Kmflett's Blog

Beard Liberation Front

27^th March

International Whisk(e)y Day, Michael Jackson & beards

27^th March is International Whisk(e)y Day, not to be confused obviously with World Whisky Day which is in May.

It is of interest however because the date marks the birthday of the late Michael Jackson, beer and whisk(e)y writer and veteran beard wearer.

Jackson was perhaps one of the first authors to link drinks made with malt to beards.

Aside from celebrating Michael Jackson and whisk(e)y it has the apparent merit of not being promoted by commercial interests

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_whisk(e)y_day

The Beard Liberation Front has long believed that there is a link between (at least) some kinds of whiskeys and healthy beard maintenance and growth.

In a particular a glass or two of an Islay whisky, with perhaps the faintest dribble into the follicles has been found to be effective in promoting organic beard growth for some.

Deborah Lavin: actress, playwright, historian

I was sorry to read of the death of Deborah Lavin a multi-talented person who was a friend of the London Socialist Historians Group.

Just recently I had a sparky exchange with her about nineteenth century black history and while its good to know that she intellectually alert even in her last months that somehow makes one feel the loss even more keenly.

IT is with deep sadness that I have to inform everyone of the death of our comrade and friend, Deborah Lavin, a very active member, a serious historian and excellent speaker, who organised some excellent lecture series in recent years at Conway Hall. She will be much missed. Longer tributes will follow. RIP Deborah. 

David Morgan

London Socialist Historians tribute

http://londonsocialisthistorians.blogspot.com/2020/03/deborah-lavin.html

Deborah Lavin was an actress, stand up poet, playwright and most importantly for our purposes an independent historian, interested in the interface of radicalism, socialism and feminism in the 19th century.  Deborah’s short book Charles Bradlaugh contra Karl Marx, Radicalism vs Socialism in the First International was published by the Socialist History Society in 2011 and a review of the work in the LSHG Newsletter by Keith Flett can be read here:

http://londonsocialisthistorians.blogspot.com/2012/04/book-review-bradlaugh-contra-marx.html

Beard Liberation Front

27th March

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Beard Liberation Front further updates COVID-19 guidance for beard wearers

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has further updated its COVID-19 guidance for beard wearers on how to protect themselves against possible transmission of the virus.

After a brief intermission media stories are again circulating in the US and Britain that wearing a beard may increase the chances of contracting COVID-19.

The campaigners say the key thing and absolute priority is to follow the advice of the NHS:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/

There are however a few beard specific issues:

1] Shaving the beard off is not something that will protect you against the coronavirus. Stories which have circulated in the media about this are fake news

2] Some medical staff who need to wear surgical masks and/or respirators to do their job may however need to shave their beards, particularly if they are organic beards

3] NHS advice is to avoid touching the face with hands that have previously not been washed. The BLF advises washing the beard at the same time as washing the hands to be safer on this

4] For most people wearing of the beard is a voluntary matter and if having one during the current health crisis makes the wearer feel uneasy there is no reason why it should not be temporarily shaved.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett, most of the things the BLF does are quite light hearted, albeit sometimes with a serious undertone. This advice is much more serious but they key thing is to follow NHS guidelines at all times.

Ian Nairn on London beer in the mid-1960s

Ian Nairn was a writer and broadcaster who had robust views on the British landscape and architecture.

He died far too young at 53

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Nairn

With Britain on lockdown its not a bad time to check out his writings (some of which including his 1966 book on London remain in print). The BBC also has several of his 1972 series on Britain available on the iPlayer

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/search?q=ian+nairn

Nairn liked beer and Boak and Bailey have quite rightly rescued his thoughts on the matter for a new generation.

In his 1966 book he included a brief postscript on London beer as the Capital saw cask beer give way to old style keg beer

Nairn was a fan of cask beer noting ‘the old small breweries have been largely swallowed up and their individual tastes have been replaced by mass produced flavours, which in London tend to be unpleasantly tinny, without any bouquet’.

This pre-dated the founding of CAMRA by around 5 years.

What ‘draught beer’ did Nairn like?

Whitbread bitter

Fullers London Pride (his favourite)

Draught Bass & Worthington E

He goes on to note ‘if you are forced into drinking keg which is a kind of bottled beer in big cans’ he suggests:

Bass/Worthington E

Flowers

Guinness

Nairn came to like beer a little too much which unfortunately led to his early death but the book remains an incomparable guide to London and it doesn’t overlook pubs or beer both in the brief postscript and as he ranges around the different parts of London.

Beard Liberation Front

26th March

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Guide to growing a Working From Home beard: Day 3 update

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that with many working from home, and barbers closed, the numbers of people growing beards is expected to increase significantly. It has provided a 6 step guide on how to do this.

