AmbergrisCaye.com Home
Posted By: Marty Today's Belize News: April 8, 2013 - 04/08/13 02:36 PM


FOR TODAY'S BELIZE WEATHER, CLICK HERE

Click for our Daily Tropical Weather Report.

Specials and Events

Last night's TV news on Channel 7 and Channel 5
Also with the most recent Open Your Eyes, and the Dickie Bradley Specials

The latest Tia Chocolate column is ready for reading!!!
Judgmental Much?:
Every once in a while, you're confronted with injustice of some kind, and how you react to it, in my humble opinion, determines your karma. I have often written about male-female dynamics. They are certainly a world-wide issue, even though it is 2013. There is still so much happening, and will continue to happen long after you and I are gone. Standing out in my mind, is the utter hypocrisy we exercise when faced with other people's issues - foreign to us, quick to judge, yet if it were happening to us our views would be quite different.

The April 7th, 2013 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • Three Months Remand For Accused Drug Traffickers:
    Wednesday, April 3, 2013: Three men busted with weed in Benque Viejo, Cayo, have all been remanded to the big jail in Hattieville. Venturing into the jurisdiction of Benque Viejo police, and acting on information received, a team of policemen from the San Ignacio police detachment rushed into Benque Viejo Town today where at the entrance to George Price Boulevard, they intercepted a white Chevy Malibu car with license plates BZE C-34685 departing Benque Viejo heading eastward to San Ignacio some time around 6:30 pm. The vehicle was stopped and a thorough search of its interior produced nothing incriminating. The police however observed the single back seat passenger in possession of a blue and red bag which, when searched in his presence, was found to contain five black plastic bags tightly wrapped with transparent tape.
  • Policeman Remains In Critical Condition:
    An African American woman is currently on remand at the central prison following a traffic accident involving a motor cycle riding policeman. The police informs that at around 3:30 pm on Tuesday, April 2, police constable #1213, Andy Tun, currently attached to the police substation in San Antonio Village, Cayo, was riding the police green and black, Kawasaki brand motorcycle on Center Road in Spanish Lookout when he collided in the mid section of a blue Ford F350 pickup truck, with license plates CY-C-27525, driven by Gail Wells, who allegedly drove onto the main road directly into the pathway of the approaching motorcycling cop. It is reported that the policeman received head and body injuries and was rushed to the emergency ward at the Western Regional Hospital in Belmopan. He was later transferred to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital in Belize City where he remains in critical condition.
  • Guatemalan Farmer Busted With Gun And Bullets:
    A Guatemalan farmer alleged to have entered Belize illegally was today stopped at a checkpoint and found in possession of a pistol and seven bullets. The incident reportedly occurred at around 8:30 am on Wednesday, April 3, 2013 at a check point on the eastern outskirts of the village of San Jose Succtoz, between miles 71 and 72 on the George Price Highway. Benque Viejo police informed that a taxi cab heading towards San Ignacio, with a single male passenger on board, approached the check point and a search of the passenger resulted in the discovery of a .22 caliber pistol, brand unknown, along with seven live rounds of .25 Aguila brand ammunition.
  • Good Neighbors Prevent Burglary:
    A serial burglar, caught in the act of attempting to break into a house, has been taken off the streets thanks to the assistance of alert neighbors in Santa Elena Town, Cayo. Dorothy Garbutt, 68, Belizean retired teacher of #2 Melhado Street in Santa Elena, reported to police that on Wednesday, March 27, 2013, at about 5:00 pm while at a bus stop in Santa Elena she was alerted by relatives of the report of a man attempting to break into her house. Garbutt rushed home where she encountered the police putting the suspect in the back of the pickup truck as alert neighbors prevented from him from breaking into her house and held him until the police arrived. The suspect Eric Castillo, 39, Belizean laborer of a Santa Cruz address in Santa Elena town was transported to the police station in San Ignacio where he was arrested and formally charged for attempt burglary.
  • San Ignacio & Santa Elena Town Council Revenue And Expenditure For February 2013:
    Property Tax Fee Trade Licensing Fee Traffic License's Fees Peddler's Fees Liquor Licensing Fees liquor Liensing Extension Cemetery Fees Commercial Garbage Fees Banners & billboards Market Restroom Fee Rental of Market Stalls Miscellaneous Rental of Parks & Playgrounds Interest & Staff Loan Cayo Welcome Center Town Revenue
  • Octavia Waight Making Life More Comfort For The Elderly:
    Residents from San Ignacio's Octavia Waight Center for the Elderly were today treated to the annual riverside picnic. Ophelia Pinelo, an employee of the Center informed that today's picnic is an annual tradition of the Center which has been ongoing for over 10 years. She additionally informed that, over the years residents have been taken on visits to various parts of the Cayo District. Twenty five center residents participated in today's field trip which included a fun day of relaxation along the banks of the Macal River. Residents were also treated snacks and lunch all provided by the center.
  • Mexico thwarts 'plot to kill' Monreal brothers:
    The authorities in Mexico say they have prevented the murder of two l eftist legislators, brothers David and Ricardo Monreal. A senior prosecutor said two armed men plotting the murder had been arrested at a hotel in Mexico City. Mariana Benitez said the authorities had seized weapons, communications equipment and a vehicle. No motive was given for the planned attack but the men had already confessed, she added.
  • Man Accused Of Harming Step-Son:
