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India shouts against patent of Yoga in USA - Help India.

whatsnew.in — Its really unfair, who don't know anything about Yoga can get patent of Yoga and related matters. Member of parliaments and and Yoga Guru Shri Baba Ramdevji express their strong anger against this wrong move by USA Patent Office. Actually Yoga is come in to existence in India. Patanjali Yoga Shastra is written before 5000 years in India.

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  • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -51/+26Its really unfair, who don't know anything about Yoga can get patent of Yoga and related matters. Member of parliaments and and Yoga Guru Shri Baba Ramdevji express their strong anger against this wrong move by USA Patent Office.

    Actually Yoga is come in to existence in India. Patanjali Yoga Shastra is written before 5000 years in India. Today which all Yoga Asans are performed, has mentioned in Patanjali Yoga Shastra. That means Yoga originate is in India. India must take steps against this movement and USA Patent office should stop giving patents of Yoga.

    According to a report, USA Patent and Trademark office has given 150 copyrights related to Yoga not only that but also have given trademarks related to 134 instruments of Yoga and 2,315 Yog trademark.

    Every one knows Yoga is a part of India. This movement by USA Patent office is really not fair. Either you are an American or an Indian. Please help to stop this movement by USA Patent Office. Spread this post in your blog or any website.. Digg this also please.

    • fordicus, on 10/11/2007, -35/+13you do realize that the us patent and trademark office doesn't issue copyrights? Uninformed rants don't make you right.
    • moogle516, on 10/11/2007, -79/+127Whoever wrote the description to the article needs to retake English, several years of it.
    • euphemizeme, on 10/11/2007, -62/+31India (thick, mangled English accent): You stole Yoga from us!
      U.S.: Sorry, what did you say? Remove the toner and press the reset button?
      India: Hold please.
      ....
      (20 minutes later)
      India: Hello Sir, I apologize for the wait. I said you stole Yoga from us!
      U.S.: Yeah I like Joe Rogan, but how does that fix my printer?
    • stephant, on 10/11/2007, -12/+29I don't get the point of this article. Had the author included what the U.S. patents were and demonstrated how they were unfair I would have been happy to agree (assuming that I did actually agree), but I'm left with a bald statement (strangely similar to the recent MS statement) that the US is infringing on the intellectual property of someone else. Just show me why the patents are unfair and I promise to take it seriously.
    • quomen, on 10/11/2007, -13/+4euphemize i would have digged dugged diggen duggen your comment up for the idea.. but excecution was all wrong. Have dane cook steal it and make it onto his next cd.
    • crackedplastic, on 10/11/2007, -15/+5Hypocrites.

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASfNXGBeh9E
      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_4C7TDyVfs
    • dinostabOMG, on 10/11/2007, -19/+116@moogle516: News flash! Not everyone's first language is English. Slack is in order.
    • Osjpr, on 10/11/2007, -4/+28Never going to happen. Otherwise I will patent Bruce Lee's Jeet Kune Do and American Football
    • bbhh, on 10/11/2007, -14/+24what is unfair? this is retarded. you can't patent yoga, it isn't a tangible object, it isn't an invention. the closest you could come is like patenting a yoga instruction booklet or something. this is absurd. people can patent devices they make to help with yoga, or like weird yoga mats and crap like that... but how can "india" complain about this? no one owns yoga.. what do they want? is this a trademark complaint, did someone trademark the word 'yoga' and india wants it? urgh, this is so retarded how does it have any diggs? everyone who dugg this needs to.. i don't know... convert to scientology... because you are stupid enough to believe it?
    • HarryHunt, on 10/11/2007, -4/+58Patenting Yoga? That's a bit of a stretch, isn't it? Get it? A STRETCH!
      *insert cheesy laughter*
    • prammy, on 10/11/2007, -3/+46@bbhh

      The reason India is getting so worked up about this is because a few years back people tried to patent extracts from the Neem tree (used in India for a long time), the Basmati rice, the karela pod (bittergourd) and haldi (turmeric). Ironically most of those people were also Indian immigrants who should have known better since they would have been aware of the prior art which existed for centuries.

      The basmati patent basically covered rice which was similar to basmati but not the same, yet could be marketed as Basmati which it was not. Similarly, the healing properties of turmeric were very well known to anyone who lived in India and the 2 indian guys who tried to patent it here in the US should have been aware of the prior art which existed. Hell in the 80s so many things were marketed as containing turmeric which had these healing properties. I would not be surprised if the person in the US who is trying to patent Yoga is also an Indian.

