I see that apologies are in order for my inattention to detail this past week. I have been preoccupado, spending time with my family both here and in the Bay Area during the Holidays. I am now back home and ramping up for what promises to be a busy year for political commentary. For those of you keeping score, I know that I'm now behind a week in both Republicandy and recipes. I'll make it up to you. On Sunday, 12-28-03 I was fortunate enough to be in the company of several old friends, some of whom I had not seen in years. If you're reading this, thanks for a wonderful evening, I'm only sorry the evening couldn't have lasted longer. I venture to say that it was probably the largest gathering of Republicans in the State of California since Reagan's second election night victory in 1988.

Several pictures have already been posted by reader Dan Lynch, Martinez Ca. and I will try to post them here as well sometime this week. It was a grand evening, the opening decree of the day's Mad Cow index being read out by Mike "Pointman" Edwards only moments before we all indulged in turgid cuts of prime beef.

Now then, as so much of the coming year is going to be given to political commentary, I thought that I would take a few moments to address the dismal performance of my beloved 49ers this year. In a perfect world, I could fix the problems in 49er land with little trouble. First of all, get a kicker, NOW...and make sure it's a veteran, pay him extra if you have to. Consider that we missed the playoffs based solely on the outcome of 3-4 kicks this year and you see the need for a kicker. Next, get rid of Dennis Erickson. The man is a kook or perhaps he's bi-polar. In any event, the 49ers were inarguably an underachieveing team. As reader Jim Hank Duncan so succinctly put it, "the Niners are worse than the sum of their parts." Exactly, they did not play like a team....which leads me to blame a couple people. First off Erickson, he's the coach and ostensibly responsible for preparing the players and setting the tone in the clubhouse. He failed, not only in managing the personalities, but also in having competitive game plans and even worse, he failed in making halftime adjustments so necessary to winning games. Lastly, and I know this is going to cause some heartburn, but get rid of Terrell Owens. The man is a cancer in the clubhouse and hasn't made a big play in years. He shoots off his mouth and is far too self centered to advance the agenda of a team seeking to win. The operative word being team.

Now of course, much of the problem with Owens and others in the NFL is that they are products of the liberal attitudes which have swept through America. No longer are coaches at Pop Warner and Little League levels allowed to put the best team on the field. Instead, they are told that every kid must play whether they have earned the right or not. Whether the child has actually practiced or not is immaterial to the possible injury of the child's self esteem. Horse hockey. This has resulted over time in the diminishment of the sense of TEAM that is built. When a child knows they are going to play the same amount of time whether they practice or not it does nothing to promote a sense of achievement and contribution. If there is no sense of achievement, there is no sense of team building. Every child is an individual and in the real world, that is a correct position to take. However, on the sporting field, individualism has to be subordinated to the goals of the team. You can't have people like Owens setting up ostentatious little celebrations after every score and doing so to the detriment of the team. Having gotten all this out, here is my 4 step plan for saving the Niners:

Go out and sign a veteran kicker, salary cap be damned

Fire Dennis Erickson

Lose Terrell Owens

Give Defensive Coordinator Jim Mora a chance to coach

Next week, maybe we'll get around to a 4 point plan to defeating Howie Dean in 2004 but that should be easier than fixing the Niners. Goooooooo Texas...Hook'em Horns tonight at the Holiday Bowl where reader John Cryer better remember my merchandise order...

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

Just a quick note to all my faithful readers. I hope you all enjoy a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. May God continue to bestow His blessings upon the United States of America and may we soon gain victory over our enemies so that we might enjoy a lasting peace.

As I promised, I am attaching a picture of the White House Christmas card I received from the President and First Lady. If you agree with what you read here and you can afford it, please consider a donation to the Republican National Committee during this election year. Not only is it vital that we continue to maintain leadership which can effectively fight the ongoing war, we must also fight the liberal enemy within. That enemy which does not bomb our cities but instead seeks to diminish our national will, our moral fiber and our sovereignity. We need not only to re-elect the man who has restored honor to the Oval Office, but also to elect a supermajority in the Senate just to ensure that the President's judicial appointments are given fair hearings. Congress is effectively Republican for at least the next decade in my opinion especially given the 5th circuit's OK of the congressional redistricting map in Texas last week. I expect at least a net gain of 5 congressional seats in Texas this year which will more than offset any potential losses in other parts of the country. That said, give if you can, if not, at least pledge your vote....the future of the country depends on nothing less...


Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

There is one good thing about being sick, if you are well enough to be up to it and that is the chance to catch up on your reading. Being home with a cold this week, I have managed to get some books off the shelf and through the reading list. I can hear the snickers now, what does "Smilin' Paul" read? Well I just finished "The Fighter Boys, The Battle of Britain 1940" which an anthology of stories compiled by Patrick Bishop. This book brings a personal look into the lives of the "few" who defended England against Nazi domination in that summer of 1940. I also managed to finish "Ain't No Rag, Freedom, Family and the Flag" a collection of essays by noted country musician and fiddle player Charlie Daniels. Now I'm working on "Castles of Steel, Britain, Germany and the Winning of the Great War at Sea 1914-1918" by Robert K. Massie. This one is not for the faint hearted.

Now I want to thank my readers for the incoming mail and contributions. Some of them will find their way into WKWR sometime and some may not. I want you all to know that I appreciate any contributions though, be it useful e-mails, links, jpegs, gifs or anything we can use to further the conservative message. Also, keep the questions coming. I know I owe a response to a couple of you. Reader Larry Smith of Boulder City, NV. asked some poignant questions this week and I promise an answer as soon as I get caught up around here.

I have also been taking some hits from other readers like J. Topoian, Reno NV and others who want more sporting commentary. Truth to tell though, this has been such a dismal football season in regards to the NFL that I haven't given much thought to it. Besides the horrid performance of the Bay Area teams, my beloved A's are making trades and deals that make my head spin. I am struggling mightily to maintain some semblance of faith in Billy Beane and his vision for the future but we've lost an all-star catcher, an MVP shortstop, our best starter down the stretch last year and our closer. All this and I'm just supposed to think everything is hunky-dory in Athleticsland?

And unfortunately, while the reading front has improved, the blogging has taken a back seat while I fought the cold and sadly at a time when the Party of Sedition seems to be imploding. The President was first attacked by the dems for his handling of the economy which has been steadily coming back, reducing that argument. Next, they attacked the President for their perception that after less than a year in Iraq we are trapped in a quagmire. What happens? Saddam Hussein is captured, so the dems are forced to attack the President for other foreign policy decisions with which they disagree. What happens? Libyan dictator Moammar Qaddafi is caught red handed attempting to develop nuclear weapons. Knowing the jig is up, he figures he's better off giving up the attempt rather than his freedom like his brother Saddam. Qaddafi pledges to stop his WMD program and to allow UN inspectors. All in all a bad week for democrats already lacking in ideas on how to attack a President whose popularity is surging in the wake of all the good news.

This is of course cause for countless apoplectic fits in DNC headquarters as well as socialist EUtopia. I just saw a dem talking head on Fox News spewing the latest dem talking point. President Bushs' foreign policy is a failure because he isn't adored the way IMPEACHED ex-president Clinton was when he went overseas. According to this demwit, we need to be more engaged and willing to subordinate American policy and interests to internationalist, socialist and yes...FOREIGN agendas. In that way, we become less hated and then President Bush could be greeted by adoring crowds instead of angry protestors. They just don't get it...Americans want their President to represent OUR interests, not the interests of the EU or the Red Chinese. Americans don't give a plugged nickel for the EUtopian ideas of french snakeoil salesmen pitching a socialist paradise and therefore we will not bow to the demands of a throng of ill-informed, agitators pursuing a left wing agenda. Any American President who conducts policy by the popularity of his decisions in Paris, London and Beijing should be immediately tried for treason. Oh wait, that was the manner of policy conducted by a certain IMPEACHED ex-president. It doesn't work.

