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whenitsdarkweilluminate · 1 year ago

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Tel Aviv 2019 – Grand Final

Host: Israel Slogan: “Dare to Dream” Participants: 41 Voting method: 12-point system (50/50 system - separated) Format: 2 Semi-Finals / Grand Final = the top 10 of semi 1 & 2 + the Big 5 + host

Winner: Duncan Laurence - Arcade Country: Netherlands Points: 498 (51.9% of highest score possible) Language: English

General Overview:

I regret taking long breaks because now I have to review Tel Aviv 2019 during late 2023… but I'll just focus on the music and the show, same as when I dealt with Moscow and Baku.

Anyways, I'm nostalgic for 2019. It was the first year I felt like a real adult. It was those last moments before we entered into a parallel universe. And years ending in -9 just hit different. Pop music feels fresher; while in Eurovision context: 2009 reinstated the juries and expanded the stage, 1999 removed the orchestra and language rules, 1979 was the first contest held outside western Europe, and 1969 had 4 winners. As for 2019? It's the technology. It's a great year for staging.

It's also a very competitive top 10. Sure, “Arcade” is an obvious winner in hindsight, but Italy came close. I absolutely LOVE my top 10 as well. But the bottom half of my ranking… meh. 2019 is somehow a strong year and a weak year at the same time.

The Grand Final is EXTREMELY bloated. The opening sequence involves Netta piloting a plane that supposedly carries the 26 finalists, while Jon Ola Sand acts as the air traffic controller. Then, different groups of people set-up jeeps, vans, buoys, bicycles, drones, glow sticks, and paper lanterns to act as runway guiding lights. The plane appears to land in the arena, with a split-up LED illusion. Then Netta appears on stage with dancing flight attendants, as the “Toy” instrumental plays. This starts the Flag Parade, where one flight attendant twirls the flags, creating holograms of swirly sparks that shoot upwards; while Dana International, Ilanit, and Nadav Guedj perform. I mean, “Golden Boy” does mention Tel Aviv. This is another hype opener. There's also a montage of past hosts introducing the voting.

I found the hosts funny this year. In the final, there's Erez and Bar bantering about junk food and Madonna, Assi's romantic dinner joke, Netta flirting with Bar, “Lucy used all 20 of my votes”, and Bar surprising Erez at the voting table.

The interval is LONG. First, Conchita, Måns, Eleni, and Verka play song switcharoo. Eleni's version of “Dancing Lasha Tumbai” is a moment, but Måns made “Fuego” boring somehow. At the end, they all join Gali Atari in singing “Hallelujah”. Also lol at Assi startling Verka. Then Assi awkwardly interviews Madonna, but her telling the artists they're all winners was nice. Next, Idan Raichel Project performs “Boee”. I liked this one – it's a smooth atmosphere of cultural elements that turns into great energy. Erez interviews Quavo next. Then it's the mentalist again (UGH!) This time, he gets 3 random finalists to pick a year/song/artist. They just happen to choose 1974/“Waterloo”/ABBA. After that, Netta performs “Nana Banana”, where she's dressed in banana yellow. She sits at the head of the table, then walks across it, showing she's the star. Meanwhile, there's dancers in formal attire, who later reveal more yellow outfits. This song is pretty annoying too (“OWW!”).

FINALLY, we get to the infamous Madonna performance. The intro is cool, with the cloaked chanting monks and church bells, but Madonna's vocals are iffy during “Like a Prayer” (trap remix) and I've never seen someone take so long to walk down a staircase. Then the dancers are in gas masks during the spoken word “Dark Ballet”. Then it's the excessively auto-tuned “Future” featuring Quavo. Madonna and Quavo's dancing is cringe-y here. We aren't done though! There's still a video of Gal Gadot showcasing Tel Aviv. I swear, Israel flaunted every celebrity possible. Jean Paul Gaultier made an appearance too.

The postcards begin with a graphic of the flags in rotating triangles. Then the artists explore Israel, as the same piano notes play every time. After a moment, they press a triangle play button hologram that says “PLAY”, and they dance with a group of people, with a different instrumental for every country. At the end, they throw a triangle forward. And the arena's ceiling structure shows the flag colours in triangular lights, with a piano sequence + “WAH” sound.

Did I mention the 2019 design involves triangles??? The logo itself is a star made of 3 triangles. And the stage is a triangular platform pointing forwards, with a triangular archway overhead, and a V-shaped audience ramp. That archway disappears for many of the performances though, which is a wise decision. Tel Aviv also steals the bridges from Lisbon. And the LED screen returns, which can split into vertical turning sections.

The jury voting was very close. Italy and Russia lead early on, but eventually North Macedonia wouldn't budge from #1, until Sweden overtook on the very last country. 2nd place kept flipping too. And the Netherlands was close to winning the jury. However, it was revealed post-contest that Belarus's top 10 jury points were actually their bottom 10. Meaning North Macedonia should've won the jury. What a random jury winner. Otherwise, the map uses glitter-light country shapes. Izhar Cohen was the Israeli spokesperson, meaning all 4 Israeli winners appeared tonight. And the EBU switched to revealing the televote points in jury vote order. Oh, and Hatari upset the audience with Palestinian flags.

Malta: Michela - Chameleon

Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës Of course Albania is second in the running order. I also just realized this song gives me “1944” vibes.

Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend

Germany: S!sters - Sister “I'm sorry, 0 points”. I guess 2018 was an anomaly, as Germany returns to the bottom 2. “Sister” is just a bland entry. It wants to be an epic inspirational ballad, but the composition is as inoffensive as possible and refuses to be distinct. The song starts with a music box, followed by piano dings. Then the drums march until the music box returns to pause the build-up, with cymbal shimmer transitions; then foot-taps and strikes ensue. Verse 2 adds foot-taps and light guitar after a second. Then the song peaks with heavier drums and that “SISTER... OOH WAH OOH” bit... which is a very flat climax. The bridge resumes the music box again. The drums are boring, the melody is basic, and the music box is whatever. The lyrics promote non-familial sisterhood. Indeed, S!sters aren't even real sisters. The duo urges women to support each other instead of trying to knock the competition down. The narrator sighs “I'm tired” of it. She tried to inhibit her sister but couldn't. She wouldn't share her success, saw her as an enemy, and feared her power. But she empowers her sister in the chorus, and apologizes in verse 2. The staging is basic as well. It starts dark, with the pair on opposite sides of the ramp, as they change leads. And the LED shows their sad faces singing (*eye roll*) They then meet in the middle, and yell “SISTER” at each other while amateurishly bouncing. There's also an unearned fire rain finale and they excitedly embrace at the end. Their vocal sounds emotional, but in a saccharine way.

Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream The bad running order slot didn't hurt this.

Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever

San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na I can't hate on people having the time of their lives.

North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud

Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love John's charisma (and the Mamas) really elevate this.

Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi

Cyprus: Tamta - Replay

Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade (winner review below)

Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love

Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home This just screams “we don't want to host again”. It's a dated song with a formal performance, and Kobi's voice is excruciating (“I AM SOMEOoOoOoONE”). I just want him to STOP. He gargles the word “bruise” too. The orchestral string intro is from the 1950s. Then a gentle piano follows, as he sounds choked up. A small, anxious running beat appears next, with a bit of guitar and snowy echoes. Then the first chorus rests after a cymbal shimmer. Meanwhile, there's 3-way split-screens of Kobi and jagged screens showing the music video. The backing choir comes out during verse 2 and they stand close to him. It's an intense visual. The instrumental stays gently anxious until the bridge, where the strings grow and the melody shifts, as Kobi walks across the bridge. The slow drums enter at the climax, with fire rain and him walking across the ramp. Plus a rising bit and a pause. The song ends gently again, and with another big gargling vocal. Kobi is an over-singing, over-emoting showman. The lyrics are about personal growth. Kobi is focused on the current moment for the rest of his life. He runs “barefoot to the mountain tops” and hugs cold water (ie. facing extreme and uncomfortable challenges). And now that he found his identity, he's coming home. He used to listen to others and waited for time to pass. It was a long, suffering journey and he's done with letting that hurt affect him. It's a nice message, but the song is too theatrical and formal to make me feel anything.

Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky

United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us A bland and forgettable entry puts the UK in last place. John Lundvik clearly kept the better song for himself. “Bigger than Us” wants to be an epic inspirational ballad, like Germany. It's more stimulating than “Sister” at least, and it has an innocent, uplifting vibe. But it's still formulaic and predictable. The song starts with a warm, hopeful piano, as the audio skips on “me and you”. The kicks and snaps come next. Then the song suddenly slam-stops, and the “anthemic” chorus brings the percussion and distorted “oh oh oh” responses. The backing lifts the last “it's bigger!” The second chorus extends into a back-and-forth “bigger (bigger)” with the backing. The bridge quiets to a pretty piano, leading to a drum breakdown, where the choir comes on stage giving “hah-oh”s. The last chorus is elevated by strings and stage sparks. And they stand around a fiery circle. The stage starts grayscale, as Michael walks forward with smoke behind him. Then the LED lights up with outer space imagery. He also shows his vocals on “ONLY HOPE”, “WE SEEEE YEAH”, and “UUUUS”. The lyrics lack depth though. The word “bigger” is said 47 times. Michael wants the subject to hear him. He says that love is attainable between them. He offers his hand and promises he won't give up. While the chorus proclaims that their love is bigger than everything. It's a bit trite. His performance is fine, the backing choir improves things, and the chorus shift kinda works. But yeah, this is bland.

Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra

Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm Uhh was that a camera fuck up?

Belarus: Zena - Like It Zena cannot sing. The chorus is kinda annoying too.

Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth The verses are better than the chorus.

France: Bilal Hassani - Roi I view France's 2017/18/19 entries as a trilogy. Madame Monsieur even helped write this one. “Requiem” and “Mercy” told unique stories, but “Roi”'s message of self-love has 0 subtly. Especially the staging. It starts with a flashlight on Bilal's face, with colourful tears and words. Then, teen ballerina Lizzy Howell walks out, twirls, and shakily pushes wrists with Bilal. Then he comforts deaf dancer Lin Ching-lan. Meanwhile, the LED shows quotes, news headlines and videos of the dancers; as well as an empty throne room. Bilal also kneels during the bridge. While at the end, they all stand together making hand-crowns, as the LED shows a child video of Bilal + “We are all Kings/Queens”. The lyrics alternate English and French frequently. Bilal asserts “I will always be [me]”. She decides her own path. He lives life despite judgement. It bothers people and they tell her how to be, but she defies it; retorting “you cannot change me boo”. The term “king” is used to empower. Verse 2 questions why they hurt for nothing. We choose many things, but not who we are, it's no one's business. Bilal projects self-love, security and confidence. And the “I'M NOT RICH...” and “know-oh-oh-oh” hooks are fine, but the chorus suffers from the plain modern drum beat. The verses follow an active piano, with fist-pounding ticks partway. The post-chorus adds some strings and fluttery metal bits. Verse 2 has some drumstick echos midway. And the bridge reduces to low vibrations.

* Bilal uses both he/him and she/her pronouns, so I alternated

Italy: Mahmood - Soldi This is so addictive. The “come va, come va, come va” and “Soldi, Soldi” repetitions are catchy AF. The handclaps get the audience involved. It sounds fresh and modern. And it changes gears so cleverly. There's an Arabic guitar that keeps reappearing, mixed with assertive foot stomps. The verses follow “dun... dun-dun” piano notes, with more stomps. There's a pause on “AH UH”. The pre-chorus piano races with smooth strings, and the vocal jumps out midway with taps. Then the sludgy bass drops with double handclaps. And the Arabic guitar cuts this off effectively. The bridge has a more cluttered sound, ending in more strings. Mahmood crams a lot of words into this, but it doesn't harm the melody. The lyrics tell a personal story with a justifiably bitter tone. It's about his deceitful father, who walked out on his family, and only cares about money. Mahmood reassures his mom he's on his way home to see him. She thought it was love. The father is breaking Ramadan and smoking a hookah, and there's a Jackie Chan reference. Upon seeing him, Mahmood sings quickly since his mind is racing. He doesn't trust him. He doesn't care to explain. He decries “you only cared about the money, as if I have any”. The father won't say the right words. Mahmood rejects his offer. And the bridge inserts an Arabic phrase that his dad used to say. The staging involves Mahmood and the dancers leaning backwards during the chorus, as the LED shows a clapping silhouette. It also shows flaming banknotes, a sad boy, translated lyrics, and his face breaking. Plus beggars' hands on the floor. The dancers have some interesting choreo as well. But yeah, I just love how the different parts work together here.

Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna This is pretty epic by the end of it. It's grown on me! I love the part when the strings stop.

Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me

Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity

Spain: Miki - La venda This is an insanely energetic, joyous, and fun song. It sounds like a World Cup theme. It does burn out after repeated listens (I need to catch my breath!), and it is repetitive, but those “LA VENDA YA CAYÓOOOOOOOOOOOOOO” shouts are really catchy. The celebratory trumpet intro stands out too. And there's many quick “woo” pauses for breathers. Most of the song has fast, summery guitar and drums. The verses add backing “ohhhhh” to it, while the chorus adds horns and “HEY”s. The bridge retreats into rapid claps and Spanish guitar, then escalates with drum slams and horns, leading to a hollow drum breakdown. And it repeats “Lo que ere” 12 times. The song energizes the arena, but the choreo is kinda messy. They jump and raise their arms to hype up the crowd. And they run to the bridge and ramp at the end. The stage includes a 3x2 structure of 6 rooms with hand-drawn decor, and a frozen person in each. Miki turns around and visits them. The LED shows bold colours, including paint splatters and fingerprints. There's also a moving, lit-up, mummy thing. They brace against gravity during the camera tilts. Miki holds a camera at one point. The lyrics are trying too hard to be deep though. It's about removing the “blindfold” to live happy and free. Every verse line starts with “Te”. Miki remarks “They buy you because you're for sale”. You have excess to sell. You're lost because there's a way to be. He says there's other options – love and choose yourself. You're enough without forcing it.

The Winner:

The Netherlands achieves their 5th victory, and their first in 44 years. Austria still holds the record at 48 years between 1966 & 2014. However, Spain or France could break that in the near future. The Netherlands were one of my favourite countries during the '70s, '80s, and '90s, but they dropped off in the new millennium. They didn't even qualify for 8 years in a row. But then “Birds” changed everything; and “Calm After the Storm” did even better. Since then, the Netherlands winning again felt inevitable. Duncan's win is the culmination of their revival. Switching to internal selections has worked out pretty well.

“Arcade” is probably the least controversial winner of 2014-2023. There's nothing divisive about it. Although, at the time, I wasn't feeling the studio version. I was sick of hearing songs with big loud percussion. I didn't want a OneRepublic clone winning Eurovision. But after seeing Duncan's sensitive performance, I changed my mind. I can FEEL the emotion in this song clearly. Those “AHHHHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHH”s and “ALL I KNOW”s wouldn't leave my brain either. It's catchy! There's a very noticeable verse/chorus contrast too. The song opens with a piano sequence and vocal howls, creating a cold night forest atmosphere. Then the introverted verse expresses Duncan's sadness and vulnerability, with the soft melancholic piano and lower vocal. The howls return with boops and Duncan's voice rises. Then the guitar and snaps get the pre-chorus moving. While the heavy drums slam down in the chorus, with some clicks. The second verse adds low drum booms and skips the pre-chorus. The later choruses are doubled. The bridge is a delicate moment. There's a dense drum breakdown. The last chorus adds moody strings. And the song ends where it started.

The chorus is like pounding your fists against the wall in agony because you can't take it anymore. It represents Duncan's frustration. His broken heart has unfixed cracks. He lost some pieces while returning home. He's afraid of himself. His mind feels different. He begs to be carried home. While the chorus surmises that loving this person is a losing game. The relationship was destined to fail, and he knew it (“I saw the end before it begun”), but he carried on. He was addicted. The “How many pennies in the slot?” line questions how invested his ex was, since they gave up easily. The “Small-town boy in a big arcade” line implies Duncan was out of his depth. But then he calls it quits in the bridge (“Get me off this rollercoaster”). It was a turbulent relationship. The lyrics contain several game metaphors: “lost a couple of pieces”, “pennies in the slot”, “Game Over”; but not in a corny way.

The staging keeps it simple, but still visually satisfying. Emotional ballads don't need anything extra. Duncan spends the entire performance playing a piano that's positioned sideways, while the dark blue lighting establishes the mood. It begins pitch black until the first line. Then the camera slowly zooms in as he looks down at the piano. He only really looks up during the close-ups. A blue spotlight shines on him next. Then a moon orb descends in front of him and he stares at it during the bridge. Then he throws his arms behind him as a blinding white light beams in the background. The stage has a nighttime aesthetic. It fits the song perfectly and I wouldn't change anything about it.

This became a viral TikTok hit, and the first Eurovision song to chart in America since Gina G. It's currently the most streamed Eurovision song ever on Spotify at over 1 billion plays.

Verdict: “A” Tier.

My Ranking:

Grand Final: 01. Italy: Mahmood - Soldi 02. Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky 03. Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me 04. Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës 05. Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade 06. Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi 07. Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity 08. Malta: Michela - Chameleon 09. Spain: Miki - La venda 10. Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love

11. Cyprus: Tamta - Replay 12. Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth 13. Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna 14. Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love 15. North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud 16. France: Bilal Hassani - Roi 17. San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na 18. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream 19. Belarus: Zena - Like It 20. Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm 21. United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us 22. Germany: S!sters - Sister 23. Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra 24. Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever 25. Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend 26. Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home

Full Ranking: 01. Italy: Mahmood - Soldi 02. Norway: Keiino - Spirit in the Sky 03. Switzerland: Luca Hänni - She Got Me 04. Albania: Jonida Maliqi - Ktheju tokës 05. Netherlands: Duncan Laurence - Arcade 06. Slovenia: Zalagasper - Sebi 07. Australia: Kate Miller-Heidke - Zero Gravity 08. Malta: Michela - Chameleon 09. Spain: Miki - La venda 10. Sweden: John Lundvik - Too Late for Love 11. Cyprus: Tamta - Replay 12. Romania: Ester Peony - On a Sunday 13. Belgium: Eliot - Wake Up 14. Armenia: Srbuk - Walking Out 15. Azerbaijan: Chingiz - Truth 16. Serbia: Nevena Božović - Kruna 17. Greece: Katerine Duska - Better Love 18. Hungary: Joci Pápai - Az én apám 19. Lithuania: Jurij Veklenko - Run with the Lions 20. North Macedonia: Tamara Todevska - Proud 21. France: Bilal Hassani - Roi 22. Moldova: Anna Odobescu - Stay 23. Portugal: Conan Osíris - Telemóveis 24. Austria: Pænda - Limits 25. San Marino: Serhat - Say Na Na Na 26. Russia: Sergey Lazarev - Scream 27. Belarus: Zena - Like It 28. Estonia: Victor Crone - Storm 29. Latvia: Carousel - That Night 30. United Kingdom: Michael Rice - Bigger than Us 31. Poland: Tulia - Fire of Love (Pali się) 32. Finland: Darude feat. Sebastian Rejman - Look Away 33. Ireland: Sarah McTernan - 22 34. Georgia: Oto Nemsadze - Keep On Going 35. Germany: S!sters - Sister 36. Iceland: Hatari - Hatrið mun sigra 37. Denmark: Leonora - Love Is Forever 38. Czech Republic: Lake Malawi - Friend of a Friend 39. Israel: Kobi Marimi - Home 40. Croatia: Roko - The Dream 41. Montenegro: D mol - Heaven

