religions, and traditions of the east. The book was very popular.

Some people called the book, Il Milione, which means “the million lies,” because they didn’t believe a word it said.

When he was released from prison he married and had three daughters.

He died in 1324 at the age of 70.

When Marco died, it was discovered that he owned lots of precious cloths, and other valuable items he had described in his book.

During my time managing safari camps in Botswana in the 1980s, I never did get the opportunity to go further north and into Zambia. So with great enthusiasm I left an overheated UK in July bound for the Luangwa Valley. A fan of simple bushcamps, this educational trip had almost been tailor made. It included time with the Bush Camp Company, Robin Pope Safaris, a stay at Shiwa N’gandu and Kutandala in the North Luangwa National Park. Best of all, walking was high on the agenda.

The drive from Mfuwe airport, heading for the South Luangwa National Park immediately revived my African senses. It’s a great introduction to real African life as you pass the rural settlements strung out along the route, the array of shops and bars, and subsistence gardens filled with mango, maize and other essential crops. So many people walking or cycling along the road with large bundles on their backs or strapped to their bicycles, all heading home and I felt really at home. It made me realise that any newcomer to Africa should try to travel by road at some point during their stay, just to see a little of the real
Africa.

My excitement set in as we drove over the Luangwa River and entered the South Luangwa National Park. The sound of hippos and the cry of the fish eagle filled the air. With Andy Hogg, owner of the Bushcamp Company, we headed south to Chindeni Camp. A beautifully simple tented bushcamp, it blends perfectly with the surroundings. The tents are on raised platforms and there are all the comforts you could need. We ate supper overlooking the darkened lagoon with the customary bell frogs chinking in the background.

That night the cacophony of lions calling was deafening and at breakfast we could see some rather strange looking lions at the end of the lagoon. Later on foot we came across them. With a buffalo kill in two feet of water, they were totally covered in mud and still chewing on the carcass. It was a great start to our walk from Chindeni to Chamilandu Camp, some three to four hours away. Walking here is encouraged, not only between camps but at any time and after two days mainly on foot, it was with some reluctance that I hopped back into a vehicle.

Part of the beauty of the camps in the South Luangwa and in Zambia as whole, is that many are owner run. Robin Pope Safaris, Norman Carr Safaris and the Bushcamp Company are all excellent examples of this, the camps are small and unpretentious and the quality of guiding is supreme. Due to the nature of the soil here, which is heavy black cotton, many of the areas cannot be traversed for more that six or seven months of the year. This means that the game is not over habituated to people and the staff not over jaded. The South Luangwa for me was a piece of magic.

For anyone who has read and been intrigued by the book “The Africa House” by Christina Lamb, the reality of seeing the house itself, known as Shiwa N’Gandu, is just so much better. Built in the early part of the 20th century by an Englishman Stewart Gore-Browne, it is an interesting architectural mix of English stately home and Tuscan villa. After several years of neglect, it is now being run and restored by Charlie Harvey and his wife Jo. Charlie is one of Stewart Gore-Browne’s grandchildren. The Harveys are great company, they are most hospitable, very knowledgeable and due to their combined hard work, this extraordinary place is once again supporting a growing local population. The once abandoned farm is now productive, the hospital is undergoing renovation and the schools are again full. Gore-Browne’s legacy lives on and with the lake for fishing and boat trips, horses, great birding walks and a mass of historical documents and photographs to browse through. A visit here is a must.

From here we drove south to the North Luangwa National Park, which is rising from the ashes after many years of severe poaching. Support from the Frankfurt Zoological society has meant that the National Parks teams are back and recently the first consignment of black rhino were flown in and released into a vast boma. The dense miombo woodland at the top of the escarpment gives way to fantastic views over miles and miles of remote bush and the last few metres of our journey to Kutandala Camp were on foot, wading through the shallow waters of the Mwaleshi river. The camp is an absolute gem. It takes only six guests and feels and is, extremely remote. The grass, reed and thatch cottages are newly built each year and the attention to detail is faultless. Rod Tether guides with a gentle manner and great knowledge and his wife Gus provides some of the best food I have ever eaten on safari. It’s all walking, and on our final evening we found eight lions lying up with a backdrop of three hundred buffalo. I simply could have stayed here for days.

Zambia reminded me so much of the Botswana I had known fifteen years ago. Where the bush, its sights and sounds are what really matter. You come away feeling you have felt it, smelt it and learned a great deal more about it. It certainly makes me smile waking up in a reed and thatch cottage and watching the sun rise.

