Observations from the Emerald City. Seafood here is good…damn good…and damned expensive too. The beer is good as well and damn if the people aren’t friendly as all get out. Now I know that this city is full to the brim with lib’ruls and that this state is the Left Coast’s answer to the People’s Republic of Massachusetts but if you’ve got to be in a lib’rul area, at least it’s bearable when they smile. Besides there’s a lot of women up here who aren’t exactly hard on the eyes and that means that unlike your New York libs, these can probably still carry on a conversation and they aren’t in your face. In other words, while they’re still wrong, (being libs that is more or less a permanent condition) at least they don’t make you miserable by subjecting you to their perennially incorrect views on things.

All of which begs another question, why is it that your lib’ruls get the prime coastal properties? OK, OK…I know we’ve still got Virginia, the Carolinas, Georgia, Northern Florida, and the entire Gulf Coast but you never see a hurricane bearing down on California, Washington or Massachusetts much less Long Island. Myself, I credit this atmospheric condition to the vacuum caused by so many empty heads in those states. The politicians feeling compelled to fill the void create their own high pressure front with the noxious carbon dioxide they emit every time they get near a news camera. Just a theory, but I bet if I changed lib’rul to conservative and wrote a grant proposal to study the problem, the government would send me a few million to finance the study.

Now then back to things culinary. Now that I’m up here for the 1st time in 25 years, I couldn’t wait to get on the outside of some Alderwood plank smoked Salmon. Goodness is that stuff art on a plate. I can see why they brag on it so much. That is without a doubt the best prepared salmon I’ve ever had and lemme tellya, I’ve put away some seafood in my day. If any of y’all are ever up this way, try it out at The Brooklyn, you’ll hurt yourself. The crab sandwiches in this town aren’t to be trifled with either.

Anyways sportsfans, we’re just a few days from the start of college football and my beloved Longhorns title defense begins. I’m standing by Cal over Tennessee in week 1, give the pts. I’ll have more to say as I get back to God’s country and settled back into the swing of things. Remember to check back in for guest chef Jay Brown’s take on beer-battered cod and Cajun coleslaw…

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

Ok sportsfans, I know I missed my usual Monday recipe posting and since you all know that I've got my kitchen back the only excuse I can offer is the truth. Flooring is going in and so once again the kitchen is off limits. However, in my neverending quest to provide a complete service of enlightened political reportage, good eatin' recipes and profitable sports commentary, I have made arrangements to cover the gap. In my stead and knowing full well that reader Terry Garcia, Moraga California is always looking for a salmon recipe, I offer up special guest recipes and commentary from Mr. Jay Brown, Reno NV. Not only is Jay a fellow member of the thin blue line but he is a decorated veteran and former sous chef at The Summit restaurant, Harrah's South Shore, which isn't exactly your Denny's by way of comparison. In other words, Jay knows his way around a recipe and we have often traded food insights while sitting around the squad bay, solving crimes and the world's problems.

In any event, as I noted Terry is always looking for a salmon recipe and Jay just returned from a salmon fishing trip. He didn't manage a score but did come up with a terribly easy grilled salmon recipe accompanied by his tropical fruit salsa. You'll probably want to make this dish soon, while you can still get good fresh summer fruits.

Grilled Salmon:

Salmon steaks 1 per person, 1" steaks
Peanut oil, (olive oil is acceptable if allergies are a concern) Sea salt, Fresh ground pepper to taste

Rub the salmon steaks with the peanut oil 1-2 hours before grilling.
Salt and Pepper at grilling (or as "Smiling Paul" would say "grillin") time.

Grill these over medium high heat for about 5 minutes a side. (This will produce about a medium doneness) increase or decrease as desired.

The best way I found to enjoy this Salmon is to make a Tropical Fruit Salsa to serve with it.

