Okay, a man-biter
"A newfound horned crocodile may have been the largest predator encountered by our ancestors in Africa, researchers now suggest," Charles Choi writes for LiveScience news. "Scientists have even found bones from members of the human lineage bearing tooth marks from this reptile, whose scientific name, Crocodylus anthropophagus, means 'man-eating crocodile.' " The animal, which lived 1.84 million years ago, was discovered in Olduvai Gorge in the Serengeti Plains of Tanzania. Fossil legs and foot bones of at least two hominids, from roughly the same time, were found roughly 100 metres away. "I can't guarantee these crocodiles were killing people, but they were certainly biting them," said Christopher Brochu, a vertebrate paleontologist at the University of Iowa.
Women-only lavatories
"Airplane lavatories are among the few unisex bathrooms most people encounter, but that's about to change for some air travellers," CNN.com reports. "The Japanese airline All Nippon Airways will introduce women-only lavatories on its international routes starting [today] The move comes in response to 'numerous requests from passengers for this service,' the company said in a statement. … One women-only lavatory will be designated in the rear section of the passenger cabin and will display a pink version of the universal sign for a ladies' room, as a way to let male travellers know to look for another option. Women can still use any other lavatory."
The name is Morgan
" 'Madoff' isn't a four-letter word, but it might as well be," The Huffington Post says. "The daughter-in-law of the man who cemented the Madoff name in history alongside that of Mr. Ponzi is trying to shed the infamous moniker. Stephanie Madoff, the wife of Madoff's son Mark, has filed papers asking that her and her children's last names be changed to Morgan in light of the fact that her father-in-law was 'recently featured prominently in the news for defrauding numerous investors in his companies.' … Mark Madoff has said he does not object to the name change, though he will be keeping his own."
Orcas v. humans
"The death of trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Adventure Park in Orlando, Fla., [last week]at the hands of Tilikum, one of the largest killer whales in captivity, was a shocking, terrible tragedy," Michael Reilly writes for Discovery News. "… Even more disturbing, perhaps, is the fact that captive Orcas are regularly involved in the deaths of trainers. Tilikum himself, a 12,000-pound bull, killed his trainer at Sealand of the Pacific in 1991. The body of a homeless man was found draped across his back at SeaWorld in 1999. … The list goes on, tallying up nearly two dozen attacks - most non-fatal - since the 1970s." Courtney Vail of the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society says that the venue in which the public views the killer whales makes them seem to be happy-go-lucky animals content with life in captivity. "We can't see into the mind of an animal, of course. But according to Vail, 136 orcas have been taken into captivity from the wild since 1961. Of those, 123 have died, with an average lifespan of four years once captured. For a species that averages 35 years in the wild, that's a pretty poor public health record."
Clown crackdown
"A Tampa man faces charges after a deputy spotted him walking in a clown mask," Associated Press reports. "According to jail records, the man was arrested [last]Tuesday and charged with wearing a mask or hood on a public road … and resisting arrest without violence." The man, who turned 19 on Wednesday, was released on $750 (U.S.) bond.
Cut fashion bills in half
"What if you could look more fashionable than ever - and cut your spending in half? It's so much easier than you think," Ellen Warren writes for the Chicago Tribune. "Here's how: Stop worrying about what you're wearing from the waist down. Call it Tabletop Dressing. If you're outfitting yourself for dining out, quit wasting cash, time and trouble choosing the cutest designer shoes, the latest $300 jeans or the perfect high-end trousers or skirt. Nobody sees any of that when you're sitting at the table. Grab some trusty shoes and an old (black?) standby for your lower parts. Now, start concentrating your fashion firepower on what goes on from the waist up. That's the territory where you'll make the big statement."
Thought du jour
"Once you can accept the universe as being something expanding into an infinite nothing which is something, wearing stripes with plaid is easy."
- Albert Einstein