Malkin made a fool of... again

I know, I know - Malkin and fool is a double negative, but for a moment, you must indulge a grammatical suspension of disbelief.

God, I love the Internet. I know I'm showing my age by writing that, but it really hasn't been around that long. I'm the last generation that will ever be able to say I remember when there wasn't an Internet, which will no doubt bring groans from the younger crust. So be it.

But, try as they might, some people, no matter how smart they think they are, simply haven't yet mastered the Internet, nor realized its power to embarrass. This is especially sweet when it happens to the sanctimonious and righteous indignant -- enter Michelle Malkin. One of my favorite new blogs, Sadly, No! delivered a well-deserved beat-down earlier today to the right's latest screeching xenophobe. Just days after she screeched about a Dunkin' Donuts ad that had Rachel Ray wearing a scarf, she's been busted. (Incidentally, only someone with a whole bunch of time on her hands would interpret said scarf as being a symbol of terrorism.) Anyway, the nerve of Malkin, even touching the cloth of hate (above), after pressuring Dunkin' Donuts to pull its Rachel Ray ad, is just too stunning to contemplate!

Then again, I guess when you're a purveyor of misinformation on the right, you don't have much else to drone on about these days, since the last time there was good news in Republican circles was when President Bush landed on the U.S.S. Abraham Lincoln in his Halloween costume, and we know how long that good news lasted.

For those of you who missed it (and hopefully, anyone reading this blog did just that), here is the beginning of Malkin's rant on Wednesday about the Dunkin' Donuts ad:

The keffiyeh kerfuffle
By Michelle Malkin • May 28, 2008 09:38 AM

My syndicated column today examines the keffiyeh kerfuffle with Dunkin' Donuts and Rachael Ray that I noted on the blog last week. As you'll recall, I linked to an item by LGF's Charles Johnson about the scarf she wore in a recent Dunkin' ad. Keffiyeh chic has been covered on this site and at Hot Air extensively (see here, here, and here). Anti-American fashion designers abroad and at home have mainstreamed and adapted the scarves as generic pro-Palestinian jihad or anti-war statements. Yet many folks out there remain completely oblivious to the apparel’s violent symbolism and anti-Israel overtones.

First of all, anyone who uses the word kerfuffle should automatically have his or her literary credentials called into question, or revoked.

Secondly, I remember a time not so long ago when conservatives used to rail against political correctness. Wait, they actually still do. (See Bill O'Lielly's War on Christmas for the best example.) However, maybe it's time we realize that conservatives have taken up political correctness and certainly bastardized it from its original, noble goals to advance their own causes - blatant nationalism, making the rich richer, the dramatic minimization of our government (consequences be damned), etc. In other words, whenever an individual, group or entity like Dunkin' Donuts doesn't conform to the right's world view, it's... Attack! Attack! Attack! Probably the most prominent example of the GOP's use of PC came when the Dixie Chicks dared to speak out against Our National Embarrassment while touring in England. Of course, Bush said at the time that the Dixies were free to say what they want, but that didn't stop morons like Malkin, O'Reilly and Ann Coulter from frothing at the mouth. And, it didn't go unnoticed that the same people who howled in protest about the band criticizing the president while "on foreign soil" swallowed their tongues when Bush made a disgrace of himself in Israel while calling Barack Obama, in so many words, an appeaser.

The only thing more outrageous than the right's use of PC to advance their own, hate-filled, obnoxiously belligerent brand of nationalism is that Dunkin' Donuts has given these imbeciles a template - people like Malkin on the right are no doubt encouraged and motivated that a major corporation would cave to their stupid, intolerant demands.

It's enough to make me to go Wawa for my next donut.

h/t Sadly, No! for the top two pictures

What do Vegas & Wawa have in common?

Last week I learned that a city and a corporation I never would have expected are both going green, and it was great to see.

Wawa, by far the biggest convenience store chain in Pennsylvania and one of the biggest in the northeast, finally put enormous blue recycling containers outside of its entrances (or at least at two of the Wawas I frequent). Since Wawa sells tremendous numbers of bottled and canned drinks, it was very nice to see the company taking the step in the right direction. I always said to myself that I wished Wawa would do something to recycle for its customers, since it sells so many drinks, etc. in recyclable containers. It looks like the chain is waking up to that reality. Bravo, Wawa.

A bit of trivia for those of you now from the northeast. Many people, when they see the chain Wawa, go “Wa-what?” I’ve got the answers to the questions you may be asking, straight from the horse’s mouth at Wawa's Website:

When people hear "Wawa" for the first time, many don't know what to think. They are not really sure if it's a play on words or an improper pronunciation of a thirst quencher, but there's no doubt that many find it funny. However, don't let our name fool you: we take what we do very seriously.

Over 100 years ago, our original dairy farm was built on land located in a rural section of Pennsylvania called Wawa, which was named from a local Native American tribe in honor of their favored game - the Canada Goose. Today, the name Wawa has come to symbolize the very best attributes of our company.

Just like a majestic flock of Canada Geese flying synchronously in "V" formation, we employ the principles of teamwork, group consensus and encouragement in our company. We think it's the only way to fly. And because of this philosophy, we've been able to accomplish feats that others would consider impossible. That's why, in our market area, our customers tell us that we define what a convenience store should be.

"Wawa" is a Lenni Lenape Indian word for the Canada Goose that was found in the Delaware Valley, that's why we use the goose on Wawa's corporate logo.

