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NB! · Aristocracy · Monarchies · Museums · People
The tunic of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, assassinated in Sarajevo on 28 June 1914
Science · Education · Reportage · Society Pages
Sergey Ryazansky and Vyacheslav Dubynin on space and the brain at an Ultima Yandex Go event
In what do earthworms surpass the most advanced neural networks? Is humanity ready for long space journeys? What is the difference between the male and the female brain? This rather unexpected set of questions was discussed yesterday, under the attentive moderation of Kira Altman, at the first event of the
Books · Mores · Education · Humour
How the Lacedaemonians showed children a drunken serf to instil disgust for drunkenness
Advice on How to Keep the Young from the Temptation of Drunkenness, from an Encyclopaedia of 1597. The Lacedaemonians, that is, the Spartans, would parade a drunken serf before their children, so as to instil in them an utter loathing of drunkenness as the vilest of all passions
Architecture · Observations · Society · Paris
The author criticises national culture becoming a backdrop for corporate interests
The façade of the Centre Pompidou has been entirely covered in LED strips, creating a vast canvas for Nike advertising. It is dreadful when national culture becomes nothing more than a backing for corporate interests
Archive · Books · Observations
Now you know that Jane Austen wrote cross-hatched letters
Any thoughts as to why? This kind of letter was widespread in the early days of the postal service: crossed writing was used to reduce the number of sheets and to lighten the envelopes
Books · Humour
Vera Inber’s poem “Sdayetsya kvartira” about a snail and the would-be tenants of her flat
Once a Snail put out An advert: "To let: flat with a gate Of its own. Peace, quiet. Kitchen garden And garage. Water. Lighting. Ground floor." Scarcely had the notice Appeared in the wood When at once there began A stir all around. Many answered. From his lookout
NB! · The East · Observations · Pop Culture · Humour
Donald Duck and a New Shipment of Slave Girls from Chaldea in a Comic Panel
Donald Duck and the beautiful slave girls of Chaldea. These days he would already be sitting through a hearing in the Senate
NB! · Art · Books
When Lancelot rescued Queen Guinevere from the otherworldly land of Gorre, he had to undergo many trials of body and soul
When Lancelot rescued Queen Guinevere from the otherworldly land of Gorre, he had to undergo many trials of body and soul. For instance, to prove his resolve to press on whatever the difficulties, he had to cross a bridge that was, in fact, an enormous and unbelievably sharp sword
Archive · Observations · Humour
Velocipede shower bath of 1897 combining exercise with morning ablutions
Look what they've done to the poor fellow! 1897: the very latest invention, combining physical exercise with the morning toilette. Rather poor apparatus you have in your gymnasium, sir.
Aristocracy · Monarchies · Humour
There is an anecdote about the parentage of Paul I
When Tsar Alexander III learned that the true father of Paul I had been the chamberlain Sergey Saltykov, he exclaimed: "Thank God, we are Russian!" When Alexander III was at last persuaded that the father of Paul I was Peter III, the Emperor crossed himself in relief: "
Archive · Art · People
Jemelia Pugatschew in Prison
Jemelia Pugatschew in prison. The German caption reads: A rebel in Russia under the assumed name of Tsar Peter III in the Orenburg Governorate. A very rare engraving by Hiller, c. 1780, with a portrait of Yemelyan Pugachev