kueytoc

Skimmer or Reactor ?

Mahathir blames S’pore for racism in M’sia By Angela Lim – September 15th, 2010 A war of words has erupted between Singapore and Malaysia’s former leaders. Ex-Malaysian prime minister Mahathir Mohamad said yesterday that racism in Malaysia is a result of Singapore’s two-year membership there, and not because the island was “turfed out” as suggested by the Republic’s founding father Lee Kuan Yew recently. Rebutting recent comments made by Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Tun Dr Mahathir wrote on his blog, “With the background of Singapore’s activities in Malaysia in the short three (sic) years of its membership, can we really believe that if it had not been ‘turfed out’, race relations would be better in Malaysia?” “While Kwan Yew (sic) talks about his belief that all ethnic communities should free themselves from the shackles of racial segregation in order to promote fairness and equality among races, he also said that ‘once we are by ourselves (out of Malaysia) the ‘Chinese become the majority’.” His remarks were in response to comments Mr Lee made in an interview with The New York Times in which he compared how Singapore and Malaysia handle race relations. Mr Lee had expressed that Malaysia would have achieved much of what Singapore had accomplished if it had accepted a multi-racial base, and described Malaysia as being in a “most unhappy situation”. “I think if the Tunku had kept us together, what we did in Singapore — had Malaysia accepted a multi-racial base for their society– much of what we’ve achieved in Singapore would have been achieved in Malaysia. But not as much because it’s a much broader base. We would have improved inter-racial relations and an improved holistic situation,” Mr Lee said in the NYT interview, referring to Tunku Abdul Rahman. The 85-year-old Dr Mahathir rejected the view, claiming it was “not supported by facts of history”. “Before Singapore joined the Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak to form Malaysia, there was less racial politics in the Federation of Malaysia,” he wrote. Dr Mahathir claimed that after Singapore became a part of Malaysia in 1963, Mr Lee reneged on a promise that the People’s Action Party (PAP) would not participate in Peninsular, Sabah and Sarawak politics and attempted to displace the Malaysian Chinese Association (MCA) in the Alliance by appealing to Chinese sentiments in the Peninsular. “Of course the slogan was ‘Malaysian Malaysia’, which implied that the Chinese were not having equal rights with Malays. If this appeal to Chinese sentiments against the Malays was not racial, I do not know what is racial,” Dr Mahathir said. Instead, he took aim at Singapore politics, claiming “whether the PAP admits it or not, the party has always been led and dominated by ethnic Chinese and has won elections principally because of Chinese votes. The others are not even icing on the cake,” he said. “Amnesia is permissible, but trying to claim it is because Singapore had been ‘turfed out’ for the present racial politics in Malaysia is simply not supported by facts of history,” he added. In Malaysia, opinions were mixed in response to both leaders’ remarks. The Straits Times reported that Umno Youth chief Khairy Jamaluddin said on Monday that Mr Lee’s comments were “ill-informed and coloured with historical bias.” On the other hand, Selangor Menteri Besar Khalid Ibrahim felt that Mr Lee’s comments were a “historical statement”. Selangor executive councillor and opposition politician Teresa Kok agreed, saying Singapore is ahead of Malaysia because it placed merit above race considerations. MCA president Chua Soi Lek admitted that race relations are not as good as they should be. But he told Bernama it would be unfair “to say that Malay leaders always harp on Malay superiority”. Tan Sri Khalid said both Dr Mahathir and Mr Lee had the right to express their opinions on the issue. “You can’t say Singapore has progressed while Malaysia has not. Malaysia’s progress is subject to several constraints, and so is Singapore’s,” he told The Malaysian Insider. “The future is not about that, it’s about how we can work together,” he adds.

KZ’s New ZeoStart 3 and Bio Mate Supplements Eric Michael September 13, 2010 Korallen Zucht, makers of the popular bacterioplankton ZEOvit system have two new reef related products coming out. ZEOStart3 will be making its way into the Basic 4 line up, as an update to the previous ZeoStart2 organic carbon source. ZeoStart is added to fuel bacterial growth within the aquarium and Zeolite reactor. Additionally KZ will be rolling out Bio Mate which they are calling a bacterial concentrate that is good for “cleaning substrate and rock, reduction of mulm deposits and phosphates.” Thomas Pohl writes, “The effect on SPS is a better coloration when you dose normal 2-3 times a week. When you overdose the corals get a little darker but lighter colors come back after a while.” As for what these products actually are? Time may provide some educated guesses, but keep in mind KZ does not release what is inside their little blue bottles.

Ferdinand back to plug United's leaky defence Reuters - 47 minutes ago By Sonia Oxley MANCHESTER, England - Rio Ferdinand will return from injury to shore up Manchester United's defence and striker Wayne Rooney will put aside private turmoil for their Champions League opener against Rangers on Tuesday. Rooney, who last week appealed for privacy after days of media speculation about his marriage, was left out of the squad for Saturday's Premier League trip to Everton as manager Alex Ferguson aimed to spare him abuse from fans of his former club. United conceded two goals in stoppage time to draw 3-3, making news of the dependable Ferdinand's return after knee ligament problems particularly welcome before the all-British Group C match at Old Trafford . "I think Rio will play on Tuesday night," local media quoted Ferguson as saying of the England defender who has been out of action since hurting his knee during training at the World Cup in June. "It's a European tie at home and we've got to take advantage of that." For that reason, Ferguson is likely to stick by his suggestion that Rooney, United's top goalscorer in the competition last year with five goals, will be back in the team after what the striker called an "extremely painful" time. Scottish champions Rangers come into the match on the back of their own last-minute drama after Kenny Miller came off the bench to seal a 2-1 victory over Hamilton Academical on Saturday. 'HARD WORK' The striker said Rangers, who failed to win any of their six Champions League matches last season, will need good fortune against three-times European champions United. "You're playing against one of the best teams in Europe, if not the world," he told BBC Scotland. "It's going to take a lot of hard work and a bit of luck." Rangers expect Steven Whittaker to be fit after he missed Saturday's game with a calf injury sustained on international duty with Scotland but fellow defender Kirk Broadfoot is doubtful after limping off at the weekend with an ankle problem. The clubs' managers know each other well, with Walter Smith having worked as an assistant to Ferguson at United and for the Scotland national team. Ferguson has the upper hand against the club he supported as a boy and who he also played for, with United having beaten Rangers and kept clean sheets in both previous encounters, in the group stage of the 2003-04 Champions League. Police in the English city have stepped up security for the match, bringing in an extra 250 officers, to try to avoid a repeat of the crowd trouble that marred the 2008 UEFA Cup final between Rangers and Zenit St Petersburg. "This an opportunity for the club and the fans to put that behind them and move on and show that they can come and watch football and behave themselves," assistant chief constable Ian Hopkins told Reuters. The other teams in Group C are Spain's Valencia and Turkish champions Bursaspor. Possible teams Manchester United - 1-Edwin Van der Sar; 22-John O'Shea, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 15-Nemanja Vidic, 3-Patrice Evra; 24-Darren Fletcher, 18-Paul Scholes, 11-Ryan Giggs, 17-Nani, 9-Dimitar Berbatov, 10-Wayne Rooney Rangers - 1-Allan McGregor; 16-Steven Whittaker, 24-Madjid Bougherra, 3-David Weir, 5-Sasa Papac; 14-Steven Naismith, 8-Steven Davis, 7-Maurice Edu, 11-Kyle Lafferty, 9-Kenny Miller, 19-James Beattie

