“Clown International has lost almost 90 percent of its members from its peak in the 1980s.” The Atlantic on how clowns became terrifying.

+ WaPo on Robert Downey’s remarkable comeback. And if his movie career doesn’t amaze you, his singing at Sting’s birthday party will.

+ What happens to baggage that’s never claimed? For the answer, you’ll need to go to Scottsboro, Alabama.