After reading Krugman today I'm ready to go hide under a rock. I figured it was bad, but sheesh. There's bad and then there is bad.

This is great news, if true. Yes, the guts of the story have already been posted here at The Agonist, but Harper goes into a bit more detail, worth reading, if you ask me. I do wonder what Ross did to get fired.

My first week home was, while not exciting, pleasant. Hanging out with my Mom, seeing my sister, old friends, catching up, all a part of the return. After staying at my Mom's the first week I headed out to Williamson County to stay with a buddy until my flat is ready. He's got a wonderful house, spacious, with two dogs that are sweet--if one is a bit to exuberant in the mornings, you know, I just don't like being licked (cue the peanut gallery)--but it's out in sub-urban hell. The last several days after waking up and eating breakfast I drive into town to spend my day writing in a local coffee shop. I greet each morning with a smile, the promise of a new day. But the moment I pull the car out of the subdivision onto Anderson Mill Road, my mood sinks. I look around me. I see blue skies, a warm sun and concrete big boxes in all directions. Home.

"Where is the wonder," I ask myself? I know it's silly. Austin isn't Istanbul. It's not Muscat. It's not even Singapore. And so I drive thirty minutes into town, sit down at a table and fire up my Mac Book Pro. The blank white page and the blinking cursor reflect back on me the emptiness I feel.

More after the jump.

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As if there was really any question that our mainstream media wasn't composed entirely of whores--although a whore might be insulted by the comparison, let there be no remaining doubts:

The Washington Post has offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few": Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and — at first — even the paper’s own reporters and editors.

The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff."

With the newsroom in an uproar after POLITICO reported the solicitation, Executive Editor Marcus Brauchli said this morning that he was "appalled" by the plan and said the newsroom will not participate.

"It suggests that access to Washington Post journalists was available for purchase," Brauchli told The Post’s media reporter, Howard Kurtz. The proposal "promises we would suspend our usual skeptical questioning because it appears to offer, in exchange for sponsorships, the good name of The Washington Post."

I'm speechless.

Painful acceleration in job losses this month. Economist's expected losses of 365,000, instead they got 467,000.

Here's the killer quote, however:

Consumers are saving 6.9 percent of their disposable income, and spending remains sluggish.

Consumers are still retrenching. 6.9% for American consumers? That's a huge number. An implicit argument in the Times article comes from this quote:

“We have to wait to see where things go,” said Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Economy.com. “If we didn’t have the stimulus, the economy would’ve contracted twice as fast in the second quarter and the job losses we’re suffering now would be very similar to the ones we were suffering at the beginning of the year.”

I read this to mean the bounce from the stimulus is, to a certain degree, over. Is it? I can't say. We'll have to wait an see what the July numbers are like.

Still, are you still retrenching? Are you saving more than you spend? How are your neighbors doing? Still unemployed? Or recently laid-off? I know far too many people here in Austin who are unemployed. Another indicator is the sheer amount of homeless people I see on the streets, begging at stop lights and the like. This isn't over.

The Minnesota Supreme Court issued a judgment in favor of Al Franken this afternoon. Norm Coleman has conceded. The Democrats now have a filibuster proof majority in the Senate. Will they use it?

It's raining here in Austin today. It's a rather typical rain--at least the kind of rain I've come to know in the last twenty years. Long, parched dry spells followed by brief torrential rains. It's the worst possible kind of rain for local farmers. Crops are parched. Fields are dry, unable to absorb the rain, which destroys the weakened crops and runs off into the rivers, swelling them, causing floods and more destruction further down the watershed.

In the past I would not have noticed this. But after a few years of of reading Don's missives and traveling the world for a year, experiencing agriculture first hand, I've witnessed the devastation we're causing around the globe. From the parched, dusty Deccan in India to the wrecked agricultural lands of Eastern Cambodia and the absolute ecological havoc in Russia it is now rather quite obvious; undeniable is a word that comes to mind.

Don's asks the question about redemption: I don't have an answer, mostly because I think redemption is a bullshit word humans made up to make them feel better about the really stupid mistakes they make and the inevitable bounce-back that occurs from their mistakes, I mean, everyone gets a dead cat bounce in life, right?

That's not to say that redemption is not real. I want to believe that no man is beyond redemption, but I can't say I know it's true quality and I won't pretend I do. I can't give up on the idea, but in my experience it happens far, far less than I was ever willing to believe.

I'm doing my best to not reintegrate. I suppose it is easy right now as I am couch-surfing at a friend's place, until I find something more permanent. (Not that I really want to, but I do need to replenish the bank account before I get on the road again.)