With many work meetings now taking place virtually via Skype or Zoom a working from home beard can add gravitas to the wearers on-line presence.

The campaigners say that with many now on the third day of working from home many should be at the Clint Eastwood stubble stage of their beard growth

BLF Organiser Keith Flett, while some may feel that Day 3 Clint Eastwood stubble is for them people need to keep in mind that maintaining a consistent stubble/beard appearance requires more maintenance than growing a full beard.

Six Steps to growing a Working From Home beard

1 Do not shave and recycle all shaving equipment immediately

2  Allow facial hair to develop over a 7-10 day period

3 Wash the facial hair at least twice every day and purge any split ends

4 An organic beard grows naturally so do not trim at this stage

5 After 10 days judicious and occasional trimming may be employed. There is a fine balance between a beard that is stylish and one that is genuinely organic

6 Under trimming is better than over trimming. Over trimming may lead to having needlessly to repeat steps 1-5

There is power in a union: Bakers Union forces Wetherspoons U-Turn on worker’s pay

With pubs closed there still remains the issue of what those who run them do during the crisis.

As might be expected Tim Martin of Wetherspoons has been leading the way with the bad behaviour.

The Bakers Union (BFAWU) which organises in the pub company has pointed out that Martin didn’t plan to pay any Wetherspoons workers until the Government subsidy of wages starts at the end of April. He appears to have told them to see if there are jobs at Tesco (who are hiring). If they are they might well stay since Tesco recognises trade unions and is already a huge employer in the UK.

However the Union didn’t stop there. It applied pressure and a large number of MPs raised the issue with Wetherspoons.

The BFAWU have reported that Tim Martin has now agreed to pay workers for April although its not yet clear if they will get full pay (an important matter given they are low paid).

https://mcstrike.uk/workers-win-wetherspoons-u-turn/

Wetherspoons now seems to have moved on however to stating that it will not pay suppliers (for goods already supplied) until pubs re-open.

https://www.foodservicefootprint.com/news-alert-wetherspoon-to-withhold-supplier-payments/

The most recent half-year results suggest an improving financial performance by Wetherspoons (until the last 10 days or so obviously):

https://www.morningstar.co.uk/uk/news/AN_1584695486970687000/top-news-wetherspoons-skips-interim-payout-to-save-cash-for-covid-19.aspx

One wonders if there is trouble ahead. At least Wetherspoons workers know they have a trade union looking out for them

Beard Liberation Front

25^th March

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Beard Liberation Front pays tribute to Jeremy Corbyn after last PM’s Questions appearance

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has paid tribute to Jeremy Corbyn as he made his last appearance as Opposition Leader at Prime Minister’s Questions on 25^th March.

Corbyn will shortly step down as Labour Leader but remain an MP.

Jeremy Corbyn, a former Beard of the Year, has won the Parliamentary Beard of the Year Award more times than any other MP:

https://kmflett.wordpress.com/2018/12/07/jeremy-corbyn-wins-parliamentary-beard-of-the-year-title-for-record-8th-time/

The campaigners says it hopes that free of the responsibilities of being Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn will be able to find time to resume the role of informal Parliamentary advocate for the Beard Liberation Front and the hirsute in general, something he did from 1983 to 2015.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett, Jeremy Corbyn’s politics were controversial with some but his beard power has remained undiminished over the years. We are sorry that he was unable to become the first Prime Minister with a beard since 1902 but he still as an opportunity to increase his Parliamentary Beard of the Year Award record

Beard Liberation Front

25^th March

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

2005 Beard of Year & ex-UCU General Secretary Paul Mackney sent 74^th birthday greetings

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has sent 74^th birthday greetings to Paul Mackney.

Mackney was declared joint Beard of the Year along with cricketer Freddie Flintoff in 2005.

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2005/jan/04/furthereducationdiary.furthereducation

He was General Secretary of NATFHE at the time and then became briefly joint General Secretary of the then newly formed UCU.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Mackney

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, we’re sending virtual beard power to Paul Mackney on his 74^th birthday. He was one of the great early supporters of and advisers to the Beard Liberation Front and we’re pleased that he and his beard remain very much intact.

Beard Liberation Front

25th March

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

Beard Liberation Front advice on social distancing YOU MUST keep 12 average beard lengths apart

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that it is important that the hirsute stick closely to social distancing guidelines when outside.

The campaigners say that with official guidelines requiring a social distance of 6 feet this would equate to 12 beard lengths assuming an average beard length of six inches.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett, of course some people’s beards will be rather less than six inches in length and others will be longer but we’d urge the hirsute to keep the average beard length distance firmly in mind and make certain it is adhered to