Since the last report from the lusophone blogosphere, the crisis in East Timor has evolved with the country now divided between the President Xanana Gusmão and the Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. Once again, reading about the situation in the Anglophone media tells a quite different story from what appears in Portuguese language blogs. There is quite a gap between the two perspectives.
"Australian media news, which influences all the regional and international information on the issue, describes Timor crisis as an internal fight for power where an 'unpopular' prime minister is opposed by a popular movement. Although the words 'oil' and 'gas' are the cause of the Australian intervention, they are rarely mentioned in these news reports." East Timor: a new cold war - Informação Alternativa
"The Australians use Ad Hominem arguments in the attacks on Timor's government. In this article published in Australian News -- owned by Rupert Murdoch (see wikipedia) -- the writer, a neoliberal (as only a neoliberal journalist would be tolerated by Murdoch), demonizes the Timor government using the strategy of using leftist labels. Marxist leaders have failed: it's the 'label' (homophobic, fascist, Marxist, etc.) The labeling marginalizes the opposition and avoids better reasoning. As we know, Marxism has not guided the Fretilin party of the Prime Minister for years. But the author resurrects the late 70's ideological language with obvious intentions." Timor: hearing the Australian version - Letras com Garfos
"The history of the struggle for independence of East Timor is also a narrative about the Australian political acrobatics in trying to put its hands in the vast amount of oil in the surrounding seas, currently evaluated as worth 30 billion dollars. Nevertheless, Australia always made its support of Timorese independence appear as a humanitarian mission of fostering and protecting 'human rights'. Today, the media still echoes this storyline." East Timor: Australia - Peacekeeper or Petroleum Predator? - Expresso Online
The absence of cross-language reports in traditional media may be the reason for the gap in perspective and in understanding of what's going on. There is a great chasm between what is reported in English and what is appearing in Portuguese. It's the passion for blogging about the East Timor crisis in the Lusosphere that is amplifying and expanding awareness of the many sides of the conflict and bringing the gaps in interpretation within the different language spheres into high visibility.
It's indeniable the major role of Brazilian Minister of Culture, Gilberto Gil, as a great supporter of the new licenses model in Brazil, and also in the spreading of the noveGltie to the world. As a known musician star, and at the same time being in charge of Brazilian cultural policies guidelines, he's managed to translate the concepts into actions: he colaborated in the developing of the sampling licenses in 2004, participated with a music in the Wired Cd (rip, sample, mash, share) and now his iSummit06 keynote speech about globalism was the first document created with the CC-Office plug-in tool, recently launched in the event.
The partnership between Gilberto Gil and Creative Commons has been a succesfull one, and it is documented in a short video (2004). As we've been hearing: "Anyone in the world would like to jam with Gilberto Gil".
All three Lusophone countries, Angola, Brazil and Portugal, are still in the contest for the World Cup. As anyone could guess, there is little chance of finding any relevant blogging outside of the World Cup theme in the always diverse Portuguese speaking blogosphere. As the Lusophone citizen media makes its debut covering of the most watched sports event in the world, many kinds of diversity are present in its multifaceted football chronicle.
In fact, blogs can go deeper than would have been thought, mixing in their alchemy a variable blend of national passion, cultural traits and spirited words. The Lusosphere conversations are not only discussing winners and losers but also offering some glimpses of national cultural traits. Pearls arrive even amongst disdain for football's omnipresence in this season.
