If business is a hamster wheel, what kind of hamster do you want to beThe one who runs all day long, huffing and puffing to keep things turningOr the sleek and happy rodent who works in the corner office down the hallStanley Bing has seen the way the big furballs operate in good times and bad.Core skills taught in this book:DelegationTelling people what to do and having them do it.AbsenceOperating from the digital vacuum.Abuse of statusIt can be done.DecisivenessEven when confused.EngagementBut only when necessary.Step off the wheel.Grab this book.And relax.

You drag yourself to work wearing your office uniform, complete with khaki pants and sense of impending doom. After grabbing a cup of the office sludge, you settle in with your fellow cube dwellers and wonder: How will I last another day in this freaky corporate jungleCheaper than therapy, Cube Monkeys is your secret weapon to surviving the longest 40 hours of the week. Wanna get the overachieving intern firedDon't know how to tell the Stink Bomb down the hall he needs a scrub a dub dubAfraid you may have told off the boss after your fifth margarita at last night's happy hourNeed a handy list of excuses good for any occasionLook no further. The editors of CareerBuilder.com and Second City Communications have answers to your most pressing office survival questions, as well as advice, tips, and more to help you make it through the day without killing anyone. (Well, maybe the intern will take a hit. But that little snitch had it coming.)

A deeply divided border state, heir to the "Bleeding Kansas" era, Missouri became the third most fought-over state in the war, following Virginia and Tennessee. Rich in resources and manpower, critical politically to both the Union and the Confederacy, it was the scene of conventional battles, river warfare, and cavalry raids. It saw the first combat by organized units of Native Americans and African Americans. It was also marked by guerrilla warfare of unparalleled viciousness. This volume, the ninth in the series, includes hundreds of photographs, many of them never before published. The authors provide text and commentary, organizing the photographs into chapters covering the origins of the war, its conventional and guerrilla phases, the war on the rivers, medicine (Sweeny's medical knowledge adds a great deal to this chapter and expands our knowledge of its practice in the west), the experiences of Missourians who served out of state, and the process of reunion in the postwar years.

Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Alabama in the Civil War is the tenth volume in this acclaimed series showing the human side of the country's great national conflict. Over 230 photographs of soldiers and civilians from Alabama, many never seen before, are accompanied by their personal stories and woven into the larger narrative of the war both on the battlefield and the home front. Alabama is unusual among the Rebel states in that, while its people saw little fighting inside its boundaries, nearly one hundred thousand Alabamians served with Confederate units throughout the South. This volume chronicles their experiences in almost every battle east of the Mississippi River--especially at Sharpsburg, Chancellorsville, and Gettysburg under the legendary Robert E. Lee; at Murfreesboro and Chickamauga as part of the ill-fated Army of Tennessee; and at the famous siege of Vicksburg. Ultimately Union soldiers did invade the state, and Alabamians defended their homeland against enemy cavalry raiders at Selma and against Federal warships in the fight for Mobile Bay. The volume also includes accounts of some of Alabama's leading politicians as well as several of its more ordinary citizens. This new volume contains the same quality of photography and storytelling that has attracted Civil War enthusiasts since the first volume was published in 1987, making it another welcome addition to the series Civil War History called "e;a sensibly priced, beautifully produced photographic history."e;

Everybody has that special someone in their life that they can't wait to get rid of. Whether it's a housekeeper, a therapist, or a personal trainer, the time comes when you have to pull the plug on the relationship.Featuring personal stories, useful *s, and interviews with experts such as Bob Harper from The Biggest Loser, funnyman Adam Carolla, and Michael Jackson's attorney, Thomas Mesereau, Dump 'Em is a practical guide for giving any bad relationship the boot. Jodyne L. Speyer provides a roadmap to finding your own way of saying "thanks, but no thanks." Written with honesty, empathy, and ruthless wit, Dump 'Em will teach you to conquer your fear of confrontation and master the art of the peaceful and permanent breakup. So what are you waiting forDump 'em!