[http://www.aardvarksafaris.com/articles-zambia-zealot]

If customers don’t stick around on your website long because they find it confusing, frustrating or boring, ultimately, your business will struggle to make any sales online.

The great news for you is there are tons of quick and easy – usually free ways – to make your website more appealing to your customers.

Here’s 5 you can apply today.

1. Site Search Is Easy to Access When you have more than 20 pages, it’s a good idea to add a search facility. Make sure your site search is prominent. Usability guidelines tend to prefer the upper-right corner of the page. Keep the button label simple and clear – “Search” still works best for most sites. Don’t unleash your powers of lateral thinking and swap in a word like “Retrieve”. Keep it simple

To Do: Just using your search, try to find 3 pages of content. Is that process “quick, easy and straight-forward”? Or is it “hit and miss”?

2. Ensure Your Webpages Can Be Skim-read easily. Few people read word for word online; the vast majority skim-read to get a sense of the page before they read any of it in detail. Make it easy for visitors to skim-read your content. Always use headings and bullets to break up text.

Think about it. If a heading is not relevant for your visitor, they can easily skim down to the next heading, making it straightforward for them to get directly to the information they need.

Always keep your text in manageable chunks, not an unbroken wall of words, like insurance small print so it’s easier for customers to look up what they want right away and with confidence – which is critical if they are making a buying decision.

To Do: Give your website a quick review and make sure all your text is broken up into clear, manageable sections.

3. Keep Your Styles & Colours Consistent Make sure people know they’re still on your site by being consistent – confuse them and you’ll lose them. Keep the look and feel of your website sections consistent and avoid any radical changes. Visitors can get confused and think they have left your site accidentally.

Layout, headings, and styles should be consistent site-wide, and colours should usually have the same meaning.

For example, don’t use red for headers on one page, red for hyperlinks on another, and red as standard text somewhere else.

To Do: Check all your web pages appear to be part of the main site and that they are consistent with each other. Are there any “nasty surprises” depending on the part of the site you’re in?

4. Emphasis (bold, etc.) Is Used Sparingly It’s a fact of human psychology: try to draw attention to everything and you’ll effectively draw attention to nothing. We’ve all seen that site, the one with a red, blinking, underlined “NEW!” next to everything. Don’t be that guy or gal.

Remember, if your site’s graphic design is counter-intuitive and doesn’t help visitors get something done quickly, it’s going to make your site much slower and difficult to work with.

Slow, awkward sites never, ever, ever, delight your customer or create a good rapport online.

Visitors will be back at the search engine in seconds if they find your website “complicated” or “busy”.

To Do: Check your website is only highlighting critical factors you absolutely need your visitors to gaze at or click on order to meet your online business goals. Menus, buy buttons, opt-in boxes and so on

5. Keep Your Ads & Pop-ups Unobtrusive

Ads are a fact of life, but integrate them nicely into your site. Don’t try to force ads and pop-ups down peoples’ throats; you’ll end up creating frustration for your visitors. Also, do people a favour and make your ads clear. If you blur the line between ads and content too much, your content may suffer, since many people have developed “banner blindness” when it comes to surfing, and might overlook some important content by mistake.

To Do: Doublecheck if your popup window is significantly increasing your opt-in rate. If it isn’t you could be annoying present and future customers unnecessarily.

Final Word

Always make sure you view your website through the eyes of the customer and not through your eyes, the website owner.

Make sure there are no red-flags on your site that are going to frustrate, confuse or bore customers. Keep everything nice and simple to make sure your visitors enjoy spending time (and money) on your site

There are a number of advantages to being your own boss. The freedom to set your own schedule, control over client and business relationships along with a feeling of liberation are a few of the main reasons increased numbers of Canadians are headed down the self-employment path. Self-employment does come with its list of challenges, one being, health insurance and more specifically… disability insurance.

Losing the safety net of an employee benefit program offered by large employers is challenging and sometimes costly. Buying disability insurance through a group plan will have lower rates, no medical exams and no financial underwriting but once you leave the group plan for self-employment, the rules change! Rates are higher, underwriting wants more details and you may have to go through a medical examination. This new set of hoops to jump through tends be the reason why most self-employed people shy away from obtaining any type of extended health care at all.