Marine Alkalinity from Hanna Checkers Hanna Instruments, the company responsible for the popular line of Hanna Checkers has just released their Marine Alkalinity in the wild for pre-orders. This means of course that for those of you testing Alkalinity the old fashioned way you will be able to get into the 21st century in style. Aquarium Specialty has now started to accept pre-orders for the new Alkalinity checker with these expected to arrive in October of this year. Whats more though is that we now have learned specs of the new device with a estimated range of: 0 to 250ppm (mg/L) along with a resolution of 0.1 ppm (mg/L).

‘Government won’t force PRs to take up citizenship’ By Faris – September 9th, 2010 Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong has clarified recent comments he made regarding the status of Permanent Residents in Singapore. In a dialogue session with grassroots leaders at Marine Parade on Monday, SM Goh suggested that the government will not renew the Permanent Resident (PR) status of some PRs who decline to take up citizenship. According to The Straits Times, SM Goh had said, “Moving forward, we are going to approach some of them to take up Singapore citizenship. If they don’t, then their PR will not be renewed. That’s a better way.” He added that of the 500,000 PRs in Singapore, “maybe 50,000 can be selected to become Singapore citizens, the rest can be PRs contributing to the economy.” SM Goh was responding to a grassroots leader who had suggested offering citizenship to foreigners on an employment pass in order to “bind them to us”. However, his remarks caused confusion and discomfort among Singapore’s large foreign community. A comment thread on expatriate website ExpatSingapore was started on Tuesday with the header: “Singapore to expel 10 per cent of permanent residents”. Following media queries, SM Goh’s press secretary, Mr Ho Tong Yen, said in a statement that SM Goh’s comment was a “general observation to illustrate the point that the Government would be managing the inflow of PRs and would encourage some of those who are already here to become Singapore citizens.” Mr Ho also clarified that “the figure of 10 per cent which SM give away was only for illustration purposes.” “It is not a target, nor is it the case that all PRs who turn down the offer of Singapore citizenship would not have their PR status renewed,” he added. 35-year-old businessman, Arumai Chandran, an Indian national who has been a PR since 2004, was happy to hear of the clarification. He told ST, “It’s not correct to force PRs to become citizens because we are still contributing to Singapore.” “But I’m glad the government is not putting pressure on me to do so,” he added. Political observers highlighted that SM Goh’s remarks ignited a debate because it was seen as a departure from the government’s previous stance of allowing PRs to make their own decision on becoming citizens. Dr Terence Chong of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) told the same paper, “It’s very out of character for the Government to give PRs an ultimatum.” “If you want to compete for talent, you must have the ethos of an open-door policy,” he added. Associate Professor Paulin Straughan also welcomed the clarification made by SM Goh. She noted that she preferred persuading PRs to take up citizenship rather than through a “punishment” which the threat to revoke their PR status could be seen as. “The PRs we have are people with options. They are talented people wanted elsewhere. If we push them away, they will leave…(and) we end up shooting ourselves in the foot,” she said.

Are foreigners driving up property prices? By Mr. Propwise (courtesy of PropertyGuru) – September 8th, 2010 With the growth of Permanent Residents and non-residents far exceeding that of citizens over the last five years, there’s been a growing sentiment among Singaporeans that foreigners are crowding out the market and pushing up property prices. From 2004 to 2009, the number of PRs and non-residents grew at a compounded annual growth rate of 8.4 percent and 10.7 percent respectively, versus 0.9 percent for citizens (and 3.7 percent for the total population). Over this period, a total of 677,000 foreigners (PRs plus non-residents) were added to the population versus 172,000 citizens. In other words, foreigners accounted for about 80 percent of the growth in Singapore’s population over the last five years. By the end of June 2010, Singapore’s total population hit 5.08 million with foreigners accounting for 36 percent — that’s one foreigner for every two Singaporeans. A growing population certainly adds to housing demand, and in this case, the growth has mostly been from the increasing number of foreigners. This increased housing demand comes in the form of renters and buyers. More buyers would push up property prices directly, while more renters would do so indirectly as higher rents would improve rental yields and entice investors to enter the market. Another way to look at this issue is by the rising proportion of foreigners buying private homes here. Foreigners (including PRs) accounted for 15.5 percent of total private home purchases in the first quarter of 2009, and that has risen to 23.7 percent in the second quarter of 2010 – so foreigners are playing a larger role in the private property market. But foreigners are not the only factor supporting property prices. The current environment of low interest (and mortgage) rates makes it easier for buyers to leverage up and pay higher prices. For example, a household earning S$8,000 per month can afford to borrow $811,312 when mortgage rates are at 1.5 percent, versus $586,491 when they are at 4 percent (assuming a 30 year loan and 35 percent of income spent servicing the mortgage). Also, incomes are rising and Singapore residents are becoming wealthier. The Inland Revenue Authority Of Singapore (IRAS), recently reported that the amount of personal income taxes received from individual tax payers rose from S$5.4 billion to S$6.1 billion in fiscal year 2009/2010, a 13 percent increase. With GDP growth expected to be 15 percent in 2010, income and wealth are likely to increase as well. So it’s not just the growing population (mainly from foreigners), but also cheap money (interest rates are the price of money) and rising incomes which are supporting property prices. An additional factor could be the growing interest from foreign investors who are attracted by Singapore’s cosmopolitan buzz and strong currency. These factors have contributed to a buoyant property market – prices rose 11 percent in the first half of 2010, and price levels have exceeded the historical peak reached in the second quarter of 1996. In response, the government announced new measures on August 30, aiming to reduce the amount of speculative and investment demand in the housing market. In particular, the measures emphasise the role of HDB flats as a vehicle to fulfill resident end user demand and not investor demand. Also, the planned increase in supply of HDB flats (22,000 Built to Order, 8,000 Executive Condominium and 7,000 Design, Build and Sell Scheme flats) are meant to moderate the rapid price increases experienced in the past few years. Going forward, despite tighter controls of population growth and foreign worker inflow, Singapore’s overall population is still expected to hit 6 million by 2020. For 2010, due to the booming economy, around 80,000 new foreign workers will be needed. This growing population (mainly from “importing” foreigners) and rising incomes will continue to support end user demand in the long term. Mr. Propwise is the founder of Singapore property blog www.propwise.sg, which aims to help people make better real estate buying, selling, renting and investing decisions.

