XX+PERSONAL+PAGE+FOR+TERRYL+LINDSEY

== = = =WELCOME TO MY HOME PAGE= My country for this course is BELIZE. My back-up country for this course is MEXICO for reasons I will discuss later.

===Belize is situated on the Caribbean Sea, south of Mexico and east and north of Guatemala in Central America. In area, it is about the size of New Hampshire. Most of the country is heavily forested with various hardwoods. Mangrove swamps and cays along the coast give way to hills and mountains in the interior. The highest point is Victoria Peak, 3,681 ft (1,122 m). Belize is the only Central American country that does not have a coastline connected to the Pacific Ocean.===

===Belize was the site of several Mayan city states until their decline at the end of the first millennium A.D. The British and Spanish disputed the region in the 17th and 18th centuries; it formally became the colony of British Honduras in 1854. Territorial disputes between the UK and Guatemala delayed the independence of Belize until 1981. Guatemala refused to recognize the new nation until 1992 and the two countries are involved in an ongoing border dispute. Guatemala and Belize plan to hold a simultaneous referendum, set for 6 October 2013, to determine if this dispute will go before the International Court of Justice at The Hague. Tourism has become the mainstay of the economy. Current concerns include the country's heavy foreign debt burden, high unemployment, growing involvement in the Mexican and South American drug trade, high crime rates, and one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Central America.===

Religion(s):
===Roman Catholic 39.3%, Pentacostal 8.3%, Seventh Day Adventist 5.3%, Anglican 4.5%, Mennonite 3.7%, Baptist 3.5%, Methodist 2.8%, Nazarene 2.8%, Jehovah's Witnesses 1.6%, other 9.9% (includes Bahai Faith, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Mormon), other (unknown) 3.1%, none 15.2% (2010 census)===

Economy:
===Tourism is the number one foreign exchange earner in this small economy, followed by exports of marine products, citrus, cane sugar, bananas, and garments. The government's expansionary monetary and fiscal policies, initiated in September 1998, led to GDP growth averaging nearly 4% in 1999-2007. Oil discoveries in 2006 bolstered this growth. Exploration efforts have continued and production has increased a small amount. Growth slipped to 0% in 2009, and has remained at just over 2% per year during 2010-2012, as a result of the global slowdown, natural disasters, and a temporary drop in the price of oil. With weak economic growth and a large public debt burden, fiscal spending is likely to be tight. In September 2012, the government paid half of a $23 million interest payment that had been due in August 2012. In January 2013, the government announced that it had reached a deal with creditors to restructure its $544 million commercial external debt, commonly referred to as the "superbond." The superbond represents one half of the country's public debt. A key government objective remains the reduction of poverty and inequality with the help of international donors. Although Belize has the second highest per capita income in Central America, the average income figure masks a huge income disparity between rich and poor. The 2010 Poverty Assessment shows that more than 4 out of 10 people live in poverty. The sizable trade deficit and heavy foreign debt burden continue to be major concerns.===

Telephone System:
===General assessment: above-average system; trunk network depends primarily on microwave radio relay domestic: fixed-line teledensity of slightly less than 10 per 100 persons; mobile-cellular tele-density approaching 70 per 100 persons international: country code - 501; landing point for the Americas Region Caribbean Ring System (ARCOS-1) fiber-optic telecommunications submarine cable that provides links to South and Central America, parts of the Caribbean, and the US.===





===British Honduras obtained a coat of arms on January 28, 1907, which formed the basis of the badge used on British ensigns. The coat of arms recalls the logging industry that first led to British settlement there. The figures, tools, and mahogany tree represent this industry. From 1950 onward an unofficial national flag was in use. It was blue, with a modified version of the arms on a white disc in the centre (sometimes a blank white circle was used as the coat of arms was difficult to draw). The national motto, Sub Umbra Floreo, meaning “I Flourish in the Shade”, is written in the lower part of the coat of arms.===

===Altun Ha is located on Rockstone Pond Village, for which it was named. Located 34 miles north of Belize City and 5 miles from the sea, Altun Ha was occupied for around 1200 years until the Classic Maya collapse around 900 AD. Its population peaked at about 10,000 inhabitants. It’s location near the sea suggests that trade was an important aspect of the daily life here, a theory upheld by the discovery of objects and materials from Mexico, Guatemala, and Panama. ===

