Dean's Blog

A bone fragment believed to be part of Adolf Hitler's skull has been revealed as being that of an unidentified woman, US scientists have said.

The section of bone - marked with a bullet hole - was used to support the theory that Hitler shot himself.

Russian scientists said the skull piece was found alongside Hitler's jawbone and had put it on display in Moscow.

But US scientists said DNA tests revealed it actually belonged to a woman aged between 20 and 40.

An archaeologist from the University of Connecticut travelled to Moscow, where the fragment has been on show in the city's federal archive since 2000, to take a sample.
Nick Bellantoni said he had suspected even before the bone was tested that the fragment did not come from an adult male.

"The bone was very small and thin, and normally male bones are much more robust in our species," he said.

"I thought it probably came from a woman or a younger man."

DNA tests confirmed that the bone fragment came from a female.

Doubts about exactly how Hitler died have persisted for decades.

Russian officials said that the bodies of Hitler and Eva Braun - who reportedly committed suicide in a Berlin bunker in 1945 - were removed from a shell crater shortly after they died.

The piece of skull forms part of a collection that also includes a section of a bloodstained sofa where Hitler is believed to have shot himself after swallowing a cyanide pill.

There is also a very popular rumor that Hitler was the famous Argentine art collector Father Crespi (Or Krespi)

World War II had ended. A former Nazi Intelligence Officer named Magda Zeitfeld had offered her services to the United States Government. She had actually arraigned her surrender to Col. Kevin Stapleford, who was then one of the highest-ranking members of the OSS (Allied Intelligence)
Magda's father was a pioneer in the use of implanted facial prosthetics, and had operated the largest plastic surgery clinic in Germany. This clinic had received much of its financing from the Nazi Government. Magda's
father had made sure that both she and her brother completed medical school, and were both to become highly involved in the family run clinic. All three were accredited plastic surgeons.

As war broke out, Magda had been commissioned in the German Army, and had been assigned to German Intelligence, working, according to her, with the SS. After her surrender, she told Allied Intelligence of an incident that occurred in the fall of 1943. She spoke of three high level Nazi officials that were brought into her father's clinic under conditions of extreme secrecy and security. Her father and her brother were instructed to alter the appearance of these three men. No means of identification were ever given to Magda's father, and no records were to be kept of the procedure that he was about to conduct. The men were kept from view of the staff as much as possible, and their heads were covered with hoods and bandages. Only at the time of surgery would Magda's father and brother be allowed to see the faces of these men.

Magda claims, that her father was required to come up with drawings of possible changes that could be made to these men's faces, and she aided her father with the drawings. She reported that these men choose to have their faces altered to have exaggerated Semitic features.

A schedule was given to the doctor, which detailed a timeframe for when the surgery and necessary healing time had to be completed. Magda claimed that she and her family had gathered bits and pieces of information which indicated the men were to board a submarine in Bremerhaven after the healing was complete.
When the surgery was complete, and the need time for healing was reached, the men were removed with just as much secrecy and security as there was on their arrival.

Magda claims, that unknown to the SS, she and her family had been well aware of who two of these men were. She told Allied Intelligence that one of the men was Adolph Hitler, another was Martin Borman, and they did not know who the third man was.

Magda was well acquainted with Hitler. She had supervised a program, which altered the appearance of four men to look like Hitler. Some of the work had actually been performed in her family's clinic.

Magda claimed that the four men all had the same height and build as Hitler, and through the use of implants and various surgical procedures, had their facial features altered to look like Hitler. These men were then instructed on movement as well as speech patterns. They mastered his distinctive walk as well as mannerisms. And they mastered his soft-spoken conversational speaking style. But none could be taught to mimic his public speaking style and voice. Thus, these doubles could only be used for private meetings and appearances where Hitler would not be expected to carry on much interaction with those in attendance. In point of fact, Hitler never gave a public speech after the fall of 1943, also, it is known that much of his personal staff were re-assigned in the fall of 1943 as well.