It is estimated that 15% of Canada’s work force is self-employed. A recent study showed that more than 500,000 Canadians said they had established their own businesses over the past two years, which is a record number. (CIBC Study, Globe & Mail). Not setting up the proper disability coverage to protect ones ability to earn an income can have it’s consequences. Disability Insurance will help protect your business (overhead expenses) and family in the event you are unable to go to work, an important building block to consider when you are self-employed.

You may be earning more than you would work for someone else, but what if you get sick? Or are in an accident that leaves you without the ability to earn an income either temporarily or permanently? You will likely have a number of medical expenses, personal expenses and you may not find your accounts payable are as patient as you had hoped. Here is where a well structured disability insurance plan can create a safety net, allowing you to concentrate on returning to good health and take the time away from work that you need.

While most business owners in their 40’s and 50’s are more conscious of their own mortality, there has been a marked increase in the number of entrepreneurs starting their own companies in their 20’s and 30’s. While encouraging for the economy it is important not to forget about the benefits and importance of a well structured disability plan.

A simple question you can ask yourself is: How do you plan to live if you can’t earn an income? Or more accurately, how will you support your dependents, pay your staff, or pay your business overhead if you can no longer earn an income?

It was Friday evening, and Larry and Donna Hicks were about to watch the six o’clock news in their lakeside home at Palos Verdes Estates outside Troy, Alabama. Hicks was a 52-year-old retired Sergeant Major with the Marines, now working as a conservation enforcement officer for the state of Alabama. He had arrived home from work half an hour earlier, and he and Donna had talked about going to a movie, but decided against it.

The TV news was just starting, when they looked out the window and saw a small plane flying down the shoreline of Palos Verdes Lake.

“I wonder if he knows about the power lines,” Larry said, just as the aircraft suddenly shuddered to a halt, flipped over, and headed straight down into lake. Hicks was already running out the back door as the plane hit the water, yelling behind to his wife, “Call 911! I’m going to see if I can help the pilot.”

Fortunately, Larry’s brother, Wayne, had left a 14-foot aluminum johnboat, with an electric trolling motor, at the lake in preparation for bass fishing that day, then had not shown up. Donna made the call to 911, and ran outside in time to see Larry commandeering the johnboat, headed toward the Air-Cam, which was about 100 yards off shore.

Years before, when Hicks had been stationed at the Marine Air Corps Station in Iwakuni, Japan, he had spent two-and-a-half months, part time, in an intense Search and Rescue program. A major got him into it because he thought Hicks would be good at it since he was muscular and into weight building. The training was specifically directed toward saving pilots who had gone down in water in fixed-wing or rotary-wing planes. Hicks learned how to get pilots out of planes that had crashed upside down. However, he remained in the telecommunications unit, and never had the opportunity to use his specialized training.

The engine of the Air-Cam was hot when it hit Palos Verdes Lake, and the airplane was smoking in the water. High octane aviation fuel from a ruptured fuel tank floated over the surface making greasy patterns. The back half of the aircraft and a broken wing were sticking up from the water. Hicks climbed out of the boat onto the wing and tethered a line to the plane to keep the boat from floating away. The heavy smell of gas assaulted his nostrils. It was only later that he thought about the danger of the plane blowing up.

The water was murky, and Hicks had trouble getting his bearings underwater. The plane had crashed in the middle of an underwater “stump field,” but luckily had missed hitting any trees. The first time down, Hicks ran out of air and was forced back to the surface without locating the pilot. The second time, he felt the back of the man’s neck under his hand. After another trip to the surface, he took a deep breath, and descended a third time.

Larry’s military training–the repeat drill of what to do until it became second nature–took over: “Locate Pilot, Extract Pilot…” Hicks felt for the pilot’s seatbelt; fortunately, it was one he recognized by feel from his training in the military. He released the belt, and the pilot floated into his arms. Hicks swam to the surface, pulling the man with him. The pilot had bones sticking through his legs, and his feet were turned the wrong way.

The man was bleeding through the nose and mouth, and was no longer breathing. He had drowned. The Troy police had arrived on the lake bank by now. Larry yelled to the officers,”He’s not breathing,” and he heard one police officer say to another, “He’s dead.”

Hicks hauled the man up against the wing that was sticking above the water and put a modified Heimlich maneuver under his ribs and pulled up to get the water out of his lungs, then started modified CPR. The inert figure coughed up water and blood, then on the fifth breath, started to breathe. “I’ve got him breathing again,” Hicks yelled to the rescue unit on the shore.