When Brian Sack's mother passed away, he was left with a letter and a pink cardigan. The cardigan was promptly placed in a drawer, but the letter was pure gold. In just a few pages of fancy cursive, her posthumous dispatch offered the kind of guidance you would expect from a mother to her young son. And while he didn't necessarily follow all the advice, he never forgot how very important those words and that letter were to him. Decades later, on the verge of parenthood himself, Brian decided to write something for his own child, wanting a legacy, and not just a pink cardigan, to leave to his son. But far from the usual collection of advice, Brian has written a sharp, sage, warts-and-all survival guide to life.With quick wit and self-deprecating honesty, Sack draws from his experiences, tapping them for the humor within. Holding nothing back, he: Gives the skinny on relationships don't let the woman you love wander alone in France Commiserates about the death of the meritocracy wanting to sing doesn't mean you can Recounts his awkward entry into fatherhood you'll overcome your aversion to poo Offers firsthand advice avoid any bipolar lady with a drug-sniffing wonder-cat And argues that the Empire State Building is not a phallic symbol no matter what the professor said Every chapter takes on subjects ranging from the universal and mundane to the life changing and inevitable. With its funny and heartfelt musings from a father to a son, In the Event of My Untimely Demise is a delightful life primer for all of us.

At last, a humorous, anecdote-filled exploration of the many ways in which women stab each other in the back and talk about each other behind closed doors If you exhibit any of these traits, you may be guilty of being a Player hateHER: You get upset when people don't notice how fabulous you are. You vow to get revenge on your boyfriend's mistress, instead of him. You become angry when you see someone wearing the same outfit you purchased, as if it were produced just for you. Player hateHER shows women why they hate on one another, and, most important, how they can stop! A much-needed lesson in respecting one another and respecting yourself.

Feisty, funny, and almost fabulous: A relationship guide and collection of outrageous dating mishaps from the unfiltered and often inappropriate Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star. Welcome to Drinking and Dating . . . and how social media is ruining us all. In this honest, hilarious, and wild tell-all, reality TV starlet and number one New York Times bestselling author Brandi Glanville chronicles her misadventures stumbling through today's dating world. From felons to social media blunders and bedroom esca-pades, Brandi withholds nothing as she writes about the perils of getting back . . . on her back. Despite Brandi's life in the public spotlight, she has the same difficulty meeting, trusting, and even dating new people as the rest of us—perhaps even more. She hopes to develop a lasting, loving relationship, but it's been a struggle. With her signature tell-it-like-it-is voice, the single mother of two brings you along on her journey as the controversial but charming former fashion model shows her all-too-human side, candidly sharing the humorous and unforeseen ups and downs—literally and figuratively—in her search for love. Brandi Glanville is surprising, vulnerable, and outspoken, and her take on dating after heartbreak—and life in general—is as unique as she is. Just like Brandi herself, Drinking and Dating is sexy, funny, and eyebrow-raising—not that she can raise hers. #Botox.

Get revenge on all your annoying coworkers with this guide to 101 awesome office pranks Are your eyes beginning to glaze over from the fluorescent lights in your tiny cubicleHave you had one too many burnt cups of coffeeDoes the guy in the cube next to you insist on pencil-drumming while cranking "Hells Bells" and five-finger discounting your paper clipsIf your answer to any of these questions is yes, then you're in need of some Cubicle Warfare.With Cubicle Warfare, you'll never be bored at the office again. Make your coworkers jump, squeal, and run for cover with hilarious pranks such as the Paper Clip Chain, Bottomless Box, and the Sticky Note Office, as well as the more advanced Freezer Bomb, Chair Chaos, and Textless Keyboard. Even if you're not a prankster yourself, you can still use this riotous guide to recognize the warning signs and defend your desk from conniving coworkers. Bad days at the office will be a thing of the past.

