A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....05-05-03...Cinco de Mayo

Billie

[Billie]

A Few of FR's Finest.....
......Every Day

FR is a Treasure Trove of talented, compassionate, patriotic, wonderful people who gather every day to discuss the latest news and issues; salute and support our military and our leaders;  tell a few jokes;  learn a new word;  write poetry;  pray for those in need;  and congratulate those who are deserving. Thank you, Jim Robinson, for giving us the vehicle in which we can express ourselves.

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   I can remember lurking when there were only a few regulars who posted, and now there are over 60,000 who have registered for posting privileges. The forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest November 11, 2001

So many people have written me since my original Veteran's Day Tribute, asking how they, or a loved one, could be included in that tribute. Since I can no longer add the photos to the body of the thread, I've been including them in additional posts as I received enough to make another collage.

Still that doesn't seem to be enough. I think there's never been a better nor more appropriate time to keep the faces of our own Veterans and Active Military in front of FReepers--every day! That's why I wanted to do yet another Daily Thread .....ABOUT FReepers .....and FOR FReepers. But not only about our Military FReepers; for all FReepers! Wouldn't it be nice to get to know a few of the other FReepers as well? That's why, in addition to seeing FR's Finest Military Personnel every day, I thought it might be fun to feature a different FReeper (or FReepers) each day. If you would like to be pictured, or know someone who would, please FReepmail me and we'll turn the spotlight - on YOU - for the day!

And do let me know if you'd like your picture added to the groups of Veterans/Active Military below. I will keep this page updated, and continue to add them to the comment section of the original Veteran's Day thread as well.

TOP: Logos, SwedeGirl's hubby, Neil E Wright, FallGuy, 1John, Sneakypete
MIDDLE:  T'wit, COB1, LadyX, Dick Bachert, 68-69TonkinGulfYatchClub
BOTTOM:  YankeeinSC, Delta21, JoeSixPack1

TOP:  Bosniajmc, AFVetGal, Archy, A Navy Vet
MIDDLE:  4TheFlag, Aeronaut, 68Grunt, Xinga
BOTTOM:  Codger, AAABest, Clinton's A Liar, Duke809, dcwusmc

TOP:  mc5cents, Norb2569, LBGA's son, VanJenerette
MIDDLE:  Jim Robinson, KJenerette, davidosborne, KG9Kid
BOTTOM:  gwmoore, Equality7-2521, SAMWolf

TOP:  porgygirl, Phil V., MudPuppy, NorCoGOP
MIDDLE:  RaceBannon, OneidaM, rdb3, jwTexian
BOTTOM:  USMC Vet, TheMayor, Vineyard, rhododogma

We now have eleven groups of veterans/active military; we will post each group of three or four twice a week, with thumbnail/links of the remaining seven or eight groups on each thread. Click on any of the thumbnails below to see the group full-size.

         

GROUP 5A: TOP:  spectr17, RightOnline, SERE_Doc, Tet68. MIDDLE:  FutureSnakeEater, RightOnline's wife, CIApilot, Clamper1797. BOTTOM:  usmcobra, onedoug, DiverDave, Joe6-pack.

GROUP 6A: TOP:  g'nad, AgThorn's son Justin, SLB, AgThorn's son Brett. MIDDLE:  fish70, razorback-bert, CheneyChick, Leroy S Mort, Mark17. BOTTOM:  Terry's Take, Taxman, DinkyDau.

GROUP 7A: TOP:  ValerieUSA's son Grant, SK1Thurman, kd5cts, RangerVetNam, dansangel and .45man's son-in-law Tony.BOTTOM:  rangerX, Old China Hand, Trish, Howlin's dad, Mustang.

GROUP 8A: TOP: ohioWfan's son, MamaBear's father-in-law, MamaBear's dad, ladtx. MIDDLE:  The Mayor's niece, M.Kehoe, Beach_Babe's son-in-law. BOTTOM:  deadhead's dad, HiJinx, Severa's hubby, viligantcitizen's granddad.

      

GROUP 9A: TOP: Q6-God, Scan59, Mama Bear and JKPhoto's son, ofMagog. MIDDLE:  Big'ol_freeper, JustAmy's great uncle, Prodigal Son. BOTTOM:  JustAmy's husband, JustAmy's brother-in-law, JustAmy's brother.

GROUP 10A: TOP: dakine's wife, MeeknMing's dad, Auntbee's nephew, MilitiaMan7, AlasBabylon. BOTTOM:  Joe Brower, Temple Owl, Temple Owl's wife, dutchess' dad, Aomagrat.

GROUP 11A: TOP: ladtx #2 son; DiverDave's twin Don; petuniasevan and husband poorman; Mustard; ladtx #1 son. BOTTOM: AlamoGirl's brother Floyd; AG's dad; AG's brother Jim (inset); WVNan's husband; ladtx' Aunt Eva.

