Kmflett's Blog

Bob Crow 13 June 1961- 11th March 2014

Beard Liberation Front

Beard Liberation Front

Press release 10th March

Contact Keith Flett 07803 167266

BEARD OF IRELAND 2020 POLL SEES RECORD TURN-OUT

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that competition for the Irish Beard of the Year title has seen a record turn-out with votes cast so far already more than 500% up on 2019.

The campaigners say this reflects an increased awareness of the importance of beards in public life in Ireland

The 2017 winner was politician Colum Eastwood who bearded broadcaster William Crawley for the annual Award.

In 2018 the DUP’s Lee Reynolds shaved writer Dominic O’Reilly for the honour with Colum Eastwood in a steady third place.

In 2019 Lee Reynolds retained the title

The vote ends at midnight on 15^th March with the 2020 winner announced to mark St Patrick’s Day on 17th March

The BLF says that while traditionally a land of predominantly clean-shaven cultures, Ireland has in recent times become something of a centre for stylish and trendy beards.

Contenders for the title in 2020 include a diverse range of the hirsute- including comedians, political activists, journalists and rugby players.

The campaigners say the poll is specifically about the impact the beard of an individual has made in Irish public life and no other factor.

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, the vote for Beard of Ireland 2020 remains wide open. The people’s verdict is awaited.

Steve Agnew, Renewable Energy Administrator

Bundee Aki, rugby player

Gerry Carroll, politician

William Crawley, broadcaster

Stuart Dallas, footballer

Colum Eastwood, politician

Sam McBride, journalist

Damian Mackle, WWE performer

David Norris, politician

Lee Reynolds. Politician

Peter Coles, academic, Maynooth University

Shane Lowry, golfer

Aodhán Connolly, Businessman

Rob Herring, Rugby player

With handshakes off the agenda due to the coronavirus outbreak, I prefer the traditional form of greeting – the clenched-fist salute. In the unlikely event of encountering Boris Johnson in the wild, a two-finger salute is substituted.
Keith Flett
Tottenham, London

Guardian

The Ambridge Socialist

9th March

Grey Gables explosion, The B@Ambridge must revert to The Bull as a mark of respect

The Ambridge Socialist has called for the B@Ambridge to revert to its traditional name of The Bull after the explosion at Grey Gables on Sunday night.

Lynda Snell who was caught up in the explosion had campaigned against the name change and while the Ambridge Socialist had disagreements with Ms Snell and The ReBulls over tactics it is surely time now to abandon the name change as one way of marking the impact that the veteran campaigner had in Ambridge.

Ambridge Socialist Editor Keith Flett, aside from paying respects to Lynda Snell, it is time for a full investigation into the explosion at Grey Gables and for prosecutions to follow. There must be no repeat of the disgraceful situation in January 2011 when Nigel Pargetter ‘fell’ from the roof of Lower Loxley and nothing at all transpired in terms of official action

Beards & the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy at 42

Radio 4 Extra ran the entire first series of the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy on Sunday evening 8^th March. It was the 42^nd anniversary of the first broadcast and as anyone even vaguely familiar with Douglas Adams book will know, 42 is the answer to Life, the Universe and Everything.

One issue that I don’t think was asked back in 1978 was how beard friendly the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy was, and indeed whether Slartibartfast, creator of planets, the most obviously hirsute character, created beard friendly planets. Adams was after all clean shaven.

Zaphod BeebleBrox certainly had what would be called now a hipster style beard on both of his heads and this passage related to Slartibartfast places him firmly in of the most hirsute of 1970s cultures, CAMRA

In Life, the Universe and Everything Slartibartfast has joined the Campaign for Real Time (or “CamTim” as the volunteers casually refer to it, a reference to CAMRA) which tries to preserve events as they happened before time travelling was invented. He picks up Arthur and Ford from Lord’s Cricket Ground with his Starship Bistromath, after which they head out to stop the robots of Krikkit from bringing together the pieces of the Wikkit Gate.

