I had been searching all day. Now it was late, after 11 and I was driving back to my motel. All day I wondered when I would have a chance to help someone in need. It was in Chicago. There was always someone in need. As I drove it was raining and I was thinking, "Lord why didn't you send me to anyone to help today?" Then my headlights fixed on a man standing in the rain, his hood up, jumper cables in hand. I drove on, thinking he must have someone about to pull up and help him. Who would just stand in the street holding up jumper cables? But I turned around to check. He was Salvadoran, and to say his English was weak would be an understatement. "Do you have help coming?" I asked. "No". "Can I help?" a shrug. I popped the hood. We couldn't start the car. I was able to explain he should leave the car tonight, I would drive him home. He didn't live near here. "It's OK, show me where"
We drove, he tried to give a little money. I could tell he did not understand at all why any stranger would do this. I dropped him by his home and he blessed me. I almost missed the chance. It was over 20 years ago but I still remember all the details. He will never know I got the better end of the bargain.
David Blaine [11:17 PM]
Sri Lanka This country has seen the worst flooding in three decades and approximately 350,000 people are homeless. In an unprecedented move the Tamil Tigers, a Hindu rebel group, has sent rice, milk and other aid to the Buddhist government they are seeking independence from.
David Blaine [10:41 PM]
< FARCE > U.S. fires cruise missiles at self. Today Donald Rumsfeld announced that the Navy successfully launched cruise missiles on Dearborn, Michigan from ships stationed on Lake Huron off the coast of Ontario, Canada. According to sources inside the Pentagon, intelligence placed top al-Qaida operatives in Dearborn, home to the largest Arab population inside the United States. "We will not tolerate any country harboring terrorists" said Rumsfeld. When asked where the next target might be Rumsfeld replied, "Satellite photos indicate suspicious activity around the north pole region last December, and we're checking it out" < /FARCE >
David Blaine [3:50 AM]
Washington keeps beating the drum.
Experts: Top al-Qaida leaders may be in Iran A.P. "Officials have identified five senior al-Qaida operatives who they believe have been to Iran since the U.S. led coalition ousted the Taliban from neighboring Afghanistan"
"Chief among those U.S. officials believe are in Iran is Saif al-Adil, an Egyption described as Osama bin Laden's security and intelligence chief."
David Blaine [3:41 AM]
Don't ever tell anybody they're not free, because then they will get real busy killing and maiming to prove that they are free. from the movie Easy Rider. A low budget ($400,000) movie from 1969, the tag line in the advertisements was "A man went looking for America and couldn't find it anywhere." I don't know if you'd call this a cult movie, but people still quote it over 30 years later. You can find more info many places including this one.
David Blaine [3:06 PM]
Don't put it off. You were going to do something important, or something that was important to someone you loved. You were going to have some fun today, but something came up, and there is always tomorrow. Listen to a man dying of cancer, from his deathbed Clifford Odets said, "This miserable patchwork of events, that assorted bunch of nothing you were wading through while looking forward to the real stuff? Well as it turns out, that was it, that was your life." There will always be another tomorrow, but we may not be here to use it. Do something good for yourself today and do something good for someone else. Do it for me, please.
David Blaine [9:26 AM]
A sincere wish. Today in a foreign country a Muslim woman took off her explosive belt and surrendered after another woman in the busy market offered to help her look for an apartment and a job. The would have been suicide bomber had lost her house and family when a rocket struck her home while she was away buying groceries.
David Blaine [9:02 AM]
Teamwork I have spoke of sharing the knowledge and experience of two people two accomplish more than one person could on his own. This article, referred to me by Nikita, shows just how powerful the concept is. A sports team made up of Palistinian and Israeli athletes was not just competitive, they won their league championship.
David Blaine [8:57 AM]
Old News But worth bringing up if you haven't seen it. Hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated Tuesday after a five-day Israeli invasion damaged farms and buildings, but they weren't demonstrating against the Israelis. Then who?
Click me and see.
David Blaine [10:36 PM]
Who is Michael Ledeen? and why is he saying these terrible things? Michael Ledeen is not a household name in America, but I recognized it as soon as I saw the headline of this article. I think Mike ought to meet Osama on Pluto and nuke it, I mean duke it out with him someplace where we will be safe from both of them. Mr. Ledeen thinks the time has come to do to Iran, Syria and Lebanon what we just did to Iraq. And he wants to do this in my name? No thanks. Read the full story at Alternet.
David Blaine [2:38 PM]
Coexistance "The Abraham Fund Initiatives defines coexistence as the ability of people of different backgrounds to live side-by-side in harmony. Coexistence is not assimilation. Rather, its objective is to enable individuals and communities to live cooperatively while maintaining their own unique cultural identities."
Isn't that a great goal? To read more visit The Abraham Fund.
David Blaine [1:37 PM]
When "Good News" is Bad. According to Bloomberg, Ayman al-Zawahri, number two in command of Al Qaeda, in a tape recorded message aired by Al Jazeera, promised 'very good news in the next few days'. May everyone stay alert and vigilant in thwarting the plans of these assassins.