Another interesting fact is that two weeks after the three men left the clinic, the SS conducted a raid. During this raid, the entire staff including Magda's father and her brother was brutally killed and the clinic was burned to the ground. All records were burned with the clinic.

t is known that during the last year of the war, Hitler's medical records were destroyed, and all the doctors who had seen him mysteriously vanished. The single exception was a young dental assistant who was called in to assist a dentist with cleaning Hitler's teeth two times. She was
later captured by the Russian Army and made to make a drawing of Hitler's teeth so the Russians could match the charred remains they found in the Berlin bunker with her drawing since no authentic dental records could be found. After days of torture, she still had only a vague memory of the actual teeth of Hitler, but the Russians decided that it was a match. Stalin was never convinced but could not allow the world to think that Hitler had escaped the Russian Army.
In 1981, a retired US Army Colonel named Wendell Stephens made a trip to Ecuador. During his trip, he met a priest in a small town called Cuenca. The priest was named Father Krespi, and Col. Stephens was convinced he was in fact Adolph Hitler. He could not get people to listen to his claims that this priest was in fact Hitler. He examined thousands of Hitler photos, and was more and more concerned he has found Hitler. He even described priceless artwork that Father Krespi had in his secluded home in the mountains of Ecuador. But nobody would listen to his claims.

After her surrender at wars end, Magda had eventually married US Army Col Kevin Stapleford, the very man she had surrendered to. Col Stapleford had also known Col Stephens. In 1981, Stapleford had passed away, and Stephens made a visit to his widow Magda. During his visit, he explained his meeting with Father Krespi and his suspicions, and convinced Magda to accompy him to visit Father Krespi and confirm or deny his suspicions.

When Magda met Krespi, she too was sure it was in fact Hitler. He had the same features she had helped her father sketch out all those years ago. And she also was convinced by a specific piece of art that the Father had. She knew it as the same piece of art that had been a favorite of Hitler's. It had hung behind him at his Reich Chancellery Office, there was no mistake.

Father Krespi's background is also mysterious, and does in fact go along with Magda's accounts of what happened. Krespi claims he is from an Italian/Austrian family in Northern Italy. He came to the Vatican in fall of 1943. There, he attended seminary and served as a Novitiate. Later, he was ordained into the priesthood. All this was behind the closed walls of the Vatican. Unheard at the time, and has never been repeated since. He never set foot outside of Vatican City, a city with the status and diplomatic immunity of a sovereign nation. Krespi was given a position as Curator of Art for the Vatican Achieves, a position far above his humble rank as Novitiate.

His position made him responsible for cataloging a collection of art worth billions of dollars. He would also have been in a position to receive priceless art collections, similar to those that had been looted by the Nazis and somehow fell into the hands of the Vatican after the war.

Krespi spoke fluent Italian with a perfect accent. Magda later pointed out the fact that Hitler's mother was from Northern Italy and spoke Italian as her first language. Hitler himself learned Italian as his first language, and spoke Italian almost always in Italian until he was around 12
years old. He would even revert to Italian when he was angry, and never used an interpreter when he met with Mussolini.

In 1956, Krespi was sent as a priest to the town of Cuence in Ecuador. A town known to Nazis Hunters as a hideout of Martin Borman and other high level Nazis that had escaped Germany. There, he lived a reclusive life as village priest and reportedly gave money to every member of his congregation at the conclusion of services. He also reportedly paid the villagers to protect his mission. Villagers say German men often visited him.

In 1993, Father Krespi died, reportedly at the age of 90. More than 2000 people attended his funeral, which was marked with ceremony rivaling that of a King. He was laid to rest in a white marble sepulcher, which is still reported to be cleaned weekly, and adorned with flowers constantly, all paid for by anonymous admirers.

After his passing, some interesting things were discovered about him. He left behind millions of dollars worth of artwork. Magda and others later identified much of this artwork as belonging to the private collection of Adolph Hitler. Hitler was a known collector of art, and most of his private collection was never found after the war. Witnesses say that soon after the funeral on May 16 1993, two cargo jets were loaded with Father Krespi's art collection and departed. It has never been seen again.

The Chief of Police for the town of Cuence reported that what he termed as "teams of European men" invaded the small town the day prior to the funeral. Several attendees of the funeral were German, and had armed escorts.

