Introduction by Tec Clark, Founder and Host of ScubaGuru.com
Welcome to ScubaGuru.com. I am delighted that you have come to this site for information and advice to make you a better, safer, more confident, competent and comfortable scuba diver and/or scuba diving professional. Allow me to speak candidly before you read the remainder of these Terms and Conditions governing this website.
Legal: We live in a litigious society, that means people sue others to collect for damages they believe others have inflicted upon them. Although this may be a good protection at large, unfortunately many people do not take responsibility for their own faults and actions and will blame others for their misfortunes and irresponsibility. This site, with its articles, videos and comments, is full of advice cast from a distinguished 20-plus year career as a diving professional, and its’ intent is to better you as a diver/dive professional. This content is for you to utilize and it is meant to help you. Please do not even consider bringing a lawsuit against me or the Company for any misfortune that comes your way as a result of following the content on this site. If you feel differently, then please leave ScubaGuru.com immediately and do not partake in any of the information contained herein. If you decide to stay (which I hope you do) then you need to realize the following:
• You agree to use any and all advice found on ScubaGuru.com AT YOUR OWN RISK.
For example, if you watch and/or read the section on how to blow a bubble ring underwater, and when you attempt it you begin floating up and you hold your breath which gives you a lung overexpansion injury, do not have your attorney contact me. As a certified diver you know the safe diving procedures, and my explanation of how to blow a bubble ring is designed to be overly safe. Or, let’s say you read about fitness and diving and you decide to take up swimming without consulting your physician and you have a heart attack – again, do not have your attorney contact me because you did not follow directions. Or, let’s say you purchase an item that I have recommended, again, do not have your attorney contact me because it broke when you used it. Please use good sense and abide by the Terms and Conditions below.
Disclosure: The Federal Trade Commission has very good rules on product reviews and endorsements. I want you to be fully aware of my operational guidelines on ScubaGuru.com. I may receive payment to do a review or advertise a product or service. I may purchase the product myself or it may be given to me for free by a manufacturer. After the product has been used I do not return it, as often it is heavily used, or I will continue to use it, or I will donate it. If I create a link to a product from an article, I may get a small commission if you purchase that product (i.e. Amazon.com). I pay the bills through advertising (i.e. Google AdSense) and affiliate commissions (i.e. Amazon.com) and you get great tips and professional advice mostly for free. I hope you can see that ethics and integrity are absolutely important to me. Please continue reading the following Terms and Conditions. And, thank you for visiting ScubaGuru.com.
Sincerely, Tec Clark
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
These Terms and Conditions apply to the website located at the URL www.scubaguru.com and all other web pages interconnected with and forming a part of such website including, without limitation, the home page, splash page, and all other sub-pages under the same top-level domain name and all content thereon (collectively, the “Site”).
This Site is offered to you conditioned on your acceptance without modification of the terms, conditions, and notices contained herein. Your use of this Site constitutes your agreement to all such terms, conditions and notices.
Modifications: Tec Clark, Inc. (“Company”) reserves the right to change, modify or amend these Terms and Conditions from time to time and at any time without notice to you, by posting such changes on the Site. You are responsible for regularly reviewing these Terms and Conditions and additional terms posted on this Site. Your continued use of this Site constitutes your agreement to all such modified terms, conditions, and notices.
Privacy: See the Privacy Policy for disclosures relating to the collection and use of your personally identifiable information. You acknowledge and agree that you are solely responsible for the accuracy and content of any and all information you submit when using this Site.
Site Offerings: Company may make certain services available to visitors of the Site. For example, you may be able to chat with other visitors, post informational or editorial content, post comments on a bulletin board or respond to a survey (these services are collectively referred to herein as the “Site Offerings”). Visitors are solely responsible for the user information and other content they post on and through the Site. Users should be aware that when they voluntarily disclose personal information (e.g., user name, e-mail address, phone number) on or through the public portions of the Site (e.g., comments, chat, bulletin boards), that such information is generally accessible to and may be collected and used by others and may result in unsolicited messages from other people. Accordingly, visitors to and users of the Site are encouraged to exercise caution when providing personal information about themselves. We reserve the right, for any reason, in our sole discretion, to terminate, change, suspend or discontinue any aspect of the Site, including, but not limited to, content, features or hours of availability. We may also impose limits on certain features of the Site or restrict your access to part or all of the Site without notice or penalty.
