BRFR Cake Stop 'breaking news' miscellany

[PurplePenguin]

Very true and follows on from what I posted earlier that we are probably missing the far more important debate. I was particularly struck by this quote from the article "What concerns me is how little space remains for a genuinely progressive critique of institutional diversity practices – one capable of scrutinising how for many organisations and corporations symbolic representation has been a substitute for deeper reform, leaving it vulnerable to just this kind of backlash. It has also meant that the right has enjoyed a near monopoly on criticism of DEI, leaving it to frame it entirely on its own terms."

I worked at a red brick for two years in a non academic role. What struck me was how elitist it was amongst academics. One of the biggest issues is actually a liberal problem IMO. Most people working in these institutions would (I guess) class themselves as liberal educated and progressive. As such they feel there is an implicit lack of any bias on their outlook. The problem is that (as Jason Okundaye highlights in the article), there is no real critique of how diversity is actually managed and applied within an academic setting. There is a sub conscious view of "I am not racist, so the lack of black academics couldn't possibly be an issue of racism or bias in any form". I think a lot of people convince themselves they are working in a pure meritocracy, which of course, they aren't.

Okundaye is absolutely correct, rather than sticking up a 'poster boy' every once in a while to highlight your institutions credentials, it might be worth looking at your outreach, understanding how to engage non white communities, and the additional barriers to entry they face and tailoring your practices for both students and staff.

I would also add to this, that Universities, for the very same reasons also have massive issues with class bias.

Doesn't it all happen much younger than university age? For example, if you look at grammar schools in London, their ethnic make up does not match the population as a whole.

 

[Pblakeney]

It won't seem very long before some youngster in NCAP is saying that about us.

Generally true but I doubt I'll shrink that much. 🤞 I like to think we'll be at the autonomous cars by that point anyway.
I know that my Dad was not safe to drive at that age and thankfully (for everyone else) he gave up.

 

[Rusty Nails]

Generally true but I doubt I'll shrink that much. 🤞 I like to think we'll be at the autonomous cars by that point anyway.
I know that my Dad was not safe to drive at that age and thankfully (for everyone else) he gave up.

By the time we get to fully autonomous cars on our roads you’ll be gaga and unable to tell the car where to go.

 

[Pblakeney]

By the time we get to fully autonomous cars on our roads you’ll be gaga and unable to tell the car where to go.

In which case I won't care. 😉
PS - Autonomous taxis are now available in some locations, or permitted at least.

 

[midlandsgrimpeur]

Doesn't it all happen much younger than university age? For example, if you look at grammar schools in London, their ethnic make up does not match the population as a whole.

Undoubtedly, obviously we were talking in relation to Uni's but the same holds true across earlier ages of education I am sure.

 

[PurplePenguin]

Undoubtedly, obviously we were talking in relation to Uni's but the same holds true across earlier ages of education I am sure.

Employers employ people based on their university results. Universities select students based on their school results. It all cascades through the system.

 

[briantrumpet]

Re Ceuta, a few more fleshed-out musings from an ex-Times writer:

https://bylinetimes.com/2026/08/06/...on-have-a-role-in-the-cueta-migrant-invasion/

Even more unsettling is what role, if any, the United States may have played in encouraging or endorsing Rabat’s gambit. Alongside Israel, Washington is now Morocco’s key strategic partner, following Rabat’s entry into the Abraham Accords during Trump’s first term. Both Trump and Israel have made no secret of their hostility to Sanchez, who has led European opposition to their policies on Iran and Gaza. Right-wing think tanks in both countries have advocated using Ceuta and Melilla, another Spanish enclave on the North African coast, to exert pressure on Madrid. And as recently as April the US State Department appeared to shift towards supporting Moroccan claims to the enclaves, as well as recognising its sovereignty over Western Sahara.

 

[briantrumpet]

Another week, another relatively large (340ha) forest fire in the area (30km away from me), this one taking just four days from start to 'fixed' (i.e. now just hotspots that ought to be able to be dealt with as they occur). This one is was a bit different, in that the burnt areas are pretty much 100%, I *think* because there was a lot more Austrian pine in large plantations, and they go up like an oil refinery on fire (well, they are full of volatile chemicals/resin).