    A Santa Elena man is out on a two thousand dollar bail as he stands accused of causing grievous harm to his step-son. On Thursday, March 28, 2013, Myner Manzanero, 23, Belizean student, residing in the Bradley's Bank area of Santa Elena Town, visited the police station in San Ignacio where he reported that at about 5:30 pm on said date, he was at home when he and his step-father, Orlando Borallos, reportedly got into a heated argument . The complainant told the police that the step-father punched him to the left side of the face, causing him to stumble out of the house. The complainant further alleged that as he regained composure the step father continued punching him in the face and in the process drawing blood.
  • Cuban Ballet Dancers Defect While On Tour In Mexico:
    Seven members of the National Ballet of Cuba defected during a performing tour of Mexico last month. A ballet spokesman confirmed the news, saying only that they had not returned at the end of the tour. The world-renowned troupe, led by legendary ballerina Alicia Alonso, has been hit by defections before. A Cuban exile website based in Miami said six of the defectors were now in the United States, while the seventh was still in Mexico. The head of Havana's National Ballet School, where some of them had studied, expressed her sadness at the news.
  • Argentina Floods 'Catastrophe' For La Plata, Buenos Aires:
    Emergency workers in Argentina continue to try to rescue residents stranded by flooding in Buenos Aires and La Plata. More than 50 people are known to have died after one of the heaviest storms recorded caused flash floods. Thousands were evacuated from their homes and dozens are still stranded on rooftops, treetops and the roofs of city buses, local media report. The government has declared three days of national mourning after what it called "an unprecedented catastrophe". "We've never seen anything like it," provincial governor Daniel Scioli said. "People were taken by surprise, and some didn't have time to escape this deadly trap," Mr Scioli said, referring to the speed with which the waters rose.
  • Male Baldness 'Indicates Heart Risk':
    Men going thin on top may be more likely to have heart problems than their friends with a full head of hair, according to researchers in Japan. Their study of nearly 37,000 people, published in the online journal BMJ Open, said balding men were 32% more likely to have coronary heart disease. However, the researchers said the risks were less than for smoking or obesity. The British Heart Foundation said men should focus on their waistline, not their hairline. A shifting hairline is a fact of life for many men. Half have thinning hair by their 50s and 80% have some hair loss by the age of 70.
  • Body's Anti-HIV 'Training Manual' Offers Vaccine Hopes:
    The body's own "training manual" for attacking HIV has been recorded by US scientists and it is hoped it can be used to design vaccines. HIV mutates in order to survive the onslaught of a patient's immune system. However, some patients develop highly effective antibodies that can neutralise huge swathes of HIV mutants. A North Carolina team analysed the arms race between body and virus, published in the journal Nature, and has shown how these antibodies are made.
  • Youths Who Murdered Mexican Activist Chavez Sentenced:
    A judge in Mexico has sentenced three youths to 15 years in prison for the 2011 murder of Mexican activist Susana Chavez. Ms Chavez was found strangled and with one hand cut off in Ciudad Juarez. She had been a key figure in the community, drawing attention to the killing of mainly poor women in the northern border town in the 1990s. She had coined the slogan "Not One More Death", which became popular at protests against the women's killings. Police found her body dumped in the city centre on 6 January 2011. A trail of blood led them to the home of Sergio Ruben Cardenas, where they found more blood and the severed hand of Ms Chavez.
  • Pact Awards Over $800,000 In Project Grants!:
    On Thursday, April 4, 2013, PACT held a Grant Award Ceremony at the Guanacaste National Park in Belmopan, during which it awarded over $800,000.00 in new project grants! PACT awarded Small and Medium-Sized Grants for projects under the themes of Protected Areas Management and Conservation, Protected Areas Promotion and Development, and Environmental Education and Awareness as follows: PACT is confident that these grants will have great impacts on conservation in Belize and thanks all recipients for their hard work and commitment to their respective protected areas.
  • Four Reports Against The Police:
    Reference report of extortion made by Ms. Anna Mae Nembhard on Thursday 28th March 2013. On Thursday 4th April 2013, at 4:10 pm police constable #132 Frank McNeal was served with disciplinary charge of Act to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline> He was placed on interdiction with effect as of 4th April 2013. 2. Reference report made by Ms. Carol James on Tuesday 2nd April, 2013 that when she arrived home from the United States on Saturday 30th March, 2013, she discovered that some jewelries and money was missing from her house.
  • Robbery In Unitedville:
    A near midnight robbery in the village of Unitedville, Cayo, has left a bar owner with a busted forehead, and two male patrons wounded. Marisol Tobar, 35, Belizean businesswoman from Unitedville, reported to police that at around 11:30 pm on Saturday, March 30, 2013, three short male persons of dark complexion, wearing dark clothing and with their faces covered, stormed into her Hill Top Bar. One of them, armed with a handgun, reportedly pointed it her and demanded money. Fearing for her life, Tobar immediately handed over a thousand dollars to the gunmen who reportedly stole her gold chain with a diamond medal, valued at fifteen hundred dollars. The gunman then fired two shots into the bar before all three of them rushed out and disappeared into the darkness.
  • STAR Humor
  • Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Public Notices

