[News] Famed Magician In Freediving World Record Stunt

[BennyB]

Yes, I see your point, I was more speaking in terms of the validation. In Patrick's case you can't compare his 209m dive with Loic's 170m or Herbert's 172m because the same protocols weren't followed. Similarly, you can't compare Blaine's 9+ minute static (ok i'm speaking hypothetically here) with Tom's 8:58 because of the differences in protocol. In Tom's case we know that he wasn't influenced by drugs because he was tested for them. We also know he didn't breath any oxygen before the attempt because he was observed during this time. In Blaine's case I doubt any of this will be monitored, and that is the thing that the public will not hear about or care about.

By using 8:58 as a benchmark, Blaine is inferring that he is using the same standards that Tom did, which takes away from Tom's achievements, as well as Sam Still and anyone else who's in that threshold. This is the thing that puts a tarnish on the whole event in my eyes.

If he really wants to make the claim of saying that he'll hold his breath longer than any human has ever done, then why not use Tom's Guiness attempts on 02? That was holding your breath and was ratified by Guiness and was what - 13-15 minutes? If he want's to claim to attempt to hold his breath more than any human has ever, that's the target he should be going for.

Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the event a lot and i'm trying not to read too much into it and see it as an entertaining piece of adventure, but claiming to beat someone's record and perform under different conditions is not fair in my mind. Hell, I could shave down, paint an S on my chest and head to the local fountain with an 02 bottle under my arm claiming to hold my breath longer than any man and no-one would know any better. Of course I wouldn't have the pizazz that Blaine has...

 

[SanSan]

part 4 of Pauls article is up.

 

[Haydn]

3 Points.

Last night on TV was a repeat of Derren Browns stay in water filled cube. He lay in an air filled and sealed tube which was imersed in the water filled cube. The tube was sealed and locked. The deal was he would escape the tube after 30 odd hours. Suddenly the cube was aireated with bubbles so you couldnt see a thing and 10 seconds later Derren appeared like magic 20 feet away standing on the roof of a car. Obviously a trick.

Remember the girl in Goldfinger who was painted in gold and died because her skin could not breath. Why is David still alive?

Using the same protocols dont always have to count. Remember the recent space challenge to privately get a man into space. Many methods were tried and one suceeded. So in going deep, the whole deal is to go deep. Maintaining identical protocols only levels the playing field whilst simultaneously dampening any other advantages that could otherwise be employed by a more inteligent design. Rules often inhibit performance whilst equipment enhances it.

 

[Jorg]

Remember the girl in Goldfinger who was painted in gold and died because her skin could not breath. Why is David still alive?

That's simple! Because that girl didn't die! It's an urban legend: http://www.snopes.com/movies/films/goldfing.htm

 

[Skywalker]

Well the Gold painted bond girl dying of "Skinsuffocation" is actualy just a urban myth. The cases that occured in the past and looked like that were usualy related to the unability of the body to compensate overheating (usualy caused by theater or film lights) as the skin was not able to sweat correctly. So as long as they are not cooking blain he will not suffocate bc his skin can not "breathe"

Robert

 

[Skywalker]

Well Jorg you were faster guess posting in the office has to tolerate some disturbance from workmates :naughty

Robert

 

[BennyB]

The program Mythbusters (best show on tv by the way) also tested this theory by painting one of the guys in gold and monitoring his condition over a period of time. They noted that his heart rate was increasing rapidly so they pulled the pin quite early into it. A while later they thought that it might just have been nerves and they did it again with no change in his vitals.

 

[naiad]

It is too bad that somehow it has been taken, or passed on, to Kirk that people on DB are not enjoying the event for what it is. Is there anything other than speculation that suggests this? In the last few posts of Paul Kotik 3 postings have had nothing but sarcasm for people in this thread, belittling and speculating why people are saying what they are and how they feel overall to the event. What is he trying to defend so badly? It seems he misinterpretted other peoples' postings in this thread from the beginning, so why so adamantly pushing forth?

I agree. I think there are lots of fair and interesting opinions on this thread. A lot of us are enjoying the event. Some of us feel that the world record claim is unfair, and this opinion has been expressed mostly very politely and with intelligent debate.

By using 8:58 as a benchmark, Blaine is inferring that he is using the same standards that Tom did, which takes away from Tom's achievements, as well as Sam Still and anyone else who's in that threshold. This is the thing that puts a tarnish on the whole event in my eyes.

I agree. That is what I am not happy with. Everything else is fine with me.