Perhaps the beard friendliness of the Hitchhikers Guide is a matter for Deep Thought

Beard Liberation Front

PRESS RELEASE 8th March Keith Flett 07803 167266

BRITISH PIE WEEK: SCOTCH PIE VOTED MOST BEARD FRIENDLY; VEGAN STEAK BAKE 5TH

The Beard Liberation Front, the informal network of beard wearers, has said that with British Pie Week running from 2-8^th March its annual poll on the most Beard Friendly Pie has seen the Scotch Pie voted the most Beard Friendly by a considerable margin from a Steak and Ale pie. Vegan Steak Bake came fifth in the poll

The hirsute campaign group say that as with many prepared foods the requirements of people with beards are often overlooked when it comes to pies. The outcome of the annual poll often reflects that with traditional pies designed for eating ‘on the go’ easily beat leading pie brands.

The BLF says that common issues with pies for those with beards are:

Excessive gravy

Puff or flaky pastry which ends up in the beard not the mouth

‘Deep filling’ making it difficult to avoid contact of the pie with the beard

The campaigners cite some types of the traditional steak and kidney pie as an example of pies which are made without thought for the requirements of the hirsute pie consumer. Such pies often have excessive gravy- and comparatively little steak and kidney- which ends up in the beard.

Unfortunately the same issues tend to apply to many vegetarian and vegan pies too

BLF Organiser Keith Flett said, the Scotch Pie which has a hard crust, no flaky pastry and a mutton filling with minimal gravy clearly finds favour with beard wearers as the pie that goes in the mouth not the beard. We were surprised however that vegetarian and vegan pies didn’t get a higher vote

Beard Friendly Pie 2020

Steak & Kidney

Steak & Ale

Vegan Steak Bake

Chicken, Ham & Leek

Leek & Potato

Cheese & Potato

Macaroni

Mushroom & Asparagus

Salmon & Broccoli

Scotch Pie

Mrs Kings Pork Pie

Butter

Meat Pie with green liquor

I noted a social media post from author, anti-racist and Arsenal supporter Michael Rosen that his confirmation as a judge of a Show Racism The Red Card schools competition later this year inspired a comment in the Jewish Chronicle that this would raise eyebrows.

Why this should be does not seem to have been mentioned but the wider question of eyebrows in social and political expression is an underplayed one.

The late Denis Healey had amongst the most impressive of post-1945 male eyebrows in public life although it is perhaps less clear if they were deployed in the service of making a political point.

Jeremy Corbyn however is a noted eyebrow raiser, a combination of which with his award winning beard is often more impactful than verbal communication.

Searching the archives for how significant eyebrows can be I found Engels noting to Marx in a letter dated 19th November 1844:

I am up to my eyebrows in English newspapers and books upon which I am drawing for my book on the condition of the English proletarians

All power to the eyebrows in my view

The Ambridge Socialist

8th March

Tony’s advice is on marriage is not wanted

Tony has been giving advice on how to have a successful marriage to Tom. He opined that things were difficult when Pat was involved in political activism but once he managed to draw her into the joys of organic farming things went better. In the week of International Women’s Day Tony’s advice is not wanted.

Ben & Josh

Ben still wants a car for his 18^th birthday but Daveed and Roooth claim that money is too tight to mention as usual. Josh has been jeered at when he ventured out to a local market. Things can only get better

Gavin needs to speak to his trade union or matters may not end well….

There is a broken pipe at Grey Gables. The kitchen is shut and it needs to be fixed. Only Philip can do it at short notice but he’s off with Kirsty for the weekend. Instead he has volunteered Gavin to work Sunday to sort it. Does Gavin’s contract include Sunday working? Does Gavin have a contract? He needs to speak to his union. Is he a member….

ReBulls capitulate as B @ Ambridge has official launch

The owner and managers of The Bull held an official launch for the pubs ‘new’ name this week. A free Kenton Archer cocktail was the draw, apparently. The Ambridge Socialist held a well-attended and publicised protest outside and then went in for a drink, avoiding the cocktail. Inside we found several of the ReBulls drinking the cocktail despite the fact they were supposed to be boycotting the pub. Clearly the ReBulls have capitulated. The Ambridge Socialist campaign to keep The Bull as a community local continues

The more signatures we can get on the real Save The Bull petition the more pressure we can put on Lilian Bellamy so please encourage people to sign

http://chng.it/8gwW6Ysg

In Other News

Freddie doesn’t want Lynda Snell’s apologies

Philip has found a wedding venue

Tom has lost a ring Natasha gave him. See Archers Appreciation Facebook page for theories