So, there you have it – the great store with the funny name explains itself. It can now add “a lil’ green” to its list of accolades, just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

The second case of cool environmentalism I found last week took me by surprise a whole lot more than Wawa though. It seems the city of sin is determined to lower its footprint in the desert. I got this information from a great article I read on CNET News.com.

It seems that Las Vegas city officials are taking the city’s environmental impact pretty seriously. One would probably think the only green the city of lights and decadence would be concerned with would be the green in gamblers’ pockets. Not so. (Above: The black strips on the roof are solar thermal collectors, which absorb energy from the sun and then heat a swimming pool.)

Vegas currently draws 300,000 acre feet of water per year from Lake Mead, the man-made lake that resulted from the construction of Hoover Dam. But, the city reclaims another 200,000 acre feet per year though water recycling efforts. A cynic might say this is out of necessity, since Vegas is smack dab in the middle of one of the harshest desert’s in North America, and that’s true, but the city still deserves credit for reclaiming two thirds as much of the water it takes from Lake Mead every year. This is encouraging, since levels in Lake Mead have recently been steadily declining.

The city is also paying residents $2 for every square foot of lawn a resident removes and replaces with landscaping. But, that’s just the beginning.

Las Vegas also has two hydrogen filling stations that power a number of government-owned hydrogen-powered utility vehicles and pick-up trucks. The vehicles never stray too far from a filling station, but it’s a start. I’ve read a few things about hydrogen-powered vehicles, and everything I read says that hydrogen vehicles are decades away from being mainstream, but for every combustion engine vehicle a federal, state or local government takes off the road, that’s one less vehicle belching carbon out its exhaust pipe.

Most encouraging of all is the city’s love affair with solar power. I was shocked to read the extensiveness of Vegas’ solar program. Underground pumping stations that pump water into the city are making extensive use of solar power; four of the city’s five pumping stations currently sport solar panels on their roofs; and a fifth will be added soon.

The city still has a way to go, though – the system isn’t completely synchronized; the panels aren’t collecting energy in the evening, and that’s mostly when the pumping stations are meeting high demand, so collected solar power simply goes into the power grid. But, as the solar systems get tweaked and more are added, the kinds will get worked out, according to city officials.

A huge solar power farm sits right outside of city limits (Above). It’s enormous, with the potential to get a whole lot bigger. Next month, Spain’s Acciona Solar plans delivering power from Nevada Solar One, a 64-megawatt solar farm 20 miles outside of town. That’s enough power for 15,000 homes or 22,000 hotel rooms, said a senior vice president of Acciona.

The site has the capability to be expanded to over 2,000 megawatts of power, which is equivalent to two high-capacity nuclear reactors.

Nevada is requiring Vegas to get greener over time, too. One state law requires utilities to get 15 percent of their power from renewable resources and five percent from solar by 2015.

All of this is quite impressive for a city located in the middle of one of the harshest climates in North America.

What a pity, too; From what I’ve read, it appears that Vegas is doing more to limit its environmental impact than Philadelphia, the sixth largest city in America.

I’ll have more on Philly’s abysmal recycling record soon – I’ve been meaning to tee off on the city about how difficult it makes recycling for its residents.

Photos By Michael Kanellos/CNET News.com

3 tasty ways to cheat on your '07 diet

God, I have to get on track with my New Year's resolution to lose weight, eat right and exercise more. Of all of the goals I set for myself this year, this one will be the toughest to stick to, but I'm going to try.

But, today's football day, and that's often a trigger for me to eat junk food. And today's no exception. Already this year, I've developed an unhealthy habit of rewarding myself with food when I make it through a tough day or when my sweet tooth longs for comfort.

Anyway, if you're on a diet and love chocolate, slowly hit the BACK button on your browser and don't read any further. For those of you who have strong willpower or a resistance to chocolate except for the occasional treat, take a taste of these three beauties...

Häagen-Dazs has really outdone itself this time. I was browsing in the frozen section of Wawa the other day, and I had a hunger for ice cream. I've never been too big on ice cream, but I go through phases where I love it and have to have it. So, I found a flavor I figured was worth a try -- Caramel Cone. It's even better than I thought. I can't get enough! The first pint was gone about 1/2 hour after I opened it. And for the football games today, I bought even more.

I really am going to start walking after we get back from Vegas! And if my knees feel up to it, I may even start running again.

Yesterday, while picking up a few goodies for the games today, I saw something that caught my eye in the cookie aisle - Hershey's Milk Chocolate Layered Heath Cookies.

I'm drawn to anything Heath like a moth to light. Heath Bars are my favorite candy bars, ever. Nothing even comes close. Okay, Twix and 100 Grand bars round out my top three, but when I'm really in the mood to treat myself, a Heath Bar it is. Anyway, the cookies are great - I love them. They have a Girl Scout Cookie capacity for addiction, and that's saying something (Caramel Coconut cookies, anyone?).

My only minor complaint about the Heath cookies is that I can't taste the toffee enough, but eating pure toffee often isn't enough of a toffee taste for me.
Last, but certainly not least, is my favorite kiss of all, besides Vandra's. Hershey's Chocolate Cherry Cordial Kisses are the most addicting candy I've ever tasted, ever!

There's something about the cherry inside these kisses that makes 'em so you simply cannot eat just one. These kisses literally melt in your mouth.

My advice - don't eat these on an empty stomach, because the bag will be gone before you can say New Year's Resolution.

Anyway, try these three treats if you dare - enjoy the taste now, save the guilt for later. I should have gone into advertising.