Not What We Mean By Lending A Hand

BEIJING — Chen Fuchao, a man heavily in debt, had been contemplating suicide on a bridge in southern China for hours when a passer-by came up, shook his hand _ and pushed him off the ledge.

Chen fell 26 feet (8 meters) onto a partially inflated emergency air cushion laid out by authorities and survived, suffering spine and elbow injuries, the official Xinhua News Agency said Saturday.

The passer-by, 66-year-old Lai Jiansheng, had been fed up with what he called Chen's "selfish activity," Xinhua said. Traffic around the Haizhu bridge in the city of Guangzhou had been backed up for five hours and police had cordoned off the area.

"I pushed him off because jumpers like Chen are very selfish. Their action violates a lot of public interest," Lai was quoted as saying by Xinhua. "They do not really dare to kill themselves. Instead, they just want to raise the relevant government authorities' attention to their appeals."

Xinhua said Lai was "taken away by police" but did not elaborate.

A police officer who answered the telephone Saturday at a station close to the bridge confirmed the incident and said it was under investigation. He refused to give any other details and hung up.

According to Xinhua, Chen wanted to kill himself because he had accrued 2 million yuan ($290,000) in debt from a failed construction project.

On Thursday, he made his way to the Haizhu bridge, where 11 other people have tried to take their lives since April.

Lai volunteered to talk Chen down but was turned away by police, Xinhua said. Lai then broke through the cordon, climbed to where Chen sat, greeted him with a handshake, then pushed.

Photos in the Beijing Morning Post showed Lai, shoeless and in a T-shirt, saluting after Chen fell

Zen And The Ladies Man, The Big Guy Takes Notes, and Things Are Gonna Slide

I have been a huge fan of Leonard Cohen for 40 years now, his work has given me part of the language of my heart. We saw his tour this week.... it was part concert, part victory lap, and a moment of enlightenment delivered by this thin poet, prophet, and best song writer since King David. Sitting in front of us was a large man busy writing notes throughout the entire show. Not very Zen oversize grasshopper.

You can analyze poetry or music all you like, but that's not the same as dancing. I can watch all the love stories in the world, but that would never let me know what the morning light looks like as it drips across the small of a womans back when she dreams beside me at dawn. Poetry is light, art gives vision, and God is found in the silent glances more often than the explanation points.

Leonard Cohen celebrates love and what it can do to us, while .he warns of the future prepared by those 'killers in high places' . My prayer is that we continue to notice the cracks where the light comes in, and dance there as long as we can.

Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires

POTUS: Thank you everyone, before we begin I have a short statement. After consulting Doctor Roger Daltrey of the WHO and with the WHO Director Dr. Cindy Lou, here are some simple steps you should take:

Wash your hands.
Cover your mouth when you cough.
Girls should wipe from front to back.
Don't pick your nose.
Let sleeping dogs lie.
He who smelt it dealt it.
Don't run with scissors.
Wash behind your ears.
Don't eat anything larger than your head.
If you shake it more than twice, your playing with it.
Don't pull the mask off the old Lone Ranger, and don't mess with Joe Biden.

Thank you and now I'll take questions......