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The latest Tia Chocolate column is ready for reading!!! Waiting, Part IV
He woke up to find that the breeze had changed and the shadows had elongated. Sometime while he slept and dreamt of the past, he had been covered up with a warm, colorful Guatemalan blanket. It was once a bright rainbow of colors, with designs of the quetzal, that country's national bird, shining through in a false needlepoint pattern. Everything was machine-made these days - but still, it was cheaper, the warmth it gave him was more than enough. With fresh memories of his youth still lingering, he took a wavering breath of that fresh mountain air that changed his life. Ahead, his beloved daughter-in-law Julia came bringing a steaming mug of tea. The woman always seemed to be working, cleaning, chasing after children, tending to her yard, and always, caring for him. "What were you dreaming of this time Papacito?" she asked as she held out the mug to him.

The November 25th, 2012 issue of The STAR (Cayo) is online HERE

This Week's Stories:

  • Alleged Petty Con Artist Nabbed:
    The act of con artists preying on vulnerable teachers in Belize City schools seems to have caught on in Cayo schools as one such alleged con artist was today arrested, charged and remanded to prison. In the first case, a primary school female teacher reported to the police that she was at school where she was approached by a man she knows as Ellis Gomez who told her that he was sent to do some repair work at the school. He requested and received 30 dollars from the teacher to buy a tin of paint. He allegedly returned the following day and approached the same teacher who, at his request, gave him an additional 10 dollars which he said he needed to purchase formica. The man never returned with paint or the formica thereby prompting the teacher to report the matter to the police.
  • Men At Work In Cayo Central:
    Holding true to his promise of increased employment within the community, Minister of Works and Transport/Cayo Central Area Representative, Hon. Rene Montero, is pushing forward with the manual labor intensive component San Ignacio bypass Project. Minister Montero informed that he is pleased with the progress of the works and the quality of the workmanship. He informed that apart from the massive development that the project is bringing to the area, he is especially pleased to see so many workmen on the site gainfully employed and therefore providing themselves and their families.
  • Statements From The Most Recent IMF Report On Belize:
    An International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission led by Mr. Gerardo Peraza, visited Belize from November 1-15 to conduct its yearly review of the country's economy, in the context of the IMF's Artivle IV consultations. Mr. Peraza released the following statement in Belmopan at the conclusion of the meeting today: "Belize is experiencing an output rebound despite the decline in oil production. In 2012, real Gross Domestice Product (GDP) growth is expected at 3.5-4 percent, led by a recovery from last year's effects of weatherrelated damages in commodity exports as well as a recovery in tourism, and electricity generation. Inflation which stood at 1.5 percent in January - August, has been easing as commodity prices pressures abate.
  • Eradicating "Machismo":
    By: Pastor Scott Stirm If we look at the many problems facing our nation today, most all of them trace back to a leadership problem. John Maxwell says "Everything rises or falls upon the shoulders of leadership." No, I'm not complaining about our politicians, I'm talking about leadership as a whole, beginning with leadership in the home, our role as husbands & fathers. Did you know that 80% of the children born in the Caribbean are born outside of marriage? And HALF of that figure will NEVER KNOW WHO THEIR FATHER IS!!! In Jamaica, it's 90% of the kids born outside of marriage. And in Haiti, with rampant poverty & disorder, 94% of the children are born outside of marriage, and HALF of those children will never know who their father is. In the Caribbean region we have experienced a terrible breakdown of the family structure, and our crime & violence statistics are proof of that. Ranking up there with our Belize statistics are Jamaica and Trinidad - common denominator? Same culture, same problem�
  • The Rotary Club of San Ignacio Starts Two Bathroom Projects For Cayo Schools:
