What's good today?

[Telesfora]

This thread is very general. I created it to share positive events, initiatives, and observations about the world around us. These can be global news stories, but also thoughts and pleasant surprises from more private life.

News for today:

‘We’re winning a battle’: Mexico’s jaguar numbers up 30% in conservation drive

In 2010, Gerardo Ceballos and a group of other researchers set out to answer a burning question: how many jaguars were there in Mexico? They knew there weren’t many. Hunting, loss of habitat, conflict with cattle ranchers and other issues had pushed the population to the brink of extinction.

Ceballos and his team from the National Alliance for Jaguar Conservation (ANCJ) thought there were maybe 1,000 jaguars across the country. They decided to carry out the country’s first census of the animal to find out exactly how many there were. They found 4,100.

“It was a great surprise, terrific news,” Ceballos said. “Obviously 4,000 means the species is still in danger of extinction, but 4,000 is a lot better than 1,000.”

Fast-forward 15 years and the news has got even better. The group’s latest census found that in 2024 there were 5,326 jaguars in Mexico, a 30% increase compared with 2010.

“The fact that the country has managed to maintain and increase its population over the last 14 years is extraordinary,” Ceballos said. “For me it’s great news for the country. Mexico and the world need good news.”

I invite anyone to share your positive stories, thoughts and news!

 

[Telesfora]

Positive news for today:

The extraordinary stories of survivors of the Rwandan genocide who forgave their attackers​

The 1994 Tutsi genocide in Rwanda claimed over a million lives and left deep psychological scars among the Rwandan population, especially those who survived the genocide.

How do people overcome such trauma, especially in poor nations with minimal mental healthcare? In 2005, Dutch sociotherapist Cora Dekker developed an affordable, effective method in collaboration with the diocese of Byumba of the Anglican church. This approach, originally used by qualified staff in western clinics to treat military personnel and asylum seekers, was transformed into volunteer work involving trained therapists from local African communities. In Rwanda it is known as Mvura Nkuvure: “I heal you, you heal me.” More than 64,000 Rwandans have completed the therapy.

The therapy consists of 15 weekly three-hour sessions, with 10 to 15 participants. The first three meetings focus on safety. “During the first, no one feels safe,” says Emmanuel Sarabwe, a trainer and researcher at CBS Rwanda. “Imagine sitting in a circle with family members of the person who killed your brothers and sisters. Or the perpetrator. The discomfort is palpable.”

There is often dancing and singing and games, to keep the atmosphere light. Slowly, the beginning of a group feeling emerges. The next three sessions focus on trust: who do you trust? What inspires trust? The next two phases revolve around care and respect. In the last two, the focus is on directing oneself towards the future rather than the past, but also unearthing positive memories: when did you feel happy? When were you supported? Who were the people good to you?

“Every word, every gesture can be the spark that leads to closeness and healing contact in the group,” Sarabwe says. It helps if perpetrators show genuine remorse and awareness of what they have done, and what pain they have caused. The group listen carefully and one statement recurs: “They have suffered, too.”

The goal of the therapy was to give people tools to cope with trauma, but in many cases much more was achieved—forgiveness and reconciliation. After completing social therapy, 80% of the groups still meet.

 

[Sindy-S.R]

@Telesfora, I got this news, (I hope it's true), a good example to follow!

The head of Ford sent his son to the industry.​

04.10.2025 10:37

Ford's CEO Jim Farley announced that he has placed his 17-year-old son Jameson in a job to learn how to weld. In his statement, Farley said, "I got him a job this summer where he would learn how to weld. This way, he learned to create, what he can achieve with his hands, and to trust people."​

Ford CEO Jim Farley announced that his 17-year-old son Jameson spent his summer vacation learning welding in the industry.

SPENT HIS VACATION IN THE INDUSTRY​

Speaking on the "Decoder" podcast, Farley stated that he wanted his son to gain a different experience during the vacation, saying, "I got him a job where he would learn how to weld. This way, he learned to create, what he can achieve with his hands, and to trust people."