It's weird being home. Nothing has changed. Nothing. And that is disturbing. People still make the same old arguments in favor of or against just about everything, politics included. Fortunately my friends have accepted the fact that I won't reintegrate (they actually seem to appreciate it, albeit from a vicarious perspective) and the question they all ask is: "when are you leaving again? And where are you going?" Even my mom is intensely curious to know where I am going next. That's also weird. I was worried I wouldn't be able to reconnect with my friends, that there would be a distance between us--but so far (and it has only been a week) they seem not to care. The distance doesn't exist; I'm just Sean Paul to them, a little odd, adventurous and independent. And for that I am grateful. It's weird, but wonderful. Of course, they all want to know about Turkey, "travel tips, please?" And they all are fascinated by Lake Toba and ask all kinds of questions about it, but when I tell them how hard it is to get to they lose interest, which suits me fine. I hope the place remains undiscovered.

I witnessed some amazing sunsets on my journey. And I count my blessings I was able to see them all. But this evening as I was headed home I caught the fiery Hill Country sun washing out over the hills and smiled. A neon wasteland of Crispy Kreme's, Walmart's and Chili's lined the hard concrete freeways and yet, the Hill Country sun was as wonderful, warm and inviting as I ever recall it.

For the first time since I returned a week ago I grinned a giddy, childish and carefree grin, the same one I'd carried around for the last year, and mumbled under my breath, "it's good to be home."

What I miss most about being home is simple. I miss being able to walk out my door, be it in Istanbul, Singapore or India and walk down the street to get what I want, see my neighbors, smile at strangers and stretch my legs. (And I could care less if it is 105* out right now. It was hotter in India and Oman, by an order of magnitude and that never stopped me from walking.)

Here I have to get in a car to drive three miles to the nearest convenience store. What the hell is so convenient about that? No one smiles, no one says, "hello" and no one shares any local gossip. Everyone is a stranger. I felt less lonely and isolated in foreign countries than I do here. That just ain't right.

I like what Jenny Sanford said here:

To one reporter who wondered what might come of Mr. Sanford’s political career, Mrs. Sanford answered sharply: “His career is not a concern of mine. He’s going to have to worry about that. I’m worried about my family and the character of my children.”

In essence she said, "he's a dumbass." Someday a political wife is just going to come out and say that, what we all want her to say. This is the closest I've seen of it yet. I personally am tired of the women who come out and say they are going to stand by their men. I mean, really? The husbands are assholes, no?

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One of the most pleasant surprises along the road was how many of my old friends got in touch with me and followed my travels. This was something I did not expect. (Mind you, most of my friends in San Antonio don't have much to do with me because of Kenneth Foster, but that's by the by.) It was mostly old high school pals from Austin and many of my college buddies from the University of Houston.

It's ironic that I traveled alone for a year and returned home to a host of renewed friendships. Ironic but happy.

One a completely unrelated topic: everyone is complaining about the heat here in Austin. After India and Oman, not to mention 6 months of Malacca Straits weather, 103* of strong blue skies and low humidity--relative to the Straits, mind you, doesn't phase me a bit.

Besides, nothing is as hot and miserable as the Deccan in late March!

I woke up, ramrod straight at 530am again this morning. Sorry, Numerian, I didn't watch any infomericals last night--although some boobies would be nice!

Anyway, I called GEICO and reinstated my insurance policy, especially as the State of Texas has a new tool in their arsenal to hose people when it comes to insurance: a real time way of checking if a person pulled over has insurance. Now, I think insurance is a good idea, but insurance in Texas is decidedly medieval.

After that I showered, got in my 22 year old Honda (yes, it still runs!) and sped off to the local mom and pop taco stand. I sat down, ordered chorizo con huevos and dug in like a man before his execution. It was divine!

After paying the bill I got back in my car, turned on the radio--first mistake of the morning--quickly changed the channel from NPR to music and drove to my favorite coffee house. The DJs were discussing the proposal of a new sound ordinance here in Austin. Apparently people who live in the downtown, urban area of town, are complaining about all the noise on the streets at night from the drunks, college students, bands, etc. .

So, I'm confused: you want to live in an urban environment--they really are trying to create a mini-Manhattan here in the Austin downtown area--but you don't want all the noise? The citizens want to create a 'music oversight board' and spend half a million on it, for the city, meanwhile the local policemen gave up a $5 million pay raise to help the city out?

Really, how American is that?

Apparently the entire country is still in total denial.

Gawd, the food sucks in America. My bowels are in an uproar right now. What's a guy gotta do to get vine ripened tomatoes? Fresh cucumbers? Arugala in his salad and decent cheese--and not pay an arm and a leg for it? And don't get me started on bread, mkaay?

Everything I have eaten in the last two days tastes like three day old cardboard and Cheezewiz. This whole food thing is going to be a real adjustment. And it is something I was really unprepared for. I've never been a real food hound, eating what's in front of me just like the rest of us. But after a year of eating local, non-industrialized food I can see why people in the rest of the world shake their heads at us.

I'll be taking what I eat a lot more seriously in the weeks to come.

