Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

IOC Trademarks Part of Canadian National Anthem

Posted by kdawson on from the can't-say-that-eh dept.

gravis777 sends us to BoingBoing for news that the International Olympic Committee has trademarked a line from the Canadian National Anthem and is threatening to sue anyone who uses it. The line in question is "with glowing hearts." "The committee is so serious about protecting the Olympic brand it managed to get a landmark piece of legislation passed in the House of Commons last year that made using certain phrases related to the Games a violation of law. The list includes the number 2010 and the word 'winter,' phrases that normally couldn't be trademarked because they are so general."

39 of 412 comments (clear)

  1. That's ok by khendron · · Score: 5, Funny

    Most of us Canadians don't know the words anyway.

    --
    Life is like a web application. Sometime you need cookies just to get by.
    1. Re:That's ok by just_another_sean · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Hey, the article was tagged "YOUR rights online," talking to ME. I'm not canadian, it's not affecting MY rights. WHAT'S THE DEAL!?!?

      Here, try this as an expermient then. Grab a domain, WINTERGLOWINGHEARTS.COM will do and start selling snowglobes with the words Vancouver - Winter 2010 on them.

      If no one hassles you then, yes, you're right; it has nothing to do with you. Please return to your regularly scheduled programming.

      --
      Creationist Textbook Stickers Declared Unconstitutional by CowboyNeal
    2. Re:That's ok by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Geeze I'm from Texas and I know the Canadian Anthem, it's the theme to Hockey Night in Canada, right?

    3. Re:That's ok by Grimbleton · · Score: 5, Insightful

      One nation indivisible. One nation, under god, indivisible.

      Yeah. About that.

    4. Re:That's ok by innerweb · · Score: 4, Informative

      Oh, come on! You expect many people to know (let alone believe) that the original did not have the words under god in it? And that it was written by a baptist minister)? You expect too much from the average person! But, they ought to know it anyway. ;-)

      InnerWeb

      --
      Freud might say that Intelligent Design is religion's ID.
    5. Re:That's ok by Curtman · · Score: 4, Informative
      Also try googling "Manifest Destiny". You'll find this at Wikipedia:

      Before 1815
      During the American Revolution and the early years of independence there were both peaceful and violent attempts to include Canada in the United States. The Revolutionaries hoped French Canadians would join the Thirteen Colonies in the effort to throw off the rule of the British Empire. Canada was invited to send representatives to the Continental Congress, and was pre-approved for joining the United States in the Articles of Confederation. In the Paris peace negotiations, Benjamin Franklin attempted to persuade Britain to cede Canada to the United States. Canada was invaded during the War of Independence, and again during the War of 1812. None of these measures proved successful in bringing Canada onto the side of the Thirteen Colonies.

    6. Re:That's ok by Azar · · Score: 4, Funny

      For crying out loud, we took Celine Dion off your hands for FOUR YEARS. Now you're just asking too much.

  2. O Canada! by KillerBob · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hmm... not too keen on them trying to copyright my national anthem... but the copyright on the use of the word "winter", I like. We get too much snow as it is. Mother nature fears a lawsuit...

    --
    If you believe everything you read, you'd better not read. - Japanese proverb
    1. Re:O Canada! by Aardpig · · Score: 5, Funny

      No, the Queen of Canada is Canadian. The Queen of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is British. The Queen of Australia is Australian. Legally, they are three completely separate entities; they just happen to inhabit the same hot body (M'am).

      --
      Tubal-Cain smokes the white owl.
  3. Ok so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The IOC are a bunch of fascists - with glowing hearts"

    How was that? Sue me.

  4. Coming by Rinisari · · Score: 4, Funny

    Coming Winter 2010.....

    SNOW!

    --
    Colin Dean Go a year without DRM
  5. Public domain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    I hereby claim invention of the phrase 'fuck litigious international committees', and release this phrase into the public domain.

    1. Re:Public domain by DrLang21 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Does anyone even care about the Olympics anymore? After crap like this, and all of the crap they let China get away with breaking their rules, I don't want the Olympics anywhere near the US. They have come to represent poor integrity and greed to a degree worse than the investment banks that are now putting our economy in the crapper. Somehow I don't feel that they still represent good sportsmanship.

      --
      I see the glass as full with a FoS of 2.
  6. What I have to say... by Secret+Rabbit · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... is that this Canadian and a lot of people that I know will, with glowing hearts, ignore this piece of nonsense on the basis of prior art.

    p.s. With the Conservatives in power when this was done, and the fact that they are more than likely to get back in, does anyone think that this will change?

