JOHN KERRY SWAPS CRUTCHES FOR KENNEDY ClAN CANE
US Secretary of State John Kerry swapped the crutches he has been on since breaking his leg in a cycling accident in May for a silver-handled cane that served successive members of the Kennedy clan, including former President John Kennedy and his father Joseph.
Kerry appeared with the cane at meetings with countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in Malaysia. He said it had been loaned to him by Vicki Kennedy, widow of Senator Teddy Kennedy. “This cane has a history,” Kerry joked at the start of one meeting in Kuala lumpur.
“This cane belonged to Ambassador Joseph B Kennedy in England during the war. And after the war, President Kennedy, before he became President, used this cane when his back was bad after the war,” he said.
“And then Teddy Kennedy, who broke his back, used the cane,” Kerry said, adding that Teddy Kennedy had loaned him the stick twice in the past after he had an operation on his knee.
“So when Vicki Kennedy, his widow, heard that I had broken my leg, she knew I was going to need the cane,” Kerry said. “She loaned it to me. So here it is. It’s — and the third time I’ve used it — three times is lucky, rightIJ No hard breaks.”
(Reuters)
TEXAS MAN GUIlTY OF ASSAUlT GETS lIFE — IN MATRIMONY
An East Texas man who pleaded guilty to assaulting his girlfriend’s ex-boyfriend has been sentenced to life — in matrimony. Josten Bundy, 21, pleaded guilty on July 2 to assault with bodily injury for a February fistfight with the ex-boyfriend of Elizabeth Jaynes, 19, KlTV reported. Bundy told the Tyler television station that the ex was “saying disrespectful things” about Jaynes and admitted he eventually punched the ex in the jaw.
At the sentencing hearing, Smith County Court-at-law Judge Randall Rogers asked Bundy whether Jaynes was “worth it” and whether the couple were married, according to transcripts obtained by KlTV. Then, the judge said, “You know, as a part of my probation, you’re going to have to marry her ... within 30 days.” Otherwise, he would send Bundy to jail for 15 days. Fearful of losing his job, Bundy applied for the marriage license and scheduled a date with a justice of the peace.
(AP)
WIlD TURKEY SPARKS HUNT FOR ANGRY BIRD AT UNIVERSITY
A wild turkey is ruffling feathers at the University of Michigan, chasing pedestrians and cyclists, sneaking into dorms and even causing traffic delays by lying down in the middle of streets.
The turkey, which has been living on the Ann Arbor school’s North Campus for months, is now the target of a bird hunt because of its aggressive behaviour, a campus official said. “The challenge with turkeys is they can become very angry and aggressive,” said University of Michigan police spokeswoman Diane Brown.
The bird, which stands as tall as a person’s chest, has settled into a remote portion of campus where other wildlife, like deer, have been known to live, Brown said. It has become something of a celebrity on campus, with students and staff reporting numerous sightings on social media.
At one point the brazen bird, dubbed “Turkey Tom,” even got into a dorm, according to student accounts. “You know you live on North Campus when a turkey gets into your dorm ... resulting in the place smelling awful,” student Samantha Sims tweeted in April.
The turkey has been causing a ruckus since at least the spring, when it and a feathered friend began chasing passers-by and laying down in the middle of streets, blocking traffic, campus officials and students said.
(Reuters)
TAXI FIRM PRANKS CUSTOMERS WITH THREE-YEAR-OlD DRIVER
The British company behind taxi-summoning smartphone app Hailo pranked customers by making it appear that a three-year-old boy was driving a cab.
The video, posted to Hailo’s official YouTube channel, features the toddler sitting on the lap of an actual driver disguised to look like part of the front seat of the taxi. The reactions from customers ranged from laughter to bewildered concern.
Hailo said the prank video was created to celebrate the company’s “third birthday”.
“We’ve just turned three! To celebrate we thought we’d have a little fun with our customers by introducing them to the youngest driver in the world, our very own threeyear-old taxi driver,” the video’s description reads.
(UPI)
SPIDER-MAN TAKES DOWN TRASH-TAlKING NEMESIS
A Times Square visitor captured video of a costumed “Spider-Man” taking down a real-life villain — or at least a pretty rude person. Geoff Goldberg, who posted the video on Twitter, credited the man in the Spider-Man costume with saving the day by brawling with the unidentified man in front of the Times Square Toys ‘R’ Us.
Goldberg said the man who faced Spidey’s wrath had been heckling other street performers.
“The guy was harassing a number of performers, other costumed folks,” Goldberg told the New York Daily News. “They’ve notoriously had issues with him in the past.”
Police said no one was arrested following the scuffle.
(UPI)