# Komen Foundation Bullying Mom & Pop Charities over "For the Cure" and the color pink **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 4, 2011, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419 "2011-01-04T22:49:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/21 "2011-01-05T18:28:26Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > It reminds me a bit when Jimmy Buffet sued the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” restaurant owners…Whatever, dude. Jimmy Buffet is a notorious prick and greed-freak. If your pickup band covers one of his tunes at a bar in Akron, he wants you to send him some money. He _demands_ that you send him some money. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/22 "2011-01-05T18:40:04Z")
Maybe someone could convince him to name his next album “Songs for the Cure.” Then at least one assholish entity will get its comeuppance. ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/23 "2011-01-05T20:29:19Z")
It reminds me of the second year Christmas trees in stores with kids names started to be a popular for charity giving in the 80’s. There was a list of names that were registered trademarks by groups and corporations. Putting up a sign like Children’s Giving Tree got you in trouble. Angle Tree. Children’s Angle Tree. there was a long list we were given to not call our tree as they were all forbidden and they were all simple phrases everybody would have used. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/24 "2011-01-05T21:05:10Z")
> [@bup](#): > > Maybe someone could convince him to name his next album “Songs for the Cure.” Then at least one assholish entity will get its comeuppance. Maybe he could do Cure cover tunes. Big PR misstep for Komen. I suspect they will back down - but it might take a little time and some reduction in funds raised. Which I suspect is what will happen. Not thrilled about my money being used to defend their trademark and I think a whole lot of people will feel the same. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/25 "2011-01-05T21:20:04Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > [Colbert weighs in](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/04/colbert-komen-cure-cancer_n_804233.html). Perfect sum-up: > [@Colbert](#): > > So I’m giving a big Tip of my Hat to the Komen foundation for spending almost a million dollars a year in donor funds to sue these other groups. If they don’t own the phrase “for the Cure,” then people might donate money thinking it’s going to an organization dedicated to curing cancer, when instead it’s wasted on organizations dedicated to curing cancer. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/26 "2011-01-05T21:30:01Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > By using the name, the owners implied that he was involved with the restaurant when in fact he was not. He does have the right to use the title from his own song in his own restaurant. You can’t copyright a title though. There is absolutely nothing stopping someone else writing a song with that title, and shouldn’t be anything wrong with someone using that phrase for any purpose. I dunno, maybe they were using words from the song on the menu or something. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/27 "2011-01-05T21:48:21Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > You can’t copyright a title though. There is absolutely nothing stopping someone else writing a song with that title, and shouldn’t be anything wrong with someone using that phrase for any purpose. I dunno, maybe they were using words from the song on the menu or something. I don’t know about that. There was a restaurant chain here in Connecticut named “Margaritaville” that was forced to change their name to “Margarita’s” after hearing from Buffett’s attorneys. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/28 "2011-01-05T21:55:28Z")
> [@runner pat](#): > > By using the name, the owners implied that he was involved with the restaurant when in fact he was not. He does have the right to use the title from his own song in his own restaurant. > > The restaurants in Hawaii were started after the song came out, not before. Yes, but hiring lawyers is completely contrary to his anti-establishment image. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/29 "2011-01-05T22:00:23Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > Putting up a sign like Children’s Giving Tree got you in trouble. Angle Tree. Children’s Angle Tree. there was a long list we were given to not call our tree as they were all forbidden and they were all simple phrases everybody would have used. At the risk of being obtuse, I believe you meant “angel” instead of “angle.” ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/30 "2011-01-05T23:00:04Z")
Not at all, it was an acute observation. ---
**Author:** ![heatmiserfl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/df705f/32.png) [@heatmiserfl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heatmiserfl)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2011, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/31 "2011-01-05T23:05:09Z")
Komen is notorious for wasting its money on crap like this. They have huge overhead costs compared to other agencies like the American Cancer Society or even the National Cancer Institute or St. Jude’s for childhood cancer. There’s all kinds of places to donate for cancer research and if you want to focus on breast cancer, many places will allow you to put you money into that specialty. ---
**Author:** ![Uzzah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/db5fbb/32.png) [@Uzzah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uzzah)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/32 "2011-01-06T00:57:58Z")
> [@heatmiserfl](#): > > Komen is notorious for wasting its money on crap like this. They have huge overhead costs compared to other agencies like the American Cancer Society or even the National Cancer Institute or St. Jude’s for childhood cancer. There’s all kinds of places to donate for cancer research and if you want to focus on breast cancer, many places will allow you to put you money into that specialty. [Charitynavigator report for Komen Foundation For the Cure](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4509): 83% of funds to program expenses [Charitynavigator report for American Cancer Socierty](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6495): 72% of funds to program expenses [Charitynavigator report for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12847): 73% of funds to program expenses You were saying? ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/33 "2011-01-06T01:05:12Z")
