Jenner completes transition to Caitlyn
NEW YORK (AP) — Bruce Jenner’s transition is complete.
“Call me Caitlyn,” declares a headline on the July cover of Vanity Fair, with a photo of a long-haired Jenner in a strapless corset, legs crossed, sitting on a stool. The image was shot by famed celeb photographer Annie Leibovitz. Inside, more images show Caitlyn in gold lame, a black bustier and a cleavage-baring, off-the-shoulder gown.
Caitlyn Jenner also debuted a new Twitter account with: “I’m so happy after such a long struggle to be living my true self. Welcome to the world Caitlyn. Can’t wait for you to get to know her/me.”
The account broke a record for fastest time to reach 1 million followers, besting President Barack Obama’s new @Potus handle with a mark of 4 hours and 3 minutes, according to Guinness World Records.
Graham opens ’16 bid on grim note
CENTRAL, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham opened his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination Monday with a grim accounting of radical Islam “running wild” in a world imperiled also by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
He dedicated himself to defeating U.S. adversaries — a commitment that would place thousands of troops back in Iraq, essentially re-engaging in a war launched in 2003.
“I’ve got one simple message,” he told supporters in the small town where he grew up. “I have more experience with our national security than any other candidate in this race. That includes you, Hillary.”
In that fashion, he took on Democratic candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton — the former secretary of state — as well as non-interventionists in his own party and rivals with little to no foreign policy experience.
Court throws out conviction over Facebook threats
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday threw out the conviction of a Pennsylvania man prosecuted for making threats on Facebook, but dodged the free-speech issues that made the case intriguing to First Amendment advocates.
Chief Justice John Roberts said it was not enough for prosecutors to show that the comments of Anthony Elonis about killing his ex-wife and harming others would make a reasonable person feel threatened. But the high court sent the case back to the lower court without clarifying exactly what the standard of proof should be.
Airlines trying to speed up boarding
DALLAS (AP) — Airlines are trying to save time by speeding up a part of flying that creates delays even before the plane leaves the gate: the boarding process.
This summer travel season, Delta plans to preload carry-on bags above passengers’ seats on some flights. Southwest wants to get families seated together more quickly.
Airlines have tinkered with different boarding systems almost since the days of Orville and Wilbur Wright, who tossed a coin to decide who would fly first aboard their biplane. Plenty of people have offered ideas for improvement, but no perfect method has ever emerged.
Most airlines let first-class and other elite customers board first. After that, some carriers fill the rear rows and work toward the front. Others fill window seats and work toward the aisle. Some use a combination of the two. Airlines have also tried other tricks, such as letting people board early if they do not have aisle-clogging carry-on bags.
It’s not trivial stuff. With many flights full, anxious passengers know that boarding late means there might not be any room left in the overhead bin.