A woman from Portugal says,
"If everybody knows that blog posts are supposed to be a kind of augmenting / distorting / diminishing mirror of daily life, and if I can't hear about anything else, how to escape this state of trying not to write a post about football? Even when you don't want to talk about football, you talk about it in explaining why you don't want to hear about football. I surrender. So, instantly, it feels nice to say that Ronaldinho has an incredible hairdo. And that Cristiano Ronaldo makes crying faces. I think making pouting lips doesn't raise his virility capital, but it doesn't diminish it either. A good rise in his virility capital would be a goal followed by a strip. The yellow penalty card would be inconsequential. I think I haven't started yet to write about football. João Ricardo is cool and Figo already had a better hair-do. Iran's players have good looks. Maybe Portugal wins the Cup. Maybe to use 'maybe' in this case makes me shamefully unpatriotic. An alternative title for this post is, 'how to use the word football so many times without writing a line about football'." The Non-Post - The estrogen diaries - Portugal
In Brazil, men are so often asked by women to explain the rules that it has become sort of symbolic:
While the Brazilian team waits for its debut in Germany, it's the buzz around the football personalities that fuels the overheated blogosphere. Brazilians love to talk, and now nothing is more important to talk about than the World Cup. While the ball hasn't yet rolled for the champions, the media are already caught by the fever, and a nation of would-be football coaches is meddling with news and analyses in ways that would fit better the gossip columns of the tabloids.
That's especially true for Ronaldo, the player who still gets most of the media attention. From foot blisters to his model girlfriend -- to say nothing of the debate with President Lula about food and drink excesses -- the forward is always on spot in the World Cup non- coverage of football. The blogosphere follows the pattern, and goes beyond.
"The TV coverage insists on showing Ronaldo's foot blisters, the fever, the images of the 'The Phenomenal One' playing the DJ in a night club on his day off, without mentioning the misunderstandings with President Lula" Facts and gossips on the team - Visual and Verbal Politics
"Lula could have avoided mentioning Ronaldo's fatness in the video conference with the Brazilian team. Perhaps his intention was not clearly stated and emphatic when he said, 'I've met Ronaldo personally and he is skinny, but everybody is saying he is fat....' But it is important to mention the report of André Kfouri about the situation. According to the ESPN journalist present at the conference, Ronaldo was avoiding any hard rejoinder to Lula's remark in his interview. But, as the correspondents kept pressing him, he finally mentioned the President's known friendliness with alcohol. One more time, in the absence of something worth reporting, the press pushes for declarations and stories with zero information value." A great idiocy - Balipodo.com
"World Cup news flashes, mainly from the national team, torturing us with 'important' notes such as, 'Ronaldo left the hotel to shit and walk. Look there! Now you are seeing an exclusive, he is shitting, shitting... wow! now he is gonna walk... he is walking! we will try an interview... later - in three minutes - an interview with THE PHENOMENAL ONE, telling us how he felt when shitting and walking in Germany." Am I, Cup? - Dull Life
"The press coverage has gone beyond the concept of 'thorough', becoming repetitive and counterproductive. The main principle seems to be the exhaustion of the national team in a meaningless never-ending exposition. Any idiocy becomes good enough for a news lead as the reporting staff stays glued to the Brazilian players and far from the event's important news. They debate before and after the trainings stating obvious opinions and as a result, the public watches something very close to a live transmission of grass growing." Unbalanced coverage - Gardenal.org
Temperature is rising. As we enter the World Cup week, ripples are turning into waves and everyone is being caught by the peculiar pulse that cannot be denied. Flags are already waving, and those who were until now unaware about the gathering starts to feel a strong urge to join, or else leave the planet. This year's edition will surely present a new face, or should I say, hundreds of millions of new faces ready to participate directly, as we had never before a so prepared environment for the expanded international networked exchange about the games we have today.