The San Pedro Sun

San Pedro Sun welcomes Monique Smith to the family
The San Pedro Sun is pleased to announce that Monique Smith has been hired as our new office/advertising manager. Not only does Ms. Smith bring many skills to the position but she also likes to write, a bonus for us all! Originally from Belmopan, Monique has family here on the island and has been living on La Isla for the last several months. We welcome her to our staff of professionals and look forward to working with her.

Dr. Love: We want our son to come home
Readers, Please send your letters. They can be formal letters or handwritten notes. They are edited solely for grammar and spelling. Also, they are sometimes edited for length. Dear Doctor Love, I encountered your column while doing some research about Belize on the internet. I have a thirty-six year old son who lives there. He [...]

Misc Belizean Sources

Existence Equals Criminality
Did you know that gay men in Belize are criminals under the law, just because they exist? They can be imprisoned for up to 10 years. Did you know that the immigration law in Belize actually bars entry into the country for gay people and disabled people? Many people do not know this. Of course, some say - 'well these laws aren't really enforced'. As we know, many laws in Belize aren't enforced - until they are! Gay people are your brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, mothers, fathers, friends, waiters, tour guides, hotel owners, photographers, hair dressers, bank cashiers, town council representatives, next door neighbours...they are part of the Belize community but they have to hide who they are and many spend their lives in fear. This is not the loving, diverse, all welcoming Belize we know and love. Let's start to change it for the better. If you want to help with this change, you can support the upcoming Section 53 challenge, which will happen on the 7th - 10th of May in Belize City. You don't want to be someone who sat down and did nothing!

Make-Belize Films GoPro Giveaway
Make-Belize Films, which created Kurse a di Xtabai, is going to have a giveaway of a GoPro Hero 3 camera and an Ipad. Just like their page to enter. Kurse a di Xtabai can be streamed onto any computer now. "As a token of thanks to our new fans and supporters of the Belize Film Arts we're giving away a brand new iPad and GoPro Hero 3 Camera! It's easy to win, just LIKE our Make-Belize Films FaceBook page and keep sharing and spreading the word about the "Xtabai" movie now online at http://xtabai.makebelizefilms.com/. As soon as we hit 10,000 likes we'll draw 2 names from among all our fans, that's one draw for each prize. We're not far off... This is open to people from all countries, both prizes will be shipped from California fully insured and we'll cover the duties :) Good luck!!!"