Is it possible that the most evil man in the history of the world escaped justice and posed as a man of God for 40 years? We may never know, but it is something to think about...

(Article extract from BBC & A.M. Pretty II)

Father Krespi

Gently I lay her down to sleep, this night is ours alone
Eternity granted this wish, we gaze into the unknown
Not knowing where we are today, not looking to the past
Each moment that I share with you, I wish it could just last
Sensation is a part of life, does not matter if it’s right or wrong
All the time I think of you it cannot justify “our song”
Love can take eternity, yet we seem to lose control
Overdrive is within our heart, we need to find our soul
In time I know that we will find the gateway to our life
Understanding who we are, even if were man or wife
Sensational beauty you behold, your love is so unfound
Eternal love I give to thee my heart is off the ground
Each moment of the day gone by I need you in my arms
Velocity you ive to me, you keep me safe from harm
Everlasting love Genesa I will give to you
Reach out into my arms my love it is so true
Sunset turns into sunrise and each day we wake up together
Only time will tell if you love me and if we are so clever
Now I blow you a kiss, we are two as one
X marks the spot that I love you so, is it real or fun?

Hollywood is cashing in on the nostalgia factor, as it remakes another 1980s favourite - Fame.
Despite a different cast and slightly updated music, it still has the same dream - and is just one of many old movies being resurrected for the modern day.

Fame's cast members are declaring it is more of a "reinvention rather than a remake".
Naturi Naughton, who plays one of the lead characters Denise, said: "We had a great director who wanted to create this vision of keeping in step with the original but not being afraid to step outside of what people would expect."

Dirty Dancing was a surprise hit when originally released and it's that success - and profit - that has inspired Hollywood to try to recreate it.

Others are in the pipeline too, including Clash Of The Titans, Nightmare On Elm Street and The Karate Kid which will star Jackie Chan and Will Smith's son, Jaden. Disney is also planning a remake of Flight Of The Navigator, with Short Circuit and Robocop rumoured to be on their way too.

Hollywood director Sam Mendes believes the surge in remakes is all down to fear. "I think they're interested in anything that doesn't lose them their jobs," he said. "The idea of making something that was once a success gives them a sense of safety but it's dangerous." It doesn't just stop on the big screen either.
Knight Rider is already on TV with a new cast and Teen Wolf, Michael J. Fox's cult 80s film, will reappear as a series on MTV.

Sequels are also proving popular with Frost/Nixon star Michael Sheen set to appear in the follow-up to Tron.
But director Jon Amiel, the man behind Creation, says it's a dangerous move because of what it means for the movie industry in the long term.

"My industry is driven by fear at the moment. Instead of passion and commitment, it's more committee and consensus.

"This interest in rebooting franchises is because people feel safer if it's Batman 2 or Spiderman 3. But ultimately, fear is the enemy of creativity."

There's no doubt about it the 80s are back, at least on the big screen.
Whether you loved the movies of the era or not, get ready - they look set to stay for a while yet.

In my opinion Hollywood should leave the 80’s alone. The movies may have had more original and far better plots than today’s large budget movies but they represented and portrayed a decade that was far removed from the world we live in today. For that reason alone let us enjoy and remember these wonderful movies with the fondness and love they deserve.

A hulking mass of evergreen

Changes direction in the wind

Eyes following my every move

Judging me as though I’ve sinned

Trees will play a symphony

Of a truly haunting sound

Tracks of life made yesterday

Buried in the ground

The tall and mighty oak trees

Titans in this land

A comforting protection

Branches entwine my hand

Those who dare to enter

Dare not now look back

The eyes are all that glow my friend

In a sea of eternal black

You cannot own the forest

A kingdom you cannot own

Roots buried oh so deep

History unknown

Only those who understand this

Can reach the forests heart

Then the true love can begin, this is just the start

Celebrity chef Keith Floyd has died following a heart attack, aged 65.

He died at his partner's Dorset home on Monday, said his autobiography ghost-writer, James Steen. Floyd had been diagnosed with bowel cancer in June.

From Faringdon in Oxfordshire, Floyd shot to fame in the 1980s in ground-breaking cookery shows, fronted with huge enthusiasm and wineglass in hand.

