General Info

[QUOTE=Ikksman;1590330]Even if you use a VPN, clear your cookies and even flash cookies, you are still able to be identified (or more accurately, the computer and software that you are using). COTS software can readily be purchased that can uniquely identify you.

Perhaps, DIA is using this type of software.

Cheers.
[/QUOTE]It is a possibility. The reason is believe it was due to forbidden words is I was able to create the new account, receive the verification email, provide my mobile, receive the SMS message with the validation code, enter that code, and then access my new and empty profile. Upon entering my text in the profile and saving it I was booted. Personally I don't know why DIA goes through the trouble. It isn't subscription based; girls quitting doesn't end a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription. I can't imagine any ads on the site interest the girls, and if they did most of the girls don't have credit cards or paypay needed to participate in ecommerce. Can a bloke order a gift on DIA for a girl? I don't recall. How does the site make money? It's been a long while since I joined but I remember that new profiles were manually reviewed and approved by a real person. A couple of times I found my original profile had been edited significantly, so I re-added the missing text (not just words, but paragraphs) and was able to continue on without a consequence. Perhaps DIA let the profile-review staff go to reduce labour costs, replacing these workers with automation.

[quote=ikksman;1590330]. in china, authorities are integrating these software capabilities with cctv imaging technologies to create even more powerful identification and tracking capabilities. this and related technologies are not commercially available except to government departments in china .[/quote]thanks ikks. i really don't want to know this. i just like to have a nice quiet peaceful under the radar, mongering life.

i watch what i say to everyone on dia and am polite on all other sites.

but i'm sure the [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord134][CodeWord134][/url] ess bee know exactly who we are. where we are. where we go and who we are with.

life used to be so much easier. sigh.

I too am cautious about what I say on DIA. The other day I was chatting with what appeared to be a very attractive woman in Cebu who was not so subtly looking for assistance to supposedly apply for a job. We moved our conversation over to YM and the requests accelerated. She of course did not have a cam which sealed it for me. I reported her to DIA as asking for money is a strict no no on that site. They closed her profile within minutes. Under the messages we had exchanged in big bold red letters was written "banned".

The next time we chatted on YM she of course still did not have a cam, but told me she had closed her DIA profile as now that she had found me she was my one and only LOL. I blocked her on YM as well.

So be careful what you write on DIA as they react very quickly. I suspect the reverse could be true as well. It could likely only take a woman who has hurt feelings to make a frivolous complaint and your gone.

[QUOTE=Amanut;1590393]I too am cautious about what I say on DIA. The other day I was chatting with what appeared to be a very attractive woman in Cebu who was not so subtly looking for assistance to supposedly apply for a job. We moved our conversation over to YM and the requests accelerated. She of course did not have a cam which sealed it for me. I reported her to DIA as asking for money is a strict no no on that site. They closed her profile within minutes. Under the messages we had exchanged in big bold red letters was written "banned".

The next time we chatted on YM she of course still did not have a cam, but told me she had closed her DIA profile as now that she had found me she was my one and only LOL. I blocked her on YM as well.

So be careful what you write on DIA as they react very quickly. I suspect the reverse could be true as well. It could likely only take a woman who has hurt feelings to make a frivolous complaint and your gone.[/QUOTE]This is good advice. They seemed to have moved from allowing anything, to a rather over-reactive policy. I would recommend that if you have any contacts on there that you don't want to lose, make sure you have that information backed up somewhere else. Profiles can evaporate at a moment's notice.

[QUOTE=Amavida;1585930]Those prices you're quoting are shocking. I agree the yellows are rarely around. I've used a private driver or family for a long time. To hear these prices it seems things are deteriorating at NAIA. Its always been the case that a savy traveler could save a lot of money by RTFF but this seems out of control.

AV.[/QUOTE]Those prices are way up. I was in Manila last April and I got my ride from T2 700 plus 200 tip. The ride back to T2 a few days later was 700 and I tipped 500 to this driver, but he almost walked me all the way to the gate with my bags. LOL.