Any tropical fruit you like works for this dish. Mango, star fruit, etc. (diced) Juice of two limes
Sea salt to taste
As much Cilantro as you like. (I love it so ½ of a bunch is what I use)
1 can pickled Serrano chilis. (use one or two whole ones, or more for more heat, and the little carrots too)
Add about 2 tblsp. of the juice)
As much diced red onion as you like.(I put the red onion in the lime juice 2 hours before making this dish.) Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving with the Salmon.

This dish just screams for an accompaniment of rice pilaf and don't forget the fresh french bread. As Smilin' Paul would holler...Good eatin' on ya!

Ooops, almost forgot, next week I'll be out of town, deep behind enemy lines in the People's Republic of Seattle. Jay has graciously provided another fish recipe in order to cover the next week so be sure to tune in for his take on beer-battered, fried rock cod and Cajun coleslaw.

With the onset of the best part of the sports year, we'll be getting back to casual profiteering on football lines. So far I've gotta love Cal in that first week, they're giving 2 pts at Tennessee but after last season I've got no faith in the Vols so give the points. Besides Cal is loaded this year. Not enough to threaten my beloved Longhorns but certainly enough to profit off a rare occasion of Cal football superiority. Next time, more lefty bashing and exposing the corruption and incompetence of the Third World Pimpin' Machine...er...UN...

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

As if there is any surprise here, in the week since the celebrated ceasefire in the Middle East, we have already paid witness to the appalling spectacle of the UN chastising Israel for breaking the provisions of the ceasefire. You see, the Israeli’s actually launched a commando raid deep into Lebanon the other day. The purpose of the raid was to interdict a shipment of arms being sent from Syria to Hezbollah. Of course, in righteous indignation, that farcical body of do nothing’s called the United Nations screams at Israel. If we can all remember, it was only a few days ago that Israel agreed to this disastrous ceasefire that was forced upon it by the UN. One of the reasons the Israeli’s agreed to the abomination in the first place was the fact that the International Keystone Kops we call the UN had brokered the disarming of Hezbollah. So what happens? The Syrians and Iranians attempt to send arms to the terrorist scum in violation of the UN brokered agreement. The Israeli’s attempt to interdict such shipments since the Euroweenies continue to carp about who will commit what troops to the peacekeeping force and since there is no force in place, and who do the socialist anti-Semites at the UN decry? Israel. God Help us all.

Yes I did say Euroweenies. It seems apparent to me that they lack the vision and will of earlier generations. The french in particular are a vile nation of poltroons intent only on carving out what they can for their failing socialist experiment and their dimming memories of the gloire of empire. They had pledged 2,000 of their troops to a peacekeeping force for Lebanon and now have reneged. Not that this should surprise us. They have merely done that which the french excel at. They have surrendered without so much as firing a shot. This is of course a much more expedient and economical practice than actually fighting. So now, the froggies say they’ll send a couple hundred engineers and they are still willing to exercise overall command of the UN force. It is little wonder that the word gall is the phonetic equivalent of Gaul. I expect that any french engineers sent to Lebanon will soon be fast at work, (at least for 35 hrs a week) rebuilding Hezbollah headquarters in a show of military solidarity. No matter the stated french position, any historian knows that the french have a long and sordid history of anti-semitism in their national makeup.

Speaking of stated positions which are just flat out wrong, how about this global warming pseudo-science? Last year at this time, we were being harangued by the network news reporters telling us how awful the hurricane season was. New Orleans was to be swept away. Global warming, (which as far as I can see is mostly the result of Algore continuing to exhale) was going to produce progressively more catastrophic hurricanes season after season. Here we are nearing the end of August, with the season set to peak in less than a month and we have had no hurricanes strike the US. Next thing you know, the liberal, environazis will be counting Chinese typhoons against the US total. After all, what is a little lie if it advances your agenda? The left has never been known for its strict adherence to the concepts of truth and fidelity. Someone wake me when there is irrefutable proof of global warming and then I’ll be interested in listening. Until then, can you please let us go forward with building a few oil refineries and getting some more drilling goin’ on?

