Wednesday, February 12, 2014

Apo Reef, a Spectacle to Behold

Sunset at the Apo Reef

The colour change was amazing. The sun entered through the surface in green. In green, where just before clear blue water enjoyed our eyes. The entrance points were glittering like diamonds, the reef has fallen into unreal colours.

Diving in Philippines

Situated south-east of Asia’s mainland, the Philippines boasts over 7100 islands. With so much shore line and biodiversely rich oceans separating the islands, diving in the Philippines has a huge range of opportunities to offer. What makes the Philippines stand out from other South-East Asian dive destinations is its interesting mix of cultures and people. English is the country’s unofficial first language- Filipino the official one- which makes it very easy to travel around and organize things for a dive holiday in the Philippines.

Beaches, lush green mountains and deep blue water is what makes Puerto Galera the Philippines’ most developed tourism destination. But instead of feeling like a mass tourism town, it has managed to keep a local feel to it. Offering numerous excellent dive sites within minutes’ reach of the beach, Puerto Galera has the highest amount of dive operations in the Philippines. The strong currents in the Verde Island passage make for exciting wall and drift dives for the experienced diver.

Boracay is most famous for its world-class white beaches. The powder white sand and protected turquoise waters have won several awards for best beach or best island in the world. With sandy paths and everything you need only a few minutes’ walk away, Boracay has kept a special small island feel. Boracay diving is surprisingly varied for such a small destination, offering dive sites for beginners as well as experienced divers, including reefs, walls and wrecks.

Diving in Cebu and Bohol is some of the best in the Philippines. With an international airport close by and many world-class dive sites, this area is a popular Philippines dive destination. From Mactan island, day trips and boat dives give access to excellent dive sites like Balicasag island and Pamilican island, with steep coral covered walls and schooling fish life. Bohol specifically is known for abundant macro life.

Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park, situated in the Sulu Sea, is a world-famous dive site. Boasting the highest biodiversity in the Philippines, this reef is home to a wealth of species, like jackfish, tuna, barracuda, rays, sharks and turtles.

The best time for diving in the Philippines is between November and June. July till November can be rainy, but diving in the Philippines happens throughout the year. Water temperatures range from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius, with the warmest temperatures in summer.

Dive Sites and Marine Life

Diving in the Philippines offers and amazing variety of dive sites. From thrilling drift dives past walls to macro critter hunting in coral gardens, the Philippines has something to offer every diver, regardless of experience.

Puerto Galera, located at the Verde Island channel with deep waters and strong currents, has some exciting wall dives for experienced divers. Canyons, often named as one of the best dives in Puerto Galera, is such a dive. Three canyons run 30 meters deep and are covered in gorgonians and pink soft coral, attracting lots of fish life. Suitable for all levels, Hole in the Wall is a great site for underwater photographers. There is a swim through and lots of marine life like Parrotfish, Snapper, trumpetfish, pufferfish, frogfish and little critters.

Many Boracay dives are only a 5 to 10 minute boat ride away and there is something for every level and every season. For experienced divers only, Yapak 1 and Yapak 2 are two different walls that start at 30 meters and drop off to 70 meters. These are the places to go to see larger marine life like grey and white-tip reef sharks, tuna, jacks, snapper and triggerfish. Crocodile Island is a beautiful all-level dive site with healthy sloping reef. This Boracay dive site teems with fish life, from macro critters to reef fish. Lionfish, Sweetlips, scorpionfish and boxfish are frequent visitors here.

Balicasag island is considered one of the Philippines best places to dive and is known for its coral covered slopes and wall with schooling jacks and barracudas. Divers Heaven is Balicasag’s most popular site. This vertical wall drops from 6 to 40 meters deep and attracts species like the Napoleon Wrasse, angelfish and lionfish. Bohol diving is known for its amazing macro life, some of the best in the Philippines. A 14-kilometer long reef stretches out from Guindelman to Anda, offering dive opportunities for all levels of divers. This beautiful reef is home to sea turtles, humpback parrotfish, seahorses, nudibranchs and pipefish.

