Posted on 09/14/2005 6:35:30 AM PDT by Happy2BMe
Mexican army dishes out help
Web Posted: 09/14/2005 12:00 AM CDT
Call it more than 100 metric tons, 250,000 pounds for 12 truckloads. Any way you put it, it's enough food to last the San Antonio Food Bank a week.
And that's how much the Mexican army donated Tuesday for Katrina evacuees staying in San Antonio.
It took the troops a sultry morning and most of a hot afternoon to unload the bags and boxes of beans, rice, shelf-stable milk, juice, flour, pasta, cereal, tuna and other goods.
"We hope these supplies help solve the needs of the victims of Hurricane Katrina," commander Brig. Gen. Francisco Ortiz Valadez said.
Food Bank Executive Director Eric Cooper was nearly overwhelmed by the generosity, saying afterward it was one of the bank's biggest-ever one-day donations.
This was the second large donation from Mexico, food bank workers said, the other being 10 truckloads of milk and other supplies delivered over the weekend.
Tuesday's donation took place on a Mexican holiday as the troops flew their flag at half-staff in honor of the Boy Heroes of the Battle of Chapultepec.
"Your country and your army have made a difference in our community, not only with food but with brotherhood across borders," Cooper told the Mexican commander.
Mark Mullenix, incident commander and the top field officer for the federal evacuee effort here, also thanked Ortiz.
"We're challenged to provide food for our volunteer workers and evacuees," Mullenix said. "We're challenged with 12,000 evacuees. And without having another source (of help), this is a godsend."
Cooper also praised San Antonians for their generosity.
"As a community, we're a little poorer than some other cities," he said. "So we understand better what hunger and need is all about."
So much food came in over the four-day holiday weekend that the Food Bank now is asking for cash contributions and seeking volunteers, Cooper said. Donors or volunteers can reach the Food Bank by calling 337-3663.
"We will be helping the evacuees as long as they're here," he said. "But at the same time, we need to continue to help the hungry in our service area. Right now we could use cash donations to do that."
Even as food donations keep coming, the number of evacuees in shelters continues to dwindle.
On Tuesday morning, 4,413 remained in the four city shelters, with an unknown number staying in churches or with relatives or friends.
The city's Public Works Department continues to improve infrastructure at the shelters.
Diesel engine-powered generators that were eating up $30,000 a day in fuel have been replaced by electric power lines installed by City Public Service Energy, said Tom Wendorf, department director.
The air conditioning in Building 1536 has largely been re-engineered for better temperature control.
Despite a rainy weekend and hot, humid working conditions, crews are finishing up toilet installations, and showers are coming online.
Coin laundries will be installed, Wendorf said, with one at the Levi Strauss building scheduled for completion today, and two others to be up and running by Friday.
Wendorf said the city is installing more emergency exit doors on the buildings.
"Tuesday's donation took place (in San Antonio) on a Mexican holiday as the troops flew their flag at half-staff in honor of the Boy Heroes of the Battle of Chapultepec."
Not to be confused with Cinco de Mayo, the day in 1862 when the Mexican army defeated the French, Dies y Seis de Septiembre observes Mexico's independence from Spain.It was Sept. 16, 1810, when a local Dolores parish priest named Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla gave the famous battle cry, or grito, declaring the end of Spanish rule, equal rights for all people, and the redistribution of land.
Mexican army?
Gotta be a typo. Even at $3 per gallon for diesel, that's 10,000 gallons per day, or over 400 gallons per hour. That's a lot of diesel generators!
We have been invaded.
It is Sept. 14, 2005 and it has been 185 years since Mexico declared it's independence from Spain. Spanish rule is over, there are equal rights for all people, the redistribution of land is complete and the diaspora continues on as scheduled. Viva Mexico.
The interesting part of having them around was having to look up what the Mexcan Army's rank insignia look like. 2LT is the same (although their subdied is dark blue, not black), all other officer ranks are different.
I had to chuckle. Several years ago, some friends and I were at a Mexican restaurant called The Alamo. It took 45 minutes to get our food to the table, and by then most of us were getting shaky with hunger. We had decided by then that the reason all those Texans died at The Alamo was that they starved; the Mexicans were supposed to bring the food but never did.
"While working at one shelter last week I had a lunch prepared by the Mexican Army. Beef stew, rice and some sort of lentil dish. Not bad."=============================
Flip the coin. Let's say Katrina had hit Mexico instead of the United States.
Would the United States have sent the U.S. Army to assist in recovery efforts or would the United States have sent private disaster relief organizations into Mexico?
For that matter, would Mexican president Fox have authorized United States troops to deploy into Mexican territory under any circumstances?
* * *
Mexican Army convoy heads for San Antonio
When will the president (Bush) announce it?
By the way, what happened to our token quisling Swampy?
Part of the kitchen crew that came in from Nuevo Lardeo and too busy making beef stew and rice to get to his laptop?
I am flying the glorious flag of Mexico as we speak.
When will the president (Bush) announce it?
Soon, amigo, soon. Victory is nigh!
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