Monday, November 23, 2009

What was the name of the two-piece swimsuit advertised in 1946 as the “world’s smallest”—just three weeks before the bikini was introduced as “smaller than the smallest”?

• The Atome. French fashion designer Jacques Heim named it after the atom, the smallest known particle of matter. But French engineer Louis Reard quickly one-upped him, naming his skimpier suit the bikini after the remote U.S. atom bomb test site in the Pacific Ocean.

What distance do the bulls have to cover at the annual running of the bulls in Pamplona, Spain?

• Approximately a half-mile (0.513 mile, to be exact), from their pens to the bullring. The running of the bulls is held during the Fiesta of Saint Fermin.

What is the area of expertise of a phycologist?

• Algae. Experts are also known as algologists.

Today in History

• Battle of Chattanooga: huge battle at a railway junction began during the US Civil War, ending with a Union victory (1863)
• Life: US magazine known for its photography and photojournalism was first published (1936)
• Doctor Who: debut of the British sci-fi TV programme about a doctor who time-travels in a TARDIS; it is still running (1963)
• China: the People's Republic took over Taiwan's seat in the UN Security Council (1971)

Today's Birthdays

• John Wallis (1616-1703): mathematician
• Franklin Pierce (1804-1869): South-leaning Northern POTUS; other world leaders born on this date include Otto I (912-973), Hjalmar Branting (1860-1925) and José Napoleon Duarte (1925-1990)
• William H. Bonney (1859-1881): gunslinging outlaw Billie the Kid
• Harpo Marx (1888-1964): silent member of the Marx Brothers
• Jerry Bock (81): composer, Fiddler on the Roof; plus, composer Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
• Miley Cyrus (17): actor/singer superstar, Hannah Montana; also, actors Boris Karloff (1887-1969), Michael Gough (92), Franco Nero (68), Steve Landesberg (64), Bruce Vilanch (61), Salli Richardson-Whitfield (42), Oded Fehr (39), Page Kennedy (33), Kelly Brook (29) and Lucas Grabeel (25)