Oscar Hates Free Expression

OmyGodThisMakesMeSoMad!!!!!

The Borg has spoken. Oscar® will shut down an evil blogger within a few days. Here is the deal:

Lawyers for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last week ordered the editor of the seven-year-old Oscarwatch.com web site to give up the name or face a lawsuit.

At issue: The Academy owns the "Oscar" trademark and warned founding editor Sasha Stone that she has no legal right to the name and that her website "is likely to confuse visitors searching the Academy's site."

Stone, who has run Oscarwatch.com from her Los Angeles home since just after her daughter's 1999 birth, said she can't afford a lawyer and is uncertain what her next step will be. A message seeking comment from the Academy was not returned.

..Stone said she makes about $20,000 a year from her site"

HER WEBSITE IS LIKELY TO CONFUSE VISITORS?????

Am I allowed to say Oscar® here? Oscar®? Can I say Oscar® the grouch®? How about my mailman named Oscar®? Oscar de la Hoya®? This is so creepy, insane, and unfair.

I would urge whoever is out there in bloggy land report this insanity. Let's groundswell these bastards. She's giving up her URL after this year's Oscars® so that the Academy's attack dogs® don't come after her.

What the fuck is wrong with you Oscar®? How can you begrudge some enterprising soul 20k a year?

For shame.