Shakespeare reveals human nature brilliantly: he shines a light on our instinctive desire to dominate each other.
Middle age is when your old classmates are so grey and wrinkled and bald they don't recognize you.
I think the more avenues that open up when people want to publish, the better. Some of the authors that want to jump ship from the traditional houses and go on their own, you know what? Good luck. It's going to be a lot tougher than you think.