HISTORY's 'Cinco De Mayo Foods: Tacos'

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! I'm being more light-hearted today than last year by taking advantage of the holiday falling on Taco Tuesday with History Channel's Cinco De Mayo Foods: Tacos.

Join Famous Fat Dave as he interviews a cook who knows how to make a great taco for Cinco de Mayo.

Yeah, I know combining Cinco De Mayo and Taco Tuesday is a bad dad joke, but I couldn't resist. Besides, I have lots of final exams to grade, so I'd better get to work. See you tomorrow for Revenge of the Sixth.

Welcome to 2026 with popular bands at the Rose Parade!

Happy New Year! I'm sharing my favorite bands in the Rose Parade for New Year's Day, courtesy of Music Amenities and Music213. I begin with Music Amenities wishing Happy New Year! | 2026 PCC Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets.

For old times, good times, and everything yet to come.

Welcoming the new year with "Auld Lang Syne", performed by the 2026 Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets.

That was worth it for the preview image alone. Now the full performance from Music Amenities, 2026 PCC Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets & Honor Band + FLYOVER! | 2026 Bandfest 3 - FULL SHOW.

The Pasadena City College Tournament of Roses Herald Trumpets and Honor Band perform at the 45th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest Show 3, held on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

Luis at Music213 did his usual great work recording the band in 2026 PCC Tournament of Roses Honor Band & Herald Trumpets (Show 3) - 2026 Pasadena Bandfest, but he missed the flyover. Darn.

Next, a band I feature every Veterans Day, but never before on New Years Day, USMC West Coast Composite Band - 2026 Pasadena Bandfest from Music213.

The United States Marine Corps West Coast Composite Band performing at the 45th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Tuesday, December 30, 2025. Their last performance at Bandfest was in 2014 with the 3D Marine Aircraft Wing Band and 2013 with the full composite band. What a treat to see the composite band back at Bandfest!

I agree, Luis!

Follow over the jump for the rest of the most popular bands at Music213 I'm watching before the Rose Parade proper begins.

PBS NewsHour asks 'What is Día de los Muertos?'

Halloween is over, but spooky season continues for one more day with Day of the Dead. Since Monstrum on PBS Storied hasn't created a third video on Mexican monsters since last year, I'm returning to news coverage of the holiday, which I last did in 2022. Watch PBS NewsHour asking What is Día de los Muertos? An expert explains the holiday celebrating loved ones who have died.

Día de los Muertos is a celebration honoring the deceased that takes place in Mexico and other parts of Latin America on Nov. 1 and 2. The holiday is celebrated through ritual observations like constructing altars, ofrendas, filled with offerings to the dead and decorating family gravesites to commune with the dead. It is also commemorated through fiestas in which communities gather to celebrate by dancing, playing music, feasting, drinking and masquerading as death.

"The beautiful thing about Día de los Muertos is that it allows the pain and difficulty [of death] to be transformed through joyous celebration so that it's not about just sitting in the difficulty of death," Arizona State University researcher Mathew Sandoval told the PBS NewsHour's Casey Kuhn.

That's an explanation of the holiday like I last posted in 2021's Inside Edition and NBC News report on Day of the Dead. Of course, PBS covered it in a more intellectual way than Inside Edition, which is not the hardest news source.

PBS's story included clips of a Day of the Dead parade. Global News covered one of those in Day of the Dead: Skeletons parade through Mexico City in annual Catrinas march.

Hundreds of people dressed as “La Catrina,” the iconic skeletal figure associated with Day of the Dead, paraded through the streets of Mexico City on Sunday evening.

The parade is one of numerous celebrations held throughout Mexico City for Day of the Dead, or “Dia de Muertos” in Spanish. It is a day when families in Mexico honour their loved ones.

Day of the Dead is celebrated this year on Nov. 2.

It's also celebrated on November 1st, which is when National Day Calendar lists it, so I'm sticking with November 1st.

Watching these two videos reminds me of my experience celebrating Day of the Dead in Oaxaca.

I spent the week of Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico during October and November, 2011. It was an eye-opening experience. I'll just concentrate on the public celebrations I observed.

First, I toured a cemetery during the night of Halloween. In the U.S., only the thrillseekers and vandals would be there. In Oaxaca, entire families were having picnics on the family plots. The atmosphere was festive with the local orchestra playing, fireworks, and vendors just outside the gates of the cemetery. Kids were trick-or-treating inside the cemetery, just as mentioned in the article. While they were wearing costumes, like American kids, they weren't going door to door asking for candy. Instead, they were begging strangers for coins. That's certainly an adaptation of an American tradition that makes it distinct.

The next night, I joined a grownup version of trick-or-treating. My hostess and her friend invited me to a parade of sorts. A bunch of revelers, most in costume, lined up in an alley behind a brass band. We then strolled down the street, stopped at a house, and asked for treats. We got tortas, Mexican sandwiches, which were passed out on a platter the size of a small door. I managed to get one of them. It was delicious. Also, plastic shot glasses of mezcal were being passed around. That made for a very entertaining evening, and is the reason I often describe the holiday as a combination of Halloween and Mardi Gras.

While waiting for that parade to form up, I watched another pass by. It was led by three young men in costume, a devil, a grim reaper, and a Mesoamerican death god. That image perfectly summed up the Mexican heritage of being a fusion of European and native elements. I wish Americans could be as comfortable with our hybrid origins.

Since I have gained many new readers during the past eleven years, I decided it was worth sharing my story again.

I close with WGN News presenting Tequila Cocktails for Day of the Dead.

Day of the Dead is a cherished Mexican tradition honoring the lives of loved ones.

Brand Ambassador Ricardo Rodriguez joined us to share how Mijenta Tequila is celebrating this long-standing tradition.

Drink responsibly. This includes the anchors of the local morning shows, which engage in more day drinking while on the clock than I knew about before I started writing this blog.

