She only grows stronger and more powerful

Here's a story of stunning political correctness. In May, Rachael Ray appeared in an ad for Dunkin' Donuts wearing a "black-and-white silk scarf with a paisley design." Conservative bloggers, led by Michelle Malkin, saw something far more sinister: they likened the scarf to a keffiyeh, the type typically worn by Muslim extremists, calling it “jihadi chic” and saying the ads “casually promote the symbol of Palestinian terrorism and the intifada, the keffiyeh, via Rachael Ray.”

The backlash was swift and the story soon went viral. A New York Times blog wondering if doughnuts have replaced social security as the undisputed "third rail" of American politics. For more laughs, there's the YouTube video, “Rachael Ray Is a Terrorist” (This story comes up about halfway through, but the rest of the video is pretty funny, too.)

Rachael's critics and enemies would do well to heed Anthony Bourdain, the celebrity chef and food writer, who has warned against her “strange and terrible powers,” and has earlier said: “Complain all you want. It’s like railing against the pounding surf. She only grows stronger and more powerful.”

Full disclosure: I have a thing for Rachael Ray.