Eye of Modok

A minimum-security prison on a lush island about one and a half miles off the coast of Norway now claims to be the world’s first ecological prison. Bastoey Prison does not rely on barbed wire or locked doors to keep the inmates in, but rather expects that they will enjoy their stay so much that they won’t risk a return to a maximum security prison. The prisoners also learn about individual responsibility, sustainability and the rewards of hard work, often leading to genuine change of heart, at least according to the program sponsors. Sounds like a move in the right direction to me. More than one right direction at that.

Original story
[tags] ecology, ecovillage, environment, prison, Norway, Bastoey Prison [/tags]

Ellie and Blysse got very attached to “Spotty”, a hermit crab they found on the beach. Ellie cried her eyes out when we finally let him/her go. This was taken during a relatively rain free moment. You can get a glimpse of Kata Beach and see that it is a pretty small and private beach, one of the reasons it is popular for families.

The kids made me promise before we left Beijing that they could get their hair braided in Thailand. These ladies on Patong Beach made a deal for both kids for 1,000 baht so it was a no-brainer to do it there. Apparently, they are carrying on an interesting conversation in Thai about some kind of magic that allows women who are plain in the day to become amazingly beautiful at night. (I thought that was called makeup.)