They were planted widely to stop soil erosion from 150 years ago, when the climate was very different, and I can't help thinking that by controlled or less controlled means they will have to be replaced over the next 50-100 years with something more suited to today's climate. The trouble is that they are suited neither to building nor fuel use, so their commercial value isn't that great to encourage cropping and replacement, particularly since it self-seeds very efficiently (one of its attractions back when they were planted), and have spread on some extremely inaccessible mountain habits.

This one was more of the more accessible ones, thankfully.

And there's more canicule on the way from the weekend apparently, and there are red alerts in large areas in SE France, including the Rhone Valley, for forest fires. Yay.

 

[Pross]

Another week, another relatively large (340ha) forest fire in the area (30km away from me), this one taking just four days from start to 'fixed' (i.e. now just hotspots that ought to be able to be dealt with as they occur). This one is was a bit different, in that the burnt areas are pretty much 100%, I *think* because there was a lot more Austrian pine in large plantations, and they go up like an oil refinery on fire (well, they are full of volatile chemicals/resin).

They were planted widely to stop soil erosion from 150 years ago, when the climate was very different, and I can't help thinking that by controlled or less controlled means they will have to be replaced over the next 50-100 years with something more suited to today's climate. The trouble is that they are suited neither to building nor fuel use, so their commercial value isn't that great to encourage cropping and replacement, particularly since it self-seeds very efficiently (one of its attractions back when they were planted), and have spread on some extremely inaccessible mountain habits.

This one was more of the more accessible ones, thankfully.

And there's more canicule on the way from the weekend apparently, and there are red alerts in large areas in SE France, including the Rhone Valley, for forest fires. Yay.

View attachment 16653

Don't you mean 475 football pitches as that's the standard international unit for measuring the area of a wildfire?

(I actually do think it's more useful for people to get a concept of the size though to be fair).

 

[The Crofted Crest]

Cupla weeks ago we cycled the Velo Dodysee. Cap Fèret, etc. Places we stayed are now in ashes. I could smell the smoke for days after.

Darkness at noon!

 

[secretsqirrel]

Re Ceuta, a few more fleshed-out musings from an ex-Times writer:

https://bylinetimes.com/2026/08/06/...on-have-a-role-in-the-cueta-migrant-invasion/

I was thinking this. Trump🦨being a vindictive old git who can’t help interfering, it is easy to join the dots where he has fallen out with Spain so is trying to stir up trouble.

Once upon a time I would have a stern word with myself for entertaining conspiracy theories. Now it’s difficult to ignore

 

[briantrumpet]

Don't you mean 475 football pitches as that's the standard international unit for measuring the area of a wildfire?

(I actually do think it's more useful for people to get a concept of the size though to be fair).

I got pretty good at estimating field sizes in acres in my farming days, though hectares is an easy conversion (divide the acreage by 2.5) and (obviously) more logical (a 100-metre-sided square). I've no idea how big a football pitch is. I think the Isle of Wight and Wales are the other two standard reference points.

 

[Pblakeney]

I got pretty good at estimating field sizes in acres in my farming days, though hectares is an easy conversion (divide the acreage by 2.5) and (obviously) more logical (a 100-metre-sided square). I've no idea how big a football pitch is. I think the Isle of Wight and Wales are the other two standard reference points.

I can help you visualise a football pitch. The are roughly 100mx50m so 100mx100m is 2 football pitches.

 

[Rusty Nails]

I got pretty good at estimating field sizes in acres in my farming days, though hectares is an easy conversion (divide the acreage by 2.5) and (obviously) more logical (a 100-metre-sided square). I've no idea how big a football pitch is. I think the Isle of Wight and Wales are the other two standard reference points.

Wales is analogue, and I prefer metric.

 

[Dorset Boy]

I got pretty good at estimating field sizes in acres in my farming days, though hectares is an easy conversion (divide the acreage by 2.5) and (obviously) more logical (a 100-metre-sided square). I've no idea how big a football pitch is. I think the Isle of Wight and Wales are the other two standard reference points.

No idea how big a football pitch is? And you worked at a private school? Rugby pitches are roughly the same size.
Says quite a bit about you Brian!