Drink, Drink, Drink by Mario Lanza from Student Prince.

Drink, Drink, Drink by Mario Lanza from Student Prince.

Double click to enlarge.

Drink, Drink, Drink 

by Mario Lanza from Student Prince

Ein zwei drei vier 

Lift your stein and drink your beer 

Ein zwei drei vier 

Lift your stein and drink your beer 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

To eyes that are bright as stars when they're shining on me! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

To lips that are red and sweet as the fruit on the tree! 

Here's a hope that those bright eyes will shine 

Lovingly, longingly soon into mine! 

May those lips that are red and sweet, 

Tonight with joy my own lips meet! 

Drink! Drink! 

Let the toast start! 

May young hearts never part! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

Let every true lover salute his sweetheart! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

To arms that are white and warm as a rose in the sun! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

To hearts that will love one, only when I am the one! 

Here's a hope that those soft arms will twine 

Tenderly, trustingly soon around mine! 

All I ask is the right to see those smiling eyes beguiling me 

Drink! Drink! 

Let the toast start! 

May young hearts never part! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

Let every true lover salute his sweetheart! 

Let's drink! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

To eyes that are bright as stars when they're shining on me! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

To lips that are red and sweet as the fruit on the tree! 

Here's a hope that those soft arms will twine 

Tenderly, trustingly soon around mine! 

All I ask is a right to see those smiling eyes beguiling me 

Drink! Drink! 

Let the toast start! 

May young hearts never part! 

Drink! Drink! Drink! 

Let every true lover salute his sweetheart! 

Let's drink!

Free institutions will only survive where there is the rule of law. This is an absolute on which there can be no compromise.

From Enemies of Society by Paul Johnson.

The Ten Pillars of our Civilization:

Free institutions will only survive where there is the rule of law. This is an absolute on which there can be no compromise: the subjection of everyone and everything to the final arbitration of the law is more fundamental to human freedom and happiness than democracy itself. Most of the post-war democratic institutions have foundered because the rule of law was broken and governments placed themselves about the courts. Once the law is humbled, all else that is valuable to a civilized society will vanish, usually with terrifying speed. On the other hand, provided the rule of law is maintained intact, the evil forces in society, however powerful, will be brought to book in the end - as witness the downfall of the Nixon administration. The United Nations has proved not merely a failure, but a positive obstacle to peace and justice, because it has put the principle of one-nation-one-vote above the rule of law, including its own. But the rule of law is essential, not merely to preserve liberty, but to increase wealth. A law which is supreme, impartial and accessible to all is the only guarantee that property, corporate or personal, will be safe; and therefore a necessary incentive to saving and investment.

History

The Neolithic 'Hindsgavl Dagger', found in Denmark and dated to ca 1900-1700 BCE. One of the most beautiful examples of Neolithic flint knapping. https://t.co/1jFqBO6Tkn
📷 Nationalmuseet https://t.co/wfw5javujR pic.twitter.com/D6bAN3ivYe

— Angela O'Brien (@GrecianGirly) January 13, 2023

 

An Insight

One of the factors that the historians of the time were quite adamant about but we ignore was how the World Wars changed the West from being a culture heavy society where cultural norms held things together to one where government bureaucracy did

— Whatifalthist (@whatifalthist) January 10, 2023

 

I see wonderful things

A diver at the Portus Julius, Naples, revealing a 2,000 year old Roman mosaic buried beneath the sand and sediment.

Once a base for the Roman navy, this artificial harbour gradually slipped into the sea due to seismic activity.

📷 Pasquale Vassallo#History #Roman #Italy #Art pic.twitter.com/vRi2iVeEqV

— The Classical Compendium 🏛️ (@TheClassicalCo) January 12, 2023

 

Offbeat Humor

Sylvester Stallone said he wants to make a movie about classical music. He says, “I will be Beethoven.”

Jean Claude Van Damme says, “Okay, I’ll be Mozart.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger says, “I’ll be Bach.”

— Dad Jokes (@Dadsaysjokes) January 11, 2023

 

Data Talks

15% of men reported having no close friends in 2021 vs 3% in 1990.

10% of women reported having no close friends in 2021 vs 2% in 1990.https://t.co/WlFdOweopm pic.twitter.com/DKVKW8jgy7

— The Rabbit Hole (@TheRabbitHole84) January 10, 2023

 

It was a talisman and magic wand.

From My Belief: Essays on Life and Art, a collection of essays by Hermann Hesse.  The Magic of the Book is an essay from 1930.  

With all peoples the word and writing are holy and magical; naming and writing were originally magical operations, magical conquests of nature through the spirit, and everywhere the gift of writing was thought to be of divine origin. With most peoples, writing and reading were secret and holy arts reserved for the priesthood alone; it was a great and remarkable undertaking when a young man decided to acquire these mighty arts. It was not easy, it was reserved for the few, and had to be paid for with dedication and sacrifice. From the standpoint of our democratic civilizations, the spirit in those days was something rarer but also nobler and holier than today; toilsome roads led to it, it had divine protection and was not offered to everyone gratis. We can only dimly imagine what it was like in a hierarchic-aristocratic culture, in the midst of an illiterate folk, to possess the secret of writing! It meant distinction and power, it meant white and black magic, it was a talisman and magic wand.

 

Tram in the Woods by Joop Polder (Dutch)

Tram in the Woods by Joop Polder (Dutch)

Click to enlarge.

Democracy is the least evil, and on the whole the most effective, form of government

From Enemies of Society by Paul Johnson.

The Ten Pillars of our Civilization:

The third moral axiom is that democracy is the least evil, and on the whole the most effective, form of government. Democracy is an important factor in the material success of a society, and especially in its living-standards. But of course the essence of democracy is not one-man-one-vote, which does not necessarily have anything to do with individual freedom, or democratic control. The exaltation of 'majority rule' on the basis of universal suffrage is the most strident political fallacy of the twentieth century. True democracy means the ability to remove a government without violence, to punish political failure or misjudgment by votes alone. A democracy is a utilitarian instrument of social control; it is valuable in so far as it works. Its object is to promote human content; but perhaps this is more likely to be secured if the aim is rephrased. As Karl Popper says, the art of politics is the minimization of unhappiness, or avoidable suffering. The identification of the cause and scale of suffering draws attention to, and defines, problems in society; and, since man is a problem-solving creature, eventually gets something done about them. The process of avoiding suffering is greatly assisted by the existence of free institutions. The greater their number, variety and intrinsic strength, and the greater their independence, the more effective the democracy which harbours them will be. All such institutions should be treated like fortresses: that is, soundly constructed and continually manned.