Have We Lost Our Ability?

So I came across this article in the BBC the other night,

Danish PM jogs with Facebook fans

Denmark's Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen has gone jogging with about 100 people he met through the social networking website Facebook.

It goes on to say,

One of his Danish Liberal Party aides, Soeren Lauridsen, said Mr Rasmussen was enthusiastic about Facebook as a way of connecting with ordinary Danes.
"He has 12,000 supporters now on Facebook - he's only just behind [California Governor] Arnold Schwarzenegger, and he's the Europe Facebook champion," Mr Lauridsen said.
and "for him it's a way to reach a lot of people who are not specifically political", Mr Lauridsen added.

Now this is great, but it got me thinking. When does something like this happen in the US? I could never imagine this taking place. Sure our leaders engage the public but is anyone being innovative and fresh with their approach? It is as if there is a disconnect between the elected and the population, both functioning separately in their own world. The appearance is that the elected only enter the public sphere when the must make a speech to explain something or defend something. Never for the reason as simple as a desire to listen to the people. But really have our politicians become so disconnected from the populace? I scan the newspapers everyday and I find nothing about our American leaders, both local and national, doing much to reach out to and listen to citizens' opinions. This of course comes when 81% of Americans thinks our country is headed in the wrong direction. So again I ask, what is going on?

While you ponder that, here are a few more pictures from the Keukenhof.

A View From Abroad...

I am a bit busy with the thesis at the moment. But I have had a few side thoughts the past couple of days. Trouble is stirring in the US. No doubt about it. Look in the News. We have this example,

Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies
The consumer spending slump and tightening credit markets are unleashing a widening wave of bankruptcies in American retailing, prompting thousands of store closings that are expected to remake suburban malls and downtown shopping districts across the country.


And this...


Foreclosures Jump 57 Percent in Last 12 Months
Home foreclosure filings surged 57 percent in the 12 month-period ended in March and bank repossessions soared 129 percent from a year ago, as homeowners struggled to make mortgage payments, real estate data firm RealtyTrac said on Tuesday.

What do people think?

Aside from all of this stuff I have been enjoying the nice weather. This is one thing I did recently. A few pictures from the amazingly beautiful Keukenhof Gardens.

Holland and a Controversial Film

So while I finish all of my work at the end of the third quarter there has been an interesting debate taking place here in Dutch society. This right-wing politician, Geert Wilders, recently released a film about how Islam is an extreme religion. He is very nationalist and has been hammering away on this issue of Muslims and immigrants for many years now. Due to this, he has in my opinion, successfully managed to chip away at the notion of Dutch tolerance in society. Instead now there is an ever increasing anti-immigrant resentment forming in the country. This also stems from two previous, high profile killings of public figures that have been used as 'evidence' to demand a more homogeneous society instead of the multiculturalist society that Holland used to be famous for. While the film is not as bad as people originally thought it would be, it is still interesting to view. What are your thoughts?