      And yes, I am an Indian too. Sometimes these guys piss me off as well.
    • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -4/+18To stephant: Yoga is not an invention of a one person but invention of many people/saints. It's like a treasure of the country/India. It cannot be a patent
    • tb0n3r, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9Yoga can't be patented. It's not a physical thing, or process to create a physical thing.
    • bbhh, on 10/11/2007, -3/+4@prammy

      i understand what you are saying. but the article linked here is nothing, there is nothing. this story is nothing. there might be issues but they aren't "a patent on yoga"... and if they are: a) it doesn't make any sense (is retarded); b) this article provides absolutely no information.
    • tb0n3r, on 10/11/2007, -5/+13I think somebody just doesn't understand Patent/Trademark/Copyright law. They went to the USPTO and Copyright Office websites, ran a couple searches, and called foul, when there is none.

      Search USPTO for patents on "Yoga". But here's the kicker.... only search the field called "Abstract". If you search "all fields", the search system will return a lot of patents that have nothing to do with yoga, but have the string "Yoga" somewhere in them.

      There are only 23 patents on Yoga *devices*. Physical things. I think the person doing the search only looked at the number of results, and not the results themselves.

      Now search for Trademarks of "Yoga". Only search "Live" trademarks. Dead trademarks are irrelevant to the discussion, since they're entirely unenforcible, and perhaps never were. Now look in the second column. If there isn't a number in the second column, that means the trademark isn't actually really valid yet, and isn't fully registered. Now, notice something else.... all but 3 of the results have something other than just "Yoga" in them. There's "YOGAKIDS", "YOGA SOURCE", "OM YOGA IN A BOX" and many others. These are just names of companies and products. With distinct logos and names. The 3 results that are just "Yoga" with nothing else are very specific. One of the trademarks is for a yarn company. Another is for "INCENSE". The last one is for various Fruit Nectars. Nobody owns a Trademark on the concept of yoga.

      Now we get into copyright. Copyright Law is another beast altogether, but nothing to worry about in this case. Some methods of teaching yoga are copyrighted, but if anybody can prove prior use of the method, then the copyright holder can't do anything.

      I think someone just found the websites for the USPTO and Copyright Office, ran some random searches, and cried foul, not understanding what the results he found actually MEAN. Especially since the article doesn't site any specifics.

      Article buried for inaccuracy.
    • spudnic, on 10/11/2007, -7/+49@moogle516 (#6729934)
      Until you can speak better Hindi than they can speak English you can shut the ***** up
    • jimcarrey363, on 10/11/2007, -16/+2Oh yea Mr. Dotcommakers? Well let me ask you this...

      What has India done for me lately?
      (Other than introduce me to some SEXY ass 10 year old prostitutes)

      Borat voice: VERY NICE!!

      (For all you dense Diggers, I'm joking. Although the part about there being 10 year old prostitutes is true, sadly.)

    • cyberoidx, on 10/11/2007, -3/+16euphemizeme 6 hours ago :

      India (thick, mangled English accent): You stole Yoga from us!
      U.S.: Sorry, what did you say? Remove the toner and press the reset button?
      ...........................

      @euphemizeme I CHALLENGE YOU TO AN OPEN VOICE CHAT JUST TO PROVE MY (I'm an Indian) ENGLISH IS BETTER THAN YOURS. Game enough?
    • N00F, on 10/11/2007, -14/+1Shut up, stupid India. America invent everything!!
    • mt066, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1This is the dumbest article ever. A "trademark related to yoga" is just the name of a company who is "related to yoga" in some way. Never mind that the author never explained what "related to yoga" actually means; probably that it contains the word "yoga." In that vein, the street fighter character Dhalsim is "related to yoga."

      A copyright related to yoga could just be some book or publication on how to do yoga. What's wrong with that?

      There is not even a mention of how many "yoga patents" exist in here (which I mention because so many people are now commenting on patent law in this thread).

      Get your act together before getting everyone all worked up over nothing.
    • jcounterman, on 10/11/2007, -2/+3I find all the complete misunderstandings of IP law on this thread to be distubring. Too many people are unable to distinguish between patent, copyright, and trademark. On top of that, what is this ***** that patents must be for physical goods? Or for a process to make a physical good?

      Patents can be broader than you think and can encompass things not even remotely related to physicla items. Is this a flaw of the patent office? Maybe, although I'd be hardpressed to find a better solution.

      Learn your stuff before you get angry, people, or your misplaced anger will just build up until you go insane... I hear yoga is a good way to relax.....
    • nartvq, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2@dotcommakers

      If you can't (or aren't willing to) put in time to learn english grammar properly, then don't expect anyone to take you seriously, at least in this forum. Find someone fluent in english to check your work next time.
    • ladyarcher85, on 10/11/2007, -0/+4@dotcommakers
      What you posted is hard to understand.

      Here's the New York Time's article
      http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/opinion/07mehta.html?ex=1336190400&en=086cf83734beb525&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
  • mediator, on 10/11/2007, -34/+20Hah, I didn't know folks in US are that stupid and paranoid. They think trillions of people who exist in the world will have different style of thinking. Well a student in one country can have the same style of solving problem as student in another country. YOGA, VEDAS are assets of INDIA.