"There are 186 thousand new websites just created for the world cup in Germany in the last few days. The survey was made by Websense." Web and Copa - Blog do Mesquita
"There will be tens of millions of people around the globe, watching the games at fever pitch during the competition and the internet will provide a valuable outlet for discussion and information. Thousands of blogs will be written, photos of those lucky people at the games will be shared and enquiries to travel companies about the German cities hosting the games will be made." Metatags and metatarsals: the internet World Cup - Internet Advertising Bureau
"Following the raging popularity of such sites as MySpace.com and Orkut.com in Brazil, Nike executives approached Google with the idea of creating a social-networking site revolving around the world's most popular sport: soccer. Unlike MySpace.com, however, Joga.com will be a community that focuses on one topic and one passion: soccer, or "football," as it is known outside the U.S." Nike, Google Kick Off Social-Networking Site - From Istanbul To Sand Hill Road
"As for the overall numbers of people expected to watch the World Cup, 28 billion people in aggregate are expected to tune in at some point during the tournament, with 1.2 billion, or 17 percent of the world’s population, tuning in for the July 9 final. The other 83 percent of will be clicking the remote searching in vain for something more interesting than watching 22 men in shorts kick a ball. I wish them well in their existential efforts." Billions of Eyes on the World Cup - World Cup Blog
Inovative news sites mash-ups, collective blogs, live video streamings, videoblogs, contests, online games, online virtual stadiuns, and many other novelties will be launching at this global stage. All this connectiveness will help making the 2006 edition not only the more pervasive event ever, but also the most immersive globally shared user experience known to date. What about those under the sun who do not care about balls and goals? Blogs are talking about those differences also, making the conversation still possible:
"And from now on, this blog is almost totally devoted to football and the World Cup. As it is the most important competition in the world. It is because it is the World Cup, godammit! And if you don't like football, the problem is yours. Who cares about you?" # - Call me James - Brazil
"As everybody should know by now, it will start the most 'macho' event on the planet: the world cup! We have to figure out how ean must behave with his women... I mean, with each ones woman, that's better. Women have a distorted idea about the event. They think we will only watch Brasil's games, but the world cup has 64 games, which makes 96 hours of play, 5.760 minutes. If they complain, tell them that the wolrd cup happens only in four years, and in four years there are 87.600 minutes of soap-opera. This makes a difference, don't you think?" Futebol - Hrtbreak - Brazil
"Sorry, nation. Forgive me Brazilian people if I dishonour the only honorable position you believe our country stands for... But I hate football, and I don't give a damn if Brasil doesn't make it... Besides, for me it would be better, as my ears would be saved from those hellish fireworks (which, curiously sound like music to me on new year's eve)" Sorry, ó Brazil! - Ai, ai, ai... enough!!! - Brasil
I believe Brazilian fever at those times is unique, as it is fueled by a long history of spectacular wins and a certain kind of developed pride that gets challenged each time the cup is being disputed. But there are also some deep rivalries that deserves mention, as it is the case with close neibourgh Argentina. Comes as a surprise that this regional sport rivalry is capable of echoing on the other site of the planet, in far away... Bangladesh!
"That's it. Maradona, the greatest argentinian player ever, went beyound all rivalries in agreeing to do the commercial, and the result is this funny ad of a Brazilian national soft-drink. It's obvious that our 'hermanos' must have noticed this in the airwaves, and many must have lost some hours of sleep. After all, Maradona and Pelé are like symbols of a never ending dispute between the two countries. It all turns back to that old line: who is the best? Both are good, but no one can deny our five world titles." Maradona in Green and Yellow? - Elias' Space
"This commercial has caused big controversy in Argentina, where many has considered a sacrilege to watch Diego with the green-yellow shirt. Even considering that the 'nightmare' made 180 thousand dollars to Maradona, which makes it clear that there is nothing a bunch of green notes cannot pay. And you, dear reader, what is your opinion? I am interested in argentinian comments. Diego, Hay Diego!! - Hey Dude!
"World Cup favourites Brazil and Argentina are engaged in an unlikely aerial battle in sports-mad Bangladesh as football fever reaches boiling point in the South Asian nation... Skies of cities, towns and villages across the country were this weekend full of Brazilian and Argentine flags as fans displayed loyalty to their favourite teams. So much is the love for the two teams that at Aminbazar, some 30 kilometres (18 miles) west of the capital, more than 10,000 villagers have been divided into two blocks of fans." Brazil-Argentina battle lines drawn in Bangladesh - Jamaicaobserver.com
"A Bangladeshi cleric has called on Muslims not to fly the flags of any “infidel” nations playing in the World Cup as football fever gripped the sports-mad country... "These acts are un-Islamic" Daily Times - Pakistan
‘All academic activities of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology have been suspended till July 14,’ said a spokesman for the state-run institution. About 2,000 students held demonstrations on the campus in the capital, demanding a World Cup vacation for viewing all the matches on television. After watching late night televised matches, it would be impossible to concentrate on studies the following morning, argued graduate student Anisul Huq. ‘World Cup vacation’ in Bangladesh varsity - India e-News
The special aura of immense consequence carried by this peculiar sport modality is being each day more universally acknowledged in the world. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recently addressed: "As the only sport that is played in every country, and by every race and religion, football is as rare a phenomena in the world as the United Nations," and wished that the same enthusiasm could fuel discussions about the economic development of poor countries, reducing greenhouse gases or combating AIDS. Political scientists recurrently points out this instrumentalization of popular passion, as it is widely known how the sport is used as a tool for populist governments to maintain control over alienated populations.