Harlem Shake Pool Party
Haven't had a chance to make your version of the Harlem Shake yet? Here's your chance. Midas is having their Harlem Shake pool party today, starting a 3:00pm. They are advising to bring 'whatever you got.' "Be part of the Harlem Shake at Midas Resort. Bring your best costumes and your best dance moves (Prizes will be given away) Don't Miss this awesome opportunity to be on Midas Resort 30 seconds clip doing 'THE MIDAS HARLEM SHAKE' Date: April 07, 2013 Time: 3:00pm - Until"

The Belize Times

Unions threaten to walk out on PM - Salary counter proposal must be included in Friday meeting's agenda
When Prime Minister Dean Barrow and the leaders of the Unions meet inside the Cabinet room this Friday, April 5th there will be no singing or birthday cake cutting. The tone of the meeting will be entirely different from the last one held on February 1st. In fact, there might be no meeting at all, considering that the Prime Minister is refusing to discuss a salary adjustment counter proposal while the Unions have said that if the item is not on the agenda, they will walk out. The Unions have no reason to be in a happy mood. Their suggestion to the Prime Minister that his Government considers a counter proposal which would see teachers and public officers getting a small pay increase this year was met with utter disdain. The Prime Minister responded as if he was scolding school children. In his reply letter dated March 5th 2013, he expressed disappointment and accused the Union leaders of going back on their February 1st agreement.

UB President slams GOB for lack of vision
The Guyanese President of the University of Belize, Dr. Cary Fraser, has walked the political plank by criticizing the government's education policies for the University of Belize. In a confidential document sent to ...

Officer Down! - PC Ramirez killed in gun assault
36 year old Police Constable 380 Bertchel "Eyon" Ramirez was lured into a death trap on Tuesday night. Ramirez had left his side job, as a private security at The Mall located along the ...

Bringing home the Garland
The 85th annual running of the Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling Classic is history and for the second year in a row, Belizeans were sent to enjoy the rest of their Easter holidays comforted with the knowledge that the garland remains at home. Since 1971 when Mexican ...

Rich Belize, Poor Belize - What the Rich Countries teach their citizens about money - That the poor and third world countries do not!
Belize's neo-political system is shamelessly designed for dependency because it is only where the conditions of dependency are ideal that exploitation and oppression can flourish. The truth is that this little strip of coveted swamp and reef-curtained seas is in a volatile place. This is a world of multinational sharks who ...

San Ignacio United holds down Verdes 3-2
It was win some, lose some for 4th place team, San Ignacio United, as they enjoyed a 3-2 win against Verdes at the Norman Broaster Stadium in San ...

Rigo Vellos wins 2013 Mr. Physique Competition
Mr. Belize, Rigo Vellos, easily defended his 2012 title as Mr. Physique when the 13th Annual Tipsy Tuna Easter Fest got going on Sunday afternoon in Placencia. The event, which is sanctioned by the Belize Body Building ...

The Garland Stays Home! - Darnell Barrow wins 85th Holy Saturday Cross Country Classic
Team Santino's Darnell Barrow outsprinted Team Benny's Megabytes' Mexican import Juan Pablo Magallanes and Team Veloshine's John Delong of the USA to win the 85th annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling classic on the George Price ...

Father of 2 yr. old slain in shooting
A young Belizean father was skilled in a violent gun ambush that occurred on Holy Monday night in Belize City. 28 year old Michael Heusner was leaving Jianvin Shop, a store located at ...

20 yr. old kidnapped & raped by 2 men - Woman says one of the men was dressed as cop
A Belize City woman is recovering from a terrifying attack during which she was kidnapped and then raped by two unknown male individuals. The 20 year old reported to the Police that she was waiting for a friend in front of a business place around three in ...

Fire guts two-storey building on Freetown Road
A neighbourhood disaster was averted on Tuesday afternoon when fire officials contained a fire that started within a two-storey wooden building on Freetown road. According ...