Two thumbs up for Sarkozy:

“The issue of the burqa is not a religious issue. It is a question of freedom and of women’s dignity,” Mr. Sarkozy said. “The burqa is not a religious sign. It is a sign of the subjugation, of the submission, of women.”

Having seen the devastating treatment of women across large swathes of the world this last year, it's obvious to say that my views on hejab have changed markedly. I first saw it as a matter of personal choice, but the more I examined the issue the more the evidence was overwhelming that it is as Sarkozy describes, a manner of enslavement.

The way the sexes mingle and socialize and interact together in the West is something we often take for granted. But we shouldn't. Women have worked very hard to get where they are (and many men have helped as well) but there is still work to be done.

I applaud the French president for taking a stand that won't be easy.

It's 530am, Tuesday morning. I'm awake. It's the jetlag. And I'm already asking myself, "how the fuck do I get out of this madhouse?"

I think this will be the hardest lesson of all.

Lunch yesterday in Houston was dreadful. The food tasted like processed cheese. Everyone is attached to blackberries. And I fear, most of all, losing the ability to live in the moment. I worry I won't be able to snatch all those little moments of beauty and wonder, stick them in my pocket and pull them out when I need them.

It's strange, out there, in the world, I never felt lost. A stream of images rush past, the fabric of the last year, the warp of memories and the weft of people. Even in the middle of a bewildering 'India moment' I knew exactly where I was. But here?

It's not easy leaving all that magic behind.

I arrived home earlier today. Regular blogging should resume sometime in the near future. Strange being back. A year is a long time, but not so long, either.

Normally, I would have covered the Iranian elections and followed them very closely. I didn't this time around. (That's not to say that I didn't follow them, in a semi-detached way.) I was just too busy. I have a great deal more respect now for young parents--dealing with two kids and two adult lives is no easy task. As a matter of fact, it's more like a three person job split between two people. So, the last several days I've been trying (and probably mostly failing) to help out where I can here in Nyborg. I've also been relaxing and generally enjoying myself and am at a point where I really don't give a fig about the outside world.

That will change, as I will be returning home in the next two or three months. And so it goes, back to life, back to normality. But until then I'm living in the moment, sucking up as much of this wonderful journey as remains.

By the way, CV lost the "Sean Paul will return by March bet" in a really bad way. Feel free, CV, to chip in to the travel fund at Paypal, if you are so inclined. ;-)

This is certainly an interesting rumor. Can't say I saw it confirmed yet, but still, if it plays out, I won't be sad to see Ross go.

As I was walking home from the Christening Party this afternoon I saw a wonderful field of flowers. I was reminded of my good friend Jeff with whom I traveled in Malaysia and his habit of stopping to smell the flowers. It is a good habit to pick up. Really, how often do we all just stop to enjoy the little things in life, those things that are totally and completely free and untainted by all the associations that Madison Avenue and 'normal' life throw at us? So, that is just what I did, smelled the flowers and took this shot.

Today Sienna Anemone Noble was christened and I am her Godfather. It's pretty cool. If you are so inclined there is a massive photo dump of the full day, here. I haven't been around much, lately. But I will be heading off to Finland in a day or so and the journey will continue.

Two big photos dumps can be found here and here. Most of my time has been just hanging out with my new best friend: Sebastian Alister Noble. I tell you: he's awesome! Denmark is so laid back, so easy going, it's impossible not to fall into a very lazy rhythm. And that's exactly what has happened. Camilla, Stuart and I hang out with the kids, go up to the garden house, build a little, have lunch, hang out with Sebastian, goof off and generally do little or nothing all day. Sure, I'm heading down to Odensee with Stuart on Friday to see some stuff. And then early next week I am heading up to Finland to visit friends I met at Lake Toba and to see that amazing 24 hour mid-summer's day. But other than that: I'm content to do little or nothing, especially as the day is soon coming when I'll turn decidedly Westwards and make my way home. I plan on returning to Austin by September 1, 2009. It's time and had you asked me nine months ago if I would be excited about returning home I would have laughed at you, but I am.

I could go on for another six months, but I've found, by and large, what I came out here in the world to find. As I wrote a family member today: "I may not be rich. I may not have a fancy car. But my life is full, full of wonder, joy, confusion, sadness, loneliness, sometimes regret, and more often than I ever imagined, bliss. The bitterness and the 'darkness' are gone."

Here's to a wonderful little boy who in just three days has filled my life with more joy than I thought possible. He is by and large the best thing Stuart has ever done.

And so, I sit by a window watching late evening sunset magenta clouds race across a Baltic horizon and I know the past is behind me, the future is unknown and am content with the now.

I'm running the iPhone 1.1.4 software. It's hacked so that I can use international sim cards. Does anyone know of an easy to install hack for version 2.2? I really need to upgrade, as I have a few iPhone apps I want to use. Suggestions welcome.