From the silly news desk

Some news from Topeka Kansas. Get a sense of humor Mayor Bunten. You could probably use a life too.

Update- James Joyner points out the irony in what Mayor Bunten says. He is insulted by the card but then casts aspersions on another state.

Local officials say a popular Hallmark greeting card fails to send the very best impression of Topeka.

"I find it offensive," Mayor Bill Bunten said Thursday. "It's probably drawn up by somebody from West Virginia who hasn't been here."

Actually, Hallmark spokeswoman Kristi Ernsting said, a man who grew up in Kansas created the nationally selling, cartoon-style card, which is labeled "CSI: Topeka."

Two crime scene investigators hover over a googly eyed corpse, with one saying, "Looks like he was bored to death." Inside, the card reads, "Hope your birthday is anything but dull."

Richard Forester, president of the Topeka Convention and Visitors Bureau, expressed disappointment Thursday that Kansas City, Mo.-based Hallmark Cards Inc. would poke fun at Topeka, particularly considering the company maintains a plant here.

"I imagine somebody in Kansas City thought it was funny," he said.

Ernsting said the card wasn't intended to offend Topekans.

"We hope that the people of Topeka can take it in good humor," she said. "That's how it was intended."

Ernsting said the card's creator has written for Hallmark for "a number of years" and chose Topeka because it is a state capital and he thought people would recognize the name. Hallmark won't reveal the author's identity.

"Our writers typically remain anonymous because the message is more about the sender and receiver of the card," she said.

Ernsting said Hallmark began marketing the "CSI: Topeka" greeting card in April as part of its Shoebox alternative humor division's "hot off the press" line, which produces cards that focus on timely topics in pop culture.