Belizean sports at the crossroads
This week is an important one for Belizean sport. On Holy Saturday, Darnell Barrow took advantage of a heavy pace and ideal conditions to prevail in the ...

AMAZING GRACE - Stuck at Jesus
A few years ago, movie fans became excited about a movie based on a book in C.S. Lewis' collection called The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. It was about four siblings finding refuge during a war in the old home ...

PUP stalwart passes
The People's United Party expresses its deepest condolences to the family of a true soldier of the Party, Mrs. Adela Petillo Arzu from Belmopan. Mrs. Adela served on several PUP executives and was a member of the ...

Sarteneja stabbing fuelled by jealousy
Norma Pe�a, a resident of Sarteneja Village, is facing two serious criminal charges for the attack ...

New school in Placencia
PENINSULA INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY (PIA) is a new school in development north of the Airport. PIA is expected to open in September of 2013. ...

Mentoring the Next Generation
By Dr. Angela Banner Joseph "Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction." - John C. Crosby Our nation's children deserve to be mentored. Through mentorship, the next generation can strengthen their self-worth and self-confidence to become tenacious and empowered young people who ...

IN MY PERSPECTIVE - Too Many Takers!
A major reason Mitt Romney, the Republican candidate for President of the United Stated of America, lost the election in 2012 was because of a statement he made at a private $50,000-a-plate dinner at a hotel in Florida where he said 47% will vote for Obama because ...

Dr. Oliver Ottley writes on Belize-Guatemala affair
By Dr. Oliver Ottley, District Superintendent Emeritus, Church of the Nazarene Some of us make history; some write history; some read history; and some interpret history. Sad to say, some of us distort history. Although a macro and micro comparison, America and Belize are contemporaries of the early 1920's. According to ...

Economy of El Cayo - Then and Now
El Cayo now....is much different from El Cayo in the 1970's and 80's. The economy then was centered around small-scale, mostly milpa-farming agriculture and timber production...and the British Army....with a periphery of tourism and commerce.....dotted with a number of bustling small-manufacturing industries that dominated the country's supply of furniture, ...

Of this and that�
The Pandy Show The Pandy Show is big in Cayo. It is done by Kent Pandy. He is a star. The show started in 1992. Pandy is the camera man. He is the reporter. He is the editor. He is the writer. He is the producer. The show is for ...

SCALES OF JUSTICE - KILL BIL!
Quentin Torentino's two part extreme action thriller titled "Kill Bill" chronicles a woman's quest to kill a strange, elusive, mysterious and dangerous character called "Bill." The movie viewer does not get to meet Bill for a sustained period until near the end of the second film. Bill ...

2nd Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride to be held April 20th
The Ariel Rosado Memorial Education Foundation in partnership with Galen University, Memorial University of Canada and the Bowen and Bowen Group of Companies proudly announces the Second Ariel Rosado Annual Bike Ride. The ride starts at Galen ...

Dangriga Mayor formalises sister city relations with La Ceiba, Honduras
On Thursday April 4th, Dangriga Mayor Major (Ret'd) Gilbert Swaso will sign an agreement to formalise sister ...

PM exits Belize for Easter Weekend
While thousands of Belizeans flocked to the Cayes and coastal beaches in Belize for the Easter Weekend to enjoy time with their families and friends, Prime Minister Dean Barrow left on an expensive junket outside of Belize. Many Belizeans chose to stay in Belize over outside vacation ...

Rising concerns about BIL
Various individuals and organisations have raised concern over the start of a strange private company called Belize Infrastructure Limited that will be directed by certain Ministers to do public work. The company, according to the Prime Minister Dean Barrow, will act as a "special vehicle" which will ...

Baby Ivy's abduction foiled in unusual manner
A second suspect, 36 year old Bernabel Pena, has been charged for his alleged involvement in a bizarre ...

Herman bex! Will he be forced to step down for Mark Espat?
United Democratic Party-whip Michael Finnegan stirred up an ants' nest upon announcing that the UDP intends to have the Espat brothers as candidates in the next general election. According to ...

Injustice at 7th Day Adventist College?
Dear Editor, My child attended the Seventh Day Adventist College in Corozal District and was one of nine students to pass the final test to graduate in January 2013. Yet none of these young people have received their diploma. Why? Because the class consisted of 35 students of which 29 did ...