That's a wrap for today's post and spooky season, unless tonight's Saturday Night Live has Halloween content, in which case I'll share it as part of tomorrow's Sunday entertainment feature. Stay tuned.

Pacific Crest's 'The Broken Column' to honor 'FRIDA' winning a News & Doc Emmy Award

I made a promise in the middle of 'Buy Now! The Shopping Conspiracy' leads Outstanding Business and Economic Documentary nominees at the News & Doc Emmy Awards.

FRIDA earned nominations for Direction – Documentary and Music Composition – Documentary in addition to Outstanding Graphic Design – Documentary. I might get to those before June 26th if I have time. If I don't, I will certainly cover any awards it wins, and I have a drum corps show to celebrate them. Yes, really.

Carla Gutierrez won Outstanding Direction – Documentary for FRIDA. Here's the tweet announcing the award from The Emmys.

The #DocEmmys Award for Outstanding Direction – Documentary goes to Frida (@PrimeVideo). pic.twitter.com/ijWlH2mW54

— The Emmys (@TheEmmys) June 27, 2025

Here is Gutierrez accepting her award.

"A heart that is broken is also broken open."
Congratulations on Outstanding Direction, Carla Gutierrez! ??? #DocEmmys pic.twitter.com/sgNeYjJCCT

— The Emmys (@TheEmmys) June 27, 2025

Congratulations to Gutierrez and the crew of FRIDA! Also, congratulations to the winners in the other categories in which FRIDA earned nominations, Daniel Pemberton, who won the Emmy for Music Composition – Documentary for his score for Endurance, and the graphics team of Omnivore, which won the Emmy for Outstanding Graphic Design – Documentary.

I plan on covering more News & Doc Emmy nominees in future posts. In the meantime, follow over the jump for videos about Pacific Crest's "The Broken Column," the corps 2024 program, which honors Frida Kahlo.

Cinco De Mayo parades canceled in Chicago and Philadelphia because of ICE fears, but go on elsewhere, including Detroit

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! Despite the cheerful greeting, this is not an entirely happy holiday. ABC7 Chicago explains why in Chicago Cinco de Mayo Parade canceled over Trump immigration policy fears, organizers say.

The 2025 Chicago Cinco de Mayo Parade in Little Village is canceled due to fears over President Donald Trump's immigration policies, organizers said.

It's not just Chicago. Fox 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul reported St. Paul Cinco De Mayo parade still planned after Chicago, Philly cancel over ICE.

The St. [Paul] Cinco De Mayo parade is still planned even though some in the community have concerns about the prevalence of ICE during festivities.

The parade happened, as WCCO - CBS Minnesota reported in St. Paul celebrates Mexican heritage with Cinco de Mayo festivities.

Cinco de Mayo celebrations were taking place in St. Paul with food, music, dancing and culture.

It also happened where I live, as CBS Detroit reported Cinco de Mayo parade in Detroit attracts thousands despite rain.

This year marks the 60th annual Cinco de Mayo parade in Southwest Detroit, which commemorates Mexico’s victory over France in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Looks like the attendees in both St. Paul and Detroit had a fun time in defiance of Donald "Hoover Cleveland" Trump's xenophobic immigration policies. They didn't allow Hoover Cleveland and his Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to mess with their entertainment. As I first wrote in 2011, "America is quite clear about its screwed up priorities­. My experience has convinced me that the surest way to get Americans to act is to mess with their entertainm­ent."

That was a positive ending to this sad story. Let's see if it's happy enough for me to skip ahead to Revenge of the Sixth or if I feel like I need to write a drum corps holiday post to cheer me up more. Stay tuned.

Meyers, Colbert, Stewart and Kimmel take closer looks at tariffs and Musk taking over government computers

I closed MSNBC explains 'Trump’s tariffs will cost you. Here’s how' by telling my readers "I'm sure I'll revisit this topic and other current events tomorrow through comedy. Stay tuned." That's happening. Watch Seth Meyers as he describes Trump Caves in Tariff Fight with Canada and Mexico; Musk Takes Control of Government: A Closer Look.

Seth takes a closer look at Donald Trump threatening a trade war with multiple countries and plunging the United States into a constitutional crisis.

The good news is that Trump delayed imposing tariffs on Canada and Mexico. The bad news is that Elon Musk has his flunkies messing around with government computers that disburse money and contain employment records. As someone who has worked for the federal government and hopes to start collecting Social Security next year, that's terrifying.

Stephen Colbert joked about both of those topics and more in Trump's Destructive Weekend | Canada Is Booing Us | Tariffs Will Cause "Pain" | Going Back To 1913.

Buckle up as Stephen Colbert goes through the laundry list of disastrous moves made over the weekend by President Trump, which included slapping tariffs on Mexico and Canada and giving Elon Musk access to the Treasury Department's payments system.

Stephen is right; the horse loose in the hospital again is doing so many terrible things at once that it's hard to pick one to focus on. My wife listened to Stephen's list and asked "is this real?" Sorry, darling, they all are. She also observed that Trump has no friends; otherwise he wouldn't treat our friend Canada that way. He also treats his relatives badly; ask Mary Trump.

Jon Stewart and the Daily Show news team had their own take in Jon on Trump’s Trade War, The War on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | The Daily Show.

Jon Stewart examines Trump's attacks on trans people, Canada, and DEI as his first presidential orders of business and asks: How is that making America great again? Plus, the Best F**kin' News Team debate on where they rank in the DEI hierarchy.

Hoover Cleveland's offer to make Canada the 51st state reminds me of what I wrote last month, "I'd only be in favor of that if each Canadian province were admitted as the 53rd through 62nd states after Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico." Well, maybe not Prince Edward Island; they might have to rejoin Nova Scotia first.

As for Sean Duffy — what a step down from Pete Buttigieg — and Pete Hegseth talking about meritocracy, I have only one thing to say: "Only the best people." Yeah, right.

