It’s a while ago … but for some reason it popped into my mind … for some people it might be a boring diveinstructor story but …
I was about to do an so called intro dive. Quick introduction to theory no big trouble. So we dressed up for some water work in really shallow water (shallow enough to stand up). I started to do a couple of very basic skills like regulator in and out. No big problem. So I gave this lady a bit of a challenge for the first time under water and asked her to clear a mask filled up to eye level. Also no problem - done at the first attempt. Brilliant!
Suddenly she gave me the sign to stand up. I signalized “no you are doing well - we are going for a little dive now!”. Well she insisted of standing up. On the surface I asked her: “What’s wrong? You’re doing really great. Even the mask clearing was good!”
She answered: “Well there’s fish in the water! I just saw a fish passing by.”
I: “Ehm yes - this is an ocean. The reason we are going diving is to watch at fish.”
She: “I don’t like fish - let’s go out.”
I: “Are you serious? You’re winding me up - right?”
But she was very serious and we went out … I don’t know if she ever dived again …
I had a shocking argument in a german diving forum with some pretty irresponsible people. Actually I was complaining that they published a picture with three divers diving through the Blue Hole arch in Dahab on single tanks. It’s an overhead environment by the way.
The answers were quite funny. I should stop shitting in my pants as it is “only” 60 meters deep. And what would be my problem with 60 meters and air? All a piece of cake … Actually there is nothing wrong with the proper training and the right equipment. It was also quite obvious that some people have a shocking lack of diving theory. Diving deep on a single tank and not knowing for example that dehydration is claimed to be the prime cause of decompression sickness … no bailout plans … not thinking about what could happen down there: “I know my air consumption and it is pretty good” … “all I need is the right buddy. If my regulator is free flowing then we use the tank of the buddy” … do I have to say more? …
What was pissing me off most was the fact that all these people sounded like diving to 60 meters is quite normal and as simple as fuck. So what happens if unexperienced and unaware divers read about that stuff? Of course they want to do the same … please don’t … and if you do not believe me then ask some serious technical instructors what they think about: 60 meters - overhead environment - single tank …
dive safe and in your limits …
The latest Software for the Inspiration Vision runs fine on Linux as well. Last night I upgraded my Vision using Kubuntu 7.10. There is a screenshot of a running update at the end of the how tos I’ve written:
english version
german version
cheers
p.s: no sleep ’til Redmond 
Diving in the Red Sea is stunning. To do this in Dahab is amazing. It’s not overcrowded like Sharm El Sheik or Hurghada. Chilled out places and famous divesites. The Blue Hole and the Canyon are a must if you consider diving in Sinai. Also quite cool is the Thistlegorm. It’s possibly the most dived wreck in the world. The nasty germans (sorry - but I’m Bavarian anyway ) sunk it in the second world war.
I can highly recommend diving in Dahab. A very nice divecenter with fair prices ist Mirage Divers. The equipment is brandnew the center is very clean and the team is friendly and chilled. The hotel is quite nice, clean and it has its own private beach. With the food I had no problems at all. If you consider diving in Dahab drop these guys an email and ask them what you want to know. You get for sure a quick and helpful answer.
I just got back from the pub … friend of mine an myself were sitting there and having a few quite beers …
at a certain point they played an eminem track and he said to me:
“You know what? I think the world is pretty fucked up. The best rapper in the world is white and the best golfer is black …”
Facebook might be a great platform for sharing pictures and keeping in touch with your friends around the world. But what Facebook and MySpace are planning is not funny.
They want to give marketers access to users’ personal data
What they did recently was this:
“Your public search listing consists of your name and the thumbnail version of your profile picture. This listing will be shown to people who search for your name when they are not logged in to Facebook.”
It might be ok for people who want this. But to activate it by default without asking is not ok. If you don’t want to have this you have to uncheck yourself. It can be found in Privacy -> Search.
Ok, facebook is for free … but if somebody wants to give my private data away they have to ask at least for a permission. That’s why I’m thinking of leaving facebook. E-Mail keeps you in touch as well …
Juergen
Anybody remebers the Lucasfilm-adventure Sam & Max? A dog as a PI and his partner the ultraviolent rabbit? Telltale Games develop it on in different episodes and polished graphics.
The best thing ist: Episode 4 “Abe Lincoln Must Die” is completely for free. You can download it directly from their hompage. The game ist for Windows only and the download size is about 84 MByte. I just was watching the intro … seems to be very funny 
Dear Amazon,
I’ve written a How To get your Inspiration (rebreather) software running on Linux. You put in some links. So far so good and as planned.
But would you be so kind and tell me the common thing of dass CrossOver Mac derzeit nicht and Spiel nicht mit mir und meinem Glück (Dance-Version) (this is german for: don’t play with me and my luck) of Marita Manee (whoever that is)??? Your context links are really a nice and unintrusive way of advertising … but this one does not make really sense, does it? Maybe the lyrics? I’m actually really close to buy that song now but I don’t like dance-music. Or did you just employ some funny people recently?