Meet Karl Welzein, aka Captain Karl, aka @DadBoner on Twitter—the Midwest's most beautiful loser Karl Welzein is really lookin' forward to the weekend, you guys. His job is a drag and his wife kicked him out, but that's okay. She wears granny panties and is constantly dropping wads of cash at Target, and his son cries all the time. Now his "temporary" roommate, Dave, ate all the Totino's pizza rolls. Again. Karl Welzein is sick of this. So sick of this. Power Moves chronicles the hilarious decline of Karl Welzein on his journey from life as a Dockers-and-golfshirt-wearing dad to a ponytailed party maniac who spits out his life philosophies like a modern-day Charles Bukowski (if he preferred to get drunk at Applebee's). A middle-aged Michigan native, Karl may be overweight, prone to questionable fashion and culinary choices, oblivious to his drinking problem, a poor excuse for an employee, obsessed with the restroom, and a terrible husband, father, and friend . . . but in his heart he means well. He's just like a lot of us—he loves the USA, Guy Fieri, bold flavors, Bob Seger, and thinking he looks jacked in a tight tee and Maui Jim sunglasses. Karl is an everyman and like no other man on the planet all at once. Inspired by the Twitter feed @DadBoner, Karl finally tells his full story. He shares his wisdom on fitness (1. Look at a pic of Stone Cold Steve Austin. 2. Do 'shups 'til you look like Stone Cold. 3. Cut off your sleeves), diet (Eat only the filling of the Taco Bell Beefy Melts for maximum flavor and low-carb health), fashion (Wearin' boots with jean shorts says "I like to keep cool, but I'm ready if the action gets hot"), work life (If you don't have a job that makes you want to kill yourself, you don't deserve to drink until you want to die), and the bliss of the perfect weekend (beers, brats, and babes' chest beefers). But above all, this is a story about America—the real red, white, and blue America of today. Welcome to Karl's world. Reading this book is the ultimate Power Move.

Vera Maria Rosenberg a fost, probabil, cea mai important? femeie spion din al Doilea R?zboi Mondial. N?scut? ?n 1908 la Gala?i, a emigrat ?n Marea Britanie ?n 1933, fiind recrutat? ?n tinere?e de serviciile de informa?ii britanice. Ulterior ?i-a schimbat numele, pentru a-?i ascunde originea evreiasc?, iar dup? stabilirea ?n Marea Britanie a participat la nenum?rate misiuni secrete, ajung?nd ?n fruntea SOE, serviciul de opera?iuni speciale creat de Winston Churchill. Agen?ii ei au participat la nenum?rate opera?iuni vitale, inclusiv la preg?tirea debarc?rii ?n Normandia. ?n 1987, Fran?ois Mitterand i-a acordat Legiunea de Onoare, pentru aportul ei la eliberarea Fran?ei. Dup? r?zboi, Vera Atkins s-a retras ?ntr-un sat din Anglia, unde a r?mas p?n? la moarte, ?n 2000. Via?a i-a fost ?nconjurat? de mister, ?i pu?ini au ?tiut cine este cu adev?rat. Biografia lui Sarah Helm dezv?luie secretele celei despre care Ian Fleming, creatorul celebrului James Bond, spunea ??n adev?rata lume a spionilor, Vera Atkins a fost ?eful.“

