Illusionist

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - It seems morbid, celebrating a death day. Commemorating the anniversary of a person's death is such a downer. "Happy Death Day To You" just doesn't have the same ring, does it? But it seems appropriate, somehow, to celebrate Harry Houdini's death day. The man who captivated audiences by taunting Death - who was buried alive several times, and escaped - died 75 years ago, on Oct. 31, 1926. Halloween. Somehow, that seems appropriate, too. Houdini was the best. Before David Copperfield, before David Blaine, there he was: climbing into a milk can filled with water, its lid riveted on after Houdini had squeezed inside; slipping out of a straitjacket while hanging from his ankles, upside-down, above city streets; escaping from his glass-walled Chinese Water Torture Cell.

Magic is hot, but not in the way it once was. A few centuries ago, being a great magician might have gotten you burned at the stake. Today, it might land you a permanent gig in Las Vegas. For proof of magic's resurgent popularity, look no further than your local cineplex, where a magic-based movie, The Prestige, has been topping the box office charts. That follows on the heels of another successful magic movie, The Illusionist.

Las Vegas names Roy `Citizen of the Month' Illusionist Roy Horn, recovering from a near-fatal tiger mauling, missed the excitement as the Las Vegas City Council honored him yesterday as "Citizen of the Month." There was a proclamation from the mayor and an interview with "Siegfried & Roy" show manager Bernie Yuman, but there was no Siegfried. Siegfried Fischbacher was on his way to Los Angeles. The animal act was shut down after a white tiger attacked Horn during an Oct. 3 performance.

BUSINESS DOW -- UP +55.23 1,639.77 NASDAQ -- DOWN -6.74 2,338.25 S&P -- UP +0.48 1,325.14 SUN INDEX -- DOWN -0.98 352.51 NATIONAL New confidence on Medicare President Bush's swing through Florida this week to promote his Medicare prescription drug program reflects a new belief among party strategists that Republicans have neutralized seniors' anger about the plan and could even win election-year rewards for having backed it. pg 1a ...

As it wrapped up its 20th season Saturday, the Columbia Festival of the Arts reached a record for attendance at its ticketed events. From June 6 through June 23, the festival filled just over 80 percent of the roughly 8,000 seats available at the 12 ticketed events, according to the festival's executive director, Nichole Hickey. "We've never gotten there [before]," Hickey said, estimating attendance to be about 15 percent higher than in previous years. Thousands more people attended free and paid art exhibits, lectures, master classes and readings as well as the free, three-day LakeFest event.

IT'S ALL GREEK Greeks the world over treasure the independence of their country, which is credited as the birthplace of Western democracy. The Greek Independence Day Mid-Atlantic Parade celebrates the country's break from the Ottoman Empire in 1821, and the contribution of Greeks to the U.S. Of course, you don't have to be Greek to enjoy the marching bands, traditional clothing, floats and Greek food. ....................... The parade marches off at 2 p.m. Sunday on Eastern Avenue at Haven Street.

Rock opera, Amelia Earhart and human sculpture will meet on New Year's Eve during the annual First Night Annapolis event.Admission pins will go on sale tomorrow.More than 300 performers will take over the churches, courtrooms, storefronts and streets of the state capital for the daylong celebration of the arts that ends with a midnight fireworks display.Admission pins go on sale tomorrow at First National Bank of Maryland branches and participating Giant Food stores.Tickets will cost $10 through Dec. 23 and $14 afterward.