kueytoc

Beauty queen late for her own radio show Xin.sg - Wednesday, March 31 "What's the meaning of i-d-i-o-s-y-n-c-r-a-s-y? I think the person who coined this word is crazy..." came the unprompted reply before she drifted further into a rambling speech. And that, everyone, was Ris Low's maiden voyage hitting the airwaves as a newly-minted 987FM radio DJ on The Shan, Rozz [& Ris] Show. Fortunately, the bewilderment was nipped in the bud by a swift response from co-host, Shan Wee who stepped in with the denotative meaning [of idiosyncrasy] before turning to his new radio partner to ask if she has any strange habits to tell. "Yes I do. I shave my armpits every morning, otherwise it will overgrow," Ris offered matter-of-factly over an interview with xinmsn during her radio show. This, is a beauty queen fallen from grace, besieged by controversies and her bad 'ingrish-speaking' fashion yet she remains oblivious to the stream of stinging criticism; and instead of scrambling for a shovel and digging a hole to bury herself, it seems she is quietly determining her next move - like, ink a radio DJ contract on a primetime show. It certainly looks like all the bad publicity has done its part to muddy up her resume. News of the ex-beauty queen's co-hosting gig on 987FM broke last week and the station's shocking decision has since drawn flak from several netizens and radio listeners, who feel it is a publicity stunt that, if not managed well, could go terribly wrong. Posted on MediaCorp's message board, forum user 'jeat17141' wrote: "Gawd no no no no no no no. Poor Shan and Rozz; not going to tune in to them as often now. Thank you for ruining one of my favourite radio shows by turning it into a complete joke." When asked to comment on the rationale behind its decision, 987FM Senior Creative Director, Georgina Chang said: "Ris has proven that whatever she does, she gets people talking so she really draws a lot of attention and curiosity and [having her], it is just to spice up the evening drive [show]." Georgina also revealed that the team was appalled at her decision to sign on the controversial ex-beauty queen and despite a slew of negative feedback from the public, she thinks otherwise: "She's not hired for her radio talent but she has a certain reputation and she brings something else to the show. She's not hired for her diction and people are always curious about the things she says so I think it'll be highly entertaining." When asked about how she would help "to spice up the evening show", Ris replied: "I'm funny, witty and I'm real. I think people want to hear real stuff." Echoing Ris's stance is Shan, who was extremely sweet toward his rookie partner, and even provided Ris an on-the-spot diction coaching peppered with encouragement. He said: "Rozz and I have been doing a radio co-host show for about three years now [and] that's quite a long time so I'm quite happy to have a change and it's just fun." "Personally, I think that personality is the most important thing when it comes to the different factors that make up a DJ so Ris's personality is her main asset." In contrast to the easygoing nature of her regular partner, Rozz appeared a little awkward, at times, certain moments during the show when Ris candidly declared: "I'm settling down pretty well but Rozz seems to be unhappy with me". Admittedly, Rozz shared her initial hesitation about her new co-host but assured us that she is "ok now". She said: "Ris is very new. Of course she brings a different dimension to radio and obviously we are banking on her popularity but chemistry-wise, I think we'll need a little more time [because] Shan and I actually took a year and a half to get to a comfortable stage where we are now. So yes, I'm a bit apprehensive, to be honest." To which, the excited rookie partner quipped: "We'll make this work Rozz, don't worry." If Ris was feeling stress or nervous, she hid it well for she was a picture of calmness despite hosting a 'live' radio show for the first time with zilch experience. When we asked Ris on her thoughts and emotions on her first day on the job, she replied coolly: "It's good for me and it's feels like home." Well, don't write her off just yet. Take it with a bag of salt, if you must but we hope Ris knocks the socks off her listeners and you may discover yet more reasons or even more of her idiosyncrasies, to love - or hate - the controversial media darling. She was, after all, named CNNGo's 25 most influential people in Asia (2009) and that, to us, is totally boomz, you know.

