PADI getting sued over Insurance Program

[Thalassamania]

Actually two of the parties are well known for using every tool in their toolbox to make things go their way. Press releases and internet chat forums are just some of those tools. After all, they did that together, in complicity and at each other's behest, for many, many, years.

 

[cerich]

I notice that there are 11 members and 9 guests viewing this thread as I type. I wonder who those guests are.

cowards.

Off topic a bit but I am freaking sick of the entire industry reading Scubaboard and being afraid to post.

Why do we have such a culture of fear? Fear of the agencies (actually maybe because if we piss them off they will take us off teaching status), fear of DEMA, fear of the major brands (if I speak up they will not let me sell their brand) and fear of the god darn internet!

For such a dynamic and leader filled group of people there sure is too much fear.

 

[mikemill]

I notice that there are 11 members and 9 guests viewing this thread as I type. I wonder who those guests are.

With a site this size I would be surprised if at least 6 of those guests were bots crawling the site.

 

[The Chairman]

With a site this size I would be surprised if at least 6 of those guests were bots crawling the site.

Bots aren't allowed on ScubaBoard. We actually have a method to bundle everything the search engines need and give it to them every morning at 1:00am. We exclude a number of forums we think don't need to be searched (like the Pub).

 

[boulderjohn]

I notice that there are 11 members and 9 guests viewing this thread as I type. I wonder who those guests are.

I know several people who are not SB members and who were directed to this thread on the theory that they should be interested in it. When something like this happens and people start googling for information, they are going to find something like this, and they are going to read it.

When the SB lawsuit happened, I wrote a column about it in the Educational Technology and Change Journal, where I am an editor. That is because modern educational technology includes social networking, and the lawsuit is of great interest in that community. I am sure quite a few readers, including many who have never considered diving in their lives, made it onto SB as guests to view the details.

 

[PuMpUi]

cowards.

Off topic a bit but I am freaking sick of the entire industry reading Scubaboard and being afraid to post.

Why do we have such a culture of fear? Fear of the agencies (actually maybe because if we piss them off they will take us off teaching status), fear of DEMA, fear of the major brands (if I speak up they will not let me sell their brand) and fear of the god darn internet!

For such a dynamic and leader filled group of people there sure is too much fear.

Why do we have such a culture of fear? Perception plays a major role in fear. As long as the "majors" think that we "need" them for our every breath and that there are NO alternatives but the onle that they offer us .. then we are kept in subjection and fear to their words, threats and actions.

(When the elephant is very small its leg is tied with a rope to a stake. The rope and stake are stronger than the baby elephant. The rope is never removed. Even after the elephant is full-grown, its memory of the power of the rope remains even though the elephant's strength is more than sufficient to pull the rope and the stake up out of the ground.)

"Transposition" (forgetting the rightful order of things) works against us as well, especially when the "majors" are teaching us. If it were not for the individual, a dive shop could not exist. Without the dive shops, the industry would not need the majors.

While mutual need exists, don't be afraid to take a stand. IMHO.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I have looked into Divernewswire for releases and announcements I wanted to make regarding some SEI things early on when we were still getting things going. They do not publish anything to my knowledge that is not paid for by somebody unless they have changed some of their policies. They masquerade as a "newswire". They are NOT the AP, Reuters, etc. What they really appear to be is a pay to say website. In fact there is more free news here and on other dive forums that never makes it on to the "newswire" that is much more interesting and relevant. Anyone ever remember seeing a bad review of a resort that advertises on there? And you never will.

 

[boulderjohn]

They masquerade as a "newswire". They are NOT the AP, Reuters, etc. What they really appear to be is a pay to say website. .

I think that is my problem. Naive as I am, I was assuming they would make some minor attempt to have some sort of reputation for quality. I don't think I am quite a babe in the woods, so I suspect that others might be fooled into thinking there is some integrity to the organization. I wonder how far they would be willing to go in printing something that borders on libel, providing the price is right.

 

[theduckguru]

First of all, those press releases cost hundreds of dollars. I'm sure Scott will make you a deal to buy 5 or more. Second of all, a man sues his training agency. His training agency removes him from teaching status with no notification to him, and no explanation. It wasn't until his certs were rejected that he found out that he wasn't in teaching status. His lawyer had to write a letter to his training agency and make inquiry as to why he was no longer in teaching status. His training agency immediately realized that they had made a mistake and restored his status.

How would you feel if you had your teaching status revoked and had to have your lawyer find out why, because your teaching agency wouldn't take your phone calls?

This trial is being played out in the court of public opinion, folks. The sides will put pressure on until one capitulates, and cash changes hands. If you think this is anything else than one party trying to make another party bend, you are sorely mistaken. One of these parties is well known for using every tool in his toolbox to make things go his way. Press releases and internet chat forums are just some of those tools.

The general public doesn't know or care who PADI is and probably >75% of the divers in the US don't know of this suit or care - IOW, a very small court.

More like a hired gun proclaiming he is going to add another scalp.

 

[ReefHound]

I think that is my problem. Naive as I am, I was assuming they would make some minor attempt to have some sort of reputation for quality. I don't think I am quite a babe in the woods, so I suspect that others might be fooled into thinking there is some integrity to the organization. I wonder how far they would be willing to go in printing something that borders on libel, providing the price is right.

I think it's the name that has a lot of people fooled. We are too trusting and tend to take things at face value. Like Jim said, they are not a "newswire". They are essentially an advertising platform.