    1. Re:What I have to say... by dubbreak · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Trademark has nothing to do with prior art. That's patents. They aren't attempting to patent the words. It has to do with rights for a certain use of the words. So in this instance the use of "with glowing hearts" in relation to the olympics. If you use the words in other ways commercially that don't attempt to tie into the olympics in any way shape or form, then you are in the safe (the measure is whether you are diluting the brand of the IOC by using the trademarked phrase).

      While I don't agree with this TM being granted, I don't really think it limits anyone. Sure Bell can't use the Canadian anthem in a special olympic cell phone deal for the upcoming olympics, but it won't (or shouldn't) affect canadian citizens in general. It does prevent people who attempt to jump on the olympic money wagon for free without paying the IOC fee and possibly goes overboard to affect innocent advertisers that are overly patriotic (pretty rare in Canada compared to the US).

      It overly favours the IOC, but the gov't has a lot to gain from that.

      --
      "If you are going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill
    2. Re:What I have to say... by illegalcortex · · Score: 4, Informative

      Considering they passed a special law, prior art really has nothing to do with it. In the US, the Olympics long ago go a heinous law passed that gave them trademark rights on things you couldn't normally trademark. They didn't go so far as the anthem, but you cannot legally put the name "Olympic" in your business. Who cares of the thousands of years of prior art. This came to my attention when they recently forced the band named the Olympic Hopefuls to change. And it was, unfortunately, all very legal of them to do so.

      Here's the law:
      http://www.inta.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=187&Itemid=59&getcontent=1

      Here's a story on the band:
      http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1507047/20050805/index.jhtml

  7. 2010 with glowing hearts by Majik+Sheff · · Score: 5, Funny

    Please will the insanity stop?

    2010 2010 2010

    They can kiss my ass with glowing hearts.

    --
    Women are like electronics: you don't know how damaged they are until you try to turn them on.
  8. Excuse me but... by GlobalColding · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is it 2010 base 10, or 2010 base 8? 'Cause that still leaves a lot of wiggle room.

  9. Anonymous Coward by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Oh no!

    2010 winter
    with glowing hearts afire
    I mock Olympics

  10. this is retarded by theheadlessrabbit · · Score: 4, Funny

    so how will counting work with this new trademark in place?

    2008
    2009 ...
    profit!

    --
    -I only code in BASIC.-
  11. What about the French Version? by kaufmanmoore · · Score: 5, Funny

    How dare they not consider the French Version on the same level as the English version. This is an insult to Quebec. Its time for revolution! Viva Quebec!

    1. Re:What about the French Version? by couchslug · · Score: 4, Funny

      "Its time for revolution! Viva Quebec!"

      French identity must be preserved!
      Break out the white banners of victory, and greet the enemy legs akimbo!

      --
      "This post is an artistic work of fiction and falsehood. Only a fool would take anything posted here as fact."
    2. Re:What about the French Version? by Petrushka · · Score: 4, Informative

      "Its time for revolution! Viva Quebec!"

      "Car ton bras sait porter l'épée", indeed. (But it might be wise to learn to say that in French ... "Vive le Québec", not "viva".)

  12. Sydney Olympic Games by myowntrueself · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Reminds me of when they found that they could not use the phrase "Sydney Olympic Games" because Mr Syd Games -- Mr Sydney *Olympic* Games -- had registered it as his trademark.

    Boy was John Clarke pissed about that.

    --
    In the free world the media isn't government run; the government is media run.
  13. Beat them ... by ProfM · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Quick ... need to trademark all even numbers between 2012 and 2100.

  14. Sung to the lyrics of O Canada by andreyvul · · Score: 5, Funny

    I O C
    Shut the fu-u-uck up!
    Go fuck yourselves
    You greedy heartless fucks.
    With glowing hearts,
    We will block your channels
    Say goodbye to your ratings!
    Fu-u-u-uck you,
    I O C_______,
    You're the Sciento-lo-gy!
    Of organized
    Spo-o-o-orts
    Shove Winter up your ass 2010 times.
    Shove the medals up your ass and go-o broke.

    --
    proud caffeine whore
  15. Only in America..... by aingleby · · Score: 5, Funny

    .. oh wait ....

  16. Is the IOC really so powerful.. by hedgemage · · Score: 5, Interesting

    that they are able to subvert the host country's laws so effectively? I know that they have muscled around 'smaller' countries, but I would think that Canada wouldn't be so easily swayed. What am I missing that makes the IOC so powerful? Is it simply the 'investment opportunity' and business that the Olympics bring? Is national pride so easily wounded that we have to kowtow to their every whim? Its no secret that the IOC is incredibly corrupt and profit driven... how come modern democratic states aren't telling them to fuck off and clean up their act? Instead the US, Britain, Canada, etc. seem to be bowing and scraping to meet their every demand.