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ur-mag · 1 year ago

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Adriana Lima ‘struggles every day with her post-baby body,’ but has come so far from extreme Victoria’s Secret diets | In Trend Today

Adriana Lima ‘struggles every day with her post-baby body,’ but has come so far from extreme Victoria’s Secret diets Read More … However, the supermodel, 42, was forced to hit back at trolls who critiqued her appearanc ADRIANA Lima has defied the signs of aging and maintained a jaw-dropping figure since she walked in her first Victoria’s Secret runway in 1999. However, the supermodel, 42, was…

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#Money #Politics #ShowBiz #Sport #Tech #UK #US #World

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mariacallous · 2 years ago

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In the southern Turkish city of Antakya, Behzat put a blanket and an umbrella over his father, who was trapped under the rubble after one of the most devastating earthquakes in recent history hit the town and destroyed Behzat’s childhood home. He dug his father out with his bare hands and promised the old man, whose legs were stuck under a concrete block, that help was on the way.

Twenty-four agonizing hours later, Behzat asked his wife, my sister Gokce, to check on him. “I cannot look him in the eye anymore. I told him help was coming. It isn’t.” Behzat’s father died, as did his mother, his cousins, and thousands of others, because there was no one there to provide the needed help.

It wasn’t just loved ones who were buried under the rubble but also the promises of good governance, a corruption-free country, and a state that is responsive to the needs of its people.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan made those promises after his Justice and Development Party (AKP) swept to power following another devastating quake in northwestern Turkey in 1999, when thousands of people died due to the government’s slow response. He blamed all the ills of the 1990s on widespread corruption, dysfunctional governments, and unresponsive state institutions and pledged that, under his rule, things would change radically.

They have, and they have not. Gone are the days when internal squabbling among coalition partners paralyzed government decision-making. In his two decades at the helm, Erdogan has centralized power in his own hands. To do that, he hollowed out state institutions, placed loyalists in key positions, wiped out most civil society organizations, and enriched his cronies to create a small circle of loyalists around him. The culmination of all those things paved the way for the tragedy that struck my country on Monday.

The sheer magnitude of the quake made it deadly, but academic research shows that earthquakes kill more people in countries affected by widespread corruption. The Turkish economy under Erdogan rode high on the back of a construction boom. He enriched a small circle of close associates from the construction sector by awarding them infrastructure projects without competitive tenders or proper regulatory oversight.

These companies embarked on a massive building spree, constructing infrastructure and homes in earthquake hot spots without following proper building codes. In Hatay, one of the areas hardest hit by Monday’s quake, residential buildings, hospitals, and even the local branch of the Turkish Disaster and Emergency Management Presidency (AFAD), many built by Erdogan’s cronies, were either leveled to the ground or suffered massive damage. The town’s only airport runway, built on top of a fault line by a company closely tied to Erdogan, was split in two by the earthquake.

The practice of granting government infrastructure projects to Erdogan’s allies, many of whom cut corners on safety, has led to other tragedies in the past. Last year, a snowstorm hit the western city of Isparta, causing extensive damage, leaving residents without power for weeks, and leading to several deaths. The city’s utilities had been privatized by the AKP and sold off to companies owned by Cengiz Holding and Kolin Holding, firms controlled by Erdogan’s closest associates. The companies did not take steps to ensure the infrastructure was resilient to such disasters, failed to respond when the snowstorm hit, and rejected any help from opposition parties in neighboring towns, sparking protests by residents and opposition parties against the corrupt tender system.

In 2018, as a result of a lack of maintenance work, a train crash in the northwestern town of Corlu killed 25 people, including children. In 2014, 301 miners were killed in the Aegean town of Soma after an explosion sent carbon monoxide shooting through the tunnels of a mine while 787 miners were underground. The chairman of Soma Holding, Alp Gurkan, is another close associate of Erdogan’s. The company benefited from privatizations during the AKP’s years in power, branching out into the construction sector and receiving contracts worth billions of dollars. The miners and opposition parties said the company did not take necessary security precautions. Only 20 days before the explosion, Erdogan’s AKP had thwarted an opposition-led parliamentary motion to investigate conditions at the mine.

While Erdogan and his cronies’ disregard for safety regulations makes disasters more common, the government’s slow and inadequate response makes them more lethal. In 2021, wildfires ripped through southern Turkey, killing at least nine people and forcing thousands to flee their homes. Erdogan came under intense criticism over the government’s apparent poor response and inadequate preparedness for large-scale wildfires. Opposition parties and residents accused the government of failing to procure firefighting planes while channeling billions of dollars to construction companies that have little regard for the environment. The government later admitted that it did not have a firefighting aircraft fleet and that the existing planes were not in usable condition.

The government’s response to Monday’s earthquake was once again slow. In Antakya, my family had to dig out loved ones trapped under the rubble with their bare hands. AFAD staff showed up 48 hours later, only to tell us that they couldn’t help because they had orders to focus their rescue operations elsewhere. The Turkish military could have played a role here, too, but Erdogan did not dispatch troops early enough to help with the search and rescue efforts. Turkish civil society organizations, which played a critical role after the 1999 earthquake, were not there, either. All these failures are the result of Erdogan’s policy of centralizing power in his own hands, sapping institutions of their independence, appointing loyalists who lack the necessary background to key posts, and wiping out civil society organizations that do not back his agenda.

For a country like Turkey, which is prone to earthquakes and natural disasters, AFAD is a critical state agency. Yet its budget is much smaller than that of the Presidency of Religious Affairs, which was originally created to exercise oversight over religious affairs but has expanded under Erdogan to become a tool to provide religious legitimacy to government policies. The person in charge of AFAD’s natural disaster emergency response is a theology graduate with no previous experience in disaster management.

The Turkish military, which was on the scene to help carry out search and rescue efforts within hours after the 1999 earthquake, has also been weakened and politicized under Erdogan since the failed coup in 2016. Erdogan’s government dissolved a protocol enabling the armed forces to respond to disasters without instruction, one of the factors that explains the slow dispatch of troops to areas affected by the quake.

Powerful earthquakes kill people, but they are more deadly in countries like Turkey, where building regulations aren’t enforced, unqualified loyalists fill key positions, independent state institutions do not exist, civil society organizations have been wiped out, and the interests of a corrupt few are prioritized above all else.

While my sister and her family were trying to pull the bodies of their loved ones out of the rubble to give them a proper burial, Erdogan was calling those who complained about the slow state response “dishonorable” on national TV. He wants us to accept the current tragedy and the ones that came before it as “fate,” but more and more people are beginning to think that the country’s compounding problems have a first and last name.

