ODDLY ENOUGH

ODDLY ENOUGH

Pork board squeals over imaginary unicorn meat

PORTLAND, Ore.

It’s official: The National Pork Board says it knows unicorns don’t exist.

The industry group says it was only protecting its trademark when it issued cease-and-desist warning to online retailer ThinkGeek for calling a fake unicorn meat product “the new white meat.”

The fictional canned meat, described as an “excellent source of sparkles,” was an April Fool’s prank.

But the 12-page letter from the board’s law firm was no joke.

“We certainly offered our apologies,” Scott Kauffman, president and CEO of Geeknet Inc., the parent company of ThinkGeek, told the Associated Press. “It was not our intention to confuse the public as to the attributes and qualities of the two meats.”

In a public apology this week, ThinkGeek said its nonexistent canned unicorn meat is sparkly, a bit red and not approved by any government entity.

“We certainly understand that unicorns don’t exist,” said Ceci Snyder, vice president of marketing for the National Pork Board. “Yes, it’s funny. But if you don’t respond, you are opening your trademark up to challenges.”

NYC Naked Cowboy to Naked Cowgirl: Stop copying me

NEW YORK

New York City’s famous Naked Cowboy wants a bikini-clad woman who calls herself The Naked Cowgirl to stop ripping off his trademark.

The Times Square cowboy, whose real name is Robert Burck, is known for strumming his guitar wearing only briefs and a cowboy hat. He has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Sandy Kane, who wears a red, white and blue cowboy hat and matching bikini.

Burck says if Kane’s going to make money by posing for photos, he wants her to sign a “Naked Cowboy Franchise Agreement.” Most of his licensed franchisees are required to pay $5,000 a year or $500 a month and go through a screening process.

Kane, who is in her 50s, is a former stripper who’s now a fixture of the city comedy scene. Her real name is Sandra Brodsky. She says she doesn’t owe Burck anything.

Rat suspected of starting fire

YAKIMA, Wash.

A rat is suspected of starting a fire at the Veterans of Foreign War building in Yakima.

KAPP-TV reports that investigators discovered a rat had chewed through an electrical cord. The rat apparently caught fire and ran to its nest, igniting flammable items.

The fire last week spread quickly through the building, damaging several rooms and war memorabilia.

The fire department says damage could exceed $1 million.

Associated Press