    Its a pity that a person loses his senses when he goes to US. I think its in American air that makes it so stupid. THe whole world knows this is INDIAN. This is has been taught by many in India, but paying for licenses? Hello........This is not the monopolistic Microsoft u know that u have to fetch licenses from! Its like for teaching ur kid ABCD u have to fetch licenses from Britain and pay extra if u teach them their accent.

    I'm really surprised by the act of "USA Patent and Trademark office". They seem to be a administered by a bunch of obnoxious slobs who have lost their abilty to think and research correctly. What next they might be giving patents to thieves for their style of stealing!

    They want to hold a patent on something they didn't even invent and that was created in another civilization some 5000 (or more) years ago? What do they wanna show..... their height of insanity? Do they wanna make an entry in Guiness world of book records for a country with most no. of mindless brains?

    I think laws in US for such things shud be eased and people like Bikram shud be made to consult with their home land!
    • ignite, on 10/11/2007, -5/+54"Its like for teaching ur kid ABCD u have to fetch licenses from Britain and pay extra if u teach them their accent."

      LOL!
    • DrunkenPirate34, on 10/11/2007, -15/+7America-bash enough? I could call the people of India idiots for not patenting it sooner; but I won't. I don't find it nice (or very intelligent) to lump everyone from a country or region in one large group and call them all stupid because I know damn well that, sure, there are a few weeds but that doesn't mean that the whole lawn is shot-to-*****.
    • cyberoidx, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7@DrunkenPirate34

      You cant patent something that is so widely famous and known!

      How about patenting your penis and charging royalty from every man on earth?

      Yeah, we should have patented it "before"
  • mediator, on 10/11/2007, -25/+4Hah, I didn't know folks in US are that stupid and paranoid. They think trillions of people who exist in the world will have different style of thinking. Well a student in one country can have the same style of solving problem as student in another country. YOGA, VEDAS are assets of INDIA.

    Its a pity that a person loses his senses when he goes to US. I think its in American air that makes it so stupid. THe whole world knows this is INDIAN. This is has been taught by many in India, but paying for licenses? Hello........This is not the monopolistic Microsoft u know that u have to fetch licenses from! Its like for teaching ur kid ABCD u have to fetch licenses from Britain and pay extra if u teach them their accent.

    I'm really surprised by the act of "USA Patent and Trademark office". They seem to be a administered by a bunch of obnoxious slobs who have lost their abilty to think and research correctly. What next they might be giving patents on numerical zero that was created in INDIA!

    They want to hold a patent on something they didn't even invent and that was created in another civilization some 5000 (or more) years ago? What do they wanna show..... their height of insanity? Do they wanna make an entry in Guiness world of book records for a country with most no. of mindless brains?

    I think laws in US for such things shud be eased and people like Bikram shud be made to consult with their home land!
  • vipinkec, on 10/11/2007, -16/+7It is really bad on the part of US, started learning Jog from India and now showing to the world as if they are the pioneers. Really unethical. Now they will explore our other treasures like ayurveda etc. and will not give it under the name of patents or copyrights until we are totally looted. There has to be a neutral agency for such rights.
  • subratabera, on 10/11/2007, -18/+5Who gave them the right to control everything in this world....??????
  • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -21/+8friends thing is that Yoga is an ancient Vidhya. Saints were kept their bodies stronger with these.. They taught this to their followers and their follower taught to the world so whole world become happy.

    Its very funny and disappointing why those folks in USA are trying to patent this? I am wondering.. If USA will give patent to someone for a paper, so when we want to write something.. we have to purchase licenses for that lol

    I admired USA because they are opened minded.. they are very intelligent.. but attack on a good civilization.. is impossible.. lol

    somebody explain them please..
  • asadajk, on 10/11/2007, -23/+46I hate USA and its patents,it suxks!
    • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -21/+12Not USA is bad but Patent Office. We must scream against this
    • praisethelard, on 06/06/2008, -4/+73It doesn't just suxks...it sux0rs!!1

      But seriously...patenting yoga? Does that mean if I happen to stretch in an awkward way I can get fined?
    • Berrex, on 10/11/2007, -13/+2yeh bro. wai dos amerika try 2 tak and take?? stopid amerikanz can no tek yoka bro.

      wot means yoka?? dugg up me plx
    • saturnx8, on 10/11/2007, -1/+1no you suck, so i hate you *sarcasm* but no really, i hate you
  • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -16/+5TO fordicus : I mean to say USA regularity whoever are they, a patent office or a special copyright office, but they have given copyrights related to Yoga that's sure thing... Main intention to post the note here to express our thought the world that's it..

    we neither hate USA or nor any individual one.. We are just shouting against the move of Patent office.

