|
WIRES NYC  Tim Wiencis, Splash News Arye Sachs and his "Viva Viagra" missile have been taken out of action by a federal judge. Still, the former soldier is vowing to continue to protest against Pfizer. A federal judge failed to get a rise out of a retired Israeli army sergeant who parked a 20-foot-long missile in front of Pfizer's Manhattan headquarters. Scrawled on the weapon's side: "Viva Viagra." "If defendants intended this to be funny, Pfizer did not get the joke" wrote U.S. Judge William Pauley in a summary judgment against Arye Sachs of West Babylon, New York. Using skills he picked up in his military days, Sachs reconstructed the non-functional U.S. Air Force missile from decommissioned parts. He loaded it in a trailer, and drove his Ford pickup through the Midtown Tunnel. "The judge was clearly blinded by the sheer power of this global corporation," said Sachs, 49, who thought it was "more than just a little coincidence" that the ruling came exactly one year after his not-so-little stunt. Judge Pauley ruled that Sachs violated Pfizer's trademark. Sachs argued that the word "Viagra" has entered the public lexicon as a generic term, and that he was just trying to make a satirical point. Skip over this content Sachs' curious journey with missile in tow might have been unsettling to many New Yorkers, especially so close to the Sept. 11 anniversary, but Sachs told AOL that the public had nothing to fear. "I've crossed through the tunnel several times," Sachs said. "I've got the right documents. The missile is harmless. And the police can tell the difference between what I have and something that is a real threat." Sachs operates JetAngel.com, a company that allows children to take a look inside retired military equipment such as fighter jets. Sachs is also hoping to develop an advertising company that will allow corporations to emblazon their names on decommissioned aircraft and other military equipment. "If I made a mistake, it was having the Jet Angel name on the Viva Viagra missile," said Sachs, who acted as his own attorney. "It was interpreted as a promotion of my business, but that is not how I intended it. Had I not done so, I think I'd have had a more successful case." In a written statement to AOL, Pfizer officials said, "We are gratified by the court’s ruling in this case. As we have said all along, we feel it is important to protect the integrity of our medicines." The company should be on notice that Sachs is not finished. He is planning to park another vehicle outside its headquarters: The front end of a fighter jet with its guts exposed. He's put it on display on his RegulateTHEM.com Web site. Emblazoned on the side of the torn-up cockpit: "Ladies: This is your heart on LIPITOR. Any questions?" |