It was a winter night, and the ground around Paris was covered with snow, although the flakes had ceased to fall since some hours.?Spite of the cold and the darkness, a young man, wrapped in a mantle so voluminous as to hide a babe in his arms, strode over the white fields out of the town of Villers Cotterets, in the woods, eighteen leagues from the capital, which he had reached by the stage-coach, towards a hamlet called Haramont. His assured step seemed to indicate that he had previously gone this road.?Soon above him streaked the leafless boughs upon the grey sky. The sharp air, the odor of the oaks, the icicles and beads on the tips of branches, all appealed to the poetry in the wanderer.??Through the clumps he looked for the village spire and the blue smoke of the chimneys, filtering from the cottages through the natural trellis of the limbs.?It was dawn when he crossed a brook, bordered with yellow cress and frozen vines, and at the first hovel asked for the laborer's boy to take him to Madeline Pi-tou's home.??Mute and attentive, not so dull as most of their kind, the children sprang up and staring at the stranger, led him by the hand to a rather large and good-looking cottage, on the bank of the rivulet running by most of the dwellings.?A plank served as a bridge.?"There," said one of the guides nodding his head to-wards it.?Gilbert gave them a coin, which made their eyes open still more widely, and crossed the board to the door which he pushed open, while the children, taking one another's hand, started with all their might at the handsome gentleman in a brown cloth coat, buckled shoes and large cloak, who wanted to find Madeline Pitou.?Apart from them, Gilbert, for such was the young man's name, simply so for he had no other, saw no liv-ing things: Haramont was the deserted village he was seeking.??As soon as the door was open, his sight was struck by a scene full of charm, for almost anybody, and par-ticularly for a young philosopher like our roamer.?A robust peasant woman was suckling a baby, while another child, a sturdy boy of four or five, was saying a prayer in a loud voice.?In the chimney corner, near a window or rather a hole in the wall in which was stuck a pane of glass, an-other woman, going on for thirty-five or six, was spin-ning, with a stool under her feet, and a fat poodle on an end of this stool.?Catching sight of the visitor the dog barked in a civil and hospitable manner just to show that he had not been caught napping. The praying boy turned, cutting the devotional phrase in two, and both females uttered an exclamation between joy and surprise.?"I greet you, good mother Madeline," said Gilbert with a smile.

Ilie Badescu, sociologul care a redeschis dezbaterea privind puterea si importanta pe care o are spiritul si desavarsirea fiintei si societatii, in lucrarea de fata ne vorbeste despre forta invataturilor precum si despre devierile prin care sunt propagate in lume falsele invataturi.

Inchizi?ia spaniol?, poate cea mai temut? institu?ie din istoria omenirii, a fost ?nfiin?at? ?n 1478 de Regii Catolici, Ferdinand ?i Isabella, ?i abolit? abia ?n 1834, odat? cu R?zboaiele Napoleoniene. Spre deosebire de Inchizi?ia medieval? din restul Europei, cea din Spania ?i Portugalia s-a r?sp?ndit ?n coloniile iberice din Asia, Africa ?i America de Sud, ajung?nd s? terorizeze, timp de peste trei secole, nu mai pu?in de patru continente.Care au fost ?ns? motivele ?nfiin??rii ei? De ce provoca at?ta team?? Cine erau victimele torturate ?i arse ?n autodafeuri? Toby Green readuce la via?? aceast? perioad? a istoriei cu ajutorul uria?ei arhive inchizitoriale p?strate ?i prezint? nenum?rate cazuri judecate de Sf?ntul Oficiu, de la arhiepiscopi la oameni obi?nui?i, victime inocente ale unui sistem diabolic. De?i ?nsp?im?nt?toare, aceste pove?ti sunt un exemplu al rezisten?ei spiritului uman ?n fa?a absurdului ?i a r?ului. Toby Green ne dezv?luie mecanismele prin care pot ap?rea persecu?ia ?i teroarea, dar ?i felul ?n care pot fi evitate. Inchizi?ia este un avertisment venit din trecut, o lec?ie a istoriei pentru noi to?i!

