Now, now, let's not confuse people....

The Senlis Council proposes to introduce licensed opium production in Afghanistan for pharmaceutical painkillers. Hey, that's a sensible and creative recommendation which at least merits further study, right? Wrong. I cite from The Economist magazine "While being politely careful to express their gratitude for a study that “offers an alternative option”, western officials are in private worried that the suggestion that opium production could be licit might confuse Afghan farmers.Last year's anti-opium campaign included the issuing of numerous fatwas against opium farmers on the understanding that production is haram—forbidden in Islam"

So what's the lesson here: if its confusing, it can't possibly be a solution?

my private bay

if you're there, you don't appreciate it enough. if you're away, you drool about it. and i've been drooling over my private bay: gilimanuk bay (or otherwise known in the diving world as bali's secret bay). i lived less than 200m from the bay, and my afternoon swims there were just fantastic. the bay overlooks a series of mountains in the west bali national park. on clear days the distant mountains of east java are visible, where the sun sets over them. i can't even begin to describe the wonderful feeling of serenity and calm that beset me when i'm floating in the middle of the bay with a darkening sky above me.

the water can be invigoratingly cold, that's why no one else swims there beside me, especially in the afternoons. even skandinavians donned full wetsuit and hood when diving there. wimps. but the last time i swam there--for a night dive--the water was unbelievably nice and comfortable. it was such a nice night of muck diving, getting lost, and feeling the world on your skin.

if anybody needs recommendations or info about staying and things to do in west bali, just holler.

Coral reef rehabilitation in Les Village, Bali

I am particularly proud of the achievements of these guys, even though I have nothing to do with them. To me, they demonstrate the best of private sector, community and NGO partnership, WITHOUT the intervention of the government (and their bureaucratic inefficiencies). Also, if you think the three pillars of sustainable development (i.e. economically viable, socially acceptable, environmentally friendly) are impossible to achieve at the same time, think again!

Achievements of the partnership: conversion of destructive methods of catching ornamental fish (using cyanide) into sustainable ones (using nets, scoop and safe diving methods); expansion of a business model to ensure fishers get a higher margin for their efforts; expansion into other sources of revenue such as tourism based on the rehabilitated local reefs. They've even started a coral adoption program. Please support these villagers if you can--if they're successful, other villages might just follow their lead...