Chef Marco Pierre White described Floyd as a "natural cook" who had "inspired a nation" with his programmes.

Floyd's idiosyncratic, often shambolic style of presentation endeared him to millions of viewers around the world. White said: "What he did to inspire a nation, I don't know another man who has done what he has done.

"He had this great ability at the stove, great confidence. He was a natural cook.

"But his very special talent was he could articulate himself and deliver inspiration with words. He spoke in a way that everybody could understand."

He added: "He enriched many people's lives. It's very sad.

"A little piece of Britain died yesterday which will never be replaced.

"He was an individual, he was a maverick, he was mercurial, he was magical, he was special, he was rare."

Wine-fuelled flamboyance

Floyd opened his first restaurant, Floyd's Bistro, in Bristol, at the age of 22, and its success quickly led to him running three establishments.

But a lack of business acumen that would plague him throughout his career soon forced him to sell up, after which a restaurant in France also proved a failure.

It was on his return to Bristol, running a new bistro near the BBC studios in the city, that Floyd was discovered by television producer David Pritchard.

Their 1985 series, Floyd on Fish, was an instant hit, and subsequent series took the chef all over the world.

The programmes were ground-breaking at the time for taking the cooking out of a studio, but it was Floyd's wine-fuelled flamboyance that viewers loved.

As I was packing up my stuff today I found my diaries from 2001-2007.  After spending most of the day reading them I wanted to share this entry with you from December 2006. After living with my ex for 3 years I had to find a flate mate for the last two months of my tenancy. What I was not expecting was a person who would change my life forever, yet a person I would never see again. The best friend I never had.

16 December 2006

Well that was different. Where have the last six weeks gone? In fact where has the past four years gone? I never expected any person to change my life so instantly but you really achieved this.


Right now as I drink this beer the snow is falling on the ground outside, the illuminations of Canary Wharf shine on the house like a lighthouse to a shore. The house is empty, this house, our was it our house? I give up even thinking.

Was four years ago when I moved in with my “ex”, even now the sound of that still feels strange, it has been 3 months since we broke up yet she still texts me. She knows that the minute a relationship is over I will never go back to it; all memories destroyed all traces erased. I know she cheated on me but I guess the initial feeling of anger is rather over the way she made me stay in this house, she knew that we had another four months to lease. So whilst it was ok for her to move out and start again with her new man I was left to remain in this “prison”, not being able to afford the rent, not being able to erase the memories. That in itself was the coldest act of all. It was like a torture.

So I had to rent the spare room out, only for two months as I am leaving just after the New Year. What sort of person would rent a room for just two months? Would I attract a party freak? Or someone who just locks themselves away? I did not care it was only for eight weeks.

But there you were. Marie. You came in with a sense of humour in an incredibly bad time. In the six weeks that you have been here you have changed my life. Though I was walking around like a zombie you shook me down, dusted me off and made me feel somewhat human again.

Of all the years that you have been alive I know that no friend has made such an impact as you did. The irony is that I doubt you ever knew that you did this, you were just being yourself. The last day we shared as friends was one I don’t think I will ever forget. That lovely Indian meal then Christmas shopping in Greenwich. I hope your friends and boyfriend enjoy their presents!

So as I sit here, drinking my beer and the snow drifts down as gently as can be I think of the time I moved into the house and my imminent departure. The three years I spent with my ex and the six weeks I spent with a complete stranger.

The conclusion is that the three years I spent with her will soon become nothing more than a distant memory. The last six weeks will stay with me forever. Thank you for waking me up.

A sad day for Uk Radio

Sir Terry Wogan has announced he is to step down as presenter of BBC Radio 2's breakfast show.

The 71-year-old told his listeners he was stepping down shortly after Monday's 0800 news bulletin, calling it "the hardest thing I have ever done".

"It touches me deeply that I've played a part in your lives for, it seems, like generations," Sir Terry said.

Chris Evans, Radio 2's drivetime host, will take over after Sir Terry stands down at the end of the year.

Breakfast show listeners have already reacted strongly to the news on internet forums and chat rooms.