** Pamella Singh – Miss India 1982… spioan? de pat la NATO ** Frumoasele Miss, prad? u?oar? pentru trafican?ii de stupefiante ** Angela Nichitin – Miss Johannesburg, victim? a traficului de carne vie ** O Miss pentru solda?ii americani din Irak ** Miss Diaspora… uneori important poten?ial pentru spionaj ?i contraspionaj? ** Momeal? pentru pedofili ** Tita Cristescu, fost? Miss Rom?nia, ucis? cu cianur? de potasiu ** Concursurile Miss ?i reginele alese, motiv de scandal ?i crim?? ** Heather Whitestone – Miss America 1994, sub teroarea unui obsedat ** Evreica Lise Goldarbeiter – Miss Univers 1929 a supravie?uit nazismului ** C?teva regine… surpriz? **** Zsa Zsa Gabor – Miss Ungaria 1936. Nou? c?s?torii ?i scandaluri cu duiumul ** Rosemarie Frankland – Miss Univers 1961, ucis? de singur?tate? ** Imelda Marcos – Miss Leyte ?i ?Muza Manilei“ al?turi de un dictator ** Bess Myerson – Miss America 1945, de la politicieni, la mafio?i ** Plou? cu Miss-uri: Nud, Fund Mare, Jumbo ?i mai tr?snite ** Miss Penitenciar sau… Miss Pu?c?rie? ** Zig-zag ?n lumea concursurilor de frumuse?e ?i a concurentelor. Pilule dulciFiecare om, evident, are destinul s?u. Reginele au avut ?i au, ?i ele, firesc, destinul lor. Cele ?ncoronate ?i declarate ca atare datorit? frumuse?ii lor fizice ?i intelectuale sunt, de multe ori, superioare celor n?scute cu s?nge albastru, dar totodat? ele sunt expuse ?i mai mult unor pericole ce le dau t?rcoale. Tenta?iile ce apar des ?i capcanele ce li se ?ntind fostelor Miss sunt de multe ori ?irezistibile“. Din nefericire, unele tinere nu le-au sesizat la timp ?i, treptat, uneori f?r? voia lor, au c?zut ?n plasa unor servicii de spionaj sau a unor re?ele mafiote interna?ionale, implicate ?n traficul cu droguri, armament ?i fiin?e umane. Altele, ?ns?, au avut un destin ?i mai tragic, ajung?nd dup? gratii sau devenind ?inta unor asasinate care au f?cut v?lv? ?n pres?.Au fost ?ns? ?i ?Regine“ fericite. Din p?cate, pu?ine ?i pentru o perioad? scurt? de timp. Nici ?n lumea Miss-urilor n-au fost ?i nu vor fi dou? destine la fel.O carte ce cuprinde un soi de miniromane poli?iste, axate pe soarta, uneori-adeseori, dramatic? a reginelor frumuse?ii.

Lucrarea aduce in dezbaterile istoricilor si economistilor evolutia economica si politica a Romaniei in perioada 1859-1900, marcand o contributie insemnata in acest domeniu destul de putin studiat, analizat si dezbatut.Tema centrala a lucrarii o constituie necesitatea crearii unei industrii romanesti inca de la inceputul secolului al XIX-lea, pledand in favoarea protectionismului, a independentei capitalurilor si a mainii de lucru calificata.De asemenea, autorul analizeaza dezbaterile care au avut loc in epoca pe tema industrializarii si protectionismului intre cele doua partide mari existente in a doua jumatate a secolului XIX: Conservator si Liberal, precum si cele dintre economistii de conceptie din acea vreme: D.P. Martian, I. Ghica, Ionica Tautu, P.S. Aurelian.

The work represents a synthesis published and printed in two volumes (the 1st volume in 2002, the second one, in 2004) under the aegis of Mica Valahie Publishing House in Bucharest. Being elaborated on the basis of some documents discovered in the Romanian and foreign archives, the two volumes cover the period up to 1929 in the first volume and the period from 1929 to 2005 in the second one. The paper reveals the role and place of Romanian oil in the evolution of the national and worldwide history, especially during the World War between 1939 and 1945 and in the development of the so-called “cold war”. The book insists upon the prospects of the specific “black gold” evolution.In the addendum there are to be found some interesting documents and the complete bibliography of oil.