                     

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The 5th of May is not Mexican Independence Day, but it should be! And Cinco de Mayo is not an American holiday, but it should be. Mexico declared its independence from mother Spain on midnight, the 15th of September, 1810. And it took 11 years before the first Spanish soldiers were told and forced to leave Mexico.

So, why Cinco de Mayo? And why should Americans savor this day as well? Because 4,000 Mexican soldiers smashed the French and traitor Mexican army of 8,000 at Puebla, Mexico, 100 miles east of Mexico City on the morning of May 5, 1862.

The French had landed in Mexico (along with Spanish and English troops) five months earlier on the pretext of collecting Mexican debts from the newly elected government of democratic President (and Indian) Benito Juarez. The English and Spanish quickly made deals and left. The French, however, had different ideas.

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Under Emperor Napoleon III, who detested the United States, the French came to stay. They brought a Hapsburg prince with them to rule the new Mexican empire. His name was Maximilian; his wife, Carolota. Napoleon's French Army had not been defeated in 50 years, and it invaded Mexico with the finest modern equipment and with a newly reconstituted Foreign Legion. The French were not afraid of anyone, especially since the United States was embroiled in its own Civil War.

The French Army left the port of Vera Cruz to attack Mexico City to the west, as the French assumed that the Mexicans would give up should their capital fall to the enemy -- as European countries traditionally did.

Under the command of Texas-born General Zaragosa, (and the cavalry under the command of Colonel Porfirio Diaz, later to be Mexico's president and dictator), the Mexicans awaited. Brightly dressed French Dragoons led the enemy columns. The Mexican Army was less stylish.

General Zaragosa ordered Colonel Diaz to take his cavalry, the best in the world, out to the French flanks. In response, the French did a most stupid thing; they sent their cavalry off to chase Diaz and his men, who proceeded to butcher them. The remaining French infantrymen charged the Mexican defenders through sloppy mud from a thunderstorm and through hundreds of head of stampeding cattle stirred up by Indians armed only with machetes.

When the battle was over, many French were killed or wounded and their cavalry was being chased by Diaz' superb horsemen miles away. The Mexicans had won a great victory that kept Napoleon III from supplying the confederate rebels for another year, allowing the United States to build the greatest army the world had ever seen. This grand army smashed the Confederates at Gettysburg just 14 months after the battle of Pueblo, essentially ending the Civil War.

Union forces were then rushed to the Texas/Mexican border under General Phil Sheridan, who made sure that the Mexicans got all the weapons and ammunition they needed to expel the French. American soldiers were discharged with their uniforms and rifles if they promised to join the Mexican Army to fight the French. The American Legion of Honor marched in the Victory Parade in Mexico City.

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It might be a historical stretch to credit the survival of the United States to those brave 4,000 Mexicans who faced an army twice as large in 1862. But who knows?

In gratitude, thousands of Mexicans crossed the border after Pearl Harbor to join the U.S. Armed Forces. As recently as the Persian Gulf War, Mexicans flooded American consulates with phone calls, trying to join up and fight another war for America.

Mexicans, you see, never forget who their friends are, and neither do Americans. That's why Cinco de Mayo is such a party -- A party that celebrates freedom and liberty. There are two ideals which Mexicans and Americans have fought shoulder to shoulder to protect, ever since the 5th of May, 1862. VIVA! el CINCO DE MAYO!!

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A Cinco de Mayo party is not a party without traditional Mexican food. Mexico has a very diverse cuisine culture. All regions serve up their own specialties from Mole Poblano in Puebla to Huevos Rancheros in Sonora to Cochinita Pibil in Yucatan. Below you'll find a list of basic items you may see on a menu or in a grocery store or you may browse through specialty dishes or learn traditional recipes from all areas of Mexico. Remember just because you've had a taco or enchilada doesn't mean you've experienced Mexican food, it only means you've scratched the surface of this country's traditional, culinary delights.

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Here are the basic food groups: Carnes (meats), Pescado (fish) & Mariscos (shellfish), Legumbres (vegetables), Frutas (fruits) & Nueces (nuts), Bebidas (drinks), Especias (spices) & Condimentos (condiments), Postres (desserts) & Dulces (sweets).

Mexican food means different things in different parts of the United States; in Texas the Tex-Mex style is very popular - with fajitas (tender strips of grilled beef or chicken - sometimes shrimp - wrapped in a soft flour tortilla) being high on the list. Of course, one must either drink Sangria Wine or a Margarita (YES!) when they dine on Mexican food.

For dessert, try a sopapilla (similar to a doughnut) drenched in butter and honey, or the more sinfully rich, flan (recipe below):

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(Traditional Caramel Custard)
3/4 cup sugar
1 quart milk
pinch of sea salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 2-inch cinnamon stick or vanilla bean
1 small piece orange or lime rind (optional)
4 eggs
6 egg yolks

Heat the sugar for the caramel in a small, heavy frying pan over low heat until it begins to dissolve. Shake the pan slightly (do not stir) until all the sugar has melted. Increase the flame and let the sugar bubble and color. Pour the caramel into the mold and quickly turn it around in all directions, tipping it up in a circular motion until the surface, bottom and about 2 inches up the sides has been lightly coated with the caramel. If the caramel thickens and becomes sluggish, gently heat the mold in a pan of hot water or over low heat, depending on the material, and continue the coating action. Set aside to cool.