Trump Starts the World’s Dumbest Trade War, Doubles Down on DEI & Turns On California's Faucet

Punxsatawny Phil emerged and declared six more weeks of winter, Kanye West showed up on the Grammys red carpet despite not being invited, Will Smith was in attendance to honor Quincy Jones, NBA Star Luka Doncic somehow got traded to LA in maybe the most shocking move ever, Donald Trump is still posting about all of the water he sent us, the White House is continuing to double down on his nonsensical assumption that DEI caused the tragic air crash last week in Washington, on Saturday Trump issued tariff’s on Canada and Mexico before un-issuing them today, the Wall Street Journal ran an editorial saying his tariff’s would cause the dumbest trade war in history, and a brand new declassified files edition of Lie Witness News.

Jimmy K took a while to get to Hoover Cleveland's stunts with water and the now-postponed "dumbest trade war in history," but now I don't feel bad about giving Groundhog Day and the GRAMMY Awards short shrift. Seth, Jimmy, and Stephen had both covered.

I return to The Late Show to conclude today's post with Elon Musk And His Doge Bags.

Follow the saga of a non-elected billionaire buddy to the president and some boys he knows.

The only way to win this game is not to play.

MSNBC explains 'Trump’s tariffs will cost you. Here’s how'

I promised a topical post today and I'm delivering. Today's topic: tariffs! I begin with Ali Velshi on MSNBC telling his viewers Trump’s tariffs will cost you. Here’s how.

Trump’s tariffs against the United States’ three largest trading partners, Canada, Mexico, and China are now in effect. These taxes levied on imported goods are not paid by the exporting country, but rather a cost that is passed on to the American consumer. Now, products like electronics, cars, denim, home goods, and food could see an increase in price.

Velshi presented a lot of statistics, especially about energy, including oil, and food. A dozen years ago, I found energy and food were among the top two labels on this blog, so of course I found them interesting. I might find them useful. Welcome to blogging as professional development.

MSNBC presented the Canadian side in ‘Utter madness’: Canadian PM candidate slams Trump's tariffs.

Canadian PM candidate Chrystia Freeland joins Morning Joe to discuss how Trump's tariffs are impacting Canada and the U.S.

Chrystia Freeland, who I'm rooting for to replace Trudeau as Canadian PM, says the tariffs are being imposed for no reason. I'd say no good reason, as she stumbled upon what I suspect is the real reason, Trump's designs on Greenland and Canada. Many of the horse loose in the hospital's supporters say he's a "peace president." In reality, he's an imperialist who just has his sights set closer to home.* Vladimir Putin must be pleased. His bad bromance is paying off.

Speaking of closer to home, House member warns Trump's tariffs could impact Michigan auto plants.

A second judge is blocking Trump's federal aid funding freeze. Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., joins Way Too Early to react to this news and to Trump's tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China.

Stevens represents the district literally across the street from me and is a friend of mine on Facebook. She's someone I listen to and I think my readers should, too.

I'm sure I'll revisit this topic and other current events tomorrow through comedy. Stay tuned.

*Hoover Cleveland's threats to buy Greenland, invade Panama to seize the canal, and subjugate Canada and Mexico remind me of a proposal Elon Musk's grandfather supported, the North American Technate. I don't think that's a coincidence. I also think this is a topic for another time.

Monstrum on 'La Lechuza: The Shape-Shifting Witch-Owl' for Day of the Dead

Halloween is over, but spooky season continues for one more day with Day of the Dead. Like last year, I'm featuring one of Monstrum's examinations of Mexican monsters. Watch La Lechuza: The Shape-Shifting Witch-Owl | Monstrum from PBS Digital's Storied channel.

You're walking home, a little tipsy, guided only by the moonlight. Suddenly, you sense something watching you: an unnervingly large owl with a human face! This is La Lechuza, a malevolent witch-owl from Tejano and Mexican folklore.

After watching 'The 10 Unspoken Rules of Slasher Movies, Explained' by PBS Storied, where the villains are evil humans, but generally not supernatural monsters, I was glad to return to actual monsters from folklore instead of entertainment for today. I'm also glad Dr. Zarka created a second video about Mexican monsters during the past year so I could use it today. Here's to her and the team at Monstrum on PBS Storied uploading a third video about Mexico for next year's entry!

I didn't find an appropriate drink video for today from Secret of the Booze, but CBS Detroit uploaded Day of the Dead cocktails with Shankar Distillers earlier today. Since my blog is based in Metro Detroit and I enjoy sharing local content, I couldn't resist.

Michigan-based Shankar Distillers has several Day of the Dead cocktail recipes.

I appreciated the decorations that made the table look like an ofrenda. I also now understand why, when I searched YouTube for Day of the Dead cocktails, I retrieved videos for palomas. That was the cocktail made in this video.

So ends this year's spooky season. Stay tuned for non-holiday programming tomorrow. In the meantime, drink responsibly.

Local news explains and celebrates Cinco de Mayo

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo! As I wrote earlier today, "I was hoping there would be some Cinco De Mayo content in the episode, but my readers and I were not so lucky, so stay tuned for a brief holiday entry." I'm continuing with the educational content in KTVB in Boise, Idaho explaining Cinco de Mayo: Explaining the history behind the celebrations.

"If we don't keep these stories continually in our minds, the history disappears," said Dr. Dora Ramirez, the director of Ethnic Studies at Boise State University.

That advanced an academic angle. NBC Connecticut shared a more personal perspective as it answered Why Cinco de Mayo is more popular in the U.S.

Cinco de Mayo isn't a big celebration all over Mexico. Instead, it has its roots in the Mexican state of Puebla. A woman in Old Saybrook got the chance to celebrate Cinco de Mayo there and explains the history of this holiday.

Since this is a Michigan-based blog, I couldn't resist closing with ABC 13 in Grand Rapids describing How you can celebrate Star Wars Day, Cinco de Mayo at Condado Tacos.

Condado Tacos will be offering special dishes to recognize Star Wars Day and Cinco de Mayo this weekend.