One thing that does work however is this week's recipe. With Christmas just days away, I thought it would be a good time for me to post my recipe for Prime Rib. Actually, this is a Rib Roast, it is choice and not prime but we make do where we have to. I have to give props to Alton Brown from Food TV's Good Eats for this recipe. I used it last Christmas to prepare a four bone rib roast and it was the best beef I've had this side of The House of Prime Rib or the Saltgrass Steakhouse. It has been my preferred method for rib roasts ever since. Now you don't have to go to all the trouble of finding a clay flower pot to fit your oven. I used this recipe in my roasting rack and pan in our standard oven and it worked fine so enjoy....

1 (4-bone-in) standing rib roast, preferably from the loin end
Canola oil, to coat roast
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to cover entire roast
1 cup water
1 cup red wine
4 fresh sage leaves

Remove any plastic wrapping or butcher's paper from the roast. Place the standing rib roast upright onto a half sheet pan fitted with a rack. The rack is essential for drainage. Place dry towels loosely on top of the roast. This will help to draw moisture away from the meat. Place into a refrigerator at approximately 50 to 60 percent humidity and between 34 and 38 degrees F. You can measure both with a refrigerator thermometer. Change the towels daily for 3 days.
Place a 16-inch round azalea terra cotta planter into a cold oven. Invert the planter to become a lid over a pizza stone or the bottom of the planter. The oven should be cold to start, to avoid any cracking in the terra cotta pieces. Turn the oven to 250 degrees F.

Remove the roast from the refrigerator and rub with canola oil. Remember to rub the bones with oil, as well. Once the roast is completely coated with oil cover the roast with kosher salt, about half a teaspoon per bone. Next, rub with freshly ground pepper to coat the surface. Place the roast over a glass bake-ware dish slightly smaller than the length of the roast. This will catch the drippings needed for the sauce. Finally, place a probe thermometer into the center of the roast and set for 118 degrees. Put the roast and the bake-ware dish onto the pizza stone, cover with the terra cotta pot, and return to the oven. Turn the oven down to 200 degrees F and roast until internal temperature is achieved.

Remove the roast and turn oven up to 500 degrees F. Remove the terra cotta lid and recover with heavy-duty foil. Allow the roast to rest until an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. is reached. Place the roast back into the preheated 500 degree F oven for about 10 minutes or until you've achieved your desired crust. Remove and transfer roast to a cutting board. Keep covered with foil until ready to serve.

Degrease the juices in the glass pan. Place the pan over low heat and deglaze with 1 cup of water. Add the wine and reduce by half. Roll the sage leaves in between your fingers to release the flavors and aroma. Add to the sauce and cook for 1 minute. Strain and serve on the side.

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

For such a busy news week I know it's been kinda slow around these parts. Sorry folks but I been laid low with a head cold and trying to catch up on last minute Christmas preparations. Of course this being Friday and all I had to check in to post this week's Republicandy and we'll get to that shortly. I was proud and honored to receive in the mail this week a Christmas card from President and Mrs. Bush. I know they sent out 1.5 million of them, but I figure that since both Cheryl and I got one each, we've outdone a lot of households out there. I will post an image of it over the weekend for you less fortunate, it's a really beautiful card. Is it merely a ploy to keep me financially committed to the Republican party? Probably, but have you examined the 9 dwarves, er...um...I mean the democrat candidates for president? The thought of one of them becoming president is enough to keep me committed to the Republican party.

Once again the Party of Sedition, (democrats) has amazed. For generations now we have been fed the democrat propaganda that the Republicans are the party of the rich. Perhaps, not that I consider myself wealthy nor most of my friends for that matter. However, we can now proclaim that the democrats are the party of the foreigners. Seems that websites are popping up all over Europe and Canada, urging Europeans to contribute money to defeat President Bush in next years election. Now of course it would be illegal for a foreigner to make a campaign contribution directly to a political candidate. (Not that that ever stopped Bill and Al, does anyone remember the name Johnny Chung? The Lippo Group? Buddhist Monks?) So the democrats skirt the campaign laws by asking for foreign contributions to organizations that support democrat causes and advertise for democrat candidates. Nice move, slick Willie would be proud.