'Talk-Kock Sing-Song' Were SM Gohs comments justified? COMMENT By Faris September 8th, 2010 Senior Minister Goh Chok Tongs recent remarks that Singaporeans should stop griping and put their problems in perspective have ignited a fair amount of debate. The Straits Times reports that SM Goh made the following comments during a Malay community event last Saturday: Its important that we do not complain too much when we cant get the house that we want, we cant get the carpark that we want, when the MRT trains are a little crowded. We are in fact quite fortunate. These are problems created by our own success. There are many people who are not able to benefit from our overall success. Just remember them as we also try to solve our problems at the top end, he added. His remarks though have since attracted a fair bit of criticism from those who feel the issues addressed legitimate areas of concern. Social services executive, Lai Mun Loon, told the same paper, Mr Goh must have missed the point. If you created the problems, then solve them… We give our feedback as concerned citizens. We dont want to reach the point where were left with no recourse and no one wants to listen to us any more. Another, Arena Loo, 32, added,I dont think these are just complaints. There is genuine unhappiness among the large middle class and if you suppress them, there will be social tension. I, for one, am of the view that both parties have their point. Yes, we must consider the plight of those in the lower-income brackets as mentioned by SM Goh. If one goes to a Meet-the-People session or helps to bring food to the disadvantaged as I often have, the average Singaporean will be startled to see the substantial number of lower-income people who consistently require some form of financial assistance. Perhaps, ironically, the government has only itself to blame for perfecting a system which too often harps on the importance of success, excellence and meritocracy which has inadvertently led to blinkered Singaporeans adopting a self-centred, me first attitude. But, at the same time, I can see the other side of the coin. Being a 21-year-old Malay undergraduate, I am sincerely worried about what the future holds for my generation and the ones after. Will I be able to afford a home? Will I be able to raise my family and look after my parents in Singapore? Will I be displaced by a foreigner when it comes to employment? These are bread-and-butter questions the government must think about for the benefit of future generations. General overcrowding in tiny Singapore and rising property prices are legitimate concerns and the government must be wary of waiving off these concerns as mere gripes and instead tackle the root of the issues head-on. Higher HDB prices would make it unaffordable for young couples dreaming of building a family home. With the already high cost of living, sky-rocketing home prices would only place unnecessary strain on their finances. This would translate into low birth rates as having children would be seen as an additional financial burden. The influx of immigrants is making an already overcrowded Singapore even more crowded. The important thing is to educate them on our ethos, values and the very fundamentals that this country was built upon. Social stability is sacrosanct and synonymous to the success of this country. Thus, it is vital to ensure that these immigrants understand the various cultures and religions and the significance of racial harmony. This would serve as barriers to formation of enclaves among their own kind. I am also hopeful that they, too, will be told to put their problems in perspective and think of the poor and hungry. I spoke to some of my peers and friends and they generally agreed that Singaporeans must look at the bigger picture of things. Among them, Khairulanwar Zaini, a 22-year-old undergraduate said, It is important to see things through a bigger perspective. I think that the government should find ways to address the concerns and assist the poor as well. Lecturer, Michael Rebaczonok, in his 40s said, Their concerns are justified and it happens in every other society that the people will gripe over certain issues. But we have to look at things in perspective and count our blessings because there are people who are still struggling to make a living. I dont envy the huge task facing the government because it is nigh impossible to please everyone all the time. But having said that, I hope they listen to the people and hear what they have to say because, gripe or not, these complaints could be but mere symptoms of a deeper malaise. Some Feedbacks: henryhenry55 I've been through good and bad times with Singaporeans since 1965. Dear Mr SM Goh. After hearing your comments and speeches and taking Singaporeans' feedback as complaints and for not caring for the poor and needy, I'm very deeply dissappointed. Feedback comes in all forms and ways. Some might not be soothing to your ears and eyes, some might be seen as against the government, some might seen as being uncaring etc etc. However, deep down, our government should know that these are true facts and are affecting, not just the poor, but the majority, average Singaporeans as well. Some average Singaporeans would become "poor" by policies that were skewed towards money making rather than caring for the welfare of Singaporeans as a whole. If Singapore prospers, its people must come first ... not foreigners and not those PRs (those wanted to be on PR status only). As per the statistic, the ageing population is getting higher ... which means more retirements and joblesses on the way. Translating to monetary terms ... it means either no future income and declining in savings vs high spiralling cost of living. In short ... age goes up, savings go down, but daily expenses up. Major contribution to high cost of living are mainly attributed to high influx of foreigners ... like the socall FTs and PRs. However, the only consolation speech from you was the conversion of PRs to Citizenship ... failure which their PR status will be taken away. There is no such thing as "Net Happiness" if policies are fair all round. Policies set must be fair to all Singaporeans - the Rich (they have work hard for it), the Average (the middle income group) and the Poor ... with more help given to the poor and needy. Prior to future policies implemention, I sincerely hope Singaporeans' welfare be given 1st priority. Thanks. criticise When Singaporeans are still trying to make their ends meet, and coping with urban stress as a result of the ultra-liberal immigration policy that led to hikes in living costs, the last thing we all want to hear is some elitist, MIWs up their comfortably in their ivory towers reprimanding us for being complainy, whiny, and blaming us for this and that. We don't compare ourselves with the past. Singapore today cannot be compared with the so-called fishing village decades back and just because of this, we rest on our laurels and tell ourselves that we're already better off these days, so we should shut up. This is off the point: the fact is that we always try to look ahead and compare ourselves with better societies which can advance economically and politically ahead of us. And, Mr Goh, please also prevent from the same old things MIWs like to use, like saying: look at Singapore, we're already much better than our neighbours, blah blah blah, and then self-praise MIWs' contributions over the past decades, again blah blah blah non stop and then telling us Singaporeans to shut our mouth. Where is the Swiss standard of living once promised to us? Not only we Singaporeans are denied of this, we're also put through so much suffering. It's one thing to break a promise, quite another to add on to that by increasing suffering. Do you know that your policies brought misery to alot of Singaporeans, including young Singaporeans who have their dreams? Do you know your policies dashed the dreams of us all? Of course, you don't know because you're sitting comfortably up there in the ivory tower, and when you've the chance to identify the problems and do something about this, you and your fellow MIW colleagues choose to turn a blind eye, until elections come. We see how desperate you're trying to win back the votes of Singaporeans. Your comments, at this point of time, are nothing but a blatant display of insensitivity put up at a time when Singaporeans are straining under the rising costs of living plus stagnated salaries, and we didn't see our country's economic growth translated into our well-being unless elections come. Your comments are not befitting of a politician but merely a corporate CEO who's trying to reprimand your employees. Singapore is not Singapore Inc, this is a country and we Singaporeans are not your slaves or employees. In fact, it should be the other way round: you MIWs are supposed to serve us people for the obscenely high salaries we pay you from our taxes. Your comments are also a poorly-disguised attempt to cover up for the mistakes committed by the MIWs in the failed policies so far. And we Singaporeans are expected to pay for your mistakes, and we still have to endure your comments. So, please, knowing that you're a public figure, please think carefully before you speak. We're no longer daft Singaporeans hoodwinked by you, so do think carefully unless you want to shoot yourself in the foot by making those uncalled-for comments. And, please don't add further injury to insult by trying to gain political mileage from the poor and destitute of Singapore. They're the ones who have been neglected and overlooked by you MIWs, if we don't want to forget how MCYS spent almost SGD400 million on YOG but a pitiful amount on ComCare. The poor and destitute, they may be poor and destitute, but they're certainly not daft to believe that MIWs are caring for them.

