[Andreas Denmark]

Hi,

I’m a journalist from Denmark (Small country in Scandinavia, northern Europe) and I’m going to Arkansas to cover the Presidential inauguration in January.

My task is to look at some of the challenges Obama is facing as soon as he enters the White House. In other words, to talk to to people far away from Washington, where the political correspondents will cover the actual event.

I have never been to Arkansas, so I hope someone can help me:

I want to make a story about the consequences of the recession. Does anybody know what towns have been hit the hardest?

Looking forward to visiting Arkansas

Sinc.
Andreas

[DC at the Ridge]

Why are you coming to Arkansas to cover the inauguration?

There's not really an inauguration angle to cover from Arkansas.

As regards the recession, there are a lot of truck drivers in Arkansas. That would be a good starting point for how the recession affects average Americans. JB Hunt in Lowell is one of the biggest carriers. Then talk to some of the independent drivers. Banks could steer you to some of the drivers who've lost their trucks. Another occupation would be builders/developers. Or realtors. Because of the downturn in the housing market, people associated with those businesses have been hit hard.

[joebaldknobber]

Originally Posted by Andreas Denmark

Hi,

I’m a journalist from Denmark (Small country in Scandinavia, northern Europe) and I’m going to Arkansas to cover the Presidential inauguration in January.

My task is to look at some of the challenges Obama is facing as soon as he enters the White House. In other words, to talk to to people far away from Washington, where the political correspondents will cover the actual event.

I have never been to Arkansas, so I hope someone can help me:

I want to make a story about the consequences of the recession. Does anybody know what towns have been hit the hardest?

Looking forward to visiting Arkansas

Sinc.
Andreas

Enjoy your visit. Arkansas is far away physically & mentally from Washington, DC.

I saw a study a year ago that indicated Denmark had the happiest people in the world. It looks like a beautiful country.

[Andreas Denmark]

Thanks for your input, DC! Sounds like a good idea.

Originally Posted by DC at the Ridge

Why are you coming to Arkansas to cover the inauguration?

There's not really an inauguration angle to cover from Arkansas.

Exactly!

In january the reporters will cover plenty of speeches of plans, hopes and ambitions from the politicians in Washington. I want to hear what "ordinary" Americans want and expect to happen. I hope to speak to a lot of people during my two weeks in Arkansas. I did the same thing during the presidential campaign where I went to rural Ohio.

Originally Posted by joebaldknobber

Enjoy your visit. Arkansas is far away physically & mentally from Washington, DC.

I saw a study a year ago that indicated Denmark had the happiest people in the world. It looks like a beautiful country.

Thanks, Joebaldknobber!

I read about the report as well. I think it was based on a lot of factors like suicide rate, corruption, crime, surveys, etc. etc. However, I think happiness is a hard thing to measure like that.

Denmark is a very small and quiet, but quite nice place. Except for the rainy weather...

[Bull Winkus]

Arkansas is one of the least affected states when it comes to the recession. This economic downturn is all about deflation and deleveraging in big city banking and real estate after a speculative bubble.

Talk about speculative bubbles to most Arkansans and you'll get, "You mean those big round things you use to make soap bubbles with?"

If you're going to cover the economic angle from my home state, you might want to take the tack that close to the ground little has changed, despite the alarmist headlines.

[bagelw]

I'm not sure about the entire state of Arkansas but NW Arkansas does not seem to be all that affected by the current economic downturns. At least no where near what is happening in other parts of the country. I would think Michigan would be a better state to check out for what you're looking for.

[Bull Winkus]

Oops, guess it wasn't clear that my home state is Arkansas.

Yes, Michigan is probably in the top 5 states affected by the recession.

My point is that most of the effect is on Wal Street, not in the rural counties of Arkansas. It might be slightly harder to get a job in Little Rock, but it wasn't easy before hand.

But, a story can have many different angles. The real story may be that life outside the mainstream of the excesses of big business carries on despite the adversity in the headlines.

[photobuff42]

It might be good for Arkansas to be the setting of such a story.

[RangerDuke08]

Yeah NW Arkansas has a pretty sound economy compared to the rest of the nation. I might consider Michigan, motorcity, it's also a blue state.

[ArkansasTraveler]

Originally Posted by Andreas Denmark

Hi,

I’m a journalist from Denmark (Small country in Scandinavia, northern Europe)
Andreas

I'm second generation American of Danish grandfathers. One from Horsens and the other from Copenhagen.

I have been trying to find out if there is a statue of a Professor Rasmussen in a square in the old part of Copenhagen. His wife was suppose to be the Countess Louise. Any assistance in this would be much Aloha.