However, Sir Terry said he was sure they would welcome his "good friend" Evans "with the same love and affection you've always shown to me".

e went on to reveal he would host a new live radio show in the New Year, details of which will be announced at a later date.

"This is not goodbye - not even au revoir," he continued.

The veteran broadcaster first hosted the breakfast show in 1972, returning to the role in 1993.

Wake Up to Wogan is the UK's most popular breakfast radio show with 7.93 million each week.

The final edition is expected to be broadcast on 18 December.

Evans previously hosted Radio 1's breakfast show, bowing out in January 1997.

He took over Radio 2's drivetime show, which runs daily from 1700 to 1900, in April 2006.

Radio 2 controller Bob Shennan has paid tribute to Sir Terry, saying his contribution over the past 16 years had been "immeasurable".

"His unique talent has provided millions of listeners with the soundtrack to their morning."

Tim Davie, the BBC's director of audio and music, echoed those sentiments, calling the Irish broadcaster a "legendary talent".

"I'd like to thank Terry for entertaining his army of fans for many years and I'm delighted that he has agreed to continue to entertain the nation on Radio 2."

Writing on his BBC blog, Evans - winner of two prizes at this year's Sony Radio Academy Awards - wished Sir Terry luck with his future endeavours.

"To step down from something you have done so well and for so long and obviously still enjoy doing must be a tough call, even for such a stoic as Sir Tel," he wrote.

"I promise I will do my utmost not to let you and your listeners down.

'Huge personality'

The announcement, he said, "was supposed to happen in two weeks' time" but had been brought forward due to press reports.

"Although I will miss the drivetime show which I have loved for the last three-and-a-bit years, I couldn't be more excited at the prospect of hosting the flagship show on one of the BBC's national networks."

"Taking over the reins of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show is a daunting task," said Bob Shennan.

"But I'm 100% certain that Chris will prove himself a worth successor to Terry's legacy."

Tim Davie, meanwhile, said Evans had "a huge personality" and that his new show would "open a new chapter in the life of the network."

Simon Mayo is expected to take over from Evans as Radio 2's drivetime show host.

The 50-year-old currently hosts an afternoon shown on the BBC's Five Live.

Football is without question the world’s most popular sport. In many countries it is not just a sporting event but a way of life. This is especially true in England.

Growing up as a child in England football would be part and parcel of every teenage boy’s life. Before, during and after school your coats would be down on the ground marking the goalposts and then my friends and I would begin a good old ‘kickabout’. It would not matter what the weather was we would play in rain, sun, wind, sleet or snow. Football was our life.

During those wild teenage games the girls in my school would often want to kick the ball but were always afraid to join in as it was a “Boys game”. Fast forward two decades and not much has really changed. The women’s game is now a lot more professional than it has been yet this is still blighted by the rather male dominated sports coverage in our media.

Yesterday the vastly improved English men’s team beat rivals Croatia 2-1 in a friendly. The game was shown live on Sky Sports and as usual my local pub was packed, tattooed skinheads in England shirts looking like an army or Orcs from Mordor cheering on the national team. Following the game there were highlights on BBC and ITV and this morning the game had six pages dedicated to it in my newspaper. This was just a friendly.

During the last major football competition, Euro 2008, England did not qualify. Yet still the pubs were full for each game, The Orcs, would adopt a team and cheer them on until they got knocked out. England have to look back to 2006 when the country came to a standstill for two weeks in the Summer watching England eventually lose to Portugal in the Quarter finals. Yet again another major sense of under achievement.

This afternoon in Finland the England woman’s football team face The Netherlands in the Euro 2009 semi finals. Just one game away from reaching a major final, something the male team has not achieved since 1966. I’ve been following women’s football since the days of the legendary Mia Haim back in the mid 90’s. The skill and depth of the football has increased dramatically and I would go as far as saying that some of the women could survive in the male game, easily.

Yet why do our media tend to ignore this fantastic achievement? If it were the male team the pubs would be full, most of the country would be off tomorrow with a hangover but instead the game is put on a lesser of the cable channels to make way for a rather meaningless game of one day cricket between England and Australia (I think we have had enough cricket over the summer!).