Put the milk, salt, sugar, and cinnamon or vanilla into a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil, stirring until the sugar has dissolved. Continue boiling slowly, taking care that it does not boil over, until the milk has reduced by about 2/3 cup. Set aside to cool. Place an oven rack on the lowest rung of the oven and heat to 325 degrees F. Beat the eggs and yolks together and stir into the tepid milk. Pour the mixture through a strainer into the flan mold and place it in a hot water bath in the oven. Test after 2 hours with a skewer or cake tester; if it comes out quite clean, the flan is cooked. Remove from the oven, but allow to sit in the water bath for about 15 minutes longer. Remove and set aside to cool completely before refrigerating.

To unmold, carefully slip a blunt-ended, thin metal spatula around the rim of the flan and gently tip the mold from side to side to see if the flan is loose. If the caramel has hardened at the bottom of the mold, place it in a pan of hot water for a short time and test again. Place the serving dish - it must have a rim to hold the syrup - on top of the mold, invert quickly, and pray that the flan comes out whole. Always serve a wedge of the flan with plenty of the extra syrup.

Yield: 8 servings
Source: The Art of Mexican Cooking - Diana Kennedy

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Did someone say "Margaritas"?!

THIS WEEKEND'S THREAD 05-03,04-03 Week in Review

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' The guy's good, folks!

Thanks, Mixer!

1) Click on the graphic to open the Calendar.
2) Once there you can click on any month and even click to the right to go into next year. Once you are in the month that you joined FR you will need to click on the number in the calendar and then an add item screen will come up.
3) In the next box enter your name in the "Calendar Text" field and then click on submit.
4) If any of the screens fail to load simply click on refresh in your browser and that will usually fix it.
5) If all else fails or simply if you want me to do this for you send me a FReepmail and I will gladly do it for you. ~Mixer

[Billie]

How was YOUR weekend?

Good, thank you! Would love some of that N. California rain here in W. Texas. :)

[MeekOneGOP]

:O)

[Billie]

That really is more than I can, uh, bear. <|:)~

LOL! You know you're prolly gonna be hit with LOTS of Teddy Bears now, don't you?! No one I know has more that our MamaBear! :)

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks, folks ! Great pic. * S-N-I-P! *

[Mama_Bear]

Shhhhhhh, did Lori hear that?

I most certainly did. LOL!

Lori, sorry - margaritas are being served at 7, not 5. LOL (There! That should make sure we all get one before she gets here) :)

LOL!! Thank you, sistah Billie! You and El Wolfo keep me REALLY busy trying to maintain my "sterling" reputation around here! ;-) LOL. (That being said, I'll be here for the margaritas, five sharp....I DO love a good margarita...on the rocks, not blended, please!) ;-)

[martin_fierro]

Strangely enough, I find myself identifying strongly with Freddie The Farting Talking Bear. <|:)~

[Mixer]

One of my favorite places in the world. For anyone who has never been to Chichen Itza it is an absolute must visit.

[martin_fierro]

And with all the Mexican food around today, y'all best steer clear. <|:)~

[FreeTheHostages]

Hey, Lori, I found this great photograph of us hostesses down at the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Mexico just a few years ago, when we were even younger! Good thing our teacher, LadyX, came along to make sure we behaved. Ah, the memories of that trip still linger . . . .

[martin_fierro]

Chicken (It's a)

< /corniness>

[FreeTheHostages]

Puns on a Monday!!? ROFL -- well, it was a good pun, so I'll let you off with a warning. ;)

[JustAmy]

If you don't want to wait around, better show up at 7:00 for those margaritas.
I want mine blended with lots of salt on the rim!!

[MeekOneGOP]

Howdy !

[Mama_Bear]

Sometimes I just wish this thread would be declared a Teddy Bear-Free Zone. <|:)~

Hey!! :-(

[nicmarlo]

[martin_fierro]

Believe it or not, there's a...

LAWYER BEAR (holding his briefs).

Do you have any idea how hard it is to make a cuddly lawyer?! <|:)~

[Pippin]

friend of yours?

[martin_fierro]

Ah, but now you VEX ME MIGHTILY!

<|:)~

[My2Cents]

Jonah Goldberg's muse today on "The Corner" (National Review Online):

CINCO DE MAYO! [Jonah Goldberg]
I feel like such a boob. While we're all jabbering about Bill Bennett we are ignoring the only holiday I'm aware of which celebrates the military defeat of the French in this hemisphere. Crack open a cerveza!

[Pippin]

Hi, Billie! :O)