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biglisbonnews · 2 years ago

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Another Runway Stunt Goes Viral at Fashion Week — This Time in Copenhagen The (di)vision fashion show ended with a bang — literally. On the first day of Copenhagen Fashion Week, the brand went viral after the show’s final model got up from her table where guests were seated and dragged the entire tablecloth (which was connected to her skirt) with her, causing plates and glasses to hit the floor.Related | AVAVAV's Beate Karlsson on Why She Had Models Fall Down the RunwayThe video shows Dahl, the partner of (di)vision co-founder Simon Wick, wearing a pink corset and mini skirt appearing to start a toast before engaging in the evening’s plot twist. Tables were filled with plates, oysters, cigarette butts and white card invitations with wine glass stains. See on Instagram The theme for the brand’s Fall 2023 collection was “Dressed for Disaster,” which they described in a press release as “the train wreck 1999 festival meets the Met Gala.” There were a range of different characters from preppy school kids to grungy alternative rebels. The looks included materials made of deadstock fabrics, recycled cotton and vintage pieces. Exposed briefs made an appearance along with leg warmers, trucker hats and heart-branded tracksuits. And to add to the Y2K influence, there was a live jazz band playing pop punk songs by Green Day, Linkin Park and more. The quirky send-off was the latest fashion stunt to hit social media, with many users drawing comparisons to Bella Hadid’s recent Coperni spray-dress moment and the models falling down at Beate Karlsson.It certainly seemed to go off without a hitch. (Di)vision reposted the video with a cheeky caption of their own: “What are you bringing to the table? I am the table.”Photo courtesy of (di)vision https://www.papermag.com/division-model-table-viral-stunt-2659364709.html

#Copenhagen fashion week #(di)vision #Lexi Carson #PAPER

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maypersonne · 3 years ago

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You know I had forgotten how parental Leorio and Kurapika are toward Gon. Not just that. It's so much healthier than what I thought it was going to be through my rewatch. Like when they arrive at the cooking part of the exam and they're like well none of us can cook, Gon tells them that he can so they ask what he can do, he respond rice and eggs. Which can't really be considered cuisine and definitely won't satisfy their examiner. But when he tells them he's really good at it. They. Just. Look at him. Really softly. And proud. And tell him they'd love it if he'd make them some???

I was surprised, shocked literally. And my only thought was "my mother wouldn't have."

They didn't belittle him or the things he do and like no matter how impressive or weird they are, and are genuinely proud of him.

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taub-truther · 2 months ago

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petition for Barry Klemper and Elliot Springer (or undergrad Wilson and Taub, whatever) to be crossover boyfriends who steal each other's clothes sometimes

(images of RSL via this post 🫡)

#the soft bespectacled gender of it all #peter jacobson #robert sean leonard #rsl #chris taub #james wilson #barry klemper #elliot springer #Ignore the fact that Elliot stole Alex's leather jacket for his date with Joey 😭#the boys next door 1996 #hit and runway 1999 #they'd be SO comfy in each other's clothes. see my vision #they're both so pretty HELP ME

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barbiewritesstuff · 2 years ago

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Family Day

-- I am in love with Dad!Hangman

(Welcome to another installment of Barbiewritesstuff fights tumblr in a desperate attempt to format her fic...)

Tw. Mention of pregnancy, gendered language

Taglist: @mavswife @dempy @unsurebuttrying @peaches-1999 --

He’s not sure what to feel. His brain fights between acute stress and excitement but both are making his heart beat a mile a minute. Only Bob notices though and he stops him from having his fourth coffee of the morning. He’s not even drinking it for the taste, the stuff they have on base is disgusting anyway (although nothing beats the stuff they serve for breakfast on the carriers). At this point, he’s downing coffees just to give himself something to do.

Everyone is talking about family day and who they’re expecting, Jake’s happy no one is asking about who he’s waiting for. He’s a fiercly private man despite his cocky, open-book act. The fact that he asked you to come at all was a surprise to him most of all. Still, he couldn’t help but look forward to seeing you, and seeing George’s face when he saw Daddy’s plane. You had sent him a picture of George a few days ago, he had gotten into his box of old Top Gun gear and dug out a flight suit. He looked adorable in the still, the flight suit miles too big on him, he had ruffled the legs as much as possible so that his feet were touching the ground but neither of his hands were peering out of the sleeves. Jake had practically begged you to dig the helmet out of the attic and put it on his son and that picture was now the background on his phone. His heart swelled with love whenever he looked at George’s face, half obscured by the rim of the helmet and his face contorted into a laugh. He could almost hear his little boy’s belly laugh.

The clock’s tick seemed to slow down dramatically as the time drew nearer to your arrival. The base’s doors would open to civilian family members at eleven and Jake was growing even more antsy, so much so that the other members of his team were starting to notice. It was five to eleven now, and Jake swore it the clock had said that for the past ten minutes already, then, noise erupted as the recreation room filled with people which Fanboy immediately went to hug. He looked at his phone to see a text from you.

Jake practically jumped from his seat to join you, barely muttering a ‘Sorry’ to Payback when he scared him. He all but ran to the base parking lot and engulfed you and George in a tight bear hug.

----

« I am so, so happy to see you » He murmurs into your hair and then plants a loud kiss on George’s cheek which elicits a laugh and a loud « EWWW, Daddy ! » as he tries to wipe it away.

« Shall we go see Daddy’s planes ? » Jake asks, letting go of you and hoisting George into his arms, keeping you close with one arm over your shoulders. You can sense he is tense, but you appreciate that he’s trying to hide it from your son. Georgie is a sensitive little boy, and he looked up to his father so much that he sometimes feeds off of his energy.

« Do you keep them in a special garage ? »

« Uh huh, it’s called a hangar. My plane is in hangar 6 »

« Is he all alone in the garage Daddy ? » Georgie asks, his little voice laxed with worry that Daddy's plane might get lonely.

« No, I share it with my team »

Hangar six was towards the end of the runway. The walk there had been hot and tiring and when you walked in, the hit of cold air and shade made all three of you sigh with relief. He walked you to an aircraft near the back. Jake stifled a laugh when George looked at the model F15 he held in his hands, twirled it around and then seemed to compare it against the real thing.

« Big » He said, concluding his research with a single word.

« Do you want to go in ? » Jake asks and George panics for a second before Jake reassures him « I’ll go with you. We’re just going to sit in it, I’ll show you all the buttons »

George nods. Jake hands him back to you and climbs the ladder to open up the canopy and sit down on his seat. Once up there, he grabs a hold of Georgie and lifts him onto his lap. You fish your phone out of your bag and snap a picture of them and then another where they are both looking at you and giving you a thumbs up

« We should get these printed » You say.