    1. Re:Is the IOC really so powerful.. by jimicus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      that they are able to subvert the host country's laws so effectively? I know that they have muscled around 'smaller' countries, but I would think that Canada wouldn't be so easily swayed.
      What am I missing that makes the IOC so powerful? Is it simply the 'investment opportunity' and business that the Olympics bring? Is national pride so easily wounded that we have to kowtow to their every whim? Its no secret that the IOC is incredibly corrupt and profit driven... how come modern democratic states aren't telling them to fuck off and clean up their act? Instead the US, Britain, Canada, etc. seem to be bowing and scraping to meet their every demand.

      They've been getting special laws passed in the UK too.

      Remember this isn't just one group of people with a lot of money. It's one group of people with a lot of money who will also make a lot of money for a lot of other people - for instance, when Coke sponsors the games, you won't be able to buy Pepsi in the olympic village. Money talks, and when there's a lot of money it not only talks, it gets up in Parliament, makes speeches and proposes laws.

  17. Prior art. by AJWM · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The estate of Sir Arthur Clarke and MGM might have a thing or two to say about attempting to claim 2010.

    --
    -- Alastair
  18. Olympics about openness and freedom... by Brain+Damaged+Bogan · · Score: 4, Insightful

    can anyone remember when this was true? Certainly not in my lifetime... the IOC seems to be run by bigger arse hats than the RIAA... at least the RIAA haven't started trademarking phrases in lyrics... yet.

    --
    -- Sex is the antonym of pringles. Once you pop it's time to stop.
  19. To the IOC by SageLikeFool · · Score: 4, Funny

    Dear IOC,

    FUCK YOU.

    With glowing hearts,
    Canadian Citizens

  20. Time to bury our heads... by mnslinky · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I really think it's time to just bury our heads in the sand. This world has become fucking crazy. What happened to common sense? What happened to old-fashioned business? Why can't we trust a smile and a handshake anymore?

    I know this sounds a little pie-in-the-sky, but it's how I feel. I run a business. I'm honest. I make enough money for me, my business partner, and our employees. As honestly as I can. Sure, cheap, slimy people sometimes snake a customer away, but the ones to come to us are loyal. Almost crazy loyal. This world is truly getting sad.

  21. I stopped paying attention by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Clearly the Olympics isn't about games anymore, that's why I stopped paying attention. I hear more about the crap surrounding it than the games itself. It's not fun anymore.

  22. On related news... by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 5, Funny
    Steven Spielberg has announced a sequel to ET (The Extra-Terrestrial) for release in February 2010.

    Tagline:

    He is afraid. He is totally alone. He is 3 million light years from home. The IOC is after him...

    --
    It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
  23. Olympics = Stupid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    The Olympics are for sell outs and commercialization. It baffles me why people still put such high value on this parade of stupidity. I almost feel sorry for the athletes that participate.

    It's become such a joke.

  24. Dealing with the IOC by Dzimas · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The most appropriate response to the IOC's increasing reach and commercialism is to make an effort to tune out the Olympics (TM). There are a great many amateur meets that happen throughout the world on a regular basis, and they're always in need of volunteers and spectators. If you can't do without a regular fix of Olympic (TM) patriotism, steer clear of the Olympic-branded (TM) merchandise and take a few minutes out of your life to let major sponsors of The Games( TM) know that you're avoiding their products because of the way the IOC has corrupted amateur sport (TM).

    This is one instance where money really talks. A sharp downturn in funding and public opinion would work wonders.

    I'm Canadian, so I'm going to take 10 minutes following the upcoming federal election to write a letter to my member of parliament complaining about the IOC's misappropriation of lines from our national anthem. The work is in the public domain, and it is quite obvious that the organizers of the Vancouver games are attempting to exploit its patriotic meaning for inappropriate commercial gain.

  25. Glowing hearts? by eagl · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Does that mean that Spielberg is gonna get sued for E.T.? What if I watch E.T. in winter 2010... Will they have to re-release an edited version with glowing heart censored out?

    Anyone else wondering if the IOC has strayed so far from the original spirit and intent of the Olympics and become such business-focused greedy rat bastards, that we need to give them the big finger and start over with a governing body that is actually focused on the athletes and the games rather than the money?

  26. Oh oh by martin-boundary · · Score: 4, Funny
    You think that's funny? My TV has just turned itself on by itself, and now it's showing the words

    IOC: ALL THESE WORDS ARE YOURS EXCEPT 2010. ATTEMPT NO OLYMPICS THERE.

    This is going to end badly.