Hicks gripped the wing of the plane with his left hand, lying on his back in the water, supporting the pilot on his chest with his right arm to keep his head above water. He felt a stinging sensation from the aviation fuel, which worsened until he was in great pain. He found out later, the top layer of his skin had burned off.

The rescue unit brought out an extra boat, put the pilot on the backboard and floated him to shore. Larry tried to follow the four members of the rescue team as they walked out of the lake, but his legs gave way. He and the pilot were transported to the Troy hospital.

While Hicks was being treated for the gasoline burns on his upper body, he heard the helicopters arrive to airlift the pilot to the University of Alabama Medical Center in Birmingham. After a decontamination shower, Hicks was released.

Word was out almost immediately that a light plane had crashed, piloted by celebrity Jack Roush, NASCAR and Winston Cup car owner since 1988. An aircraft aficionado, friends of Roush had arranged for him to fly the Air-Cam, a specialized aircraft built specifically for photography, as a birthday gift.

Roush was initially put on a respirator, with a trauma team working on him. He had inhaled water and gasoline and suffered closed-head injuries, rib fractures, a collapsed lung, compound fractures to his left leg, and broken ankles. He did not remember anything from the time of the accident until he woke up in the hospital that weekend.

Amazingly enough, six days after the accident, Roush was running his business by telephone from his hospital bed. By Sunday, he had arranged for Larry and Donna to be flown by private jet to Birmingham, Alabama, to visit him.

Six weeks later, Roush piloted a plane from his Michigan home and hobbled around on crutches at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware, overseeing his four-car Winston Cup team. Larry and Donna were by his side.

Larry Hicks has no doubt that a Higher Power was at work in Jack Roush’s incredible rescue. If the Air-Cam had hit the high tension power lines instead of the support wires as it did, the plane would have gone down in flames. If it had crashed on the ground or hit a tree in the underwater stump field where it landed, Roush would have been killed instantly. If Larry and Donna had gone to a movie that evening, as they had discussed, or simply been in another part of the house, they would not have seen the plane go down, and Jack Roush would have died. If Wayne Hicks had not left the johnboat ready to go, there would have been no rescue.

But, most amazing of all, Hicks was one of a small percentage of the populace with the specialized knowledge necessary to save a pilot in an upside-down plane from a watery grave. And, one other thing was necessary to save Jack’s life, which is that Hicks is a man of action who did not hesitate to put himself at risk to save a stranger’s life.

Epilogue

Larry Hicks was recognized with many honors as a result of his heroic rescue of Jack Roush, including the Marine Corps Medal of Heroism, the Carnegie Award for Heroism from the Carnegie Foundation, the Kiwanis International Robert P. Connally Medal for Heroism, and the Society of the Sons of the American Revolution Medal for Heroism. The story of the rescue appeared in People magazine, and Larry and Jack were on the cover NASCAR Illustrated.

Larry exhibits great pride that he lived up to the United States Marine Corps Code of serving his country with Honor, Courage, and Commitment, with selfless service.

Uganda is the most prominent birding destination in Africa. It has various species that can’t easily be seen anywhere in Africa. There are many birding spots that make it a wealth country for birds. There are over 1010 species of birds and a visit to Uganda will be of great experience. National parks in Uganda are a home to several species of birds. As you catch a glance at the birds, you will see a lot of wildlife that will make your birding safari adventurous. The best time to see the birds is usually early morning and late in the evening.

Murchison Falls National Park is located in the northwestern part of Uganda surrounded by Lake Albert. Its Uganda’s biggest national park with various species of birds. The common species seen include secretary birds, Red-necked Falcon, Blue-breasted Bee, Sacred Ibis, Long-toed Lapwing, Black-headed, Fulvous Whistling duck, Grosbeak Weaver and many others.

Lake Mburo National Park is one gifted destination that will enable you spot all kinds of birds in any corner of the park. It’s a home to many birds because it has a wider wetland that is surrounded by Lake Mburo. Must see birds include spot flanted, yellow-billed oxpecker, white winged warbler, Ground hornbill, Green backed woodpecker and others.

Budongo Forest is situated in the western part of Uganda. it occupies an area of about 793 sqkm. Its a prominent birding spot in Uganda with so many rare species you would love to see. The birding activities are usually done early morning. During this time, you will see the morning risers and this will be a great experience. As you walk through the thick forest, you will see birds of all colors and some with their young ones. Examples of birds found in Budongo include Singing cistocola, Grey headed olive back and Black billed barbet. Busingiro is another exciting birding spot that you must visit.