I also couldn't resist the double celebration of Cinco de Mayo and Star Wars Day. My readers who are Star Wars fans can take another bite of that apple tomorrow for Revenge of the Sixth. Stay tuned.

International water crises for World Water Day from CNA, VOA, and PBS

Happy World Water Day! I begin today's observance of the day with Singapore's CNA reporting World Water Day: Water can be a tool for peace when communities, countries cooperate, says UN.

World Water Day falls on Mar 22. It is marked every year by the United Nations (UN) and the world to inspire positive ripple effects to tackle the global water crisis. The theme this year, amid growing concerns over wars, is “Water for Peace”. The UN says water can create peace or spark conflict, playing a critical role in stability and prosperity. CNA's Julie Yoo has the details.

The statistics Julie Yoo cites for the distribution and availability of fresh water are the same ones I tell my students using a graphic similar to this one from PBS.


It certainly puts things in perspective and I hope it makes an impression on my students.

Yoo's report for CNA emphasized international conflict and cooperation in Asia. Voice of America took a more global view and included private actors indirectly moving water in World Water Day: Corporations Accused of ‘Grabbing’ Water From Global South | VOANews.

There is a growing risk of conflict over water as climate change takes hold, according to the United Nations, which marks World Water Day on Friday. Meanwhile, aid agency Oxfam accuses global corporations of grabbing water from poorer countries to boost profits. Henry Ridgwell reports from London.

Seeing South Africa's water shortage reminds me that the second post I wrote for this day was Cape Town's Day Zero for World Water Day 2018. Same country, different city.

Also, the transfer of water from the global south to the global north reminds me of another story I tell my students, I=P*A*T, "where I is impact, P is population, A is affluence, and T is technology." Affluence increases environmental impact both through the ability to demand resources and the waste that resource use creates. While technology is the only way to reduce the impact from population and affluence through efficiency, it can also make the impact worse. The technologies allowing the international transfer of water through food and other products might just fall into that latter category.

Some water shortages have mostly local causes other than climate change, as PBS News Weekend reported two weeks ago in Mexico City is running out of water. Here’s why and how millions of residents are affected.

Mexico City, one of the world's most populous cities, could be just months away from running out of water. It’s a crisis brought on by geography, growth and leaky infrastructure, all compounded by the effects of climate change. Journalist Emily Green joins John Yang to discuss the situation.

The irony of this is that Mexico City was built on a lake and much of that water is still under the city. That's another story I tell my students, but I'm saving it for another time.

Tomorrow features a traffic jam of topics, with Purim, blog stats, and Louisiana primary all on the agenda. I've skipped Purim before so I might do it again. Stay tuned.

La Llorona and Malinche, two connected tales for Day of the Dead

I closed Monstrum on 'The Golden Age of Movie Monsters' for Halloween with a program note.

That's it for Halloween, but spooky season continues for one more day with Day of the Dead. I'm feeling like continuing with Monstrum's examination of Mexican monsters. Stay tuned to see if I follow through with that thought.

I am, although I found only one uniquely Mexican monster among the many that Monstrum has examined, The Legend of La Llorona.*

The legend of La Llorona, the “weeping woman,” has terrified generations. This female ghost wanders in the darkness, crying as she searches for her children--the children she murdered. Some even say that she will capture other kids in her desperation. How could a murderous mother become such a cultural symbol?

In this episode, Dr. Zarka traces the history of La Llorona back hundreds of years, showing how her story represents the social history of greater Mexico from Aztec religion to the Spanish Conquistadors.
...
A special thank you to my students at Mesa Community College for sharing their La Llorona stories, and to Arizona State University’s Dr. Marivel Danielson for her expertise in Chicana/Latina literature.

Connecting La Llorona to Mexico's colonial history in general and Malinche in particular is an angle I hadn't encountered before, serving as an example of why I enjoy Dr. Zarka's videos. For more about Malinche and her role in the conquest of Mexico, watch NativLang's How Interpreters Helped Topple the Aztec Empire.

Travel to old Mexico. Uncover the linguistics behind the legend of La Malinche and the conquest of Montezuma's Aztecs!
...
This video tells the history of the translators involved in major early events of the Spanish conquest of Mexico. See how Classical Nahuatl, Chontal Maya, Spanish and Montezuma's flowery Aztec poetry all contributed to political decisions that led to the fall of the Aztecs.

NativLang is my favorite language channel on YouTube and I've watched all of the videos on it, so I'm surprised I've never shared any of them here in more than a dozen years. I'm glad to finally have the opportunity.

I close with a drink recipe, La Llorona Drink Recipe - TheFNDC.com, created for Day of the Dead.

La Llorona is a traditional story in [Hispanic] culture, told around Dia de los Muertos. Our drink contains tequila, blue curacao, fresh lemon and lime, orange bitters, and lime Jarritos. This drink was suggested by our viewer Erica Vela, right outta the 916.

The Legend of the Weeping Woman, or La Llorona, started about 500 years ago. Many people feel it has its roots in history (Ferdinand Cortes and his mistress). The traditional story: A village girl named Maria is the most beautiful girl in her village, but she wants not just any scrub from her village, she wants a wealthy muthafukka who is handsome and has it going on. Eventually she meets a wealthy ranchero, the son of a prestigious rancher with inheritance in his future. This cat is a steady rollin' kind of man. He likes the lonesome prairie, and he's a rambler. He does marry Maria, and has two kids, but eventually, his heart calls him back to the ranchero life. He spends longer and longer amounts of time out on the plains. When he does come home, he dotes on the children, but ignores Maria.

She's getting fed up with this guy's bullsh*t. Turns out his parents don't even know he's married to her, and they want him to marry someone from his social stratus, a lady with aristocracy behind her name.

So, next time her husband is rolling through town, she sees him with some other B*TCH riding next to him on his carriage. Maria is PISSED. She grabs her two children and drowns them in the river. When she finally comes to her senses, she realizes what she's done, and commits suicide by drowning herself in the same river.