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

Allrighty folks, for those of y’all who’ve been with me through the thick and the thin, here is the long awaited first recipe from the new kitchen. I went back to my childhood for this one. One of the staples in Mama Villa’s culinary rota was a traditional Spanish dish called “Arroz con Pollo”. For those of you who are not yet conversant in the adopted language of the People’s Republic of California, it means “Chicken and Rice”. This is a simple, hearty dish that goes well with the omnipresent refried beans and tortillas that should be in any self respecting readers’ refrigerator and/or pantry.

Lessee…first off some ingredients, myself I used a whole cut up chicken. That way I can use the neck and livers later. However, some folks just want thighs or breasts. (Easy you comedians out there…) If that’s so, fine let’s just say 6-8 pieces for this recipe which will easily serve 3-4 depending on the amount of chicken you use.

6 Chicken thighs, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ small yellow onion, chopped
½ green bell pepper, chopped
Chicken stock
1.5 cups of long grain white rice
8 oz can of tomato sauce

In a pot heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Brown the chicken pieces on both sides and remove. (About 2 minutes a side) Add the rice now and brown it. As it browns, add the green pepper, garlic and finally the onion. Watch this carefully as you want the rice to brown but you do not want to burn that onion. Once the rice has browned and the onions are translucent, return the chicken to the pot, add the tomato sauce and then add enough chicken stock to cover the mixture and stir. Bring the pot to a boil and then reduce your heat to low and cover. Let it simmer for about 25 minutes or until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is easily fluffed. The chicken should be completely cooked through which you can check with a fork. Dish it with the beans and salsa and plenty of hot tortillas… …hijo le mano…Good eatin’ on ya!

And now…back to our regularly scheduled programming…today is primary day in Nevada. Now of course I already did my duty as an American by voting early and of course once again I managed to avoid the indignity of voting for any member of the Party of Sedition, also known in some parts as democrats. Just makes me wonder though, when a Conservative votes, they are doing their duty to the Republic, to the vision of our Founding Fathers and to maintain a semblance of that vision in government. What exactly do lefties think they accomplish when voting? I mean besides the continued degradation of American principles of freedom both at home and abroad. Democrats will stop at nothing until they have subjugated the will of the American people to the Third World Pimpin’ Machine, aka United Nations. Of course you gotta give the dems credit, they’ll sell us out cheap. It’ll only cost a few million votes.

Tune in once the primary results are tallied. I’ll be sure to comment on the political climate and prospects for conservatives out here round the ol’ hacienda. Unlike much of the rest of the country, I don’t think that Republicans are going to suffer much in the way of setbacks here in the Silver State….

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

For those of you betting on the first meal to come out of my new kitchen here is the update. The kitchen isn’t finished yet but most importantly I’ve got a range and an oven. Those of you betting on Gumbo are the winnahs! And hot damn was that a good batch I threw together yesterday. Today we’re slow-simmering some chili verde and about to get smashing some refried beans, in real lard of course. No PC cooking around here. So excuse my giddy return to the kitchen, I’m gonna take a little time to whip up some ol’ favorites of mine before I turn to experimenting with new dishes. The important thing for those of you who tune in here each week for a new recipe is that I’m back to cookin’.

Speaking of kitchens, once again we have the mainstream media caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Seems the Al-Reuters news service had to dismiss a Middle East photographer who was doctoring photos he submitted to Al-Reuters to make damage from Israeli airstrikes appear more destructive than was the case. This is so typical of leftists in general and those who populate the media specifically. Can anyone say Dan Rather? He did leave CBS, now we know he’s doctoring photos in the Middle East. Of course with his background in forged documents, ol’ Gunga Dan Rather shouldn’t have any trouble finding gainful employment with any number of terrorist groups. Of course a good forger isn’t as valuable to a terrorist group as an enable within the American media establishment. On the other hand, they still have Christiane Amanpour and Keith Olbermann.

