Tuesday, July 5, 2005

 

Spotlight: P.T. Barnum, the man who created The Greatest Show on Earth, was born on this date in 1810. Especially fascinated by oddities and anomalies, Barnum became famous for the sideshows at his circuses, including Jumbo the elephant, Siamese twins Chang and Eng Bunker, and General Tom Thumb. He also made Swedish singer Jenny Lind an international success.

Quote: "More persons, on the whole, are humbugged by believing in nothing, than by believing too much." – P.T. Barnum

Word of the day: huckster: a peddler who uses aggressive and sometimes shady means to sell his wares; P.T. Barnum was often described as a huckster. (© )

Today's News:

• China: treats Internet addicts (story)
• Eileen Collins: to command Discovery shuttle mission next week (story)
• Pink: singer engaged to motorcycle racer Carey Hart (story)

Today's History:

• independence: declared by Venezuela (1811), Cape Verde (1975)
• Salvation Army: founded in London by William Booth (1865)
• bikini: tiny two-piece swimsuit unveiled in Paris by designer Louis Reard (1946)

Today's Birthdays:

• Sylvester Graham: inventor of the graham cracker (1794-1851)
• actors: Katherine Helmond (71), Edie Falco (42)
• Dolly the Sheep: first cloned mammal (1996-2003)