Proprietary Rights: As between you and Company, we are the owner and/or authorized user of any trademark, and/or service mark appearing on the Site, and are the copyright owner or licensee of the content and/or information on the Site, unless otherwise indicated. Except as otherwise provided herein, use of the Site does not grant to you any right or license to any content, features or materials you may access on the Site. Any commercial use of the Site is strictly prohibited, except as expressly allowed herein or otherwise approved by us. You may not copy, reproduce, distribute, republish, post, download, transmit or save a copy of any of the content or screens except as otherwise provided in these Terms and Conditions, for any purpose. You may, however, print one (1) copy of the information on the Site solely for your personal, non-commercial use or records. You may forward complete articles and videos via email, and share complete articles and videos via social media networks. If you make other use of the Site, except as otherwise provided above, you may violate copyright and other laws of the United States, other countries, as well as applicable state laws and may be subject to liability for such unauthorized use. We do not grant any right or license or other authorization to any user of our trademarks, service marks, other copyrightable material or any other intellectual property, by including them on the Site. Except as otherwise expressly permitted herein, you may not upload, post, publish, reproduce, transmit or distribute in any way any component of the Site itself or derivative works with respect thereto.
Submissions: Unless specifically requested, Company does not solicit nor does it wish to receive any confidential, secret or proprietary information or other material from you through the Site, any of its services, by e-mail, or in any other way. Any information or material submitted or sent to Company will be deemed not to be confidential or secret. By submitting or sending information or other material to Company you represent and warrant that the information is original to you and that no other party has any rights to the material. You also agree and acknowledge that any ideas, concepts, methods, systems, designs, plans, techniques or other similar materials that you submit or otherwise communicate to the Site, (i) will forever be the exclusive property of the Company, (ii) may be used by us in any manner whatsoever, and (iii) that Company is not required to provide any compensation or acknowledgement of any such submission. You agree and acknowledge that by using this Site, any and all communications and/or information transmitted by you to or through the Site will not be treated as confidential or proprietary.
User Conduct: You warrant and agree that, while using the Site, you shall not upload, post or transmit to or distribute or otherwise publish through the Site any materials that: (a) are protected by copyright, or other proprietary or intellectual property right, or derivative works with respect thereto, except as provided herein or without first obtaining permission from us or the copyright owner; (b) are unlawful, threatening, harassing, profane, tortious, defamatory, vulgar, obscene, libelous, deceptive, fraudulent, contains explicit or graphic descriptions or accounts of sexual acts (including but not limited to sexual language of a violent or threatening nature directed at another individual or group of individuals), invasive of another’s privacy, or hateful, (c) restrict or inhibit any other user from using and enjoying the Site, (d) constitute or encourage conduct that would constitute a criminal offense or give rise to civil liability, or (e) contain a virus or other harmful component, advertising of any kind, or false or misleading indications of origin or statements of fact. You also warrant and agree that you shall not: (a) impersonate, or misrepresent your affiliation with any other person or entity; (b) upload, post, publish, transmit, reproduce, distribute or in any way exploit any information or other material obtained through the Site for commercial purposes (other than as expressly permitted by the provider of such information or other material); (c) engage in spamming or flooding; or (d) attempt to gain unauthorized access to other computer systems through the Site.
No Monitoring: We have no obligation to monitor any content on or through the Site and we assume no obligation. You acknowledge and agree, however, that we do retain the right to monitor the Site and to disclose any information as necessary or appropriate to satisfy any law, regulation or other governmental request, to operate the Site properly, or to protect ourselves or our users. We will not intentionally monitor or disclose any private electronic-mail message unless it is in accordance with our Privacy Policy law. We reserve the right to refuse to post or to remove any information or materials, in whole or in part, that, in our sole discretion, are unacceptable, undesirable, inappropriate or in violation of these Terms and Conditions.
Professional Advice: The content contained on the Site has been prepared by us as a service to its readers and the Internet community. We have used reasonable efforts in collecting, preparing and providing this information and material, but do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, adequacy or currency of the information contained on or linked to the Web site. THOSE WHO USE INFORMATION FROM THIS SITE OR LINKS DO SO AT THEIR OWN RISK.
Indemnity: You agree to defend, indemnify and hold Company, its directors, officers, employees, agents and affiliates harmless from any and all claims, liabilities, costs and expenses, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, arising in any way from your use of the Site or the placement or transmission of any message, information, content, software or other materials through the Site by you.
