DIR-F class will now be a certification class

[Genesis]

Huh?

I don't post on other boards for the most part, and I don't post on Usenet under ANY alias - only my real name. I make no attempt to hide who I am; if you look at my profile here you will find my first initial and last name; if you punch THAT into Google you'll get back some 9,000 hits! I stopped allowing archiving by Google about three or four years ago, when I stopped being a public figure - I used to run an internet company.

I have no idea who RaiderKarl is Mike. You're off the deep end on that one. I don't have "too many" aliases - I've typically used two names in my years online (more than 10 of them), this one when available in a particular place or forum, and my real name on Usenet. On Rodale's I'm under the name of my boat, only because "Genesis" was taken.

On SDN I post under my real name. And yes, I've pointed out some of the GUE hypocrisy (such as the jumping all over the solo thing when ignoring one of your own who died apparently solo freediving!) there too. I do recall pointing out the funny concept called "proximate cause" to you there.... The only reason I found myself over there is that I had posted a pointer to the diversunion site there, and some idgit attacked me for allegedly trying to collect email address for the purpose of spam. They got a healthy dose of gasoline followed by a match.

May I gently suggest that you stop seeing imaginary black shadows behind you? Not all who see hypocrisy in GUE are me.

In fact, it seems to be a common point raised by many.

The only place I've engaged you on Triox was on Usenet in the group rec.scuba. While there was a parallel thread on SDN, I don't believe I posted there, as I'd already made my points.

Have a good night Mike. Perhaps I'll call 'ya if you're interested in taking this offline. I've made my points though, and it sounds like they have no interest within GUE, so whether there is a point to the call remains open to debate. On the other hand, if I could spend upwards of 10 hours beating my head against manufacturer's "price restraint" walls, what's another half-hour or so with you?

 

[SeaJay]

I stopped allowing archiving by Google about three or four years ago, when I stopped being a public figure - I used to run an internet company.

Very interesting.

I used to run an internet company, too... And also was quite the public figure. I changed my name to "CJ" when I got out of it, but many people still figured out who I was. So I went with "SeaJay." The name originally had nothing to do with the ocean.

To this day, everyone calls me "SeaJay" even in real life... And of course, they all think it's got something to do with the ocean. Funny.

Amazing how a name change can bury your past. Not that I'm ashamed of it... But as a public figure, a little privacy is nice. I am no longer in the public eye, and enjoy a new lifestyle of "normalcy."

...So what is it that you used to do? What position, exactly, did you hold in the public eye? Early internet tells me a lot... And tells me that it's likely that we share a common bond. It was nice when you could make money here, wasn't it?

Whatcha do now? I own a WISP. Cool, eh? Weird how it all gets around.

Care to share your old name?

How fascinating. I should have known when you rambled on like that that you were an old flamer.

 

[Genesis]

No handle.

MHK has posted my real name - he's right. Its right in my profile for anyone who cares to look here. I've never made an attempt to hide who I am on the net or off. Its just not my style. I find it more than a bit amusing when people decide that I have ten or twenty nom-de-plume's and attribute other's words to me. Its worth a chuckle that they think I'm so afraid of my opinions that I'd have to obfuscate them by using an alias.

I ran a company called MCSNet, or more formally, Macro Computer Solutions, Inc, out of the Chicago area.

Before the "Inc" it was known as D&D Software, a partnership, which dated to roughly '85. At one point in time we moved about 75% of the Usenet news in the Chicago area, after ihnp4 (at bell labs) was taken offline during a budget crunch. That was back in the days of PC Pursuit and Telebit Trailblazer modems.

MCS was the second public ISP online with dedicated high-speed connectivity in the Chicago area, and the first (which beat us literally by a day) folded a couple of years later, so by some counts it was "the first". I ran a highly-customized version of FreeBSD on commodity hardware - something that "the experts" all said was impossible to do with stability and performance metrics that were acceptable.

They were wrong.

