Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

http://globalnation.inquirer.net/618...r-in-tubbataha

http://ph.news.yahoo.com/us-navy-fin...073407618.html

A US minesweeper has somehow managed to run aground on the Tubbataha reef, a protected marine reserve. Getting a lot of press here. US authorities are pointing to the possibility of inaccurate maps, but people still wonder how a modern naval vessel failed to detect the presence of a rather large expanse of shallow coral.

If this is true...

The Tubbataha marine park superintendent, Angelique Songco, said Monday that park rangers had warned the USS Guardian by radio that it was nearing the reef, but the ship captain insisted they raise their complaint with the US embassy.
It means this old joke more or less came true...
US Ship: Please divert your course 0.5 degrees to the south to avoid a collision.

CND reply: Recommend you divert your course 15 degrees to the South to avoid a collision.

US Ship: This is the Captain of a US Navy Ship. I say again, divert your course.

CND reply: No. I say again, you divert YOUR course!

US Ship: THIS IS THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER USS CORAL SEA*, WE ARE A LARGE WARSHIP OF THE US NAVY. DIVERT YOUR COURSE NOW!!

CND reply: This is a lighthouse. Your call.
It's not quite as funny in reality, and if the investigation now said to be in progress reveals that the ship's captain actually did ignore warnings that he was entering a no-navigation zone and risked running onto a reef one would expect some consequences.