Termination of Access: THE COMPANY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO RESTRICT OR TERMINATE YOUR ACCESS TO THIS SITE OR ANY FEATURE OR PART THEREOF AT ANY TIME, WITH OR WITHOUT NOTICE. DISCLAIMER OF WARRANTIES: THE SITE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ALL CONTENT, INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, SERVICES, GRAPHICS, FUNCTIONS AND MATERIALS IS PROVIDED “AS IS,” WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY WARRANTY FOR INFORMATION, DATA, DATA PROCESSING SERVICES, OR UNINTERRUPTED ACCESS, ANY WARRANTIES CONCERNING THE AVAILABILITY, ACCURACY, USEFULNESS, OR CONTENT OF INFORMATION, AND ANY WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. COMPANY DOES NOT WARRANT THAT THE SITE OR THE FUNCTIONS, FEATURES OR CONTENT CONTAINED THEREIN WILL BE TIMELY, SECURE, UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE, THAT THE CONTENT WILL BE CORRECT, ACCURATE OR RELIABLE, OR THAT THE SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE IS FREE FROM VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS OR THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED. COMPANY MAKES NO WARRANTY THAT THE SITE WILL MEET USERS’ REQUIREMENTS. NO ADVICE, RESULTS OR INFORMATION, WHETHER ORAL OR WRITTEN, OBTAINED BY YOU FROM COMPANY OR THROUGH THE SITE SHALL CREATE ANY WARRANTY NOT EXPRESSLY MADE HEREIN. IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE SITE, YOUR SOLE REMEDY IS TO DISCONTINUE USING THE SITE.
LIMITATION OF LIABILITY:
1. BY ENTERING THIS SITE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOUR USE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK AND THAT IN NO EVENT SHALL COMPANY OR ANY OF ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, AFFILIATES, OR CONTENT OR SERVICE PROVIDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, EXEMPLARY OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES ARISING FROM OR DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY RELATED TO THE USE OF, OR THE INABILITY TO USE, THE SITE OR THE CONTENT, MATERIALS AND FUNCTIONS RELATED THERETO, OR ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATIONAL TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUSES OR LINE FAILURE INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, LOSS OF REVENUE, OR ANTICIPATED PROFITS OR LOST BUSINESS OR LOST SALES, EVEN IF COMPANY OR SUCH INDIVIDUAL HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO CERTAIN USERS. IN NO EVENT SHALL COMPANY BE LIABLE FOR OR IN CONNECTION WITH ANY CONTENT POSTED, TRANSMITTED, EXCHANGED OR RECEIVED BY OR ON BEHALF OF ANY USER OR OTHER PERSON ON OR THROUGH THE SITE.
2. YOU EXPRESSLY AGREE THAT USE OF THE COMMUNITY AREAS AND THE SITE IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK. NEITHER THE COMPANY, ITS AFFILIATES NOR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, THIRD PARTY CONTENT PROVIDERS OR LICENSORS WARRANT THAT THE SITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED OR ERROR FREE; NOR DO THEY MAKE ANY WARRANTY AS TO THE RESULTS THAT MAY BE OBTAINED FROM USE OF THE SITE OR AS TO THE ACCURACY, RELIABILITY OR CONTENT OF ANY INFORMATION, SERVICE OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED THROUGH THE SITE OR THE COMMUNITY AREAS.
3. THE SITE AND THE COMMUNITY AREAS ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OTHER THAN THOSE WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED BY AND INCAPABLE OF EXCLUSION, RESTRICTION OR MODIFICATION UNDER THE LAWS APPLICABLE TO THIS AGREEMENT.
4. THE DISCLAIMERS OF LIABILITY CONTAINED IN THIS SECTION APPLY TO ANY DAMAGES OR INJURY CAUSED BY ANY FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE, ERROR, OMISSION, INTERRUPTION, DELETION, DEFECT, DELAY IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION, COMPUTER VIRUS, COMMUNICATION LINE FAILURE, THEFT OR DESTRUCTION OR UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO, ALTERATION OF, OR USE OF RECORD, WHETHER FOR BREACH OF CONTRACT, TORTIOUS BEHAVIOR, NEGLIGENCE, OR UNDER ANY OTHER CAUSE OF ACTION. YOU SPECIFICALLY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE COMPANY IS NOT LIABLE FOR THE DEFAMATORY, OFFENSIVE OR ILLEGAL CONDUCT OF OTHER USERS OR THIRD PARTIES AND THAT THE RISK OF INJURY FROM THE FOREGOING RESTS ENTIRELY WITH YOU.
5. IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY OR ANY PERSON OR ENTITY INVOLVED IN CREATING, PRODUCING OR DISTRIBUTING THE SITE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE SITE OR OUT OF THE BREACH OF ANY WARRANTY. YOU HEREBY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS LIMITATION OF LIABILITY SECTION SHALL APPLY TO ALL CONTENT ON THE SITE AND/OR THE COMMUNITY AREAS.
