Posted by MHK on March 19, 2001 at 16:55:03:
In Reply to: Re: To DIR: an apology posted by AADIVER on March 19, 2001 at 16:41:42:
Frank,
As I noted earlier my ex- was 5 years sober so I'm pretty familiar with the 12 step ;-) and frankly when I refer to *some on this list* I'm carefully avoiding including you in that list..
Those that behave in the fashion that I have described have a well earned reputation and have earned their way into my killfile.. Wasting time arguing bullsh*t with people who have no clue what the hell they are doing underwater isn't my idea of having fun..
Many have opposing viewpoints, many dive in ways that I can't possibly understand but I'll listen to them. Some however have distinguished themselves as clueless but yet opposing just to hear themselves talk... If you notice they never want to discuss the issues, they want to cry like babies, they want to misdirect the issues, they want to debate semantics, they want to do anything but stay on the issues..
Some, like Ken Kurtis and to a lesser extent yourself, are polar opposite from my diving perspective, but yet I'm willing to exchange ideas even if at the end of the day we don't agree. Some, like those in the killfile, have nothing but wasted bandwidth to offer, so I ask myself why bother????
My pet peeves are hypocrcy and verbal gymnastics. I have little, if any, patients for that kind of nonsense. I take diving more seriously than most, I spend and inordinate amount of time analyzing diving, decompression theory, accident analysis and refuse to listen to those that have little, if any, experience or knowledge on the subject matter. I don't care if someone purports to have 2800 dives, but yet when we discuss BASIC stuff they give the dear in headlight look. Number of dives don't impress me it's the approach to a dive and the dedication to our sport and the respect for the potential dangers that impresses me...
I am very fortunate in that I am now in the postion to be surrounding by VERY qualified and like minded diver's. We no longer are in a position that we must accept mediocre diver's. We are small, but growing.. Every week we get someone new and every week we are able to bring someone else along.. We no longer have to justify stupid and dangerous diving practices because of lack of qualified buddies...
I hope this movement gains steam, I hope that we are able to change the willingness to accept mediocrity, and I hope that we are able to stem the tide about I'll dive solo rather than a bad buddy..
Later