    Hope I am clear
  • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -20/+5It's really bad that I posted this story in also a big domain forum and a very well known social community site.. which are owned by USA citizens.. both posts are there was removed... immediately

    bad thing
    • pferdestarke, on 10/11/2007, -11/+11Nobody can understand you..... buddy...
      screw the grammar police.... NOBODY can understand you....
    • BornLegend, on 10/11/2007, -3/+9Don't exaggerate pal.
      I can understand him perfectly. =P
      Oh yea, one more thing, I hate ppl that keep mocking him just cause his main language aint english.
      Digg me down if you like.
      But it's prolly the folks that digg me down that I actually hate.
      So my feelings for you are mutual.
      Understand this, you don't learn alot english or watch english speaking TV shows in all countries around the world.
    • spudnic, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9@pferdestarke (#6730091)
      "I posted this story in a large forum and on a well known social community site (both American owned); both posts were deleted immediately, this doesn't reflect well on the USA."

      If you can't understand what's being said then perhaps it's you who needs reading comprehension lessons.

      Mocking how others speak English, despite it maybe being their 3rd or 4th language? Yeah, that's one of the reasons most of the world hates America at the moment. Grow up.
    • mediator, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0@pferdestarke : I pity u americans that u can't even understand ur funny mother tongue now. Naturally when u can't infer if from the term "cricket" I'm referring to an insect or a sport, from "Bush" I'm referring to ur president or an organic life form, then ambiguities are bound to remain in ur fragile minds!

      Its a pity that Indians can understand ur funny mother tongue but americans can't, until and unless its written in a proper manner and corrected with MS-Word/word writer! How tragic!
  • mygans, on 10/11/2007, -1/+25http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/07/opinion/07mehta.html?ex=1336190400&en=086cf83734beb525&ei=5124&partner=permalink&exprod=permalink
    • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -15/+4yes mate, copyrights are given my USA copyright office, and who tried get this patents and copyrights, some of them are Indians too..

      What we are talking here, what's the big issue is, why patents, copyrights are given, thats it..
    • mygans, on 10/11/2007, -4/+14i know....but this story doesn't link to any news.....no proof no digg.....so i posted the link here......
    • diggeon, on 10/11/2007, -4/+12All your knowledge are belong to us!
    • prammy, on 10/11/2007, -2/+8From that article: "Let good knowledge come to us from all sides."

      In sanskrit that would be 'Su Asti Ka" or swastika from what I understand :)
    • samk, on 10/11/2007, -0/+0The author seems confused about the difference between a patent and a copyright. NO ONE has patented the practice of yoga in the US.

      The NYT article mentions that someone has COPYRIGHTED his own method of teaching yoga. The solution is pretty easy: just don't use his method; use one of the thousands of pre-existing methods.

  • tacklebox, on 10/11/2007, -23/+12screw india kkthx
  • truthteller, on 10/11/2007, -22/+19This is the worst grammar I have ever seen.
    • m3mn0n, on 10/11/2007, -19/+4EVAR SAWN.

      I rilly cant stann unproper speling.
    • Eragmus, on 10/11/2007, -18/+12What an ignorant comment. Do you realize that not everyone has English as their first language? Apparently not.
    • grbruner, on 10/11/2007, -11/+3I fail to see how the patenting or copyrighting or whatever is really going on has any effect of Yoga in India. In America Yoga has become part of a fitness regiment for many and many have seen the opportunity to capitalize on the consumerist lives we lead. I imagine there are very few places in the states that even focus on the mind more than the body. Yoga in America has become glorified stretching and has little to do with the purpose of Yoga as intended. Indians should realize that these patents are meaningless to Yoga and have no effect on their own personal practice with Yoga.
    • truthteller, on 10/11/2007, -9/+16@eragamus

      The fact that he doesnt speak english as his first language is a GREAT reason to have someone proof read his work, especially since MOST digg users read english. It's painful to read his rant.
    • Eragmus, on 10/11/2007, -11/+3What an ignorant comment. Do you realize that not everyone has English as their first language? Apparently not.
      *sorry posted this in a new comment by mistake instead of in a reply
    • cwgannon, on 10/11/2007, -7/+44@eragmus (#6730051)

      I'd love to see some of you assholes attempt to write anything more than a sentence or two in another language. The fact of the matter is that most all Americans are monolingual, and for some stupid (and American) reason, they're proud of it. (And yes, I'm an American.)