[QUOTE=TheDude865;1591247]Those prices are way up. I was in Manila last April and I got my ride from T2 700 plus 200 tip. The ride back to T2 a few days later was 700 and I tipped 500 to this driver, but he almost walked me all the way to the gate with my bags. LOL.[/QUOTE]My flight from the province to Manila arrived a few minutes early at 3:45 pm on Cebu Pacific (what terminal is that?) To avoid the yellow taxi mafia, I elevatored up to Level 3 (departures) and found the (80-meter long) white taxi line and fell in. There were lots of white taxi's, and signs saying "Be careful the white taxi's blah blah. " A 20-minute wait in the Manila heat made me kick myself for not ordering up the p600 hotel taxi from Makati. However, once inside the white metered taxi the driver asked if I wanted to take the p20 skyway and I told him yes. Once on the skyway I saw only one other vehicle going in my direction the entire way, and we zipped right along. Even after exiting the skyway, traffic was light (Sunday afternoon), only stopping us at the red lights. I think from the time I stepped into the taxi, to stepping out in front of the hotel, was a whopping 15 minutes. Cost on the meter? P120. Skyway add p20, so p140. Lovely! I handed him p200 and felt good about it. Admittedly at the airport I was tempted to offer him p350 to NOT bother with the meter.

Felt so good about saving the 150 that I walked myself over to Howzatt Sports Bar and got myself a beef / guiness pie and a beer. Cheers!

Ok. I RTFF and can't find information on travel from LAX to MNL. Searched for LAX, flights, etc, but shot blanks(...sorry for ostensibly disturbing metaphor).

So I'm just looking for seasoned expertise. Should I take the shorter and direct Philippine airlines at about $300 US more but 4 hours less or take the one stop approach? If the latter, any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

PM.

[QUOTE=Poolmover;1591333]Ok. I RTFF and can't find information on travel from LAX to MNL. Searched for LAX, flights, etc, but shot blanks(...sorry for ostensibly disturbing metaphor).

So I'm just looking for seasoned expertise. Should I take the shorter and direct Philippine airlines at about $300 US more but 4 hours less or take the one stop approach? If the latter, any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

PM.[/QUOTE]Have done both. The direct flight is not non-stop, it makes a 50-minute layover in Guam for fuel, and you are not allowed to get out of your seat during that time. I think this is the quickest route to Manila. Remember, you are flying PAL (People-Awful-Lazy). If you haven't flown PAL overseas before, its a bit like flying AeroMex (lower your expectations from the time you arrive at LAX).

I recommend any of the other 1-stop airlines (Cathay, Korean, Asiana, etc).

[QUOTE=Poolmover;1591333]Ok. I RTFF and can't find information on travel from LAX to MNL. Searched for LAX, flights, etc, but shot blanks(...sorry for ostensibly disturbing metaphor).

So I'm just looking for seasoned expertise. Should I take the shorter and direct Philippine airlines at about $300 US more but 4 hours less or take the one stop approach? If the latter, any recommendations?

Thanks in advance.

PM.[/QUOTE]Flew Honolulu to Manila for years on Korean Air, China Airlines, JAL. Sometimes I had to overnight in another country, then fly to MNL the next day. Then I found out that PAL first class was only double the economy class (not any longer). So, I started flying PAL first class HNL-MNL (direct, nonstop) and became spoiled because PAL has its own international terminal, and when you are in first class you are first out of the plane and first in line for immigration. Since I only have carry-on I am usually outside within 5 minutes of landing. Other carriers will take you to a different terminal, and you will wait with all other international passengers to go through immigration, etc. So, which do you value the most? Your time or your money? Like the girls say, "is up to you".

[QUOTE=TheDude865;1591247]Those prices are way up. I was in Manila last April and I got my ride from T2 700 plus 200 tip. The ride back to T2 a few days later was 700 and I tipped 500 to this driver, but he almost walked me all the way to the gate with my bags. LOL.[/QUOTE]As I said the taxi mafia's control the traffic, and whenever a lot of planes land, most yellow cabs vanish or really they are under equipped to handle say 3 or 4 B747's arrival.

