Plot.

At 17, Veronica "Ronnie" Miller (Miley Cyrus) remains as rebellious as she was the day her parents divorced and her father moved to Georgia three years prior. Once a classical piano child prodigy under the tutelage of her father, Steve Miller (Greg Kinnear), Ronnie now ignores the instrument and has not spoken with her father since he left. While Juilliard School has been interested in her since she was young, Ronnie refuses to attend out of resentment to her father.  Steve now has the chance to reconnect with his estranged daughter when her mother, Kim Miller (Kelly Preston) sends the rebellious teen and her younger brother, Jonah (Bobby Coleman), to spend the summer with him in Georgia. Steve, a former Juilliard School professor and concert pianist, lives a quiet life in Wrightsville Beach, the small beach town in Georgia where he grew up, working on a stained-glass window for the local church to replace the one the church lost in a fire. According to the locals, Steve had (accidentally) set fire to the church one night.  After arrival, Ronnie becomes miserable, defiant, and defensive toward all those around her, including handsome, popular Will Blakelee (Liam Hemsworth), whose introduction involved crashing into her during a volleyball match, and accidentally spilling Ronnie's strawberry shake on her. She shrugs him off and meets Blaze, an outcast who lives with her boyfriend Marcus. While at a beach campfire, Marcus hits on Ronnie and Blaze mistakes this for Ronnie flirting with him. Angered by this, Blaze later frames Ronnie for shoplifting, which she has done in the past, causing her arrest. Later on, Ronnie discovers a loggerhead sea turtle nest at the beach by her house, and while protecting it from raccoons, she meets Will again on his volunteer work for the aquarium. After a night of staying up to defend the turtle eggs from predators with Will, she discovers he is deeper than she expected, and begins to develop feelings for him.  The next day, Will takes Ronnie to show her the aquarium where he works. After they leave to the beach, Ashley shows up and tells Ronnie about Will's past relationships and how taking them to see the aquarium was a routine of his, making Ronnie doubtful of her feelings toward him. Will finds her at the turtle's nest and they have an argument about his past relationships. When Ronnie suggests she does not want to be another girl on the list and that they should end their relationship for good, Will embraces her and they kiss passionately, proving his feelings for her as akin to his quoting she is "not like the other girls." Marcus breaks up with Blaze because he wants Ronnie, which leads Will and him to fight at his sister Megan's wedding party.  Ronnie soon hears the rumor that her father burned down the church from some locals. Distraught, she goes to Will and laments about the situation. Knowing that actually his friend Scott, while playing around, set fire to the church, Will is overcome by guilt and goes to Steve to apologize. When Ronnie comes in hearing this, she walks out and Will follows, where they have an argument and break up. Will leaves. Fall arrives and Jonah returns back home to New York for the school year. Ronnie stays behind to take care of their father, who revealed to Ronnie and Jonah during the summer that he is terminally ill. Leading a slow life, she tries to make up for the time with her father that she has lost. She continues work on a composition he had been writing (titled "For Ronnie"), after losing the steadiness of his hands due to his illness. He is sitting on the couch listening to her play, and he dies just as she finishes it.  At his funeral, she stands to make a speech, but declares that no words could ever be able to show how wonderful her father really was. Instead, she decides to share with them the song she helped finish. Before she sits down to play, sunlight shines through the stained-glass window. Ronnie smiles and says "Hi, Daddy," remembering what she overheard her father tell Jonah earlier in the movie, that whenever light shines through the window, it is him.  Blaze and other townsfolk offer Ronnie sympathy and kind words after the funeral outside. Later on, while talking to the attendants, she runs into Will. He says that he liked the song she played and that he knows her dad did, too, and Ronnie thanks him for coming. Having decided to attend Juilliard, Ronnie is packing up to return to New York when she sees Will standing outside. She goes outside to see him and Will apologizes to her for everything that had happened, and Ronnie forgives him. Will surprises Ronnie by revealing that he will be transferring to Columbia to be with her and they passionately kiss.  The end credits show Ronnie driving away in her car and smiling to herself.

Production.

Development.

"The Last Song" began when Disney executive Jason Reed met with Miley Cyrus to discuss her future career plans. At the time, Cyrus had been known mainly for starring as a pop star on Disney Channel's "Hannah Montana", a children's television series that had expanded into a globally successful media franchise. As the series neared its end, Disney hoped to create a star vehicle to help Cyrus break out of the pop persona she had developed through the franchise and to introduce Cyrus to older audiences. During her meeting with Reed, Cyrus expressed a desire to film a movie similar to "A Walk to Remember", a 2002 film based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks. "A Walk to Remember" helped Mandy Moore, then a teen pop star much like Cyrus, launch an acting career. Disney called Adam Shankman, director of "A Walk to Remember", who signed on to produce the potential Cyrus film along with his sister and Offspring Entertainment production company partner, Jennifer Gibgot. Tish Cyrus, Cyrus' mother and co-manager, became the film's executive producer. Cyrus' acting representation, United Talent Agency, then contacted Sparks, also a UTA client, to ask if he had plans for a novel appropriate for a film adaptation starring Cyrus.  At the time, Sparks had been wrapping up "The Lucky One" and beginning to ponder an original plot for his next book. The author told himself he could "either go younger than 20 or older than 50", having recently written about every age in between. Wary of venturing above 50 again after his best-seller "The Notebook", Sparks had already been leaning toward writing a teenager story when he received a phone call from Gibgot on behalf of the film in August 2008. Sparks recalled, "Jennifer asked if I had anything laying around? I said no, but funny you should say that..." Sparks returned with a premise by the end of July 2008. Once the proposal had been agreed upon by Cyrus, her family, and Offspring Entertainment, Sparks, with the aid of co-screenplay writer Jeff Van Wie, completed the screenplay before starting the book. Sparks explained that such an arrangement was necessary to accommodate filming in summer 2009, as Disney had scheduled, but, "this is similar to the way it's gone with movies based on my novels; it's just out of order." Sparks and Van Wie completed the first draft of the screenplay in December 2008, the first rewrite later that month, and the second and final rewrite in January 2009. Both rewrites took about one or two days, and Sparks found them relatively simple. The finished screenplay was approximately 100 pages long. While "The Last Song" is not the first screenplay Sparks has written, it is his first to be optioned for film. The novel was completed in June 2009, the same time shooting for the film began, and was published on September 8, 2009 by Grand Central Publishing. The plot of the film and novel remained secret throughout development. Julie Anne Robinson signed on to direct the film in May 2009, attracted by the emotion present in the story. "The Last Song" is Robinson's first feature film, although she is a veteran of television and theater. Robinson previously helmed episodes of American series such as "Weeds" and "Grey's Anatomy" and earned a Golden Globe nomination and a BAFTA award for her work on the BBC series "Viva Blackpool".  In a June 2009 blog entry, Cyrus said she had "always been a fan of Nicholas Sparks" and that she had been waiting to do a production separate from the "Hannah Montana" franchise "for a long time", but had not found the time to do so due to her TV show, music, tours, and "". To film "The Last Song", Cyrus' contract for season four of "Hannah Montana" included an extra-long hiatus.

Writing and title.

Recognizing the popularity of "A Walk to Remember" as both a novel and film, Sparks "put all [his] thoughts into that, trying to make the story as different from "A Walk to Remember" as [he could], but try to capture the same feelings." Sparks' experiences as a father and as a high-school track and field coach also helped shape the plot, and characters Jonah Miller and Will Blakelee are respectively based on Sparks' sons Landon and Miles. Sparks felt Ronnie was the hardest character to write for because he had "never been a 17-year-old, angry teenage[d] girl". Ronnie became a composite character inspired by several young women Sparks has known, such as his nieces. Cyrus herself influenced Ronnie fairly little, although her singing career did inspire the musical elements of the story. Ronnie plays only the piano and Cyrus only sings a small amount in the film, though she does contribute to its soundtrack.  Disney did not give Sparks limitations on the topics featured in "The Last Song", which include underaged drinking, infidelity, and terminal illness, but Sparks says that Disney desired to work with him in part because "they've read my novels. My teenagers... don't do bad things. I just don't write that. I don't write about adultery, I don't write profanity... I'll certainly have love scenes in my novels, but they're always between consenting adults." Still, Sparks acknowledges that elements of the screenplay may have been toned down by the director or the studio after he finished. As dictated by the Writers Guild of America, Sparks receives full credit for his work, although the amount of his original screenplay retained in the film is uncertain. For example, Sparks says the character of Marcus, leader of the gang of thugs, was likely altered for the film. The project remained nameless for several months after Sparks' initial meeting with Disney in July 2008. Sparks wrote in a September 2008 online chat that "I have the idea completed, but no title. That's common for me though. Titles come last." The film was referred to by the working title "Untitled Miley Cyrus Project" In March 2009, "Variety" magazine called "The Last Song" a "tentative" title.

