Barb the Bard: This is too much. In an anti-war speech, Barbra Streisand quotes Shakespeare. Only she doesn't. The Shakespeare quote is a hoax, from an email that has been floating around the internet. Read this. This is just too good not to be real. Here's her quote:

Beware the leader who bangs the drums of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor, for patriotism is indeed a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and blinded with patriotism, will offer up all of their rights unto the leader, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Caesar.

Shakespeare was a good writer who wrote in verse. That is not good writing. That is not verse. That is twaddle. I mean look at that wording, “it both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind.” Surely, that is the work of a semi-literate political science major. Let's update it:

Beware the celebrity who comtemplateth the navel in order to whip herself into an egotistical fervor, for self-importance is a double-edged sword. It both emboldens the mouth, just as it reveals vapidity. And when self-importance has reached a fever pitch and the mouth runs on incessantly and the head is devoid of matter, the celebrity will have no need to engage in self-promotion. Rather, the media, infused with mindless awe and blinded by fame, will offer up all sorts of air time to the celebrity, and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Babs.