Rooney scores as England down Swiss AFP - Wednesday, September 8 BASEL, Switzerland (AFP) - – Scandal-hit Wayne Rooney scored as England seized control of their Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with a comfortable 3-1 victory over 10-man Switzerland here Tuesday. Rooney, whose preparation for the match had been engulfed by lurid tabloid allegations about his private life, found the net after 10 minutes to help put Fabio Capello's men on top of Group G with two wins out of two. Substitutes Adam Johnson and Darren Bent also scored for the visitors in what will be regarded as a hugely encouraging result for England following such a miserable World Cup, in which they lost 4-1 to Germany in the last 16. The result was marred by injuries to Theo Walcott and Jermain Defoe, both carried off on a stretcher, but it leaves England on six points from two games, and gives Rooney accused of cheating on his wife with a prostitute, with some kind of personal satisfaction at the end of a hugely trying week. The result -- and Rooney's role in it -- left Capello delighted. "I think we played fantastic football in the first half," Capello said. Asked how he rated Rooney's performance, Capello replied: "You saw the game, no? I think he played well. He was at the centre of the play, the centre of the movement. I think the pressure was strong for him but he played well." England captain Steven Gerrard praised a "spot on" performance which had seen the Swiss "torn apart." "I think the first-half performance was perfect," Gerrard told Sky Sports. "Everything the manager asked of us, we got the game plan spot on. "I think we got a little bit lazy in the second half, they came into the game, but it was never in doubt," he said. "People were talking about how good Switzerland are defensively, but we just tore them apart." As for Switzerland, they scored possibly the goal of the game through substitute Xherdan Shaqiri despite having Stephan Lichtsteiner controversially sent off after 65 minutes and left the field frustrated with the refereeing of official Nicola Rizzoli. But it will be Rooney who earns the headlines, as he has been used to doing so many times during his fledgling career. After the seemingly endless revelations about his private life, those who know Rooney best insisted he was a certainty to score and play well in Basel - and they were proved right. The Manchester United striker, playing in a deep role behind Defoe, took only 10 minutes to get on the scoresheet as he side-footed home from six yards following excellent work down the right wing by full-back Glen Johnson. It was Rooneys first goal in open play since March and, remarkably given his reputation and talent, his first for England since September 2009; a barren period which of course included a dismal World Cup campaign. Rooneys celebrations were under-stated but Englands fans, who cheered his every touch despite booing him at Wembley recently, roared their delight. England suffered a set-back when Arsenal winger Walcott, who had started the move for Rooneys goal, was injured in the process and subsequently rushed to hospital for X-Rays on an ankle injury. But his replacement Adam Johnson of Manchester City continued his good work down the right flank and if anything improved on it. Defoe wasted one excellent chance from a James Milner cross to put England further ahead and also forced Swiss goalkeeper Diego Benaglio into a fine save as the visitors enjoyed the more constructive possession early on. Switzerland's task was made harder in the second half when Lichtsteiner was sent off for his second yellow card, a late challenge on Milner when the ball was already going out for a corner in the 65th minute. England made it 2-0 when, with Defoe lying injured, play continued and winger Johnson raced onto a perfect through-ball from Gerrard to expertly round keeper Benaglio. A stunning goal from Shaqiri, curling home from 25 yards seconds later, made it a frantic finale but England, and Rooney, ended the night with a sense of satisfaction - especially when Bent, a replacement for the injured Defoe, side-footed home a third two minutes from time.