    The Rotary Club of San Ignacio is proud to announce the start of two important projects to support the school infrastructure in Cayo. Within one week two ground-breaking ceremonies for new toilet facilities took place at Eden S.D.A. Primary School in Santa Elena and St. Andrews Anglican School in San Ignacio. They were well attended by all the kids, the staff, and representatives of the PTA and the Ministry of Education, the Town Council, the Rotary Club of San Ignacio, the building contractor and the press. Both school´s existing bathrooms have been outgrown over the years by the increasing number of students and need to be replaced. The schools will receive modern flush toilets in adequate numbers that are also accessible by wheelchairs. The building plans are based on a standard model that is recommended by the Ministry of Education which was also instrumental in selecting the schools. The buildings will even be equipped with fresh water storage tanks in case of interrupted public water supply.
  • Medical Health Center Inaugurated In Belize City:
    The long time dream of former First Lady of Belize, Mrs. Kathy Esquivel, today became a reality with the official inauguration of a Mental Health Center in Belize City. The new facility that will provide a daily meal, medical referral and recreation for the homeless and people living with mental health problems was today inaugurated in Belize City. The Mental Health Day Care/ Resource Centre project, located at the corner of Tibruce and Vernon Streets, will facilitate social support and training for income generation for the homeless and people living with mental health problems in Belize City. The facility will not be a residential centre but will provide a daily meal, medical referral and recreation for its beneficiaries. The centre has the capacity to benefit 150 clients on a regular basis and will be governed by rules and regulations including no loitering and nuisance prohibitions.
  • Ministry of Health Reveals Findings of "TLEMOL":
    Earlier this year, reports were made to the Ministry of Health concerning the sale of a pharmaceutical product being marketed as "TLEMOL." Shortly after receiving reports, the Ministry sent a sample of the product for testing. This week the Ministry received a Certificate of Analysis from the Caribbean Regional Drug Testing Laboratory in Kingston, Jamaica concluding that the pharmaceutical product marketed as 'Tlemol' has met the United States Pharmaceutical requirements for Acetaminophen tablets.
  • International Call Center Brings Jobs To Town:
    The Office Gurus®, a global provider of call and contact center solutions, is preparing to open its doors in the town of San Ignacio in mid-November. Along with renovating the interior space of its #18 Joseph Andrews Drive, San Ignacio location, The Office Gurus is providing employment opportunities for both call center agents and management positions. With locations already in the U.S., El Salvador and Costa Rica, The Office Gurus have built their reputation on providing a quality work environment with fixed weekday hours, paid training, opportunity for advancement and other benefits. When asked why the firm selected Belize and specifically San Ignacio for its expansion, Dominic Leide, managing director of The Office Gurus stated, "When we toured the Cayo District we were impressed with the skill sets and level of enthusiasm available in the local labor pool. We pride ourselves on offering our employees a rewarding employment experience and a place to build a career, and felt that the people of San Ignacio would be a good fit for us and our clients." Leide added, "We look forward to welcoming all new hires and becoming an active contributor to the region's business community."
  • Hector "Macho" Camacho 'Brain Dead' After Shooting:
    Rican former boxer Hector " Macho" Camacho has been declared clinically brain dead after being shot in the head on Tuesday. He was in a deep coma and unresponsive, the director of the hospital treating him, Dr Ernesto Torres, told reporters. Relatives are expected to decide whether to remove the three-time world champion from life support. Camacho suffered a heart attack after being wounded in a drive-by shooting outside the capital c ity, San Juan. "We have done all we can do," Dr Torres said, adding that brain studies had shown irregular and intermittent activity.
  • Further Big Drop In New HIV Infections Among Children:
    The UN's latest assessment of global cases of HIV/Aids shows there has been a further drop in new infections among children. There were 330,000 new infections in children last year - the figure is 24% lower than in 2009. But the report by UNAids also warns "significant additional effort is required" if broader targets to tackle HIV/Aids are to be achieved by 2015. The agency's director said the pace of progress was speeding up. Overall, 34 million people around the world are now thought to have the virus that causes Aids. The number of new infections in adults has stayed broadly stable for the past four years - at about 2.5 million new cases a year.
  • Argentina Governor's Wife Jailed For His Murder:
    The wife of murdered Argentine provincial governor Carlos Soria has been jailed for 18 years for killing him during a family argument. Susana Freydoz shot her husband as the two argued at their ranch in Rio Negro province, where they and their family had gathered for New Year celebrations. The judges ruled that she should remain in hospital where she is undergoing psychiatric treatment. Mr Soria had been sworn in a few weeks earlier as governor of Rio Negro. He was at his ranch in General Roca, in south-central Rio Negro province, celebrating New Year with his family.
  • Top 5 Tips for Dealing with Bullying:
    So long playground teasing and taunting, bullying has entered cyberspace, ridiculing kids in the safety of their bedrooms and smartphones. Recently, it replaced stranger danger as parents' worst fear. Drs. Laurie and Fred Zelinger, a husband and wife team with more than 70 years of combined experience working in schools, to get their insight into how to communicate better with our children, whether they are being bullied or they are the bully. The Zelingers' Top 5 Tips for Dealing with Bullying in Your Family: 1. Sit side-by-side, and start with a statement. "There's been some research about how boys and men communicate better when they're sitting next to each other as opposed to sitting opposite each other," Dr. Laurie Zelinger points out. Try to find times when you are sitting close enough to your child without the pressure of time to get something done, and open up communication about bullying with a casual statement instead of a question; a statement feels less confrontational to the child. "Something simple, like, 'Wow, looks like you're really thinking about something right now", Dr. Laurie Zelinger says. You never know where it might lead.
  • Gang Truce In El Salvador:
    In March this year El Salvador's most violent gangs - the Mara Salvatrucha and the 18th Street gang - agreed a truce. As a result, the murder rate of this small Central American country has plummeted - but can the peace last? On a Sunday morning, the main street into Majucla, a poor community in the north of San Salvador, looks like any other. It is a dirt road, there are food stalls, and people walk up and down, many dressed for church. Some men stand around in groups of two or three, chatting - look closely and you will see the tattoos. One of them has artwork that starts on his skull, covers his face and neck and disappears under his T-shirt. On one cheek a large M is tattooed, on the other an S. All these men are members of the Mara Salvatrucha gang, known as the MS.
  • Instead of Celebrations, Cultural Preservation And Economic Development Is The Future For Our Garifuna People:
    I was born and raised in Dangriga Town like my mother, Josephine Sampson and my father Finley Sylvester Ramos. My maternal grandmother Andelecia Petillo- Sampson was born in Livingston, Guatemala and my maternal grandfather Simeon Sampson Sr. was born in Dangriga Town, Belize. My paternal grandmother Claudina Lewis-Ramos was born in Dangriga Town and my paternal grandfather Zacharus Ramos was born in Bluefield, Nicaragua. We all have relatives that we can trace to St. Vincent "Yuremei" our original homeland, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Belize.
  • Cayo Art Festival 2012:
    The San Ignacio and Santa Elena House of Culture is pleased to once again invite you to theCayo Art Festival 2012 to be held this Saturday, November 24 on Burns Avenue in San Ignacio. We encourage you to bring your family and friends to enjoy an evening of fine Belizean art and talent. on display, games and live musical performances by A Cold Day in May, Johnny and the Playmates and Ascenthium. Visiting the Cayo Art Festival at the House of Culture in San Ignacio is a must if you're in San Ignacio this weekend.
  • STAR Humor
  • Editorial: The Super-Bond, The IMF, The Future Looks Bright
  • Your Weekly Horoscope and Lucky Numbers
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Public Notices


