Comments on: Sony Bono, Mickey Mouse and John Clare http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/ Out of the crooked timber of humanity, no straight thing was ever made Sat, 26 May 2012 21:58:23 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Jim S http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-142120 Jim S Tue, 31 Jan 2006 02:44:53 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-142120 It's sad when your brain supplies missing letters. It’s sad when your brain supplies missing letters.

]]> By: Nick Barnes http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-142115 Nick Barnes Tue, 31 Jan 2006 01:50:19 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-142115 You have surely all read Byatt's <em>Possession</em>? This fact about copyright forms a vital part of the plot. You have surely all read Byatt’s Possession? This fact about copyright forms a vital part of the plot.

]]> By: nick s http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-142051 nick s Mon, 30 Jan 2006 12:49:02 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-142051 You will be reading Iain Sinclair's latest book, which is sort of on Clare, won't you? He is, after all, the Peter Ackroyd it's okay to like. You will be reading Iain Sinclair’s latest book, which is sort of on Clare, won’t you? He is, after all, the Peter Ackroyd it’s okay to like.

]]> By: John Quiggin http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-142029 John Quiggin Mon, 30 Jan 2006 03:20:01 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-142029 I mentally supplied the missing 'n', without being aware of it. Isn't serendipity wonderful? And the Clare story is amazing. I mentally supplied the missing ‘n’, without being aware of it. Isn’t serendipity wonderful?

And the Clare story is amazing.

]]> By: Kieran Healy http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-142011 Kieran Healy Sun, 29 Jan 2006 22:53:59 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-142011 I originally read the headline as "Sony, Bono, Mickey Mouse ... " and wondered what U2 had to do with it. I originally read the headline as “Sony, Bono, Mickey Mouse … ” and wondered what U2 had to do with it.

]]> By: Chris Bertram http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-142010 Chris Bertram Sun, 29 Jan 2006 22:40:12 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-142010 Post in haste, regret at leisure. Should have been Sonny, but I'll leave Sony up now since it has proved accidentally apposite. Post in haste, regret at leisure. Should have been Sonny, but I’ll leave Sony up now since it has proved accidentally apposite.

]]> By: g http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-142001 g Sun, 29 Jan 2006 21:14:50 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-142001 Jim: of course I know why the mention of Sonny Bono. But the post title has "<b>Sony</b> Bono" rather than "Sonny Bono", and I was tickled by (1) the allusion (deliberate or not) to Sony, one of the more enthusiastic pursuers of protection for their "intellectual property", and (2) the fact that (taking "Sony", as a non-Latin noun, to be indeclinable) "Sony Bono" actually has a very appropriate meaning and one rather more honest than the official monicker of the CTEA. "Disney Bono" would have been even better, but one can't have everything. And, for what it's worth, I agree about software patents and am a little inclined to think likewise about patents generally. Jim: of course I know why the mention of Sonny Bono. But the post title has “Sony Bono” rather than “Sonny Bono”, and I was tickled by (1) the allusion (deliberate or not) to Sony, one of the more enthusiastic pursuers of protection for their “intellectual property”, and (2) the fact that (taking “Sony”, as a non-Latin noun, to be indeclinable) “Sony Bono” actually has a very appropriate meaning and one rather more honest than the official monicker of the CTEA. “Disney Bono” would have been even better, but one can’t have everything.

And, for what it’s worth, I agree about software patents and am a little inclined to think likewise about patents generally.

]]> By: John Isbell http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141996 John Isbell Sun, 29 Jan 2006 20:43:01 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141996 Poet Laureate does count as pretty successful, if you're a poet. A far cry from the madhouse. Curiously, French and German Romanticism each had a major mad poet: Nerval and Hoelderlin. "I am, yet who I am none cares or knows; My friends desert me like a memory lost..." Trying to picture Coleridge (or Keats) writing those words. Poet Laureate does count as pretty successful, if you’re a poet. A far cry from the madhouse. Curiously, French and German Romanticism each had a major mad poet: Nerval and Hoelderlin.

“I am, yet who I am none cares or knows;
My friends desert me like a memory lost…”

Trying to picture Coleridge (or Keats) writing those words.