===Around 500 buildings have been recorded here, but the core of the site consists of two plazas and 13 structures. These structures have been extensively restored, exposing fine stonework. A magnificent tomb has been discovered beneath one of these structures, the Temple of the Green Tomb. Dating from 550 AD, this is a rich burial chamber containing over 300 objects including jade pendants, beads & earrings, obsidian rings, stingray spines, and jaguar skins along with the remains of a Maya codex. ===

===The largest temple on the site is known as The Temple of the Masonry Altars. This temple is famous for more than its impressive history, it is also on the Belikin beer label (Belize’s own beer). This structure had been covered over with an even larger building, and expanded a least 8 times since it's creation in 500 A.D. Seven layers of tombs were found, with the most impressive being the earliest. Inside the intact crypt a jade head representing the Mayan sun god was found lying on the right wrist of the body entombed there. This object weighs almost 10 pounds and is 6 inches tall. It is the largest jade object ever found in the Maya world. A replica of this head is in the Museum of Belize in Belize City. The body was originally covered by Jaguar and Cougar skins and the entire tomb was covered in red pigment. ===

===Outside the two main plazas are several other areas of interest which a good guide will point out, although little else has been restored. You can easily walk along a short trail from the ruin south to Rockstone Pond, the village that the ruin is named for. The pond was dammed in Maya times to form a reservoir, and near this pond stands the oldest structure at Altun Ha. Built in the second century AD it housed a cache that contained green obsidian blades and other offerings imported from the great city of Teotihuacan near Mexico City. These artifacts have been dated to 150 AD, evidence of the early contact between the Belize Maya and Teotihuacan. ===

=**News Report #1 **=

=Naked cyclists bring Mexico City streets to standstill =

[]

The event is to raise awareness of the importance of cycling for exercise and as a way to reduce fossil fuels. Organisers say riding naked also highlights the fragility of the human body and the need for drivers to be more careful on busy city streets. The movement began nine years ago in Canada and has been held every year in various cities around the world.

Only in Latin American!



=**Week 4**= Assignment Class 4 Wednesday June 12, 2013

 a. Spanish 46%, Creole 32.9%, Mayan dialects 8.9%, English 3.9% (official), Garifuna 3.4% (Carib), German 3.3%, other 1.4%, unknown 0.2% (2000 census). I thought this was very interesting. The official language is English yet only 3.9% of the population speaks English.  b. Belize Demographic profile: Migration continues to transform Belize's population. About 16% of Belizeans live abroad, while immigrants constitute approximately 15% of Belize's population. Belizeans seeking job and educational opportunities have preferred to emigrate to the United States rather than former colonizer Great Britain because of the United States' closer proximity and stronger trade ties with Belize. Belizeans also immigrate to Canada, Mexico, and English-speaking Caribbean countries. The emigration of a large share of Creoles (Afro-Belizeans) and the influx of Central American immigrants, mainly Guatemalans, Salvadorans, and Hondurans, has changed Belize's ethnic composition. Mestizos have become the largest ethnic group, and Belize now has more native Spanish speakers than English or Creole speakers, despite English being the official language. In addition, Central American immigrants are establishing new communities in rural areas, which contrast with the urbanization trend seen in neighboring countries. Recently, Chinese, European, and North American immigrants have become more frequent. c. Immigration accounts for an increasing share of Belize's population growth rate, which is steadily falling due to fertility decline. Belize's declining birth rate and its increased life expectancy are creating an aging population. As the elderly population grows and nuclear families replace extended households, Belize's government will be challenged to balance a rising demand for pensions, social services, and healthcare for its senior citizens with the need to reduce poverty and social inequality and to improve sanitation.
 * 1) <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">1. Three new things about my country.

=**<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Assignment Class 5 **= =**<span style="background-color: #ffffff; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Monday June 17, 2013 **=

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif;">The United States and Belize traditionally have had close and cordial relations. The United States is home to the largest Belizean community outside Belize, estimated to be over 100,000. Belize's economic growth and accompanying democratic political stability are important U.S. objectives. The United States and Belize are working as partners to address the issues of citizen security and transnational crime. The two countries have mutual legal assistance treaties with each other covering stolen vehicles and extraditions. Both governments seek to control the flow of illegal migrants to the United States through Belize. **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif;">U.S. Assistance to Belize ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif;">The United States works closely with the Government of Belize to fight illicit narcotics trafficking, and Belize benefits from the Central America Regional Security Initiative (CARSI). Through CARSI, the U.S. Government seeks to strengthen citizen safety and improve the government’s capacity to confront and disrupt criminal organizations. The Belize Defense Force receives military assistance from the United States. The U.S. military's assistance program in Belize has included the construction and renovation of several schools and youth hostels, medical assistance programs, and drug reduction programs. U.S. military assistance was also critical in establishing Belize’s coast guard. Belize benefits from U.S. Agency for International Development regional programs, and there is a Peace Corps program in the country. Belize has signed a 5-year Central American regional framework agreement with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. **<span style="color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif;">Bilateral Economic Relations ** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif;">The United States is Belize's principal trading partner and major source of investment funds. In 2010, the United States provided 47.9% of Belizean merchandise imports and accounted for 49.1% of Belize's merchandise exports. Some 185 U.S. companies have operations in Belize. Tourism attracts the most foreign direct investment, although U.S. investment also is found in the telecommunications, petroleum, and agricultural sectors.
 * <span style="color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif;">U.S.-BELIZE RELATIONS **