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 San Pedro Sun

Doctor Love: Talker vs. Mr. Silent
Disagreements lead to lovers ignoring each other. So...what does the good Doctor have to say about THAT?!

San Pedro gears up for the Christmas Season Celebrations
San Pedro has no shortage of wonderful activities to usher in the Christmas season. From the Annual lighted boat parade to the Caribbean Christmas Colors to Love FM's parade, and more!

Woofer: Luke Chapter 6, Verse 31
Davin takes his interpretation of certain bible verses literally while in Sunday School. Oopsie!

2012 Taste of Belize Heads to Cayo
Taste of Belize (TOB) 2012 is here! BTB's signature culinary event will be in San Ignacio, Cayo on December 1st and 2nd. The Belize Tourism Board, through this medium, seeks to develop and recognize the best in culinary arts in Belize. The event, which has been on a hiatus, returns with new twists and grandeur. On December 1st, the gala starts at 7p.m at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel. The Resort Hotel will be transformed like never seen before, from body painted models, to exotic animals and a photo booth. Entertainment for the evening will be the highly acclaimed, Belize Dance Company and Marimba players. A ticket to this event entitles each attendee to a five course meal, prepared by local celebrity Chef Sean Kuylen; consumption of available beers and wines; access to the cocktail hour; and a complimentary gift bag. The highlight of the night will be the live food and beverage competitions, in the categories of the Pro Chef, Bartending and Cake Decorating. For the Pro Chef competition, the BTB wants to include the entire country of Belize in celebrating the talents of our local chefs, and as a result, this portion of the event will be televised live on LOVE TV at 8:30 p.m. The battle, which will feature four professional chefs in a 'winner takes all' format, will be hosted by Indira Craig & William Neal. This epic three course meal battle will see contenders face off in three rounds, the appetizer, entr�e and dessert, which must include a basket of mystery ingredients and be completed in one hour. At the end of the competition, a panel of four judges will select one chef to be recognized with the title of "Belize's Master Chef," a trophy and two thousand five hundred dollars.

Misc Belizean Sources

3rd Annual Cayo Art Festival
The SISE HoC had their 3rd annual Cayo Art Festival yesterday. All of Burns avenue was turned into a celebration, with an abundance of arts and crafts on display. Events were held throughout the day, including the Sacred Heart College dancers and the Cayo Music School. In the evening, there was some spectacular live music. A Cold Day in May played, followed by Johnny and the Playmates, with Sarita Obando singing, and it ended with a phenomenal performance by Ascenthium. This should be done every Saturday!

LOVE TV

BREAKING: Another murder in Belize City
There are reports of a fatal shooting incident this afternoon on Mahogany Street in Belize City. The name of the victim is being withheld at this time. For more details on this latest murder, tune in to Love FM News Report coming up at 60′clock.

TRIPLE MURDER IN LADYVILLE
There are reports of a triple murder in Ladyville village in the Belize district. Police press office Raphael Martinez has confirmed that the bodies of three people, a man and two women, were found inside their home on Marage Road. They had been shopt in the head, reportedly at close range. Sources tell Love News that there were no signs of forced entry to the home where the three people were found murdered around 4 am today. The victims have been identified Robert Vellos, Karen Skeen Vellos and Teena Skeen. Investigations continue.

Annual campaign to end gender-based violence starts
The annual observance of sixteen days of activism against gender-based violence kicks off this weekend. Love TV's Marion Ali and video journalist Brian Castillo attended the launch and bring you the following report.

Belizean rum wins regional award
The Caribbean rum and beer festival was held earlier this month in Grenada and the winners in its alcohol beverage tasting competition were announced. Belize's Cuello Distillery walked off with prizes in two categories. In the flavored rum category Cuello's Caribbean Coconut rum won gold while in the white rum category Cuello's Caribbean White rum placed third. The judging panel sampled over 50 rums and made their decisions based on appearance, aroma, taste and overall impression. According to organizers the Caribbean rum and beer festival is set to become the Caribbean's premier promotion and retailing event for rum and beer beverages. The fourth festival will take place in November next year.

Blogs

The End of the Maya Calendar and Human Consciousness
I am a world traveller, community builder, documentary photographer, film maker, journalist, experiential teacher, artist, architect, and musician. I am planning a tour around different parts of the world to document intentional communities and ceremonies celebrating spirituality, world cultures (arts & music), and living in harmony with the earth (sustainability/ self-reliance/ permaculture). I would like to write a book, produce a documentary-style film, create artwork, and compose music based around my experiences. My eventual goal is to build a flourishing sustainable community enriched with the wisdom of ancient cultures, traditions, and practices that brings positive energies into our world today. Visiting the enchanting natural setting of Chaa Creek and The Mayan grounds during the Winter Solstice Celebration would be the perfect way to start off this Creative Journey! I see the World as my Wisdom Temple and my Greatest Teachers have been Experiences: "As in Micro, so in Macro. The whole exists within the minutest particle and the minutest particle contains the whole. The atom contains the universe and the universe contains the atom, and neither exists without the other. Creator exists within creation, even as creation exists within creator."- Brahmarishi Mayan, circa 10,500 BC

