Scientologists sue YTMND

[Narsil]

Dear Legal:

Our office represents the L. Ron Hubbard Library, the owner of the
copyrights to a number of photographs of Mr. L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of the
Scientology religion.

We also represent the Church of Scientology International ("CSI"), the
owner of the copyright in the graphic image file depicting the Scientology logo
and of the copyrights of certain photographs, as well as the copyrights to the
website, "scientology.org." CSI is also the exclusive licensee of the trademarks
and service marks of the Scientology religion, which include the term
"SCIENTOLOGY," the "SCIENTOLOGY CROSS" also depicted in the Scientology
logo, as well as the signature "Ron," and the "SCIENTOLOGY SYMBOL ("S" and
double triangle)." "SCIENTOLOGY" is registered with the United States Patent
and Trademark Office under registration numbers 1,775,441; 1,540,928; 1,342,
353; 1,329,474; 1,318,717; 1,306,997; 898018. The SCIENTOLOGY CROSS is
registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office under registration
numbers 1012452 and 1325117. The signature "Ron" is registered under
registration number 1686383 and the "SCIENTOLOGY SYMBOL" is registered
under numbers 678,100; 1,296,040; 1,727,436; 1,646,324; and 1,280,999.

CSI and its sub-licensees use these trademarks in connection with
providing religious and humanitarian services and counseling, seminars, books,
classes, and lectures, among others. These marks are also used extensively on the
Internet. For example, many of these products, including numerous books on the
Scientology religion and services are promoted through a number of web sites,
including "www.scientology.org," "www.scientologyreligion.org," and
"www.whatisscientology.org," among others.

We likewise represent Bridge Publications, Inc. ("BPI"), the owner of the
copyright to the cover of the Dianetics book, which is registered with the United
States Copyright Office under registration number VA 1-056-398.


I. Copyright Infringement.

Please be advised that one or more of YTMND.com's subscribers have
placed a number of the L. Ron Hubbard Library's photographs, as well as CSI's
logo and a section from its website, scientology.org, and BPI's Dianetics cover, on
your website without the authorization of our clients. These copyrighted works
can be found under the following URLs:

http://scientologytruth.ytmnd.com
http://lbronhubbard.ytmnd.com
http://lronhubbard.ytmnd.com
http://ronhubbard.ytmnd.com
http://buyitnow.ytmnd.com
http://hubbardlol.ytmnd.com
http://lronhubbardisstrange.ytmnd.com
http://scinfak.ytmnd.com
http://suckitlron.ytmnd.com
http://scientologyweakness.ytmnd.com
http://lronhubbardisracist.ytmnd.com
http://seaorgy.ytmnd.com
http://scientologyfails.ytmnd.com

The action of placing these copyrighted works on your website violates
United States copyright law. Accordingly, we request your help in removing these
from your website.

The reproduction of a photograph in its entirety constitutes copyright
infringement. See Rogers v. Koons, 751 F.Supp. 474, 478 (S.D.N.Y. 1990) aff'd,
960 F.2d 301 (2nd Cir.), cert. denied, 506 U.S. 934 (1992); see also, Playboy
Enterprises, Inc. v. Russ Hardenburgh, Inc., 982 F.Supp. 503, 513 (N.D.Ohio
1997) (where defendants were found to have violated plaintiff's exclusive
publication right by moving subscriber-uploaded photographs to common
bulletin board service files); Playboy Enteprises, Inc. v. Webbworld, Inc., 991
F.Supp. 543 (N.D.Texas 1997) (where court found that the owner of an internet
site infringed a magazine publisher's copyrights by displaying copyrighted images
on its web site); Kelly v. Arriba Soft Corporation, 280 F.3d 934 (9th Cir. 2002)
(where court found that displaying plaintiff's copyrighted photographs on
defendant's web site infringed plaintiff's "exclusive right to display the
copyrighted work publicly" under the Copyright Act)


II. Trademark Infringement.

We have likewise been advised that one or more of your subscribers is
using the above-referenced federally registered trademarks on each of his or her
webpages on YTMND.com's website. These can be found under the following
URLs:

http://lronhubbard.ytmnd.com
http://hubbardlol.ytmnd.com
http://lronhubbardisstrange.ytmnd.com
http://gaysci.ytmnd.com
http://ns2.ytmnd.com
http://scientseize.ytmnd.com

You are hereby on notice that the use of our client's marks in this fashion
has caused you and these webpages to be falsely associated with our client's
marks and creates a likelihood of confusion as to the source or sponsorship of
these webpages in violation of United States state and federal law, including the
Lanham Act, 15 U.S.C. 1125(a).