Sharp aftershock rattles quake-weary New Zealand city Reuters - 2 hours 56 minutes ago WELLINGTON - Authorities in New Zealand's quake-ravaged Christchurch city extended a state of emergency for another seven days on Wednesday, as a strong aftershock cut power and closed a key highway, with the region told it can expect quakes for months to come. The magnitude 5.1 aftershock at around 8 p.m. British time was not the largest since Saturday's 7.1 major quake, but scientists said it felt the strongest as it was shallower and located closer to the centre of the country's second-largest city. "There will continue to be aftershocks for months, but the frequency and magnitude will diminish over time," Jennifer Coppola, a scientist at state-funded science agency GNS Science said. There have been about 135 aftershocks above magnitude 3, including two at 5.4 since Saturday, and the largest may not have struck yet. "The rule of thumb is that the largest aftershock should be expected to be about one order of magnitude below the main quake, so about six," Coppola told Reuters. The latest shake closed the highway between the city and the adjoining port town of Lyttelton with reports of cracks in a tunnel. There were reports of further debris falling from already damaged buildings, and people were evacuated from some offices in the central business district as checks were made. Christchurch mayor Bob Parker said every aftershock was a setback to a city trying to get back on its feet. "We're gradually making progress but we're in a very unpredictable situation," Parker told Radio New Zealand. The main quake which struck at 4.35 a.m. local time on Saturday was New Zealand's most destructive since 1931, with an estimated 100,000 of the region's 160,000 homes believed to have been damaged. There were no deaths and only two serious injuries in the city of 350,000. A state of emergency, which was due to expire later on Wednesday was extended to give authorities the necessary powers to control and direct recovery operations. The latest aftershock temporarily cut power to about 30,000 customers but supplies were quickly restored. Around 500 consumers, mainly in rural areas, are still without power, and water and sewage services have been restored to around 90 percent of the city. More than 300 people are in welfare centres because their houses are uninhabitable. The initial estimate of repairing the damage has been put at NZ$2 billion and Prime Minister John Key has pledged the government will step in to help with the cost of rebuilding. The quake's epicentre was a previously unknown fault line about 20 km . The quake was among the 10 strongest recorded in New Zealand and the most damaging since the North Island city of Napier was devastated in 1931. New Zealand, which sits between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, records on average more than 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which about 20 would normally top magnitude 5.0.

New Zealand extends emergency following aftershock AFP - 59 minutes ago CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand (AFP) - – New Zealand authorities extended a state of emergency in quake-hit Christchurch Wednesday after the most damaging aftershock since a powerful weekend quake. The 5.0-magnitude aftershock struck just below the surface at 7:49 am (1949 GMT Tuesday) sending frightened residents rushing into the streets, cutting power supplies and bringing down loose material from already damaged buildings. The city's civil defence headquarters and a welfare centre sheltering people made homeless in Saturday's tremor were temporarily evacuated. An estimated 1,000 motorists in a 1.9-kilometre (1.2-mile) tunnel linking Christchurch to the nearby port of Lyttleton received a scare when the aftershock opened up cracks in the structure. The tunnel was closed as a precaution but later reopened after engineers found the damage was superficial. The latest quake was just one kilometre (half a mile) deep and much closer to the city centre than Saturday's quake, which caused billions of dollars of damage, seismologists said. The civil defence ministry said a state of emergency in Christchurch due to expire at midday Wednesday (0000 GMT) had been extended for another week. Prime Minister John Key said while authorities were keen for the city and surrounding areas to return to normal as soon as possible, public safety remained the top priority. "As this disaster unfolds what we're seeing is some areas are much more badly affected than we thought they were and, in fact, the damage is much greater than we thought it was," he told reporters on a tour of some of the region's worst-hit areas. Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the intensity of the latest quake reduced many emergency workers to tears. "It was a devastatingly, vicious sharp blow to the city," he told NewstalkZB radio. "This was a terrifying moment." Parker said the force of the latest aftershock meant there would "inevitably" be more damage to already weakened buildings, adding that the ongoing aftershocks were taking their toll on the city's 340,000 residents. "We have got staff in tears, we have got fire engines going through the middle of the city, power is out and a lot of people are very, very churned up by that." More than 100 aftershocks have rocked the area since Saturday. "I'm bloody terrified all over again," resident Colleen Simpson told the Stuff website after Wednesday's aftershock. Christchurch City Council spokeswoman Diane Keenan said: "The jolt was absolutely huge. A really big, stiff jolt. And it was vertical, rather than side to side like the first one. If you were in a car the road moved up and down." The latest quake came as staff were making their way to work at the few shops and companies in the inner city which have been able to open this week. They were immediately told to leave. Nobody was killed in Saturday's powerful quake, although many residents reported close shaves. The Canterbury health service said some minor cuts and bruises were reported after Wednesday's aftershock but nothing serious. Parker said assessment teams were heading into the quake-scarred city to check the damage. "We were starting to think, maybe, just maybe, we are over the worst of this and now we have had this shocking event," he said. Officials estimate up to 100,000 homes were damaged in Saturday's quake, which caused damage estimated at two billion dollars (1.45 billion US).

Big aftershock again rocks New Zealand city By ROB GRIFFITH,Associated Press Writer - Wednesday, September 8 CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – A magnitude-5.1 aftershock that hammered New Zealand's earthquake-hit city of Christchurch on Wednesday morning sparked evacuations and fresh damage to buildings, causing authorities to extend a state of emergency for another week. The latest quake, just four miles (6.4 kilometers) below the surface and centered six miles (10 kilometers) southeast of the city, was felt by residents as the strongest aftershock in Christchurch since Saturday's 7.1 magnitude earthquake wrecked hundreds of buildings. Nobody was reported injured by the latest temblor. "My guts is just churning up here. When will this thing end? It is like living in a maelstrom," Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said as workers streamed from the city's emergency headquarters. "We have got staff in tears, we have got fire engines going through the middle of the city, power is out and a lot of people are very, very churned up by that," he told the NewstalkZB radio station. "It was a devastatingly, vicious sharp blow to the city." Initial reports from geological agency GNS Science that the Wednesday morning temblor was magnitude-6.1 were quickly corrected downward. Officials closed the city's main road tunnel for inspection due to concerns that the aftershock may have caused cracking to the tunnel and retaining walls leading to it, New Zealand Transport Agency local spokesman Peter Connors said. The tunnel, built in the 1960s, links Christchurch city to the port of Lyttelton. More than 140 aftershocks have rattled the region since Saturday, and earthquake experts warned Tuesday that another strong temblor might hammer the region in coming days. The weekend's powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake smashed buildings and homes, wrecked roads and disrupted the central city, though nobody was killed and only two people were seriously injured _ which authorities attributed to good building codes and the quake's early morning timing. "It was as strong as the earthquake in Haiti earlier this year, which caused widespread devastation and is estimated to have killed approximately 230,000 people," Prime Minister John Key said. "Although no one lost their life ... families have been traumatized and lost their valued possessions." On Wednesday, Key traveled north of the city to inspect houses in the town of Kaiapoi that had been torn from their foundations by the quake. "It shows you how well the building code works in New Zealand as they had been picked up, ripped apart and yet the structure has survived enough that people could escape," Key said after looking through one wrecked house. "As this disaster unfolds what we're seeing is some areas are much more badly affected than we thought they were, and, in fact, the damage is much greater than we thought it was," Key told reporters. The city center remained cordoned off by troops Wednesday, as authorities extended a state of civil emergency for another seven days. Only building owners and workers are allowed into the central city to begin clearing up the mess _ with much of the center taking on the mantle of a ghost town Quake experts said aftershocks likely will continue for several weeks _ and the worst of them may be yet to come. "It is still possible that we'll have a magnitude-6 in the next week, and people ought to be aware of that, particularly if they are around structures which are already damaged," said Ken Gledhill, a monitor at GNS Science. "For a shallow earthquake like this, they will go on for weeks." Key called off a planned nine-day trip to Britain and France, citing what he called the quake zone's continuing "instability." The New Zealand government has said it plans to pay at least 90 percent of the hundreds of millions of dollars needed to rebuild Christchurch's water, waste water and road infrastructure. In a statement Tuesday to Parliament, Key pledged to remove bottlenecks to reconstruction and said the government "is prepared to step up financially to rebuild the region." The main quake struck at 4:35 a.m. Saturday near the South Island city of 400,000 people, ripping open a new fault line in the earth's surface, destroying hundreds of buildings and cutting power, which has been gradually restored in recent days. The government has said that at least 100,000 of the region's 160,000 homes sustained some damage. New Zealand sits above an area where two tectonic plates collide. The country records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year _ but only about 150 are felt by residents. Fewer than 10 a year do any damage. New Zealand's last major earthquake registered magnitude 7.8 and hit South Island's Fiordland region on July 16, 2009, moving the southern tip of the country 12 inches (30 centimeters) closer to Australia. Associated Press Writer Ray Lilley in Wellington contributed to this report.