      Aber ja, ich kann die Deutsch sprechen (aber natuerlich nicht perfekt) weil ich diese Sprache fuer etwa zehn Jahre studieren hat. Es braucht ein bisschen Muehe und fuer diesen Grund meistens Amerikaner werden es nicht tun.
    • balbeto, on 10/11/2007, -4/+17Why is it that there are too many insensitive pricks out there. It is obvious even it a half frozen horse that this is not their native language. Give them a break, or better yet go learn a second/third language before bashing some poor bloke for his rotten English.
    • thecorch, on 10/11/2007, -0/+5@truthteller: Ironically, moogle516's comment gives him a run for his money.
    • saifatlast, on 10/11/2007, -0/+11I'd love to see some of you assholes attempt to write anything more than a sentence or two in another language. The fact of the matter is that most all Americans are monolingual, and for some stupid (and American) reason, they're proud of it. (And yes, I'm an American.)

      Es wuerde mich freuen, wenn ihr Arschloecher bloss einen Satz auf einer Fremdsprache zu schreiben versuchen wuerdet. Es ist so, dass die meisten Amerikaner einsprachlich sind, und aus irgend einem bloeden (Amerikanischen) Grund, sind sie da stolz darauf. (Ich bin ja auch Amerikaner).
  • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -14/+5Dear Mygans : this story/info was taken from indian news papers... and you may not read our regional papers i think
  • FeartheKnighted, on 10/11/2007, -27/+14I'm going to have to go with ***** india
    • alphaunity, on 10/11/2007, -2/+2Do that one more time and you get blocked. ever heard the word Racism, twit
  • GeekDoctor, on 10/11/2007, -20/+35how about we keep jobs, you keep yoga?
    • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -18/+6Good argument lol.. you know that quite well Indians are very good in IT Field.. You are jealous1? anyway apart from this joke.. seriously my only intention is make this issue in highlight.. no intention to offended you guys in USA okay?
    • froggy57, on 10/11/2007, -18/+6Good idea. What I do, is if someone calls me with an Indian accent, I just hang up immediately.
    • ericnmu, on 10/11/2007, -2/+11@froggy

      way to get to the source of the problem
    • oesj, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11@dotcommakers

      outsourcing (to india, or anywhere else) does not happen because of better/different skills/abilities it's about cheaper labour - simple as that.
      no offence - not saying indians would be any worse as these jobs.
    • anmol2k4, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11How about we get our farmers life back and you get your patented GM crop seeds.

      'Suicide Seeds' Could Spell Death of Peasant Agriculture:-
      http://www.commondreams.org/headlines06/0126-07.htm

      India Farmers Accuse Monsanto of Pushing Cotton "Seeds of Death":-
      http://www.organicconsumers.org/ge/indiacotton012406.cfm

      Farmers' Suicides, Hunger Deaths and Globalization:-
      http://www.organicindia.com/farmers-suicides-hunger-and-globalization.php

      Vandana Shiva on Farmer Suicides, the U.S.-India Nuclear Deal, Wal-Mart in India and More:-
      http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/13/1451229

      The Suicide Economy Of Corporate Globalisation:-
      http://www.zmag.org/Sustainers/Content/2004-02/19shiva.cfm

      Bt cotton driving farmers to suicide-
      http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2006/05/19/stories/2006051900180800.htm

      More than 25,000 peasants in India have taken their lives since 1997 when the practice of seed saving was transformed under globalisation pressures and multinational seed corporations started to take control of the seed supply. Seed saving gives farmers life. Seed monopolies rob farmers of life.

      But who will pay their debt ?
      • known, on 12/02/2007, -0/+1In India Hinduism is the only religion that intrinsically still preaches and promotes racism aka casteism.
        Hindu parents covertly train their children to coerce other children as per caste 'hierarchies'.

        All other religions in the world have 'groups' which fear or fight or respect each other.
    • alphaunity, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7Indians hate outsourcing more than you do,Except for what the indians call the "call centre types". check on how fast indian prices are climbing and why several companies are shifting to lower cost destinations.Like the mostly muslim philippines
      A call centre worker in india is only there for the money, and gets out in as little as six months.
      The facts: Corporations went to india for cheap labor, which is rapidly getting cost inefficient.
      The reason: Back end entry to Indian Markets for other corporates...Keep the jobs in america, india loses what, 400 million a year.
      America gets blocked from indian market: America loses what? about 30 billion a year

      get your facts straight
  • kandy4me, on 10/11/2007, -12/+5If the spelling and grammar were better, this would probably get alot more attention...
    but still, dugg. stupid American fat-cats.
    • cyclox, on 10/11/2007, -12/+0alot... der... you mean a lot
      doh!
    • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -9/+4You are right! I was just frustrated and wrote down article very fast again. Frankly speaking main concern here is, patents should not be given thats it not grammar or Indian/American nationality.
  • psychohistorian, on 10/11/2007, -7/+47Next Digg headline: USA patented masturbation.
    • headbutt, on 10/11/2007, -3/+11Wait a minute--are you saying the U.S. hasn't already patented masturbation? Then who the hell have I been Pay Pal'in royalties to for the past few years?
  • evensong, on 10/11/2007, -8/+791 diggs on this article? Really?