Casting.

Cyrus chose the name "Ronnie" for her character in honor of her grandfather, Ron Cyrus, who died in 2006. Unknown to many, the character had first been named "Kirby" by Sparks and later changed to "Hilary". New interviews with Sparks reveal he imagined Cyrus in the role "only a little" during the writing process. At the completion of the screenplay, Sparks was concerned that Cyrus would not be able to successfully execute the role: "The first thing I thought when I finished the screenplay was, wow, I hope she can do this, this is a tough role because I'm bringing you through a whole gamut of emotion and you're just a 16-year-old girl who's done the Disney Channel. Are you able to do this as an actress?", After visiting the set and watching Cyrus film, Sparks' worries abated. To play the New York teen, Cyrus worked with a dialect coach to lose her Southern accent and learned to play classical piano. After she completed filming, Cyrus said that in a case of life imitating art, she had matured and "changed a lot" over the course of her summer in Georgia, similar to the way Ronnie does in the film. "Showing this movie, I feel like I'm really showing a part of my growth as a person as well. So I'm really excited for people to see it."  In April 2009, Disney officials chose Rafi Gavron for the part of Will Blakelee, but switched to Australian actor Liam Hemsworth by May. On May 18, 2009, the decision to cast Greg Kinnear as Steve Miller was made final. Kelly Preston's part as Kim is the first role she has accepted since the death of her son, Jett Travolta. After being introduced to Cal Johnson, the film's stunt coordinator, Adam Barnett landed the role of Teddy in May 2009 due to his previously developed talent in juggling and hackey sack.

Post-production.

"The Last Song" entered post-production following the end of filming on August 18, 2009. Automated dialogue replacement took place in mid-September; Beals and Chaikin stated they had gone in to record on September 11 and September 18, respectively. Chaikin said she had worked for five and a half hours. The director's cut was presented to the studio on October 1, 2009. The Motion Picture Association of America reviewed the film and issued it a PG rating for "thematic material, some violence, sensuality and mild language" three weeks later.

Filming.

Move to Georgia.

"The Last Song" had originally been set in Wrightsville Beach and Wilmington in North Carolina. Though they wished to shoot on location, filmmakers also examined three other states and identified Georgia as the next-best filming site. Georgia's housing prices were higher, but the state's filming incentive package refunded 30% of production costs such as gasoline, pencils, and salaries. North Carolina's package refunded 15% and excluded salaries of over $1 million. Still, Disney remained interested in North Carolina and offered to film there if the state would reduce the amount the company would save in Georgia, around $1 million, in half. North Carolina officials searched for ways to accomplish this, including applying unsuccessfully for state and Golden LEAF Foundation grants. They also introduced legislation to improve the state's refund to 25%, which eventually passed on August 27, 2009. Disney decided to work within existing incentive laws and agreed to film in North Carolina as long as the film rights they had bought from Sparks counted as a production cost, thereby saving the company an additional $125,000 to $225,000. Then-North Carolina Governor Bev Perdue set up a press conference on April 1, 2009, to announce N.C.'s victory. North Carolina tax collectors refused to consider the film rights, forcing Perdue to cancel the conference at the last second. "I was hopeful to say that it was coming and now I don't know that I'll get to say that," Perdue said. "Nobody knows what's going to happen [...] I don't know what figures they got from Georgia, but Georgia wants them badly, and we want them badly, and by Monday [April 6, 2009], there'll be four or five other states that want them badly." Johnny Griffin, director of the Wilmington Regional Film Commission, explains: "Disney makes feature films. They also make television series; they make individual movies for the Disney Channel. By losing this one project, in essence, we've lost all of those opportunities." He also notes the loss of jobs and tourism filming would have created.  On April 9, 2009, after three months of deliberation, the decision to relocate to Georgia was made final. To determine the specific town, location scouts scoured the state for an aged, isolated, oceanfront property to use as the Miller family's home in the film. After another three months and the discovery of the "Adams Cottage" on the southern tip of Tybee Island, Tybee and neighboring locations became the sites of filming in late March, with the intention of masquerading the area as Wilmington and Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina. The locale proved too unique to disguise. "We had a hard time trying to hide the fact that this was Tybee and Savannah was Savannah," said Bass Hampton, the film's location director. Filmmakers convinced the screenwriters to change the setting of the film and to Tybee Island, thus allowing them to incorporate landmarks such as the Tybee Island Light Station and the Savannah Historic District. The setting of Sparks' novel remained in North Carolina. Though other movies have been filmed in Tybee Island, "The Last Song" is the first to be both filmed and set in Tybee Island. With the city's name plastered on everything from police cars to businesses, Georgia officials predicted a lasting effect on the economy. In addition, "The Last Song" is estimated to have brought up to 500 summer jobs to Georgia, $8 million to local businesses, and $17.5 million to state businesses.

Sets.

Nelson Coates is the production designer for "The Last Song", responsible for all visual aspects of the movie. Coates, who was nominated for an Emmy Award for his work on the Stephen King television miniseries "The Stand", arrived 11 weeks prior to the start of filming to do prep work. While most of the filming took place on the natural Tybee Island beach or on preconstructed private property, Coates oversaw the re-painting of the pier and the construction of the carnival and church.  Location scouts had searched the entirety of Georgia for an aged, isolated, oceanfront property to use as a home for the Millers for nearly three months before scout Andy Young came across the "Adams Cottage" on the southern end of Tybee Island. "It was getting down to zero hour," said Young. "Often, it's about the house. It can be a character itself in the movie." The house's owner, Sam Adams, welcomed filming as "an opportunity to sort of immortalize the house," in case it is destroyed by storms. The two-story, six bedroom house was built by Adams' great-grandfather in 1918 and was made entirely out of hard pine wood with very few painted surfaces. According to "Savannah Morning News" reporter Lesley Conn, it "was built in classic rambling beach style [... designed] to allow ocean breezes to sweep through wide, wraparound porches into cool, heart-pine rooms."  The church set was built over a six-week period on a vacant lot on the corner of 13th Street and Sixth Avenue, near residential homes. The one-room, building seats roughly 80 people and is estimated to be worth $250,000 to $350,000. Special-effects coordinator Will Purcell subdued concerns about the church burning scene by stating that the building would not actually be set on fire. The intended menacing effect is "all camera angles. It is a safe environment for actors to do their work." Several techniques were used to simulate the fire, including the use of propane pipes to shoot flames through the church windows. At the end of filming, Cyrus hoped to fly the church set back to her family's estate in Tennessee. Disney agreed to donate the building to the island after Tybee officials lobbied to keep it, with the condition that its connection to "The Last Song" not be advertised. The set will be moved to a new location and brought up to code for use as a nondenominational chapel for island weddings; renovations are expected to cost approximately $600,000.

Shooting schedule.

Cyrus' busy schedule necessitated that filming take place over the summer. Sparks noted, "She's got a fall music tour and then she's back filming "Hannah Montana" in the spring again. So, the only time she had free in her schedule was over the summer." Principal photography began on June 15, 2009 and finished on August 18, 2009. Filming did not take place during weekends.  On the first day of production, Cyrus and Hemsworth filmed a kiss in the ocean. Other scenes which took place in June included the carnival and volleyball tournament, both of which were filmed on the beach near the Tybee Island pier. Filming at the pier wrapped up on June 23, 2009 after shooting the scene in which Kim drops off Ronnie and Jonah to live with Steve. Scenes of the church fire were shot on July 10, 2009. Filming at the Georgia Tech Savannah campus began on July 16. Kinnear finished taping on July 17, 2009. Wedding scenes and a key driving scene were filmed at the Wormsloe Historic Site between July 20 and July 23 for twelve hours each day. Driving scenes in Isle of Hope, Georgia continued to the 28. By July 30, the movie had returned to Tybee Island for more beach scenes. Chaikin's character framed Cyrus' for stealing a watch on August 6. On August 10, Hemsworth performed an oil change and Cyrus browsed an upscale boutique in downtown Savannah for the movie. The funeral was filmed from August 11, 2009 to August 13, 2009 at the church set in Tybee Island. On August 15, further church burning scenes took place. The wrap party was held on the 16, and the cast and crew arrived in Atlanta the following day to spend the last days of filming at the Georgia Aquarium. After analyzing the area on the 17th, the movie began shooting in public areas at dawn on the 18th to avoid crowds. Once the aquarium opened to the public at 10:00, filming shifted to behind-the-scenes areas.

Loggerhead sea turtles.