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif;">News Report #2 <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #252525; font-family: Cambria,serif; line-height: 1.5;">Monday June 17

I found these two articles very interesting. Could there be a connection? Who knows, it just seems suspicious. I have noticed several stories discussing the destruction of a Mayan Temple to use the rocks for fill dirt for a road. The local and international communities are outraged at this desecration of pre-hispanic history. It just seems strange that there is a new oil discovery in the same sector.

**<span style="color: #3259d8; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 22pt; text-decoration: none;">[|Will UDP’s Denny Grijalva ever face charges?] ** <span style="color: #999999; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday, June 14, 2013 14:09 <span style="color: #666666; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Belize City, June 12, 2013 The Orange Walk Police Department are dragging their feet with the investigation into the destruction of the archaeological site, Noh Mul, located near Nuevo San Juan village in the Orange Walk north constituency. The BELIZE TIMES has confirmed that the Institute of Archaeology has completed their investigation and the evidence files has been sitting on a desk at the Police Department. The Director of Public Prosecutions had received the file, but returned it to the Police for further evidence gathering. On Wednesday, Prime Minister Dean Barrow left Belizeans in dismay when he disclosed that the Noh Mul file is delayed because the Police were yet to get a statement from the news cameraman who captured video of the destruction taking place, or identify who was the driver of the trucks which were transporting fill from the site. The BELIZE TIMES did some investigating and found out that political interference is the reason why the Police have dragged their feet with the case. At the center of the controversy and the man who has already admitted culpability is UDP Orange Walk Central caretaker, Denny Grijalva. Grijalva’s company equipment was caught red-handed digging into the Mayan site, extracting material for a road fill project in the Deputy Prime Minister Gaspar Vega’s constituency. This occurred on May 9th, 5 long weeks ago. The reprehensible act triggered vast media coverage by the foreign press including CNN, National Geographic, Fox News, ABC, NBC and others. It was an international embarrassment to Belize. It is well known that DPM Vega wields heavy influence in the Orange Walk Police. If the UDP gets away with protecting one of their politicians no one will be reprimanded for the destruction of the 2,300 year old Mayan site. Visit http://youtu.be/zBtb0GOulZQ, I'm sorry but, I could not make a hyperlink for some reason.

**<span style="color: #2e4aa6; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 24pt;">Mother Nature obstructs oil discovery ** <span style="color: #999999; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 8.5pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Friday, June 14, 2013, 14:25 <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">This news item was posted in [|Uncategorized] category and has [|0 Comments] so far. **<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Belize City, June 12, 2013 ** <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The Barrow Administration is running out of gas, literally. The oil fields in Spanish Lookout, discovered in 2005, are expected to be depleted by the year 2020. Already, Government’s revenue from the export of crude oil through Belize Natural Energy is falling, and with no economic plan to stimulate growth the Government has had to resort to praying for another oil find. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">The best prospect came from Maranco Limited’s oil drilling in the Gallon Jug area of the Orange Walk district. In April, a small oil quantity was discovered, but since then their exploration operations have met all sorts of complications. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">First, there was some salt water seepage which created a terrible combustion. The acid used to remove mud turned the oil to tar. Further exploration was delay. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Today, two months later, the company continues to explore unsuccessfully. The company is now experiencing difficulty getting the oil to flow properly. A 2nd well is being drilled, from a horizontal angle, to allow the oil to flow through another direction. This has delayed plans to estimate the quantity of the oil found. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">Another company, US Capital, has also been drilling in the Toledo District, but the San Juan #3 well has turned out no oil discovery. <span style="color: #333333; font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline;">It appears that the thirstier the Barrow Administration gets for oil, Mother Nature just keeps standing in their way.

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