Kmflett's Blog

Around 350,000 people marched on solidarity with Palestine and Gaza and against war with Iran in central London on Saturday. As ever the march was peaceful and also as usual the BBC, Guardian etc couldn’t be bothered to report it despite their news coverage being dominated by these issues. Unfortunately the wrong sort of views were on display…

It was also the occasion when anti-war and anti-imperialist protest met climate change. It was the hottest day of the year with temperatures of around 33C in central London. Of course such temperatures are not unknown. The point is that thanks to climate change they are happening more and more often whatever Farage & his fuel industry backers may say.

There is also of course a historical point. The 21st June demonstration was the hottest ever in the UK, but only to date unless climate change is fully addressed.

Rupert Murdoch & regime change Iraq 2003- Iran 2025

…Rupert Murdoch’s Fox News, whose star anchors, including Sean Hannity and Laura Ingraham, are nightly banging the war drums. Had Rip Van Winkle fallen asleep in 2003 and awoken today, he would perceive little change

The Fox network’s agitation for regime change- and the ease with which the network’s stars say it can be accomplished- is hard to distinguish from the case for toppling  Iraq’s Saddam Hussein.

Edward Luce, Financial Times 21^st June 2025

Financial Times 21st June 2025

Figures from the train booking site Trainline show journeys to English seaside towns were up 25% in the period 12-16th June 2025, reflecting reasonable summer weather particularly in the south of England.

Its the kind of statistic that can be found featuring in pieces about the working class by the late socialist historian Eric Hobsbawm/

Of course Trainline is not the only way of getting a train ticket, and why Newquay and Portsmouth top the list can be pondered. However despite long standing claims that the English seaside has been abandoned for trips abroad, this suggests that there is more to the story. The timing, weather aside, may also be interesting. Do people without children or grown up children prefer to take a break outside of the more crowded and expensive school summer holiday period.

The Financial Times on Saturday comes with a large glossy How to Spend It supplement. Its largely an advertising vehicle but it also has articles on how the ‘haves’ in the world can spend their money.

The 21st June issue has a feature on pets and superyachts. A stat (Condor Ferries) suggests that 53% of people take their pets on holiday breaking down as 58% dogs and 22% cats (and the odd parrot obviously).

An Italian designer Cristiano Gatto works with boat builders to design in cat friendly areas on superyachts. These include scratch friendly areas and custom built napping spots and vertical areas to allow the cat to climb and view their domain from on high.

The feature notes that cats are very intelligent and there is no danger of them jumping over board. Hmmm

In a craft beer bar in Tottenham. Reflections on who drinks Indy beer

The High Cross in central Tottenham is my local (tho I don’t get there as often as I should). It has ten taps of well chosen independent beer (its in a former public toilet so there is no cellar to store cask- the beer is mainly keykeg). It also does good food.

I stopped by on Wednesday for a pint of Pressure Drop Ja, brewed ten minutes walk away, and some chips (the High Cross does very good chips…)

Nearby was a table of what could perhaps be described as senior citizens (i.e possibly a bit older than me). It transpired they were on a tour of craft beer locations in Tottenham. They had been to Mother Kellys and I gave them directions to True Craft.

Sitting there, reading the paper, I noted two middle aged clean shaven men at the bar. Without hesitation they requested pints of Deya’s Steady Rolling Man.

An interesting experience. Perhaps an assumption is that craft and indy beer is a niche for younger people, often with beards. Of course my evening in the High Cross amounts to ‘mere impressionism’ but it was an interesting impression even so.

On May 1st a majority Reform UK Ltd Council was elected in Kent (and a number of other Councils as well).

Above is the June 2025 calendar for Kent Council meetings. It will be noted that most are either cancelled or postponed.

It might be argued that the less chances Reform Councillors have to f*ck things up the better. Unfortunately these meetings will have required decisions that will impact, perhaps significantly, on local people and the impact of decisions not being made (even bad ones) will be felt.

Not democracy in action

People with a PPE degree from Oxford (Philosophy, Politics, Economics) have been a significant presence at the top of British life for many decades. PPE is a general degree giving those who study it a broad appreciation of the meaning of life. My first degree was in Humanities (history, literature, politics) so I can hardly complain.

Oxford has offered the degree since 1920, Cambridge doesnt offer it. Even so the subjects new Oxbridge students are choosing to study gives a pointer to the perspectives the UK (and wider, there is a global student base including China & South Asia)ruling elite will have in a decade or two

Oxford applications

Economics and management (19 applicants for each place)

Computer science

Maths & Computer science

Cambridge

graduate medicine course

Computer science

Psychological and Behavioural sciences

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philosophy,_politics_and_economics

20th June

contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that England cricket captain Ben Stokes is sporting a classic chin strap beard on the first day of the first Test against India at Leeds.

The chin strap beard covers the chin, as its name suggests, and the lower half of the sides of the face. However it does not link up with the hair line so there are no sideburns.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, as would be expected Ben Stokes has a perfectly chosen beard style for the conditions. It is under appreciated aspect of Bazball

Self Styled Reform UK Ltd leader Nigel Farage couldn’t be bothered to turn up in the Commons, as Clacton MP, earlier this week for a Commons vote on decriminalising abortion(amended an 1861 Act, the Abortion law remains as is).

On Thursday Farage couldn’t be bothered to attend the Commons again as he was at Royal Ascot. His latest costume was of course as a gentleman, rather than the farmer of some recent performances.

Beard Liberation Front

20^th June

Contact BLF Organiser Keith Flett @keithbeard.bsky.social

Beard wearers given rare hot weather beard trimming permission

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that for only the time in its history it is permitting supporters to temporarily trim their beards due to the extremely hot weather in parts of the UK which is forecast to continue for at least the next few days. The Met Office has issued an Amber weather warning for some areas of the country until Monday.

The campaigners say that there is a precedent in beard history for the move. When Marx travelled to Algeria in 1882 just before the end of his life he found conditions so hot that he shaved his iconic beard.

However the advice is a guideline only and the BLF says that some may simply wish to trim their beards a little as this can protect against the sun and have a general cooling influence

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, the problem is that in the kind of extremely hot weather that we have been experiencing the strength of the sun can damage the follicles and cause serious harm to the beard. By trimming the area of follicles exposed to the sun is reduced as is the potential damage. Alternatively as an exceptional measure we are permitting shaving of the beard this week. It is really up to individuals whether they follow the Karl Marx model.

The campaigners say that the temporary dispensation to trim or shave the beard will remain in force until June 23rd when it will be reviewed.

National Beard Week 2025 starts on June 23rd with the announcement of the Hirsute Personality of the Year