Jake’s face falls slightly before he catches himself and smiles again. You briefly wonder if it’s something you said, but a second later you hear a few voices echo in the hangar. Jake breathes in deeply a few times to ease his nerves and steadies his voice

« This is the radio button, when I need to call the radio to tell them I am landing, I press that and they tell me whether I can »

« What if they say no ? »

« They don’t usually do that. It’s only when someone else is on the landing strip »

« Oh »

The people the echoing voices belong to appear behind the back of another aircraft. A woman in uniform leads an older couple and two teenagers around while another uniformed man tags along. She sees Jake up in the aircraft and flashes you both a smile.

« I didn’t know Hangman had a sister. Hi, I’m Natasha »

« Hi » You say « I’m not his sister »

« Oh »

« Phoenix, Coyote, this is Y/n. She’s my wife » Jake says, much to the surprise of both his teammates « And this is George. He’s my son »

« I’m sorry, what ? » Natasha spits out. She looks absolutely furious.

Jake’s jaw tenses. George is starting to grow restless.

« Can I go back down to Mummy, please ? »

Jake lifts him up and gives him back to you before hoisting himself out of his plane and coming down the ladder.

« You never fucking told us ! » Natasha all but shouts

« Hey ! Watch your language » Jake snaps. George is starting to sniffle

« We need to take this outside, Phoenix » He adds

Coyote pushes past the woman to stand between them and form a barrier in case it escalates.

« You don’t have to explain. I get it, it’s not easy to open up to new teams every time we get called away somewhere else. But dude, they’ve offered us all instructor jobs starting in the fall, I think this is pretty permanent. So you can relax a little »

He turns to you next.

« I’m Javi, they call me Coyote »

You shake his outstretched hand and he waves at George.

« Hi buddy, I’m a friend of your Daddy’s »

George’s head makes a loud ‘thunk’ sound as it collides with your collarbone in his haste to hide himself in your neck.

« He’s shy » You explain, wincing at the pain you are feeling and wondering how Georgie doesn’t. Jake smiles.

« I promise I’m nice » Javi coaxes, it earns him a turn of George’s head and a peak from the crook of your neck

« Did you like Daddy’s plane ? I fly one too »

« Georgie why don’t you show Javi your model plane ? » Jake says, trying to ignore the look of betrayal Natasha is giving him

« Oh my God, you have a model plane ? That is so cool ! »

George smiles and whips out the plastic model he was still holding.

« I got it for my birthday »

Javi gasps « Your birthday ? How old are you ? »

In response the question Georgie raises three fingers.

A door opens behind you and two men stroll in. Both of them are laughing together but stop once they notice you, unaware of the tension Javi was working so hard on dissipating.

« Aaw, that’s cute. Didn’t know you had a sister Seresin. » The tallest one of the two says.

« Not his sister. That’s his wife and his kid » Natasha replies instead of Jake. He looks at the ground and Georgie dissappears into your neck again.

« Huh » The smaller one says « I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting that… »

« I’m Payback. This is Fanboy » The tall one says pointing at himself and his friend

« Hi »

« Harvard, Yale and Halo should at the Hard Deck at around 8pm, we’re going too. You guys can join us if you want » Payback says, talking to you and Natasha’s family more than anyone else.

You look at Jake and he looks back at you, silently asking if you want to go. It’s cutting it close to your son’s bedtime but now that Jake is no longer hiding anything, you know he wants to go and have fun. You nod.

« We’ll meet you there » He says

----

The Hard Deck is closed but that doesn’t really seem to mean anything to Jake as he pushes the door open. It's a few minutes past 8 and yet the bar is empty except for an older man and a woman leaning over the bar.

You take a desperate George to the bathroom while Jake goes up and orders you drinks.

« Phoenix warned us you would be bringing some people. She didn’t say who though… Is that your sister ? » Penny says

« Okay, why does everyone keep thinking she’s my sister ? We don’t even look alike »

« Well… We didn’t think you would be dating a woman with a kid… » Maverick says, avoiding Jake’s glare by looking straight into his beer.

« I’m not. That’s my wife. He’s my kid »

Both of them look at him with mouths wide open, clearly surprised. He has to admit he enjoys the reactions, depite the shock of Phoenix’s anger. He understand where she came from, of course, but he doesn’t think he was wrong for wanting to keep his family life private. Javi was right, though, now that they're all going to take the instructor job, things aren’t so volatile anymore. He can relax.

There's only one person left to tell now, as Bob has known for a while. Georgie calls him Uncle Bo, refusing to add the second ‘B’ to Bob’s name but the other man doesn’t seem to mind seeing as that’s what he signs the texts in the group chat with.

Jake isn’t sure how Rooster would react. He could be outraged or simply not bothered at all. For Georgie’s sake, he hopes there won’t be a scene. For his own sake, he hopes the opposite.

Rooster gets there later than anyone else, strolling in at nine, right as Jake and you are debating going home. Jake watches him walk up to Mav and pat his back, then make his way over to the pool table he's playing at. Jake offers him a pool cue, which he accepts. Bradshaw, as observant as he was in the air, isn’t noticing you and George talking in the corner despite Jake’s best attempts. Exasperated, he crosses eyes with Bob, who winks and stands up.

« Hey Georgie, what do you think of Daddy’s playing ? »

Rooster freezes for a second, then he carefully looks around the table to see who Bob could possibly have been talking about. When he realises he's playing against just Hangman, he looks at Jake with wide eyes.

Bob stifles a laugh with a handful of peanuts and Jake tries not to look at him to avoid having to do the same. There's a reason Bob’s name in the group chat is ‘shit-stirrer’ and while he pretends not to like it by signing texts as Uncle Bo, he certainly lives up to his name.

Jake sees Maverick sit down next to you and a still seething Phoenix, trying to coax Georgie into showing him his model airplane.

« What do you – Is that ? – Daddy ? » Rooster sputters. He looks at George and then back at him

« You bastard » He adds

« Language ! » Bob, you, Jake and Maverick say in unison

The shocked silence that reigns after that remains unbroken for a second until Phoenix grabs one of the pillows off of one of the chairs and swings it straight into Bob’s chest.

« You knew ! » She hits him again.

« You » hit « lying » hit « traitor ! »

« I didn’t – ow – lie – ow »

Fanboy tries to grab the pillow out of her hands, it earns him a glare and he drops his attempt. She peppers Bob with little pillow slaps and only stops when Georgie noticed the battle between Natasha and Uncle Bo and lets out the dirties cackle Jake had ever heard him do. Both you and Jake can no longer hold in your laughter. The whole room dissolves into hysterics in three seconds flat.