Due to the conflicting personalities of his protagonist couple, Sparks faced difficulty in finding a vehicle that would draw Will and Ronnie to spend time together. "It had to be during the summer, she [Ronnie] had to be new in town, and whatever happened had to start in June and end in August. Because you always want a conclusion," said Sparks of his requirements. He mentioned summer camp or a summer job as typical vehicles used in books, but dismissed them as unoriginal and boring. "So it's got to be original, it's got to be interesting, and at the same time it's got to be universal, that you feel like it could happen to anybody." Sparks eventually chose to have Will and Ronnie bond over a loggerhead sea turtle nest, knowing that loggerhead eggs often hatch in August. The scene of the hatching nest took place during the first week of August and involved 26 live loggerhead sea turtle hatchlings. Sea turtle hatchlings have an innate sense to head toward the ocean water as soon as they are born, so scenes of the nest hatching had to be taken swiftly. Said Mike Dodd of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the biologist who supervised the scene, the hatchlings "did all they know how to do: They crawled down to the water and swam off." Sparks told an interviewer he suspected filmmakers would digitally add more turtles to the scene. At the time of filming, the loggerhead sea turtle was listed as a threatened species. The environmentally friendly theme was an added bonus to Tybee Island, which was then promoting ecotourism.

Soundtrack.

"When I Look at You", song by Miley Cyrus, was originally from her EP "The Time of Our Lives" released August 31, 2009, but was included on the soundtrack because it fit the movie well. The song is used in the background of the film's trailer.  At the launch of his album "Cradlesong" on June 30, 2009, Rob Thomas told the New York "Daily News", "My buddy Adam Shankman, who just directed Miley's movie, called me on the phone the other day and was like, 'You have to write a song for this movie.'... I would definitely write a song for her [Cyrus]." In the end, however, Thomas was unable to contribute music to "The Last Song", citing "scheduling problems" as the reason.  The soundtrack features a track by Casey McPherson, frontman of the band Alpha Rev which signed with Disney's Hollywood Records in August 2008. "Variety" magazine's Anthony D'Alessandro notes that the use of soundtracks as "launch pads" for new Disney artists is a common practice. "A Different Side of Me" by Allstar Weekend was also included on the soundtrack. They are a group newly signed to Hollywood Records after winning the N.B.T. Competition through the Disney Channel. The soundtrack was released in the U.S. on March 23, 2010. Though not featured on soundtrack, Snow Patrol's 2006 single "Shut Your Eyes" and Feist's "I Feel It All" also appear in the film. The soundtrack had a major increase in sales in the week of the DVD release. The soundtrack peaked at #104 on the "Billboard" 200 albums chart.

Release.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures originally scheduled "The Last Song" for wide release on January 8, 2010, but was delayed from January 8, 2010 to March 31, 2010.

Marketing.

Upon the release of the novel on September 8, Sparks began a book tour reaching around 13 cities and gave several interviews. During these events, he discussed writing both the novel and the screenplay. Cyrus and Walt Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook discussed the film on September 11, 2009 at the first D23 Expo. The first clips from the film appeared online on September 11, 2009, interspersed within one version of the "When I Look at You" music video. The film's first trailer was integrated into Cyrus' Wonder World Tour and premiered during the tour's opening night on September 14, 2009 in Portland, Oregon. Midway through each concert, the trailer was shown on large video screens surrounding the stage. After it finished, Cyrus played a white piano and sang "When I Look at You" while film clips continued to play on the screens behind her. On November 16, 2009, the first three film stills were released via the film's Facebook page. The following day, the film's trailer premiered online. The film's premiere was held in Los Angeles on March 25, 2010. Cyrus was originally planned to go to the UK premiere of the film, but due to the April 14, 2010 eruption of the volcano Eyjafjallajökull that blanketed Europe in volcanic ash and grounded all flights to and from the continent, she was unable to attend.

Home media.

"The Last Song" was released on DVD and Blu-ray on August 17, 2010.

Reception.

Box office.

"The Last Song" performed well for when it was released for the first time, garnering $5,125,103 on approximately 3,300 screens at 2,673 theaters for an average of $1,917 per theater.  It has grossed $62,950,384 in North America and $26,091,272 in other territories for a worldwide total of $89,041,656.  In its opening weekend, the film grossed $16,007,426, finishing fourth at the box office behind "Clash of the Titans" ($61,235,105), "Why Did I Get Married Too?" ($29,289,537) and "How to Train Your Dragon" ($29,010,044).

Critical response.

"The Last Song" was panned by critics., the film holds a 21% approval rating on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 119 reviews with an average rating of 4.01/10. The critical consensus is summarized: "As shamelessly manipulative as any Nicholas Sparks production, "The Last Song" is done no favors by its miscast and over matched star, Miley Cyrus." Metacritic, which assigns normalized ratings to films, "The Last Song" holds a "generally unfavorable" score of 33% based on 27 reviews.  Reviewers were critical of Sparks' and Van Wie's screenplay and formulaic storyline. Mick LaSalle of the "San Francisco Chronicle" says the screenplay's faults include several "scenes that make no emotional sense" and claims, "The plot construction is weak. Incidents don't flow one into the next." When reviewing Cyrus's performance, critics acknowledged her stage presence, but were frequently critical of her acting abilities. Jay Stone of "The Ottawa Citizen" says Cyrus's portrayal of angry Ronnie "consist[s] of pouting and sneering [...] Cyrus doesn't have a lot of range, but she does have presence." Rob Nelson of "Variety" writes, "Cyrus, alas, hasn't yet learned not to act [...] But she does show off her considerable chops as a pianist and remains reasonably likable throughout." A. O. Scott of "The New York Times" believes that although "her Hannah Montana persona has a certain aggressive charm", in "The Last Song" she "play-act[s] rather than exploring the motives and feelings of her character." Roger Ebert gave the film a mixed 2.5/4. He praised the acting and directing, but derided the plot and Sparks's writing.  Kinnear's performance has been widely praised. A. O. Scott writes, "it's nice to see Mr. Kinnear play an entirely sympathetic character for a change [but] his slyness and subtlety seem wasted in a project that has no interest in either." Michael Phillips of "The Chicago Tribune" writes, "Reliably honest and affecting, [Kinnear] fights off the waves of corn in much the same way that Tibetan monk defied the tsunami in "2012"." Glen Whipp of the "Associated Press" writes, "Kinnear lends the movie a dignity it doesn't deserve". Stone advises, "I'd watch out for Liam Hemsworth". Stephen Witty of "The Star-Ledger" commends "newcomer Carly Chaikin [who] plays the "bad girl"... with an exciting mixture of wildness and vulnerability. Halfway in, I began wishing desperately that Chaikin was playing the lead." Reception for Coleman was mixed; Jeff Vice of "Deseret News" calls him a "hammy irritant" while Jon Bream of the "Star Tribune" writes, "The most memorable acting is by Coleman, 12 [... who] gets a lot of great lines and delivers them with aplomb".

The Last Song is a 2010 American coming-of-age teen romantic drama film developed alongside Nicholas Sparks' 2009 novel of the same name. The film was directed by Julie Anne Robinson in her feature film directorial debut and co-written by Sparks and Jeff Van Wie. "The Last Song" stars Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, and Greg Kinnear, and follows a troubled teenager as she reconnects with her estranged father and falls in love during a summer in a quiet Southern United States beach town.

Poslední píseň (v anglickém originále The Last Song) je romantický dramatický film z roku 2010. Režie se ujala Julie Anne Robinson. Film byl natočen podle knihy amerického spisovatele Nicholase Sparkse. Nicholas Sparks napsal k filmu také scénář. Hlavní role hrají Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth a Greg Kinnear. Film měl premiéru ve Spojených státech dne 31. března 2010.


Childhood life.

Simpson was born on 9 August 1960 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, where his father was stationed with the British Army. From the age of 8, Simpson travelled between schools in Britain and various countries where his father was stationed. Simpson began rock climbing after being introduced to the sport by a teacher at Ampleforth College. He was 14 when he read "The White Spider" by Heinrich Harrer, about the first ascent of the North Face of the Eiger by Harrer with Anderl Heckmair, Fritz Kasparek, and Ludwig Vörg in 1938. Despite the inherent dangers of mountaineering described in the book, this reading sparked a passion for the mountains in Simpson.

Climbing career.