    GG digg.
  • chuckpenzone, on 10/11/2007, -15/+5I edited a person using Adobe® Photoshop® doing Yoga™ one time during a Threepete™ of some sport on ESPN®.
    • saifatlast, on 10/11/2007, -3/+2Stop coming up with contrived reasons to make that joke. That goes for all of you. *glares*
    • chuckpenzone, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1@saifatlast - actually it kind of applies here but you're okay.
  • DscHmi3, on 10/11/2007, -15/+10Wow guys, just wow. Who really cares. Find something a little less trivial to complain about next time!
  • sfacets, on 10/11/2007, -10/+25India has already patented most Hatha Yoga postures to fight against Yoga piracy, notabily by the US.

    Maybe it's time for Americans to get their own culture (and no, invading countries isn't culture)
    • neo1513, on 10/11/2007, -4/+9American culture is just a fusion of international culture with some nationalism thrown in my friend

      And whats being patented is the sequences of yoga positions that are being taught. Essentially, its equivalent of a school teacher patenting his style of teaching his students history - it doesn't make any sense. Mygans's link explains it pretty well. The issue is important to Indians who feel like the United States is stamping out 50 cent versions of India's history. Id be all up ons too but theres more pressing issues for the American public to worry about now, like the best way to get Gravel and Paul in the driving seats of their parties
  • obliviousfool, on 10/11/2007, -11/+8Yoga literally mean "to yoke (unite) oneself with God."

    Patenting yoga is like patenting a religion or a prayer. It seems absurd.

    Luckily this won't affect your ability to practice yoga!
  • fearlessfx, on 10/11/2007, -12/+6Anyone find it ironic that the page is described as a 'blog for knowledge hungry people' and yet, from the grammar, it would appear that it was written by an eight year old?
  • truthteller, on 10/11/2007, -6/+7It looks like Digg got gamed on this one. I mean c'mon.
  • raybury, on 10/11/2007, -8/+5Okay, this is stupid. You're not going to be sued for teaching ancient knowledge, but if you blatantly copy someone's 26-step routine you will run up against copyright or other IP laws. Yeah, that person is trying to make a buck, and is doing so using widely available information combined with his own experience and inventiveness. The person who is ripping off his process or sequence is also trying to make a buck, but is doing so off someone else's hard work and experience.

    @ obliviousfool: I can't patent or copyright a belief, but I can copyright my religious book -- possibly not so much to make money as to prevent it being stolen out of context.
  • scispaz, on 10/11/2007, -10/+5Wow. Removing the submitter of this page makes the comments so much easier to read. So less mindlessly anti-US. So much less believing of some random blog. dotcommakers, take your crappy, nationalistic blogspam elsewhere.

    Kudos to mygans for finding a real news source, rather than an angry, poorly-written blog post.
    • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -9/+3Let me frankly tell you I am not Anti-US. I am getting my most of jobs form US. If there is US I can live okay? I am against this patents, not against US
  • HanSolo69, on 10/11/2007, -5/+2Is Al Sharpton behind all this? He already apparently owns the word "jive" and the phrase "you people." Not to mention "*****" and the right to turn the adjective use of the word "black" into a racist term. It would only make sense that "yoga" would be his next target. I mean, it must be really offensive to Sharpton that Indian people are dark skinned too. I mean, they're practically mocking blacks. So attempting to patent yoga would be a striking blow.
  • HuntingHawk, on 10/11/2007, -4/+4Baba Ramdev locks horns with NRI for Yoga patent
    http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1097001

    SHIMLA: Protesting effort by an NRI in the US applying for patent of yoga, Swami Ramdev on Tuesday said either the government should get the patent of yoga or it be given to his Patanjali ashram.

    "How can any Tom, Dick and Harry, who has no knowledge of yoga, can get patent of yoga, the century-old traditional knowledge of India," Ramdev said.

    An NRI Vikram Chaudhary has applied for the patent of the yoga.

    "Either the government of India get the patent of yoga or it be given to our Patanjali yoga ashram, a trust which had significantly contributed in popularising the ancient science in the country and also abroad," the yoga guru, who is here to start a week-long yoga shivir from May 17, said.

    Ramdev lamented efforts of "greedy babas" and other profit-making organisations to make money through yoga.

    The yoga guru said his ashram would shortly bring out a book which could be of benefit for treatment of different complicated disease like cancer and kidney related ailments.


    //Please stop blaming Americans, it's some Non-resident Indian who tried to patent it in the first place..
  • jackarroo, on 10/11/2007, -7/+4Capitalism learn it and love it, or become poor and complain. We allow both options.
  • Khilona, on 10/11/2007, -7/+14The funny part is that most of you don't any other language other than English. So pardon his Grammar. For all you know, English might be his second or third language!
    • twinklyJesus, on 10/11/2007, -20/+2NIce assumtion. However, many of us "dumb" Americans know multiple languages. It is just an unfortunate fact that while we don't HAVE to use them to survive, you do. Get over it.

