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I for one think that they should start selling rebreathers at K-Mart. Instead of Oxygen bottles they could sell that stuff that you used to have to ignite to get oxygen for welding. You know, if there are people out there who want to run garden hoses down deep off of Sears Craftsman air compressors from above, my feeling is "more power to 'em". It is not my job to keep people from doing whatever it is that makes them happy, as long as they aren't hurting me, people I give a shit about, or kids. Some chick wants to dive a wreck 200' on air - go for it. Some dude wants to try to become the deepest asshole using tanks in the world - go for it. I don't want to see people get hurt, but it is NOT MY JOB to protect the world. I've got enough to do to protect my own behind... This brings up those who do want to protect us all - Certifying agencies. Certifying agencies of ALL types were set up for one purpose: To limit the number of individuals who could exercise a certain activity within a group. They are also set up to make money. You gotta pay NAUI, PADI, TDI, IANTD, NACDS, NMRA, etc, etc... No one trains and certifies for free. If people wanted just to "serve" the diving community, they wouldn't charge more than basic operating costs. Typically, it is the agencies that scream the loudest when divers die who are inexperienced. Most non-divers that I know think that we are all asking for it anyway, and could give a shit if the dead dude was certified for trimix, nitrox, or deep air... I'm not knocking the job that certifying agencies do - but we all live in the real world, don't we? And we all know that no one does anything for anyone that isn't going to make them some money. Don't believe me? Well, come over an fix my car, because I'm a bitchin dude. Since anyone can buy scuba gear, the only way that training agencies have to control access to the sport, and hence require their official "blessing" through certification, is by barring you from getting your tanks filled if you don't have that silly card. This also helps the scuba shops sell diving classes. This also gives rise to the total stupidity of someone presenting a trimix card for a nitrox fill, and getting turned down for not having the right "certification". Scuba is much like any activity dominated by men (hats off to the ladies) - I compare most dive shops to gun shops. You've usually got a bunch of dudes in there who spend most of their time posturing, and acting like Joseph P. Cool. Lemme give you an example: I can't tell you how many times I've been in a dive shop where I'm looking to buy something useless (which is my hobby). Invariably, the guy behind the counter will act like Mr. Diving Stud of the World. When I start looking at something bizzare (like a 30-06 powerhead) the dudes will somtimes ask me what kind of diving I do. If I feel like being an asshole (which is quite often these days), I'll tell them that I've got a rebreather, and I make films. Instantly - their attitudes change. All of a sudden, they are like little kids who want to be my buddy, and who look upon me like I am the Diving Stud. Why? Same thing in gun shops. Go in there, and if you know ANYTHING about guns, ask a very basic question of one of the ya-hoo's that invariably work there. They'll start telling you about this and that, like they know it all. But tell them you are a cop - and all of a sudden, they fall at your feet and nibble the doughnut crumbs off your shoes. (I'm not a cop, btw, but my brother is, and he's dumber than a barrel of hair). I guess what all the above is about is that certifications tend to be like merit badges for boy scouts. "I'm better than you because I have the needlepoint badge...". Like George is fond of saying, what all this really comes down to is if you can walk the walk, talk the talk, pet the pony, and spank the monkey, it really doesn't mean shit what certifications you have or don't have. And as for people getting killed underwater : Well, hell. It happens. Shit, you could get killed any number of ways. I like what Rich sez: Iffin' you go underwater and die, too bad, go home and cry to momma... That's not to say that agencies that require you to become progressively certified are doing a gross disservice to the diving community. We all know people that probably should be undergoing training for the rest of their natural lives. These people may be helped by the training, and, quite frankly, if they want to give all their money to Bret or Tom, then so what? The guys that piss me off are the ones who act like the training makes them some kind of diving god - that a "divemaster" certification makes them truly a "master" of diving. I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm quite comfortable with listening to everyone, and gleaning the good crumbs of information here and there. I'm also comfortable with giving advice on my own experiences to others without acting like a total asshole (most times, that is...). So, from now on anyone who has less little cards than me in his wallet has to treat me with some damn respect, like I know what I am talking about. I'm tired of you all spitting on my new shoes every day, and stealing my lunch money. I'm not going to take it anymore, unless you have a mixed gas closed circuit rebreather dive master card... I guess the point I'm trying to make is that I just got signed on with Pipeline because my partner John told me to, and I wanted to share that with all of you, since you all make me feel so warm and tingly inside... My AOL address is still good, I'll just use this one to waste time on the web downloading pictures of naked celebrities romping with George's ponies... Kevin. HeyyDude
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