Knowing Philippines, I suspect the planning is not just there.

As I said, since I touched down past midnight, the 1000 plus for a agency pickup was worth it vs being held to ransom by the government sanctioned mafia.

[QUOTE=WestCoast1;1591340]Have done both. The direct flight is not non-stop, it makes a 50-minute layover in Guam for fuel, [/QUOTE]Must be new? I've been from Manila to LAX return in 2012 without a stop in Guam. 13 hours non-stop flight in 747.

[QUOTE=Ekspat;1591377]Must be new? I've been from Manila to LAX return in 2012 without a stop in Guam. 13 hours non-stop flight in 747.[/QUOTE]Not new.

On return flights, with cargo hold packed full of balikbayan boxes. PR is known to make a tech-stop in Guam, sometimes, on the return leg.

Outward leg is always non-stop.

With the 777-300 ERs they maybe able to do non-stop both ways.

[QUOTE=Ekspat;1591377]Must be new? I've been from Manila to LAX return in 2012 without a stop in Guam. 13 hours non-stop flight in 747.[/QUOTE]Is it possible it's non-stop going east but needs fueling in Guam going west? Flights between Atlanta or Detroit and Japan or Korea all take a couple hours longer going west than going east. I assume the Pacific tradewinds make the difference. The westward flight is bucking the westerlie tradewinds, whereas the eastbound flight benefits from a tailwind. So it needs more fuel on the westbound flight. Just a thought. If the plane were capable of doing the westward leg non-stop, I can't imagine they'd want to burn the extra fuel taking off from Guam.

[QUOTE=TheDude865;1591247]Those prices are way up. I was in Manila last April and I got my ride from T2 700 plus 200 tip. The ride back to T2 a few days later was 700 and I tipped 500 to this driver, but he almost walked me all the way to the gate with my bags. LOL.[/QUOTE]IMHO those are mad prices, tip 500? He would have walked you to the aircraft door if he could LOL.

Am with Westie. As long as the line is no too long (and wether not too hot) at T3 (that is where you arrived WC) I go upstairs.

But downstairs is still PHP 440 in the white cabs and I now select flights where I know the congestion is not too bad and I will get a cab quickly while ignoring the 'private' ones.

T2 seems to be totally screwed up and too many scammers given those prices.

Makati / Burgos via Skyway to T3 and T1 is between PHP 170-250 in my experience, much depends on time of day, day of week etc (eg Sunday at 3 am is very quick, Friday at 6 PM is madness).

[QUOTE=SkipKost;1591421]Is it possible it's non-stop going east but needs fueling in Guam going west? Flights between Atlanta or Detroit and Japan or Korea all take a couple hours longer going west than going east. I assume the Pacific tradewinds make the difference. The westward flight is bucking the westerlie tradewinds, whereas the eastbound flight benefits from a tailwind. So it needs more fuel on the westbound flight. Just a thought. If the plane were capable of doing the westward leg non-stop, I can't imagine they'd want to burn the extra fuel taking off from Guam.[/QUOTE]The last time I flew it was 2011 (never again -- I flew it to save time and about $100). The Guam layover is only on the westbound leg in the 747. It makes no sense to me, as the longbow 747 is capable of flying farther than Manila without refueling (they routinely fly from the US west coast to cities farther). OTOH, its PAL. Airlines sometimes make aircraft purchases on the cheap. A PAL 747 driver in Manila once shared with me some disturbing information about the equipment we had just flown: it was brand new (he was proud of that), but it was purchased minus several standard communications devices, with the intent of installing them later. When I shared this info later with a friend who is a former 747 pilot with a major american airline, he said to me: "I should say OMG that's dangerous. But, remember the source airline here. They do anything to save pesos. " Its fairly possible that at the time, PAL's east-west contingient of aircraft were purchased with smaller fuel bladders, etc. Flagship or not, its a budget airline.

Pool, I'll PM you.