Presidential Pardons and the Auto Industry

I have been reading how President Bush might pardon some people in his administration prior to leaving office. I also read these pardons are absolute and cannot be reversed. I beg to differ.

According to the rules regarding presidential pardons, the following must hold true, otherwise these pardons are null and void.

Before a Presidential pardon is issued,
1) the person must have been convicted of the crime of which they are accused.
2) the person must have been in prison for five years prior to being pardoned.
3) the person must show remorse for their crime.

If President Bush pardons anyone in his administration before these terms are met, the pardon can and should be overturned by the President elect. As there are many people the new President is bringing into key positions, I am sure at least some of them already know the rules governing pardons.

Something Congress should do, before giving any money to the automotive industry, is insist on seeing their entire balance sheet, including stock assets. For years the automobile industry has taken profits and invested in the oil companies. It is time to put that money back into their companies, instead of asking the American taxpayers to bail them out.

The big three have been producing automobiles in Europe that get approximately 75 (seventy-five) miles per gallon. General Motors recalled all their electric cars and crushed them. Then General Motors sold the battery patent to Texaco. This was done to increase the value of their oil stock portfolios. Obviously, their top priority was no longer producing automobiles in America that people wanted, but to expand their other areas of operation. Now they are crying crocodile tears and saying bail us out?

To show the arrogance of the top executives of the Automobile industry, all one had to do was watch their antics before Congress. Not only did they go to Washington in private jets, but when asked what they personally would give up, one said his bonus and another said 'he is all right with the way things were' - in other words, he would give up nothing - not salary, not bonus, not private jet, but he wants tax payer money.

I think it is time for every private industry clamoring for a free hand out, and for Congress, to realize we Americans are not stupid. We have a pretty good common sense idea regarding what is happening in this country and why. The Preamble says - We, the People - not we the corporations. I think it is time for our government to remember that.
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Mayan Caves - A Large Part of Belize's Tourism Industry

The Central American country of Belize gained its independence from Great Britain in 1981. It is in a tropical region, located in between Mexico and Guatemala and to its east is bordered by the Caribbean Sea. Belize is a very culturally diverse nation, and the only Central American country that has English as its official language. Spanish and Belizean Creole or Kriol are also spoken by the ancestors of the Mayan, Spanish, British, African and other ethnic groups in the region, with Kriol being the most popular language actually spoken by the people.

Belize's limestone rich mountains are also home to many caves, and these caves were the home to the religious ceremonies of the Mayans. Archaeologists discovered the use of these caves dates back as far as 1000BC, or more than 3000 years ago. The Mayans believed that the natural karst topography of the region that lends itself toward these types of caves in the sides of limestone or dolomite rock were actually passage ways to the underworld, or the world of the dead.

This tangible ancient history has made Belize a natural tourist attraction for anyone with an interest in the mystical, the ancient, or simply beautiful landscape. The tourism industry in Belize accounts for 25 percent of all employment in there and 18 percent of the country's Gross Domestic Product. The interesting habits of the Mayans during their rituals also makes the goings on inside the caves in Belize so fascinating to many people. There is some evidence that many sacrifices of humans of all ages were likely a typical occurrence.

The Caves Branch Cave System is a very popular tourist destination. Cave tubing tours allow visitors to ride the rivers inside the caves on inner tubes in guided tours of the ancient site. There are also caverns including the Actun Tunichil Muknal, or more easily pronounced ATM, that are accessed on foot. Visitors walk through the river and once inside the cave are able to climb above the water. Inside ATM are many representations of pottery and skeletons.

There is one skeleton of a teenaged female sacrifice victim inside one area of the cave called the Crystal Maiden that has been covered in a sparkling stone over time and who draws a lot of visitors to the cave. Visitors in canoes, on inner tubes, and those swimming and hiking on foot frequently visit Belize to navigate the caves.

Because tourism is such a large part of Belize's economy, there is a lot of attention paid to ensure the safety and entertainment of the tourists that come to this country. The Belizean Tourism Department plays a large role in trying to educate the tourists that come to their country of the rich heritage and long history of the region.

Larry Pudoky frequently produces detailed articles on areas relating to portugal. Through his detailed publications, the writer established his deep knowledge on issues dealing with faro portugal.

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