SHUCKS !!! Last-minute Bayern stun United in Champions League AFP - Wednesday, March 31 MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - – Bayern Munich stunned Manchester United 2-1 in their Champions League quarter-final first leg Tuesday, with an injury-time goal by Ivica Olic evoking memories of their famous clash in 1999. The match was eagerly anticipated as a re-run of the famous thrilling Champions League final in 1999 when two dramatic goals right at the end of the game took the trophy to Old Trafford in a devastating blow to the Germans. This time round, United struck right at the beginning of the match, with England striker Wayne Rooney latching on to a deflected free-kick and smashing home a close-range volley for his 34th goal of the season with only 66 seconds played. Bayern were left to rue a golden opportunity half way through the first period as Olic somehow missed from about a yard out completely unmarked in front of goal. Rooney missed a gilt-edged chance of his own in front of goal before the end of an open and entertaining first half which produced only one goal but could have seen a half-dozen as both teams concentrated on attacking football. United manager Sir Alex Ferguson called on his side to step up their effort in the second half but it was the home side who started the brighter with several shots on goal in the first few minutes of the second period. And Bayern continued to dominate the second half, fully deserving their equaliser after when a long-range free-kick from the impressive French international Franck Ribery deflected off Rooney past a helpless van der Sar. During a frantic last 10 minutes, United defender Nemanja Vidic clattered the bar and Gomez forced van der Sar into a last-ditch save during injury time. But the van der Sar was helpless as Olic weaved his way through the United defence and slotted home in the second minute of injury time. Ferguson accepted that the better side had prevailed. "We didn't play well and we kept on giving the ball away," said the Scotsman. "Bayern were better than us and we can't deny that either. "They pressed us really hard and we cracked a bit. The last goal was a terrible one to give away. "However, the game at Old Trafford will be a different one and we will be much better. No doubt about that. We have an away goal and that is an advantage." As a further blow to Ferguson and England, Rooney hobbled off the pitch at full time after a clash with Gomez. "He's got a kick in the ankle, we'll just have to see tomorrow. Let's hope it's not too serious," said Ferguson. Bayern coach Louis van Gaal was delighted with what he described as a "well-deserved win." After a "shock" first goal, "we needed 10 minutes to recover and afterwards we were the best side. "We have a good chance in Manchester because we can always score away from home," added the Dutchman. The English side came into the clash in stunning form, having won their last seven games, including a 4-0 thumping of Italian giants AC Milan and a satisfying 2-1 defeat of fierce rivals Liverpool at home. Coming in to the quarter-final clash, the Reds were undefeated in their last 17 European encounters, a point made forcefully by coach Sir Alex Ferguson before the game. In contrast, Bayern's recent form has been poor, with rare back-to-back league defeats knocking them off the top of the Bundesliga. The four-time European champions have also been less than convincing in Europe, needing a hefty dose of luck to squeeze past Italian outfit Fiorentina.