Mutual Beneficience with Research Assistants
A major aspect of my research in Belize involves trying to get an understanding of how families manage their health, given the various options available to them. After spending a good year in the community, I had in mind to speak with the female head of the household. Wives, mothers, and grandmothers are often the decision makers when it comes to matters of health in southern Belize, and they are most often familiar with the health issues and events faced by their families. My challenge with this stage of the research was not so much where to find participants, but how to most effectively go about recruitment. My goal was to cover the economic and ethnic diversity among households throughout the community, necessitating the need to cover the varied geography that exists there. Going door-to-door would be the surest way to get that coverage. Time of day would be a factor in my success as well, and most women who do not work outside the home have the most flexible time during the day while their children and partners are usually out of the house. However, there was a problem inherent with this plan. As a male researcher, going door to door to visit women during the day while nobody else was home might raise some eyebrows around the community. In a town of around 5,000 people, rumors and gossip starts and spreads quickly. With no easy solution, I put off starting this particular phase, and focused on other aspects of my research and other projects I had become involved with.

International Sources

Fla. Woman Arrested On Charge She Rode Manatee
A St. Petersburg woman has been charged with violating Florida law by riding a manatee, authorities said. Ana Gloria Garcia Gutierrez, 53, was arrested on a misdemeanor warrant Saturday on the charge of violating Florida's Manatee Sanctuary Act. Pinellas County sheriff's deputies say she was photographed riding the manatee at Fort De Soto Park in September. On Oct. 2, Sheriff Bob Gualtieri held a press conference asking for the public's help in identifying the woman. Gutierrez called deputies and allegedly admitted touching the endangered sea mammal. She told them she was new to the area and didn't know it was illegal to touch a manatee. The manatee was not hurt. That same month, authorities told Gutierrez that charges would be forwarded to prosecutors, officials said. Officials at the time said the crime may not have been an arrestable offense, because a deputy was not present when it occurred. Still, the case was referred to the Pasco-Pinellas State Attorney's Office, which conducted a review and issued the misdemeanor arrest warrant, according to the Tampa Bay Times. The manatee law states it is unlawful "for any person at any time, by any means, or in any manner intentionally or negligently to annoy, molest, harass, or disturb or attempt to molest, harass, or disturb any Manatee." The maximum penalty is a $500 fine and six months in jail. Gutierrez was released on $1,500 bail.

McAfee's Dogs Could Be Key To Murder Riddle
Police hunting the anti-virus pioneer John McAfee think the millionaire's dogs could hold the key to solving the murder of his neighbour. Mr McAfee shot dead his pets after they were poisoned two days before Gregory Faull, a retired American builder, was killed. Officers have dug up the animals' remains, which were buried in the grounds of Mr McAfee's home in Belize, to examine the bullets used to kill them. Forensic officers are now comparing the bullets to the single casing found by the body of Mr Faull to determine if there is a match. Police spokesman Raphael Martinez said: "The dogs were exhumed and the slugs were taken out indeed and basically it's just to match the slug that was found in Mr Faull." The 52-year-old was found dead in his home on the island of Ambergris Cave on November 11. He had a gunshot wound to the head. Mr McAfee has denied he was responsible for the murder and says he went into hiding only because the Belize authorities have a vendetta against him. He believes he was the intended victim of the shooting, not Mr Faull. Since going on the run he has started a blog, which he promotes on Twitter, and regularly updates. In it he has given details of how he has disguised himself as a beggar, a salesman and a drunken German tourist to watch police search his home seven times. In a post about the exhumation of his dogs, Mr McAfee wrote: "Then I watched the police dig up my four dogs that had been poisoned and buried. They cut off the heads and re-buried the bodies. I found this curious"" Mr McAfee amassed a $100m (£63m) fortune from his software business but said he lost all but $4m of it in the financial crisis. He moved to Belize in 2008.

