American life exists somewhere between Barbie and Paul Harvey...

At Fifty years young, and not looking a day over 36 or 24 or 36, nearly all ask what is her secret...Plastic!

Happy Birthday to an icon, Barbie. On March 9, 1959, she made her first appearance at the International Toy Fair in New York. Her Goddess, her maker, her mother, Ruth Handler was watching her daughter play with paper dolls repeatedly play acting in adult rolls. Ruth found no dolls on the market that filled this need, as all dolls at this time were infant type. She told her husband her idea, as he was co-founder of Mattel, and the rest is history.

Although, not at first. Mattel found it very difficult, at that time, to make a doll with small detailed features that Ruth was requesting. They couldn't seem to make it happen.

On a trip to Europe in 1956, Ruth came across a doll that was exactly what she was thinking of. This German doll, named Bild Lilli, came from a comic strip by Reinhard Beuthin who's character was that of a prostitute, and was originally sold as a gimmick sex toy for men.

Ruth bought three dolls, one for her daughter and two for Mattel. The company bought the rights to the doll and began their makeover. A few years later Barbie was released.

It is said that there are three Barbies sold from around the world every second of every day.

And in the words of one of the greatest voices of American radio, Paul Harvey, "..and now you know the rest of the story...!"

I have fond memories of listening to Paul Harvey, with my father in his Ford F150 with 3 on the column, pick-up truck as we would drive, go fishing or eat lunch on a jobsite. These were quiet moments that we would listen intently to the voice that made the radio feel like home. The "Rest of the Story" made our own lives feel important in their own way as having our own stories that could one day be told. His ways of finding the heart of a story that would normally go unnoticed and be lost in the hustle of life gave every life and all of its moments real meaning.

Paul, your voice spanned 7 decades on radio. You will be sorely missed.

To you, "Paul Harvey...Good Day!"


This, the 261st entry in bloggoland! Thanks for reading and coming back. I always enjoy the comments, emails and the banter!!


(c)Copyright 2009 Doug Boggs