Hej

...a phenomenon i don´t understand
this is the year 2006- THE year for Germany
Why? soccer!

this is not rational, ensible or explainable
they put some hundreds of blue lighted goals on the roofs of all high housesin ths city,
every day i use the tube it says in how many minutes the tube will arrive and how many days are left til the first game of the fifa world championship
there are posters all over saying:"Die Welt zu Gast bei Freunden" (the world hosted by friends Fifa 2006- would be nice i we would have this slogan also for asylum seekers...)
all newspapers are full of articles about the topic
the galleries and museums make exhibitions about soccer
you can buy soccerballbreadrools in the bakery
fake "Germany"-tatoos in the supermarkets
they make seminars for busdrivers etc. to be nicer (as you know Germans are not nown as the warmest people:) and how to handle critical fan situations
you can hardly buy tickets for the games, but lot of companies got some and you can win them if you buy their products
this is also the perfect moment to introduce more instruments for our "national security"
there are fights in the red light disricts about which pimps will get more prostitutes to serve the fans
I´d guess nearly 30% of the TV-spots are spammed with soccer
all kinds of products are suddenly black, red, gold
a new public discussion and reflection araised of who "we" actually are and a new "German feeling"-

controversial as always: bashing, yessaying

...
this is definetely far too emphasised and expensive (yes sometimes i think economically)
and leaves a strange feeling in fear of nationalism+ simply
being annoyed

but i like the times when people put their sofas out on the streets+ their TV to watch the games together and to watch people being totally concentrated and
fascinated

hmmpf fortunately it´s over in some weeks