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Eric Sams

Eric Sams (3 May 1926 – 13 September 2004) was a British musicologist and Shakespeare scholar. Born in London, he was raised in Essex. His early brilliance in school (Westcliff High School for Boys) earned him a scholarship to Corpus Christi College, Cambridge, at the age of sixteen. His lifelong passion for puzzles and ciphers stood him in good stead in his wartime service in British Intelligence (1944–47). After the war he read Modern Languages at Cambridge (French and German), 1947–50; upon graduation he entered the Civil Service. In 1952 he married Enid Tidmarsh (died 2002), a pianist. Their elder son, Richard, is a Japanese scholar and chess master working in Tokyo; their younger son Jeremy Sams is a composer, lyricist, playwright, and theatre director.

Elvira Madigan

Elvira Madigan is a beautifully shot film.

L’Ardia di San Costantino Festival

One of the biggest festivals in Sardinia is L’ardia Di San Costantino, commemorating Constantine’s victory over Maxentious at the Mulvian Bridge in 312, where Constantine is reported to have seen a flaming cross inscribed with the words “in this sign thou shall conquer”. Every year on July 5th through 7th, Constantine’s charge is recreated with a monumental horse race held on the grounds of the Sanctuario DI San Costantino, just outside Sedilo’s eastern boundary.

Auroville

Auroville wants to be a universal town where men and women of all countries are able to live in peace and progressive harmony above all creeds, all politics and all nationalities. The purpose of Auroville s to realise human unity.

Julius Shulman

Julius Shulman was an American photographer known for his comprehensive documentation of Mid-Century Modern architecture and urban development in Los Angeles.

Whole World Catalog

The Whole World Catalog was a how-to manual, a compendium, an enyclopedia, a literary review, an opinionated life guide, and a collection of readers' recommendations and reviews of everything from computational physics to goat husbandry.

Luigi Serafini

Luigi Serafini is an Italian artist and designer based in Milan. He is best known for creating the Codex Seraphinianus, an illustrated encyclopedia of imaginary things in what was believed to be a constructed language. This work was published in 1981 by Franco Maria Ricci.

Naga fireballs

Naga fire balls are a phenomenon said to be seen annually on the Mekong River. Glowing balls are alleged to naturally rise from the water high into the air. The balls are said to be reddish and to range in size from smaller sparkles up to the size of basketballs. They quickly rise up to a couple of hundred metres before disappearing. The number of fireballs reported varies between tens and thousands per night. The phenomenon is locally attributed to phaya nak, a giant serpent (Nāga) said to live in the Mekong. Some individuals have attempted to explain the phenomenon scientifically. One explanation is that the fireball is a result of flammable phosphine gas generated by the marshy environment.

Mobula Rays

Mobula rays have flat bodies and pectoral fins similar to wings, which makes it easy for them to glide through the water and fly through the air.

Carta Marina

Created by Olaus Magnus in the 16th century, Carta Marina is the earliest map of the Nordic countries that gives details and placenames. Only two earlier maps of Scandinavia are known, those of Jacob Ziegler and Claudius Clavus.

Opus

Encyclopædia of the sublime