For Starts: You are not going to believe what I have to tell you. I still am pinching myself at the statistics for www.MTFB.com. Now normally we wouldn't brag about the stats but it so good to feel that we are reaching people in the aquarium world that we thought we would let you in on some of the numbers. Since the inception of www.MTFB.com we have had some 15,000+ hits . . .not 1,500 . . . but 15,000 hits and people from 25 different countries have read the MTFB pages (as reported by "Traffic Facts" through Go-Daddy.com. We pay for "Traffic Facts" . . . it is not just a counter). There are all kinds of nifty things Traffic Facts gives us, down to the time of day that each hit was made but I thought you might be as interested as I am as to the very real volume of the folks in our hobby that have been reading these pages for the last year. We really thank all of you for your time and we hope we are not disapointing you with what we are doing and what we are bring to you. Some of you folks that are selling fish as hobbyists need to consider some advertising with us. We are willing to listen and I think you will be the real benifactor of the deal.

Next item . . . we need your help. Articles! Articles! Articles! I know this is the typical call that all aquarium bulletin editors have and at this point we can only offer you the satisfaction that there will be a LOT of people that will read your words. We would hope that in the future we might would like to be able to pay for articles but right now let just beg!! I am sure you are tired of hearing from Mike Jacobs and his articles but I really want the world to hear from you. You have 15,000+ people that want and will read your words. I'm not too sure you can beat this at most other places . . . I know you "closet-writers" are out there . . . give it a whirl. There are 15,000 people that want to hear what you have to say. Don't worry about the grammar and the likes of that . . . we will have people check that for us. Get it down on paper and send it to us in ANY fashion you want to send it. Pictures . . . GREAT but if you don't have any at all I will fill in with some of my pictures! (We would welcome any Saltwater articles and any other aquarium related article.)

E-Mail in "Word" or "PageMaker" or "Quark": Mike Jacobs or E-mail me and ask how you can get your article to me . . . we'll work something out!

Spring is in the "air" . . . get ready to do the "spring cleaning" early. Start getting all of your cleaning "stuff" set so that when the mood hits you you will be ready to go. Summers are great so you can also get the outdorr ponds ready to go!

Again . . . thanks to a whole bunch of you out there and and once again . . .

Welcome to Our World . . . Mike Jacobs