Miscellaneous
Why is repetition so interesting?
An aphorism by James Geary, author of The World in a Phrase and Geary's Guide to the World's Great Aphorists. James Geary | April 2009 issue It doesn’t quite make sense. Why is repetition so interesting? Variety delights even as it disperses, but the thrill of the familiar persists. It’s like Read More...
“Summer vacations cause disadvantaged children to fall behind”
Education outside the classroom, through summertime activities rooted in family life, can boost kids’ prospects for the future. Marco Visscher | April 2009 issue Karl Alexander, professor of sociology at John Hopkins University. Photo: Karl Alexander Karl Alexander, professor of sociology Read More...
Video: Taking a tour through Brazilian slums
Slum tours offer travelers an authentic, offbeat look at foreign cultures - and give locals a new way to make a living. These tours, which began in one of the most famous slums of Rio de Janeiro, are beginning to spread to other cities with famous slums, such as Mumbai, Nairobi, and Read More...
Andrew Tolve's eco-adventure journal
Andrew Tolve spends five days in Ecuador rafting, hiking, horse riding and biking with native guides to discover whether the practice of eco-adventure lives up to its promise. Ode Editors | April 2009 issue Day 1: White Water Rafting, Río Taochi We met our group just after sunup this Read More...
Community-based tourism: Going native
For life-changing trips that boost local economies, try community-based tourism. Ode Editors | April 2009 issue Leo Caprez outside of a yurt in Kyrgyzstan. Photo: Leo Caprez At the end of a business trip to Central Asia last summer, Leo Caprez decided to see Kyrgyzstan. So he signed on for a Read More...
Sufi Rapper: An excerpt from Abd al Malik's autobiography
Abd al Malik on his journey from drug dealer to rap star to Sufi mystic. Ode Editors | April 2009 issue Abd al Malik performs with DJ Laurent Garnier at the Montreux Jazz Festival. Photo: Reuters/Denis Balibouse I lived Islam as a body of commandments that I only needed to put into practice Read More...
Video: Abd Al Malik,
"Gibraltar" is the title track of Abd al Malik's hip hop/slam poetry album. The album reflects Malik's personal experiences in turning a life of violence around, as well as his perspective on the mixture of his Congolese and French backgrounds. He uses Gibraltar as the symbolic meeting point of Read More...
Video: Aviv Geffen,
Aviv Geffen, an Israeli pop artist, has been advocating peace through his music for fifteen years. He has received death threats for his open criticism of government policy. "Cry for You," originally written for a friend killed in a car crash, was sung by Geffen in honor of the assassinated Read More...
Improve mental health with neurofeedback
How you can train your brain to help reduce stress, enhance creativity and improve mental health. Blaine Greteman | March 2009 issue As Vicki Wyatt attaches electrodes to my scalp with a generous glop of slimy goo, I'll admit I'm a little skeptical about the calming effects of the treatment I'm Read More...
In search of nature's pharmacy
How the indigenous people of Peru are growing medicinal plants to preserve their livelihoods-and their fragile ecosystems. March 2009 issue Sandro waves to me from the crowded arrival gate. He's the cousin of Sergio Cam, whom I first met 10 years ago and with whom I've been working ever since. Read More...