    • cwgannon, on 10/11/2007, -1/+14@twinklyJesus (#6730461)

      Hmm, should I digg you down for spelling "assumption" wrong while being a prick or should I digg you down for being enough of an idiot to assume that most Americans are not unilingual? Ah, ***** it -- they're both a means to the same end.
    • dotcommakers, on 10/11/2007, -0/+7English is my third language :)
    • 91degrees, on 10/11/2007, -1/+0I tend not to post articles to websites when I only have a vague undertanding of the language.
    • chetanw, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2@twinklyjesus,

      Just for your enlightenment, there exist several parts of the world where people have miraculously managed to survive and progress without knowing to read or write English. And no, they didn't attack other nations in a show of democracy / war on terror either.

      (* gasps in horror *)

      You, sir, are nothing better than a BIG PRICK, so STFU.
  • technolinguist, on 10/11/2007, -3/+10I've been following this story too and I think it's not right that someone can take an old way of exercise and mediation, and patent it for commercial reason. Maybe I should patent the term "walking". So each time you take a step, you give me a couple of cents. This is completely absurd. Yoga was never meant to be commercialized, much in the same way as tai chi. There was another case a while ago, where an American company tried to patent a special variety of rice called "basmati". There was a big hue and cry and finally the American company (don't remember which one) dropped this idea.

    The next step is to patent "breathing"....

    The dude who submitted this story should take English 101.
  • edebolt, on 10/11/2007, -5/+8Indians have profited handsomely by popularizing yoga in the west. From Yogi Bhajan to Bikram. Both of these teachers considered it important to control their respective disciplines of Kundalini and Bikram the "Hot" yoga. This is considered important because if someone who does not know what they are doing starts teaching Kundalini yoga etc and injures a person then the entire teaching could be damaged. Also they believe that their systems work when done properly and seek to control its practice.

    Initially the Indian culture considered giving any yoga techniques away to be inexcusable . Yogi Bhajan took incredible heat when he started teaching in LA in the 60's and received many death threats against his family. A similar controversy occurred when martial artists like Bruce Lee began teaching westerners Gung Fu in Seattle and San Francisco. Many think BL and his son Brandon Lee were murdered for this reason.

    In any case they are not patenting Yoga as a whole but specific systems or techniques such as Bikram hot yoga to prevent other teachers from hijacking their foundation and most of the patents involve yoga equipment tools like special mats and pillows.

    The US Patent system has not awarded protection for generic widely taught concepts like Hatha or Astanga which have been taught for a long time. The whole concept of Patents are to award protections to innovative products and ideas.

    and lastly I would point out that India is a huge copyright, patent and trademark violator of western products and really should not be complaining because they are arguably stealing billions while complaining about yoga which is a small industry by most comparisons.



    • crackedplastic, on 10/11/2007, -2/+5Exactly.

      Directors like this guy: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0348495/ (Sanjay Gupta) seem to get away with copyright infringement all the time. Of course, there's the well-known ripoffs of Michael Jackson's Thriller and Superman, popularized on YouTube recently.
    • chetanw, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1So does the size of the patent violation dictate what is right and wrong?
  • chrisby, on 10/11/2007, -1/+7From the NY Times article: "The United States government has issued 150 yoga-related copyrights, 134 patents on yoga accessories and 2,315 yoga trademarks."

    1) As someone else said above, the PTO doesn't issue copyrights. If you have a problem, with this, then let's talk about copyright (not patent) reform.
    2) Patents on yoga ACCESSORIES is different from patenting the practice of yoga itself.
    3) Trademarks on yoga (most likely by yoga studios, as well as the makers of those yoga accessories) would not impede the actual practice of yoga.

    There are plenty of safeguards already in place (namely the "novelty" requirement) that prevents someone from patenting the practice of yoga itself. I agree that that the U.S. patent system is in need of reform, but I this is definitely not a leading case for that argument.
  • ns2048, on 10/11/2007, -7/+1Ultimately, greed destroys the greedy. BTW, its stupid to blacklist Americans, after all we are the most honorable, fair, and sensible people on Earth.
    • Voodooengine, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6w/e lol. Yoga is great, it shouldnt be patended.
  • TheRealToma, on 10/11/2007, -1/+11Has the American flag been patented yet? I might just lodge it now!
  • satz13, on 10/11/2007, -3/+10As an Indian,all I want to say is irrespective of the language used & the incorrect usage of words,commas,apostrophes, the point made is that it is not the first time that such hue & cry has been raised in India over some issue concerning patents....There have been the whole "neem,"turmeric","basmati rice" issues which have cropped up & I am guessing that legal battles are still on...Due to this history ,I guess the story is getting digged notwithstanding the incoherent language used. .

