Mangled Threads http://log.threadmangler.com an ego's playground Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:48:10 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 Pro-tip: Subscriptions http://log.threadmangler.com/?p=7 http://log.threadmangler.com/?p=7#comments Thu, 22 Jul 2010 18:48:10 +0000 Terry http://log.threadmangler.com/?p=7 Whenever there’s a site you want to use, but they have a monthly fee, try creating an account and not logging in for a while. Definitely don’t subscribe right away. Chances are, they will email you a discount code, especially if they’re a new site. This is not true of all paid subscription sites, but it’s totally worth it when it works.

]]> http://log.threadmangler.com/?feed=rss2&p=7 0 Trademarks http://log.threadmangler.com/?p=3 http://log.threadmangler.com/?p=3#comments Fri, 16 Jul 2010 04:03:53 +0000 Terry http://log.threadmangler.com/?p=3 A simple Facebook update from a friend sparked an investigation this afternoon. She mentioned working at Brueggers, which reminded me of their square bagels. I call them squagels because it’s an obvious and fun portmanteau. Because it’s so obvious, I wondered why they call them “Softwiches” instead. Hence, the investigation. First I looked up the domain name because I thought it would make a sweet one. Unregistered! Good first step. Then, on a whim, I check uspto.gov, the Patent and Trademark Office. There, I find the word is a Registered Trademark. Awwww. But I notice there is a “Registrant” and an “Owner.” Huh? Further mysteries! It turns out that Cosí is the current Owner of the Trademark. But they were not the first to register it, maybe. I need someone more versed in Trademarks than I to determine that. It turns out Stu Lieberman and his wife wanted to run a bagel business in Florida by that name. Great idea! Except maybe Cosí had already been using that word. That’s the part I can’t figure out. It looks like the Liebermans never properly filed the paperwork. Can anyone help with this mystery?

http://www.trademarkia.com/squagels-75596070.html

http://tmportal.uspto.gov/external/portal/tow?SRCH=Y&isSubmitted=true&details=&SELECT=US+Serial+No&TEXT=75596070#

Curious about the Liebermans’ business idea? Here’s their tagline for Squagels

For a Square Meal Eat a Squagel

It won’t roll off your table!

Interesting discovery along the way: if you file for a Trademark, lots of your personal info is fully searchable through the government. FYI.

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