I wish....

> as
> a matter of fact it is my understanding that her fight actually made it
> possible for all board owners to hold fast to the ideal of the Internet;
> sharing information openly without fear of retaliation.

Not that I know of, but thanx for the credit anyway :-)

Congratulations on standing up to them!!

The first time I was sued, I became aware of many, many boards erasing all offending messages, and the very thought made me pukey, so I told them to stick it where the sun don't shine. I was lucky to find two of California's top Anti-SLAPP experts to defend me, and the rest is history (though not of my making).

That was WTA -- World Traders Association -- now in the crapper :-D

I tend to get obsessed over these things, and the fact that so many boards caved in just made me crazy[!] (not to mention the fact they left me out there all by my lonesome; they all came up in the search engines, but the links led to "No Message.") I'm sure there were one or two that stood firm, but that was a long time ago and I can't remember who they were.

The next people who sued me shall remain nameless because they're still at large (they're the ones who were ordered to pay $65,000 in attorney fees on that glorious morn in San Bernardino!!).

I nearly lost my MIND over that one...

not because so many boards caved in and took the posts down -- the truth is, I can understand that; not everyone is going to be as lucky as I was getting a top legal firm to represent me -- but because of the PAYOFFS!!!

Two people actually told me, IN DETAIL (one with amounts, the other without), that they were being PAID (a bundle!!) to shut up and ban any related posts from their boards!!!

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??

I'm telling you, I was SO MAD I gnawed my knuckles right down to the bone over that.

I wanted to tell.

I wanted to stand on the roof and SCREAM about it...

but I couldn't, because both of them told me in confidence. Like it wasn't bad enough they got blackmailed like this, they SIGNED NONDISCLOSURE AGREEMENTS saying they would not reveal the terms of "the settlement" to anyone!!

FOR CRAPSAKE!!

Remember my rantings about The Scummit? (Summit Photographix... my biggest single scam-loss, $8500+)

They offered me $5600 of my money back (yes, I would have gotten it; several people got refunds in a last-ditch effort for The Scummit to save themselves) -- but they wanted me to sign one of those stinkin' nondisclosure agreements!

I told them to bite me (and they did:-)

A few months ago, lawyers started coming out of the woodwork. I squeaked in barely under the wire with two of them, because the dated threats were delivered to my P.O. box, and I never had any reason to go there and check it so they sat for a couple of weeks.

That was in spite of the blue "Legal Notice."

It didn't do diddly.

Since I added the red part, though -- telling them just what they can expect if they mess with me -- I haven't had any more problems (and you can bet I'm knocking on my wooden head right now!!).

I don't know if it's that, or the Big Blue Disclaimer I put in any questionable posts, or just dumb luck.

Whatever it is, they can all take a flying leap off their perch in Panama or Vanautu or wherever the crapmeisters hide.

Luv,

MaaMaw

Can somebody please tell me how the hell a simple "I wish" turned into a major rant that has left me quaking with rage?? (I think I might be just a tad unstable.)