PHEW !...lucky moi never buy. EcoTech Marine bids adieu to VorTech MP20, ceasing production EcoTech Marine has decided to cease production of its VorTech MP20 after nearly two years. The pump aimed at the 70-gallon and under market, most likely faced dwindling sales after the introduction of the VorTech MP10 last year. The main selling point for the MP20 was offering a less expensive pump that was upgradeable to a full-fledged MP40 down the line in case you wanted more punch. More details after the break. We can only speculate at this point but most likely the sales of the MP20 has not been large enough to justify continuing the production with the company deciding to focusing its production efforts around the MP10 and MP40 with the new EcoSmart drivers. According to EcoTech Marine, there are only around 24 of the MP20 that will be produced and will most likely be completely out of inventory in less than a month. The company also announced the original MP10, without the next generation EcoSmart technology, will also be discontinued once its inventory of approximately 200 units is depleted. This really comes as no surprise as the benefits of the next generation EcoSmart technology is a major improvement over the earlier devices without the cost being too significant on the consumer. Tightening the production of the VorTech line to focus on the next generation devices makes sense and we look forward to seeing great technology from EcoTech Marine in the future.

Quake-hit New Zealand city remains shut Reuters - 59 minutes ago WELLINGTON - A state of emergency after a 7.1 magnitude earthquake is keeping much of New Zealand's second-biggest city shut on Monday but financial markets have mostly shrugged off the quake as the long-term economic impact is seen limited. Many businesses in the South Island city of Christchurch remain closed as a state of emergency was extended until Wednesday after the country's most damaging earthquake in 80 years tore up roads, smashed water and sewer pipes, and severely damaged many buildings. New Zealand's dollar eased slightly while government debt fell on fears of increased bond issuance but stocks were higher as the estimated NZ$2 billion damage bill was seen relatively light and could not derail a rally fuelled from overseas markets. Economists predicted the quake could eat into New Zealand's economic growth this year and keep interest rates on hold until there is more clarity on the impact. "Overall there will be a negative impact on economic activity, with Christchurch accounting for about 15 percent of GDP," ANZ-National Bank senior economist Khoon Goh said, adding the exact impact cannot yet be quantified. "It also means the Reserve Bank of New Zealand will most likely be on hold in September," Goh said. But some predicted the quake -- which claimed no lives and resulted in only two serious injuries -- could add to growth in 2011 as rebuilding efforts ramp up. "We've got to move to the rebuilding and refocusing stages, how we get Christchurch up and running again," Prime Minister John Key told Television New Zealand. Shares of New Zealand's largest listed company, construction and building materials firm Fletcher Building Ltd jumped more than 4 percent on opening and last traded up 4.5 percent NZ$8.10. Insurance and financial company AMP Ltd fell 4.6 percent in early trade to NZ$6.30. The government's state-disaster fund, the Earthquake Commission, is expected to be able to cover the cost of repairing the damage. The epicentre of the quake was 20 kilometres to the west of Christchurch, a city of 350,000 which supports the agricultural-based economy of New Zealand's South Island. The Christchurch City Council estimated about 500 buildings have been damaged, with hundreds of people spending the first two nights in emergency shelters. The quake was among the 10 strongest recorded in New Zealand, which sits between the Pacific and Indo-Australian tectonic plates, and records around 14,000 earthquakes a year, of which around 20 top magnitude 5.0. It is the most damaging quake in New Zealand since the North Island city of Napier was devastated in 1931. The last fatal quake was in 1968 when an earthquake measuring 7.1 killed three people on the South Island's West Coast.