Of course left unsaid is the reason for appealing to foreigners in the first place. Simply put, the democrats cannot raise the money they need from Joe Sixpack American. Little guys like me who scrap together a few bucks and send it to the GOP make up the majority of Republican campaign contributions. The average contribution to the GOP is about 70 bucks. Doesn't exactly sound like the party of the rich that we've been told about. The dirty little secret that the democrats want to hide from the American public is their desperate position. They either recieve tiny contributions from long-haired, Hillary loving, Birkenstock wearing, tree huggin' starving students, or they get massive checks from the likes of "Baghdad Sean Penn" and Babs Streisand. There is no middle ground there. The Republican party is now the party of the average American. I guess you can just call me average....

Now then, this week's Republicandy, an unknown Buffalo Bills fan who celebrated along withe rest of the country the capture of Howard Dean's potential VP pick...



Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

"My name is Saddam Hussein," he told US troops pulling him from his hole. "I am the president of Iraq and I want to negotiate."

US Major Brian Reed replied: "Regards from President Bush."

Classic, right up there with General Anthony McAuliffe's reply of "nut's" to a German demand for surrender of the 101st Airborne Division at Bastogne, Belgium during the Battle of the Bulge. In the meantime...let's make it official....



Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

Well nothing I can say today will enlighten anyone. I am stunned, thankful, grateful to God and so very proud to be an American. Happy beyond belief and proud of our armed forces in general and the 22nd Infantry Regiment in particular. A proud old unit conceived in the aftermath of Fort Sumter and which served through the Indian Wars, the Spanish American War, the Phillipine Insurrection and which stormed the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. A gallant regiment which faced down the Nazi's at Carentan and fought it's way across Northern Europe to a bloodletting at a place called Huertgen Forest. A unit which served in Vietnam at Kontum and during the Tet Offensive. Yesterday, the 22nd Infantry added another laurel to it's lineage without firing a shot. Well done troops.

So how did I hear the happy news? I had just wandered back into the house after trudging through the snow to feed the horse. I sat down at the computer to check the e-mail when I note a missive from reader Jim Hank Duncan, Alameda Ca. Subject Line reads President Re-Elected!!. My curiosity piqued, I opened the e-mail and read: President Bush visits troops on Thanksgiving, economic growth up 8% last quarter, stock market up 38% since October 2002, and. . . . . SADDAM HUSSEIN IN CHAINS!!!! Mark it down, boys. . . it's all over. Dean will go the way of McGovern. God Bless America.

I couldn't believe my eyes. I quickly turned on Fox News and learned that there was cause for celebration. Just like Jim Hank to keep the missive short and sweet too. There is a lot of truth in Jim Hank's e-mail and I agree with one caveat. President Bush was re-elected today barring an economic collapse. Even an economic collapse will be overlooked if it is the result of terrorist activity. Today, Americans learned once again what a steady hand they have at the helm. President Bush has stayed the course during this war and this course has not been popular with internationalists, socialists, hand wringers and democrats. Of course the fear has always been that not only would (gasp) America go it alone, but what if Bush is right? and by extension, American policy of fighting terrorism all over the world is right? The left can't abide that. Although truth to tell, once I learned the word from Jim Hank my first stop on the information superhighway was over at DU. There was a suicide watch on there as the kool-aid drinkers from the left sought solace in Howie Dean's campaign and tinfoil hat theories about Bush having the capture staged now because he is desperate with Dean's campaign rising. Seriously, where in hell do these kooks come from?

Oh yes...several of them are professors at Berkeley or homeless advocates in San Francisco and others still are denizens of tinseltown but I digress. The left has been left mercifully speechless for at least today. Next to the capture of Saddam, that may be the best Christmas present so far. Of course several of you will confront members of the PoS party, The Party of Sedition, the democrat party today at work. They will no doubt attempt to wipe the smile of self satisfaction off your face. I can hear them already, well where are the weapons of mass destruction? The war is trumped up and we supported Saddam for years....When the lefties start in, just remind them that geopolitics sometimes makes for strange bedfellows. Point out to them that Saddam came to power during the same time as that other 70's regime, the Carter Administration. Then nudge them along with the acknowledgement that yes, we did support Saddam during the 80's. A necessary by-product of the realpolitik of the times. Remember, the US had just had an act of war committed against it by the Islamofascists in Iran. At the time, prudence dictated support for an Iraq standing against Iran. We have now corrected that error. Perhaps the mullahs in Iran will take note, they could be next. Of course the leftist agitators will eventually trot out the same tired party line about this war only being fought for oil. I always like to leave these intellectually bereft folks with the following observation....If we only wanted the oil, then why didn't we just stay and take it after the First Gulf War?....the look on their faces while they grasp for an explanation is priceless and usually a good time to walk crisply away chuckling....