Situated in the Sulu Sea, Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park is a pristine reef area and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993. Boasting the highest marine biodiversity in the Philippines and one of the highest in the world, this national park is home to a wealth of marine life, including tuna, barracudas, sharks, manta rays, dolphins and turtles.

Dive Shops and Logistics

Philippine dive destinations are easy to get to due to the many airports, bus and ferry systems around the islands. Manila and Cebu both have international airports that can function as a gateway into the Philippines. Since English is widely spoken, travel arrangements and bookings are easy to make.

To dive Puerto Galera, divers need to travel from Manila by bus to Batangas Pier, where the ferry leaves to Puerto Galera. Upon arrival, divers can choose between many dive resorts and dive centers. Located in Sabang Beach is La Laguna beach club & dive center, a PADI 5 star instructor development center. They offer high standard dive training, boat dives and speak a wide range of languages. For divers that have independent accommodation, Action Divers gets great reviews and is one Puerto Galera’s most well-established dive centers. They offer dive and stay packages, recreational and technical diving courses, liveaboards and daily boat dives.

Boracay is reached by boat from Caticlan. The fastest way to get here is by air from Manila - alternatives are Kalibo or Roxas- and by bus to Caticlan from there. Calypso Dive Center is a 5 star PADI IDC center and National Geographic dive center. They have excellent training facilities and offer courses, fun dives and dive safaris. Their stylish Calypso Resort is located at White Beach and is a good choice for a comfortable Boracay dive holiday. White Beach Divers is a well-established dive center located at the south of Boracay, offering dive courses, day trips, and multiple-day safaris. They have an onsite hotel and bar.

Mactan-Cebu international airport gives easy access to the best diving in the Cebu and Bohol area. To get to Bohol, travelers need to take a ferry from Cebu port. Close to the airport on Mactan island is Kontiki Divers, a PADI 5 star dive resort with a house reef. Situated in Alona Beach on the small island of Panglao, Philippine Fun Divers has easy access to Balicasag Island. On Bohol, Blue Star Dive Resort makes for a quiet and relaxed dive resort, away from the crowds, with excellent diving at the doorstep.

The Azores, a liveaboard vessel owned by the Atlantis, has routes to several excellent Philippines diving areas, including Bohol and Tubbataha reef. For divers wanting to cover some distance and get a maximum amount of dives, a liveaboard is the best way to dive the Philippines.

Today's Shameful: Shooting Outside Philadelphia Day Care, 1 Dead

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – One man is dead after a double shooting outside of a daycare center in West Philadelphia.

It happened shortly before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday outside H&H Daycare at 40th and Poplar Streets.

CBS 3 is told a 23-year-old man was shot once in the head. He was taken to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania where he was pronounced dead.

A 27-year-old man was shot once in the right thigh. He is hospitalized in stable condition.

The daycare center was briefly placed on lockdown as police searched the area. None of the 40 children inside were injured. Parents are frustrated by the violence.

“I got the call to come get my grandkids. That’s what I did,” a grandfather said.

“Nobody’s safe. Nothing I can do. This is where I live at,” a parent said.

No arrests have been made at this time.

Police do not have a motive for the shooting.

The incident remains under investigation.

Female Olympic athletes posing provocatively: Sexy and strong, or just sexist?

LOS ANGELES – Julia Mancuso won the bronze medal in the women's alpine skiing super combined event on Monday at the Sochi Olympics, but many already know her as the naked skier with the lucky underwear.

Mancuso stripped down for the February edition of GQ magazine, ditching her usual ski suit, boots, beanies and mask for a very provocative spread involving long black underwear and the top of her backside on display, and nothing but a little pair of white briefs.

“It is not a shock to me when I have a good race,” 29-year-old Mancuso told the men’s mag. “I started to tell people I'd just worn my lucky underwear.”

