Current Upwellings
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Where You Haven't Been Diving Citizen Science Internet Scam Rushing the Quarterback How Much Do You Tip? One More Place You Have Not Been Diving December 6, 2004 Last e-mail we mentioned a chance to dive with the penguins off Antarctica and in New Zealand's Kermadec Islands Marine Reserve (trips which are filling up fast, by the way, even though a lot of you logged on to their site and found a note reading "Site Under Construction" http://www.nzdivexperiences.com . This time, check your logbook for dives into the ancient underwater cities of the Egyptian pharaohs. If the underwater promo shots of diving the stone statues are straightforward (check them out at </UCnow/subalertweb.shtml>), they might be sufficient to lure me into this part of the world. Think they offer a night dive here? Citizen Science December 6, 2004 I once attempted to describe to a "scientist" something she had only studied but never seen that I had had observed in person on multiple occasions. She had no interest -- zip. After that, I discovered I had newfound respect for organizations that use data collected by laypeople in the field. REEF, which since its inception has been compiling what is now the largest fish-sightings database in the world, just announced that it has reached the organization milestone of 75,000 accumulated individual surveys. Trained volunteer recreational divers and snorkelers gathered all of this "citizen science." A tip of the mask to all of you who have participated. If you haven't and would like to join in or learn more, check out: http://www.reef.org . Diving Twist on the Nigerian Internet Scam November 16, 2004 Dive operations, resort owners, and travel agents beware. If you get e-mail, you've probably heard from a Nigerian who wants to share millions of dollars with you if you will just send him your back account and social security numbers. Now Pacific Magazine and Maravu Plantation Resort are reporting a new twist on this scam in which a Nigerian travel agency going by the name of Soft Link Travel is booking fake client names with stolen credit cards and having the commissions on these "sales" wired to them, then vanishing with the money before the fraud is discovered. Rushing the Quarterback November 16 , 2004 Reuters reports that San Diego quarterback Drew Brees went to great depths -- literally -- to prepare to face ferocious pass rushers like Carolina's Julius Peppers and Mike Rucker. Even though Brees stayed in the cage, being in the water with great whites is always a rush. Brees did show the whites respect by saying they were much scarier than any of the NFL defensive players he faces. Hot Tip November 16, 2004 The dive trip is over. It's the day of departure. The dive staff has worked hard all week lugging your equipment, helping you back into the boat, and waiting patiently for you when you were the last one out of the water. Now, it's time to tip. How much and to whom? Help us answer the question of what the norm is and who to give it to by answering the short questionnaire below. Just copy the questions and your answers and paste into an e-mail to: john@undercurrent.org How much per day do you leave the dive staff if you get excellent service? $_____ How much per day do you leave the dive staff if you get mediocre service? $_____ How much per day do you leave the dive staff if you get poor service? $_____ Do you tip the other live-aboard or resort staff as well? ____ If so, how much? _____ _____ Do you leave the money with the operation to distribute, or do you give it directly to the staff? _____ Comments: You can see the results in an upcoming issue of Undercurrent. Subscribe today.l -- Ben Davison, editor/publisher Previous Upwellings I want to get the full story! Tell me how I can become an Undercurrent Online Member and get online access to the complete articles from back issues of Undercurrent as well as thousands of first hand reports on dive operations worldwide, or subscribe to the printed Undercurrent newsletter