doarmig007blog: 24.01.2010

Russia's first stealth fighter makes maiden flight ************************************************** Russia has unveiled the prototype of its new 5th generation fighter. The Sukhoi T-50 had its maiden flight Friday (Jan 29) in the country's Far East. ************************************************** MOSCOW – Russia's first stealth fighter intended to match the latest U.S. design made its maiden flight Friday, boosting the country's efforts to modernize its rusting Soviet-built arsenals and retain its lucrative export market. The Sukhoi T-50's flight comes nearly two decades after the first prototype of the U.S. F-22 Raptor took to the air, and Russian officials said it will take another five years for the new jet to enter service. Still, the flight marked a major step in Russia's efforts to burnish the faded glory of its aviation industries and strengthen a beleaguered military. The sleek twin-engined jet closely resembling the Raptor flew for 47-minutes from an airfield at Sukhoi's production plant in the Far Eastern city of Komsomolsk-on-Amur on Friday. Development of the so-called fifth-generation fighter has been veiled in secrecy and no images of it had been released before the flight. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin hailed the flight as a "big step forward", but admitted that "a lot remains to be done in terms of engines and armament". Craig Caffrey, an analyst for 'Jane's Defense Procurement-Military Aircraft', said the new fighter is "hugely important", both for modernizing the aging Russian air force fleet and retaining export markets. "The T-50 should offer the Russian Air Force a significant boost in its capabilities and ensure that it remains one of the best equipped air forces in the world", he told The 'Associated Press' by e-mail. Caffrey said the new fighter will attract many foreign customers. "For those countries that don't traditionally purchase military equipment from the U.S. it will be the only fifth generation aircraft available", he said. The 'NPO Saturn' company said in a statement that the jet has new engines, but military analysts suggested that they were a slightly modernized version of the Soviet-era engine powering the Su-27 family of fighters. "It's a humbug", said independent military analyst Pavel Felgenhauer. "It's just a prototype lacking new engines and a new radar. It takes new materials to build a fifth-generation fighter, and Russia lacks them". Putin said Friday the first batch of new fighters is set to enter an Air Force evaluation unit in 2013 and serial production is set to begin in 2015. Caffrey said the task looks "very challenging, given the amount of new technology that is being incorporated into the new aircraft". Russian military analysts were also skeptical, pointing at a history of delays in the program and other Russian weapons projects. "The schedule will likely be pushed back as usual", said Alexander Konovalov, the head of the Moscow-based Institute of Strategic Assessment, an independent think tank. Russia's prospective Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile has failed in at least eight of its 12 test launches, dealing a blow to Russia's hopes of making it a cornerstone of its nuclear arsenal. Officials have blamed the failures on manufacturing flaws resulting from post-Soviet industrial degradation. Felgenhauer and other observers said the fighter program, which depends on hundreds of subcontractors, has been dogged by similar problems. Russian officials have said the new fighter, like the Raptor, will have supersonic cruising speed and stealth capabilities. Its pilot, Sergei Bogdan, said in televised remarks that it was easy and pleasant to fly. While officials saw the new fighter as essential, some analysts said the country has more pressing needs. "There is no mission and no adversary for such plane", Konovalov said, adding that the Russian military lacks a modern communications system and satellite navigation. "It would be more expedient to fit modern avionics to older generation jets". The U.S. administration decided to quit buying the F-22 Raptor, the world's most expensive fighter jet at more than $140 million apiece, effectively capping its production at the 186 already ordered. ************************************************* Source:

