He Was Able To Up Sticks

      It seems some in Scotland are finally realizing that Shakespeare played fast and loose with history. (Pardon this blog while it pauses for one of those head-splitting "duh" moments.)

      As a less-than-brilliant chap once remarked, "Shakespeare writes history like I perform calculus, at best creatively, but seldom faithfully to any of the principles of the discipline." See also these rather astute remarks on, among other things, the importance of history. But if you are depending upon Shakespeare to provide you with historical fact, you're a very dull knife indeed, and I'd recommend a good sharpening.

      By the way, it seems Hollywood has decided to do a remake of the old Alec Guinness comedy The Last Holiday, itself an adaptation of a novel by J.B. Priestley. Now, if you are going to do this sort of remake, who do you bring in to step into Sir Alec's shoes? Tom Hanks, again? No. Ewan MacGregor? David Hyde-Pierce? No, no. Think outside the box, people. Think long and hard about it, and I'm sure that you, too, will come to the same (and inevitable) conclusion that the remake's producers have. Yes, yes, I can see the awareness falling upon your face. It could be no one else: yes, that's right, Queen Latifah.

      Talk about playing fast and loose....