REPRIEVE! SolderSmoke Saved by a Loophole!

First, let me thank the many, many MANY, loyal listeners from around the world who wrote in with expressions of support and sympathy.  Special thanks to our UK listeners who were notable in their indignation for they saw as a blatant example of US litigiousness "gone mad."  One loyal British listener went so far as to pledge to immediately end his patronage of the Birmingham Vaping business known as SodderSmoke.  We found this quite, well, suprising.   But we were chuffed, nonetheless.  Thanks OM! 

The expressions of concern were really quite touching.  One listener asked if he should  -- in an effort to keep us out of hot water -- destroy his SolderSmoke coffee mug.  With fans like that, well, what can I say?  

In responding to the legal crisis, our listeners displayed ASTOUNDING creativity in their crafting of alternative names for the podcast.   

Buck seems to have a real "knack" for name-smithing. He wrote: 
The easiest would be Solder Haze - it's a simple scan & replace.  But

if the trademark trolls grabbed 'haze' too...

Some other ideas:

Eutectic Point

The Solder Wick Chronicles

Sixty-Forty

PbSn

The Joy of Soldering

Fahrenheit 368

John suggested the rather toxic  "LeadVapors," but we feared that that one might lead to even more trouble, perhaps even with the EPA.  (But, no, wait -- no worries there!) 

Gary suggested SolderSuckers.   I briefly thought of the many people who wrote in (see above) but concluded that that one just sucked.  No. 

A number of listeners suggested legal counterattacks and fund-raising effots.  (We did get one unsolicited donation!)   One fellow suggested fighting fire with fire by having us trademark the phrase "Chicks dig it" and then just letting the money roll in. 

One devoted radio amateur said that he "informed his club and launched a letter writing campaign."  Thanks OM!  Keep those cards and letters going... 

There were, unfortunately, many disparaging comments about California, and "pot-heads," and "California pot heads."  But hey, Dudes...  they don't mind.  They are not going to let you harsh their mellows. 

Stewart tried to claim that there is some sort of UK rule that says that things like this can't be carried on past noon local time in Britain.  Ha! I said.  We are no longer bound by Imperial edicts.  

Similarly, Peter in Australia complained that the story reached him on April 2, rendering it null and void.  Sorry Peter, these are UTC operations my friend.  Time to wake up and join the rest of the world!

Well, let me get to the point:   The beloved name of our podcast and blog has been saved by a loophole.  You see, any legal challenges of this nature launched and announced on April 1st of each year are HIGHLY likely to be found, on even casual examination, to be be null, void, and totally bogus. 

So no, 

-- PETE'S COMPUTER WAS NOT SEIZED BY A COURT ORDER. 

-- THE CALIFORNIA MARIJUANA INDUSTRY IS NOT PLANNING ON MARKETING SOLDER-SCENTED WEED. 

-- THERE IS NO BIRMINGHAM COMPANY CALLED "SodderSmoke" (JUST THINK OF THE TRANSLATION!) 

-- WE ARE NOT BEING SUED FOR TRADEMARK VIOLATION BY AN EVIL MARIJUANA-VAPING JUGGERNAUT.  

But we thank you for your support.  And, to make it official:  APRIL FOOL!  73  Bill