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It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

redcross.ca

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Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#81

Post by hourislate »

throwaway894345 wrote: post #13

> In an increasingly uncertain world, this protective use of the red cross emblem has become more and more important. In the past ten years, there have been 162 fatalities among Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement personnel including two Canadians. I don't understand how these two sentences are related and the article doesn't explain it as far as I can tell. They seem to be vaguely insinuating that video games approp…

Trying putting the whole article in context instead of picking apart two sentences. What they're saying is that the Red Cross Emblem is being watered down, so much so that it's losing it's symbolism of humanitarian protection status and impartiality and as such are becoming a target in conflict zones.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#82

Post by bingidingi »

jdavis703 wrote: post #51
bingidingi wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A green cross would confuse no one. It's already used all over the world. You've probably seen it and the color hasn't even crossed your mind.

In my limited experience it’s more of a southern European symbol. For example in the US I’d associate it with cannabis.

Well, I suppose with healthcare the way it is in the US... maybe smoking cannabis before going to a hospital is a good idea.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#83

Post by thrower123 »

Justsignedup wrote: post #54
throwaway894345 wrote: post #13

> In an increasingly uncertain world, this protective use of the red cross emblem has become more and more important. In the past ten years, there have been 162 fatalities among Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement personnel including two Canadians. I don't understand how these two sentences are related and the article doesn't explain it as far as I can tell. They seem to be vaguely insinuating that video games approp…

IF you are in combat and you see a red cross vehicle, it is important for your first reaction being "that is not where the enemy is" vs firing at it. This saves lives, and protects those who run into danger zones to save people. If we slap red cross symbols on people with medical equipment that you see in video games, it'll just dilute the meaning and maybe next time someone sees a vehicle with the red cross symbol t…

This only works with people who follow your rules of warfare.

Otherwise, the red cross symbol just becomes a huge target painted on you.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#84

Post by johncolanduoni »

smoldesu wrote: post #20

Up next: Apple issues wide-spread takedown notice for all video games using their classic and instantly identifiable "apple" icon to signify food.

I would be pretty impressed if Apple got their trademark enshrined in the Geneva convention like the Red Cross did.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#85

Post by greatgib »

There are down votes to comments suggesting that it is "pure rent seeking".

And I see why, people think that there is no obvious financial interest for them.

But think again deeper about that, they are often selling their own brand. For example, in a lot of places, they are asking donations exchanging them with red cross stickers that they put on cars.

For some people it is a status symbol to have this sticker on their cars as it is a signal that "they are generous".

And, as said otherwise, the red cross recent history is plagued with waste of money and very bad management.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#86

Post by sandworm101 »

yellow_lead wrote: post #45

> Under the Charter Act that was adopted in 1900 under the Geneva Convention (and later amended in 1905 and again in 1910)3, the American Red Cross has the exclusive right to use a red Greek cross4 on a white field, with the only exception being that any user of such an emblem prior to 1905 would continue to have the right to use the emblem. Registrations owned by Johnson & Johnson for red Greek crosses date from 190…

>> It's too common, hasn't been enforced. You lose the exclusive right to it

This isn't some bit of copyright law. This is an international treaty that has vested the right to enforce this thing with a specific group. Misuse isn't going to result in in a DMCA takedown. Misuse of the red cross is an international crime, a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Don't like it? Elect people and have them withdraw your country from the Geneva Conventions. I doubt any party anywhere would ever adopt such a platform.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#87

Post by clydethefrog »

bilbo0s wrote: post #42
xvedejas wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

A green cross definitely means marijuana dispensary to my eyes. Is it actually used elsewhere?

I always thought green cross means pharmacy. But I also spent a lot of my youth in France, where it means exactly that.

I am still waiting for a hackernewsque article explaining why French pharmarcy have the blinking green crosses showing the time and temperature and often a whole complicated LED show.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#88

Post by rincewind »

wizzwizz4 wrote: post #12
tines wrote: post #2

Not to detract from the message here, but > It may just be a game to you but, it means the world to us The placement of that comma really irks me. Isn't "It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us" the grammatically correct form? I'm somewhat surprised to see this in official communication from the Canadian Red Cross group. I feel like I've seen this "post-but" comma more and more recently. I guess pe…

It's correct in German, which otherwise has basically the same grammar as English.

It would not be correct in German either (source: Native speaker, went to Grammar School).

This is just another instance of North Americans (I haven't really seen this in British English speakers) placing their commata not at the boundaries between clauses/phrases, but where they pause when they read the sentence out loud. You may argue with descriptivism -- that the grammatical rules have changed and this is the new normal -- but placing a comma like this has the probably unintentional effect that reading the sentence out loud now causes you to pause in yet a different place.

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#89

Post by threatofrain »

bingidingi wrote: post #36
mushufasa wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If video games or art or movies are depicting the appropriate scenarios, such as a scene involving army medics, wouldn't that be a constructive use of the symbol? It would spread awareness and education. A green cross would confuse people.

A green cross would confuse no one. It's already used all over the world. You've probably seen it and the color hasn't even crossed your mind.

It's already associated with weed and pharmacies. The trademark is also already registered in some major countries.

Where do you get this confidence that there's no confusion with the green cross?

Re: It may just be a game to you, but it means the world to us

#90

Post by gpm »

quickthrower2 wrote: post #56
yellow_lead wrote: post #45

> Under the Charter Act that was adopted in 1900 under the Geneva Convention (and later amended in 1905 and again in 1910)3, the American Red Cross has the exclusive right to use a red Greek cross4 on a white field, with the only exception being that any user of such an emblem prior to 1905 would continue to have the right to use the emblem. Registrations owned by Johnson & Johnson for red Greek crosses date from 190…

Hold on … I surely can’t go and start a drinks company and call my drink coke? Same with a search engine and Google?

No, but it's a closer call than you might think, and (the general idea) has been litigated relatively recently: https://www.finnegan.com/en/insights/blogs/incontestable/goo...

Google has also been taking defensive actions to prevent this from happening for all of recent history: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3006486.stm

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