Left at the Altar�Again?
I don't know about you, but there seems to be a real sense of deja-vu in the latest communication from the Guatemalan government regarding the longstanding territorial claim. Despite their previous bravado about being more than willing to take the issue to the International Court of Justice, it ...

Village Councillor writes Minister Gaspar Vega over land issue
Hon. Gaspar Vega Minister of Natural Resources Belmopan Dear Minister, I write to you expressing my concern with the last decision taking by your Ministry via letter from Ms. Ingrid Gillett, written on November 26, 2012, stating that my parcel of land with file reference 1107/1999 and situate on entry 14214 is ...

Blogs

Happy Sunday
Sunday clears away the dust of the week and allows you tile to regroup and recharge for the coming week ahead. I Hope you are all enjoying a laid back lazy Happy Sunday. I decided to take the day off and do some shopping before we go celebrate at a 50th birthday party this afternoon. This is one of my favorite camera phone pics I took with my LG Thrive, it was taken at one at Mar de Tumbo beach which is a ...

Let's Check in with the Major Lagoon Rejuvenation Project in San Pedro
While getting some work done at "The Office" earlier in the week, I got a good view of the lagoon side of San Pedro Town and realized that I haven't walked back there in a while. It looked like quite a bit has been built as part of the major San Pedro Sunset Boardwalk and Water Taxi terminal project. Okay�it's a bit hard to see from here� Here is the area I'm talking about on a map� Original borrowed from: boazgolfcartrentals.com It just took me about 15 minutes to do that hi-tech design work (pasting those arrows on those photos)�I hope they are appreciated. Still not clear? You are right�time to take a closer look. For those who don't know about this endeavor, it is a $5+ million project (yes, you read that right) to build a fisherman's promenade and sunset boardwalk, a water taxi terminal and to overhaul the soccer field that has been in bad shape for years. Here is a picture of the building plans posted at the site.

"Rock and Roll" in Ambergris Caye, Belize.
First of all apologies for the lateness of publishing today's edition. Just couldn't whip up the enthusiasm yesterday evening. But up this morning bright (well it was dark outside actually) and early and ready to 'rock and roll'. Spent the early part of yesterday morning (the game started at 8 am here) watching Arsenal in an away game against West Bromwich Albion. Dominating the game from the start 'we' went in to a two goal lead and looked to be heading for an easy three points. That is until 'we' gave away a penalty and the offending player was sent off. With determined (and at times lucky) defending Arsenal hung on to secure the win. Just need to stay there for the remainder of the season now to secure a Champions League place next season. "Come on you Gunners". Before bringing you up-to-date with progress on our build in Ambergris Caye, Belize I need to say 'thank you' to two of the readers of this blog. The first 'thank you' goes to Robert (a fellow Brit living on Ambergris Caye) who correctly pointed out that the guys are currently rendering the walls and not plastering them. I knew I was wrong but for the life of me could not remember the correct term.

Mennonite Gurls A'ken Cook: Aebleskivr (Danish Pancake Balls)
T' nex time we make 'um we will experiment with air own flour mix insteed uf usin Bisquick but fer noe here is t'Bisquick recipe. 5 aigs, separated 2 cups bisquick bakin' mix 3/4 cup milk Buttr Confectyuners Sugar (Icin' Sugar) Applesauce Fruit Syrup er Maple Syrup (optyunal) Separate yer aigs. Beat egg whites n' large bowl on high speed until stiff; set aside. Blend egg yolks, bakin' mix and milk n' mixin' bowl on loe speed. Fold egg yolk mixture into beete egg whites.

20 Things About Photography Expeditions in the Tropics I Learned All Over Again
Here are 20 things I can pass on should you want to take your expensive camera gear and risk it to document one of the most wild and beautiful habitats on earth.

International Sources

LLCC group makes scientific discovery related to grasshopper
A group from Lincoln Land Community College recently discovered that a giant grasshopper of the genus Titanacris calls the Belize rainforest home. Associate Professor Dave Cox said he first noticed the grasshopper while in Belize in June. He got a picture of the 6-inch insect, but it wasn't good enough for a positive identification. When Cox's Belize Adventure class returned in January to the country on the northeastern coast of Central America, they saw the grasshopper again, and this time, got a lot of pictures. Cox said the grasshopper was already known to science, but the Lincoln Land group was the first to find out that its habitat includes Belize. "The exciting part is that nobody has recorded this grasshopper in Belize," Cox said.