Fire?te c?, de la schimbarea de paradigm? numit? apari?ia genurilor rock ?i folk (precedate de jazz, dar mai cu seam? de blues... ?i ?n m?sur? cov?r?itoare de explozia beat!), ?n Rom?nia comunist? (?ncerc?nd mereu s? fie sincron? cu voga occidental?), lucrurile n-au fost tocmai roz. Unii chiar se bat ?n piept c? de la ei ?ncoace se poate vorbi de...; al?ii (implica?i direct) sunt sc?rbi?i de ceea ce se ?nt?mpl?, mai cu seam? ?n lipsa unei istorii oficiale ?i documentate, ?i ??i v?d de treab?. ?n era net/Wikipedia, oricine se poate da ?n stamb?, se poate lua la tr?nt? (sub pav?za anonimatului, implicit a nesim?irii) cu orice; cum anticipa parc? Andy Warhol, a venit vremea ?n care oricine va fi fost vedet? 15 minute.Dar au existat ?i vedete reale, grei ai genurilor a?a-zis u?oare, mon?tri sacri! Celor acum ?n umbr? (cite?te underground) le este dedicat acest volum. M?rturii orale puse cap la cap despre aceia care au trecut ?i – iat? – se ?ntorc ?n Clubul Arhitecturii. Dac? un Cenaclu ?Flac?ra“, la ?nceput genial ?n scopuri, a fost mai apoi r?st?lm?cit ideologic ?i impus aproape cu for?a p?n? la implozie, clubul – recte pivni?a – din strada Bl?nari nr. 14 a rezistat peste decenii intrinsec; pe temelia solidificat? de la o zi la alta, de la un artist la altul, de la o bere la alta... Din student ?n student (dar nu numai prin ei), ?tafeta a tot fost preluat? de genera?iile care s-au perindat, iar ast?zi ne-am trezit cu o ?ntreag? istorie care apas? pe funda?iile cl?dirii vechi..., dar f?r? bulin? ro?ie! Nu, Club A nu va c?dea, a?a cum va exista ?n continuare ?i Casa Studen?ilor din Bucure?ti (ca ?i cele din Timi?oara, Ia?i, Cluj...), ?i Radioul, ?i Televiziunea, ?i Electrecordul...Din cuprins: Amintiri ? Clubul de pariuri muzicale sau Cu... v?nt ?nainte... din pupa! ? A fost o dat?... din 1969 ? Primul Festival Na?ional de Muzic? Pop ?Club A“ (16–22 decembrie 1969) ? Ro?u ?i Negru ? Romanticii ? Chromatic Grup ? Sideral (Modal Quartet) ? Olympic ‘64 ? Phoenix ? Coral... ?i Adrian Ivani?chi ? Al doilea Festival Na?ional de Muzic? Pop ?Club A“ (10–17 mai 1971) ? Modern Grup ? Metronom ? Mondial ? Timi?oara, la vest de Rom?nia ? Carusel ? Post-scriptum la al doilea festival ? Folk ?n Club A ? Mihai Munteanu ?Michone“ ? Dorin Liviu Zaharia ?Chubby“ ? Mircea ?Ciocu“ Vintil? ? Florian ?Mo?u“ Pitti? ? Doru St?nculescu ? Sorin Minghiat ? Dan Oprina ?i Mircea Valeriu Popa ? Nicu Vladimir ? Marcela Saftiuc ? Adriana Ausch ? Anda C?lug?reanu ? Zoia Alecu ? Catena ? FFN ? Valeriu Sterian (?i Compania de Sunet) ? Mircea Bodolan ? Curtea Veche nr. 43 ? Al treilea Festival ?Club A“ (5–8 iunie 1979) ? Metropol ? Academica ? Experimental Q ? Modal Q ? Mircea Florian (din Transilvania) ? Al patrulea Festival ?Club A“ (16–19 martie 1981) ? Dan Andrei Aldea ?i Sfinx ? Pro Musica ? Accent ? Redivivus ? Basorelief ? Gramophon/Post Scriptum ?i... Mircea Baniciu ? Semnal M ? Sorin Chifiriuc ?i Domino/Roata ? Grup ‘74 ? Club A – 15 ani (12–17 martie 1984) ? Nicu Alifantis ? Iris ? Liviu Tudan & Ro?u ?i Negru ? Al cincilea Festival ?Club A“ (28 februarie–1 martie 1990) ? Compact ? Holograf ? Celelalte Cuvinte ? Gala ?Club A – 30 de ani“ (18 iunie 1999)?/ ?Club A – 34 de ani“ (4 iunie 2003) ? Sfinx (Experience) ? Alexandru Andrie? ? Cargo ? Timpuri Noi ? Sfatul ?b?tr?nilor“ ? Al ?aptelea Festival ?Club A“ (13–18 mai 2011) ? Imagini ?necenzurate“