Seeing the light: LED optics explained Posted on January 27th, 2010 by Brian Blank LED lighting is beginning to take hold in the aquarium hobby and it can be a very complex subject to master when trying to make an informed purchase decision as a consumer. We touched on the topic of underdriving or overdriving LEDs with coralSkys Jeff Littlejohn earlier and were fortunate enough to get a hold of some great information on LED optics by Jeff from his forum post at coralSky to share with our informed readers. Typically, when we think of LED optics, what comes to mind in a plastic lens of some sort used over the LED itself to focus or disperse the light. We need to take a step back and realize the LED itself has a protective casing called the primary optic. The primary optic serves two purposes: to protect and to shape the light output of the diode. Manufacturers will use the spatial distribution (or shape of the light) when describing the LED, referring to the spread of the light from the central axis of the unit. In the aquarium setting, LEDs are mounted facing down and into the tank and if we imagine a line running vertically from the center of the LED, the spatial distribution of the light is measured in degrees from this central axis. For example, a 120-degree LED will extend the beam 60-degrees to either side. This is one of the reasons why LED lighting is more efficient than metal halide or fluorescent light sources, which emit light in a nearly spherical pattern, says Littlejohn. This means that most of the emitted light is directed away from the intended subject, and a reflector must be used to redirect this light to a useful direction. Since there is no such thing as a perfectly reflective surface, this results in a loss of efficiency. But just because an LED is rated at 120 degrees, it doesnt mean you get the lighting punch of the LED across the entire spectrum. Just like any other point of light source, its going to be stronger the closer you travel to the center. Along the central axis the LED emits 100 percent of its relative luminous intensity and will lose intensity the farther you move away from the central axis. For simplicitys sake, if a 100 lumen will produce 100 lumens of light at the center and a measurement taken 25 degrees from its central axis, the output of the LED will appear to drop to only 80 lumens. Continuing on the path away from the center axis a measurement taken 45 degrees off axis will yield only 40 lumens, and so on, until at 60 degrees, only 10 lumens or so are emitted. Now that we have a better understanding of the primary optic, lets delve into secondary optics. The secondary optic are separate components that are usually made from optical-grade acrylic or polycarbonate mounted over the primary to help further shape the beam of light. The purpose of the secondary optic is to increase the relative luminous intensity. An example Littlejohn uses is the Fraen 8 degree optic that can actually increase the intensity of the LED 27 times. 2,700 lumens out of a 100 lumen LED sounds great, right?, notes Littlejohn. Not so fast. All of this extra intensity is still only achieved directly under the central axis of the LED. In the case of a narrow optic, there is a SEVERE drop off in light intensity only a few degrees from the central axis. A narrow optic creates a pencil of high intensity light, and almost no light is emitted outside of this very narrow beam. The numbers sound incredible but in your typical aquarium lighting application the light would have to be mounted so high above the tank to get any usable spread off the LEDs making them unusable from a practical standpoint. There are some more practical secondary optics for use in the hobby, Fraen wide beam or the Ledil Rocket W for example, that do increase the light output of the LED but at a much smaller scale. The Fraen wide optic increases output 2.4 times and directs it into a 58-degree come. Besides the obvious advantage of achieving more light from the same number of LEDs, for deeper tanks, the addition of a secondary optic will greatly benefit the light penetration through the water column, he adds. In my opinion, for tanks up to 24-inches deep, LEDs do not require a secondary optic to reach the bottom with a significant amount of light energy intact. For tanks over 24-inces deep, the extra light penetration provided by the secondary optic overrides enough of their disadvantages to warrant their use. So why arent optics used everywhere then? According to Littlejohn, there are disadvantages of secondary optics with some of them being pretty significant: 1.They can be expensive. They typically add between 25%-50% to the cost of each LED. 2.With few exceptions, they create a harsh transition from bright to dark. In other words, the edges of the cone-shaped light pattern can be very distinct. This creates a flashlight effect, where everything within the light beam is very bright, and everything just outside the beam is very dark. 3.They hinder color blending. Since most of us like the actinic effect of all blue lighting, and since most of us prefer a cooler color than the coolest white LED available, we must use a combination of royal blue and white LEDs in our systems. When secondary optics are added, you may see obvious white and blue spots in your tank. This effect can be reduced by reducing the center to center spacing of each LED, so that the cones effectively overlap, but it may still be very apparent as our corals grow towards the top of the tank. Also, our rock formations and corals cast shadows, which may be distractingly blue or white under secondary optics. So what is the bottom line from all of this? For Littlejohn, there are two significant takeaways from his post. On shallower tanks, Im a proponent of using straight LEDs without secondary optics, he states. Ive found that achieving a sufficient amount of light for high-light corals is possible, there will be no flashlight effect, no spotting, and more uniformly colored shadows. What exactly is a sufficient amount of LED lights for light-intensive corals you may ask? Littlejohn recommends a LED density of around 24 LEDs per square foot for 10- to 12-inch deep tanks, 36 per square foot or 12- to 18-inch tanks and 48 per square foot for tanks 18 to 24 inches deep using a nominal drive current he outlined in the previous post here at Reef Builders. On deeper tanks over 24 inches, I like to add a mix of secondary optics to the LED array. Ive observed that a relatively small number of secondary optics can provide enough extra light penetration while minimizing spotting and colored shadows, he says. It may take some trial and error, but I believe a good starting point is to cover 15 to 25 percent of the LEDs with a good secondary optic, and LED densities of 54 or even 60 LEDs a square foot may be required, at a nominal drive current. We see great potential in the hobby over the upcoming years with LEDs and other advanced lighting and we will continue to bring you more quality information on the advances in this promising technology.

