David Blaine, known for his headline-making feats of physical, emotional and mental endurance, will once again put his life on the line in a death-defying attempt to hold his breath underwater longer than any human being, which is currently a stunning eight minutes, 58 seconds. He will undertake this latest challenge after living with a life support system in a specially built human aquarium -- an eight-foot acrylic sphere -- for seven days and nights, in full public view in front of New York's Lincoln Center.

Although David has been training for Drowned Alive for over a year, when the day finally came to see the tank placed in Lincoln Center, he wasted no time in making sure the tank would be ready for the seven-day odyssey. He examined the sphere from every angle, he tested its stability, and investigated the visibility he would have while underwater. His excitement was contagious; he bounded up and down the visitors' ramps, took photographs with fans, and repeated how exceptionally beautiful the sphere appeared.

The water-filled globe is truly an exceptional sight. The sphere looks like a giant crystal ball placed at the center of the Metropolitan Opera, Avery Fisher Hall, and the New York City Opera. During a brilliant day like we had today it gleams, and at sunset it is illumined with the day's fading colors. For those unfamiliar with this location, David's stunt will take place on the Plaza at Lincoln Center, which is located at Broadway & Columbus Avenues at 64th st. in Manhattan. He will be submerged alive on Monday, May 1st at noon.

When asked why he chose Lincoln Center, David replied that "for years, as a child, I would spend time in the New York Public library for the Performing Arts." It was there that I learned so much about Houdini and other great performers. It was there that I first dreamed I might stage performance events that would be free to the public & that would challenge our mutual conceptions of what was humanly possible."

In the early days of planning for Drowned Alive, there was discussion of making the tank a cylinder, or even a hexagon, which would be simpler to understand visually. When seeing the tank today, one can only be thankful that the impractical, non-camera friendly sphere was chosen, for the Drowned Alive tank is incomprehensible: immediately beautiful yet difficult to comprehend at every step.

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If you are already knitting, bring your project and share ideas & secrets with other enthusiasts. Yarn and needles are supplied for beginners. Starter kits are available for sale.

Classes are limited to 20 people. Please pre-register by calling 212-387-0707, or take a chance and stop by.

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Enter Etai Pinkas, the youngest city councilman in Tel Aviv and one of the few openly gay politicians in Israel. Formerly the head of Agudah, the Israeli Gay Lesbian Bisexual and Trans-gender association, Etai is actively involved with promoting gay rights in Israel and is currently trying to persuade the Israeli government to recognize gay marriages performed abroad.

Stop by the KGB Bar on May 1st to meet Etai Pinkas and learn about the struggle – the other struggle – in the Middle East.

More 2004 Parade photos and our photo source

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