« Seriously though, how did you know ? »

« He told me after our first mission »

« And you never told anyone »

« I’m a good friend, I don’t tell unless I’m asked »

----

« It’s nice to meet you, Y/n. The three of you look really happy » Phoenix finally concedes after a few more drinks.

« Four actually » Jake says, suddenly very interested at the floor. With renewed gusto and armed with impaired decisionmaking skills, Phoenix grabs the pillow again and swings it straight at Jake’s face.

« You’re joking » Bob asks you

« Nope, I’m due in September » You reply. Jake sits down next to you. He pulls you as close as he can without disturbing a sleeping George and happily kisses your temple.

"I love you" he whispers in your ear so only you can hear.

#fanfic #top gun fanfiction #top gun maverick #top gun x reader #fanfiction #hangman x reader #jake hangman seresin #original fic #jake seresin #hangman top gun

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wilsonteav · 2 months ago

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I AM SORRY BUT what's the film in your profile background?? 😭😭😭

Hii, thanks for asking.

The movie name is Hit and Runway (1999)

I watched it on Vimeo (website) But there can be problems with it.

Hope it helps! ;)

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brookstonalmanac · 4 months ago

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Events 8.7 (after 1950)

1959 – Explorer program: Explorer 6 launches from the Atlantic Missile Range in Cape Canaveral, Florida. 1960 – Ivory Coast becomes independent from France. 1962 – Canadian-born American pharmacologist Frances Oldham Kelsey is awarded the U.S. President's Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service for her refusal to authorize thalidomide. 1964 – Vietnam War: The U.S. Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution giving U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson broad war powers to deal with North Vietnamese attacks on American forces. 1969 – Richard Nixon appoints Luis R. Bruce, a Mohawk-Oglala Sioux and co-founder of the National Congress of American Indians, as the new commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 1970 – California judge Harold Haley is taken hostage in his courtroom and killed during an effort to free George Jackson from police custody. 1974 – Philippe Petit performs a high wire act between the twin towers of the World Trade Center 1,368 feet (417 m) in the air. 1976 – Viking program: Viking 2 enters orbit around Mars. 1978 – U.S. President Jimmy Carter declares a federal emergency at Love Canal due to toxic waste that had been disposed of negligently. 1981 – The Washington Star ceases all operations after 128 years of publication. 1985 – Takao Doi, Mamoru Mohri and Chiaki Mukai are chosen to be Japan's first astronauts. 1987 – Cold War: Lynne Cox becomes the first person to swim from the United States to the Soviet Union, crossing the Bering Strait from Little Diomede Island in Alaska to Big Diomede in the Soviet Union. 1989 – U.S. Congressman Mickey Leland (D-TX) and 15 others die in a plane crash in Ethiopia. 1990 – First American soldiers arrive in Saudi Arabia as part of the Gulf War. 1993 – Ada Deer, a Menominee activist, is sworn in as the head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 1995 – The Chilean government declares state of emergency in the southern half of the country in response to an event of intense, cold, wind, rain and snowfall known as the White Earthquake. 1997 – Space Shuttle Program: The Space Shuttle Discovery launches on STS-85 from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. 1997 – Fine Air Flight 101 crashes after takeoff from Miami International Airport, killing five people. 1998 – Bombings at United States embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya kill approximately 212 people. 1999 – The Chechnya-based Islamic International Brigade invades neighboring Dagestan. 2007 – At AT&T Park, Barry Bonds hits his 756th career home run to surpass Hank Aaron's 33-year-old record. 2008 – The start of the Russo-Georgian War over the territory of South Ossetia. 2020 – Air India Express Flight 1344 overshoots the runway at Calicut International Airport in the Malappuram district of Kerala, India, and crashes, killing 21 of the 190 people on board.

#Events

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vanwartime · 4 years ago

Photo

Much has already been said of RCAF veteran Robert Clothier’s service online, but I’d like to delve a bit deeper into his WWII accomplishments. Robert was normally rather soft spoken about this part of his life, so these details may have been obscured to many of those who knew him.

Robert was a pilot, actor, and even a sculptor. His work Three Forms is displayed on UBC grounds, near the north side of the Lasserre Building.

His wikipedia entry gives a good introduction:

Like many of his contemporaries, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force at an early age. He learned to fly at #1 Elementary Flying School and #4 Service Flying Training School, and flew operationally with 408 Squadron RCAF. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on December 5, 1944, the citation reading,

"This officer has completed numerous sorties in the role of pilot, involving attacks on most of the enemy's heavily defended targets. On all occasions he has pressed home his attacks with great determination and by his personal example of courage, coolness and confidence has set an example which has inspired all with whom he has flown."

In the first photo above, you can see Robert in October 1944 on his last trip after his second tour overseas. Crew members are (front) F/O Larry Corbeil, Bomb Aimer & Sgt. Joe McCart, Flight Engineer. (Back row) F/L Bob Austen, Wireless Air Gunner; Sandy De Zorzi, Navigator; Robert Clothier, Pilot; Tom Murdoch, Gunner; Bob Fitzgerald, Rear Gunner. In this photo, 408 squadron was using Halifax B. Mk VII's.

Here’s a more detailed rundown of his service, via the RCAF Association Honours and Awards page:

CLOTHIER, F/L Robert Allan (J15680) - Distinguished Flying Cross - No.408 Squadron - Award effective 5 December 1944 as per London Gazette of that date and AFRO 293/45 dated 16 February 1945. Born 22 October 1921 in Prince Rupert (Wikipedia entry says 21 October 1921); home in Vancouver; enlisted there 19 October 1940. To Trenton, 10 November 1940. To No.1 ITS, 27 January 1941; graduated and promoted LAC, 5 March 1941 but not posted to No.1 EFTS until 16 March 1941; graduated 4 May 1941 when posted to No.4 SFTS; graduated and promoted Sergeant, 27 July 1941. To Embarkation Depot, 28 July 1941; to RAF overseas, 19 August 1941. Commissioned 9 June 1942. Promoted Flying Officer, 9 December 1942. Promoted Flight Lieutenant, 15 June 1944. Appears to have been repatriated at some point but posted overseas again in March 1944. Finally repatriated 28 October 1944. To No.5 OTU, 3 December 1944 to instruct. Survived the crash of Mitchell HD315, 23 December 1944 which killed three others; severely injured with a broken back. At the time of the accident he had some 1,204 hours flying including 260 on Hampdens, 364 on Wellingtons and 111 on Lancasters. He was paralyzed from the waist down for two years. To Release Centre, 26 October 1945. Retired 9 January 1946. Studied architecture at University of British Columbia and theatre in England. On return to Vancouver he became an actor, painter and sculptor. He got the role of “Relic” on The Beachcombers, which ran on Canadian TV from 1972 to 1990. Died 10 February 1999 in Vancouver. Award sent by registered mail 21 May 1956.

