Opus – Page 149 – Encyclopædia of the sublime

Paris Wine Tasting of 1976

The Paris Wine Tasting of 1976 or the Judgment of Paris was a wine competition organized in Paris on 24 May 1976 by Steven Spurrier, a British wine merchant, in which French judges did blind tasting of top-quality chardonnay and cabernet sauvignon wines from France and from California. California wines rated best in each category, which caused surprise as France was generally regarded as being the foremost producer of the world's best wines. Spurrier sold only French wine and believed that the California wines would not win.

María Sabina

María Sabina was the first contemporary Mexican curandera, defined as a native shaman, to allow Westerners to participate in the healing vigil that became known as the velada, where all participants partake of the psilocybe mushroom as a sacrament to open the gates of the mind. Sabina cultivated relationships with several of them, including Wasson, who became something of a friend. It is a matter of record, that many important 60s celebrities visited María Sabina, including rock stars such as Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards.

Project Cybersyn

Project Cybersyn was a Chilean attempt at real-time computer-controlled planned economy in the years 1970–1973 (during the government of president Salvador Allende). It was essentially a network of telex machines that linked factories with a single computer centre in Santiago, which controlled them using principles of cybernetics. The principal architect of the system was British operations research scientist Stafford Beer.

Mel Lyman

Mel Lyman was an American cult leader and musician.

Sinéad O’Connor

Sinéad O’Connor was an Irish singer.

Leonardo DiCaprio

Leonardo DiCaprio is an American actor.

James Hunt

James Hunt was a British racing driver from England who won the Formula One World Championship in 1976. Hunt was notorious for his unconventional behaviour on and off the track. Having been part of Formula One when the series was consolidating, and when it was conquering the attention of the motor sport press, Hunt became the epitome of unruly, playboy drivers and was celebrated for his English eccentricity (which included dining with his Alsatian, Oscar, at Mayfair restaurants).

Biscúter

Biscúter was a microcar manufactured in Spain during the mid-20th century. Biscúter flourished for about ten years and the cars became a common sight on Spanish roads, as well as a part of popular culture. ("Ugly as a Biscúter" was a common joke.) Amenities such as doors and windows did eventually appear, and several different bodystyles were produced, including trucks, an elegant woodie station wagon, and a toy-like sports car called the Pegasín.

Las Lajas Sanctuary

Las Lajas Sanctuary is a church in Colombia.

Lingotto

Lingotto is an old Fiat factory.