L'immagine fotografica è, tra i documenti, il più ingannevole per quel carattere di verosimiglianza che essa mantiene in ogni sua parte e per la capacità di narrare comunque, cosa che non accade con nessun altro tipo di documento tradizionale. La fotografia, cioè, può essere ritagliata ma rimarrà in essa la parvenza di una realtà. Si potrà addirittura sostituire la documentazione di un evento con la sua ricostruzione, o viceversa, senza che ciò sia facilmente intelleggibile, anzi creando grossi problemi di lettura critica dei materiali. Queste specificità sono l'oggetto della riflessione di Mignemi che individua la difficoltà ai fini dell'uso storiografico delle fonti fotografiche nella mancanza di un approccio propriamente culturale.

Today www.CyberLaunchParty.blogspot.com, we are celebrating the release of DELIGHT ME, a new story in Ellora's Cave's 1-800-DOM-help Series from award-winning and bestselling author Desiree Holt.

DELIGHT ME by Desiree Holt

Part of the 1-800-DOM-help series

Dani thinks her growing dissatisfaction with the lifestyle might be because she needs a role reversal. When a mysterious business card appears she calls the number, 1-800-DOM-help and at the club, Unfettered, is paired with Ethan, a sexy-as-sin sub. Dani learns the erotic effect of wielding the single tail whip on her sub and the intense arousal that stimulating him with toys can bring. As their sessions progress, she explores with Ethan every aspect of D/s play, from restraints to punishment to the exercise of control to achieve mind-blowing orgasms, and understands the value of receiving trust as well as giving it. But she develops very strong emotional feelings for Ethan that scare her to death. This could change her life forever. Will she be brave enough to accept what's being offered?

Learn more at www.DesireeHolt.com

WIN - Leave Desiree a question about her new book today at her Cyber Launch Party and you name goes in the hat for one of THREE prizes today!!! A Desiree Holt Mug, a Desiree Holt Tote or your choice of a free ebook from Desiree's backlist!! Please leave your email address so we can contact you if you are one of today's winners!!

La magnificence est un caractère obligatoire des élites et tout particulièrement des gouvernants dans l’Europe de la Renaissance et de l’âge baroque. La quête du prestige ne passe plus seulement pour les princes par la gloire militaire, et le mécénat atteste de leur supériorité intellectuelle. Loin d’être une activité gratuite, l’instrumentalisation des arts contribue à façonner un imaginaire de l’autorité entraînant l’adhésion des peuples.
Recensant les pratiques et les lieux de la représentation, ce livre expose les stratégies figuratives de la monarchie française, soit l’instrumentalisation des arts durant la période de construction de l’absolutisme. Si la réalité effective de ce concept est aujourd’hui mise en doute, ou du moins discutée, sa réalité fantasmée est peut-être la plus grande réussite des rois de France, de François Ier à Louis XIV…
On examinera ici les stratégies de la représentation à travers la création d’une imagerie sur tous les médias possibles (gravures, tableaux, programmes iconographiques, tapisseries, statuaire, médailles…), l’efficace propre et la réception de cette imagerie, c'est-à-dire son fonctionnement, les lieux de la représentation monarchique, les résidences royales , notamment leurs galeries, de Fontainebleau à Versailles en passant par le Louvre, les icônes royales ( tableaux et statues) et le « culte » à elles rendu, enfin la mise en scène et les rituels des apparitions royales. Le propos est bien la relation organique, non le simple accostage, entre art et pouvoir, la puissance des arts — et leur limite — aux temps où être c’était paraître.

Premier opéra français succédant à un certain nombre d'essais plus ou moins heureux, aboutissement miraculeux d'un demi-siècle de controverses touchant la place de la musique, de la danse et des machines dans le théâtre, Cadmus & Hermione de Lully et Quinault ouvrit en avril 1673 la nouvelle Académie royale de Musique. Emprunté aux Métamorphoses d'Ovide et placé sous les auspices d'Apollon vainqueur du serpent Python, le sujet développe l'errance de Cadmus, sa victoire sur l'affreux dragon et les semailles miraculeuses : sorte de « guerre et paix » mythique (destruction du mal - ensemencement - renaissance) qui trouve un écho fort dans l'Europe de ce temps. Regards croisés d'historiens de l'art, de la littérature et de musicologues, cet ouvrage a été réalisé avec le concours de Gérard Sabatier, Céline Bohnert, Jean Duron, Buford Norman, Thomas Leconte, Laura Naudeix, Jérôme de La Gorce et Rebecca Harris-Warrick.

The animal rights debate is filled with passion and emotion. Some people think that animals deserve many of the same basic rights and protections that people have, such as freedom from inhumane suffering and cruelty. Others think animals should be at the disposal of people to use for whatever purposes they wish. Most people fall somewhere in between. They believe that people should have the right to use animals to improve the quality of life for human beings, but that people should also make sure to eliminate any suffering animals might experience. Making sense of the issues involves looking at the facts, studying the statistics, examining the laws, and listening to views on both sides of the debate. It also means asking tough • Do people have the right to use animals in medical experiments? Is the suffering and death of laboratory animals worth the medical knowledge gained? • Do people have the right to raise animals for food? If so, what conditions are acceptable for raising and killing them? • What is acceptable treatment of animals in zoos, circuses, and other forms of entertainment? • How far should animal rights groups go to make their point against animal cruelty? To answer these questions, this book looks at how people use animals in areas such as medical research, agriculture, fashion, industry, and entertainment. It investigates laws designed to protect animals from cruelty, and problems with how some of those laws are carried out. It provides the opinions and perspectives of those both for and against animal rights. Supplemented with quotes, anecdotes, and discussions from the pages of USA TODAY, The Nation’s No. 1 Newspaper, this book will broaden your understanding of all sides of the issue and help you form your own opinion, either for or against the animal rights.