In 1985, Simpson and climbing partner Simon Yates made a first-ascent of the previously unclimbed West Face of Siula Grande (6,344m) in the Cordillera Huayhuash of the Peruvian Andes. On the descent, Simpson broke his right leg and during the subsequent self-rescue in a storm, he and Yates became separated. The climb was nearly fatal for both climbers and, after they returned to Britain, a misleading article in a national newspaper led to Yates being criticised for having cut a rope that was keeping himself and Simpson together. Simpson published an article in the climbing press shortly afterwards, and later wrote the best-selling book "Touching the Void" about the Siula Grande ordeal. It has been translated into 23 languages and has sold almost two million copies worldwide. A documentary film based on the book was released in 2003.  Simpson underwent six surgical operations as a result of the leg injuries sustained on Siula Grande. The doctors told him he would never climb again and that he would have trouble walking for the rest of his life. After two years of rehabilitation, however, he returned to mountain climbing.  His later non-fiction books describe other expeditions and his changing feeling towards extreme mountaineering brought on by the many deaths that surround the pursuit. A bad fall broke Simpson's left ankle while climbing with Mal Duff in 1991 on Pachermo in Nepal, and is described in his third book "This Game of Ghosts". Simpson also made six unsuccessful attempts on the North Face of the Eiger from 2000 to 2003 with his regular climbing partner Ray Delaney, all of which had to be aborted due to bad weather. One of his books, "The Beckoning Silence", was made into a documentary shown on Channel 4 in October 2007. The book won the 2003 National Outdoor Book Award (Outdoor Literature category).  Simpson has another career as a motivational speaker, addressing corporate events throughout the world. His most recent book is the novel "Walking the Wrong Side of the Grass", published in 2018.  Simpson is one of six people mentioned in the song "Ali in the Jungle" by English rock band The Hours ("Like Simpson on the mountain"), as an example of someone who overcame hardship and beat the odds to make a comeback.

Bibliography.

Except as noted, all works are non-fiction.

Joe Simpson (born 1960) is an English mountaineer, author, and motivational speaker. While climbing in Peru in 1985, he suffered severe injuries and was thought lost after falling into a crevasse, but he survived and managed to crawl back to his base camp. He described the ordeal in his best-selling 1988 book "Touching the Void", which was adapted into a 2003 documentary film of the same name.

Joe Simpson (13. srpna 1960, Kuala Lumpur, Malajsie) je anglický horolezec, spisovatel a motivační řečník. Proslavil se knihou "Pád do ticha", podle které byla v roce 2003 natočena i filmová adaptace.


Early life.

Siegfrids was born into the Swedish-speaking minority in Kaskinen in western Finland. Her mother language is Swedish, though Siegfrids also speaks fluent Finnish and English. She studied in Vaasa to be a teacher. Siegfrids has three siblings.

Career.

2009–2012: Daisy Jack and "The Voice".

Siegfrids started her career with her band "Daisy Jack" in 2009. Their first single was "Perfect Crime", released in October 2011. She achieved her first musical role in the musical, "Play Me" (2009-2010) at the Swedish Theatre in Helsinki. Her next major career step was to be cast in the rock musical "Muskettisoturit", (The Three Musketeers, 2011) at the Finnish Peacock Theatre in Helsinki. Siegfrids participated in the first season of "The Voice of Finland" (2011–2012) but was dropped in the semifinals.

2013–2015: Eurovision Song Contest and "Ding Dong!".

Siegfrids participated in "Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu 2013" for the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with the song "Marry Me". The 27-year-old Siegfrids won the contest held at Barona Areena by attaining the maximum vote of both the public and judges. She was elected to represent Finland in Malmö. During her performance, she shared a kiss with one of the female dancers on stage. According to Siegfrids, the act was a part of the show and urged Finland to legalize same-sex marriage. On 16 May, her entry made it to the final of the Eurovision on 18 May. However, in the finals it finished 24th out of the 26 countries with a total of 13 points.  According to the Executive Supervisor of the Eurovision Song Contest, Jon Ola Sand, Turkey had announced in November that it would not participate in the Eurovision Song Contest. Though the channel promised to show the contest, Turkey's TRT cancelled showing the semifinal and the finals over what LGBT activists alleged was fears of Siegfrids' promised lesbian kiss. When China broadcast the Eurovision Song Contest in October 2013, officials aired Siegfrid's performance but removed the kiss as a result of the television censorship in China and violation of Chinese ethics, sparking outrage among Eurovision fans in the country.  Siegfrids' debut album, "Ding Dong!", was released on 10 May 2013. Later, it was announced that she would be a guest on "Big Brother's Bit on the Side", a spin-off of the British version of "Big Brother". She represented Finland in the Sopot Festival in concert "Top of the Top" on 23 August 2013 with her entry "Marry Me". Siegfrieds was the spokesperson for Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna and gave the top mark of twelve points to Sweden's Måns Zelmerlöw and his song "Heroes", which went on to win the contest.

2016–present: "Melodifestivalen" and "Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu".

Siegfrids has presented "Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu", the Finnish national selection show for Eurovision since 2016. At the same time she participated in the Swedish national selection show "Melodifestivalen 2016" with the song "Faller", but did not advance from second semifinal after placing fifth. In September, she signed a contract with Universal Music Sweden and Stereoscope Scandinavia. She participated in third semifinal "Melodifestivalen 2017" with the song "Snurra min jord", but did not advance after placing seventh.

Kristin "Krista" Siegfrids (born 4 December 1985) is a Finnish singer and television presenter. She represented Finland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2013 with her entry "Marry Me". Siegfrids' debut album, named "Ding Dong!", was released in May 2013. As a television presenter, she has hosted "Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu" since 2016.

Kristin "Krista" Siegfrids (* 4. prosince 1985, Kaskinen, Finsko) je finská zpěvačka, která reprezentovala Finsko na Eurovision Song Contest 2013 s písní ""Marry Me"". Kristino debutové album nazvané "Ding Dong!" bylo vydáno v květnu 2013.


Early life.

Julie Covington attended the girls' grammar school Brondesbury and Kilburn High School in Kilburn, northwest London.

Career.

Covington's break came in 1967 when, as a student at Homerton College, Cambridge, she was invited to sing on David Frost's television show. After the show, she secured a recording contract with Columbia.  In 1971, she was cast in the original London production of "Godspell" at The Roundhouse, alongside David Essex, Jeremy Irons and Marti Webb. A recording of the production, featuring Covington's lead vocal on the track "Day by Day", was released in 1972. She was then cast as Janet Weiss in the original production of "The Rocky Horror Show" in 1973. Between 1974 and 1984 Covington appeared regularly in the companies of the National Theatre and the Royal Court Theatre, creating such roles as Alice in "Plenty", Vivienne Eliot in "Tom & Viv" (for which she received an Olivier Award nomination) and Edward in the original production of Caryl Churchill's "Cloud Nine".  During the early 1970s, she appeared and sang on the children's television programme "Play Away". She starred in the BBC's 1975 Christmas production "Great Big Groovy Horse", a rock opera based on the story of the Trojan Horse shown on BBC2. It was later repeated on BBC1 in 1977 1976 and 1977 saw her appearing in both series of the primetime British television programme, "Rock Follies". In 1976, the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber saw her perform in cabaret, and recognising her from "Rock Follies", suggested to lyricist Tim Rice that she might be the actress to play the title role in their original studio recording of their musical "Evita". The singer Elkie Brooks had previously turned down an offer. Covington's recording of the song "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" reached No. 1 in the UK Singles Chart in February 1977. Later offered the opportunity to originate the role in the stage production of "Evita", she declined, which led to Elaine Paige being cast. Speaking in 1985, Covington expressed some regret at this decision, but explained that she did not like Eva Peron and that without some positive feeling for the person she had preferred to turn the role down.  As "Evita" opened in 1978, she instead appeared with the English National Opera as Anna in "The Seven Deadly Sins". Paige's successor in "Evita", Marti Webb later also played Anna in the ENO's production of "The Seven Deadly Sins".  In 1978, Covington performed the role of Beth, wife of Parson Nathaniel (Phil Lynott), on the recording of "The Spirit of Man" from "Jeff Wayne's Musical Version of The War of the Worlds".  Covington achieved chart success with a cover version of Alice Cooper's "Only Women Bleed" from her eponymous 1978 album. It reached No. 12 on the UK Singles Chart.  After recording a second solo album and guesting on other artists' albums she returned to the theatre, starring in the 1982 National Theatre production of "Guys and Dolls", playing Sister Sarah opposite Ian Charleson's Sky Masterson. Russell Davies said that her performance "is of such a special timbre that she isn't easily matched."  In 1989 she took part in a British television special with Colm Wilkinson, Carol Woods and Paul Jones called "Let's Face the Music of Lennon and McCartney". Her solo performances of "If I Fell" and "In My Life" are available on YouTube.

Julie Covington (born 11 September 1946, London) is an English singer and actress, best known for recording the original version of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina".

Julie Covingtonová (* 11. září 1947 Londýn, Anglie) je britská zpěvačka a herečka. Profesionální zpěvačkou se stala v roce 1967, kdy zpívala v pořadu Davida Frosta. Své první album nazvané "While the Music Lasts" vydala v tomtéž roce. V roce 1971 hrála v muzikálu "Godspell" v The Roundhouse, o dva roky později pak v "The Rocky Horror Show". V letech 1976 a 1977 hrála ve dvou sériích pořadu "Rock Follies". V roce 1971 vydala své druhé album "The Beautiful Changes" a další (eponymní) až v roce 1978. Toto album se umístilo na dvanáctém místě v britském žebříčku a obsahovalo i coververzi písně „Only Women Bleed“ od Alice Coopera. Na albu mimo jiné hrál John Cale.