Now then, in honor of Saddam's capture, I'm reposting a recipe I sent out to the old e-mail list back in April when the missiles first started flying. I called this recipe, Saddam's Short Ribs...I hope you enjoy it, because he won't be...

Take a couple pounds (approx. 4) of beef short ribs. Season with salt and pepper. Season a cup of flour with salt and pepper. (I like to use Kosher Salt for all of this) Dredge the ribs lightly in the flour mixture and throw them in some hot olive oil to brown. Once browned, remove the ribs from the skillet and transfer them to a slow cooker. Sprinkle in a packet of Lipton Beefy Onion soup mix. Slice four carrots, a turnip and a couple red potatoes and toss them into the slow cooker with the ribs. Now add a half cup of red wine and about 8 oz of water. Set the cooker on low and let her go for about 6 hrs. Finally add a bag of frozen peas and pearl onions about 1 hour before serving. Check the meat for tenderness and adjust the cooking time accordingly. That meat'll be falling off the bone.

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

It's FRIDAY!!!! Welcome friends to WKWR for this week's installment of Republicandy. First off though, I'm going to throw out a plug for some Nevada Republicandy, Heidi Gansert, Republican candidate for State Assembly District 25. I had the pleasure of meeting her the other day and she makes a favorable impression. Richie will be happy to know she graduated from SCU.

Now before we get to Friday's main event, I'd like to spend a few moments asking, can someone give Algore a haircut? Is he suffering a mid life crisis or what? First he takes his dream job of poisoning young minds at Columbia and grows a beard. Then he decides to try becoming a capitalist, now he is back in the political fray taking a well deserved shot at the Clintons by endorsing the perpetually angry Howie Mean. Of course Algore has let his hair go long and he still plays the part of the p.o.'ed populist. Tipper better watch out or one day Al is going to come home driving a Cooper Mini and trailing a starstruck young co-ed named Charity.

Some 3 years after the election that he lost, and Algore still can't let go. He's still trying to cast himself in a positive light, still trying to be that elusive alpha male, still trying to define his candidacy and still sniveling that the election was stolen. Well Al, you were the one who threw the election into the courts. You were the one whose campaign tried to discredit military absentee ballots, you were the one who chose the battlefield counties, stacked with your democrat hack politicians and precinct workers. Now when you lose the outcome, you should just walk away. At least until 2008 when Shrillary runs for president. Now that would be a good time for you to exorcise your demons by taking on the Shrill one in the primary season. That would be a battle of titans. You'd still lose, or if the fight looked too close, you'd end up a victim of Arkancide but it would be fun to watch while each of you tries to outdo the other in pandering to the pinks and then after winning the primaries, goes about trying to convince the American public at large that you really aren't socialists after all. Yep, that would be worth a subscription to pay per view...

Now then on to this week's Republicandy, conservative pundit and frequent talk show guest analyst, Debbie Schlussel...



Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

I know a lot of lefties that come by this blog probably think that I'm a typical broken-glass Republican who never agrees with the democrats on anything. You'd be wrong. I noticed the other day that Rep. Ike Skelton (D) of Missouri, while taking the requisite time to bash the president called for the expansion of the U.S. Army by at least 2 more divisions. I agree, in fact I'd double it to 4. We are simply stretched too thin and we must always be prepared to defend Taiwan or to repel another NK incursion into South Korea. Of course Skelton is playing politics with his idea here and I'm a realist enough to understand that. After all, Skelton's lifetime ACU rating is a anemic 48. (Just high enough to make him a socialist rather than an out and out communist.)