Farley emphasized that this experience opened a new door for his son, stating, "If he becomes the best welder or mechanic working with our super powerful diesel engines one day, I would be very happy as a parent."

"THE FOUNDATION OF THE ECONOMY IS BUILT ON THESE JOBS"​

Farley's remarks came at a time when the labor shortage in skilled trades is a hot topic in the U.S. Ford hosted a CEO summit this week in Detroit, where industry leaders discussed how to improve production.

Highlighting that industrial and labor-intensive professions are vital for society, Farley pointed out many professions, from firefighters to electricians, technicians to factory workers. "When things go wrong, there aren't enough people to save society," Farley continued with the following words:

"Our families and elders built the country through these professions. However, today society does not value these people as much as artificial intelligence engineers."

 

[Telesfora]

In a thread: 4D STO principles it was mentioned that having a good role model and acting in accordance with the right values can increase our chances of achieving greater STO alignment.

Having a Good Role Model: Inspiration and Guidance​

A role model who embodies compassion, integrity, and selflessness shows us the path to a STO life. Whether a teacher, friend, or historical figure, such role models inspire us to transcend ourselves. They remind us that true greatness lies in serving others without self-interest. By emulating their values, we strengthen our own alignment with STO.

Apostles Paul’s list of things to avoid and things to enhance:

• Vices to avoid: fornication, licentiousness, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, selfishness, dissension, envy, drunkenness. Self-conceit, provoking one another, and envy.
• Virtues to enhance: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
• It’s important to have in mind that “Whatsoever a man sows, that will he also reap”, and “let us not grow weary or lose heart." Most important to remember the "sowing" part in the context of your antennae and how your antennae determines your future. If you're not taking care of your inner landscape and the immediate world around you in terms of your group and your associations and so forth, you're screwing up your antenna and then you're going to have a bad future because your antenna will attract the wrong things.

This story reminds me of following these principles:

Life after: being on death row

Anthony Ray Hinton was wrongfully convicted of two murders and spent nearly 30 years on death row. Yet, he didn't grew weary nor he lost his heart.

Hinton spent the next 28 years in a windowless, 5 by 7ft cell. He grew grateful to see the sky once every three months. He studied, and started a book club. He clung to his faith and found solace in flights of imagination: taking tea with the Queen and hitting home runs for the New York Yankees.

On death row, Hinton watched 54 fellow inmates walk past his cell to their deaths in the electric chair, or by lethal injection.

One of them – Henry Hays – had become the most unlikely of best friends in Alabama’s Holman Correctional Facility. Unlikely because Hays was a prominent Ku Klux Klansman convicted of lynching a black man, Michael Donald. Having renounced hate, Hays spent his final few hours in Hinton’s company.

“I didn’t want Henry to think about what was coming at 12 o’clock that night. My task was to make sure he laughed all day, and I think I did a great job,” Hinton recalls. “That’s one thing I loved about the row: even on the most difficult days, we found a reason, and a ‘why’, to laugh.”

EJI lawyer Bryan Stevenson fought for 15 years to have the case reviewed, finally securing Hinton's release on April 3, 2015.

Astonishingly, Hinton has never received an apology – let alone a single cent in compensation – for the three decades he spent inside. And yet he refuses to succumb to anger.

“They didn’t even give me a bus ticket to get home,” says Hinton. “But if I was angry, I’d be giving them too much satisfaction that they broke me. They didn’t break me: they motivated me. I will not allow my emotion to get caught up with what needs to be done, and what needs to be said. I’m going to do that until the day I die.”

He currently devotes his time to helping people who have suffered the same fate.

 

[Telesfora]

Some good news about restoring wildlife and reforestation

How wildlife is returning to heathland

A new study of recently restored heathland has found species are returning faster than expected.

The specialist habitat will take decades to fully establish but the project has identified more than 70 different species already thriving.

Forestry England has restored 170 hectares of heathland in the New Forest since 2019 with a further 190 hectares planned over the next 5 years.

