I can't recall whether I learned about three dot journalism from Herb Caen or someone else but today we're going to have to resort to it...First the good news, I enjoyed some nectar last night courtesy of reader Sean Mannix, Austin TX. He was kind enough to bring me a case of Lone Star Beer last week and its been a looooong 17 years since I got on the outside of one. Anyway Skeez, I'm down to 22 now so keep some room in the luggage handy for your next trip out here...Here being Stalingrad on Truckee, more popularly known as Reno, we woke up to a couple inches of snow yesterday. On April 17, I thought we were a month into spring...I should be playing golf or at least tending to yard maintenance, instead we're clearing snow from the hay so it doesn't get moldy...you know, like Ted Kennedy's brain...speaking of disease, I was glad to see my beloved A's take two out of three from the gawdamnyankees to open the season...made going into work a pleasure...now we need to break out of the subsequent slump...nice start for Eric Chavez though...and that is good news.

Now onto more serious issues. Those of you who know me know that I am not given to tinfoil hat theories. Tin foil works wonders in the kitchen and around the barbecue but generally does not enhance your thinking. (Although the aforementioned Senator might use a little wrapped around his glasses to amplify his negligible brain activity.) The reason I bring up my natural aversion to conspiracy theories is because when I look at the world situation today, I am wondering if we as a Nation have ever faced so many dissimilar threats and enemies at one time. If we have not, then does the presence of so many threats/enemies make real the possibility that they are being orchestrated as part of some grand design?

I am including here a long but fascinating analysis of what the future might hold for Europe...a future that could very well occur in our lifetime. We worry incessantly about the effect on our children of the climbing national debt. Well what of the effects on our children of unchecked islamofascism and multiculturalism? Forget bequeathing our children some debts, the greater disservice is to leave for them an unfinished war that they will have to fight, and against longer odds than we. My thanks to reader Dan Lynch, People's Republic of Massachusetts for that read. Poor Dan....lemme see, you had Feinstein and Boxer and you move...gaining Kennedy and Kerry. Truly a damned if you do and damned if you don't scenario.

In any event, I got somewhat sidetracked there. I was discussing the possibility that there is underway a massive effort on the part of our enemies to destabilize the U.S. and our economy as well as our national morale. Think about it folks. We are fighting a very hot war against islamofascism (even if our leadership fails to call a spade a spade.) Simultaneously we endure the highest gas prices in history due to unchecked speculation, supply shortages brought on by Chinese and Indian growth and a torpid response by our legislators to enact policies designed to provide price relief at home. This partial list doesn't begin to touch on the domestic problems of our European allies and the many foreign policy challenges we face in addition to the constant, unrelenting protest marches orchestrated by our own home grown fifth column...charmingly refered to as the "progressive left".

Since I'm new to the conspiracy theory bidness, let me see if I can connect the dots for those of you in Jeeterville. Currently the United States possesses the most advanced, capable Armed Forces in the world. No other power can match our projection capability, that is our ability to project American power and influence to the far corners of the globe when our interests dictate such action. China is the most glaring growing threat but of course, the Chinese are wily enough to know that you needn't always fight a war to attain your national objectives. Sometimes merely the threat of war will suffice (especially if the enemy happen to be democrats.) That would explain why the Chinese work so hard to undercut our economy not only by their willingness to pay any price for oil but also their utter contempt for trade regulation and engagement in fair trade practices. If you can spend a few billion and attain your national will without spending untold billions fighting and spilling the blood of your youth, why wouldn't you?

Especially if you can further your objectives through application of force and violence by proxy. China and Russia both face small but annoying problems with islamofascists. What better way to deal with your bombers in waiting than to redirect their fury at the Great Satan America? That would explain their reticence to engage the Iranians during the current crisis and pressure them to drop the development of nuclear weapons. Of course it would probably be far easier for the Iranians to export terror to China and Russia than it is for them to do to us, so the obvious solution for the Chicoms and Russkis is to placate the Mullahs in Teheran. If you take the long view of the Chinese, friendly relations with Teheran also benefits you in that it serves as a convenient area bulwark against rising Indian ambitions and I haven't even touched on the Chinese ownership of our own port facilities, the Panama Canal and their entirely too chummy relationship with our latest banana republic pain in the posterior Hugo Chavez...It always comes back to geopolitics and the thing many Americans miss in this game is that the board is constantly shifting, and as the article I linked to above points out, the board is changing faster than ever

In the meantime, we will endure spiraling gas prices, continued trade imbalances and yes...even the incalculable insult to our national pride of cowboy boots made in China. (But that's another column)...Just remember, while we fight islamofascism we must be ever attentive to the machinations of the rising dragon, China. After all, when we see the rabble in our streets, funded by those fun loving America haters at ANSWER, then we know that the Chinese yuan is well spent. We can and do become so caught up in rantings of a loudmouthed few, we forget the bigger picture and lose sight of the long term national objectives. In the meantime we would do well to learn from the Brazilians who will soon achieve energy independence because of their development of ethanol and alternative fuels. Of course the Brazilians aren't saddled with Senators named Kennedy, Kerry, Boxer and Feinstein. We should immediately move to open the ANWR to oil exploration while also repealing laws protecting the Florida and California coasts from exploration. Strictures against the construction of new refineries should also be lifted. If we do none of this, then California I trust you will enjoy the 5 and 6 dollars a gallon you'll be paying...Of course here in the Silver State, I'll be doing the same...speaking of commodities...I'm down to 21 Lone Stars...heeeeey Maaaannix....

Smilin' Paul Villa U.S. Senate 2010
cyber-Congressman, R-Reno
Proud Member of the Vast Right Wing Conspiracy and 2 SUV Family