Greetings and Happy New Year! With the publishing of the January 2006 edition of BELIZEmagazine.com - The Internet Magazine of Belize, we begin out third year online. We are very pleased to report that our readership continues to grow by leaps and bounds with each new edition. In fact, our October 2005 edition had over 25,000 readers accessing the magazine.

In this January 2006, Volume Three, Edition One, we are please to have Mr. G. Michael Reid, the spokesperson for the Belize Police Force, as our interview guest for '20 Questions'. Mr. Reid gives a compelling reflection of his life as a prominent Belizean.

Our features in the January 2006 edition include a review of the controversial Cayo Districts Chalillo Dam project that was completed in September and commissioned in November 2005. Because of the impact of the Chalillo Dam on the people and the communities along the impacted area of the Macal River, our BelizeRivers.org report looks at the Macal. And our 'Tropical Backyard Birding' also looks at the spectacular Scarlet Macaw parrot and the habitat for some two hundred birds that was displaced by the dam.

To follow up our critical examination of 'Gringas' in last edition, this January 2006 issue, in order to be balanced, we have an article from the same writer examining 'Gringo Men'. It should be noted that the writer of both articles is a gringo and that both articles are not about any specific person. Instead, the content is based upon our staff's interactions with ‘expat’ gringos in Belize over the last fifteen years.

'Adventures with Charley Wolf' is a fictional account about Belize that looks at the country from the perspective of a European family that relocates to the land by the Caribe Sea, based upon news content gathered throughout the year. The January 2006 edition has the Wolf family this time dealing with the issue of petty theft. Our true life reflecting stories about real Belizeans, 'Profiles In Culture', has been highly acclaimed by many of our readers. This time we report on another Belizean success story about a man that strives to be the best he can in a land of challenges and contradictions.

We have several new departments in the magazine for 2006. 'A Bit of Caribbean History' takes a look at the historical significance of the 47th anniversary of the Cuba Revolution; 'Welcome Onboard' takes the adventurer via Maya Island Airways to Caye Caulker; and 'A Book Review' takes a look at author Lan Sluder's new release, 'Living Abroad In Belize'.

Again we are so pleased that our 'Happy Hour-Tropical Cocktails' will be presented by Travellers Liquors Ltd., the distillers and distributors of the pride and joy of Belize 'One Barrell Rum'. Also 'Secret's of the Belizean Kitchen' will continue to be presented by Grace-Kennedy Ltd., distributors of find food products in Belize and around the world.

Our standard departments also continue providing quality content. 'Health Matters' looks into food for the brain; 'The Belizean Fisherman's Guide to Belize' goes fishing with El Pescador-Ambergris Caye; 'The Archaeological Wonders of Belize' explores the Belize Maya site of Uxbentun; 'Living Wild' looks at the mighty Jaguar; 'Where to Eat in Paradise' dines out at Luna restaurant at the Journey's End Resort on Ambergris Caye; 'It's a Plant's Life too' checks in again with Yvonne Villoria of ‘Dem Dats Doin’ down in the Toledo District; 'Life's A Beach' reflects the beauty of the beachfront at the Green Parrot Beach Houses on the Placencia Peninsula in Maya Beach; and our 'A Photo Essay' presents a photographic journey of the annual August Deer Dance Festival in the far southern Maya village of San Antonio.

All said, we would like to thank our advertisers for making BELIZEmagazine.com possible. We would like to thank the countless writers, photographers and contributors for enabling BELIZEmagazine.com to provide the best in Belizean content on the Internet. Most importantly, we would like to thank you the reader for your undivided attention. As we continue to present everyday life in Belize, we hope you all continue to come along for the ride.

On behalf of the staff of BELIZEmagazine.com - The Internet Magazine of Belize, we hope you have a happy and prosperous new year!