Tsk..Tsk..wat a 'WASTE' ! Ricky Martin: 'I Am a Fortunate Homosexual Man' FIRST PUBLISHED: March 29, 2010 5:05 PM EDT LAST UPDATED: March 29, 2010 7:47 PM EDT NEW YORK, N.Y. -- After years of keeping quiet about his personal life, pop star Ricky Martin has announced that he is gay. “I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man,” Ricky said in a message posted on his offical Web site. “I am very blessed to be who I am.” Ricky said writing his memoir and thinking about his two twin sons led him to go public. “To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where [sic] born with. Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now. Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment,” he wrote. Though the 38-year-old kept his sexuality private throughout most of his career, Ricky said he drew strength from that time. “These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed,” he continued. “What will happen from now on? It doesn’t matter. I can only focus on what’s happening to me in this moment. The word “happiness” takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment. Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution.” Earlier this month, Barbara Walters told The Toronto Star that her 2000 interview with the “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer, where she grilled him about coming out, was a misstep on her part. “In 2000, I pushed Ricky Martin very hard to admit if he was gay or not, and the way he refused to do it made everyone decide that he was,” she told The Toronto Star. “A lot of people say that destroyed his career, and when I think back on it now, I feel it was an inappropriate question.” Ricky also Tweeted a link to his coming out announcement on his Web site, simply writing, “my life.” In an earlier Tweet on Monday, the singer posted a quote attributed to the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter. M.L.K.Jr.,” he wrote. Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.

WOW...ya nice 'PEARLIES' are sooo...sooo familiar.

Sneaky PIC of an elusive Sailfin Blenny aka Emblemaria pandionis The Sailfin Blenny is a fun little fish perfect for small nano-reefs or community aquariums. They can be found in colors ranging from white to brown and even black. Their name comes from the high dorsal fin that they display when threatened or as part of their courtship behaviors. Like other blennies, this species may eat some algae growing in the aquarium. Blennies will also accept many other types of food like pellets, frozen formulas, brine shrimp and others. The Sailfin Blenny can be kept with most other community tankmates like damsels, clownfish and angel but they may become territorial with time and will defend against trespassers in their area. They are safe for reef aquariums and will not harm invertebrates. It will spend most of the time on or around the bottom or perching in the rockwork of the aquarium.

Bro, show some pics of ya Sunset Monti.

New private home price index launched in Singapore Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, March 25 SINGAPORE: There is a new price index indicating the state of the residential property market in Singapore. The Singapore Residential Price Index was developed by the National University of Singapore’s Institute of Real Estate Studies and is the first such index by an academic institution here. Clues about how residential property prices and sales are doing now come mainly from the Urban Redevelopment Authority. But now, buyers and sellers can rely on another indicator to track property prices monthly. The new index considers things like unique location and sales volumes to indicate market price movements. Associate Professor Lum Sau Kim, project leader, Institute of Real Estate Studies, NUS, said: "We’re different from the URA index in terms of the features. We use a basket based approach. "This means that we’re covering 364 projects, condominiums and apartments and we have certain attributes about these projects. They’re about three months to roughly 10 years old and they do not include uncompleted properties." The basket of properties tracked will be adjusted bi—annually to reflect the changes in supply. The basket will be next revised in December 2011. The government said the new index will help property buyers with investment decisions. Senior Minister of State for National Development, Grace Fu, said: "By offering a snap shot of the non—landed residential property market using a basket of properties, it can facilitate the analysis of price trends and help investors in making more informed decisions. "As the index gains in acceptance, it can potentially be used for risk management through the development of products such as property derivatives. Such derivatives may be one way for real estate developers, asset managers, banks and investors to hedge their property exposure." The index can help to expand the suite of financial products like index—linked notes and total return swap offered in Singapore. Property analysts have welcomed the introduction of an additional price index. They said it is a different option offering more useful data for comparison. The experts added that the monthly—tracking of the private property price movements would also give a more timely and in—depth perspective of the market. Dr Chua Yang Liang, head of Research, Southeast Asia, Jones Lang LaSalle, said: "This new announcement will definitely factor well for Singapore in terms of how transparent our property market is. "It gives the property market some clarity. It’s the right time and where the market is heading now, I think having another index to confirm or affirm where market trends are is definitely a move in the very right direction." Karamjit Singh, managing director, Credo Real Estate, said: "That would be useful. Any more information to make the market as perfect as possible helps decision—makers." NUS wants the new index to complement the Urban Redevelopment Authority’s quarterly data. Responding to the new index, the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) said its index is different as it is meant to give the public a broad indication of price trends in the private residential market. URA said its index is also compiled based on all types of transactions and covers both landed and non—landed private residential properties. The NUS’ Singapore Residential Price Index (SRPI) offers a snap shot of a segment of the private residential market, as represented by the selected basket of completed non—landed private residential properties. The index could help facilitate the analysis of price trend in this market segment and help investors in making more informed decisions. As the SRPI gains acceptance, it could potentially be used for risk management, through the development of products such as property derivatives. Such derivatives may be one way for real estate developers, asset managers, banks and investors to hedge their property exposure. — CNA/vm