Early life.

Harrison was born in 1 August 1978 at Princess Christian Nursing Home in Windsor, Berkshire. He grew up with his parents in Henley-on-Thames, in Friar Park, the estate on which his father had lived since 1970. His mother, Olivia Harrison, is an American of Mexican descent. One of Harrison's earliest memories, from the age of six, is receiving a drumming lesson from his father's friend and bandmate, "Uncle" Ringo Starr. He recalled that before the lesson, he had been an avid drummer. However, when Starr began to play, the loud noise frightened him so much that he ran out of the room screaming.  Harrison attended Dolphin School near Twyford, a Montessori method school, followed by Badgemore Primary School, Henley-On-Thames. He later attended Shiplake College, also near Henley, where he enrolled in the Combined Cadet Force, and showed a keen interest in rowing which continued into his later years.  Harrison is an alumnus of Brown University, where he studied industrial design and physics, earning a bachelor's degree. Harrison pursued a career as a car designer at McLaren Automotive before deciding to follow in his father's footsteps as a professional musician.

Musical career.

After his father's death in 2001, Harrison, in collaboration with Jeff Lynne, completed his father's final album, "Brainwashed", which was released in 2002 and went on to win a Grammy for Best Pop Instrumental Performance, in "Marwa Blues", at the 46th Annual Grammy Awards in 2004. Harrison participated in the "Concert for George" on the first anniversary of his father's death. The concert was organized by Eric Clapton and featured some of his father's friends and collaborators, including former Beatles bandmates Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr as well as Clapton, Billy Preston, Ravi Shankar, Jeff Lynne, Tom Petty, Jim Keltner, and Joe Brown. Harrison played backup acoustic guitar for most of the concert. Before the finale, McCartney relayed to the audience, "Olivia said that with Dhani up on stage, it looks like George stayed young and we all got old", referencing the physical similarities between father and son.  In 2004 Harrison appeared onstage with Tom Petty, Steve Winwood, Jeff Lynne, Prince and others for a performance of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" during his father's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  In March 2006, Harrison made a guest appearance on Liam Lynch's Podcast Video Variety Show, "Lynchland". They performed a duet that will appear on a Lynch album. He collaborated with Jakob Dylan on the John Lennon song "Gimme Some Truth" for the Lennon tribute album "", which was released on 12 June 2007.  In April 2006, it was announced that Harrison's band, thenewno2, had begun recording. The band released a music video, "Choose What You're Watching", on its website. thenewno2 features Harrison on lead guitar, synthesiser and vocals and Oli Hecks on drums and synths. He was involved in a re-working of the Beatles' "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" entitled "The Heart Gently Weeps", which was the first single on the Wu-Tang Clan's album "8 Diagrams", released in December 2007.  Thenewno2's debut album, "You Are Here", was released online on 11 August 2008 and in stores on 31 March 2009. The song "Yomp" was featured as a downloadable song for the "Rock Band" series, and "Crazy Tuesday" was featured as one of the 20 free songs that were downloadable with the purchase of "Rock Band 2".  In August 2010, Dhani Harrison, Ben Harper and Joseph Arthur joined together to form Fistful of Mercy.  In 2013, Harrison was the face of Gap's fall global campaign, entitled "Back To Blue."  Harrison's dedication to his father's musical legacy resulted in a week long run of shows on "Conan" in September 2014, dedicated to George Harrison, which culminated in a sold out George Fest event at The Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles, which was later released as an album and documentary. He participated in "" the same year.  Harrison produced "George Fest", a live album and concert DVD package documenting The George Fest tribute concert in honor of his father. The tribute was held at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles on 28 September 2014. The album and documentary were released on 26 February 2016.  In 2017 Harrison played his first-ever solo show at the Panorama Festival in New York City. Harrison released his first solo album, "In Parallel", in October 2017.  In 2019, he toured as the opening act for Jeff Lynne's ELO, and typically performed with the group singing the vocals for the Traveling Wilburys song "Handle with Care."

Film composing.

In between working on albums, Harrison, along with Paul Hicks, began their film composing partnership scoring the 2013 film "Beautiful Creatures". In 2014, they scored the film "Learning to Drive" and the television series "The Divide". In 2016, they composed music for the Amazon Video television series "Good Girls Revolt" and continue scoring the WGN TV series "Outsiders".  More recently, Harrison wrote and recorded the title song for the Netflix original series "Dogs" and, along with Paul Hicks, scored the four-part HBO documentary series "The Case Against Adnan Syed" and the 2019 Bill Gates Netflix docuseries "".

Personal life.

Harrison married Sólveig "Sóla" Káradóttir, daughter of Icelandic scientist Kári Stefánsson, in 2012. They announced their separation in 2016. The couple had no children.

Video games.

Harrison collaborated in the development of "", a music video game released on 9 September 2009 on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii gaming platforms. He was instrumental in the creation of the game and urged McCartney and Starr to participate. When asked about the game production Dhani stated, "I took the project to Apple and sort of convinced everybody to have a presentation. My job description is... being enthusiastic. We've been working on it for the past two years. This is the first one that is going to be totally, historically accurate. It's been a real headache, but it's been the most enjoyable work I've done in my life."  To promote the game's release, he appeared on "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" on 8 September 2009 and at the end of the show they played "Birthday" with Dhani on drums, Conan O'Brien on bass, and Aaron Bleyaert and Mark Pender on guitar.  Harrison told the "Chicago Tribune" in an interview that he is "working on "Rock Band 3" and making the controllers more real so people can actually learn how to play music while playing the game".

Dhani Harrison (born 1 August 1978) is a British musician, composer and singer-songwriter. His parents are George and Olivia Harrison. Harrison debuted as a professional musician assisting in recording his father's final album, "Brainwashed", and completing it with the assistance of Jeff Lynne after his father's death in November 2001. Harrison formed his own band, thenewno2, in 2002 and has performed at festivals including Coachella where Spin magazine dubbed their performance as one of the "best debut performances of the festival." The band also played Lollapalooza three times with Harrison joining the festival's founder Perry Farrell on a cover of The Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane" at 2010's event. In 2017 Harrison released his debut solo album "IN///PARALLEL". The 2019 film "IN///PARALIVE", showcases the live version of his debut solo album and was recorded in the round at the legendary Henson Studios in Los Angeles. Harrison's latest single, "Motorways (Erase It)", was described by Rolling Stone as "a psychedelic track with a robust beat". In 2013, Harrison launched his career as a composer. Alongside his writing partner Paul Hicks, Harrison scored the Warner Bros. movie "Beautiful Creatures". Harrison has gone on to score the music for the TV show "Good Girls Revolt", AMC's "The Divide", "Seattle Road", Learning to Drive (film), and for the Paul Giamatti-produced show "Outsiders". In 2018 Harrison and his writing partner Hicks received a nomination for 'Best Music Score' at the International Documentary Association Awards for their work on the Sundance Film Festival Award Winning documentary Matangi/Maya/M.I.A.. Most recently, Harrison wrote and recorded the title song for the Netflix original series "Dogs" and, along with Paul Hicks, scored the four-part HBO documentary series "The Case Against Adnan Syed" and the Bill Gates Netflix docuseries "".

Dhani Harrison (* 1. srpna 1978, Windsor, Berkshire, Anglie) je anglický zpěvák, hudebník a jediný syn George Harrisona, člena skupiny The Beatles, a jeho druhé ženy Olivia Harrison.


Development.