When Maria goes to heaven, the guardian of the pearly gates asks her where her children are. They're on to her game up there. She is banished back to Earth; she cannot enter heaven without her kids.

La Llorona is said to appear near rivers or bodies of water, looking for children she can abduct, so that she may enter heaven. This story is seen as sort of a cautionary tale not only for kids to stay close to home and not wander off, but also to young women who look to be gold-diggers, because in the end they get played out.

LA LLORONA
========================
Muddle :
2 oz tequila
Half a lime
Half a lemon
0.5 oz blue curacao
Dash orange bitters
Top with Jarritos limon soda
Garnish:
Lime wedge
Lemon wedge

So ends spooky season. Stay tuned for non-holiday programming tomorrow. In the meantime, drink responsibly.

*Monstrum also has a video about chupacabras, but those are originally Puerto Rican monsters, even though reports of them come from Mexico as well and the Mexican version is different. I'll save that for a future Piña Colada Day.

The history of Cinco De Mayo, a Flashback Friday holiday special

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! After showing how Detroit celebrates Cinco De Mayo last year, I'm returning to the history lessons with The real history behind Cinco de Mayo and the importance of May 5th from CBS 8 San Diego.

Every year thousands of Americans crowd intro their favorite bars and restaurants for Cinco de Mayo. Many use it as the prefect excuse to go out for a drink or favorite Mexican meal, but the majority don’t know the real history behind Cinco de Mayo.

“It’s not Cinco de drinko, that’s off the table and it’s also not Mexican Independence Day," said Gerardo Rios, a professor of Mexican American studies and history at Southwestern College.

Rios explains why the fifth of May is an important date in Mexican history.

“What Cinco de Mayo celebrates is the Mexican liberal victory over the French forces that had invaded Mexico," said Rios.

In 1862, a powerful French army led by Napoleon III was sent to invade the country, and even though they outnumbered the Mexican army, they were met with a strong resistance in the Mexican state of Puebla.

"Cinco de drinko" — on the one hand, ha! On the other, I'm being a good environmentalist by recycling what I wrote last year.

Alex Bozarjian, who I first featured on Fat Tuesday, opened by sharing the sentiment that "everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day, everyone's Polish on Paczki Day, and today everyone's Mexican." That's both good and bad — good because of the melting pot/salad bowl nature of being American, so we can celebrate our diverse but now shared heritage, and bad because people are treating Cinco De Mayo like they treat St. Patrick's Day, as a drinking holiday. That shouldn't be a surprise, as the importers of Mexican beer and spirits helped promote it during the past several decades.

I'm going to refrain from posting a drink recipe today after I share KSAT 12 in San Antonio's account of the day's history and significance in Cinco de Mayo: UIW professor explains its origins and significance.

Many people celebrate Cinco de Mayo by drinking or eating Mexican-inspired dishes, however, some may not know its historical origins. Cinco de Mayo is celebrated on May 5, after the Mexican Army defeated the invading French Army in the Battle of Puebla in 1862.

Self-determination — that's something I'd never heard before as a reason for the celebration, but I like it.

Since I'm refraining from posting a drink recipe and also because this is a metro-Detroit-based blog, I'm ending the video portion of this post with WXYZ's Southwest Detroit businesses ready for Cinco de Mayo celebrations this weekend.

Southwest Detroit's rich culture and cuisine will be on display this weekend as the country celebrates Cinco de Mayo. Alma Cruz, a proud Mexican-American, said Cinco de Mayo represents the day the Mexican Army defeated the French in the Battle of Puebla, showing perseverance.

I feel lucky to be able to embed this video, as WXYZ blocks that feature on most of its uploads. Let's see if they catch it on this video.

Since today is a Flashback Friday as well as a holiday, I'm sharing a retrospective of the most saved pins from this blog on Pinterest last year. As I wrote in PBS Eons and SciShow on Piltdown Man for April Fools Day, a Science Saturday holiday special, "the most saved pins of posts last year were about holidays, animals, or pirates, in that order."

Marching bands from around the world in the 2023 Rose Parade for New Year's Day

Happy New Year! For 2023, I'm presenting this year's version of My favorite bands in the 2022 Rose Parade for New Year's Day, courtesy of Luis at Music213. Today's theme is "marching bands from around the world," so I'm embedding videos of the international units at Bandfest starting with Buhos Marching Band - 2023 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico The Buhos Marching Band performing their musical selections at the 42nd Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Friday, December 30, 2022.

The announcer mentioned that he enjoyed the Mexican bands at the Rose Parade because they are so colorful. They are that. Notice that the plumes are the colors of the Mexican flag and the band uses them to form a Mexican flag on the field for the finale. I'll return to that theme at the end of the entry. In the meantime, follow over the jump for the rest of the international units.

The histories of Christmas trees and Poinsettia from Vox for Christmas Eve

I changed my mind since I wrote Festivus history, song, and drink for the rest of us; instead of two weeks of holiday material from "Saturday Night Live" for Christmas Eve, I'm sharing two videos from Vox about the history behind two of the plants used as holiday decorations, beginning with How Christmas trees stopped being just a German thing.

It's a local custom that became a worldwide tradition.
...
The Christmas tree tradition as we know it today has a long and varied history.

It is believed to have roots in ancient cultures, where trees were decorated as part of celebrations.

In the 1500s and 1600s, the Christmas tree became a Germanic custom, with fir trees being a popular choice.

In the 1840s, the practice of having a Christmas tree in the home became more widespread, thanks in part to the influence of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, who were both of German descent. The Christmas tree also gained popularity in the United States during this time due to a large influx of German immigrants. The tradition was further popularized through the mass media, such as The Illustrated London News, and the publication of Christmas cards and books like Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. Today, Christmas trees can be found in homes around the world and can even be spotted from satellite images of Christmas tree farms.