]]> By: Brendan http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141990 Brendan Sun, 29 Jan 2006 20:12:26 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141990 'Do you know anything at all about the biographies of Wordsworth and Coleridge.' OK to be more specific: the whining of the later Wordsworth. And bad as Coleridge's position sometimes was it was never quite as bad as Clare's. (I might add that, depending on your point of view about opium, it could be argued that Coleridge's problems were to at least a certain extent, self-inflicted). ‘Do you know anything at all about the biographies of Wordsworth and Coleridge.’

OK to be more specific: the whining of the later Wordsworth. And bad as Coleridge’s position sometimes was it was never quite as bad as Clare’s. (I might add that, depending on your point of view about opium, it could be argued that Coleridge’s problems were to at least a certain extent, self-inflicted).

]]> By: Jim S http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141989 Jim S Sun, 29 Jan 2006 20:12:10 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141989 Ummmm...g, do you really not know why the mention of Sonny Bono in a post on copyright issues? I think the only thing more broken than the copyright system is software patents. Ummmm…g, do you really not know why the mention of Sonny Bono in a post on copyright issues? I think the only thing more broken than the copyright system is software patents.

]]> By: Kieran Healy http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141984 Kieran Healy Sun, 29 Jan 2006 19:36:50 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141984 <i>I have it on excellent authority that Wordsworth had at least a handful of silver. And, I believe, a riband to stick in his coat.</i> Also a sister to take care of the practical stuff -- very handy to have aroun the house, if you're a true romantic genius. I have it on excellent authority that Wordsworth had at least a handful of silver. And, I believe, a riband to stick in his coat.

Also a sister to take care of the practical stuff—very handy to have aroun the house, if you’re a true romantic genius.

]]> By: g http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141977 g Sun, 29 Jan 2006 18:37:30 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141977 I have it on excellent authority that Wordsworth had at least a handful of silver. And, I believe, a riband to stick in his coat. I have it on excellent authority that Wordsworth had at least a handful of silver. And, I believe, a riband to stick in his coat.

]]> By: g http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141976 g Sun, 29 Jan 2006 18:29:38 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141976 Presumably "Sony Bono", on the analogy of "Cui bono?", means "For the good of Sony". Deliberate or accidental? Presumably “Sony Bono”, on the analogy of “Cui bono?”, means “For the good of Sony”. Deliberate or accidental?

]]> By: Michael http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141974 Michael Sun, 29 Jan 2006 18:14:45 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141974 "Rich and successful?" Are you kidding me? Do you know anything at all about the biographies of Wordsworth and Coleridge? Evidently not. “Rich and successful?” Are you kidding me? Do you know anything at all about the biographies of Wordsworth and Coleridge? Evidently not.

]]> By: Brendan http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/comment-page-1/#comment-141971 Brendan Sun, 29 Jan 2006 17:46:06 +0000 http://crookedtimber.org/2006/01/29/sony-bono-mickey-mouse-and-john-clare/#comment-141971 The copyright of Clare's work is one of the major scandals of the academic study of literature. The only comparison I can think of is Valerie Eliot's hold over the copyright of T.S. Eliot's stuff, but in her case at least there is some reason as to why she is helping to suppress some of this stuff. Robert Graves and a few others always argued that John Clare was one of the greatest of Romantic poets, perhaps THE greatest. Certainly he lacks the middle class 'oh woe is me, it's awful being a rich and succesful poet' whining that sometimes mars the writing of Wordsworth and (especially) Coleridge. The copyright of Clare’s work is one of the major scandals of the academic study of literature. The only comparison I can think of is Valerie Eliot’s hold over the copyright of T.S. Eliot’s stuff, but in her case at least there is some reason as to why she is helping to suppress some of this stuff.

Robert Graves and a few others always argued that John Clare was one of the greatest of Romantic poets, perhaps THE greatest. Certainly he lacks the middle class ‘oh woe is me, it’s awful being a rich and succesful poet’ whining that sometimes mars the writing of Wordsworth and (especially) Coleridge.

]]>