Hang on a minute, let's just see how justified all this villification from the moderators of this Forum really is. Analysing the latest thread to have been locked by the Thought Police we find:
Avrodomo - "I was flicking through the threads last night when it was late and i was tired. Did i read that 4 Forces have gone bust too? I've tried to find it again but with no luck. Anyone know ????" OK, 4 Forces had gone down so no problem there.
Sensible - then offers a couple of links without mentioning any particular company, so far-so good.
TheSilverFox - then chips in confirming the 4 Forces rumour (fair comment) and continues with "but keep a close eye on a well known Bournemouth outfit!!!!!". Consulting the latest CAA list of approved training organisations at Bournemouth, that means that there is now a vague rumour that one of at least 7 organisations, not including PPSC, is suspect.
Scroggs - assuming that TSF means PPSC, sends a disparaging put-down.
TSF - makes it clear that it is not PPSC to whom he refers (still 7 candidates).
As The Prop Turns - supports TSF but widens the possibilities to "down on the South Coast".
Query - assumes that, of the 7 possible organisations, TSF is referring to SFT - why? Perhaps he's good at anagrams - or not.
Lighting ace - asks for clarification, doesn't mention any specific organisation.
Polar_stereographic - expresses concern but doesn't mention any specific organisation.
Poli - mentions PPSC (fair comment) and defends SFT - but they have been mentioned only by Query and nobody has suggested that they are in trouble.
Polar_stereographic - now seems to get the bit between his teeth and demands assurance from Poli that SFT is secure, despite the fact that their security has never been called into question.
Poli - strenuously protests SFT security, apparently showing himself, in the process, to be a member of SFT's management, "Quite honestly I would not let some one pay a deposit if I thought the company were in trouble.".
Polar_stereographic - backs off and doesn't mention any particular organisation.
Blackshirt - chips in with news of a credit check on SFT (why SFT? Still nobody has suggested that they are in trouble)
Lightning ace - brings the thread back to the top without mentioning any specific organisation.
Send Clowns (a declared SFT spokesman) - "Silver Fox, Prop Turns. If you cannot bring your points into the open, then kindly retract your hints.". why?? Neither of them has made any allusion to SFT, only, in TSF's case, to one of 7 training organisations at Bournemouth and in ATPT's case to any organisation "down on the South Coast".
Scroggs - now assumes that TSF is referring to SFT (which he isn't, necessarily) and gets on his high horse.
TheSilverFox - full of, quite justified, indignation, makes a lengthy post in which he, justifiably, mentions a number of flight training organisations that have gone under but does not mention or hint at SFT.
As The Prop Turns - posts his own defence, again without mentioning SFT.
Clive Hughes and One Mile High - chip in with some good advice for ex-PPSC students.
Scroggs - makes a reasonably well reasoned appeal, except that his supposition that "What I was getting at in my message to Silver Fox was that his speculative post about 'another Bournemouth operator' is in itself damaging, and, as he appears to be an instructor for another school, could be taken as malicious by the subject(s) of his speculation" is probably not supportable in that we are still talking about one of at least 7 approved training organisations. It's about as valid as the supposition that "I know a bent copper" is going to result in a suit for libel by PC147!
WWW - then pops up and, in trying to make his point, expands the speculation from SFT to PAT and Airbourne. Now, all of a sudden we're talking about three of the seven candidates - nice one WWW.
TSF - then defends himself once more and, again, mentions no specific organisation.
Ivan Ivanovich - has his two pennorth, without mentioning any specific organisation.
Scroggs - now starts a lengthy post about libel and slander but, in their posts, the people he is addressing have never even hinted at a specific training organisation.
Scroggs then closes the thread.
You will all, of course, draw your own conclusions. It seems to me, however, that suitably vague rumours posted on this Rumour Network by TSF and ATPT were blown up out of all proportion and directed, without cause, towards three specific training organisations not by the posters but by the moderators of this forum.
Qui custodiat custodes?
[ 26 August 2001: Message edited by: rolling circle ]