Why am I not surprised that Christmas trees became more widely popular through the British royal family, which is originally German, intermarrying with their sometimes not-so-distant cousins from Germany at least twice, and then from German emigration to the U.S. and elsewhere? Then again, I shouldn't complain, as I'm one-eighth German and one-eighth English, so I wouldn't exist without German immigration into the U.S.*

The other video Vox uploaded on the general subject was The case to rename this famous Christmas plant.

Why the story of the poinsettia is a troubling one.
...
Depending on where you live, there is one plant that you can spot anywhere during the winter holiday season (outside of, well, Christmas trees): poinsettias. It was named for the first US minister to Mexico: Joel Poinsett. In Mexico, Poinsett saw the plant — called cuetlaxochitl by the Aztec and with a long history of use in the region — and shipped some cuttings back to the US.

Many around the world started calling the plant “poinsettia” to celebrate Poinsett’s legacy. But that legacy is a troubling one. Poinsett was a slave owner, a firm believer in American expansion, and during his tenure as secretary of war he oversaw the displacement of thousands of Native Americans. In his role as minister to Mexico, he meddled so much in local politics that he was asked to leave the country.

Because of that history — and the fact that the US still corners the lucrative poinsettia market while restricting their imports from Mexico — many people today reject the name poinsettia in favor of the plant’s Native name, cuetlaxochitl. Check out the video above for more on how the US got the poinsettia.

While I will still say that any day I learn something new is a good day, learning about Poinsett's key role in The Trail of Tears is enough to make me want to change the name I use for the plant. I take that fact a bit personally for reasons I described a decade ago.

My wife, my ex-girlfriend, and my ex-wife all have Native American ancestry. At least two of them would qualify as Native Americans under U.S. government policy, and one of them is enrolled as a Cherokee...

Now to choose between cuitlaxochitl and flor de noche buena. Decisions, decisions.

Follow over the jump for two drink recipes for the holiday.

Day of the Dead as covered by 'TODAY,' 'Nightline,' and WPIX

I closed 'SNL' shares scary news for Halloween 2022 by telling my readers "That's it for Halloween, but spooky season continues for one more day with Day of the Dead. Stay tuned." I begin with the Today Show reporting Day Of The Dead Celebrations Are Becoming More Popular.

In the U.S. and around the world, the Day of the Dead, a holiday celebrating those who have come and gone before us, has become increasingly popular. It has also inspired a colorful art exhibit in Manhattan. NBC’s Morgan Radford reports for TODAY.

In case Isabel Hernandez's 15-foot high ofrenda looks familiar, I included a video featuring it in last year's post, where I remarked "That is quite the ofrenda! I don't recall ever seeing a taller one." I think it was worth seeing again.

The Today Show segment included a brief clip from "Coco." So does the next segment from ABC News' "Nightline": Thousands pay tribute to life during Dia De Los Muertos, ‘The Day of the Dead’.

In Los Angeles, nearly 80 families created touching altars to lost loved ones as a part of the Hollywood Forever festival, the largest Dia De Los Muertos celebration outside of Mexico.

While I watched this, I was wondering why, having grown up in Los Angeles, I had never heard of this particular celebration. It's because it started in 2000, eleven years after I moved to Michigan. Too bad. It reminds me a lot of what I saw during Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico, eleven years ago.

I toured a cemetery during the night of Halloween. In the U.S., only the thrillseekers and vandals would be there. In Oaxaca, entire families were having picnics on the family plots. The atmosphere was festive with the local orchestra playing, fireworks, and vendors just outside the gates of the cemetery.

Hollywood Forever and the celebrants perfectly recreated that in Los Angeles.

I don't have a cocktail recipe to share for today, but I do have PIX11 News sharing Tasty Day of the Dead dishes to try.

Amy Labelle, a lifestyle expert and the co-owner of Labelle Winery, joined New York Living on Monday to chat about the holiday and sample some dishes.

I found that both educational and entertaining. Too bad it cut off so abruptly.

So ends spooky season at Crazy Eddie's Motie News for 2022. Stay tuned for a return to this blog's regular programming, whatever that is.

WXYZ shows how Detroit celebrates Cinco De Mayo, a Throwback Thursday holiday special

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! This year, I'm giving the holiday the same treatment I gave St. Patrick's Day in 2018 and 2019, a view from Detroit. I begin with Mexicantown business owners want people to have respectful Cinco de Mayo celebrations from WXYZ.

Thursday marks Cinco de Mayo, the anniversary of Mexico's pivotal victory of France at the Battle of Puebla. The annual celebration is marked with parties, drinking, dancing and more. But, people in Southwest Detroit say the history behind the unofficial holiday often gets lost in the mix, and many say the celebrations are both a blessing and a curse.

Alex Bozarjian, who I first featured on Fat Tuesday, opened by sharing the sentiment that "everyone's Irish on St. Patrick's Day, everyone's Polish on Paczki Day, and today everyone's Mexican." That's both good and bad — good because of the melting pot/salad bowl nature of being American, so we can celebrate our diverse but now shared heritage, and bad because people are treating Cinco De Mayo like they treat St. Patrick's Day, as a drinking holiday. That shouldn't be a surprise, as the importers of Mexican beer and spirits helped promote it during the past several decades. I'll get to that after expanding on Alex's comment about how Cinco De Mayo celebrates a historical event as important for Americans as for Mexicans by recycling an excerpt from David Von Drehle of The Washington Post for Throwback Thursday.

We get Cinco de Mayo wrong. But we’re not wrong to celebrate it.

[I]t’s entirely appropriate that Cinco de Mayo matters more in the United States. The event commemorated on this holiday was a triumph of Mexican spirit and courage. For us, though, it just might have saved our nation.
...
As it happened, the tide of the Civil War was just about to swing away from the North. In the summer of 1862, a Union campaign against the Confederate capital of Richmond fell to pieces and the rebels advanced on all fronts. Pressure for European intervention reached the boiling point.

