Category Archives: in english

in english

Football, like life, is full of surprises

You may have read that previously I was not very convinced about Hugo Sánchez’s handling of the Mexican National Team.  My suspicions were confirmed last Sunday when Mexico lost the final of the Gold Cup against the States (their second goal looks just like that Maxi Rodríguez goal from last summer).  Since the Copa América was just around the corner, the panorama couldn’t be bleaker, since Mexico had to play against Brazil and 5 starters were out: 3 because of fatigue, 2 by injury.

You can imagine my surprise this morning when I read that Mexico beat Brazil 2-0, even though more than half of the team was composed of usually bench players.  Nice performance. =D

Mexico – Brasil Copa America Resumen Goles

The only sad thing to read is that some sectors of the press say that the performance was better since those who were more identified with the previous Mexico coach and bitter Hugo Sánchez enemy Ricardo Lavolpe were not included in the squad.  I really hope that’s not the case.

in english

MySpace is working class, Facebook upper-middle class?

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Interesting article about how American class divisions are reflected in the usage patterns of Facebook and MySpace.  I still found it very interesting, as it is true that the way we use our tools reflect our societies..

Some traditional media (here, here) have picked up the story, but I'd rather read the whole essay, as I don't like the spin they put to it.

Via Slashdot.

in english

A year ago today…

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Mexico lost against Argentina in the World Cup.  Probably the best-played match in Mexican World Cup history, but it wasn’t enough in a very dramatic game.

Goles Argentina – México

After the game, I talked with an Argentine friend about his impressions of the match.  He agreed with me that the teams shouldn’t have met at that stage of the tournament, since Mexico should have won its group.

The current situation in the team is far from what was shown in that game.  Hugo Sánchez is now the coach, but in the end he still doesn’t seem to have much of an idea of what he wants to do with the team.  There have been some problems in the locker room and they have lost some matches that should have been won.  The only reason the team plays in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup tonight is because all the other teams in the region are worse than us, but of course if Mexico loses agains the U.S. there will be hell to pay.  I really hope he finds a way.

in english

Finnish Juhannus

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Lake Scenery

Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado

The Midsummer celebrations in Finland are one of the highlights of the year when living in that country. If possible, people will go to their summer cottage, where they spend the time playing, eating, fixing a couple of things and going to sauna.

Given that here in Belgium they don’t seem to celebrate it very much, I’m really missing it. One doesn’t start to know about Finland until spending the midsummer long weekend with the Finns in a small house in the woods, maybe next to a lake, in the middle of nowhere. Probably there’s no better sauna than the one at the summer cottage, probably the smell of the woods is what relaxes you, probably it is because you spend a relaxing time with friends and/or family. Regardless it is one of the quintessential things that makes Finland the way it is, and I’ve realised how much the place has changed me now that it is not celebrated where I am.

Hyvää Juhannusta!

in english

Gilberto Bosques, Mexican hero

You probably already know about Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist who saved thousands of Jews from certain death during World War II.  He was not the only one.  Other famous and not so famous individuals involved were Raoul Wallenberg, Algoth Niska, Chiune Sugihara, Traian Popovici or Gilberto Bosques.

A veteran of the Mexican Revolution, before the beginning of the war he worked as General Consul at the Mexican Embassy in Paris.  When Hitler conquered Paris, the Embassy was moved to Marseille, and Bosques was left in charge.  He gave thousands of visas to Jews, resistance fighters and Spanish Civil War refugees to escape to Mexico, and even went as far as organising lodging for thousands of them in two castles near the city of Marseille.

Eventually, however, he was imprisoned by Nazi Germany for a year with the rest of the Latin American diplomatic corps at Bad Godesberg, not only for helping "enemies of the regime" but also because by that time Mexico was also at war with the Axis.  He was freed in an exchange of prisoners between Mexico and Germany before the end of the war.

Why aren't these kind of heroes remembered at school, instead of more dubious individuals such as Pancho Villa?

More information here.