Equifax data breech

[Bill Greenwood]

Jeff, have you tried just not reading a topic if it doesn't appeal to you or fit you narrow definition of what should be on this forum?
A lot of things may be of interest to others here. Censorship is the hallmark of closed minds in the small world and closed countries or societies in the larger world. Pretty much throughout history one of the first acts of a repressive govt is to suppress freedom of expression of all kinds. This topic may help some people, might even save them some money that can be spent on aviation and it's not like this topic is going to crowd out any of the ones on homebuiding that seem more basic.
This is not my topic on id theft, but it really may help people, and is a bit related to aviation, in that I ll bet lots of pilots here shop online, ( I dont) so they give their personal and financial info out online or use ATMs. I know gas station pumps are one source of ids being stolen, dont know if that includes av gas pumps.

[rwanttaja]

Most of the MANY forums in which I participate on a wide variety of interests have a 'Catch-All', 'Back Room' or 'Lounge' sub-forum where members can chat about most any topic on the planet, even religion and politics, as long as they maintain the code of conduct established by the forum owners. I honestly and innocently thought that was what Hangar Talk implied.

The forum rules state:

The EAA Forums Forums are strictly for aviation related posts. Through much discussion and observation of other online forums, the decision was made to focus solely on aviation. Non-aviation discussions can be exceedingly challenging to moderate in an appropriate, open and positive way. Although non-aviation discussions can sometimes be fun, important or entertaining, they are discouraged from EAA Forums and may be removed.

Note the key phrases... "strictly for aviation related posts"..."solely on aviation".

Sure, anyone with three-and-a-half brain cells can warp a subject to add an aviation veneer ("A good laxative will make you fit to fly!"), but that's certainly not the intent of the rules.

The big difference this forum and others is that this one is under the EAA corporate aegis. EAA can be held legally liable for what is posted here. This isn't just theoretical...such lawsuits do happen. I've been sued for things I've posted, and if I'd posted them to the EAA Forum, EAA would probably have been named as a co-defendant.

That's why EAA moderates these forums, and why some threads lately have just quietly disappeared (think I hadn't noticed, Hal? :-)

Ron "Not guilty, your honor" Wanttaja

[Bill Greenwood]

Baloney, Ron, if Randys post is deleted it wont be anything to do with EAA being sued. If you think EAA has ever lost a suit over a posts by someone outside of EAA, lets have the info or if there even was such a suit. By the way if you bring a frivolous suit against EAA or anyone else and lose the court will almost always award legal cost to the winning side. So before you start whining be prepared to pay for attourney fees for those who are winning.
Ron, why are you and many so scared of other people expressing an opinion, and to hide behind the claim of a lawsuit?
I havent had major id theft, had minor ones twice on credit cards, but I know someone it happened to and was a major pain. Ron if you get a chance to go through that you may learn a new attitude towards others suffering.

[DaleB]

Sorry, but I'm with Jeff and Ron on this one. It's totally unrelated to aviation in any way, shape or form. "Hangar talk" or no... I've heard a lot of things discussed in hangars that would be completely inappropriate for this forum too.

I don't know or really care if the topic will get deleted, and I have no intention of engaging in an extended debate about it. But it's an EAA forum for aviation related topics. There's always Reddit or Facebook or hundreds of other sites to talk about stuff that is in no way related to aviation. That's my opinion, and if you disagree I'll refund every penny you paid me for it.

[rwanttaja]

Baloney, Ron, if Randys post is deleted it wont be anything to do with EAA being sued. If you think EAA has ever lost a suit over a forum posts by someone outside of EAA, lets have the info or if there even was such a suit. By the way if you bring a frivolous suit against EAA or anyone else and lose the court will almost always award legal cost to the winning side. So before you start whining be prepared to pay for attourney fees for those who are winning.

One only can recover legal fees if the suit goes to court. A litigant can tie you up for years without the case ever seeing the inside of a courtroom. I was served in 1998, and the case was finally dismissed about six years later. Never went to trial. All sides responsible for their own legal fees. Fortunately, one of my co-defendants was an attorney. No legal expenses, and he got me dismissed fairly early.

Personally, I'd like to see EAA use our dues to further aviation...not provide employment for lawyers.