Not that anyone watches Olbermann, what in hell ever possessed him to leave ESPN is beyond me. My guess is he’s somewhat alternative in his lifestyle. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that..) To leave a sports commentary job at one of the most watched cable networks to go to mouthing leftist talking points on one of the least rated cable news networks hardly seems like a career builder. Then again, no one around these parts has ever given your average commie come lately any credit for the ability to make wise decisions. After all they’re still telling us that the Cold War is unwinnable.

None of which explains a more fundamental problem with our society these days: the issue of moral relativism. I have a good friend I work with. He is well read and educated and a good debater. Today he stunned me with his assertion that there was little to distinguish Israel from Hezzbollah. According to him, the Israelis bombing buildings which had legitimate military targets next to or inside them, was no different than the Hezzbollah practice of indiscriminate targeting of civilian neighborhoods in Israel for rocket fire. He said that he was sickened by the death of children on both sides of the conflict and could not see that Israel was provoked, and now fighting to terminate a threat, targeted legitimate military vehicles which sometimes resulted in collateral casualties and civilian deaths. As a father, no one grieves the loss of children’s lives more than I do. However, the bane of our existence in the West and in Christendom has been the encroachment of moral relativism into society. We can no longer define absolute evil and distinguish it from good.

You see, by my friend’s logic then, the destruction of Dresden and Nagasaki by Allied Air Forces during World War II would have been no different than the Nazi final solution applied to the Jews. Innocent lives were claimed in each of the actions, the difference is that one advances the goal or national interest of your nation and the other does not. If you cannot understand that Israel is our ally in the War on Terror, then you have a serious problem in defining geopolitical reality. I should probably mention my friend is an atheist. Without the foundation of religion he has no absolute moral compass upon which to determine good from evil and so it is an easy step to moral relativism for him. This is the harvest we reap from the secular society that has been forced upon us by the God hating left. It just may prove to be the edge that the enemy within and without need to make us slaves to Islam. Of course, then the lefties that remain will protest, but like the Jews in Germany of the 1930s and 40s, it will be too late and they will wonder what went wrong.

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

Hidy all, seems like I've been remiss in mentioning some administrative issues which we've been fiddlin' with around here. Now the more observant of you (which naturally precludes any leftists among that number) will have noticed that the blog has a new look. This is something I've been toying with for a few weeks and I finally launched it. Enjoy it. I've also added some promised links, boy if y'all can't enjoy Amber Digby and Jody Nix or Bobby Flores, you got no bidness reading my musings much less being an American, so support the fine singers I endorse. Needless to say I won't be touting the latest offering from the Vichy Chicks anytime soon. Also, due to popular demand I have enable comments while retaining editorial purview. If you feel obliged send in a word or two...but remember, this here is a family friendly blog.

Now I need to welcome aboard some new readers out there, first off a big ol' howdy to reader Gretchen Kambe of Somewhere, Bay Area, CA., Jonathan Spruil, late of the Tarheel State and bleedin' Red 'Bama fan and let's not forget Rhonda Sue Compton, San Antonio, TX. Now as much as I welcome them, I've got a pleasant surprise for you devoted readers. A big ol' tip of the Silverbelly Stetson to an old friend and honky tonkin' buddy of mine, Daniel "Spider" Stanfield, New Braunfels TX. Lemme tell y'all that Spider was offering trenchant political commentary before it was mainstream. Generally it was offered in an inebriated state, while victualing on the chicken fried steak and eggs with biscuits and gravy at the Cornerhouse Cafe, and yet it still made more sense than anything coming out of Congress or the State Department. Some of his musings made their way into my former column "Rebel Yell" which was carried by the now defunct Hayward American.

In any event, Spider has now checked in and has agreed to offer occasional guest commentary as only a Texican can. With Bull being from Oklahoma the stage is set for some good give and take...or it would be if ol' L-Train hadn't taken one in the chops yesterday. Too bad about the OU Quarterback Larry, but you're welcome to root for me and Spider's beloved Longhorns after we administer your beating on October 7. Looking forward to that dinner you're gonna buy me in Vegas that night, maybe we can have a nice Arturo Fuente cigar afterwards....your treat of course...

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