beyond basic bears

April 12, 2013

Bobbie, we know you're still involved.

We know you're focus has not evolved.

This layer in which we'd like to discuss

Is your obsessiveness to try to oppress us.

You and your friends contact without fail,

Our customers, friends, and places of sale.

You and you're buddies have made quite a fuss

Trying to keep anyone from doing business with us.

It's apparent, to you, no act is too low,

You contact anyone involved with your foes.

You approach artist to moan, gripe and whine;

You guilt them for support, and they feel inclined.

Many who see your acts turn a blind eye,

They don't think twice about it... and we wonder--why?

Perhaps they're relieved it hasn't happened to them yet.

Or maybe they believe we 'deserve what we get.'

But people who believe that we are bad or mean

Are always the people we've never met, never seen.

Our contact has been through emails--and from very few,

And usually after they're items have been removed.

People don't know us personally, yet quietly judge.

They believe the gossip and hold a grudge.

To those who've prejudged we ask of you:

How would you feel if you were in our shoes?

What if your friends and customers had been contacted
By people who wanted your reputation impacted?
What if reputable places you sold at had been receiving
Emails about you that were demanding and deceiving?

Many people may view our poetic narration

As making 'light' of a serious situation.

But it's our way of helping others to listen

To our side of the story--to give our position.

And Bobbie, to you, we say:

You have not fixed your mess yet today...

Eventually all will be revealed,

You can't keep everything concealed.

In spite of you telling people to not be involved with us,

The Lord still continues to bless our products and business.

For, because of Him, we can tell the truth,

And stand firm against people like you.

Below is a recent tidbit of info we've received

From a customer of ours who'd been deceived.
Bobbie, our blog posts will continue to disrupt.
We've got more to show until you fess up.
 

 

 

 

March 12, 2013

Bobbie, it's been 10 years since we have acquired Thread Bears®, yet you are still interfering and trying to confuse people. Now your newest excuse for Berta to use our trademark is that 'a phrase can only be freely used by others after it becomes Federally Registered.' Well... it's only common sense that it is actually protected from others when registered.

You have stopped at nothing to hinder us, and it is very apparent that you are just being vindictive since you lost in trademark proceedings, yet again.

We have given you your own soapbox here on our blog, giving you an opportunity to set the record straight and right your wrongs. But you just can't help yourself. It has been brought to our attention that now you are trying to rally against us for when our newest trademark is finalized.

Bobbie, what will it take for you to do what's right?

You know that we had remained quiet for many years and carried on with our business, even though you and your affiliates publicly interfered. We were instructed to just gather evidence, trust in the Lord, and wait for our chance to give the facts. Now we have our opportunity. We have always prayed about our business--and since we trust that this is in God's hands--we trust that more of the truth will surface.



February 27, 2013
Roberta Ripperger, you have taken it upon yourself to be the informant of our business and our property--even titling yourself as the go-to girl. Bobbie, you made it your business to hinder ours. You encouraged others to use our trademark, stating that "if it's lower-case, then it's legal." Now, if that's the case, we are well-within our rights to use "beyond basic bears." In fact, anyone could use it, according to your interpretations of the law.

Now that we have your attention, Bobbie, how does it feel?

You said from this email below, from exactly seven years ago, that you are a go-to girl because you believe in facing issues "squarely," yet you have avoided issues that we -and others- have brought to your attention.

You stated in your last filing at the TTAB that you intend to file against our Thread Bears trademark again--after "sufficient funds can be collected." Now this is ironic, since you also stated in the same email this:

We have yet to hear from any person that you have "directed" to us.

Your involvement in trademark proceedings is not the only hinderance. It was brought to our attention that you are still scheming and plotting with your affiliates--attempting to deceive people into believing that we are copying Berta. How could we have copied a felting/fulling process from Berta if she never announced it before we started producing these types of products? You and most people in this business know that Berta never misses an opportunity to announce her new 'discoveries.'

Bobbie, you could've told the truth and carried on with your business. Instead, you obsessively helped Berta build her case against us. In collecting evidence for the next phase, we have noticed that you let your business, your website, your products, and your marketing fall by the wayside.

Instead of working on making your business grow, you have helped one of your competitors build hers.