Semliki National Park is located in the south western part of Uganda. It’s clearly seen at the base of the Rwenzori Mountains. Semliki has rare species of birds that include the yellow-throated Nicater, Grey-throated rail, Black-throated Coucal and the Congo Serpent eagle. Birdwatchers that have visited Semlike have enjoyed trailing through the best spotting area where birds are easily seen.

Queen Elizabeth National Park is discovered in the western part of Uganda and it’s an amazing spot for birding. Its vegetation ranges from savanna to lowland forests. The park has over 600 bird species and it’s the largest area in East Africa that is well protected. Several birds discovered in the park are known as prominent birds of East Africa and are a must see for all bird lovers in Africa. Don’t miss visiting the famous birding spots in Queen Elizabeth National Park which include Mweya Peninsula, Maramagambo Forest, Kazinga Channel, Kasenyi Area, Ishasha Sector and many others.

Bwindi Impenetrable National Park is situated on the border of the western rift valley and surrounded by the Democratic Republic of Congo and Virunga National Park. Its covers an area of about 331 sq kilometers of dense forest. Bwindi is the Birdwatcher’s haven, It has over 348 species of birds including the Albertine rift Endemic species for instance White Blue Monarch, Dusky Crimson Wing, Wilcock’s Honey-guide, Short-tailed Warbler, Rusty-faced woodland Warbler, Bar-tailed Trogon, Gruel’s Rush Warbler and many others. A keen birdwatcher can see over 100 bird species in one day. Best birding spots in Bwindi include Buhoma and Ruhija. Let you dream come true when you visit Uganda for birding.

Ford produced some award-winning diesel truck designs between 1999 and 2003 that for the most part boasted overall improvements for the Powerstrokes. However, in Ford’s attempt to lower fuel tank emissions by preventing fuel heated in the fuel rails from being returned to the fuel tank, they had created an entirely new problem. This is a common problem in Ford Powerstrokes, referred to as “dead-heading”, by diesel enthusiasts which gets it’s name from the process feeding fuel into the fuel rail head.

Each injector gets its fuel from the fuel rail head, unfortunately, this “rail” has no outlet and ultimately starves the injectors of fuel. The lack of fuel to the injectors causes them to run inefficiently while increasing noise. Fuel held in the rail can also become heated because it is no longer flowing which causes additional injector noise and wear. Ford attempted several fixes but the problem persisted until the 6.0 Powerstroke Diesel Engine was introduced in 2004.

The 1999 to 2003 Ford Diesels were and still remain tremendously popular trucks. This means that there are many people suffering from “dead-head” fuel system problems. These problems can cause poor mileage, loss of power, and noisy operation. Many of the effected trucks can also exhibit a noticeable knock at idle. Engines that exhibit a knocking sound also usually experience a loss of power combined with poor fuel economy. These symptoms are caused by air being drawn into the fuel system and getting trapped there.

Attempting to convert this type of engine to VO in order to solve dead-heading is not really a suitable solution. Because the fuel is dead-headed in the fuel rails, any fuel that remains in the rails must be consumed in order to make room for the incoming fuel that displaces it. So, if you are running on Diesel and wish to switch the engine to VO you must run the engine long enough to consume the fuel in the rails before any VO can be burned. This is actually more of an issue when switching from VO to Diesel because the engine will need to run for 15 minutes or more on Diesel before it can be shut down safely.

The Fuel Rail Crossover or regulated return is a much more suitable solution and was made specifically to solve the ‘deadhead’ fuel rail issue found in the 99-03 Powerstroke engines. The Fuel Rail Crossover, (FRx), connects the two heads and allows the air to return by another path rather than forcing it through the injectors preventing them to do their job efficiently. This product was designed as a true bolt on system which eliminates hack fixes that require the need to cut the return line and use compression fittings. The FRx is also machined to provide from 72 psi depending on the type of spring used in installation which is perfect for stock parts or upgraded performance parts. This fuel rail crossover system completely eliminates air in the fuel system which in turn provides a smoother ride, quieter idle, less cackle, better throttle response and increased fuel injector life. It also comes in at a fraction of the price when compared to other regulated return systems that do the same thing, making it a no-brainer.