That wasn't the only thing they were wrong about

I was a heavy participant in the Domain System wars (including being the inventor and operator of eDNS, an alternative to the Internic control of the DNS root), was on the ARIN Advisory Council, and heavily involved in many other political areas of the 'net and its operation.

Sold out in '98 and retired to raise my daughter - no regrets, no apologies. These days I raise her, fish, dive and enjoy life.

I've toyed with a number of industry-related projects, but the "right fit" hasn't been there yet. If I find it I'd get back into the biz, but for right now I'm happy where I am.

My way of looking at life hasn't materially changed in those 20 years. I've never suffered what I see as hypocrisy silently or well, and many people in that industry consider my name a household word - some with a 4-letter word or two in front of it

Of course unlike many, I was never indicted for ripping off my shareholders or other similar scams.

 

[SeaJay]

Not exactly what I was talking about.

But cool. Sounds like you did really well for yourself. Can't blame you for retiring early.

 

[VTernovski]

ok, can we get back to the original topic please? I will be taking DIR-F in a week. Have the changes been taken effect and what happens if I pass (lol, I said if and not when after reading all your DIR-F reports out there.. I also think I am a pretty good diver, but I do expect to get some reality check by watching those 'ego busting' videos)? Will I get a GUE card or something?

BTW, another note of in regards to Mo2vation's suggestion for DIR-F materials... I think GUE did take your suggestions and they now have a special DIR-F workbook. I just got it, and it looks promising as an outline for the class, thus giving it a more "official" and approach with a sense of a standard, although I think those are just mostly snippets from instructors PPT presentation. Nevertheless, I think somebody listened to the suggestions, Mo2vation.

-VT

 

[large_diver]

You will be rated on a 1-5 scale -- with 5 being "demonstrated excellent proficiency in all skills" and 1 being "hazardous diver". You are rated in several skill areas and are also given an overall rating.

You must be rated a 3 or above overall to pass the course. 3 means your skills are satisfactory but need improvement.

If you pass, you will receive a shiny GUE card...which of course gets you absolutely nothing except that warm, fuzzy feeling for a job well done......and reminds you to keep practicing, practicing, practicing......

 

[BCS]

Just to help out Large Diver with the pass/fail issue.
Re-read the GUE S&P's. It is not an "overall" rating. A diver can get 5's in everything but airsharing. Get a 2 there and not get a "pass" for the course.
The standards will tell you that a GUE instructor can full pass/provisonal pass/fail a student at thier own discretion, regardless of "scores".
My advice to any student is don't get hung up on all of the pass/fail issues. The course is there to help you improve your diving....no "card" will do that for you. Often, students seem to lose sight of the purpose of the class and become frustrated when they do not perform as well as they had hoped. The class is there for divers to make their mistakes in the presence of people that are trained, educated, and skilled in methods to help them work through these problems (or at least point them in the direction of correcting the issues) and giving them the tools to do that after the class is over. When frustration sets in, the student's performance often declines and then the actual learning may suffer.
Most of all, try to have fun and the learning will come naturally.
Just my $0.02

dive safe!---b.

 

[chrpai]

large_diver once bubbled...
You will be rated on a 1-5 scale -- with 5 being "demonstrated excellent proficiency in all skills" and 1 being "hazardous diver".

LOL, you mean they don't assign you the "stroke" rating for a 1?

Seriously, hazardous diver. I'd be very curious as to what standard they use to decide that. Is it a truely dangerous diver, or just one who doesn't do things very DIR like.

 

[detroit diver]

chrpai once bubbled...



LOL, you mean they don't assign you the "stroke" rating for a 1?

Seriously, hazardous diver. I'd be very curious as to what standard they use to decide that. Is it a truely dangerous diver, or just one who doesn't do things very DIR like.

Actually, it's pretty simple.

There's a picture of you in the guidebook. They just refer to that.

 

[chrpai]

Hence the arrogance you and your chronies are so well known for.