When I asked The Orcs if they were going to watch the game they grunted in unison “Why would we”. I don’t blame them I blame the media. When a meaningless friendly has six pages of my paper devoted to it yet an achievement by the female team that the male team has not achieved since 1996 only raises one small paragraph then something is vastly wrong.

So come on everyone in England, cheer on the girls this afternoon. Football may really just be coming home

A symphony of days gone by, play a tune amongst the trees

Abandoned playground of my fellow kin, nature forced down to its knees

Pleading to be spared from the executioners saw

A once peaceful and safe haven, just in the way once more

The eyes that once offered its protection

Have been blinded by its plight

The embers of the forest fire, extinguished in the night

But every fallen oak tree plant an eternal seed

Roots so indescribable, natures greatest deed

Man is afraid of the unknown from the dawn of time

The forest is not our enemy; it's never been a crime

This concrete driven obsession suffocates our very lung

Understand our hidden mystery; we breathe life into the young

Do not be scared of its darkest shadow, it's just paradise at night

The howling of the wolves, and the eagles taking flight

Green Man still protects us, with all the strength left within

Let the war on nature end, let a new dawn begin

Embrace the forest of yesteryear; let it become a land once more

No longer shall we fear its strength, the purest of the pure

In life we are guaranteed one thing and that is we are, at some stage, going to part from someone. This parting of ways could be through death, end of a relationship, separation, or just simply losing contact. No matter what the cause there is always a plethora of emotions that we will go through following.  Hatred, rage, anger, guilt, sadness, happiness and regret are just some that we will feel. The emotions may last a while, they may last forever but as we get older we learn to let go.

Today has been a strange day. It has been one of those days where I have jut ignored the circus of life that surrounds me and have been thinking about the past, of the people that are no longer in my life for some meaning.

Sometimes these people pop into my head for a purpose or a reason, it could be jogged by a memory of something or recollection. Throughout the day I have thought of these people and relived the good times as well as the bad and the emerging pattern was that most of them I held some kind of hatred towards, mainly in the way that they left my life. It seemed tainted with a sudden departure following a rather bad time, a period of happiness followed by a sudden impact of pain.

This pain was not something that I had created but it just happened. Yet to them, wherever they are, the pain is probably just an insignificant memory, yet to me it became something like an addictive volcano, the more I thought about it the stronger and more powerful it became. Do I dwell on the past too much? Yes quite possibly.

Today as I ignored the people around me I made a list of the five that were on my mind the most, the five people that I once had in my life either in love or friendship and the reasons that they were no longer with me. I wrote the reasons why this friendship or relationship ended and rewound myself in time like an old video cassette.

My evaluation at the end of this was that indeed I had made things worse through thinking and contemplating about these events too much. Time may have healed the wounds for them, yet for I my wounds were still being licked the acidic tongue that I sometimes possess. So I have exorcised these demons this afternoon. One by one they had become a distant memory. Whatever was said, whatever was done forgiveness is there.

If we do not learn to let go in life then how can we move on? How can we build the trust that we once had yet seem to have let go. Many people often say to me “Look after number one”. If we only do that then how can we look out for others? The memories that I have of these friendships are part of me as my soul is, without those memories I would not be the person that I am today.

None of us are experts in life, we will always continue to make mistakes yet the sign of age and wisdom is the fact that we can accept that we were wrong and we can accept that life continues. That surely is the most important lesson to learn.

A baby’s born, a mother bleeds

New life begins, the infant feeds

Eternal love is born this day

Only to grow, to fade away

The years pass, the mother sighs

A teenage boy, no longer cries

Stripped of emotion by those they trust

Gangland warfare turns their blood to rust

No more tears, no more sorrow

Live for today and not tomorrow

Not a care for others lives

Worship guns, die by knives

Mindless violence, driven by greed

Wings pinned down, cannot be freed

Corrupted angels, commit the mortal sin

Streets have no winners, let the game begin

There are no rules, live by the gun

What happened to the child? And to the fun?

The mother weeps, the vultures feed

Her baby boy, begins to bleed

A senseless death, immortal pain

Upon the streets, another slain

So politicians hear our plead

No longer can we watch our children bleed

Take this pain and end our sorrow

We strive towards a new tomorrow