NZ cleans up after quake that tore new fault line By ROB GRIFFITH,Associated Press Writer - Sunday, September 5 CHRISTCHURCH, New Zealand – The powerful earthquake that smashed buildings, cracked roads and twisted rail lines around the New Zealand city of Christchurch also ripped a new fault line in the Earth's surface, a geologist said Sunday. At least 500 buildings, including 90 in the downtown area, have been designated as destroyed by the 7.1-magnitude quake that struck at 4:35 a.m. Saturday near the South Island city of 400,000 people. Most other buildings sustained only minor damage. Only two serious injuries were reported from the quake as chimneys and walls of older buildings were reduced to rubble and crumbled to the ground. Prime Minister John Key said it was a miracle no one was killed. Part of the reason the city escaped major injuries was because the quake happened before dawn, Key said. "If this had happened five hours earlier or five hours later (when many more people were in the city), there would have been absolute carnage in terms of human life," he told TV One News Sunday. The quake cut power across the region, blocked roads with debris, and disrupted gas and water supplies, but Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said services were being restored Sunday. Power was back to 90 percent of the city and water supply had resumed for all but 15 to 20 percent of residents, he said. Portable toilets have been provided and tanks of fresh water placed around the city for residents. Parker said it would take a long time to fully fix some core services such as water and sewage. "Our first priority is just people," he said. "That's our worry." Up to 90 extra police officers were flown into Christchurch to help, and troops were likely to join the recovery effort on Monday, he said. As the recovery work gathered pace, forecasters warned strong winds would buffet the area, creating problems with flying debris. WeatherWatch forecaster Philip Duncan said gale force winds of 40 mph (65 kph) and stronger "could cause serious issues for trees and buildings that were weakened in (Saturday's) huge earthquake." Specialist engineering teams began assessing damage to all central city buildings on Sunday, said Paul Burns of the city's search and rescue service. Officials said schools across the region would remain closed for the next two days to allow time to check whether they were safe. Canterbury University geology professor Mark Quigley said what "looks to us that it could be a new fault" had ripped across the ground and pushed some surface areas up. The quake was caused by the ongoing collision between the Pacific and Australian tectonic plates, said Quigley, who is leading a team trying to pin down the source of the quake. "One side of the earth has lurched to the right ... up to 11 feet (3.5 meters) and in some places been thrust up," Quigley told National Radio. "The long linear fracture on the earth's surface does things like break apart houses, break apart roads. We went and saw two houses that were completely snapped in half by the earthquake," he said. Roger Bates, whose dairy farm at Darfield was close to the quake's epicenter 19 miles (30 kilometers) west of Christchurch, said the new fault line had ripped up the surface of his land. "The whole dairy farm is like the sea now, with real (soil) waves right across the dairy farm. We don't have physical holes (but) where the fault goes through it's been raised a meter or meter and a half (three to five feet)," he told National Radio. "Trouble is, I've lost two meters (six feet) of land off my boundary," he added. Experts said the low number of injuries in the powerful quake also reflects the country's strict building codes. "Thank God for earthquake strengthening 10 years ago," the Anglican dean of Christchurch, the Rev. Peter Beck, told TV One News on Sunday. Euan Smith, professor of Geophysics at Victoria University, speculated that the very soft soils of Christchurch had "acted like a shock absorber over a short period ... doing less damage to smaller buildings." Prime Minister Key, who flew to Christchurch to inspect the damage, said the city "looks like something off a movies set," with wrecked buildings, buckled roads, broken water mains and sewage systems and some flooding caused by broken water pipes. Scientists from GNS Science began installing 40 portable seismographs in the region Sunday to record seismic data from the continuing stream of aftershocks. More than 60 had been recorded by mid-afternoon Sunday. Seismologists study aftershock sequences to help learn more about the mechanics of the main quake, and to check whether stress in the Earth's crust has been transferred to other faults in the region. New Zealand sits above an area where two tectonic plates collide. The country records more than 14,000 earthquakes a year _ but only about 150 are felt by residents. Fewer than 10 a year do any damage. New Zealand's last major earthquake registered magnitude 7.8 and hit South Island's Fiordland region on July 16, 2009, moving the southern tip of the country 12 inches (30 centimeters) closer to Australia, seismologist Ken Gledhill said at the time. Associated Press Writer Ray Lilley in Wellington contributed to this report.

Vatican says in touch with Iran over stoning case AFP - Monday, September 6 CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (AFP) - The Vatican said on Sunday it was in contact with Tehran over the case of an Iranian woman sentenced to death by stoning for adultery amid a global diplomatic push for clemency. The Vatican said it was using "diplomatic channels" to intervene in the case, while Italy urged Iran for a "act of clemency". Sakineh Mohammadi-Ashtiani, a 43-year-old mother of two, is facing the death penalty after being convicted of having an extramarital relationship in a case that has sparked an international campaign for her release. "The Holy See is following this affair with attention and commitment," Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi said in a statement issued in response to journalists' questions on the matter. "The position of the Church, opposed to the death penalty, is known and stoning is a particularly brutal form," he said. Intervention by the head of the Roman Catholic Church on humanitarian questions takes place through diplomatic channels, and this sort of action has been taken a number of times in the past, the statement said. Pope Benedict XVI did not make any mention of the case at the traditional Angelus blessing on Sunday. Meanwhile, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini on Sunday called on Tehran to grant clemency in the case, the ANSA news agency reported. While reiterating his "full respect for Iranian sovereignty," Frattini said "only an act of clemency could save the life of this person." He added that contacts had taken place with the Iranian embassy in Rome. Frattini also recently said he had arranged to meet his Iranian counterpart Manouchehr Mottaki on the sidelines of the forthcoming UN General Assembly in New York. The plight of Mohammadi-Ashtiani, who was also convicted of being an accomplice in her husband's death, which she has denied, has caused a global uproar. Tehran meanwhile has provisionally suspended the death sentence. On Saturday, Mohammadi-Ashtiani's son Sajjad said she had also been sentenced to 99 lashes for a photo of her without a headscarf published in a British newspaper. A French petition has been signed by two former French presidents and Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the wife of President Nicolas Sarkozy. A hardline Iranian newspaper branded Bruni-Sarkozy a prostitute for signing the petition, with the French government describing the slur as "unacceptable". France has urged the European Union to threaten new sanctions against the Iranian regime over the stoning case, while EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said talks were taking place with Tehran. Mohammadi-Ashtiani's son called on the international community to continue the campaign, and appealed to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to use his country's ties with Iran to assist in her release. Lula has already tried in vain to convince Iran to let Mohammadi-Ashtiani take asylum in Brazil instead of being executed.