********************************************** JOE DOLAN - Biography ********************************************** Joseph "Joe" Francis Robert Dolan (16 October 1939 – 26 December 2007) was an Irish compositer, entertainer, recorder and singer of easy listening songs.*** Life and career*** In a career which spanned almost 50 years, iconic Irish singer Joe Dolan was rarely off the stage and rarely out of the charts. From humble beginnings as a music-mad teenager playing a homemade guitar to becoming one of Europe’s biggest stars on his own right, Joe truly lived the dream. A record-breaking statesman of Irish popular music, Joe is the only Irish entertainer to have enjoyed Top Ten hits in five decades across two centuries - the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990s and 2000s. Indeed, when you combine the total number of weeks the man from Mullingar spent in the upper reaches of the Irish singles charts it equates to a residency of over ten full years. Joe hit the top spot throughout the world. From Europe to the Middle East, Joe enjoyed number one singles in South America, Australia, Asia and beyond. Countries as culturally diverse as France, South Africa, Israel, Germany, Holland, Belgium, Brazil, Argentina, Australia, Turkey, Iran, Lebanon, Italy, Portugal and several other European states all put Joe at the top. His biggest hit was Make Me An Island (written by Albert Hammond and Mike Hazlewood), which went to Number 3 in the UK Singles Chart in 1969, and Number 1 in fourteen other countries. When re-released in the 1990’s it once again hit the number one spot, albeit just in Ireland. Joe was noted for his extraordinary vocal style. The strength and power of his distinctive singing voice was noted even as a 14 year old, when he made his first stage appearance at a talent show in his native Mullingar. The youngest of eight children, Joe Dolan was born into a musical household on the outskirts of Mullingar, Co. Westmeath on October 16 1939. Joe lost both his parents at a young age - his father, a bicycle shop proprietor, died when Joe was eleven; his mother when he was nineteen. Music had abounded throughout the family’s modest cottage and young Joe was not shy in showcasing his growing vocal and musical talents to family and friends. He sang a bit in school, and his mother had encouraged him to take up the piano, but it was at the afformentioned teenage talent show in Mullingar when that the world at large got its first true glimpse of Joe Dolan the entertainer. Even then, on his first stage appearance, he cut a distinctive dash – his confident singing, dancing, and his sharp dress sense a sign of what was to come. As well as securing his first (and last) “real” job as a compositor in local newspaper 'The Westmeath Examiner' in 1958, Joe also got his first real guitar, and he and his saxophone-playing brother Ben started to play in local bands. They soon formed a band of their own – The Drifters. At first, it was all-for-one and one-for-all in the seven-piece, but Joe’s powerful voice, stage presence and growing heart-throb status among female fans saw them hastily rechristened Joe Dolan and The Drifters.***

***The musical landscape in the 1960s was dominated by the showbands and their jukebox-perfect interpretations of songs by acts the Irish public might never get to see. The Drifters soon became the number one showband in the land, but from the off, Joe broke the mould. He was the first Irish pop star to record original material and the first Irish singer to create scenes of mass hysteria among fans, with ‘Driftermania’ becoming a national epidemic. First single The Answer to Everything, released in September 1964, shot to number 4 in the charts and Joe and his band, guided by manager Seamus Casey, soon took the dancehalls and ballrooms of Ireland by storm, with a string of massive hit singles making them Ireland’s biggest band. But in the summer of 1968, the nation was shocked as musical differences saw the band split at the peak of their powers. The move left Joe alone, but not for long as success soon washed over him again when he recorded Make Me an Island, a song that would lay the foundations for an international career. The track was a massive hit in England and after an historic Top of the Pops appearance the floodgates opened across Europe and around the world – the song eventually becoming a number one hit in an unprecedented 14 countries. Joe became an even bigger worldwide star with follow-up singles Teresa and You’re Such a Good Looking Woman. Although singles such as It Makes No Difference and You and the Looking Glass were not big hits at home or in the UK, they were international smashes for Joe. When he hooked up with writers Roberto Danova and Peter Yellowstone in the mid 1970s things went off the scale for him internationally – 1974's Sweet Little Rock ‘n’ Roller their first of many triumphs. It was later recorded by Bay City Rollers and Rod Stewart. It was followed by one of Joe’s biggest-ever sellers, the evocative Lady in Blue. His biggest ever selling single, it danced its way to the top of charts across Europe, Australasia, Africa and South America but, surprisingly, not at home or in the UK. It sold millions