Fascinating article about the mayoral terms of Antanas Mockus in [Bogota Colombia]. Urban Design, Civil Society, Engage Ment. One time, he asked citizens to put their power to use with 350,000 "thumbs-up" and "thumbs-down" cards that his office distributed to the populace. The cards were meant to approve or disapprove of other citizens' behavior; it was a device that many people actively - and peacefully - used in the streets.

Another fascinating ex-mayor of Bogota is Enrique Penalosa. "The least a democratic society should do," he says, "is to offer people wonderful Public Space-s. Public spaces are not a frivolity. They are just as important as hospitals and schools. They create a sense of belonging. This creates a different type of society - a society where people of all income levels meet in public space is a more integrated, socially healthier one."... Bogota's Bus Rapid Transit ([BRT]) system is of particular interest to public officials in the developing world who want to defuse traffic jams but don't have funds to build a metro (SubWay) or tram (Trolley System) system.

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