Eideard

 
A crocodile, known as Snappy, who lives in the city of Geelong, near the Australian city of Melbourne, has suddenly and unexpectedly turned orange.

The eight foot saltwater crocodile began to turn an interesting shade of orange, causing his keeper Tracy Sandstrom, who runs a mobile reptile display called Roaming Reptiles, to fear for his health.

“I thought he was really sick. I thought he was dying,” said Ms Sandstrom.

It turned out the crocodile, who sleeps in a heated bath at night, had been chewing on the water pipes, damaging the filter. This caused the filter to stop working and pH levels in the water to rise.

Experts believe red algae or tannins from fallen leaves which would normally have stayed out of his water due to the filter managed to get in, which combined with the raised pH led to the change in his colour.

In time he should return to his natural green colour.

“There’s no change in his behaviour, his aggression, his territorialism. He’s still a really nasty crocodile,” said Ms Sandstrom.

Har!

No. I do not want one. Even if he had a clock in his belly.

Sebastian Vettel, the reigning world champion in Formula One wins the Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne. Not a bad start to the new season.

Michael Wiles, 29, was seen on Melbourne’s busy Eastern Freeway effectively “wearing” the barbecue as he carried it home after finding it by the side of the road.

He had inserted his body through the wooden frame and was peering through a protruding steel grate to see his way as he drove along at speeds of up to 46mph.

Police investigated after his antics were photographed from a passing car. The picture later found its way on to the internet and was widely circulated in emails.

Mr Wiles, a New Zealander who lives in the Australian city of Melbourne, admitted the charge when he appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Paul McClure, his defence lawyer, said Mr Wiles’s excuse was “lack of thought processes” at the time and poverty…

Mr McClure said his client had been approached by a barbecue company to appear in an advertisement after his photograph was published but he had declined to do so.

Lionel Winton-Smith, the presiding magistrate, said he could not recall a case like it in his years on the bench. “I’m trying to think of a word to describe it,” he said.

“Ridiculous?” suggested Mr McClure.

“Ridiculous. That will do,” agreed the magistrate.

He fined Mr Wiles A$800 and disqualified him from driving for one month.

Having done similar silliness I can’t really criticize Mr. Wiles for what he did.

No – it wasn’t any brighter when I did it. But, then, I wasn’t caught.