abroad. Massive international hits including Crazy Woman, Sister Mary, Midnight Lover, Hush Hush Maria and I Need You followed. Reflective songs such as If I Could Put My Life on Paper showcased a more maturing artist, whilst definitive versions of songs such as Danny Boy ensured his international audiences always had a touch of Irish on disc and in concert. In any given month Joe could be touring the Middle East one week, Australia the next, then South Africa and then back to Europe and his beloved Ireland. And as the hits stacked up so too did gold discs, awards, major record deals and opportunities. In 1978, he made history when he became the first Western act to tour communist Russia. In those pre-Perestroika days, Western music was not as welcome, but Joe’s music broke through the Iron Curtain and he was welcomed as one of the best known names in Russia. Further international successes and tours followed, with hits such as More and More and It’s You, It’s You, It’s You ensuring he had little time to keep his feet on the ground. The eighties was a time transition for Joe. He started the decade by conquering Las Vegas for two years. But he never liked to be away from home for too long and having started the decade as one of the world’s biggest acts he decided to concentrate instead on his beloved Ireland. He continued to record and release dozens of hits as the decade went on, and a couple of changes in musical direction did little to affect the devotion of his loyal fans. A master of the art of live performance, Joe developed a feel-good show; his white suit, trademark signature tie and big-hearted songs bringing light into the lives of his 32-county audience and those in the UK and Europe where he still toured. Joe became part of what made Ireland feel good about itself as the 1990s dawned. He may not have met with the approval of the chin-stroking music critics, but he certainly met with the approval of the millions who knew ‘there was no show like a Joe Show’. Practically, every single concert Joe performed was a sell out. His nightly box office pulling power was all the more astonishing given that he played, on average, around 200 Irish shows a year from the 1980s onwards. For his audience, they were all once-in-a-lifetime shows. No Joe Show was ever the same. With his own record label, studio and material Joe became one of the biggest selling independent artists of the 1990s with albums such as Endless Magic keeping him on top. At the end of the decade he refined his voice for the 21st century when he hooked up with 'EMI' for a series of pioneering and highly influential albums ( such as Joe’s 90s, 21st Century Joe and Home Grown ) which saw him tackle more contemporary music from acts as diverse as Oasis, Pulp, Blur, U2, Bruce Springsteen, The Coral, R.E.M., Mundy and his old pal Robbie Williams ( Joe was a good friend of Robbie’s father, and he often stayed at the Williams home when in the UK ). He brought Blur to the top of the Irish charts with a soul-stirring version of The Universal. It became a staple of his live shows. At the Oxegen Festival 2009, Blur’s Damon Albarn dedicated the song to Joe. With the success of Joe’s 90s Joe found himself to be a relevant entertainer for a whole new generation and not just another old ‘legend’ trading on past glories. He was a star all over again. What pleased Joe most about this ‘reinvention’ was that it did not damage his reputation or debunk his past achievements. If anything, it made them all the more impressive and, finally, Joe began to be acknowledged by his peers for his contribution to Irish music history. Other acts such as his old pal Tom Jones repeated the formula by releasing albums of contemporary covers. As an artist, Joe Dolan was never one to stay wrapped up in the comfort of the past. He took whatever risks were necessary to further his career, and was always willing to give up-and-coming music people a break. Some of the songwriters, producers and arrangers Joe worked with reads like a who’s who of modern music - hit men of the highest calibre who were only starting out when Joe spotted their potential. The likes of Albert Hammond, Roberto Danova, Giorgio Moroder, Peter Yellowstone, Roger Cook, Roger Greenaway, Jeff Lynne, Tony Swain, Liam Reilly, Phil Coulter and many more may not be household names but they have been responsible for hundreds of the world’s best-known songs and artists. Joe was even recording songs from the pens of Willie Nelson and Burt Bacharach long before anyone on the European side of the Atlantic had even heard of either man. Joe turned his attention to the music of established legends when he recorded Let There Be Love - an album of old-school crooner classics perfectly suited to his smooth and still powerful voice. Plans were set