Likewise, our client's trademarks are famous, distinctive and unique. The
use of the mark in this manner dilutes and tarnishes the distinctiveness of the
mark in violation of the federal trademark antidilution statute, 15 U.S.C.
1125(c) and the New York and California antidilution statutes, New York General
Business Law 360-l and California Business & Professions Code 14335. See,
Kraft Foods Holding, Inc. v. Helm, 205 F.Supp.2d 942 (N.D. Ill 2002); Victoria's
Cyber Secret Limited Partnership v. V Secret Catalogue, Inc., 161 F.Supp.2d 1339
(S.D. Fla. 2001); Mattel, Inc. v. Internet dimensions, Inc., 55 U.S.P.Q.2d 1620
(S.D.N.Y. 2000).

Accordingly, we ask your help in removing these trademarks from your
website, as well.

I have a good faith belief, and in fact know for certain, that the posting of
these works and trademarks by your subscriber(s) on these web pages was not
authorized by my clients, any agent of my clients, or the law.

I declare under penalty of perjury that this information is accurate and that
I am authorized to act on behalf of the L. Ron Hubbard Library, CSI and BPI in
this matter.

I appreciate your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
Ava Paquette
Moxon & Kobrin
3055 Wilshire Boulevard
Suite 900
Los Angeles, California 90010
Tel: (213) 487-4468
Fax: (213) 487-5385

Scientologist Arseholes. They're the real-life equivalent of a troll. They do as much as they can in order to piss off as many people in as short a time as possible.

[Cynical Cat]

Scientology pseudo-science harms people (no drugs for your schizophrenia because psychaitry is bunk-now where is that vomit smiley?) and their practices are linked to a number of questionable deaths of ill people. They're a lot worse than trolls.

[Narsil]

Oh, I know all this, I was just using the most apt analogy I could think of to suit this particular incident. Their anti-psychiatry ramblings, speaking as someone with a family full of Asperger's Syndrome, Dyspraxia, Dyslexia and one or two Schizophrenic members, honestly scare me.

[Mayabird]

Scientologists have killed several people, including one elderly man who was cooked alive in a bathtub full of 120 degree F water. If anyone here is a fan of the James Randi commentaries, you'll know that they take up valuable space during disaster relief missions by running around in their yellow shirts and pointing at people. Other people bring, you know, clean water or medicine, and they just show up and get in the way and point at people.

So fuck $cientology.

[Rogue 9]

Way to steal my post, Dak. Well done.

[Narsil]

Way to steal my post, Dak. Well done.

Someone had to post it.

[Shark Bait]

actually its really weird you look at their beliefs and how you are supposed to deal with a problem and everything and its basically exactly the same as freudian psycho-therapy. granted they think freud is the devil so the simple fact that their "therapy" is almost the same as his makes me wonder why the hell they think that all psychology is wrong. (I mean besides the fact that their creator had PTSD and an irrational fear of psycholgists.)

[Comrade Tortoise]

I wonder... I actually think they may not have anything resembling a case. Fair use section of the copyright law. In addition to the unlimited right of satire

[Scottish Ninja]

It's a good thing I don't drink things at the computer because my monitor would've been soaked when I saw the thread topic.

If anything this'll get lots of attention and make YTMND even more popular than they are now.

Just like how Fox turned Al Franken's Lies into a #1 bestseller.

[Mayabird]

its basically exactly the same as freudian psycho-therapy. granted they think freud is the devil so the simple fact that their "therapy" is almost the same as his makes me wonder why the hell they think that all psychology is wrong.

Because people might actually go to a psychiatrist, get their problems fixed for much cheaper, then realize that they don't need $cientology anymore? Cults need supplies of confused, upset, and slightly mentally unstable to exist.

[Cynical Cat]

actually its really weird you look at their beliefs and how you are supposed to deal with a problem and everything and its basically exactly the same as freudian psycho-therapy. granted they think freud is the devil so the simple fact that their "therapy" is almost the same as his makes me wonder why the hell they think that all psychology is wrong. (I mean besides the fact that their creator had PTSD and an irrational fear of psycholgists.)

Hubbard also had an interest in psychology. And he didn't have PTSD from what I can tell. His military career was entirely mythical.

Sorry. I didn't mean to shock anyone by calling him a plageristic liar. Maybe I won't get a ride in the DC-7 space ships because of that.

[Shark Bait]

well i'm going off what i learned in my world religions class, apparently he had PTSD and did not respond well to the treatment or something and then went on a kick of hateing all psychologists. but once again that is just what i remember from class.

[Cynical Cat]

well i'm going off what i learned in my world religions class, apparently he had PTSD and did not respond well to the treatment or something and then went on a kick of hateing all psychologists. but once again that is just what i remember from class.

He lied his ass off about his past. Repeatedly. And he liked to refer to himself as "The Commodore". His past is that of a con man and a fantasist. He just go other people to buy into it.