Miscellaneous
Mayors are taking over the world
Local government works on the front lines of democracy. Jay Walljasper explores whether mayors hold the key to achieving political progress and restoring people's faith in government Jay Walljasper| October 2006 issue Bill Clinton, a man whose self-deprecating charm has carried him far in Read More...
Cities of joy
Parks, public squares, trees, playgrounds, the world's longest pedestrian street. As a mayor of Bogot Jay Walljasper | October 2004 issue It feels a bit strange to be sitting in the middle of one of the world’s wealthiest neighborhoods, and to be so thoroughly engrossed in conversation about the Read More...
Let's go home
It may sound oxymoronic, taking a vacation at home, but it can be genuine fun. Ode's executive editor, Jay Walljasper, discovered the joy of staying home and offers you some great ideas for a cheap holiday.Jay Walljasper | July 2004 issue It may sound oxymoronic, taking a vacation at home, but it Read More...
Local food helps fight hunger
Inspiration from Belo Horizonte, Brasil. Brian Halweil | May 2005 issue In their book Hope’s Edge, Frances Moore Lappé and Anna Lappé chronicle the “new social mentality” that took root in Belo Horizonte, Brazil’s fourth largest city, where one-fifth of the city’s youngest children Read More...
Saving the world one-on-one
By connecting people across the planet, mentoring programs can break down the barriers between rich and poor, North and South. Jay Walljasper | Jan/Feb 2006 issue Once there was a kid who seemed to have everything going against him. He was poor, blind and black, living in the backwoods of the Read More...
Profile: Oumou Sy
Oumou Sy's fashion designs show off Africa's playful, unpredictable spirit. Bram Posthumus | September 2004 issue Although Oumou Sy grew up away from Dakar, Senegal’s cosmopolitan capital, and taught herself the fashion trade, she now reigns as the nation’s premier clothes designer. Read More...
A heretic for our times
Biologist Rupert Sheldrake's theories turn everything we know about the universe inside out. That's made him a pariah to the scientific establishment but an inspiration to many people. Jay Walljasper | November 2005 issue Walking to the home of maverick scientist Rupert Sheldrake in Read More...
You do what you eat
Forget tougher punishments and hiring more police. The solution to crime and violence is on your plate. Here's how healthy food can reduce aggressive behaviour. Marco Visscher | September 2005 issue At first glance there seems nothing special about the students at this high school in Appleton, Read More...
Miracle in the desert
The Sekem industrial park in Egypt pioneers a sustainable future Marco Visscher | November 2004 issue This place was nothing but sand 25 years ago. Now a number of nature-friendly businesses are based here, proving that a clean environment and public health can coexist with a growing economy in Read More...
America's future in black and white
Racial healing at home can make a difference around the world Jay Walljasper | June 2005 issue These words, which I am scribbling on a train heading home, mark the first full year of my column for Ode. Much to my surprise, I have written mostly about America—trying to explain the political Read More...