Wayne Rooney cheated on pregnant wife: reports By yahoosingapore – September 5th, 2010 Two separate British tabloids have reported that England superstar Wayne Rooney had a long-running affair with a high-class escort while his wife was pregnant. The Daily Mail and The News of the World both carried separate exclusives on Sunday which said the Manchester United striker slept with a Jennifer Thompson several times over a four-month period. The Daily Mail reports the England star — who’s been married to his wife Coleen for two years after dating for six before that — even had a threesome with Thompson and a fellow escort. Thompson, 21, who charges S$2,500-a-night, claims she and a friend met Rooney in June last year at a Manchester casino, five months before wife Coleen gave birth to their son Kai. After exchanging numbers, Rooney reportedly met Thompson one week later at a five-star Manchester hotel for a threesome with a friend. She said the “relationship” then carried on for several months after, with Rooney texting her to arrange meet-ups and paying in cash every time. It’s reported that Rooney broke the news to his “devastated” wife earlier in the weekend after lawyers had tried unsuccessfully to prevent the allegations from being published three weeks ago. Another British tabloid, The News of the World, even reported that Rooney invited Thompson back to his marital home several times while his wife was out. While Rooney has yet to make a public statement on the reports, the England superstar could stand to lose millions in endorsements if the reports are true. It’s not the first time Rooney is facing intense spotlight for his private life away from football. In 2004, Rooney admitted he had visited brothels in Liverpool as a 16-year-old and even admitted to paying for sex with a 48-year-old grandmother. The recent reports also questioned if the allegations were in part to blame for Rooney’s dismal World Cup campaign in South Africa, where he failed to score a single goal. Ironically though, Rooney had a starring role in England’s most recent win — a 4-0 victory over Bulgaria in England’s opening 2012 European Championship qualifier on Saturday. Although he’s been included in the England squad to face Switzerland on Tuesday (Wednesday morning, S’pore time), it’s unclear the extent of damage the reports will have on his career or reputation in the short-term. Milner hoping Rooney ready for Swiss AFP - Monday, September 6 LONDON (AFP) - – England's James Milner voiced his support for Wayne Rooney on Sunday after lurid reports about the striker's private life cast a shadow over preparations for the team's Euro 2012 clash with Switzerland. After being showered with praise for his starring role in Friday's 4-0 Group G rout of Bulgaria, Manchester United icon Rooney awoke on Sunday to find himself plastered over the tabloid press for all the wrong reasons. The News of the World and Sunday Mirror both carried reports that Rooney had repeatedly frequented a prostitute while wife Coleen was pregnant with their son, prompting speculation about his participation in Tuesday's key game. FA sources have indicated no decision has been taken concerning Rooney's place in the squad but was expected to travel to Basel as planned on Monday. Rooney is an integral part of England coach Fabio Capello's team, even though it is now 11 matches since he last scored for his country. And Manchester City midfielder Milner indicated the England squad was firmly behind Rooney and wanted him to line-up for the encounter, regarded as being the trickiest of England's Euro qualifying campaign. Milner revealed Rooney had trained normally on Sunday despite the revelations. "He did the full session," Milner said. "We had our full training session and back to football is what we're here to do. "I think you want the best players out on the field and he's obviously one of them. He showed that the other night. "He's a top, top player and you want to put out the strongest team possible." Asked to comment on how Rooney was coping with the allegations -- the Sunday Mirror reported the star feared the reports could end in divorce -- Milner commented: "You're going to have to ask him." However Milner said he was determined to ensure the claims didn't wreck England's otherwise perfect start to qualifying. "We've got to make sure they don't," he said. "Things are always said in the paper, good things, bad things, about the England team when results are going well and when they're not going well. "You have highs, you have lows, and it's down to us to make sure only thing that matters is on the field, come together and make sure we get the result. Winning football matches is the only thing that matters." Milner meanwhile said the manner of Friday's one-sided defeat of Bulgaria -- where England produced their best performance since last year's World Cup qualifiers -- had helped close the door on the dismal campaign in South Africa. "I think it was a good performance. It was all about the result, but to get a performance like that was nice," he said.

Does ya Colini pecks on ya exotic Scolys ?

No it's the another type which is actually flakes bits...ya Blackie will luv them.

Wat is the size of the Bodianus izuensis ?

Vortech MP60 delivers up to 5500 GPH The Vortech MP60 water pump is the EcoTech Marines most significant product announcement since the VorTech MP10. After years of serving the mid and high range of aquarium water pumps, the Vortech MP60 delivers a mind busting 5500 GPH while holding itself up on tanks with glass up to 1.25″ thick. The diameter of the motor assembly and wetside begin at 4″ but taper down to 3″; although the flow rate is much more than a Vortech MP40, the Vortech MP60 is only slightly larger in physical dimensions. EcoTech Marine has not yet showed off this pump since the MACNA show floor is not yet open, but be sure to follow the break for full press release, as well as our first hands on of the beta Vortech MP60 that weve been testing out this past week. Flow: 2,500 5,500 GPH Wattage: 10 60 watts Maximum Tank Thickness: 1.25″ (range 3/8″ 1.25″) Appropriate Tank Size Range: 120 to 1000+ gallons Dimensions: Wet Side- 4″ diameter by 3 long. Dry Side 4″ diameter by 2.8″ long. Clearance Needed Behind Aquarium: 3.3″ EcoTech Marine, the company that revolutionized the reef aquarium propeller pump, is previewing their newest product, the MP60w ES, today at MACNA (Marine Aquarium Conference of North America) in Orlando, FL. The MP60 is engineered for tanks holding 120 to over 1,000 gallons with up to one-inch glass thickness. The MP60 uses the same award-winning technology that has made EcoTech Marines VorTech line the number one brand of pump among reef aquarium enthusiasts. Capable of pushing 5,500/gph, the MP60 offers the smallest in-tank footprint for a commercially available pump. The MP60 satisfies a pent-up market demand for VorTech technology in larger tanks, said Tim Marks, president of EcoTech Marine. Prior to this launch, aquarists with tanks having pane thicknesses greater than three-quarters of an inch had very few options for high-flow solutions. We are excited to provide this much desired solution for the most discerning and diehard hobbyists. Performance and quality are always our top priorities. This addition is a natural evolution for us, and perfectly rounds out our VorTech line of products. The MP60 was designed to create the most flow in the smallest package possible. In EcoTech Marines quest to continually raise the bar on reef flow technology, the unit runs quiet, cool and with minimal vibration. This is a very proud introduction for us, added Marks. The MP60′s unmatched flow and out-of-the-box multi-pump wireless communication makes it the best value on the market for larger tanks. The MP60 leverages EcoSmart driver technology, introduced earlier this year, providing unmatched versatility, controllability and customization of flow patterns. EcoTech Marines patented VorTech technology produces broad yet gentle flow while placing the motor outside the tankpreserving the beauty of the aquarium and enhancing the health of the tanks ecosystem. Availability and Pricing The MP60w ES is slated to be available later this year through EcoTech Marines network of premiere reef stores and online vendors with an MSRP of $695. Keep checking our website for an exact release date.

Sea Hares aplenty at AH BENG.

How long have U keep the fish ? Is it still under quarrantine ? Did U dose any medication ? Did U observe any erratic behavior for the past few days ? See that its condition is pretty dire and sad to say this it may not last for long.