For me, the answers are yes and yes, but I'm thinking that in the US at least the answer to the first is "no." Based on a snippet of a Style TV special I saw today, the answer to the second is "yes."

For me, it's 1 - no, 2 - yes. And undergarments could be further expanded to include slips, camis, etc. For me, anyway.

ETA: But mostly I'd use the particular words for each item. Unless I were being lazy. And oddly formal.

I'd say "underwear" can include bras, and "undergarments" does include bras. If I said "I went to the store and bought new underwear," I'd probably mean panties, but if I said "She's wearing only underwear," that would mean bra and panties. "Undergarments" sounds kind of old-fashioned, and sounds like it includes a slip and a girdle.

For me underwear includes slip, girdle, garter belt, all that stuff that you wear under. But I've bumped into enough situations where underwear ∋ bras. I can't see why it wouldn't.

The insertion of "undergarment" into the Style TV piece made me think they were avoiding "underwear" for some reason. Perhaps because it wasn't the superset.

Underwear=panties to me, but it makes sense looking at the word that it could mean (all) the things you wear under to others. My mother uses underclothes when she means the entire range.

Interesting map in the NY Times today, showing the unemployment rate in the US>. I like how you can focus on the housing bubble, manufacturing, urban or rural.

The idea is that individuals cautious enough to be swayed by such campaigns are less likely to have an STD themselves, and by taking themselves out of the pool of possible sex partners, they make it more likely that the individual one hooks up with is relatively incautious and a greater risk.

From what I've seen, I think this isn't it - STD rates are trending higher among teens in abstinence-only programs than those in comprehensive sex ed, not just across the teen population. Kind of like DARE programs. I'll see if I can dig up a link or two.

What Hil said -- I would use underwear both ways, depending on context. But maybe I think it mostly means panties. "Bra and underwear" would work.

ION, I couldn't figure out why my apartment was so cold, until I realized that a window was wide open! I guess something broke in the mechanism for the top part of the window, because I had to brace it to get it back up and locked. I would be more worried, since it's the window on the fire escape, but it would have been pretty awkward getting in the window, with just the top one open, and nothing was missing from my house or anything. BUT STILL.

Yeah, if the counterweight cord snaps, older windows will do that!

Ever wanted to smell like Captain Kirk? Now you can! [link]

They aren't that old -- metal, not wood, but still. I'm glad I looked -- I keep the blinds down all the time in my bedroom, so what was in my mind was drafts, not an open window!

NewsFlash - my lack of interest in working that filled my being yesterday? Not gone. I really need to win the lotto so I can stop this work stuff.

ION - I am anticipating having to cut someone before the day is over. The guy who dropped trash on the subway almost got it, but I restrained...a bit.