O nuan autobiografic, perfect ntemeiat, irizeaz concepia lui Breban de la acest nivel, miza mare a ideii fiind aceea de a demonstra – ceea ce romancierul a mai fcut… – c generaia din care face el nsui parte (Nichita Stnescu, Matei Clinescu etc.) a transformat literatura ntr-un asemenea mediu germinativ de excelene, prin intermediul promovrii esteticului ca replic alternativ sublim la grotescul ideologic din jur. Trebuie s recunoatem c Breban rmne seniorial i impecabil de fiecare dat cnd enun aceast dihotomie: de pild, nu trebuie uitat faptul c Istoria dramatic a prezentului s-a zamislit cnd mpotriva autorului se trgea cu tunul, pe motivul orchestratei acuze de colaborare cu Securitatea. Nici un raspuns n volum, nimic insidios, revanard sau resentimentar: doar idei i fapte, nu psihologie. Jos plria!“ (tefan Borbély)Numai cultura, carevaszica, ne poate lecui de aceast nesiguran identitar i numai ea poate nnobila istoria noastr de care, s-a putut constata, prozatorul maramureean nu-i mulumit… Face i alte profeii, atunci cnd n capitolul final vorbete despre specificul naional, dar despre toate acestea vom putea discuta cu alt prilej. Este o tem pe care noi, romnii, o aducem mereu n discuie fie pentru a o sataniza, fie pentru a o apra. Observ c N. Breban n-o respinge, de plano, cum fac globalitii, nici n-o smintete cu un discurs encomiastic, cum fac localitii. El procedeaz corect, aa cum procedeaz orice intelectual lucid i responsabil, adic analizeaz un concept (un concept esenial) i ncearc s-i vad viitorul… Este trist, i are de ce, cnd se gndete la lumea politic de azi i la retorica resentimentului i a rzbunrii care domin lumea intelectual… S mai spun c are i n acest caz dreptate, c dup douzeci de ani de libertate intelectualii romni, cu precdere scriitorii (ei, care s-au inut bine sub regimul totalitar), se detest cu o grea sinceritate mi amintesc de o propoziie din Eminescu (reproduc din memorie): Nu eti liber, dac nu eti drept. Se poate spune i invers: Nu eti drept, dac nu eti liber. Liber, n cazul oamenilor de litere, de prejudeci, de complexe i idiosincrazii, de eecurile i vexaiunile pe care i le-a provocat istoria i pe care spiritul nu poate s le stpneasc.“ (Eugen Simion)

DRAWING is the expression of an idea: “Art must come from within, and not from without. This fact has led some to assert that the study of nature is not essential to the student, and that careful training in the study of the representation of the actual appearance is mechanical and harmful. Such persons forget that all art ideas and sentiments must be based upon natural objects, and that a person who cannot represent truly what he sees will be entirely unable to express the simplest ideal conceptions so that others may appreciate them. Study of nature is, then, of the first and greatest importance to the art student.A drawing may be made in outline, in light and shade, or in color. The value of the drawing artistically does not depend upon the medium used, but upon the individuality of the draughtsman making it. The simplest pencil sketch may have much more merit than an elaborate colored drawing made by one who is unable to represent truly the facts of nature, or who sees, instead of the beauty and poetry, the ugliness and the imperfections of the subject. OBJECTS FOR STUDY:We hear a great deal now about the cultivation of the sense of beauty by the choice of drawing models. Many go so far as to say that nothing but the most beautiful forms should be given from the start, and, asserting that the cube, cylinder,and other type forms are not beautiful, they say that they should not be used, but that beautiful variations of these type forms should be provided. More definite information than this is rarely given. We are not told what natural objects are beautiful, and cheap enough to be provided, or how these objects of beauty are to be obtained, if they are not provided by the city. Such advice as to the use of beautiful models must be very pleasant and valuable to the drawing teacher, who so often fails to secure the money necessary to provide the cheap wooden models costing a few cents each ; and we do not wonder that special and regular teachers often regard this subject as one having no standards and no authorities. Much of all this commotion about beautiful objects of study is raised by those who, suffering from criticism, have in the desire to escape it plunged headlong from one set of mechanical rules for a series of lessons for the public schools, to another set less arbitrary in certain directions, but still mechanical, and if possible, more harmful than before, because attempting more.The average teacher can readily learn to discover at a glance whether or not the drawing of a cube represents the object as it might appear. She can do this even without seeing the model from the pupil's position; and the student can compare his drawing with the object and discover its errors more easily than he can in the drawing of a cast, a leaf, a figure,or any other object of beauty, in which the beauty depends upon lines which are subtile and which require a trained eye to see at all truly.

