Recently, I have had a lot of people ask me about the trademark registration process. It can be confusing so this blog will explain the process. The first thing to know is what can be trademarked. Typical things businesses trademark are the name, logo, or a slogan. But you can trademark other things that identify your business, including a specific color you use on all your packaging. For example, Tiffany has trademarked its signature blue color. A trademark protects your brand so when you are considering trademarking something, you should think about what represents your brand. You can trademark more Read More
Blog
Immoral or Scandalous Trademarks
Did you know that not every trademark is accepted for registration? For example, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) will not register a mark that it considers “immoral” or “scandalous.” Of course, times have changed since that statutory provision took effect more than one hundred years ago. What do we do now about words that might have offended then but have become practically common vernacular now? Last week, the US Supreme Court agreed to hear oral arguments concerning the issue of the mark FUCT, which designer Mark Brunetti has been trying to register for more than a decade. Read More
From Hospital to Nursing Home and Back
No one wants to go to a nursing home. But it’s unavoidable when patients get caught between hospital policies that require earlier and earlier discharge on the one hand, and the inability of family members to care for elderly or otherwise fragile patients who are being released from hospital care too soon for home care to suffice. So it’s particularly common for older patients who’ve had surgery or suffered serious illness to be sent from the hospital to a nursing home to recover. According to a June 13 NPR “Shots” Health News report by Jordan Rau, “Medicare Takes Aim At Read More
Midlife Horse Buyers
The Wall Street Journal article entitled “Midlife Crisis? Maybe a Horse Will Help,” reports that women in their midlife years are returning to horses and horseback riding. Such a phenomenon is no surprise to horsewomen. But having this issue addressed in a well-respected, nationally-read newspaper raises our personal awareness of this issue to one of national interest. A lot of horse people, especially women, feel like people who aren’t involved with horses think their riding is not an important part of their lives. But this article, by virtue of being in the WSJ, shows it’s something that shouldn’t be dismissed. Read More