"The whole society looses with this collective mesmerized staring at the german green fields while other 'balls' are rolling in Brazilian Congress. I try to tell them that if Brazil wins or looses any game in this World Cup, even if the championship escapes at the second half's fortieth minute, my life will still be the same! For no use. I played the paranoid to everybody, the one who doesn't believe in nothing, who has a hopeless cold hart." Cup, Kitchen, and other balls - What about some cooffe?
"Apart from victories or losses the truth is that for the first time in its history (which has not started to be written because José Eduardo Santos priorized the writing of his party's) Angola is in the World Cup. As if this was not the very thing which Angolans love, making them temporarily forget the suffering, and dry the tear which is always in the corner of the eye waiting for the first chance to roll down through the face." From one loss to another till the final victory - The Araut - Angola
"The announcement that Omar Bongo (Gabanese President) decided to 'offer' the World Cup to his country's youth was divulged to the world yesterday by Gabonews -- which uncomprehensibly has still not adpted the name Bongonews -- after René Ndemez Obiang, the Minister for Communications had announced exactly in these terms: "The President decided to pay the games' retransmission rights in the name of the whole set of Gabanese TV networks". Some quick hand has already published the information in the President's official website (www.omarbongo.org) , the man who's been governing Gabon for almost 40 years, insisting in the 'offering' formula. Bongo, who had already 'offered' the African Cup games to the Gabanese youth in January, is 'cool': if not for his generosity, only the private TV+ (who paied for the retransmission exclusiveness) could exhibit the games. Bongo, there is only one. Omar, and no one more." One Bongo - Africandar - Angola
The World Cup economics and demographics somehow shows that globalisation is not a so uniform movement and, in the other hand, it drives corporate and media interests to channel emotions that enlivens national identities. It seems inevitable that political forces will seek to exploit such an overwhelming hype. The event has carried through the years a heavy weight of financial, cultural, and political import, and the amazing thing is that it somehow survives and keeps growing in it's hability to grab attention.
"I am running from the great slaughter. I can't stand no more 'information' about the world cup. I am on the verge of getting crazy with the fans, the fans' opinions, the commentators' comments, the coachs, the ex-players, I am desperate with the country of 'professores marcelos' that suddenly started to appear. Also the 'reports' about the football stars and the showbizz, the wives, the player's girlfriends, the ex-wives and the soon to be girlfriends, the ex-wives and ex-girlfriends of the presidents, or the ex-wives and ex-girlfriends of the ex-presidents" The people's happiness is no the opiate of everyboty - Daily Writing - Portugal
"Yes, I am not in the plenitude of my mind faculties anymore. It's not normal, but it is stronger than I am. Guessing contests? I already participate in three, and I am forming another group. Not to mention the album with world cup chromes. Or the files in ipod, which now carries thousand of goal narrations (the best is Taffarell defending of Ronald de Boer's penalty in 1998) and world cup themes. There is also different version and variations of the Brazilian national anthem - even in 'forró' beat. I think I am with the ball fever. And I am not seeking cure. Go to hell with everything cause now it's official: football is the most important thing in the world." Ball Fever - Totally without notion
The first game is next Friday - Germany x Costa Rica. See you there, or here. We are connected anyhow.
Since the last report from the lusophone blogosphere, the crisis in East Timor has evolved with the country now divided between the President Xanana Gusmão and the Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. Once again, reading about the situation in the Anglophone media tells a quite different story from what appears in Portuguese language blogs. There is quite a gap between the two perspectives.
