Sep 14, 200602:52 PMThe Life

Mes de la Herencia Hispana

Hispanic Heritage Month begins tomorrow, the anniversary of independence for five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. According to the Census Bureau, more than 42 million people in the US are of Hispanic origin. That's about 14 percent of us!

In case you didn't know: piñatas, found at many Mexican celebrations (fiestas), were traditionally in the shape of a six-pointed star and were filled with fruit, candy, and small toys. These days, they come in all types of shapes, including animals, plants, and flowers. At a fiesta, children are blindfolded and take turns swinging at the piñata, which is hung in the air. Eventually, when the piñata is hit hard enough, it breaks and releases a shower of goodies. To kick off Hispanic Heritage Month, here's an old piñata recipe... and an old joke:

A hotshot bungee jumper gets a bright idea, and says to his buddy, "You know, we could make a lot of money running our own bungee-jumping business in Mexico." The second guy agrees, so the two pool their dough and buy some equipment: a portable tower, bungee cords, etc. They drive down to Mexicali and begin to set up outside the Plaza La Cachanilla. As they're constructing the tower, a crowd begins to assemble. Slowly, more and more people gather to watch them work.

The first guy jumps. The cord stretches out to its full length, but when he comes back up, the second guy notices that he has a few cuts and scratches. Unfortunately, the second guy isn't able catch him, so he falls again, rebounds, and comes back up again. This time, he's badly bruised and bleeding. Again, the second guy misses him. On the third rebound, he's pretty messed up, and nearly unconscious. Luckily, the second guy finally catches him and says, "What happened? Was the cord too long?"

The first guy replies, "No, the cord was fine, but what the heck is a 'piñata'?"