Musings: Interstate 10 Amusements

Some notable sights on our drive from Tucson to LA.

Ironwood State Prison, Blythe, CA

A message from your friendly California cows & Chick-fil-a

I didn't get a picture of the actual billboard, but I saw them a few times on the way there. It's nice that Chipotle thinks that puns on chemical symbols (Au being the symbol for gold) are fun, but when 2 out of 3 college grads in the car (my parents), don't get it, the humor might be falling on deaf ears.

 Denny's BACONALIA is simultaneously too esoteric in its origins (see Bacchanalia) and this "Three Bacon Sampler" possibly the most obscene food item since KFC's Double Down sandwich.

¡Feliz Cinco de Mayo!

Portland, OR: Cinco de Mayo Fiesta

Before we get to the fun parts of Cinco de Mayo, we have to first talk a little bit about the holiday. Let's start off by talking about what Cinco de Mayo is not. It is not the Mexican Fourth of July (Independence Day).  Mexico's Independence Day is September 16, and celebrates the beginning of their War for Independence from Spain in 1810. So if the Fifth of May doesn't celebrate Mexican Independence, what does it commemorate? The Mexican Army's 1862 victory over French Imperial Troops at the Battle of Pueblo, of course.  I recommend heading on over to the Wiki article for a bit more background. TIME magazine comments on the significance of this battle, "Mexico was still occupied by the French a year later, but the Puebla victory came to symbolize unity and pride for what seemed like a Mexican David defeating a French Goliath" (from the article, "Top 10 Drunken Holidays").

The Battle of Puebla, May 5, 1862

Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the Mexican State of Pueblo, but otherwise it is an American Holiday. It is a day on which those of Mexican Decent and Gringos alike can celebrate the contributions of Mexican Culture to the United States; whether that be through music, food, dance,  or yes, downing a few cervezas y margaritas. 

After the jump, lots more about  Cinco de Mayo.

Denim Georgraphy: North America

Naming jeans' colors is quite a hard business. Apparently, many color experts have just given up and chose nonsensical names.  I've recently noticed lots of colors named after geographical terms.  Most of the names tell us nothing about the color of wash itself.  That being said, I find it amusing to associate the jean's color with its namesake locale.

Sacramento, CA: To start off close to home, a pair I'm seriously considering trying just because of the name:

Old Navy Mid-Rise Denim-Bermudas in the color "Sacramento"

Yahi: An extinct Northern California Native dialect. The last known speaker was Ishi. I'm not going to go into Ishi's amazing story, but you should really look into him if you're not already familiar.

Speakers of the Yahi lived the area around what is today Butte county. Read more about them here.

Denim Bermudas in "Yahi", Ishi in 1914