The independent survey of the recently restored heathland has been carried out by Wild New Forest and the New Forest Biodiversity Forum.

Director of Wild New Forest, Professor Russell Wynn said: "Within 1 to 2 years we've got an assemblage here now that is pretty characteristic of lowland heathland."

"It's going to take years for it to really restore back to absolutely top quality heathland but it's on it's ways and it's going really quick" says Prof Wynn.

"Restoring heathland takes many years so it is incredibly encouraging to see over 70 different species already returning" said Ms Sargeant.

"It just shows how nature can thrive again given a little bit of help.

Dense Micro-Forests Are Thriving in France

On the far eastern edge of Paris, along the outer rim of the infamously traffic-clogged périphérique ring road, a radical method for reforestation has begun to show green shoots of hope in the most unexpected circumstances.

There’s a dense, green thicket of more than 30 species of trees and plants — willows, elms, oaks, limes, poplars and more — towering above what is an otherwise unloved, concrete-filled corner of the French capital.

Developed by the Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki in the 1970s, the concept is to plant tree species that are native to the area in a very dense and layered manner — three per square meter — in order to recreate the richly fertile conditions of the natural primitive forests that once covered the planet. It is in contrast to the slower, more orderly and homogeneous processes of traditional reforestation.

Miyawaki developed four fundamental steps for his method: identifying native species in the area of reforestation, cleaning and preparing the soil, planting the tree saplings in high density, and installing straw protection to improve humidity and water retention. After that, the forest must be weeded once a month until it becomes autonomous.

According to Meguro, (a senior researcher at the IGES-Japanese Center for International Studies in Ecology) at least 40 million trees have been planted across the world using Miyawaki’s method, spanning 19 countries and 2,700 projects, from tropical rainforests to alpine zones and former mining sites with acidic soil.

Paris City Hall said in 2020 it would plant 170,000 trees using the Miyawaki method – which it described as an “innovative planting method” – over the next six years.

 

[Sindy-S.R]

Post in thread 'Tucker Carlson interviews & ideologies'

Wednesday at 1:15 PM

I'm having a sleepless night, so what better to spend my time than to tune into Tucker Carlson and Jeffery Sachs in conversation from earlier today. There's a powerful 30 min monologue from Carlson to kick things off, then a good chat with Sachs. Carlson is in danger of getting a little too "Jesus" for me, but I still love his fire, and he's a clear minded presence in the modern world debate. As for Sachs, well you Americans should consider him a national treasure. He's sharp and concise on all subjects here. It's a long vid but worth a listen. Now I'm off for a well-earned...

• Cosmos

• 

This is good news, but as it is said in detail, this is the devil...

Denmark plans social media ban for under-15s as PM warns phones ‘stealing childhood’
Mette Frederiksen links social media use to anxiety, depression and lack of concentration

How will Australia’s under-16s social media ban be enforced, and which platforms will be exempt?​

No prescribed avenue for social media companies to check users’ ages, but options include facial estimation technology and matching photos with ID

What are the exemptions?​

The government said platforms would be exempt if they had the primary purpose of:

• Messaging, emailing, voice calling or video calling

• Playing online games

• Sharing information about products or services

• Professional networking or professional development

• Education

• Health

• Communication between educational institutions and students or their families

• Facilitating communication between providers of healthcare and people using those providers’ services

In practice, this means that LinkedIn, WhatsApp, Roblox, and Coursera would likely be exempt if assessed to meet the criteria. LinkedIn had previously argued to the government it was not of interest to children.

In theory, it could also mean YouTube Kids could be exempt from the ban if it meets the criteria for an exemption, given it does not allow comments on videos. But the government has not confirmed this, and YouTube has not commented on whether it would seek an exemption for its service designed for children.

