The unexpected

A somewhat unfortunate paragraph in the NY Times’s obit for Alan Bates: “One of the memorable scenes of his film career unfolded in Ken Russell's 1969 film "Women in Love," based on the D.H. Lawrence novel, in which he wrestled nude with Oliver Reed. Glenda Jackson, his co-star, told the BBC, "He always brought the unexpected to everything he did."” Which does rather raise the question what unexpected thing be brought to nude wrestling with Oliver Reed.

The No-Longer-Puppet Government of Iraq says Saddam Hussein’s trial will probably be held in secret.

A South Korean POW escapes from North Korea after 50 years. He has a lot of back pay coming to him.

Mother of the week: Deana Mader of Greenwich, CT, is suing the city because her 2-year old ran into a guard rail in a playground. He is a child model, so she’s suing for lost wages.

Chicago Trib story about suicide among US soldiers in Iraq.

2 stories about naming people. The first, just a link, is from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, on people naming their poor kids after products, brand names or ESPN.