Had a triumphant French army been raising the flag in Mexico City that summer, it might have made all the difference. The wavering Napoleon might have been emboldened to recognize the Confederacy, pulling the British along with him. Instead, the French army was licking its wounds, mangled by a smaller force of Mexican irregulars, and the emperor was momentarily chastened. Though France managed to topple the Mexican government the following year, its brief reign there came too late to help the South. The North had regained its momentum, and Lincoln was on his way to saving the Union.

That's right; Cinco De Mayo may have helped preserve two countries, the U.S. and Mexico.

The role of beer and spirit producers and importers in promoting the holiday makes a cameo in WXYZ's Prince Valley Market prepares for Cinco De Mayo.


Have a little history and culture with your food! On the one hand, as I wrote last year, "I grew up in Los Angeles, so I became aware of Cinco De Mayo decades before the distributors of Mexican beer jumped on the holiday. Still, I'm not surprised they're the ones who promoted it." On the other, I did not know that Lebanese immigrants to Mexico introduced al pastor to the country. It's a good day when my readers and I learn something new. Also, the U.S. is not the only melting pot in this hemisphere!

I've been guilty of treating Cinco De Mayo as a drinking holiday for years, but I'm not going to stop today. I close this part of the post with Cinco De Mayo Cocktails.


No Tipsy Bartender today. Just the same, celebrate responsibly.

Today is a Throwback Thursday, so I'm sharing a retrospective. Since today is a holiday about food and half of the most commented entries during the eleventh year of Crazy Eddie's Motie News were about holidays and food, I'm examining the blogging year in comments over the jump.

Inside Edition and NBC News report on Day of the Dead

I closed by telling my readers "Stay tuned for November's first post tomorrow, when I might extend spooky season one more day by writing about Day of the Dead." I'm doing just that, beginning with Inside Edition asking What Is Day of the Dead?

The Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, was in part popularized outside Mexico in the Disney film “Coco.” But the celebration actually dates back over 3,000 years. Emmanuel Ortega aka Dr. Babelito, is co-host of the YouTube channel “Unsettling Journeys.” He told Inside Edition Digital that the tradition is an opportunity for families “to invite their deceased loved ones to partake in a celebration, more specifically, a dinner party.”

That Mexicans have celebrated Day of the Dead for 3,000 years means that they have observed it since the beginning of the first civilizations in Mexico, including the one at Monte Albán in Oaxaca, which I visited ten years ago. That makes it far older than I thought!

Since the past two years have seen more than 700,000 dying from COVID-19 in the U.S., there are a lot of lives to celebrate (and mourn). NBC News showed how that is affecting Day of the Dead celebrations among Mexican-Americans in Day of the Dead Tradition Takes On Deeper Meaning Amid The Pandemic.

We’re approaching Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a holiday that began in Mexico nearly 3,000 years ago. The tradition is taking on an even deeper significance this year, with so many loved ones lost to Covid-19.

That is quite the ofrenda! I don't recall ever seeing a taller one.

For today's holiday drink, I'm sharing Fox 2 9AM Day of the Dead Drinks Luxco.


As always, drink responsibly.

So ends spooky season at Crazy Eddie's Motie News for 2021. Stay tuned for a return to this blog's regular programming, whatever that is.

'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' on Cinco De Mayo plus the horror, independent, and international film nominees at the 2021 Saturn Awards

Once again, ¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! I'm continuing the celebration by examining this year's Saturn Awards Horror Film nominees because Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro produced nominee "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," connecting the awards to the holiday like I did three years ago for "Coco." It's a tenuous connection, but it works as a MacGuffin to blog about leading horror film "Doctor Sleep," the third most nominated at this year's ceremony with eight nominations. Since I already covered "Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker" and "Tenet," the two films ahead of it yesterday, it makes sense to write about it and the other horror film nominees today.


I begin with the nominees for Best Horror Film Release from the Saturn Awards website.

Doctor Sleep
Freaky
The Invisible Man
It Chapter Two
Midsommar
Ready or Not
Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark

As I've already mentioned, "Doctor Sleep" has eight nominations, ranking third among all films at these awards, so it would be the nominal favorite by that criterion. However, I suspect the two horror films with three nominations, "The Invisible Man" and "It Chapter Two," have good chances to upset it. The professional choice would be "The Invisible Man," winner of Best Horror Movie at the Critics Choice Super Awards. The popular choice would be "It Chapter Two," which earned $211,593,228 to rank eleventh at the box office in 2019, while "Doctor Sleep" lagged behind at 79th with $31,581,712 the same year. Even "The Invisible Man" outgrossed "Doctor Sleep", earning $70,410,000 in 2020 to rank fifth for the pandemic-interrupted year. The dark horse would be "Midsommar," definitely a critical choice, but not a popular one. I would be very surprised if it won. Based on the above, I expect "It Chapter Two" to win this because the Saturn Awards are about entertainment more than art and they like spectacular, not subtle. Electorates matter. As for my vote, I'm waiting until my wife I watch "The Invisible Man" before deciding between it and "Doctor Sleep," which we enjoyed and think was underappreciated by the horror movie audience, who vastly preferred the other Stephen King adaptation.

Two other categories included horror films, Best Independent Film Release and Best International Film Release. Here are the nominees for Best Independent Film Release.

Angel of Mine
Encounter
The Aeronauts
Color Out of Space
Freaks
Palm Springs
Possessor

The obvious horror movies are "Color Out of Space," an adaptation of an H.P. Lovecraft story, and "Possessor," whose title gives it away, even though it's as much science fiction as horror. I think "Color Out of Space" is definitely the favorite, but I'm voting for science fiction comedy "Palm Springs" even though I think "The Aeronauts" would be the professional choice as an artistic action/adventure film. I'm justifying my vote by recycling my mini-rant from 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm' has two Oscar nominations plus two Golden Globes and awards from the Critics Choice Association and WGA.

Before I move on, as much as Grace dumps on "Palm Springs," I want to stand up for it. Not only was it a decent comedy, but it won the Critics Choice Super Awards for Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie, Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie (Andy Samberg), and Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie (Cristin Milioti). Given the other nominees in these categories, I would agree with those wins.

