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World Cup: Iran and Mexico

David Sasaki · 22:46

Co-authored by Farid Pouya and David Sasaki

As the New York Times World Cup ‘06 weblog observes, most of the press coverage leading up to Sunday's Iran-Mexico match had little to do with football and much ado about … tense European-Iranian relations. First there were the German Green Party politicians demanding that Iran be banned from the tournament. Then German cartoonist Klaus Stuttmann received death threats for his cartoon depicting the Iranian soccer team with explosives strapped to their chest. And on game day, demonstrators marched in Nuremberg against what Gateway Pundit describes as “anti-Semitism and recent inflammatory remarks made by Irans's president.”

Most of the coverage on Mexico was more mild in comparison, focusing on the untimely death of goal keeper, Oswaldo Sanchez's father just days before the match. As Erwin Cifuentes of The Latin Americanist relates, “in a touching gesture, Iranian goalie Vahid Hasheminian presented Sanchez with a bouquet of flowers during the pre-game ceremonies.” However, some fans will remember an admittedly indirect relation between Mexico and the Middle East when Mexican fans booed the US national anthem and chanted “Osama! Osama!” during a 2005 match.

Sunday's game remained tied at 1-1 until the 76th minute when Omar Bravo scored his second goal followed by a Zinha header three minutes later. Here is what Mexican and Iranian bloggers had to say about the match:

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What Salvadoran bloggers are saying — about Tony Saca

Tim Muth · 18:13

The president of El Salvador, Tony Saca, presented a report on the first two years of his administration to the Salvadoran National Assembly on June 1. Jjmar at the Hunnapuh blog watched the proceedings and wrote with disappointment (es) about the conduct of the opposition FMLN legislators listening to Saca. Describing the atmosphere as more of a circus, than a solemn plenary session of the legislature, Jjmar told how ARENA deputies applauded at every pause in Saca's address and the FMLN deputies jeered and showed their disagreement. This led Jjmar to plead:

In a solemn plenary session, Mr. and Ms. Deputy, one has to listen with attention and respect to the principal speaker. It could be that you like or don't like what is being said, but the correct thing is to learn to listen. It would appear that we Salvadorans only hear that which we like and accept it with enthusiasm, but we jeer at and do not listen to that which we do not like.

To learn to listen to others is vital for democracy. Democracy does not signal that all think the same thing, to the contrary, democracy is learning to manage those differences. But the first we thing we have to learn is to listen with attention and respect to opinions, whether different or the same as ours.

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Global Food Blog Report #21

Melissa De Leòn Douglass · 12:35

#1: After almost a month her blog vanished without reasonable explanation, Chef Ines Peña from Caracas, Venezuela is back with her brand new and improved creation: Apuntes de Cocina. Lets head over to her blog and cheer her up a little for her perseverance and the love to share her knowledge and delicious recipes through her blog.

#2: Chef Diva from Colombia cooks up a tasty idea: How does the International Day of the Chef sound? Do not forget to send a note to your favorite cook on June 23!

#3: Pies Descalzos from Mexico (ES) shares her favorite recipe to prepare "Chiles rellenos," a traditional delicacy made with chiles, beans, cheese…Ah, I definitely want some :)

#4: Chef Paz , created a step by step visual guide on how to prepare plantains: Plantain, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways #2 - Simple Fried Plantains. You will LOVE it!

#5: Lobstersquad from Spain, a very unique & charming new blog. The second, so far I have found that writes in English from "La Madre Patria." Her original illustrations are breathtaking if you like the style, of course, but what I love the most is her unique approach to food through the eyes of an artist! Just take a look at THIS:

Aren´t picnics the best?
Any kind of picnic, wether it´s a full
dress affair, with champagne cooling in the river and a wicker hamper,
or a simple sandwich savoured on a park bench while reading Vogue. The
best.

This spring has been quite picnicful.I´ve had a Retiro
park picnics of cheese and gazpacho. Freesbee tossing and tuna
sandwiches, plus ice cold beer on the beach at Cape Trafalgar.An
elaborate meal for six, with the dogs, in the country, under the
encinas.

Maybe I´ve been brainwashed by all the Enid Blyton I
read as a child. In her books, the phrase "everything tastes better
outdoors" is mentioned at least twice. Always followed by the same
litany; ham sandwiches, chocolate cake, hard boiled eggs and ginger
beer.Head over to her blog and finish reading this delectable post…

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Landing at the Iraqi Blogodrome

Salam Adil · 01:49

Phew, what a week in Iraq blogs. The assassination of Zarqawi caused a flood of blog posts and this on top of another flood of quality thoughts from the Iraqi bloggers. Here is the cream of the crop. And read on to find out why one blogger wants to send the Iraqi parliament on space tourism.

If you read only one post this week read this:

Salam Pax takes a tour around Baghdad making a video blog for Newsnight but is finding it very hard to get anyone to agree to be interviewed. (more…)

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