“Game show co-host who could be called a ‘woman of letters,’ familiarly,” was the clunky clue at 50D today for the lovely VANNA White. She still works on Wheel of Fortune, as she has since 1982, and is turning 67 next month.
Vanna is famous for her “seamless revealing of letters on the game board, her smile, and her constant clapping in support of each episode’s contestants.” On the May 24, 2013 episode, Vanna was presented with a Guinness World Record certificate for “most frequent clapper.” At that point, she had clapped an estimated 3,480,864 times across the show’s 30 seasons.
Here’s Vanna at home, fresh out of bed in the morning. At least Phil let her throw a robe on. He’s impossible.
Don’t forget to sign the card — it’s John Hancock’s birthday today (1737)! Of course, JH is best remembered for his big beautiful signature on the Declaration of Independence. He was the President of Congress at the time. Legend has it he signed so prominently so King George would be able to read it without his glasses. But that’s just a nice story and isn’t true.
There was no ceremonial signing of the Declaration on July 4, 1776. After Congress approved the wording of the text on July 4, the fair copy was sent to be printed. As president (of Congress), Hancock may have signed the document that was sent to the printer but it’s not certain and that copy is lost. The printer, John Dunlap, produced the first published version of the Declaration, the widely distributed “Dunlap broadside.” Hancock’s name appeared on it, as President of Congress, but no other delegates were named. This meant that until a second broadside was issued six months later with all of the signers listed, Hancock was the only delegate whose name was publicly attached to the treasonous document. That’s called courage, folks. Hancock sent a copy of the Dunlap broadside to George Washington, instructing him to have it read to the troops. They knew what they were fighting for.
Hancock’s iconic signature first appears on a different document—a sheet of parchment carefully handwritten sometime in 1776 after July 19 and signed on August 2 by Hancock and those delegates present. Known as the “engrossed copy,” this is the famous document. It’s currently located in a cardboard box in a bathroom at Mar-a-Lago.
Here’s a signature of JH that is selling on eBay for $7,000. See it down there near the bottom on the right? Seems like a bargain.
Speaking of signatures, I just added Glenn Elliott to my collection. Elliott played college ball at Oregon State U and had a brief MLB career with the Boston Braves 1947-49. His place in history stems from his giving up Jackie Robinson’s first hit. It was in Ebbets Field in Brooklyn on April 17, 1947: a bunt single. Elliott passed away in 1969.
When did you start feeling you were “on the back nine,” as the golfers put it? When you turned 50? I remember having a bad cold when I turned 50 and I slipped on icy stairs (not to be confused with icy stares) going out to get the paper and fell down and thought, well, this isn’t the best start. Anyway, you know the actress Tiffani Thiessen? She was a teen idol in the 90s from her role in Saved by the Bell, and has been in a whole bunch of shows and movies since then. She’s been married to actor Brady Smith for 18 years and they have two kids.
Well, she decided to kick 50 in the teeth and released photos of herself that blow up the idea of aging. Good for you Tiff! And good for us too — she’s a knockout! This is the photo she released to her fans with the caption: ”Over the hill — this is 50.” Point well made, young lady.
The puzzle’s theme today was Strunk and White’s Elements of Style. So there was an element (like lead) followed by something you wear. So we had these theme answers: OXYGEN MASK, LEAD APRON (like when you’re getting an x-ray at the dentist — he tells you it’s perfectly safe, then he puts a lead apron over your chest and goes five doors down to press the button), GOLD GLOVE, and TIN FOIL HAT.
A tin foil hat is what lunatics wear to protect themselves from rays emanating from above. ”Tin Foil Hatters” believe that such hats prevent mind control by governments, spies, mobsters, corporations, or paranormal beings. A group of MIT students found that tin foil hats do shield their wearers from radio waves over most of the tested spectrum, but increased the strength at certain frequencies to which the government has access. Oh, no!
This group is wisely playing it safe.
So is this guy.
And this guy’s really not taking any chances.
So, Owl Chatter wants you to know — if you ever get the feeling that you’re losing your mind — you’re not.
Enough nonsense for the day, amirite? See you tomorrow.
The Wellington Files 