“THE TEMPEST” is Shakespeare's last book. The story Prospero relates is that he is the rightful Duke of Milan and that his younger brother, Antonio, betrayed him, seizing his title and property. Twelve years earlier, Prospero and Miranda were put out to sea in little more than a raft. Miraculously, they both survived and arrived safely on this island, where Prospero learned to control the magic that he now uses to manipulate everyone on the island. Upon his arrival, Prospero rescued a sprite, Ariel, who had been imprisoned by the witch Sycorax. Ariel wishes to be free and his freedom has been promised within two days.??The last inhabitant of the island is the child of Sycorax and the devil: Caliban, whom Prospero has enslaved. Caliban is a natural man, uncivilized and wishing only to have his island returned to him to that he can live alone in peace.??Soon the royal party from the ship is cast ashore and separated into three groups. The king's son, Ferdinand, is brought to Prospero, where he sees Miranda, and the two fall instantly in love. Meanwhile, Alonso, the king of Naples, and the rest of his party have come ashore on another part of the island. Alonso fears that Ferdinand is dead and grieves for the loss of his son. Antonio, Prospero's younger brother, has also been washed ashore with the king's younger brother, Sebastian. ??Antonio easily convinces Sebastian that Sebastian should murder his brother and seize the throne for himself. This plot to murder Alonso is similar to Antonio's plot against his own brother, Prospero, 12 years earlier.??Another part of the royal party — the court jester and the butler — has also come ashore. Trinculo and Stefano each stumble upon Caliban, and each immediately sees a way to make money by exhibiting Caliban as a monster recovered from this uninhabited island. Stefano has come ashore in a wine cask, and soon Caliban, Trinculo, and Stefano are drunk. While drinking, Caliban hatches a plot to murder Prospero and enrolls his two new acquaintances as accomplices. Ariel is listening, however, and reports the plot to Prospero.??Next, Prospero stages a masque to celebrate the young couple's betrothal, with goddesses and nymphs entertaining the couple with singing and dancing. While Ferdinand and Miranda have been celebrating their love, Alonso and the rest of the royal party have been searching for the king's son. Exhausted from the search and with the king despairing of ever seeing his son alive, Prospero has ghosts and an imaginary banquet brought before the king's party. A god-like voice accuses Antonio, Alonso, and Sebastian of their sins, and the banquet vanishes. The men are all frightened, and Alonso, Antonio, and Sebastian run away.??Prospero punishes Caliban, Trinculo, and Stefano with a run through a briar patch and swim in a scummy pond. Having accomplished what he set out to do, Prospero has the king's party brought in. Prospero is clothed as the rightful Duke of Milan, and when the spell has been removed, Alonso rejects all claims to Prospero's dukedom and apologizes for his mistakes. Within moments, Prospero reunites the king with his son, Ferdinand. Alonso is especially pleased to learn of Miranda's existence and that Ferdinand will marry her.?Prospero then turns to his brother, Antonio, who offers no regrets or apology for his perfidy. ??Nevertheless, Prospero promises not to punish Antonio as a traitor. When Caliban is brought in, Caliban tells Prospero that he has learned his lesson. His two co-conspirators, Trinculo and Stefano, will be punished by the king. Soon, the entire party retires to Prospero's cell to celebrate and await their departure home. Only Prospero is left on stage.??In a final speech, Prospero tells the audience that only with their applause will he be able to leave the island with the rest of the party. Prospero leaves the stage to the audience's applause.