Wednesday, July 5, 2006

 

Spotlight: The bikini made its debut on this date in 1946. An engineer named Louis Reard named his two-piece women's bathing suit after the Bikini Atoll, the place in the Marshall Islands where four days earlier the US had begun a series of atomic and hydrogen bomb tests, with the hopes that his bikini would "explode" upon the world. It took several years before women began to be brave enough to don the suits; the trend really caught on with the 1960 Brian Hyland song "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini." Reard once said of his creation, "A bikini is not a bikini unless it can be pulled through a wedding ring."

Quote: "Women shop for a bikini with more care than they do a husband. The rules are the same. Look for something you'll feel comfortable wearing. Allow for room to grow." – Erma Bombeck

Word of the day: taboo: not done due to social custom or personal inhibition; for a long while it was taboo to wear a bikini in public. (© )

Today's News:

• launches: space shuttle Discovery soars (story), North Korea test missiles fail (story)
• US elections 2008: dozens considering a run for the presidency (story)
• World Cup: Italy ousts host Germany, will face Portugal or France for title (story)
• Keira Knightley: Pirates of the Caribbean sequel star says No, I'm not anorexic (story)

Today's History:

• independence: was declared by Venezuela (1811), Algeria (1962) and Cape Verde (1975)
• National Health Service: government-financed medical and dental care began in Great Britain (1948)
• Martina Hingis: at 16, became the youngest Wimbledon singles champion in 110 years (1997)

Today's Birthdays:

• P.T. Barnum: 19th-century showman (1810-1891)
• Katherine Helmond: Jessica Tate on Soap, Benson (72)
• Amelie Mauresmo: French tennis champ known for her strong one-handed backhand (27)