Funny the people you bump into...

[Paul Oliver]

Originally Posted by MattS

Thats the one i was missing

[Phoenix]

Originally Posted by NeilD

Numpty question...the guy with the appalling colour co-ordination problem has a funny sticky-out thing coming out of his suit on his chest below his inflator valve. What's that then?

It's a Kool-Aid injection system, if he feels any independent thoughts coming on he can plug in his offboard Kool-Aid to instantly return to full "Borgness"

Ian

[dry suit diver]

I am glad I went on Saturday to stir the silt up and annihilate the vis then makes for a more challenging dive I think swimming through murk.

[SoggyFox]

they look quiet normal from the front.

i suppose all the wiring is hidden round the back. anyway thats a recharge socket on the front of his drysuit.

resistance is futile..................

[Mark Chase]

Originally Posted by yazzyfooty

And I thought DIR was all men and women in black!

Actualy I have never seen a pick of JJ or GI3 all in black??

Its more the newbe DIR divers thing.

Mind you I am not 100% sure that JJ satisfies rule 6 in this pic

Probably one of the reasions I like him.

ATB

Mark Chase

[onthetrain]

Originally Posted by Diving Dude

l doubt JJ brought any loo paper with him.

After all, he's not going to need it with all the butt licking that going to happen

Naughty naughty........

I need to spread some love or you could have it

[milldog]

Originally Posted by Woz

It's the end of his pee valve in case he gets thirsty.

pee valve? i thought all DIR had to sit for a piss

[milldog]

Originally Posted by Bardo

The *real* diving starts on Thursday and Friday, I'm told...

What will they be doing then? "Spooky aircraft cockpit" to quote your web page?

[DannyB]

A couple of years ago I was standing in the car park in portland and this american voice from behind me said, "I didn't know we made those" I turned round and Jarrod introduced himself and pointed to the halcyon sticker on my YBOD. I mean, of all the carparks in the world....

We sat and chatted for about 15 minutes, really nice guy. Not at all what I expected having fallen foul of the DIR police in the past.

Danny.

[Bardo]

Originally Posted by milldog

What will they be doing then? "Spooky aircraft cockpit" to quote your web page?

Hehe. It used to be 'spooky' until someone stole the inflatable skeleton from inside the cockpit...

Originally Posted by DannyB

A couple of years ago I was standing in the car park in portland and this american voice from behind me said, "I didn't know we made those" I turned round and Jarrod introduced himself and pointed to the halcyon sticker on my YBOD. I mean, of all the carparks in the world....

We sat and chatted for about 15 minutes, really nice guy. Not at all what I expected having fallen foul of the DIR police in the past.

Yes, I seem to recall JJ was there running a Fundamentals course at the time. As you say, though, he's a genuinely nice guy regardless of your training affiliation - let's not forget that this guy was quite a senior figure in IANTD, NACD and NSS-CDS for quite some time and he was even a PADI instructor long before GUE was formed! As I've said before, the image problem that DIR has isn't caused by these guys or indeed many of the longer-standing DIR guys here in the UK - the vast majority are very down to earth individuals that just want to go diving! They very much believe in a 'live and let live' mentality - you do what you want to do and they'll do what they want to do...

The real problem lies with two groups - the recently converted 'zero to hero' DIR zealots and, dare I say it, sections of the dive community that seem to relish dragging any discussion on the subject into a 'them and us' battle as soon as the word 'DIR' gets mentioned! Whilst I appreciate that much of what's been posted in thsi thread is light hearted banter, it does give you an indication of the underlying hostility that DIR still suffers from. Don't get me wrong, I'm not pro or con either way - contrary to what many believe, I'm not 'DIR' but I do appreciate and adopt (or 'cherry pick', as I call it) alot of what the DIR system advocates simply because much of it does make a lot of sense. That said, personally I don't buy the 'adopt it all or the system falls apart' argument either as much of it evolved from much humbler routes itself. What I do appreciate, however, is that there is more than one way to skin a cat - ie. as long as what you're doing is safe, well thought out and fun then - in the purist sense of the term - you are indeed 'doing it right'. Ultimately it's about being a 'thinking diver' capable of making educated decisions and that only comes from a good, solid balance of experience, good training and the right mental attitude...