COEs for all vehicle categories surge in latest bidding exercise Channel NewsAsia - Thursday, March 25 SINGAPORE : COE prices have shot up by as much as S$14,000 in the latest bidding exercise. The market appears to be reacting to an expected reduction in the supply of COEs next month. The market has been bracing for the prices of COEs to head north, but what it did not expect was the size of the jump in just one bidding exercise. The biggest increase was in the Open category, where the premium closed at S$42,001, an increase of S$14,411. The COE for big cars also saw a significant jump. It rose S$9,700 to S$36,089. For small cars, the new premium stood at S$28,389 — up S$7,587. In other categories, the COE for commercial vehicles climbed S$5,889 to close at S$32,890, while premiums for motorcycles went up S$41 to S$1,200. Car dealers MediaCorp spoke to did not expect this wave of increases to be so big. Chin Kee Min, senior manager, KIA Motors, said: "(I was) a bit taken aback, but in all honesty, if it does not come now, it will come later, so it is a matter of time. I think it is mainly a knee—jerk reaction... it is a self—fulfilling prophecy. "When you expect the prices next round to increase, you will actually see it this round. Since it did happen this round, so the next round we are not expecting as huge a jump as what we see now. Not only is the public worried, the car distributors are also worried that they may not be able to circulate the COEs." This is the latest COE bidding for this quota year. From next month, a new quota system will kick in, whereby the number of COEs available will be determined by the actual number of cars de—registered. This means fewer COEs and higher prices. But car dealers MediaCorp spoke to said they do not expect the jump in the COE prices next month to be as drastic as what they have seen this time round. They expect to raise car prices by another 20 to 30 per cent, with higher COE prices and a supply cut. And as new cars become more expensive, second—hand cars may be a more popular option. One second—hand car dealer said he has seen a 10 per cent increase in sales since the COE supply cut was announced. Raymond Tang, Yong Lee Seng Motors Pte Ltd, said: "For used cars, I think at the moment, the increase will still be there, maybe around S$3,000 to S$5,000 expected. The prices for used cars are still quite moderate, still very far away from a new car, so I feel that the prices are still very stable. So even if they increase by S$3,000 to S$5,000, it is still a very big gap." There will be 4,238 COEs available in the next bidding exercise and dealers said high COE prices are here to stay. — CNA/ms

Got see any hybrid PBT boh ???