6. THE COMPANY NEITHER ENDORSES NOR IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ACCURACY OR RELIABILITY OF ANY OPINION, ADVICE OR STATEMENT ON THE SITE, NOR FOR ANY OFFENSIVE, DEFAMATORY OR OBSCENE POSTING MADE ON THE COMMUNITY AREAS BY ANYONE OTHER THAN AUTHORIZED THE COMPANY EMPLOYEE SPOKESPERSONS WHILE ACTING IN THEIR OFFICIAL CAPACITIES. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES WILL THE COMPANY BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY YOUR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION OBTAINED THROUGH THE CONTENT ON THE SITE AND/OR ANY POSTINGS ON THE COMMUNITY AREAS. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO EVALUATE THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR USEFULNESS OF ANY INFORMATION, OPINION, ADVICE OR OTHER CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SITE AND/OR THE COMMUNITY AREAS. PLEASE SEEK THE ADVICE OF PROFESSIONALS, AS APPROPRIATE, REGARDING THE EVALUATION OF ANY SPECIFIC INFORMATION, OPINION, ADVICE OR OTHER CONTENT, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO FINANCIAL, HEALTH, OR LIFESTYLE INFORMATION, OPINION, ADVICE OR OTHER CONTENT.
7. THE COMPANY DOES NOT ENDORSE, WARRANT OR GUARANTEE ANY PRODUCTS OR SERVICES OFFERED THROUGH THE SITE AND WILL NOT BE A PARTY TO OR IN ANY WAY MONITOR ANY TRANSACTION BETWEEN USERS AND THIRD PARTY PROVIDERS OF PRODUCTS OR SERVICES. AS WITH THE PURCHASE OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICE THROUGH ANY MEDIUM OR IN ANY ENVIRONMENT, YOU SHOULD USE YOUR BEST JUDGMENT AND EXERCISE CAUTION WHERE APPROPRIATE. THE COMPANY MAKES PRODUCTS OR SERVICES AVAILABLE ON THE SITE WITHOUT WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF TITLE OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, OTHER THAN THOSE WARRANTIES WHICH ARE IMPLIED BY AND INCAPABLE OF EXCLUSION, RESTRICTION OR MODIFICATION UNDER THE LAWS APPLICABLE TO THIS AGREEMENT.
Links from and to the Site: You acknowledge and agree that we have no responsibility for the accuracy or availability of information provided by Internet sites to which you may link from the Site (“Linked Sites”). Links to Linked Sites do not constitute an endorsement by or association with Company of such sites or the content, products, advertising or other materials presented on such sites. Company does not author, edit, or monitor these Linked Sites. You acknowledge and agree that Company is not responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with use of or reliance on any such content, goods or services available on such Linked Sites. You are responsible for viewing and abiding by the privacy statements and terms of use posted at the Linked Sites.
No Endorsement: Reference to any products, services, processes, hypertext links to third parties or other information by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, supplier or otherwise does not imply its endorsement, sponsorship, or recommendation by us unless otherwise noted.
Disclosure Policy for Product Reviews: The Federal Trade Commission requires disclosure of any relationship between a product manufacturer or service provider when a product or service is given a review by reviewers/experts.
Here are the guidelines at ScubaGuru.com:
• Tec Clark, ScubaGuru, and Tec Clark, Inc. may receive payment to review products or services.
• Products to review may be sent for free by manufacturers. These products are not returned to the manufacturers, and may be disposed of, or continued to use, or donated.
• Links to products in a review (i.e. Amazon.com) are coded to pay the Company a small commission if you purchase the product.
Other Countries: We control and operate this Site from our offices in the United States of America. We do not represent that materials on the Site are appropriate or available for use in other locations. Persons who choose to access this Site from other locations do so on their own initiative, and are responsible for compliance with local laws, if and to the extent local laws are applicable. The Company makes no claims that the content of this Site is appropriate outside of the United States. If you access this Site outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with the laws of the country or other territory in which you are located.
Miscellaneous: If any provision of the Terms and Conditions is found to be invalid by any court having competent jurisdiction, the invalidity of any such provision shall not affect the validity of the remaining provisions of the Terms and Conditions, which shall remain in full force and effect. No waiver of any provision of the Terms and Conditions shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of any such provision or any other provision. The Terms and Conditions and the relationship between you and Company shall be governed by the laws of the State of Florida, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You and Company agree that any cause of action that may arise under this Agreement shall be commenced and be heard in the appropriate court in the State of Florida, County of Broward. You agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located within Broward County in the State of Florida.