"Palm Springs" managed to win Best Comedy at the Critics Choice Awards, so the critics generally like it, even if Grace Randolph doesn't. It also earned a nomination at the Saturn Awards for Best Independent Film Release. I might even vote for it.

Next, the nominees for Best International Film Release.

Jojo Rabbit
The Nightingale
Official Secrets
Parasite
Sputnik
The Whistlers

Both "The Nightingale" and "Sputnik" have horror listed at their IMDB entries. I think "The Nightingale" is the better of the two, as it was the best Australian film of 2019. That doesn't mean I'll vote for it. Instead, my top two films in this category are "Jojo Rabbit" and "Parasite" with four nominations each. I'm voting for "Parasite," but the rest of the Saturn voters might vote for "Jojo Rabbit" instead.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the horror movie nominees.

ABC News and NBC News explain Cinco De Mayo, a holiday more celebrated in the U.S. than Mexico

¡Feliz Cinco De Mayo! Like I did two years ago, I'm sharing a video explaining the actual history behind the holiday. Watch ABC News' Cinco de Mayo: A Brief History.

George Stephanopoulos brings you the amazing true story behind America’s favorite Mexican holiday.

To emphasize the holiday's historical importance to the U.S., I'm being a good environmentalist by recycling an excerpt from David Von Drehle of The Washington Post about Americans misunderstanding of today — We get Cinco de Mayo wrong. But we’re not wrong to celebrate it.

[I]t’s entirely appropriate that Cinco de Mayo matters more in the United States. The event commemorated on this holiday was a triumph of Mexican spirit and courage. For us, though, it just might have saved our nation.
...
As it happened, the tide of the Civil War was just about to swing away from the North. In the summer of 1862, a Union campaign against the Confederate capital of Richmond fell to pieces and the rebels advanced on all fronts. Pressure for European intervention reached the boiling point.

Had a triumphant French army been raising the flag in Mexico City that summer, it might have made all the difference. The wavering Napoleon might have been emboldened to recognize the Confederacy, pulling the British along with him. Instead, the French army was licking its wounds, mangled by a smaller force of Mexican irregulars, and the emperor was momentarily chastened. Though France managed to topple the Mexican government the following year, its brief reign there came too late to help the South. The North had regained its momentum, and Lincoln was on his way to saving the Union.

That's right; Cinco De Mayo may have helped preserve two countries, the U.S. and Mexico.

NBC News has the story of the holiday's current commercial importance, What Cinco de Mayo Is All About.

For some, Cinco de Mayo is just an excuse to drink margaritas. So, we clear up some of the misconceptions about the holiday.

I grew up in Los Angeles, so I became aware of Cinco De Mayo decades before the distributors of Mexican beer jumped on the holiday. Still, I'm not surprised they're the ones who promoted it.

I close this entry with Tipsy Bartender's most recent upload, Cinco de Mayo Margarita Fishbowl YOUTUBE.


It may be cliche, but it beats a bunch of recipes that use Corona!

Stay tuned for another entry about the Saturn Awards, whether it's today, in which case I'll be looking at Horror Film nominees because Guillermo del Toro produced nominee "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," connecting the awards to the holiday like I did three years ago for "Coco," or tomorrow, when I will have something for the Revenge of the Sixth, the dark side of Star Wars Day.

'What is Day of the Dead?' National Geographic and USA Today answer

I may have finished October, but I'm not through with Halloween-related posts, as I wrote yesterday.

That's it for October.  I'll see all my readers again tomorrow when it's All Soul's Day AKA the Day of the Dead.

I've decided to lean into today (and tomorrow) by sharing National Geographic's What is Day of the Dead?*

Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a celebration of life and death. While the holiday originated in Mexico, it is celebrated all over Latin America with colorful calaveras (skulls) and calacas (skeletons). Learn how the Day of the Dead started and the traditions that make it unique.

USA Today has more in its own What is Day of the Dead?

The Mexican holiday surrounds death, but it’s a time to celebrate life with loved ones. Learn more about the holiday that’s gaining traction in the U.S.

Both of the videos are accurate as far as they go.  I have my own personal experience with the celebration, which I recounted five years ago.

I spent the week of Day of the Dead in Oaxaca, Mexico during October and November, 2011.  It was an eye-opening experience.  I'll just concentrate on the public celebrations I observed.

First, I toured a cemetary during the night of Halloween.  In the U.S., only the thrillseekers and vandals would be there.  In Oaxaca, entire families were having picnics on the family plots.  The atmosphere was festive with the local orchestra playing, fireworks, and vendors just outside the gates of the cemetary.  Kids were trick-or-treating inside the cemetary, just as mentioned in the article.  While they were wearing costumes, like American kids, they weren't going door to door asking for candy.  Instead, they were begging strangers for coins.  That's certainly an adaptation of an American tradition that makes it distinct.

The next night, I joined a grownup version of trick-or-treating.  My hostess and her friend invited me to a parade of sorts.  A bunch of revelers, most in costume, lined up in an alley behind a brass band.  We then strolled down the street, stopped at a house, and asked for treats.  We got tortas, Mexican sandwiches, which were passed out on a platter the size of a small door.  I managed to get one of them.  It was delicious.  Also, plastic shot glasses of mezcal were being passed around.  That made for a very entertaining evening, and is the reason I often describe the holiday as a combination of Halloween and Mardi Gras.

While waiting for that parade to form up, I watched another pass by.  It was led by three young men in costume, a devil, a grim reaper, and a Mesoamerican death god.  That image perfectly summed up the Mexican heritage of being a fusion of European and native elements.  I wish Americans could be as comfortable with our hybrid origins.

¡Feliz Día de los Muertos!

*Yes, I know the holiday is officially tomorrow, but as the USA Today video notes and I experienced, it's celebrated over three days, including yesterday and today.  Also tomorrow is time to fall back as Daylight Saving Time ends.  I have my own priorities and traditions to keep!