Belize grants Taiwan citizens visa-free treatment
The Belize government has agreed to grant Taiwan passport holders visa-free privileges when traveling to the Central American country, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Monday. Belize, which will be the 131st country to grant Taiwanese nationals visa-free privileges or landing visa treatment, will soon announce the effective date of the program, as well as further details on traveling to Belize without a visa, the ministry added. The visa waiver program "is expected to increase bilateral exchanges and cooperation in trade, culture, technology and tourism,"the ministry said. The news on Belize's decision to grant Taiwanese passport holders visa free treatment was announced by Belize Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington, who is visiting Taiwan Nov. 25-30, according to the ministry. Belize is one of Taiwan's 23 diplomatic allies. It boasts a vast array of wildlife, huge tracts of rainforest, extensive coral reefs and

McAfee's former girlfriend says the Internet pioneer is 'frightened for his life'
A dead neighbor. Headless dogs. And a millionaire on the run. All set against a backdrop of spectacular tropic beauty. It would be difficult to imagine a more intriguing story than the one unfolding in Belize right now. Police there are seeking to question Internet pioneer John McAfee in the killing of his neighbor, American businessman Gregory Faull. Faull, 52, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the back of the head this month in his home near San Pedro, on the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye. McAfee, who is not a suspect, has not been seen since. Three people have been detained for questioning in the killing, police have said, and investigators are pursuing multiple leads. McAfee girlfriend fears death threats Wanted mogul speaks from secret hideout McAfee: Government decided to off me Dogs central to McAfee murder mystery? CNN was recently granted rare access to McAfee's beachfront property by a former girlfriend, who asked that her real name not be reported.

A bizarre visit to John McAfee's pleasure palace in Belize
To look for John McAfee, you must be willing to travel a narrow, rutted and muddy road. And the more I bumped and backfired along it in my temperamental, rented, gas golf cart ... the deeper down the rabbit hole I fell. This is one weird story. Some say it began a week ago Friday when the man who practically invented Internet security, John McAfee, shot his dogs. Others say it goes back to April when police raided his compound on the mainland looking for drugs and guns. They found both but the guns had permits and the drugs were legal. Some say police never got over their disappointment. The Austrian woman I had picked up with my golf cart told me McAfee was trying to make a female version of Viagra. I'm not in the habit of picking up hitchhikers but it's customary here to give a lift to locals. As they say, "You never know when YOU might need a ride." Judging by the sound of my golf cart, that time wasn't far off.

Avoid the crowds at these 5 Mayan ruins
Although many travelers are satisfied with visiting the more accessible and well-known Chichen Itza and Tikal, VirtualTourist members always strive for the more off-the-beaten path spots. With this in mind, the members and editors of VirtualTourist.com compiled a list of top five less crowded Mayan ruins. It should be noted that Mayan ruins can only be found in Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Belize and El Salvador. Lamanai, Orange Walk, Belize: Lamanai, the Mayan word for "submerged crocodile," was aptly named. Not only do crocodiles appear in the site's effigies and decorations, but you are likely to see crocodiles while trying to get there. In order to reach the site, you must take a small boat up the winding New River through the tropical rainforest of central Belize. Lamanai was one of the longest continuously occupied cities, starting in 500 B.C. to A.D 1675. or even later, probably due to its strategic location on the trade route of the New River.

Beauty and the reef: billionairess dives in to save coral
HER last big purchase was a £100m superyacht, but now Britain's richest woman has splashed out on a Caribbean coral reef. Kirsty Bertarelli, 41, a former Miss UK turned songwriter, and her husband, Ernesto Bertarelli, a Swiss biotech magnate, have channelled millions into safeguarding the future of a 300,000-acre expanse of ocean off the coast of Belize. It comes as the descendants of the HMS Bounty mutineers on the British-controlled Pitcairn Islands are planning to turn the pristine waters around their secluded South Pacific home into the largest marine reserve in the world. The islands' council recently voted in favour of banning commercial fishing from their "exclusive economic zone", or territorial waters, although subsistence fishing by islanders will still be allowed. A spokesman for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office confirmed that it is considering the plan, which would create the largest fully protected marine reserve in the world and would cover an area of 322,823 square miles.

The Daily Routines of Famous Writers
by Maria Popova. "A writer who waits for ideal conditions under which to work will die without putting a word on paper." Kurt Vonnegut's recently published daily routine made we wonder how other beloved writers organized their days. So I pored through various old diaries and interviews - many from the fantastic Paris Review archives - and culled a handful of writing routines from some of my favorite authors. Enjoy.