The JL-8 trainer was proposed as a joint cooperation effort between the governments of Pakistan and the People's Republic of China in 1986. The name was changed on the suggestion of Pakistan's then President Zia ul Haq to Karakoram-8 to represent the friendship between the two countries. Work on the design started in 1987 at Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company (NAMC) at Nanchang, Jiangshi Province in South Central China. The Chinese chief designer of the aircraft was Shi Ping (), heading a team of over 100 Chinese Engineers, while Air Cdr Muhammad Younas Tbt (M), SI(M) was the chief designer from the Pakistani side leading a team of over 20 Pakistani engineers.  Initially, the aircraft was to feature many parts manufactured in the United States, including Garrett TFE-731 engine and several cockpit displays along with communication and avionics systems, but due to political developments and an embargo from the US at the end of the 1980s following the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989, other suppliers had to be used. The first prototype was built in 1989, with the first flight taking place on 21 November 1990 by Chief Test Pilot Col Yang Yao (). Flight testing continued from 1991 to 1993 by a Flight Test Team consisting of four Chinese and two Pakistani pilots.  After four prototypes were built, production of a small batch of 24 aircraft was launched in 1992. The Chinese share out of these was 18, while the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) received six K-8s in 1994. In 1995, the PAF decided to order 75 more K-8s to gradually replace its fleet of Cessna T-37 Tweet basic trainers. In 2010, the number of K-8 aircraft in the PAF inventory was estimated to be around 40. The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) received its first six JL-8 trainers in 1995 following additional upgrades. The Chinese model uses a Chinese-manufactured version of the Ukrainian Ivchenko AI-25 (DV-2) engine, designated WS-11. The PLAAF is anticipated to continue adding the JL-8 trainer to its fleet to replace its obsolete trainers, such as the Chengdu JJ-5. In 2008, the number of JL-8s in PLAAF inventory was estimated to be over 120 aircraft.  Other countries have shown interest in the trainer and it now also serves in the air forces of Egypt, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. While the type primarily serves as a basic and advanced trainer, it can also be used in the close air support or even air combat role when appropriately armed.  The export-variant K-8 Karakorum Basic Common Advanced Jet Trainer is co-produced by China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) for export markets other than Pakistan, while later aircraft for Pakistan have been built by the Aircraft Manufacturing Factory (AMF), Pakistan Aeronautical Complex. The latest export variant is the K-8P version, which currently is operated by the PAF. The K-8P has an advanced avionics package of integrated head-up display (HUD), multi-function displays (MFDs) and comes equipped with MFD-integrated GPS and ILS/TACAN systems. It also features hardpoints for carrying a variety of training and operational bombs up to 250 kg, pod mounted 23 mm cannon as well as PL-5 / 7 /AIM-9 P launchers. In September 2011, NAMC rolled out another 12 K-8P for an undisclosed foreign client.  In 2008 Venezuela announced the purchase of 18 K-8 aircraft. The K-8 has been marketed by China to the air forces of the Philippines, and to Indonesia, as a replacement for Indonesia's BAE Hawk jet trainers. In 2009, the Bolivian government approved a deal to purchase 6 K-8P aircraft for use in anti-drug operations. In 2010 the total number of K-8 aircraft produced in all variants was estimated to be more than 500, with a continual production rate of approximately 24 aircraft per year.

Design.

The JL-8 / K-8 has a multi-role capability for training and, with little modification, can also be used for airfield defense. The aircraft is supposed to be as cost-effective as possible, with a short turn-around time and low maintenance requirements. The JL-8 for the domestic Chinese market and its export variants, K-8E and K-8P, have different powerplants and avionics.

Airframe and flight control system.

A low-wing monoplane design primarily constructed of aluminum alloys, the JL-8 / K-8 airframe structure is designed for an 8,000 flight hour service life.  The landing gear is of tricycle configuration, with hydraulically operated wheel brakes and nose-wheel steering.  The flight control system operates a set of conventional flight control surfaces with a rigid push-rod transmission system, which itself is electrically or hydraulically operated. The aileron control system, of irreversible servo-control type, is composed of a hydraulic booster, an artificial-feel device, a feel trim actuator and a rigid push-rod transmission mechanism. The elevator and rudder control systems are of reversible push-rod type.

Cockpit and avionics.

The JL-8 / K-8 cockpit arrangement is designed to be as close to that of a combat aircraft as possible. A transparent plastic canopy covering both cockpits, which are arranged in a tandem seating position, is supposed to give a good all-round field of view.  A Rockwell Collins Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) is fitted, with multi-function displays (MFDs) in the front and rear cockpits showing information to the pilots. The emergency cockpit escape system is made up of two Martin-Baker MK-10L rocket-assisted ejection seats which are zero-zero capable, meaning they can be used safely at zero altitude and zero speed. Although JL-8 is designed to have limited capability to deliver air-to-ground weapons, the first rocket attack practice was only completed in May 2011.  Ultra high frequency (UHF) and very high frequency (VHF) radio communication systems are present, along with a Tactical Air Navigation (TACAN) and automatic direction finder (ADF). An instrument landing system (ILS) is also available. These systems can be tailored to meet the requirements of the customer.  A strap-on Environmental control system (ECS) from AlliedSignal provides air conditioning to the cockpit. It is capable of operating when the aircraft is on the ground, under ambient temperatures of -40 to +52 °C, as well as in the air.

Propulsion and fuel system.

The JL-8, for the Chinese domestic market, was originally powered by the Ukrainian Ivchenko-Progress AI-25TLK turbofan jet engine with 16.9 kN of thrust, but this has been replaced by the WS-11, the Chinese-manufactured version of the AI-25TLK. Export variants (K-8P, K-8E) use the lower-thrust (15.6 kN) Honeywell TFE731-2A-2A modular turbofan, which has digital electronic engine control (DEEC), provided the US government approves sale of the engine to the customer.  A hydro-mechanical fuel control system delivers fuel to the engine. The aircraft's fuel system consists of the fuel tanks and the fuel supply/transfer, vent/pressurization, fuel quantity measuring/indicating, fuel refueling and fuel drain subsystems. The total fuel is contained in two fuselage bladder-type rubber tanks and a wing integral tank of 1720 lb. The capacity of each drop tank is 250 litres.

Operational history.

The K-8 took part in its first aerial display in 1993 at the Singapore Air Show and since then has participated at Air Shows at numerous places including Dubai, Paris, Farnborough, Bangkok, Zuhai etc. It was shown to the Pakistani public for the first time on 23 March 1994 at the Pakistan Day Parade. It became part of the Sherdils (Lion Hearts) aerobatics team of the Pakistan Air Force in 2009 and carried out its first public display on 6 April 2010. K-8 replaced the team's previous T-37 Tweet aircraft.

Myanmar.

In late December 2012 and early January 2013, during the Kachin conflict, K-8s of the Myanmar Air Force were used to strike Kachin rebel positions in the north of the country.

The Hongdu JL-8 (Nanchang JL-8), also known as the Karakorum-8 or K-8 for short, is a two-seat intermediate jet trainer and a light attack aircraft designed in the People's Republic of China by China Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. Pakistan is also the co-Partner of this project. The primary contractor is the Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation. Its export variant, "K-8 Karakorum" is co-produced by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex for the Pakistan Air Force.

Hongdu K-8 Karakorum je čínsko-pákistánský cvičný a lehký bojový letoun vyvinutý čínskou společností Hongdu Aviation Industry Group (HAIG). Je to nejlevnější v současnosti vyráběný letoun své kategorie. Díky své jednoduchosti, výhodné ceně a zapojení domácího průmyslu se tento typ značně rozšířil. Do října 2012 už bylo vyrobeno přes 600 letadel.


History.

The second design to come out of the Special Vehicle Development Committee (nicknamed "The Old Gang" as it was made up of people who had worked on the original British tanks of the First World War) the TOG 2 was similar to the TOG 1 and kept many of its features. Instead of the track path arrangement of the TOG 1 which - like that of the First World War British tanks - ran up over the top of the hull and back down, the track path was lower on the return run and the doors were above the tracks. Ordered in 1940, built by Foster's of Lincoln, the prototype ran for the first time in March 1941.  The design included a 6-pounder gun and side sponsons. For "initial trials" it was fitted with a mockup turret with a dummy gun and later with a simplified turret mounting a QF 3-inch 16 cwt anti-tank gun, in 1942 it was given a turret that was under development for the Cruiser Mk VIII Challenger tank design with the QF 17-pounder (76.2 mm) gun. The turret "in modified form" was used on the Challenger. The planned sponsons were never fitted.  Although equipped with the same electro-mechanical drive as originally fitted to the TOG 1, the TOG 2 used twin generators and no problems were reported. It was modified to include, among other things, a change from the unsprung tracks to a torsion bar suspension and went through successful trials in May 1943. No further development occurred, although a revised version, the TOG 2 (R) was proposed. The 'R' would have been shorter, used torsion bar suspension and had no sponsons.  The single TOG 2 prototype can be seen at The Tank Museum.

Popular culture.

The TOG2 has made appearances in the online game World of Tanks.

The Tank, Heavy, TOG II* was a prototype British tank design produced in the early part of the Second World War in case the battlefields of northern France devolved into a morass of mud, trenches and craters as had happened during the First World War. When this did not happen the tank was deemed unnecessary and the project terminated. A development of the TOG I design, only a single prototype was built before the project was dropped.

TOG2 byl prototyp britského supertěžkého tanku vzniklý v rané fázi druhé světové války. Byl by nasazen v případě že by se bitevní pole severní Francie změnila v bahno a krátery, jako se stalo během první světové války. Byl postaven jediný prototyp, ale jeho sériová výroba byla zrušena a tank se nikdy nedostal do služby.


Early life.