It may appear that you have removed yourself from this situation, however, we know you haven't since you are up to your old tricks and scheming behind the scenes. You know the truth about the side you are on. We told you over a year ago in the email below that you needed to clean your mess. Since we received no reply to that email, and since you haven't set the record straight we will be reminding you. If we are approached by anyone who is inquiring as to what exactly your mess is, we will direct them to you.

All of the emails can be verified in your evidence at the Trademark Office.

5/23/12 Parable for the Forgetful

Hens, hens
As far as the eye can see,
Clucking and scratching
So meaninglessly.

They sit on a fence
To see all surrounds.
They only climb down
To make their rounds.

Whilst they circulate,
They show no concern
For the earth they agitate,
The soil they churn.

It seems a competition
For who can be loudest,
Or who can cluck longest,
Or strongest, or proudest.

They clamor so long,
They can't seem to remember
The stories they've told,
The truth they've dismembered.

We have encountered a few
Of these "forgetful hens"
Who tell little lies
To help out their friends.

What they truly forget
To take into account...
Is that eventually, ultimately,
The truth will come out.

They try to avoid it,
They try to distract.
They show no remorse
For their negative impact.

But who really cares...
'Bout a lie here and there?
Unless, of course,
You have the brunt to bear.

What started out "small,"
Had grown, had adapted
To the multitude of lies
That were never retracted.

With these hens,
It seems as though
They forget that it's illegal
To lie under oath.

But to each of these hens,
Please be forewarned...
In court, we can question
These lies that were formed.

Could friends of our rivals
Really be ignorant
Of their litigation battles
And Trademark belligerence?

Or can one truly forget,
After a few years,
How much they maligned us
And tried to interfere?

Can a person just forget
How their relationship transcended,
From customer to comrade,
With the one that they befriended?

5/10/12 Ode Part Too, as in Too Late.

We have already spoken of Bobbie's actions

And her talent for causing many distractions.

We did not go into great detail, though,

On how much this "righteous one" truly knows.

On this, she has had plenty of time to brood;

She knows that she still needs to tell the truth.

Although she has declined participating,

We won't keep our readers anticipating.

As many other artists can proclaim...

Bobbie allows Berta to use our trade name.

Though this is just one of many concerns,

This is not the secret you have yet to learn.

Berta praised her own pattern, the "Wobble Ted,"

That supposedly showed a 'new' type of bear-head.

She deceived others to think this design was hers,

'Cause she truly believes she's the "bear connoisseur."

She made many announcements, she made quite a stink.

But we received a surprise email on April nineteenth!

This email was from Berta, therein she admitted

That fraud and dishonesty--she had knowingly committed.

She and Bobbie knew this design was made by us;

They've known since 2005, despite all of her fuss.

Of course, these bold statements we can attest to...

We've saved the email, which we can show to you.

4/27/12 Ode to the "Righteous"

For those in the know

We have a few foes
Who think "Registered Trademark"
Is just for show.

One of these foes is a woman named Bobbie,
Who always has an opinion-givin' hobby;
Her intentions continue to be a bit foggy.
Her "righteous acts" are nothing short of shoddy.

She stands on a soapbox and protests the unfair.
She encourages pro activity in the world of bears.
Her friend, Berta, sorts lewd business affairs,
Even aware, "fight-for-right" Bobbie doesn't care.

She's had many chances to finally come clean,
But doesn't wanna lose face as the "Know-It-All Queen."
She's hidden the truth through many smoke screens.
Her ability to confuse is just normal routine.

As some of you fellow onlookers agree,
This faulty influence ignores judicial decree.
Our trademark is ruled non-generic, you see,
Though Bobbie continues her misleading spree.

I guess, to this woman, all rules apply,
Except when her friends refuse to comply.
This "rule-abiding" person, as self-proclaimed,
Changes the rules and has no shame.

She was deceived when this chaos began--
Later learning she took the wrong stand.
Though the truth was placed in her hands,
She continued to make deceptive plans.

We've allowed plenty time to tell the truth,
After months of contact--she retreated, withdrew.
This is not the Bobbie that you and I knew...
She never misses opportunity to make her debut.

If it's respect and influence she craves,
She's going about it all the wrong ways.
She needs to correct those she's lead astray.
So for her, everybody, please pray.