Of course what Skelton fails to mention in his bashing of the President was that it was his own idol and party, William Jefferson Blythe Clinton and the democrats who slashed the standing Army from 18 to 10 divisions. The democrats obviously forgetting the lesson of Pearl Harbor and every other American War before that. If you wish to avoid war, prepare for it. Now comes Ike Skelton and he wants to enlarge the Army, at least he's made the right suggestion. What really chaps my hide is that not only did the dems slash the Army by almost 50%, they then obscured the cuts by trotting around the country passing themselves off as fiscal conservatives by having downsized the federal government. What they didn't tell you is that 80% of those cost cutting measures came at the expense of the Pentagon.

Can the Pentagon waste money? Sure it can, but I'd rather have them wasting my money than some sandal clad chief executive of a New York needle exchange program. Yes we need to expand the Army, but not because it's convenient politics Mr. Skelton. Just once I'd like to see the democrats come up with a good idea that is in the best interests of the country rather than a convenient excuse to snipe at the President.

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

Pearl Harbor Day. Certainly in this season of Christmas preparation and joy it is appropriate that we take time to reflect on times past. Not just joyous occasions, but occasions which we mark in history as momentous, history altering or even infamous. Today is one such day. I began this Pearl Harbor Day as I have many others in the past, with a cup of java but today was different. Today my 4 yr old understands that it is Pearl Harbor Day and he joins me in the ritual viewing of Tora, Tora, Tora. As always, I am reminded that we must never forget. The left grouses that we conservatives engage in moral high handedness and offering of platitudes. "The price of liberty is eternal vigilance", "Freedom isn't free" and "Those who would avoid war, prepare for it". Each of these assertions was never more true than on December 7, 1941 and the next four years of WW2. You see, conservatives understand the meaning in those words while the left would rather forget.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest I'd like to point out that we achieved a minor milestone around here. Sometime last week WKWR had it's 500th visitor. We're well on our way to 1000. Keep it up readers!!

Now for this week's recipe. Regulars will recall this is the recipe for the second turkey that was prepared at the ol' rancho for Thanksgiving.

First off you'll need a brining bucket. No big deal if you don't have one, go to the local supermarket and buy a plastic garbage can preferably with a lid. Take it home and wash it out and then label it with a permanent marker, BRINING BUCKET.

Now make a brine. I like to use the following:

1 gal water
4 bay leaves
2 tbsp peppercorns
2 tbsp garlic powder
1 cup of salt
1 cup of sugar

Now mix all the ingredients together except for the bay leaves in the brining bucket. Stir it up vigorously in order to dissolve the salt and sugar. Now add the bay leaves. Take your turkey, (a 12-14 lber is perfect for this) remove the gizzards and neck and plastic leg binder.
Place the turkey into the brine. If the water covers the turkey good, if not, you can add water or cooler packs in order to keep the water cool. You want the turkey to soak over night. Check your local weather. Up here, I was able to place the bucket and turkey outside on the BBQ overnight without worrying about cooling packs. In fact the water was slushy in the morning so there was no worry about bacteria. Do remember though that you want to keep the turkey cold. Not frozen but cold so if you can't count on the weather, use some freezer packs. About 3-3 1/2 hrs before you want to eat, preheat the oven to 325 degrees or set up your rotisserie if you have one. Remove the turkey from the brine and pat dry. Rub olive oil on the bird and place it in your rotisserie or on a rack in the oven. In the rotisserie this bird will probably be done in about 2 1/2-3 hrs. Keep watching it. In the oven, once the bird turns golden, place a loose tent of foil over the breast to keep it moist. The oven roasting method will probably take about 3-4 hrs. When you think the bird is done, check the temperature in the meatiest portion of the thigh. Thigh should get to 185, if you check the temperature at the breast, it should be about 160.

Remove the turkey from the oven or rotisserie and let it stand for at least 10 minutes before carving. Enjoy.

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

What is it about the word "Schadenfreude" that makes you want to laugh? The French thats what. Now normally I'm not the type to enjoy a laugh at the expense of one of our allies but then I remember that the French aren't really our allies. I will happily argue the point with anyone who desires but let me point out that obviously we have expelled the Germans from their country twice in the last century alone. Since the end of WW2, the French have:

Collaborated with the British against the expressed desires of the United States in order to invade Egypt and force a closure of the Suez Canal.