Belafonte was born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr. at Lying-in Hospital on March 1, 1927, in Harlem, New York, the son of Melvine (née Love), a housekeeper, and Harold George Bellanfanti Sr., who worked as a chef. His mother was born in Jamaica, the child of a Scottish white mother and a black father. His father also was born in Jamaica, the child of a black mother and Dutch Jewish father of Sephardi origins. Belafonte has described his grandfather, whom he never met, as "a white Dutch Jew who drifted over to the islands after chasing gold and diamonds, with no luck at all". From 1932 to 1940, he lived with one of his grandmothers in her native country of Jamaica, where he attended Wolmer's Schools. When he returned to New York City, he attended George Washington High School after which he joined the Navy and served during World War II. In the 1940s, he was working as a janitor's assistant in NYC when a tenant gave him, as a gratuity, two tickets to see the American Negro Theater. He fell in love with the art form and also met Sidney Poitier. The financially struggling pair regularly purchased a single seat to local plays, trading places in between acts, after informing the other about the progression of the play. At the end of the 1940s, he took classes in acting at the Dramatic Workshop of The New School in New York with the influential German director Erwin Piscator alongside Marlon Brando, Tony Curtis, Walter Matthau, Bea Arthur, and Sidney Poitier, while performing with the American Negro Theatre. He subsequently received a Tony Award for his participation in the Broadway revue "John Murray Anderson's Almanac".

Music career.

Belafonte started his career in music as a club singer in New York to pay for his acting classes. The first time he appeared in front of an audience, he was backed by the Charlie Parker band, which included Charlie Parker himself, Max Roach and Miles Davis, among others. At first, he was a pop singer, launching his recording career on the Roost label in 1949, but later he developed a keen interest in folk music, learning material through the Library of Congress' American folk songs archives. With guitarist and friend Millard Thomas, Belafonte soon made his debut at the legendary jazz club The Village Vanguard. In 1953, he signed a contract with RCA Victor, recording regularly for the label until 1974.  Belafonte also performed during the rat pack era in Las Vegas. He and associated acts such as Liberace, Ray Vasquez, and Sammy Davis Jr. were featured at the Sands Hotel and Casino and the Dunes (hotel and casino).

"Calypso".

Belafonte's first widely released single, which went on to become his "signature" audience participation song in virtually all his live performances, was "Matilda", recorded April 27, 1953. His breakthrough album "Calypso" (1956) became the first LP in the world "to sell over 1 million copies within a year", Belafonte confirmed on the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's "The Link" program on August 7, 2012. He added that it was also the first million-selling album ever in England. The album is number four on "Billboard"s "Top 100 Album" list for having spent 31 weeks at number 1, 58 weeks in the top ten, and 99 weeks on the U.S. charts. The album introduced American audiences to calypso music (which had originated in Trinidad and Tobago in the early 20th century), and Belafonte was dubbed the "King of Calypso", a title he wore with reservations since he had no claims to any Calypso Monarch titles.  One of the songs included in the album is the now famous "Banana Boat Song" (listed as Day-O on the "Calypso" LP), which reached number five on the pop charts, and featured its signature lyric "Day-O".  Many of the compositions recorded for "Calypso", including "Banana Boat Song" and "Jamaica Farewell", gave songwriting credit to Irving Burgie.

Middle career.

While primarily known for calypso, Belafonte has recorded in many different genres, including blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards. His second-most popular hit, which came immediately after "The Banana Boat Song", was the comedic tune "Mama Look at Bubu", also known as "Mama Look a Boo-Boo" (originally recorded by Lord Melody in 1955), in which he sings humorously about misbehaving and disrespectful children. It reached number eleven on the pop chart.  In 1959, he starred in "Tonight With Belafonte", a nationally televised special that featured Odetta, who sang "Water Boy" and who performed a duet with Belafonte of "There's a Hole in My Bucket" that hit the national charts in 1961. Belafonte was the first Jamaican American to win an Emmy, for "Revlon Revue: Tonight with Belafonte" (1959). Two live albums, both recorded at Carnegie Hall in 1959 and 1960, enjoyed critical and commercial success. From his 1959 album, "Hava Nagila" became part of his regular routine and one of his signature songs. He was one of many entertainers recruited by Frank Sinatra to perform at the inaugural gala of President John F. Kennedy in 1961. Later that year, RCA Victor released another calypso album, "Jump Up Calypso", which went on to become another million seller. During the 1960s he introduced several artists to American audiences, most notably South African singer Miriam Makeba and Greek singer Nana Mouskouri. His album "Midnight Special" (1962) included a young harmonica player named Bob Dylan.  As The Beatles and other stars from Britain began to dominate the U.S. pop charts, Belafonte's commercial success diminished; 1964's "Belafonte at The Greek Theatre" was his last album to appear in "Billboard"s Top 40. His last hit single, "A Strange Song", was released in 1967 and peaked at number 5 on the adult contemporary music charts. Belafonte has received Grammy Awards for the albums "Swing Dat Hammer" (1960) and "An Evening with Belafonte/Makeba" (1965). The latter album dealt with the political plight of black South Africans under apartheid. He earned six Gold Records.  During the 1960s, he appeared on TV specials alongside such artists as Julie Andrews, Petula Clark, Lena Horne, and Nana Mouskouri. In 1967, Belafonte was the first non-classical artist to perform at the prestigious Saratoga Performing Arts Center (SPAC) in Upstate New York, soon to be followed by concerts there by The Doors, The 5th Dimension, The Who, and Janis Joplin.  From February 5 to 9, 1968, Belafonte guest hosted "The Tonight Show" substituting for Johnny Carson. Among his interview guests were Martin Luther King Jr. and Sen. Robert F. Kennedy.

Later recordings and other activities.

Belafonte's fifth and final calypso album, "Calypso Carnival" was issued by RCA in 1971. Belafonte's recording activity slowed considerably after releasing his final album for RCA in 1974. From the mid-1970s to early 1980s, Belafonte spent the greater part of his time on tour, which included concerts in Japan, Europe, and Cuba. In 1977, Columbia Records released the album "Turn the World Around", with a strong focus on world music. Columbia never issued the album in the United States. He subsequently was a guest star on a memorable episode of "The Muppet Show" in 1978, in which he performed his signature song "Day-O". However, the episode is best known for Belafonte's rendition of the spiritual song "Turn the World Around", from the album of the same name, which he performed with specially made Muppets that resembled African tribal masks. It became one of the series' most famous performances and was reportedly Jim Henson's favorite episode. After Henson's death in May 1990, Belafonte was asked to perform the song at Henson's memorial service. "Turn the World Around" was also included in the 2005 official hymnal supplement of the Unitarian Universalist Association, "Singing the Journey".  His involvement in USA for Africa during the mid-1980s resulted in renewed interest in his music, culminating in a record deal with EMI. He subsequently released his first album of original material in over a decade, "Paradise in Gazankulu", in 1988. The album contains ten protest songs against the South African former Apartheid policy and is his last studio album. In the same year Belafonte, as UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, attended a symposium in Harare, Zimbabwe, to focus attention on child survival and development in Southern African countries. As part of the symposium, he performed a concert for UNICEF. A Kodak video crew filmed the concert, which was released as a 60-minute concert video titled "Global Carnival". It features many of the songs from the album "Paradise in Gazankulu" and some of his classic hits. Also in 1988, Tim Burton used "The Banana Boat Song" and "Jump in the Line" in his movie "Beetlejuice".  Following a lengthy recording hiatus, "An Evening with Harry Belafonte and Friends", a soundtrack and video of a televised concert, were released in 1997 by Island Records. "", a huge multi-artist project recorded by RCA during the 1960s and 1970s, was finally released by the label in 2001. Belafonte went on the Today Show to promote the album on September 11, 2001, and was interviewed by Katie Couric just minutes before the first plane hit the World Trade Center. The album was nominated for the 2002 Grammy Awards for Best Boxed Recording Package, for Best Album Notes, and for Best Historical Album.  Belafonte received the Kennedy Center Honors in 1989. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 1994 and he won a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2000. He performed sold-out concerts globally through the 1950s to the 2000s. Owing to illness, he was forced to cancel a reunion tour with Nana Mouskouri planned for the spring and summer of 2003 following a tour in Europe. His last concert was a benefit concert for the Atlanta Opera on October 25, 2003. In a 2007 interview, he stated that he had since retired from performing.  On January 29, 2013, Belafonte was the Keynote Speaker and 2013 Honoree for the MLK Celebration Series at the Rhode Island School of Design. Belafonte used his career and experiences with Dr. King to speak on the role of artists as activists.  Belafonte was inducted as an honorary member of Phi Beta Sigma fraternity on January 11, 2014.  In March 2014, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Berklee College of Music in Boston.  In 2017, Belafonte released "When Colors Come Together", an anthology of some of Belafonte's earlier recordings produced by his son David who wrote lyrics for an updated version of "Island In The Sun", arranged by longtime Belafonte musical director Richard Cummings, and featuring Harry Belafonte's grandchildren Sarafina and Amadeus and a children's choir.