New Horizons engineering assistant makes a difference
Two airmen arrive at the construction site of the future Crooked Tree Primary Government School in a three-quarter ton truck, step out and unload a few tools of their trade. Staff Sgt. Joel Bradley, an engineering assistant assigned to the 823rd Red Horse Squadron, carries a tripod over his left shoulder and an auto level in his right hand as he walks toward and surveys the site he will be working at for the next 90 days Bradley, deployed from Hurlburt Field, Fla., is one of approximately 500 airmen who will be participating in a training exercise known as New Horizons. As part of the exercise, Red Horse airmen will be partnering with Belize engineers to build school structures at four different locations in Belize. "This is a great opportunity and makes you feel proud," said Bradley. "Knowing the schools we are building will provide added opportunities for the children for years to come is what is most rewarding."

Positive Action Pilot in Belize
As children grow and begin to forge their own identity, they tend to mirror others in their environment. Surround them with loving, enabling caregivers who teach them, encourage them to explore their world, and provide them with interaction and feedback, and they'll grow into productive adults, capable of facing and overcoming whatever challenges life throws at them. Plunge them into a world filled with violence and maliciousness, and don't be surprised if they grow up to become troubled, or even violent, young adults. More and more Belizean children have grown up in a violent world. 25% of boys and 30% of girls under age 17 in Belize City report having been exposed to some form of crime or violence. Most have received neither the education they need to escape a life of poverty, nor the emotional and psychological support needed to develop their self-esteem. Consequently, they lack the necessary resilience to overcome challenges, which causes many to drop out of school, join gangs, and become involved in illegal activities. Alarmed by this trend, the Government of Belize partnered with the IDB and the University of North Texas to develop an approach to help put a stop to the cycle of violence and crime that is threatening the country's young people.

My Modernized Belizean Stewed Chicken with Rice and Beans
A while back I wrote about my goal of finding the best stewed chicken with rice in beans while visiting Belize. I didn't just want to eat the best there; I wanted to know how to make it at home. I included some very cryptic recipe notes that I got from Tosh (our driver from Belize City to San Ignacio) in that post. This weekend was my first attempt. While I appreciated the 'recipe' I got from Tosh, I couldn't help but wonder what it would come out like if I modernized it a bit. So, I used my slow cooker and rice cooker. The results were pretty darn good (even if I have to say so myself). Slow Cooker Belizean Stewed Chicken

VIDEO: Snorkeling Hol Chan Reserve Ambergris Caye Belize
Feb 2013 Windy and choppy day snorkeling in Belize Music by: Wookiefoot

How to change your Apple Store to US
If you live outside the Continental US and would like to download US only apps, here is how to set your iDevice to United States so you can get access to US ONLY Apps. Click Settings Click on iTunes and App Stores Click on your Apple ID Click View Apple ID. It should ask you for your password. Click on Country/Region. Click Change Country or Region. Click Store and select United States. And there you go, enjoy your new US only apps.

Do government film subsidies add up? Well, Yes and No...
Most people enjoy a movie. But should the government pay for a local screen industry? Since the early 1970s, the answer to that question has been "yes". Before Phillip Adams and Barry Jones convinced John Gorton to start funding Australians to make movies, the majority of the television and essentially all of the movies consumed by Australians were made overseas. Australia has developed a significant local screen industry since, but it's been highly dependent on government funding. While successive governments, both conservative and Labor, have trumpeted the value of federal subsidies in creating a "sustainable" local industry, in truth the whole sector is heavily reliant of both regulations, such as local content quotas for television drama, and subsidies for film production, such as the production offset. The best example of the unsustainability of Australian screen is the Film Finance Corporation, a government-owned film funding agency set up in 1988. Unlike Screen Australia and its predecessor, the Australian Film Commission, the FFC was supposedly set up along commercial lines - investing in profitable films and using the proceeds to plough back into the local industry.

© Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board