> [@Uzzah](#): > > [Charitynavigator report for Komen Foundation For the Cure](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=4509): 83% of funds to program expenses > > [Charitynavigator report for American Cancer Socierty](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=6495): 72% of funds to program expenses > > [Charitynavigator report for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12847): 73% of funds to program expenses > > You were saying? You left out the National Cancer Institute – perhaps understandably, since I think **heatmiserfl** actually meant the National Cancer Coalition. [Charitynavigator report for National Cancer Coalition](http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=5712): 97.6% of funds to program expenses. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/34 "2011-01-06T01:08:01Z")
> [@heatmiserfl](#): > > They have huge overhead costs compared to other agencies like the American Cancer Society Oh, I don’t know about that. [http://www.preventcancer.com/losing/acs/acs\_hoards.htm](http://www.preventcancer.com/losing/acs/acs_hoards.htm) > **[Charity Ratings and Donor Resources | Charity Navigator](https://www.charitynavigator.org/?bay=search.summary&orgid=6495)** > > Give and volunteer with confidence by using Charity Navigator's ratings and resources to find highly rated charities that align with your passions and values. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/35 "2011-01-06T01:16:31Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > It reminds me a bit when Jimmy Buffet sued the “Cheeseburger in Paradise” restaurant owners, who’d operated very succesful restaurants in Hawaii for years, over naming rights when they tried to expand to the mainland. He suceeded them in stopping them from using that name on the mainland (they were able to keep the name for Hawaii restaurants), then turned around and partnered with someone else to open up another chain of “Cheeseburger in Paradise” restaurants. Which suck. Very confusing. Personally, I thought getting all sue-happy was contrary to the laid-back let’s-work-it-all-out-over-some-tequila image Buffet had crafted for himself over the years. > > Whatever, dude. Nobody ever became as rich as Jimmy Buffet is by being the kind of person he pretends to be. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/36 "2011-01-06T02:01:37Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > You can’t copyright a title though. There is absolutely nothing stopping someone else writing a song with that title, and shouldn’t be anything wrong with someone using that phrase for any purpose. I dunno, maybe they were using words from the song on the menu or something. But Buffett can [prevent someone from trademarking it](http://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/ac/ahrpa/opa/kids/ponder/ponder4.htm): > [@](#): > > You might do what \*Jimmy Buffett \*did to assert his rights to the term “Margaritaville,” the name of one of his most popular songs. Chi-Chi’s, the popular restaurant chain, began using “Margaritaville” for a section of its restaurants. It also filed a trademark application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office for “Margaritaville” for restaurant services. > > Buffett opposed Chi-Chi’s application based on a section of the trademark statute which prohibits registration of a mark that falsely suggests an association with a known person. Buffett alleged that “Margaritaville” was his creation, that the public had come to associate the term with him, and that he had not given his consent to use of the term by others. His evidence included not only his famous song and the sales and publicity it generated, but also news articles referring to him as “Jimmy (Margaritaville) Buffett” and “The Poet of Margaritaville.” > > Buffett won a summary judgment motion. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board found that “Margaritaville” had indeed become so closely associated with Mr. Buffett, that customers would believe he was in some way associated with Chi-Chi’s services, when he was not. After that ruling, Chi-Chi’s and Buffett negotiated a license permitting Chi-Chi’s to use Buffett’s creation, “Margaritaville.” ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/37 "2011-01-06T05:37:37Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > It reminds me of the second year Christmas trees in stores with kids names started to be a popular for charity giving in the 80’s. There was a list of names that were registered trademarks by groups and corporations. Putting up a sign like Children’s Giving Tree got you in trouble. Angle Tree. Children’s Angle Tree. there was a long list we were given to not call our tree as they were all forbidden and they were all simple phrases everybody would have used. I can’t picture just anyone using the name Angle Tree. But Angle Trees would be a great gimmick, sitting there in their specially made stands, dangling ornaments and loose tinsel and looking like they’re just about to topple over. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/38 "2011-01-06T07:20:30Z")
Where did people get the mistaken idea that the Komen Foundation sponsors races to raise funds for breast cancer research? In actual fact, they sponsor breast cancer research to raise funds for races. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/39 "2011-01-06T07:26:27Z")
> [@purplehorseshoe](#): > > I’d never heard of a Mom & Pop charity until today. Didn’t know such a thing existed. > [@Bearflag70](#): > > They’re all over the place. In fact, I’m starting one with my wife this month in an effort to help [del]find a cure for[/del] permanently resolve Spinal Muscular Atrophy. I know a few people who’ve done things like this (and good work, **Bearflag70** ). Not every cause _has_ a huge foundation behind it, and some charities have smaller aims like funding local projects or scholarships and things like that. Or they are not intending to be _the_ charity for their cause. And the lawsuits are fucking stupid, if that wasn’t obvious. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2011, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419/40 "2011-01-06T13:01:44Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Nobody ever became as rich as Jimmy Buffet is by being the kind of person he pretends to be. I’ll drink to that! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/komen-foundation-bullying-mom-pop-charities-over-for-the-cure-and-the-color-pink/566419.md?page=3)