FORGOTTEN momentarily are the sufferings caused by the Yogya earthquake, the Sidoarjo mudflow, the South Sulawesi floods or the sinking of the ferry off North Sumatra. Football and only football is what people are talking about.

The World Cup will last until July 9. Worker productivity could drop slightly, particularly among civil servants where its already low. Yet the nation needs a respite from the recent deluge of disasters. Watching football