Want to look rich in China? Buy a Tibetan mastiff By CHICHI ZHANG, Associated Press Writer - 1 hour 40 minutes ago BEIJING – China's latest must-have luxury for the ultra-rich, to go with mansions and sports cars, is a large, slobbery dog with massive amounts of hair best known for herding sheep in Tibet. Once banned by the Communist Party as bourgeois, pet ownership is booming in China, and the Tibetan mastiff is the dog of the moment for those who want to spread their wealth beyond stocks and real estate. "I used to invest in German shepherds, but Tibetan mastiffs are what's hot right now," said Sui Huizheng, a business owner who has about 20 of the dogs and attended the 6th annual China Tibetan Mastiff Expo this past weekend. Hundreds of the hairy dogs were on hand, and owners and handlers marched the most expensive ones down catwalks as though they were fashion models. Some carried the names of wealthy Americans like "Warren Buffett," while others were called "God" and "Prince." Among the owners was a controversial running coach who trained world track champions in the 1980s. Their hoped-for prize: breeders willing to pay tens of thousands of dollars for a mate for their mastiff. Sui spent $43,000 for a large platform and a poster-plastered booth to show off his dogs. One breeding session with Sui's top mastiff King goes for $40,000. The craze seems to defy sales patterns and common sense elsewhere, especially for a dog that is common, has thick, lion-mane-like hair, grows to 180 pounds (80 kilograms) and is known for being fierce. "I can understand racehorses and diamonds, but I don't understand why someone would want to pay half a million dollars for a dog," said Martha Feltenstein, president of the American Tibetan Mastiff Association. "They have a relatively short life expectancy and are not especially rare, so it's quite puzzling why they are fetching such a high price in China." In the U.S., Tibetan mastiff pups can be bought for as little as several hundred dollars, Feltenstein said. Breeders in China say adult Tibetan mastiffs sell for tens of thousands of dollars, and can even go for more than $100,000. One of them sold for more than half a million dollars last year to a woman in northern China who then sent 30 black Mercedes-Benz and other luxury cars to fetch the dog from the airport, according to a report in the state-run China Daily. After splurging on real estate in Australia, American thoroughbreds and European designer fashions, China's rich see the Tibetan mastiffs as a new status symbol. China is now home to an estimated 825,000 millionaires, its most in modern history, and its luxury goods market is one of the fastest growing in the world. Among the must-haves for rich men in northeast China, the official Xinhua News Agency recently said, was a young beautiful wife, a Lamborghini and a Tibetan mastiff, "the bigger and more ferocious the better." "You could call it a local luxury brand," said Rupert Hoogewerf, a Shanghai-based tax specialist who compiles a popular annual list of China's richest people. "Luxury brands are growing at phenomenal rates in China and owning a Tibetan mastiff is another channel for increasing your credibility and showing off your rich status." The mastiffs, themselves, look like money, resembling a lion that is a traditional symbol of good fortune. "We want a breed of dog that is home grown, and this guardian dog is perfect because it is also a symbol of good luck for Chinese people throughout history," said Wu Yunliang, the owner of "Warren Buffett" and nearly 20 other mastiffs. He keeps them in the northern city of Taiyuan where he owns a nursing home. Potential profits from mastiff breeding are what drew Sui, the businessman-breeder, who said he isn't a dog lover. "I don't touch or play with them much," Sui said. He leaves the brushing and fluffing of his dogs to nearly a dozen handlers. Passers-by were told only to admire the dogs from afar and not get near them because they're hostile to strangers - all the better for protecting flocks and herders on the isolated Tibetan plateau, where they originated. Retired track coach Ma Junren became fascinated with the mastiffs when he was training female distance runners on the Tibetan plateau in the late 1980s. Ma claimed the high-altitude training and concoctions of turtle blood and caterpillar fungus he fed the runners helped them set world records. But some of his athletes were later caught using banned performance-boosting substances. Ma retired, denying wrongdoing. At the expo, he exhorted breeders to raise their standards so that China can gain entry to the World Canine Organization (Federation Cynologique Internationale), an international federation of kennel clubs. The organization has so far kept China out over lax controls on vaccinations, several breeders said. "I hope all our Tibetan mastiff lovers are honest. We don't want to see thieves, criminals or cheaters around us," Ma said.