Ron, why are you and many so scared of other people expressing an opinion.....

Because I believe in following my hosts' rules. If I'm in an area that bans eating or drinking, I don't eat or drink. If I'm in an area where a sign says "Quiet," I don't start belting out Gilbert and Sullivan (no promises, at other times). If I'm in someone's house and they demand I worship the Great God Fizniap to remain, I politely excuse myself and depart. The EAA has clearly defined rules as to acceptable content, and I try to abide by them.

It's part of an obsolete concept called, "Being a Gentleman."

If you want unlimited topics in an aviation forum, try http://www.pilotspin.com/.

Ron "Wear your asbestos jodhpurs" Wanttaja

[rwanttaja]

I don't know or really care if the topic will get deleted...

Oh, I doubt they'll delete this one. But there have been one or two others that I saw on my mobile device but had disappeared by the time I got onto my desktop to reply.
Here, at most, I expect the equivalent of a Cheech and Chong bailiff instruction.....

Ron "Whack" Wanttaja

[CHICAGORANDY]

Ron, thanks for the enlightenment - I admit I hadn't read this forum's fine print before or since I joined.

Mods - Please delete this (my last) non-aviation related thread.

[Bill Greenwood]

Ron, so you are not able to provide an facts about EAA having ever lost a suit re someones elses posting nor even if there was ever such a suit? Your claim, is hollow. Being a gentleman is more than just being quiet. Ill bet the FAA loved you when they were stomping on Bob Hoover, were you one of the real quiet ones? So answer this, what if we wrote something libelous on the site? Would it make any difference of the subject? Truth is a defense to a libel charge, but what if we wrote " I saw famous movie star pilot ***** intoxicated at Acey at 2 am before he was driving away". Or what if I wrote the same thing except" and he got in his plane and took off". And what if both were false and famous person can prove he was in London at that time? Doesnt matter if the topic is driving or flying , it is the substance or truth that determines any risk. I am not a lawyer, but my Son is. and I have taken law courses. A true gentleman is not only honest re money, but has integrity in statements etc. Thus saying you dont like someone else opinion on a forum is one thing but hiding behind some legal scare tactic is a smokescreen.
I think you do accident investigation, no? If you wrote a pilot negligently crashed a plane, or a driver negligently crashed a car, no difference , still must be true to avoid liability. Lots of pilots write of others who make errors on Fisk approach or fly too low over crowds, no lawsuit results.

[rwanttaja]

Ron, so you are not able to provide an facts about EAA having ever lost a suit re someones elses posting nor even if there was ever such a suit?

Never claimed EAA had. Like most modern corporations, though, EAA must balance benefits vs. potential liabilities. These Forums are a service EAA offers us; a service that actually provides zero benefit to EAA. They get to set the rules, and no doubt the desire to minimize their legal liability plays a factor.

Being a gentleman is fine, but its more than just being quiet. Ill bet the FAA loved you when they were stomping on Bob Hoover, were you one of the ones who wanted to be real quiet?

Nope. But I didn't register my objections at Sunday School sessions, PTA meetings, or auto-club swap meets. I posted my objections in open-subject aviation newsgroups, and by financially contributing to his defense.

Here's my proof. Now, post yours.


Whether or not EAA would win a lawsuit is irrelevant. Having to defend against one would be expensive, and even if they won, they wouldn't automatically get their expenses back. They'd have to countersue, and would have to prove that the plaintiff never did have a valid suit.

EAA wishes to avoid that. The Forums give them zero benefit; I'm sure the legal department allows them to exist only if they do not create a legal liability. How real that liability is, I don't know, but lawyers tend to be cautious.

Years ago, there were a series of Internet Newsgroups for Boeing employees. Ran for ~20 years, until the company lawyers found out about it. They shut them down permanently within a day.

Ron "It's entirely innocent I am!" Wanttaja

[rwanttaja]

Ron, thanks for the enlightenment - I admit I hadn't read this forum's fine print before or since I joined.

I don't blame you. The forum rules are fairly well hidden. Hal pointed them out to me, a few months back. I had no idea. :-)

Ron "It was on display in the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying ‘Beware of the Leopard.'” Wanttaja