Faith · Observations

The descent of the Holy Spirit and understanding among speakers of different languages

I watched Patriarch Porfirije of Serbia's Trinity address and was struck by two thoughts: first, that all church communities are in essence a single community of prayer. And second, that "in founding the Church through the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles, the Lord allows

Four figures in long black hooded cloaks on an album page captioned Première entrée des fantosmes.

NB! · Art · Museums · Observations · Paris · Humour

Four ghosts in the first entrance of a 1632 ballet, drawn by Daniel Rabel

In my opinion, this is perfect. Four ghosts in the first entrée. A drawing by Daniel Rabel for a ballet of 1632. Collection of the Louvre. Positively the brides of the Nazgûl

NB! · Cinema · Observations · Society Pages

The Kion open-air summer cinema opens with Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn's "Official Competition", starring Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas

The Kion open-air summer cinema has opened with a screening of Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn's "Official Competition", starring Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas. Worth a look, once

NB! · Observations · Science · People · Ethnography

President of Iceland Guðni Jóhannesson Spotted Strolling Casually at the Nordic Ethnology and Folklore Conference in Reykjavik

President of Iceland Guðni Jóhannesson has been spotted strolling casually at the Nordic Ethnology and Folklore Conference in Reykjavik. Guðni is a historian, a doctor of sciences and the author of 7 books. No throngs of bodyguards or vast retinue were detected in the vicinity.

NB! · Observations

A Reminder to Members of the Lonely Hearts Club

Aristocracy · Monarchies · Observations

The Queen has a new photograph with Prince Charles and Camilla, taken before today's Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle

The Queen has a new photograph with Prince Charles and Camilla, taken before today's Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle. The sovereign of Britain's highest order is Elizabeth II, who personally appoints its members, up to 24 in number, whenever one of the previous

NB! · Observations

Rather Eerie

Observations · Society · People

Thatcher's departure from Parliament in 1992 and her later years

Incidentally, when Thatcher won the election in 1987 for the third time, some political scientists predicted that she would remain in power until 2000, when she would have turned 75. But she chose to leave Parliament in 1992, at the age of 66, after which she continued her political activity,

Page of an old Russian edition with a highlighted list of peoples who speak Slavic, from the Dalmatians to the Vandals of Germany.

NB! · Geography · Maps · Observations

Settlement of Slavic Peoples from the Adriatic to the Black Sea, as Described in the Early 16th Century

How do you like the geography of the Slavic language at the start of the 16th century? The Adriatic Sea, Constantinople, the Black Sea and even Germany, and that is far from all

Faith · Observations · Science

The Cistercian Numeral System of the 13th Century Writes Numbers up to 9999 with a Single Sign

Never mind whether you remember your Roman numerals: today we learn medieval ciphers. Or, more precisely, the Cistercian system of numeration, devised by learned monks in the thirteenth century. The Cistercian system of counting allows any number up to 9999 to be written with a single sign. Take a look

NB! · Observations · Humour

The Admin Bursts In on the Weekend

Errata page of an old Russian book with corrections to page 82, replacing concealers of runaway slaves with kidnappers.

NB! · In the Press · Observations · Humour

An errata list advises replacing negative growth with the word decline

Printed: negative growth. To be read: a fall.