Cinco de Mayo has become such a HUGE celebration here in America…No, it is NOT Mexican Independance Day today…Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for “fifth of May”) is a celebration held on May 5. It is celebrated in the United States and in Mexico, to commemorate the Mexican army’s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, under the leadership of General Ignacio Zaragoza Seguín. Here in the u.S., Cinco de Mayo is sometimes mistaken to be Mexico’s Independence Day—the most important national holiday in Mexico—which is celebrated on September 16.

Moe’s Southwest Grill is giving away tee shirts to the first 50 customers when their doors open at 11 am today. We’ve been giving away all sorts of Moe’s gift certificates for their Cinco de Moe’s celebration today.

Taco Bell is celebrating Cinco de Mayo today by giving out FREE TACOS this morning. But they aren’t normal tacos . . . they’re special new breakfast tacos with a biscuit shell and sausage and egg inside.  You know, just like they serve on the streets of Tijuana? But somehow it feels appropriate that America’s least authentic Mexican food chain is celebrating Cinco de Mayo by serving something THIS inauthentic.  And hey . . . FREE. You can get one from 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 A.M.  There’s a limit of one per customer . . . although you probably could run from Taco Bell to Taco Bell getting one every time.

Meanwhile, Just in time for Cinco de Mayo, Chipotle Mexican Grill is releasing it’s infamous guacamole recipe. Chipotle released the recipe on its website yesterday. It states: “We know that you know that guacamole is extra, but have you ever thought about what makes it so delicious? Well, it starts with sourcing the best whole ingredients possible, and ends with a quick mash in our restaurant.” Get the whole recipe here! 

And, the Syracuse Chiefs are “on board” with Cinco de Mayo, too. At tonight’s game they’ll be featuring a Mexican buffet! Call 474-7833 or email [email protected] to reserve a spot.

WE APPRECIATE YOU TEACHERS!
It’s also National Teacher’s Day today. I don’t think you’re allowed to give your teacher a Margarita today. This happens to be Teacher Appreciation Week, too. Teachers give us so much. And though we know we can’t ever thank them enough, we can take a moment during National Teacher Week to share our appreciation for the special educators in our lives. Hats off teachers! A new survey by YouGov and the Huffington Post reveals that 13% of people say the teachers in their area are excellent. Other findings:

– 6% of people say the teachers in their area are poor

– 25% of people say their children’s teachers are excellent

– 3% of people say their children’s teachers are poor

– 52% of people say teachers are underpaid

– 8% of people say teachers are overpaid

NEW ON DVD
Here’s what’s new on DVD today:
 
• “Fifty Shades of Grey” stars Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele, who surrenders her virginity to the light bondage of Jamie Dornan’s billionaire Christian Grey. 
 
• “Selma” stars David Oyelowo as Martin Luther King, Jr. in the story of the civil right marches in the ’60s.  Oprah, Common, and Cuba Gooding Jr. are also in it.  
 
• “Black or White” stars Kevin Costner as a widower mourning the loss of his wife and fighting for his right to raise his interracial granddaughter after her other grandmother, Octavia Spencer, sues for custody.  Anthony Mackie is also in it. 
 
• “Spare Parts” stars Carlos Pena from “Big Time Rush” in the true story of four Hispanic kids who form a robotics club and enter a NASA-sponsored competition.  George Lopez, Marisa Tomei and Jamie Lee Curtis are also in it.  
 
 
PLUS:  The sixth season of “White Collar” . . . the second season of Showtime’s “Masters of Sex” . . . and the first season of AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire”. And on Netflix Instant Streaming, you’ve got the third season of “Longmire” . . . the fourth season of “Melissa & Joey” . . . and the sixth season of “Royal Pains”.

MALARKEY FOR TODAY:

Cinco de Mayo comes in fourth in the biggest beer-drinking holidays.  First is Labor Day, then July fourth but what is third on the list?

1)   Halloween
2)   **** Father’s Day
3)   Memorial Day