While we’re used to seeing the likes of tennis star Maria Sharapova show off her taut and toned physique for the cover of Esquire, and MMA fighter Ronda Rousey bare her body for Maxim, in the case of winter sports stars, stripping down is still a relatively new – albeit growing – tactic to sell cold-weather stars And with the Sochi Games underway, recent weeks have provided a global offering of female athletes in provocative poses reminiscent of those you’d find in the pages of Playboy.

Snowboarder Hannah Teter’s official Instagram account is littered with sexy snaps of her baring her midriff and showing off her derriere.

Summer hurdler turned winter bobsled hopeful Lolo Jones is no stranger to flesh flashing having taken it all off for ESPN magazine, as well as filling her Instagram account with pictures of her backside in a barely-there, suck-in-and-squeeze bobsled uniform.

And if the drama surrounding dangerous snowboarding slopes, unhygienic hotel conditions and accusations of rampant homophobia wasn’t enough for critics questioning Russia’s approach to hosting the Games, an official Russian team website last week released a slew of super sexy images starring its female athletes. While the young women donned lacy lingerie, see-through garments and gave the camera come-hither smiles, there was very little mention as to what they actually do in the winter games.

According to one Russian official, the risqué photos were born out of a desire to show that “our Russian Olympic team defies stereotypes that women in sport are just a heap of muscles and masculine shapes.” While Russia is notorious for its overtly sexual portrayal of women, the notion still doesn’t sit well with many.

“While I do not have a problem looking at semi nude female bodies in the prime of their physical being, I do find it troublesome if said female athletes are shown through the lens of sexual objectification,” pop culture expert Ariane Sommer told FOX411. “It seems to become more common every season to see not only up and coming female athletes but even such whom already have achieved milestones in their careers practically in the nude.”

Ahead of the 2010 Winter Games, skiing sensation Lindsay Vonn got the ball rolling and solidified her status as a sex symbol for the sport by stripping down to a skimpy bikini and snow bunny cap for Sports Illustrated. While the snaps did generate a little tongue-wagging at the time, Vonn managed to show off her toned physique with a girl-next-door smile. But cut to 2014, experts say the marketing of winter athletes has become more sexualized overall – and it’s a trend likely to just keep growing until its part-and-parcel with the job.

“It’s a shame when someone who has worked so hard to accomplish so much has to diminish themselves in this way,” observed a Bleacher Report writer. "What kind of message is being sent to young kids, and future Olympians, when their sports idols are posing in next to nothing?"

And as Slate.com writer Hanna Rosin points out, NBC is marketing 18-year-old figure skater Gracie Gold as the “face of the Games” based on just that – her exceptionally pretty face, despite not necessarily being the best at the sport, even on the U.S. team. NBC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

On the flip side, others argue that if you’ve got it you may as well flaunt it. After all, these athletes have no doubt worked tirelessly to achieve figures hot enough to melt the ice.

“Winter sports lack the mainstream audience and familiar faces of summer games. Sex sells. When an athlete spends most of her time covered in a snowsuit and helmet, it only humanizes her to show a little skin – enough to profile a sponsor’s brand,” said Jason Maloni, Senior Vice President of Levick Strategic Communications. “And that’s in addition to providing a great visual of fit, toned bodies.”

Jessica Alba admits she drunkenly gave her husband's birthday cake to the cops

Jessica Alba got so merry at her husband Cash Warren's birthday party she attempted to give his cake to the police, Popdust reports.

The actress appeared on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and explained she was so drunk at the time, she can’t actually remember the incident.

“With his birthday, he wanted a pajama pizza party and so I guess that’s what you do when you’re a grown adult,” she said. “You have a pajama pizza party and you play games and so we’re all wearing onesies because like what else should adults wear? We’re playing really grown up games like Twister, and Jenga with a twist.”

Jessica went on to reveal that as the night progressed, the drinks were flowing and even her straight-laced father-in-law got tipsy.

