Gone but not forgotten

Yesterday was a sad day for the Czech Republic, as the world learned of the passing of Vaclav Havel. Havel was a dissident playwright/poet/essayist who became president of Czechoslovakia after Communism was given the boot via the Velvet Revolution, and oversaw the transition of the country into it's current form as the Czech Republic (also peacefully).

For Americans, it's hard to imagine the outpouring of grief that a nation has for a politician, largely because it seems so long since we've had someone deserving. Thousands flooded into Wenceslas Square to pay their respects to the man who helped to lead the nation into what it is today.

Curiously, this week is proving to be quite a shake up to the world scene, as Kim Jong Il has also passed away this morning.