Not off topic, but the message is dauntingly broad....  To the point and very very serious and impacting for any young (or old) entrepreneur.

I want you all to visit two links... the first is the february issue of coral magazine, please proceed through and read the editors introduction, and then read the first letter to the editor.

http://coralmagazine.coverleaf.com/coral/20100102#pg1

the direct link to the letters page is here

alrighty it's sunday and a hectic weekend ensued!!!  for the last few days I've been *fighting* to keep my PH up... silly me....  this afternoon I did a manual test and found out my PH meter was off in calibration by nearly one point!!!  ugh... so a little vinegar and all seems better.

Been a bit since I updated so I figured I'd take a few moments.  In week two of Shimeks class and I must say I am excited about the whole thing.  Despite being online with discussions and lectures typed (no face to face) it's proven not only to be extremely fun but informative and useful.  It's got my brain pan overflowing if you will.  This weeks lecture is on gametogenesis and a lot of the cellular tasks involved in creation of sperm and egg alike.  very fun stuff!!

Alright so it's been a while and I've been busy!!!  This week I started the RSF Invertibrate embryology - larval biology class with Dr. Ronald Shimek.  Dr. Shimek is a great icon in my mind as he's not only done some very very serious research but he's also apt to speak to the hobbyist!  In my travels I have run across many researchers in academia who were less than apt to answer any questions I have and tend to exude a condesending attitude towards any contact I may have.

So as we wind down 2009 and head towards 2010 in just under 9 hours I figure it's time for an end of the year round up for the copepod geek.  Some of this might be regurgitation, some might not but here's my random blathering:
 

So last nights hatch I suppose was a fluke as I had a second run tonight!  or was tonights a fluke???  In any case, this throws my timing of the hatches off for sure!  Apparently only a small amount of the clown eggs hatched last night which of course attributed to my poor capture rate.  Tonight however I captured a ton both with snagger and manual methods.  All the fry are now safely in their little tank to do their little thing.  I'm leaving the light on a bit this time to allow them to feed after capture.  Hopefully this works...

So here we go for another day near end....  Tonight should be hatch night for the clowns (if not tonight tomorrow).  I've got the snagger set up as I wind down and wait, we shall see!
 

So...  christmas day is halfway done and I sit in wait for the shower prior to our christmas dinner at the Broadmoor (yaaay)...  I received excellent gifts though from all!!!  among the top though all have to do with larviculture and such (and a few great ones for me in other areas)

So here we go....

 
Merry Fishmas all!
 
With all the hubub about political correctness, liberal vs. conservative, republican vs. democrat and everyones fear of offending someone with a simple wish of merry Christmas and god bless I've only got one thing to say...
 

Improving Captive Propagation success through hobbyist education
 
an open request for action
Joe Thompson 2009