Local Safeways Get Ahead of Themselves

In their effort to prove that they support local, the local Safeways have gotten a little over-enthusiastic in promoting as "locally grown" products that are not locally grown in Hawaii.

They may be locally grown, but in some other locale. Several alert readers have pointed this out to us, and may we say once again that the Hawai`i Seal of Quality is your guarantee that the produce you are buying is number one and from Hawai`i.

Safeway does sell locally grown foods -- a lot of them. It's just that a current signage campaign has been pretty misleading.

Some locally grown foods are not yet part of the Hawai`i Seal program, but you need to look carefully to make sure you are buying local!

P.S. Safeway: We hear Dean Okimoto and Alan Wong are NOT happy!

Hawai'i By Bicycle!

Ed Hartz and his company http://www.freshhawaiian.com/ sells and delivers fresh produce from Hawai`i online to customers in New York.

A fairly new company, their site is not complete, but it's definitely worth a look -- and how very cool for Hawai`i.

This photo was provided by Ed Hartz via Hawaii Department of Agriculture's Matthew Loke.

Ford Will Eat GM's Lunch

The new campaign "Why Ford. Why Not," the fact that they took no federal money and that they are keeping their heads held high -- if you ask me, Ford is the Great American Automobile Brand.

Their commercials, just airing (or at least I'm just seeing them) feature the perfect regular guy -- with total, across-the-board appeal and a message that is straightforward and compelling.

Bring your old clunker in and Ford will help you recycle it and get money from the government for doing it.

They are aiming to have their new Taurus be the best selling car in its class, and their promise is that no matter what you're looking for in any class, Ford will have it. Starting with the 2010 Ford Fusion and the Fiesta -- selling well in Europe and coming to the U.S. next year.

go to http://www.ford.com/ and forget about GM.

Republicans Have Already Rebranded

They are the party of No. There is a really good riff on the subject in today's Huffington Post, by Joseph Romm, saying that the GOP is more like Groucho than Marx. It quotes and features a video from one of his films:

I don't know what they have to say,

It makes no difference anyway,

Whatever it is, I'm against it.

No matter what it is or who commenced it, I'm against it.

Your proposition may be good,But let's have one thing understood,

Whatever it is, I'm against it.

And even when you've changed it or condensed it,I'm against it.

I'm opposed to it,

On general principle, I'm opposed to it....