Hi!(sorry for english)
I followed this tutorial to create a cloned globo.
http://art.vinayraikar.com/2007/10/inks ... itude.html
I have cloned the circle with the same data of the tutorial, but it is so:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_089TXf8rQcw/SgwKe ... /clone.jpg

In the tutorial, for some reason the scale tab does not show the exponent option. Set this to 1.00 in both columns. Set exponent under the scale tab to 0 in both columns. You should be good to go. Must be either an older version or newer (development) version of inkscape used in the tutorial.

negative result

What is going on in the screenshot? That last image is just black with a selection boundary. Make sure you have selected P1: simple translation as the symmetry setting. Make sure there are no other strange settings in the clone dialogue under other tabs. I would suggest hitting reset ("reimposta") then just changing the settings you need under the scale and shift tabs.
When I do the clones using exponent of zero under both scale and shift I get the exact image you linked to in your original post. By changing the exponent to one under scale I get the correct image.

I did the reset

ok...
to bring the ball above the rim, I used the method align and distribute
thank you

as you can put to the side of the circle the globe, but do not have to be united the two sides
(with the clones in series)