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British newspapers marks Hitler’s death with bizarre tribute

Adolf Hitler died on April 30 1945. The Independent newspaper seems to want to thank the German leader for doing his bit to end World War 2. The headline marking 75 years since the genocidal, mass murderer’s death chimes: “How Hitler met his death 75 years ago and brought the Second World War and brought the Second World War to a close.”

Hitler death independent

Not all bad, then, right?

On 20 April, Adolf Hitler made his final appearance above ground as he emerged from the sanctuary that had become his prison to hand out the Iron Cross to members of the Hitler Youth, among the devastated remains of what had been the Chancellery’s garden.

It was his 56th birthday and the last time he would feel the brush of sunlight against his cheek.

Aw. Shucks!

On 23 April, Eva Braun wrote to her sister Gretl, sending gifts of coffee and tinned food for their parents and giving instructions for the disposal of her gold and diamond watches, photograph albums and her love letters.

You want more? You should see what he did for gender equality:

On his last morning on earth, a pallid Hitler is said by biographer Hans-Otto Meissner to have greeted Magda Goebbels, the Nazi Party’s unofficial “first lady”, by taking the gold party insignia from his grey overcoat and fastening it to her lapel with trembling hands, prompting her to burst into tears at the honour. It was the highest recognition ever awarded to a woman by the Third Reich.

Adolf Hitler – gave his life to end the war. Whaddaguy! Such are the facts.

Posted: 1st, May 2020 | In: Key Posts, News | Comment


Fury, spin and apathy at a Daventry primary school

The Daventry Express had the news first. Ashby Fields Primary School, in Northamptonshire, is thinking about closing early on Friday afternoons in order to help its teaching staff maintain a “healthy work-life balance”. At 1:15pm, the teachers will clock off.

Headteacher Jacqui Johnson sent a letter out to parents outlining the idea. No all recipients are thrilled. Kelly Holmes, whose daughter attends Ashby Fields, wondered: “What do they intend to do to accommodate working parents?… They’re making working parents pay for extra childcare and we will have to fight it out for places.”

Currently, the teachers work a 27.5 hours a week timetable. The school’s letter told of the teachers’ “huge workload”. The teachers work “60 hours a week during term time and through their holidays to keep up”.

The letter than pitches teachers as warriors in a kind of battle zone, talking of “frontline teaching”.

“They [teachers] have the school holidays and bank holidays,” adds Holmes. “They get more days off than working parents.”

Can teachers not be working parents? And what working parents don’t fancy a longer weekend on the same money?

The school says not teaching on Friday afternoons will allow the school to “access additional staff development time to enhance the quality of teaching and learning”. Less teaching will make for better teaching and pupils will learn more. The pupils aren’t there as often, of course, but the point is that teachers will get more time away from them. Do you see?

The school’s local newspaper makes no mention of any parent being in favour of the scheme. But the Guardian says, “Parents had mixed reactions when the plan was discussed at a public meeting.” The Sun counters that with: “Parents furious as school announces plans to shut at lunchtime every Friday so stressed teachers can ‘chill out’.”

The Indy also spots those “mixed reviews”, but like the Guardian it too fails to cite any parent supportive of the idea.

Over in the Express we’re told: “PARENTS have reacted with fury after a primary school announced plans to end the week at lunchtime on Fridays – to give teachers more time ‘to chill’.”

The story is being spun. It’s not about chilling. It’s not about fury. And it’s not much about meaningful debate. It’s a small story that appeals to your prejudices:

  1. Do you think teachers are selfless workaholics?
  2. Do you think teachers are work-shy and cosseted?

Or 3. Do you wonder how school came to be such a booming industry that keeps children trapped in a corporate system until their early 20s?

Posted: 29th, April 2018 | In: News | Comment


McCartney Plays Israel And The Super Furry Animals Die

PAUL McCartney is to play Israel, and the suicide bomber will try to hit a moving target as Macca’s head wobbles this way and that.

“We have worked it out,” says the Indy’s front page

All you need is 5,000 bodyguards – £1.5million security blitz to protect Macca from security threats,” says the Mirror, in words that Yasser Arafat look-alike Ringo Starr would put to music.

But what if… what if Macca is killed?

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: 25th, September 2008 | In: Broadsheets, Celebrities, Tabloids | Comments (4)