Norway to increase minimum age limit on social media to 15 to protect children​

Prime minister wants young people to be shielded from ‘power of the algorithm’

France to trial ban on mobile phones at school for children under 15​

‘Digital pause’ experiment at 200 secondary schools could be extended nationwide in January

Valditara calls on EU to ban smartphones in school until at least the age of 14​

Italian proposal supported by ten Member Countries and the Polish rotating presidency of the EU Council. Valditara suggests considering bans even up to high school and working on "stringent regulation in the use of social media by under-15s"​

 

[axj]

A smartphone ban in schools may make sense, but banning children from social media is basically another pretext to force Digital ID.

 

[Sindy-S.R]

A smartphone ban in schools may make sense, but banning children from social media is basically another pretext to force Digital ID.

Yes, I completely agree with you, and that will surely be the consequence: digital identification.

But I wonder, were we free before the internet?...

Let me explain my point of view. I know the situation and the variables at play are much more complex in this world, and if I'm wrong, please correct me.

We are 3D beings in a world controlled by 4D STS forces, which feed (Loosh) on the suffering of 2D and 3D beings.
If these are the main rules of the game in our reality, what would be the lesser evil?
The creation of digital identity, don't worry! I know very well the consequences of that form of control.
Or the far west of psychopaths, pedophiles, and cyberbullying that currently exists on the internet?
The suicide statistics due to cyberbullying of children and adults because of social media are worrying.
I have experienced mobbing. And it's something I don't recommend anyone experience.
I don't have children, but I can understand the pain a victim of cyberbullying can feel.

I, for example, don't have an Amazon, Netflix, Instagram, or other account out of personal protest against the system.
I rarely use X and TikTok. Unfortunately, until last year, I didn't have internet on my cell phone; I used Wi-Fi at home or whatever I found free on the street. For practical reasons, because my job is 50 km from my home, I had to activate it.

Personally, I would prefer that children under 15 not have a cell phone, or at least no internet at all.

I'm sharing a YouTuber I've been following for over a year who wrote a book in Italian, "Diventare invisibili." ("Becoming invisible.")

Diventare invisibili. Strategie per sparire fisicamente, virtualmente e fiscalmente. Come mettere al sicuro i propri averi e salvarsi dalle ingiustizie del Sistema : Narmenni, Francesco: Amazon.it: Books

Diventare invisibili. Strategie per sparire fisicamente, virtualmente e fiscalmente. Come mettere al sicuro i propri averi e salvarsi dalle ingiustizie del Sistema : Narmenni, Francesco: Amazon.it: Books

www.amazon.it

If anyone in the forum knows other books on this topic, I would be delighted to know it!

I wonder if anyone moves the hills in this world are invisible...

 

[axj]

If these are the main rules of the game in our reality, what would be the lesser evil?

It is the responsibility of the parents to install child protection filters on the computers or smartphones of their children and to make sure that their children are not online all the time, especially small children.

Wanting to rely on an increasingly totalitarian government to protect children is certainly not the lesser evil.

 

[Sindy-S.R]

It is the responsibility of the parents to install child protection filters on the computers or smartphones of their children and to make sure that their children are not online all the time, especially small children.

Wanting to rely on an increasingly totalitarian government to protect children is certainly not the lesser evil.

Maybe I'm wrong to be optimistic, but I hope someone very creative or a group of creatives will replace the internet we know, or perhaps the one that already exists...
With something that connects us globally without restrictions or censorship.
What we have now, I see only as a form of slavery and a cognitive drug.
If they could do it with DeepSeek, they could do it with the internet...

 

[axj]

With something that connects us globally without restrictions or censorship.

You were in favor of government restrictions on the Internet use of children and now you seem to be advocating the complete opposite.

The Internet has more than enough places without censorship, including this forum.

 

[Sindy-S.R]

You were in favor of government restrictions on the Internet use of children and now you seem to be advocating the complete opposite.

The Internet has more than enough places without censorship, including this forum.

@axj, I also put this in my comment.

What we have now, I see only as a form of slavery and a cognitive drug.

Anyway, the freedom that many desire or pretend to have is only an illusion.
We are 3D beings controlled by 4D STS beings.

I am always grateful to have known the work of Laura & Co. and the Cass.