in motion for further albums and some major concerts to cement his legendary status and as 2007 came to a close the clamour for Joe’s concert tickets was greater than ever. At the Meteor Music Awards on February 16 2008, two months after his sudden passing, the music industry paid the first of many tributes to him. A couple of thousand screaming teenagers, there to hail the biggest Irish pop stars of the day, were reminded that none of these Irish acts would have been there, or at least would not have had the inspiration or the confidence to get there were it not for Joe Dolan first travelling that path. By going abroad, making it and returning home with stacks of gold discs and glory, awards and acclaim, Joe Dolan had made the dreams of international success possible for Irish acts. Budding musicians didn’t need to think that Cork, Galway or Belfast were the pinnacle of success any longer. They could go away, become a star, enjoy it and then return home and, like Joe, be humble and modest about it all. As a man, his warm spirit and his inherent and legendary capacity to ‘send ‘em home sweating’ is perfectly captured on last years Platinum Collection release by 'EMI'. Across the 58 tracks on 3CDs, it is Joe’s amazing voice, an instrument which left classical composers and opera singers speechless at its range, that will ensure he is a legend who will live forever.*** Personal life*** Joe Dolan never married and dealt with speculation about his sexuality throughout his life. However, he dismissed rumours that he was gay as a "load of old rubbish".*** Illness and death*** In 2005, Dolan had a hip replacement. In autumn 2007, on advice from his doctors, Dolan cancelled his Vicar Street concerts due to "exhaustion". On December 16 2007, the front page of the 'Sunday Independent' reported that Dolan was suffering a "bad virus" and had been forced to cancel his entire Christmas tour. Joe Dolan's website was inundated with well wishes in the wake of the article, which was reproduced in several newspapers the following day. On December 26, 2007, Dolan was rushed from his home in Foxrock to the Mater Private Hospital in Dublin following a worsening of his illness. He died of a brain haemorrhage at approximately 15:00 hours that day. ******************************

*********************************************** And now, from the start, let's listen two AUDIO Compilations of the Greatest Singer, Entertainer and Artist who was JOE DOLAN (R.I.P.) ***********************************************

JOE DOLAN - MELODII NEMURITOARE - COLECTIE 74,43 MIN (1)
Asculta mai multe audio Muzica*** JOE DOLAN - 1st COMPILATION [74’43] ********************************************* INCLUDE:*** 01. Joe Dolan - More and More*** 02. Joe Dolan - Make me an island*** 03. Joe Dolan - Lady blue*** 04. Joe Dolan - Bonjour Mademoiselle*** 05. Joe Dolan – Angel lover*** 06. Joe Dolan - It's you, It’s you, It’s you*** 07. Joe Dolan - You're such o good looking woman*** 08. Joe Dolan - Gypsy Lady*** 09. Joe Dolan - Pretty brown eyes*** 10. Joe Dolan - I need you*** 11. Joe Dolan - Sentimental And Blue*** 12. Joe Dolan - Anushka Balalaika*** 13. Joe Dolan – Teresa*** 14. Joe Dolan - I love you more and more everyday*** 15. Joe Dolan - Be my fire*** 16. Joe Dolan - Sweet little rock'n roller*** 17. Joe Dolan - My love*** 18. Joe Dolan - It's only make believe*** 19. Joe Dolan - Crazy woman*** 20. Joe Dolan - You're Such A Good Looking Woman*** 21. Joe Dolan - Unchained Melody*** 22. Joe Dolan - Caterina ballerina*** 23. Joe Dolan - Midnight Lover*** ************************************************ And the second (this one being much larger...), ************************************************

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JOE DOLAN - COLECTIE 101,14 MIN (2)
Asculta mai multe audio Muzica*** JOE DOLAN - An [101’14] Compilation **************************************************** INCLUDING:************************* You and the looking glass*** Have I Told You Lately*** These Are the Days of Our Lives*** The House*** Fly me Atlantic*** But I Do*** Love of the Common People*** Ave Maria*** Lady Laura*** My Own Perculiar Way*** Sometimes a Man Just Has to Cry*** Ciara*** Jenny*** Angel lover*** The Universal*** O Holy Night*** She Doesn't Live Here Anymore*** Midnight Lover*** Don't You Ever Change Your Mind*** The Answer to Everything*** Be my fire*** If I Could Put My Life on Paper*** Better Man*** It Makes No Difference*** Take Me I'm Yours*** Cara de Cigana*** Place Your Hands*** I'll Give All My Love to You*** Come Back Home*** I'll Take the Money and Run*** Danny Boy *********************************************** Finally, let's listen and view some video's of JOE DOLAN's most famous Hits ***********************************************