It started as invasion by France to collect a debt, but the larger and better equipped French invasion force was defeated by a ragged group of Mexicans, some armed with little more than machetes and pitchforks. The Battle of Puebla on 5 May 1862 hardly registers in Mexico, but around the world Cinco de Mayo has become a cultural event. It was, at the heart of it, a people’s victory. It took a few years for the colorful armies and politicians to sort it all out, but the victory at Puebla is a story deep at the heart of Mexican character – a determination and toughness that the great continent of North America shares as a very odd, sometimes dysfunctional family.
Show Me Your Papers
The passage of a new law in Arizona requiring local law enforcement officers to act against people who do not have documentation showing they are in the USofA legally has created a tremendous firestorm. Protests were swift and conferences in the state normally known for plenty of sunshine were abruptly cancelled. Candidates in other states either swiftly praised or condemned the action. For all the noise, however, if we think this through a bit this could wind up being the catalyst for actually doing something about an issue that has been allowed to fester for a generation, targeting the most vulnerable among us, separating families, and generally creating havoc at the fringes of our otherwise “civilized” nation. That could be a good thing.
Restaurant Biz
Many people sit in a restaurant and dream of having one of their own. On the surface, it seems so simple – have a good idea, be a good host, show people a good time and it must practically run itself, right? While the do-it-yourself ethic may be a great idea for many things in life, a restaurant just isn’t one of them because, put simply, it’s not something you do for yourself but for your customers. Yet there’s nothing to get the ideas flowing like an empty space decked out in a stainless steel kitchen, marble bar, and wooden tables to get the imagination going.
Such a place just opened up, again, in my neighborhood. Any takers?
Fried in Greece
Another big credit crunch is brewing, this one starting in Greece. It may not be obvious how and why this has the potential to affect us across the Atlantic, but it does. In many ways, this is just a mirror of the Goldman grilling in the US House – a story of cavalier disregard for reality unraveling as the people nominally in charge of things try to get a grip on what is actually going on. How this one is handled will resonate for at least the next few months as the developed world struggles to get a handle on what’s really happening and what they can do about it.
Move Ahead with Kelliher!
The Minnesota DFL State Convention endorsed Margaret Anderson Kelliher for Governor, the first woman to receive this vote of confidence. It’s all over now, except for the Primary in August – and the complaining. While there are always a few less-than-fully-gruntled people at the end of this process, there are several main objections to Kelliher that I’ve seen out on the ‘net. In the name of DFL Unity I think it’s best to hit these head-on and move forward as boldly as we can.
Barataria - The work of Erik Hare 