“Popo got a little drunk and then he called me the next day and he was like, ‘That was a fun party and the punch … It got me. I got loopy and then when the cops came.’ I was like 'the cops? The cops came?'” she said.

“He was like, ‘Yeah, you gave them Cash’s cake! You answered the door and you gave …’ I was like 'I don’t remember that at all.' They came by to tell us to turn the music down,” she said.

Let’s face it, we’ve all been there!

Seesaw Economy: Nearly One in Three Dipped Into Poverty

BY ALLISON LINN

In America’s new normal, plenty of Americans will tumble into poverty at some point – but few will be stuck there forever.

Nearly one in three Americans experienced a stint of poverty between 2009 and 2011, a new Census Bureau report finds, but only a fraction of those people were stuck below the poverty line for the entire three-year period.

“There’s a lot of movement in and out of poverty,” said Ann Stevens, director of the Center for Poverty Research at UC Davis.

That’s partly due to the weak recovery, in which one small victory can push someone above the poverty line – but another setback can shove that person right back down.

“I hear people say ‘paycheck to paycheck’ and I think, ‘Oh my God, that would be great.’”

But it’s also because of a longer-running trend toward lower skilled, low-paying jobs. Permanent, good paying jobs are largely going to the highly skilled and highly educated, while many of the rest are living on a knife-edge of economic ruin, where even living paycheck to paycheck seems like a luxury.

“I hear people say ‘paycheck to paycheck’ and I think, ‘Oh my God, that would be great,’” said Jessmynda Dosch-Evangelista, above.

The 22-year-old from Wellsville, N.Y., makes $5 an hour plus tips at her part-time job as a server at a pizza chain. She rarely knows how many hours she’ll be working, or how much money her customers will leave on the table.

That means she also rarely knows whether she’ll make enough to pay the rent or put food on her own table.
“It’s not even month to month. It’s week to week or night to night,” she said.

The Census Bureau report found that 31.6 percent of Americans were in poverty for least two months between 2009 and 2011, compared to 27.1 percent of Americans between 2005 and 2007. The recession ran from late 2007 to mid-2009.

Those who fell below the poverty line also stayed there longer. The median length a person spent below the poverty line was 6.6 months between 2009 and 2011, as compared to 5.7 months between 2005 and 2007.

This narrower look at monthly poverty statistics is different from the Census Bureau’s annual poverty report, which looks at the share of the population whose total annual income fell below the poverty threshold for the year. For a single person, the annual poverty threshold was $11,720 in 2012. For a family of four including two children, it was $23,283.

Needing help
The prevalence of short bouts of poverty helps explain why some people who appear to have the trappings of a more economically secure life – such as a nice car, a home or a flat-screen TV – may also suddenly need help making ends meet.

“You would expect them to have in their households the signs of not having been poor a couple of years ago,” said Arloc Sherman, senior researcher with the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, a liberal-leaning think tank.

It also explains why, in recent years, so many Americans have had to rely, at least for a few months, on programs such as unemployment benefits or food stamps.

That’s been the case with Dosch-Evangelista.

During a good period, she said, she might be scheduled for plenty of shifts and bring in enough tips to feed herself and her cat, plus buy necessities like soap and toilet paper.

Image: Jessmynda Dosch-Evangelista experiences cycles of poverty — Jessmynda Dosch-Evangelista, 22, is hoping to land a second job that would allow her to pay her bills more regularly, but in the meantime her financial stability varies from week to week.

But then come the bad periods, like the one right before the holidays in which she said she didn’t get any shifts at all for a while and had to turn to social services for emergency help with her $435-per-month rent.

Even when things are good, Dosch-Evangelista has little wiggle room in her meager budget.

She doesn’t have a car and tries to avoid even taking the bus, preferring to walk if she can to save the 50-cent fare. She rarely goes out with friends, but is too ashamed of her apartment to have people over.