As mentioned above, after returning home from two tours overseas, Robert suffered a serious crash at Boundary Bay, but survived.

In the Court of Inquiry, he testified that he had not fastened his seat belts, which may have contributed to his injuries...but it may have also saved his life, as he may have been thrown out of the aircraft. Also, the others may not have had their belts done up either, so they were thrashed around and perished. One crewman survived, but died in hospital, while the other two were killed in the crash or were trapped and killed in the fire.

He was a staff pilot at No. 5 OTU, and the aircraft was going up to do a "compass swing" in the air, rather than on the ground, so he had maintenance personnel on board, not trainees. The aircraft lost an engine on takeoff and crashed into a large drainage ditch near the runway.

Sadly, a few months later, Robert also lost his brother during active service overseas. Via findagrave.com:

432 Squadron’s Halifax VII (#RG-475) aircraft was one of about 160 aircraft that participated in a major air operation over Chemnitz, Germany on 5/6 March 1945. The Halifax took off from RAF East Moor in Yorkshire with eight air crew members aboard; after its successful operation in Germany, the aircraft was on its return flight back to its base in England when it was tragically shot down by ‘friendly flak’ from British Coastal Defence anti-aircraft guns. All eight airmen perished when the Halifax crashed north of Walton-on-Naze in Essex.

Miraculously, Robert recovered from his injuries, though he always walked with a limp.

I’d like to rewind briefly and highlight a small detail noted in the clipping after his second tour overseas. From the Vancouver Sun November 2, 1944, Page 6:

Flight-Lieutenant Robert "Bob" Clothier of 1979 Waterloo Road, Vancouver the bomber pilot who once flew his big Hampden upside down, while laden with bombs, over Mannheim has completed his second full tour of operations, according to an RCAF statement released today. He is the first pilot in the Goose Squadron to have done this, flying Hampdens for the first tour, and swinging over to Lancasters and Halifaxes for the second. Flt.-Lt. Clothier, 23, son of Mr. and Mrs. R. L, Clothier, 1979 Waterloo Road, was born in Prince Rupert and attended St. George's School in Vancouver. He went overseas in August, 1941. A brother, FO. John Clothier, 24, is also overseas with the RCAF.

Did I read that correctly?! He flew his big Hampden upside down, while laden with bombs?! This is no small feat, especially considering the reputation of the Hampden! This was also quoted on the RCAF Association page, where it states: “His mates like to tell of the time Clothier tried a stall turn on a Hampden with a full bomb load aboard and the bomber did a complete upside-down flip.”

Jerry Vernon, the Vancouver Chapter President of the Canadian Aviation Historical Society writes:

You certainly would not want to deliberately fly a Hampden upside down, especially with a bomb load still on board. However, it is possible that he found himself involuntarily in this position as a result of air turbulence, violent evasive action to avoid another aircraft or a nearby flak burst! The Hampden was not a very forgiving airplane! People who flew (and survived) the Hampden were very brave, because it was a bad airplane with nasty aerodynamic problems...

The worst problem with the Handley-Page Hampden was instability, due to the “tadpole” shape of the rear fuselage and the very minimal vertical tail surfaces. I can probably recite at least half a dozen (or more) that crashed at No. 32 OTUS at Pat Bay due to this. As a result, pilots were instructed to fly straight ahead and never turn while climbing slowly at low altitude.

The early models of the Handley-Page Halifax bomber had a similar problem, with inadequate vertical fins. The RAF complained but Handley-Page rejected the complaints…eventually the later models of the Hampden had large “barn door’ tail fins!!

The Hampden we have at the Canadian Museum of Flight was lost due to failure to respect these instructions. They were dropping a torpedo, at low level of course, and were slowly starting to climb. The pilot turned the aircraft a bit to see where the torpedo was heading, and lost control. Rudder action had no effect nor did differential throttle, and they crashed into the water off Pat Bay. The Bomb Aimer quickly realized what was happening and climbed back up to his seat behind the pilot and had the overhead hatch open before they hit the water! They were lucky and got out quickly and were picked up by a Stranraer that was just taking off nearby at the time. Minor injuries and barely got their feet wet!!

In another case the following aircraft saw the Hampden ahead of them, flying at only 500 feet, attempt to do a 180, stall, roll over onto its back and fall into the ocean. They would send out perhaps 10 or 12 Hampdens on 5 minute intervals on a Navigation & Bombing Exercise that involved flying a couple of hundred miles out into the Pacific, doing about a 90° turn towards land, which brought them back over Port Hardy, then down to the South end of Vancouver Island where there was a bombing range. They had no weather information from the West, so the instructions were to turn around and return to Pat Bay if they ran into bad weather, in which case a radio message would be sent out for all aircraft to return. Some never got the message due to bad radios or poor reception and several simply disappeared without trace.

They had earlier done this exercise with Ansons, such as the one discovered in the trees near Port Renfrew several years ago, and later with Mitchells from Boundary Bay, such as one discovered on Brooks Peninsula in 1960. If they disappeared they were assumed to have been lost at sea, but that wasn’t always the case and the odd one has turned up on Vancouver Island over the years.

I’ll end this post with a quote from his DHH file 181.009 D.1513 (Library and Archives Canada RG.24 vol.20600) where his recommendation was raised by W/C R.A. McLernon, 26 September 1944 when he had completed 45 sorties (256 hours 40 minutes):

Flight Lieutenant Clothier has completed two tours of operations on heavy bombers in an exemplary manner. During these two tours he attacked practically every heavily defended target in Europe including Essen, Mannheim, Stuttgart and Hamburg. On all occasions he pressed home his attacks with very great determination and inspired his whole crew with great confidence. His courage and coolness were at all times of the highest order despite the intensity of the defences encountered, and never did he permit his bombs to be dropped unless he was certain that they would fall on the target. Flight Lieutenant Clothier, by his skillful leadership and operational ability, has moulded together one of the finest crews that this squadron has ever known. He is admired by those serving under him and also by his superiors. He is indeed a splendid example of what a fine operational pilot should be. Therefore I recommend that he be awarded an immediate Distinguished Flying Cross.

#rcaf #wwii #robert clothier #hadley hampden

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