Thai 'Red Shirts' vow to shut down Bangkok with new rally AFP - Tuesday, March 23 BANGKOK (AFP) - – Thailand's red-shirted protesters vowed to "shut down" Bangkok with an anti-government rally Saturday, defying the government which had raised the stakes with new security measures. The "Red Shirt" supporters of deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra are in their second week of rolling demonstrations, demanding snap elections to replace a government they say is illegitimate and backed only by the nation's elite. Their numbers, which had peaked at more than 100,000 people, had begun to wane but the movement's spirits were revived with a carnival-style parade last Saturday that drew around 65,000. "On Saturday we will shut down Bangkok and rally at provincial halls across the country," said Jatuporn Prompan, a leader of the Reds, who have used their own blood to splatter the prime minister's house and offices. Jatuporn did not give details but said the event would be bigger than last weekend's noisy but peaceful procession, which saw a convoy of protesters in cars, trucks and motorbikes snake through the capital's teeming streets. Authorities escalated their response Monday, saying personnel guarding key sites would be armed because the government was "very concerned" after several minor grenade attacks. "Starting from today, the military deployed at checkpoints, government buildings and military bases will be armed in order to prevent ill-intentioned people from inciting unrest," said army spokesman Colonel Sunsern Kaewkumnerd. Sunsern said that only officers at sensitive locations would be supplied with firearms. Previously the 30,000 military personnel deployed for the protests were not armed. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the government would also extend a stringent security law enacted ahead of the protests for an additional week in Bangkok and two other provinces. The Internal Security Act, which allows authorities to set up checkpoints, impose curfews and limit movement, had been enforced across eight provinces since March 11 and was due to expire on March 23. Thaksin, who lives in exile to avoid a jail term for corruption, criticised the measures against a protest movement that, despite fears of violence, has passed off largely without incident in recent months. "If they come out in tanks and with war weapons it shows they are not respecting democratic rule," he said on Twitter. Another Reds leader, Veera Musikapong, reiterated their demand for talks with Prime Minister Abhsisit Vejjajiva, rejecting the premier's offer of negotiations with a junior minister. "He is the one who can dissolve the house," he told protesters at the encampment in the city's old quarter. "Free and fair elections will decide our future and end the political conflict, and everybody must accept the result." Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said in Hong Kong that the anti-government protests had not deterred foreign investors, but admitted Thailand's tumultuous politics were "impossible to understand". "The main issue... is that we manage it in a civilised manner within the rules of law and under democratic principles," he told an investment conference. The Reds, mainly from Thailand's poor rural regions, oppose Abhisit's government as illegitimate because it came to power with army backing in a December 2008 parliamentary vote after a court ruling ousted Thaksin's allies. They say they are fighting a "class war" against elites in bureaucratic, military and palace circles. Thaksin, who was deposed in a coup in 2006, still enjoys strong support for the populist policies he introduced when in power. Police said that by Monday evening there were around 20,000 demonstrators at their base in Bangkok's old quarter, down from 45,000 the night before.

Judge ticks off lawyer of man accused of molesting young son of good friend Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, March 24 SINGAPORE : The lawyer representing a 44—year—old man on trial for sexually abusing an eight—year—old boy was ticked off by the trial judge for asking the victim complicated questions during a cross—examination. At the High Court on Tuesday, Justice Kan Ting Chiu told lawyer Wee Pan Lee that his questions were "difficult to answer (and) can be misconstrued as an acceptance ... he is a child and even I have difficulty understanding". Mr Wee, who was acting on behalf of Peter Lee Chee Soon, had earlier asked the boy via video link about the number of times he had been left alone with the accused. Lee, a taxi driver, is on trial for allegedly performing fellatio on the boy, who was four years old in 2005. On the advice of Justice Kan, Mr Wee broke down his questions to make them simpler for the Primary Three student to understand. As a plump, bespectacled Lee sat in the dock taking down notes, Mr Wee disputed the charges, saying the former had been asked to look after the boy on three occasions and not six as claimed by the family. At no time was Lee alone with the boy during the time of the alleged offence, as Lee’s mother was also present in the flat in Yishun, the lawyer said. Furthermore, Lee did not perform fellatio but had instead "accidentally" bitten the boy’s pXnis , said Mr Wee, adding that at no time had his client intentionally taken off the boy’s trousers. "Not correct," the boy said through an interpreter, looking visibly tired from the day—long questioning. Lee originally faced five other charges which included outraging the modesty the boy’s sister, now 18 and aunt, 20. These charges have, however, been stood down. He is now out on bail of $80,000. If convicted, he could be jailed for life, or jailed up to 10 years and fined. The hearing continues on Wednesday. CNA /ls

Dun forget he is the formidable 'SHI-FU'...with exceptional 'eagle-eyes' !

Ooops !...I taut U said U dun like 'AKON'...hee hee

Mmmm......time to get a hum-sup 'Yellow-Banana Wrassey'...heh heh

mate !

U are indeed the SHI-FU both in SPS husbandry & Photography !