    The relevant point is for Indians,the fact that someone tries to patent yoga or any such thing...the point of comparison is for example if people decide to patent a certain form of exercise or type of mediation...What are we getting to here...it really sounds ridiculous

    if there is an application filed then the logical conclusion is to throw it out as it would be like someone patenting "karate" or any other art form...
    http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2051973.cms

    • Osjpr, on 10/11/2007, -1/+6It's the best reason to destroy the patent office guidelines and rules, then start fresh. Here, let me patent your wife..
  • dinostabOMG, on 10/11/2007, -2/+26What the ***** is with all the racism in these comments? Damn.
  • bbhh, on 10/11/2007, -4/+5call the undertaker.. bury this
  • milomilomilo, on 10/11/2007, -1/+9I think the bigger problem is that putting your body in certain positions is somehow patentable.
    like the human gene, patented.
    basic math concepts in use, patented.
    methods of splicing gens, patented.
    tree and land and creatures are made property.
    whole ecosystems destroyed for our petty uses.

    Life itself reduced to a title, and deed.
  • SD929, on 10/11/2007, -14/+2***** india. ***** H1Bs
    • gulmargha, on 10/11/2007, -4/+1Hey, want your job back? Get an Indian Work Visa, and move to Bangalore.
    • chetanw, on 10/11/2007, -0/+1Yeah - ***** H1Bs; Let's just bring the Indian folks here, let them loot and kill the local population and then take over the country.

      After all, that's what your forefathers did when they came to America.
  • sneakeykop, on 10/11/2007, -13/+4Your Yoga has been outsourced...how does it feel INDIA?




    // KARMA
    • truthteller, on 10/11/2007, -8/+2Karma is a bitch....
    • cwgannon, on 10/11/2007, -0/+13@sneakeykop (#6730507)

      Silly idiot. India's not to blame for outsourcing. It's the companies that operate in the name of profit and the government policies that allow it to happen that are to blame. But that apparently conflicts with your interests in one way or another, so you just choose to be a moron. Cognitive dissonance, for the win.
  • Urusai, on 10/11/2007, -5/+7I'm patenting karate. Boy, does Hong Kong owe me some money.
    • wingsofsun, on 10/11/2007, -3/+6lol karate is frm japan.. i m sure hongkong wont mind~!
    • edebolt, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1Good luck with that. Firstly Karate is primarily Japanese and was adapted from Chinese empty hand techniques. Karate means Chinese hand. Karates origin is from the japanese island of Okinawa. Korea also is well known for Karate in the form of Tae Kwon Do among others.. Hong Kong is about Gung Fu, Tai Chi, Wing Chun. etc etc.

      The really stupid thing about the original article is that its an Indian who is trying to get the patent to control the Yoga industry.... I doubt he will be very successful with that.. Lots of patents are overturned or sidestepped because they did not offer a specifically novel or innovative approach.

    • wingsofsun, on 10/11/2007, -2/+1umm.. i thot karate was japanese. kara = empty, te = hand. literally meaning empty hand. ....okay did some research on my own.. ur also right. it does mean chinese hand!.. damn those chinese - japanese kanjis!! the same kanji means different to different people!
  • dexx001, on 10/11/2007, -4/+2why stop at karate!? i'm about to file a patent for india...
    • wingsofsun, on 10/11/2007, -3/+1that is really wise. my best wishes r wid u.
  • wingsofsun, on 10/11/2007, -5/+3damn me. i just went thru one page of mindless *****!
  • edm1950, on 10/11/2007, -7/+0hahahahaha how much wampum did Yoga go for. Indians stiffed again. Prolly not as good a deal a Manhattan though.

    Geez reading that blog brought flashback visions of Chem 101
  • t0ny, on 10/11/2007, -9/+1Why cant we have yoga? They have all of our jobs.
  • misimiki, on 10/11/2007, -0/+27Talking loudly in English to a foreigner does not make them understand any better. I also am surprised by the level of racism in these comments. It is unacceptable and just shows how insular the thinking is America is these days. Shame on you *****. You just don't get it.
    • edm1950, on 10/11/2007, -10/+0Yeah we do. But some clueless individual crying into the internet about a patent that is unenforcible, and in pigeon English to boot is funny as hell and begs disrespect.
  • treelovinhippie, on 10/11/2007, -1/+5Some bastard in the US did the same thing with the word "Ug Boot" (or Ugg, Ugh, however it's spelt).

    That was an Aussie product and name many, many years before... some arsehole patented it in the US and now they can't use it here.
  • smileydude, on 10/11/2007, -1/+2are these patents even enforceable? i understand trademarking a name for something ancient. there ought to be a formal way to challenge a patent without lengthy expensive lawsuits
  • sudhang, on 10/11/2007, -0/+12How come diggers complain about a "random string of numbers" being copyrighted, but not this?
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