The report also showed that a large number of people who got out of poverty didn’t make it that far up the economic ladder, and were just barely above the poverty line.

“A lot of people either experience poverty or skate very close to the line,” Sherman said.

Risky situation
Dosch-Evangelista said that financially, she was better off when she was getting cash assistance. She still gets benefits through SNAP, the modern food stamp program, but she said she is proud to have a job and not be accepting cash aid except in extreme emergencies.

“I’d rather work a crappy job and take the risk from week to week of losing my apartment than be on welfare, and I’m hoping that says something about me,” she said.

She’s hoping that her situation will improve when she starts a second job helping out with basic duties at an area group home. She expects the pay will be minimum wage, but the extra hours should mean more money each month.

In the long run, she hopes to finish college and eventually start an agency to help people like herself, who were adopted in their late teens. She’s currently taking a break from school because of the financial stress, but she’s confident that she will get back to college eventually.

“I’m not rosy-eyed about it, but I’m optimistic, I guess,” she said of the future. “I’m trying to be realistic.”

Motorcyclist crashes into deputy's cruiser in South Los Angeles

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department cruiser was involved in crash with a motorcycle in South Los Angeles Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2014. (KABC Photo)

TAGS:

car crash, los angeles news

SOUTH LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department cruiser was involved in crash with a motorcycle in South Los Angeles Tuesday night.

The crash was reported around 10:30 p.m. at Central Avenue and 120th Street. Authorities said a motorcyclist rear-ended the cruiser. The rider was thrown off the bike. The motorcycle continued southbound and rear-ended another car.
The motorcyclist was transported to a local hospital in unknown condition. Investigators said the deputy, who is from the sheriff's Century Station, did not suffer any serious injuries.
The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the cause of the crash.

Eight Days in Hospital $123,000 AFTER INSURANCE!

Paramedics Load Stabilized Patient

In September 2013, as Maria Evans walked casually left from a community meeting on healthcare, while searching her purse for car keys, she suddenly felt light headed and blacked out from a stroke. It felt, she recalled, as if “my body seized and my mind was floating away.”

She woke up at Philadelphia's Thomas Jefferson Hospital . After surgery and a eight-day hospital stay, Ms. Evans owed about $123,000 — which was the balance after insurance made its payment.

Ms. Evans, working as a manager at CVS Pharmacy, could pay that extraordinary amount on her $36,000 annual salary. The community organization at which she volunteers, Change for Tomorrow, located free legal council, and with many hours of dedication from both the lawyer and organization, negotiated with doctors and the hospital to reduce the balance to $8,300. The balance of which neighbors and family raised to alleviate Ms. Evans' burden. They were also able to get a $1,400 ambulance bill discharged.

We spoke to nearby residents and students about Ms. Evans and asked if they had heard of similar cases. Jamar Washington a retired school teacher from the Philly school district said, "I remember when one of the teachers had a stroke in the faculty room at Frankford High, she had big bills." Washington went on to explain how his colleague had roughly a $50,000 bill for a six day hospital stay.

A neighbor of Ms. Evans, Agatha Simmons told us that she would "rather die" than burden her family with medical expenses. In center city, we met Nick Carangi, a Temple University graduate who was distributing leaflets concerning homelessness in Philadelphia. Mr. Carangi urged people to act saying Ms. Evans case was "one among thousands", he went on to say that "it is a systemic problem with healthcare providers and insurance companies". Others that we spoke to were outraged and even said they would write letters in behalf of Ms. Evans to Jefferson Hospital.

The story doesn't end there for Maria Evans. Although purging that hospital bill was vital for Ms. Evans credit and future, continuing therapy, doctors’ visits, and expensive medicine has become an issue of great concern. Having to meet those expenses, she is now in debt and behind on her rent and bills. Several organizations have stepped up to help Ms. Evans for which she expresses gratitude but she urges that independent people and organization take the initiative to save others in like situations.

Source: Philadelphia Independent