Hi Bro, where do U buy all those PVC pipes & connectors from ? They look professional.

WOW !!!

U forgot to add the WRASSEYS mate.

Corals ?...Tangys ?...Wrasseys ?...Gobies ?

Naoko's Fairy Wrasse aka Cirrhilabrus naokoae Cirrhilabrus naokoae is a new fish for saltwater aquarists to consider adding to their tropical fish-only or reef tanks. First described by Jack Randall and Dr. Hiroyuki Tanakain January 2009 in Aqua; The International Journal of Ichthyology, this small (probably to 7.5 cm) fish is a wrasse from the Indian Ocean, and it is a real beauty. Cirrhilabrus naokoae frequently goes by the common name of Naoko's fairy wrasse in the marine aquarium hobby. A New Fairy Wrasse Cirrhilabrus naokoae appears to be closely related to other so-called fairy wrasses, especially C. joanallenae, C. morrisoni, and C. rubriventralis. The males of all four species share an elevated dorsal fin and large pelvic fins. According to Tanaka, C. naokoae is the 46th species within the genus. Cirrhilabrus naokoae Husbandry Although new to the hobby, the following husbandry information appears correct based on anecdotal evidence and what is known about like-species. Cirrhilabrus naokoae is not an overly aggressive fish, and more than one may be kept in the same suitably large aquarium. Two males have been successfully kept together in the same aquarium by a number of aquarists. Although maintaining a small harem is often preferred when keeping fairy wrasses, the female of this species has yet to be described or collected for the hobby. It is perfectly suitable to keep Cirrhilabrus naokoae with other fairy wrasses, as well as other peaceful community fishes. This fish is not a picky eater and should readily accept a variety of common foods including small pieces of marine flesh (e.g., table shrimp), frozen food, and flake and pellet foods. While not aggressive, this fish is certainly not timid either. Once acclimated, it should spend its time actively swimming in the water column. Be sure the aquarium is covered, as many wrasses are known jumpers. Cost of Purchasing a Naoko's Fairy Wrasse As mentioned at the outset, this is a brand new fish to the hobby, and so the price is often quite high. This may change if the demand is sufficient and collection is straightforward and sustainable. Cirrhilabrus naokoae or, more commonly, the Naoko's fairy wrasse is a beautiful, relatively hardy, albeit expensive, tropical marine fish appropriate for most marine aquarists with a suitably sized peaceful community tank.

Gotta 'FLASH IT'...'FLASH IT'...! McCosker's Flasher Wrasse aka Paracheilinus mccoskeri Bright coloration, showy finnage and ease of adjusting to captivity are all major plusses for this peaceful, shoaling fish. Husbandry Concerns In terms of husbandry, the McCosker's flasher wrasse is similar to most flasher wrasses. It should be kept in an aquarium of at least 30 gallons (larger if you intend to keep a group) with plenty of live rock and a tight fitting lid or eggcrate covering (flasher wrasses are jumpers). Most wrasses appreciate a sandy substrate. If you are going to keep a small group (which is recommended), add the females first; otherwise add them all at the same time. McCosker's flasher wrasses are easily bullied, so be sure to keep them with peaceful tankmates that will not outcompete them for food. Diet The McCosker's flasher wrasse should readily accept a captive diet of varied foods including meaty bits of marine flesh such as raw table shrimp, squid, clam, and mussel. We recommend either freezing, briefly steaming or quickly microwaving all raw table marine flesh to minimize the chances of infecting your livestock with parasites. Supplement raw meaty marine flesh with some type of herbivorous food such as a flake food formulated for herbivores (e.g. Sea Veggies Flakes) or seaweed strips (like Sea Veggies or nori). Nearly all flasher wrasses will readily take commercially prepared pellet foods, frozen foods, and food mixes like Blue Zoo Mix. Flasher wrasses have a high metabolism and should be fed several small meals a day rather than two large meals. Alternatively use a refugium as part of the system’s filtration. This will provide a constant food supply of small live foods (e.g. copepods). Species Tips Expect male filamented flasher wrasses to display their colors and finnage (“flashingâ€) to other males and available females. To insure the male does not lose its color, keep one male with two or more females, or keep two males of different species of flasher wrasses in the same sufficiently large aquarium.