George Carlin Shakespeare Connection

Just heard on NPR’s Wait Wait show that George Carlin’s grandfather wrote out the complete works of Shakespeare, just because he liked it. If true, that’s kind of cool.  People talk about a life goal of reading the complete works, try writing them out! There’s a bit for somebody to do – find the Shakespearean equivalent to all of Carlin’s “Seven Dirty Words”.

Shakespeare And Infinity

While I google for references, somebody refresh my memory – how new (or, at least, little known) was the concept of infinity while Shakespeare was writing?  I know I saw someplace some references to just when it was first written about and by whom, but I can’t seem to put my finger on them.  I’d like to learn more about just how big of a deal it was that Shakespeare “jumped on the bandwagon early”, so to speak.  That he “got” the concept of infinity pretty quickly. That is, of course, if that’s true.  I could be completely misunderstanding the timing and it could have been a concept every groundling understood, too.  But I don’t think so. I’m looking now, but every combination of googling for “Shakespeare” and “infinity” just turns up damned monkey typing references.   P.S. – My Mobius “infinity bracelet” has apparently arrived, so presentation to wife coming soon.  I say apparently because it arrived while I was on vacation over the weekend and all I got was a note in the mail saying I had to sign for it.   A note that arrived AT MY HOUSE INSTEAD OF MY BUSINESS ADDRESS so my wife is all “What’s this?”  I’m not thrilled with this development, especially since I was planning to hide it until September for our anniversary.  Oh, well.  I’ll let everybody know how it came out and how she likes it.

Pre-Reviews : Hopkins As Lear

http://filmexperience.blogspot.com/2008/06/2009-sneak-king-lear.html Over at Film Experience Blog they’re having a lengthy discussion on the pros and cons of casting for the upcoming Lear, starring Sir Anthony Hopkins (most of the comments scream “Why not Ian McKellen?”), Gwynneth Paltrow, Keira Knightey and Naomi Watts. If I understand it correctly, McKellen’s version is in fact coming to DVD as well.    So short answer, I’ll see them both :).