from the observation / opinion of a lurking newbie:

Apparently many of you were born with hundreds of dives already in your logbooks. It seems that you have forgotten what it is like to be new to diving. I feel fairly safe in saying that many of you old-timers made some of the same mistakes you now bitch about.

How about giving new divers the same chance to learn that someone obviously gave you.

Yes, I am a newbie. Obtained my c-card in 1989, and never went back beause of $$. Now it's 2007, living in Guam, with the funds and opportunity, and recently took a refresher course that I demanded of myself.

Please, nothing personnal here, just remember when you had less than 100 dives in your books.