Watch out, all you flame warriors. That next post may cost you $15 million. On Thursday's show, we'll talk about the outlandish case of Pets Warehouse vs. the Aquatic Plants Mailing List and ask if lawsuits are killing free speech online.

As reported by Salon.com, the trademark owner of Pets Warehouse is suing various members of the Aquatic Plants Mailing List for damages inflicted to the company's good name through what Pets Warehouse calls libelous, vitriolic online postings. According to the plaintiff's math, those damages amount to exactly $15,000,001.00.

Read one of the offending posts for yourself and decide if this amounts to libelous and defamatory language. Sounds to us like a guy complaining about an unfortunate, if common, run-in with poor customer service. If this doesn't qualify as free speech, what does?

Amazingly enough, Pets Warehouse looks like it's going to win this one, since the various defendants can't afford to fund a long, drawn-out courtroom battle. Several defendants have already settled, spending thousands of their own dollars to escape the legal nightmare.

Support the defendants by making a donation to their online defense fund.

Our question
The Web was designed to be an open forum of ideas and opinions. Are frivolous lawsuits killing the last vestiges of free speech online? If aquatic plant enthusiasts aren't safe, who is? Share your thoughts in the Talkback section below the poll.