 

[pkotik]

See Part IV, Neshemah. The news is that no news is good news, but good news is bad news - it makes people overconfident. This guy in the sphere is, in my judgement, in a state of very extreme stress. Those of us who have been in extremis know all too well how it is when nothing in the body works properly - the simple act of swallowing a bit of saliva can turn into a big project, which can easily fail and turn into a choking, convulsing nightmare. You can start the slide down the rails to doom for no apparent reason at all. I think this thing is moving into an extremely risky chapter. I can easily see things happening in the sphere much too fast for anybody to save the day. Everybody's focussed on the grand finale, but in my view the period of maximum danger is about now.

 

[neshamah]

This guy in the sphere is, in my judgement, in a state of very extreme stress. Those of us who have been in extremis know

I can easily see things happening in the sphere much too fast for anybody to save the day. Everybody's focussed on the grand finale, but in my view the period of maximum danger is about now.
__________________

Thank you Paul

let's see what happen

 

[Erik]

In the last few posts of Paul Kotik 3 postings have had nothing but sarcasm for people in this thread, belittling and speculating why people are saying what they are and how they feel overall to the event.
..................I am rather surprised that the main reporter for DeeperBlue is so unforgivingly ready to belittle people in these forums, which appear to be leading to blanket statments of the DeeperBlue community at large, at least the freediving community of DeeperBlue. ........
... I don't get it.

I agree. I thought it was just me reading that into our Editor's posts.I am no fan of elitism from any end of an argument.
Ease up on people here Paul. I agree that the event is a cool thing, but certainly don't think berating DB Members based on their mostly well-spoken opinions is deserved. If a few people want to throw ideas around, then try to argue a point without tons o' sarcasm............ especially with the badge you're wearing.

Peace,
Erik Y.

 

[smellsfishy]

150 pounds of chains.... so wait, he's getting married at the end of this thing ?

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[Fondueset]

LOL - Blaine is interesting because he doesn't just do magic. He takes risks - and it's really the risk that sells for most people. Saying he's going for 9 minutes and all that is part of the run-up - to capture people's attention - it's packaging. Which is not to say he's not serious about going for it - but the probability goes way down when you do it after 12 days of fasting - 6 underwater - struggling with a chain (or even moving) etc. But - in addition to the showbiz aspect - the guy is definitely pushing the envelope. I think you really have to look at this as a total event - not just through the oxygen deprived monacle of freediving which is really not at all the context or intent of it. It's very cool that freediving is getting some good educational outreach and press out of this - and it's very cool of Blaine to feature the freediving team the way he is - but it's not essentially a freediving or even apnea event. More a sort of reality-tv/endurance/performance art thing.

It's amazing how starkly dualistic our minds become when we merely react passively to whatever is put in front of us.

 

[gbo200]

I have been reading this thread with great interest - and not getting much (if any) work done this week. For some reason this thing is very compelling!

I have two points:

1. I think it is great that Kirk and PFI are involved. I hope they are being very well paid. It is great to see someone actually succeeding making a living out of something they have such passion for. Bravo! I am looking forward to congratulating him when I see him next. :friday

2. Hey - what is this business about David sticking his hands out of the water all the time? If you say you are going to stay submerged for seven days then stay submerged! If I was there I'd shout - hey, get back in there mate - then push him back under and close the lid on that bubble! :martial I guess that is why they have so much security. :t If you brag that you are going to stay underwater for a week - you better do it! In my mind he has already disqualified himself from being able to claim he stayed underwater for a week. :rcard

In any case, is the skin on his hands dead? I'd say that is not going to feel very comfortable when he comes out. I think he won't be signing any autographs that day!

g.

 

[Fondueset]

PS - another good one today Paul

 

[trux]

...In any case, is the skin on his hands dead? I'd say that is not going to feel very comfortable when he comes out.

I bet that it's nothing in comparison to what's happening under the pants!

 

[Scuby]

What a superb thread and great event! The roar of greasepaint, the smell of the crowd - Jeez, I can even feel the tension through my cordless mouse!

The team are piloting this one to perfection

Hands up who trusts Kirk? OK, and he's telling you to enjoy the entertainment. No one needs to know about the smoke and mirrors - this'd be no fun at all that way, would it!

The world's press are playing their part in the real world and Paul's playing his in the freediving one (you're doing a grand job Mr K btw - can't wait for the next instalment!).

 

[pkotik]

See here, Fondueset, if you're going to start scooping my next blockbuster stories then get your own website, please ! I have a mortgage to pay.

 

[pkotik]

TylerZ - relax. I think everybody's having great fun with this. Me, whenever I see a little fire starting my training kicks in and I immediately douse it with high octane gasoline. It's postmodern sarcasm, see ? A faux sarcastic narrative mode sarcastically devoid of sarcasm - except, of course, for an implicit sarcastic critique of sarcasm itself.

I think it is Madonna who best expresses this ontological paradigm thus:


<Image removed by mentor>

 

[Scuby]

Ah-ha! Proof she really can talk out of her ass!!