Dragged the United States into their colonial cesspool in Southeast Asia. (And demanded that the United States provide Army, Navy and Air assets placed under French command.) Mercifully, Eisenhower told them where to get off.

Pulled out of NATO despite enjoying the peace and security ensured by that organization.

Refused American strike aircraft retaliating against Libyan madman Moammar Qaddafi permission to overfly their country.

Systematically engaged in unilateral military engagements in Southeast Asia, Algeria, Central Afria and Sierra Leone without once asking for UN approval while at the same time, demanding that the US do so for any American military action.

I would argue that these are not the acts of an ally but rather of a recalcitrant teen. Hell the Russians don't have that crummy track record but I digress. I mentioned enjoying a good laugh at the frog expense. It seems the French have spent the last decade building a new nuclear powered aircraft carrier, the Charles DeGaulle. This ship was supposed to replace the obsolescent Foch and Clemenceau carriers. The ship has been commissioned and launched and has consistently failed sea and operational trials. Now the frogs are considering quietly retiring the ship and letting it set in port while ordering another carrier from the British who are in the process of building two new ones. (The Brits have far more experience in aircarft carrier construction.) Among the maladies suffered by the Charles DeGaulle:

When the laundry dryers are functioning, they shake the entire ship.

The propellors are recycled from the old Foch because the new ones originally mounted on the ship cavitated and warped and broke off during seatrials.

This nuclear powered ship is actually slower than the ship she replaces.

Speaking of nuclear power, the ship's reactors were installed so poorly, the engineering crew absorbs 5 times the amount of radiation as considered safe in a year.

Best of all, when built the ships' flight deck was 4 feet too short. This doesn't sound like much but it made it impossible to operate the American E2C Hawkeye aircraft that the frogs had purchased for the airwing. Landing aircraft catching the last arresting wire were in danger of going over the flightdeck.

The frogs were forced to eat crow when the catapult system failed and they had to bring in American Naval experts to repair it.

Now I can't imagine why in the world the frogs feel that they need an aircraft carrier in the first place. When they do elect to fight, ever since the debacle at Dien Bien Phu, it is invariably a contest between petulant, arrogant Gauls and some poor tribal band somewhere. Of course, if the frogs do buy a British carrier and anything goes wrong with it, they can always blame the English.

Anyways have a laugh at our "allies" and now on to this week's Republicandy. Word on the street is that Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a Republican. I hope so, maybe she can turn her considerable talents to slaying the democrats.....



Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family

According to Section 2381 of U.S. Code Title 18, “Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.”

So having digested that bit of legalese I have to think that Shrillary's little taxpayer funded "fact finding" mission to Afghanistan and Iraq comes pretty close to meeting the standard. Now you lefties can counter that this is a free country and Shrillary has her 1st Amendment right to exercise free speech. However, like yelling "FIRE" in a crowded movie theatre, her exercise of free speech in combat zones, among our troops can certainly be characterized as thoughtless, reckless and seditious if not openly treasonous.

In her version of a peptalk, the Shrill one told our troops that among other things, "The outcome of the War in Iraq is not assured." , "We have insufficient troops in both Afghanistan and Iraq to do the job.", "There are those at home who question the policies of this administration." and of course, she couldn't pass an opportunity to campaign for more United Nations involvement. I'm sorry, that collection of speech can hardly be called a peptalk. What happened to building the morale of the troops? Oh and wait, it just gets better because Shrillary then encouraged our enemies with the assertion to our troops that, "you're fighting an enemy who has a relatively large impact with few numbers."

Will someone kindly give the jr. Senator from New York a terminal case of STFU? (If you have to ask...the first two words are Shut and The.) This supposedly smartest woman in the world, the darling of the left goes to a combat zone where they have to scrape and scrounge to even find soldiers willing to meet with her and then questions not only outcome of the struggle but the policies of the administration in waging war. I'm sorry, I don't recall reading anywhere that Wendell Willkie travelled to Germany and Japan during WW2 in order to question the policies of FDR or to tell the troops at the front that the outcome of the war was indoubt. So with apologies in advance for my use of vernacular, it looks like we need to send a message to the Shrill one with our favorite trooper....



Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2004
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family