David Blaine [12:00 PM]
No Smiles. What will they do?
Among the 3 Israelis killed yesterday in the suicide bombing in Afula is an Arab citizen. Hassan Ben Ismail Tawatha, 41, from the village of Jisr a Zarqa, an observing Muslim was slaughtered in Allah’s name.
I wonder if this poor man’s family will receive money from the Israeli-Arab foundation that finance families of Palestinian bombers? Or will the money the family of this suicide bomber will get a bit less because she killed an Arab.
And what about the Palestinian bus passenger that was killed in the suicide bombing in Jerusalem, where will Reuters put his name in the statistics? On the Israeli side of the casualties or in the Palestinian side, even though a Palestinian killed him.
Credit anonymous. Thank you.
David Blaine [6:03 PM]
More Smiles. Iraqi Man Rescues Artifacts in Looted Antiquities Museum
33-year-old Iraqi pianist, Namir Ibrahim Jamil, watched looters in Baghdad ransacking the Museum of Antiquities and loaded up two full vans with precious artifacts. He lovingly stored them for 11 days until the building was secured for their return. More of the museum treasures are being recovered after Imams in local mosques broadcast appeals to looters for their return, "no questions asked".
Credit Good News Network
David Blaine [1:01 PM]
Metallica song used to interrogate Iraqis. According to Ananova, US interrogators in Baghdad are using heavy metal songs to break Iraqi captives.
Officials say subjecting prisoners to long sessions of the "culturally offensive" music encourages them to talk.
The interrogators' favourite tracks include Metallica's Enter Sandman and the Drowning Pool song Bodies, from the Vin Diesel action film XXX.
The Metallica song repeatedly makes the warning: "Sleep with one eye open, gripping your pillow tight."
Sergeant Mark Hadsell told Newsweek magazine: "These people haven't heard heavy metal before. They can't take it."
US officials say they also use children's music, such as the Sesame Street theme, and a selection of songs from Barney, the jolly purple dinosaur.
Story filed: 14:35 Monday 19th May 2003
David Blaine [12:42 PM]
No Smiles. A Palestinian woman blew herself up during a security check outside a mall in northern Israel on Monday, killing three Israelis and wounding dozens in the fifth suicide bombing in 48 hours — a violent challenge to a U.S.-backed Mideast peace initiative and the new Palestinian prime minister. Credit CBS
JERUSALEM In the fourth Hamas suicide attack in two days, a Palestinian riding a bicycle detonated a bomb near an Israeli jeep in the Gaza Strip today, killing himself and lightly injuring three soldiers. Credit AP
JERUSALEM A body found on a Tel Aviv beach last week was identified today as that of an accomplice of a suicide bomber who blew himself up outside a Tel Aviv pub last month, a forensics expert said. Both men were Britons. Credit AP
CASABLANCA Investigators raided suspected Islamic militant hideouts across Morocco yesterday after near-simultaneous suicide attacks killed 28 bystanders and tainted this country's image of security and peace.
David Blaine [10:03 PM]
Smiles Good news regarding India and Pakistan. Much needed after yesterdays depressing post.
India and Pakistan Talk Peace
Neighboring nuclear opponents, India and Pakistan, have composed new overtures toward peace. New Delhi said Friday it will restore full diplomatic ties with Pakistan, appoint a new ambassador to Islamabad and renew cross border air links.
Pakistan has responded warmly to the olive branch, the Information Minister saying they are ready to talk on all issues including Kashmir, "We are going to resolve the overall issue." Today the Pakistani parliament will meet to discuss how to proceed.
India's prime minister, Atal Vajpayee, severed all ties with Pakistan in December 2001. His decision to return to a path toward improved relations reflects that fact that India's antagonistic approach simply was not working. (5/05/03)
Credit Good News Network.
David Blaine [9:30 PM]
You must read this. Everyone knows what happens when you corner an animal. Even a meek squirrel will become vicious and fight for life. But what happens when you do just the opposite, to a human being. What happens when you turn your back to all needs of a person and leave them alone, in a room with no doors or windows. Do you suppose that as they slowly starve to death they become just as desperate as that cornered squirrel? But what could they do? This. And as I said, you must read this.
David Blaine [3:56 AM]
3 A.M. Poetry part 2. This is a tiring job. I didn't want to wait til morning, I thought it would escape me, again. I wrote the first 4 lines about 30 years ago in college. The rest came together this morning.
Conspiracy
Earth, Water, Wind and Fire
If with these I could conspire.
To take in hand a lump of clay
and make a better man today.
A man who's mind was bright
and clear
to make him wise and have no fear.
Who's heart beat strong within
his chest
to meet each challenge; pass each test.
Who's hands and arms are full
of might to help his fellows
stand upright
Who's legs are strong,
whos gait is fleet,
to run life's race without defeat.
So I conspire, on bended knee
God make this man,
let he be me.
David Blaine [3:23 AM]