#psotd

Lore: Long after humanity has lived and died, the only sign left behind to ever show that humanity existed is my tea mug. Bonsai trees have gone rampant, and ants have somehow found a way to harvest magical energy from one such tree that grew on my mug.

Constructive criticism will be much appreciated.

"The Golden Gate Bridge is an iconic landmark of San Francisco, drawing millions of visitors each year. Unfortunately, it is also one of the most popular suicide destinations in the world. California Highway Patrol Sergeant, Kevin Briggs, has saved hundreds of people from jumping over the famous railings in his 26 years of patrolling the bridge through his compassion and dedication - a true everyday hero."

"A new method of farming is helping farmers in Bangladesh produce more food in less space, and could improve the country’s economy and food security in the face of climate change, a new report says.

According to the report, published in the journal Ocean & Coastal Management, a process combining rice and fish farming produces more food on the same area of land, without negative environmental impacts.

The process sees Bangladesh’s coastal farmers add fish such as shrimp and prawns to wet paddy fields in order to grow rice and seafood side by side.

Bangladesh’s main crop of rice cannot provide an adequate food supply alone, the report claims, and improving food security is a high priority for a country where 27% of the population is undernourished.

The problem is worsened by limited land availability. Bangladesh is one of the most densely populated nations in the world and annual flooding affects 18% of the country. This is expected to increase as sea levels rise which, according to the Global Climate Risk Index 2013, makes Bangladesh the fourth most vulnerable country to climate change in the world.

However, the report argues that rice-fish farming could provide a “blue-green revolution” for coastal agriculture. The method can be used in areas flooded with salt water and has the potential to significantly increase crop yields and nutritional variety per hectare. Adding fish to paddy fields has been found to increase rice yields by 8-15%, according to another report by the same researchers published in 2011.

Fish waste discharge has been found to increase the availability of nitrogen and phosphorous in the soil, making it more fertile. The fish also act as a pest management system by eating insects that harm crops, in turn reducing the need for pesticides."

"A tradition started in Italy over a hundred years ago has recently re-emerged as a massive global movement of selflessness and compassion. Veronique Mistiaen reports on the ‘suspended coffee’ phenomenon

A humble tradition that began in Naples, Italy 100 years ago has re-emerged as a massive global solidarity movement – a symbol of kindness at a time of growing economic hardship.

The custom of ‘caffè sospeso’ or ‘suspended coffee’ is when a customer pays for an extra cup of coffee, which someone in need can claim later. It’s a graceful and easy way of showing generosity, as donors and beneficiaries never meet.

The tradition waned over the past decades but has now made a comeback. It re-emerged first in Bulgaria, Spain and other European countries ravaged by the economic crisis, and is now spreading all over the world thanks to the internet and social media. The website www.coffeesharing.com lists 166 participating coffee places in 115 cities and 18 countries, but that’s just a small sample. In the UK alone more than 150 cafes have joined the movement. Even Starbucks has jumped on board, although they serve the suspended coffees in hubs run by Christian charity Oasis, rather than in their shops.

A global online community has formed around the campaign with websites and Facebook pages springing up across the globe, sharing stories and spreading the concept. One of the most popular sites, created in March 2013 by John Sweeney, a father of four from Cork, Ireland, has attracted more than 100,000 ‘likes’. The site offers stickers, posters and logos to participating cafes and a space where shop owners and citizens can share their suspended coffee experiences."

"Burglars who stole computers from an office building returned the items – along with a letter of apology – after apparently realizing they had ransacked a nonprofit that helps victims of sexual violence.

The thieves broke into the San Bernardino County Sexual Assault Services office on the night of July 31, police said. They apparently came in through the ceiling about 10 p.m. and hurriedly took several computer towers and monitors, along with a laptop.

Police arrived and summoned the nonprofit's executive director, Candy Stallings.

"One of the officers had talked to some transients around the street about what was going on. He was telling them about what we do," Stallings said.

The following morning about 4:30 a.m., Stallings said she got another call from police about suspicious activity taking place at her office.

This time when Stallings arrived, she was astonished by what she found.

"All my stuff was in front of the door," Stallings said. "There was a shopping cart, and there were the PCs that were taken, there was the laptop - everything was there.""

"In a former life Scott Neeson was a high-powered Hollywood exec responsible for the global success of box-office hits like Titanic and Braveheart. But eight years ago, after a poignant experience at a Cambodian garbage dump, he quit his job, sold his mansion and traded in all the trappings of success to dedicate his life to underserved children in one of the poorest countries of the world. Today his organization has transformed the lives of thousands. Among a host of services it operates after-school programs, vocational training centers, daycares, and also runs a bakery that equips youth with vocational training while making food for the undernourished. For Neeson there's been no looking back."