"He thought his happiness was complete when, as he meandered aimlessly along, suddenly he stood by the edge of a full-fed river. Never in his life had he seen a river before—this sleek, sinuous, full-bodied animal, chasing and chuckling, gripping things with a gurgle and leaving them with a laugh, to fling itself on fresh playmates that shook themselves free, and were caught and held again. All was a-shake and a-shiver—glints and gleams and sparkles, rustle and swirl, chatter and bubble. The Mole was bewitched, entranced, fascinated. By the side of the river he trotted as one trots, when very small, by the side of a man who holds one spellbound by exciting stories; and when tired at last, he sat on the bank, while the river still chattered on to him, a babbling procession of the best stories in the world, sent from the heart of the earth to be told at last to the insatiable sea."
~ Kenneth Grahame,
'The Wind in the Willows'
🔹️Illustration by E.H. Shepard 🔹️
Ricky Gervais on 60 Minutes Makes a Crystal-Clear Case for Free Speech
He put it perfectly: the great thing about freedom of speech is that I can say what I want, and you can say you're offended, and I get to decide whether I care or not.
Because let's be honest, there's nothing you can say that someone, somewhere won't find offensive.
That's why blasphemy laws are so absurd, they're basically trying to protect an all-powerful deity from having its feelings hurt.
At the end of the day, we should be free to criticise any idea.
Just because you're offended doesn't automatically mean you're right.
Spot on, Ricky. Free speech isn't about never upsetting anyone, it's about the right to speak anyway.
Congratulations to Sithamparappillai Jegatheepan of the Fournil Didot bakery for winning the Best Baguette in Paris Competition (aka the Grand Prix de la baguette de tradition française)! Jegatheepan now has a one-year contract to supply daily bread to the Élysée Palace.