Film career.

Belafonte has starred in several films. His first film role was in "Bright Road" (1953), in which he appeared alongside Dorothy Dandridge. The two subsequently starred in Otto Preminger's hit musical "Carmen Jones" (1954). Ironically, Belafonte's singing in the film was dubbed by an opera singer, as Belafonte's own singing voice was seen as unsuitable for the role. Using his star clout, Belafonte was subsequently able to realize several then-controversial film roles. In 1957's "Island in the Sun", there are hints of an affair between Belafonte's character and the character played by Joan Fontaine. The film also starred James Mason, Dandridge, Joan Collins, Michael Rennie, and John Justin. In 1959, he starred in and produced Robert Wise's "Odds Against Tomorrow", in which he plays a bank robber uncomfortably teamed with a racist partner (Robert Ryan). He also co-starred with Inger Stevens in "The World, the Flesh and the Devil". Belafonte was offered the role of Porgy in Preminger's "Porgy and Bess", where he would have once again starred opposite Dandridge, but he refused the role because he objected to its racial stereotyping.  Dissatisfied with most of the film roles offered to him, he concentrated on music during the 1960s. In the early 1970s, Belafonte appeared in more films, among which are two with Poitier: "Buck and the Preacher" (1972) and "Uptown Saturday Night" (1974). In 1984, Belafonte produced and scored the musical film "Beat Street", dealing with the rise of hip-hop culture. Together with Arthur Baker, he produced the gold-certified soundtrack of the same name. Belafonte next starred in a major film again in the mid-1990s, appearing with John Travolta in the race-reverse drama "White Man's Burden" (1995); and in Robert Altman's jazz age drama "Kansas City" (1996), the latter of which garnered him the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actor. He also starred as an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States in the TV drama "Swing Vote" (1999). In 2006, Belafonte appeared in "Bobby", Emilio Estevez's ensemble drama about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy; he played Nelson, a friend of an employee of the Ambassador Hotel (Anthony Hopkins). He appears in Spike Lee's "BlacKkKlansman" (2018) as an elderly civil rights pioneer.

Personal life.

Belafonte and Marguerite Byrd were married from 1948 to 1957. They have two daughters: Adrienne and Shari. Adrienne and her daughter Rachel Blue founded the Anir Foundation / Experience, focused on humanitarian work in southern Africa. Shari is a photographer, model, singer, and actress and is married to actor Sam Behrens.  In 1953, he was financially able to move from Washington Heights, Manhattan “into a white neighborhood in Elmhurst, Queens."  Belafonte had an affair with actress Joan Collins during the filming of "Island in the Sun".  On March 8, 1957, Belafonte married his second wife Julie Robinson, a former dancer with the Katherine Dunham Company who was of Jewish descent. They had two children, David and Gina. David, the only son of Harry Belafonte, is a former model and actor and is an Emmy-winning and Grammy nominated music producer and the executive director of the family-held company Belafonte Enterprises Inc. As a music producer, David has been involved in most of Belafonte's albums and tours and productions. He is married to model and singer Malena Belafonte who toured with Belafonte. Gina Belafonte is a TV and film actress and worked with her father as coach and producer on more than six films. Gina helped found The Gathering For Justice, an intergenerational, intercultural non-profit organization working to reintroduce nonviolence to stop child incarceration.  After 47 years of marriage, Belafonte and Robinson divorced. In April 2008, Belafonte married photographer Pamela Frank.  Belafonte has five grandchildren, Rachel and Brian through his children with Marguerite Byrd, and Maria, Sarafina, and Amadeus through his children with Julie Robinson. In October 1998, Belafonte contributed a letter to Liv Ullmann's book "Letter to My Grandchild".

Political and humanitarian activism.

Belafonte's political beliefs were greatly inspired by the singer, actor and Communist activist Paul Robeson, who mentored him. Robeson opposed not only racial prejudice in the United States but also western colonialism in Africa. Belafonte's success did not protect him from criticism of his communist sympathies or from racial discrimination, particularly in the American South. He refused to perform there from 1954 until 1961. In 1960, he appeared in a campaign commercial for Democratic Presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. Kennedy later named Belafonte cultural advisor to the Peace Corps.  Belafonte gave the keynote address at the ACLU of Northern California's annual Bill of Rights Day Celebration In December 2007 and was awarded the Chief Justice Earl Warren Civil Liberties Award. The 2011 Sundance Film Festival featured the documentary film "Sing Your Song", a biographical film focusing on Belafonte's contribution to and his leadership in the civil rights movement in America and his endeavours to promote social justice globally. In 2011, Belafonte's memoir "My Song" was published by Knopf Books.

Civil Rights Movement activist.

Belafonte supported the Civil Rights Movement in the 1950s and 1960s and was one of Martin Luther King Jr.'s confidants. He provided for King's family since King made only $8,000 a year as a preacher. Like many other civil rights activists, Belafonte was blacklisted during the McCarthy era. During the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, he bailed King out of Birmingham City Jail and raised $50,000 to release other civil rights protesters. He financed the 1961 Freedom Rides, supported voter registration drives, and helped to organize the 1963 March on Washington.  During the "Mississippi Freedom Summer" of 1964, Belafonte bankrolled the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, flying to Mississippi that August with Sidney Poitier and $60,000 in cash and entertaining crowds in Greenwood. In 1968, Belafonte appeared on a Petula Clark primetime television special on NBC. In the middle of a duet of "On the Path of Glory", Clark smiled and briefly touched Belafonte's arm, which prompted complaints from Doyle Lott, the advertising manager of the show's sponsor, Plymouth Motors. Lott wanted to retape the segment, but Clark, who had ownership of the special, told NBC that the performance would be shown intact or she would not allow it to be aired at all. Newspapers reported the controversy, Lott was relieved of his responsibilities, and when the special aired, it attracted high ratings.  Belafonte appeared on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour" on September 29, 1968, performing a controversial "Mardi Gras" number intercut with footage from the 1968 Democratic National Convention riots. CBS censors deleted the segment. The full unedited content were broadcast in 1993 as part of a complete Smothers Brothers Hour syndication package.

Humanitarian activist.

In 1985, he helped organize the Grammy Award-winning song "We Are the World", a multi-artist effort to raise funds for Africa. He performed in the Live Aid concert that same year. In 1987, he received an appointment to UNICEF as a goodwill ambassador. Following his appointment, Belafonte traveled to Dakar, Senegal, where he served as chairman of the International Symposium of Artists and Intellectuals for African Children. He also helped to raise funds—alongside more than 20 other artists—in the largest concert ever held in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1994, he went on a mission to Rwanda and launched a media campaign to raise awareness of the needs of Rwandan children.  In 2001, he went to South Africa to support the campaign against HIV/AIDS. In 2002, Africare awarded him the Bishop John T. Walker Distinguished Humanitarian Service Award for his efforts to assist Africa. In 2004, Belafonte went to Kenya to stress the importance of educating children in the region.  Belafonte has been involved in prostate cancer advocacy since 1996, when he was diagnosed and successfully treated for the disease. On June 27, 2006, Belafonte was the recipient of the BET Humanitarian Award at the 2006 BET Awards. He was named one of nine 2006 Impact Award recipients by "AARP The Magazine". On October 19, 2007, Belafonte represented UNICEF on Norwegian television to support the annual telethon (TV Aksjonen) in support of that charity and helped raise a world record of $10 per inhabitant of Norway. Belafonte was also an ambassador for the Bahamas. He is on the board of directors of the Advancement Project. He also serves on the Advisory Council of the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.

Political activist.

Belafonte has been a longtime critic of U.S. foreign policy. He began making controversial political statements on this subject in the early 1980s. He has at various times made statements opposing the U.S. embargo on Cuba; praising Soviet peace initiatives; attacking the U.S. invasion of Grenada; praising the Abraham Lincoln Brigade; honoring Ethel and Julius Rosenberg and praising Fidel Castro. Belafonte is additionally known for his visit to Cuba which helped ensure hip-hop's place in Cuban society. According to Geoffrey Baker's article "Hip hop, Revolucion! Nationalizing Rap in Cuba", in 1999, Belafonte met with representatives of the rap community immediately before meeting with Fidel Castro. This meeting resulted in Castro's personal approval of, and hence the government's involvement in, the incorporation of rap into his country's culture. In a 2003 interview, Belafonte reflected upon this meeting's influence: "When I went back to Havana a couple years later, the people in the hip-hop community came to see me and we hung out for a bit. They thanked me profusely and I said, 'Why?' and they said, 'Because your little conversation with Fidel and the Minister of Culture on hip-hop led to there being a special division within the ministry and we've got our own studio'."  Belafonte was active in the Anti-Apartheid Movement. He was the Master of Ceremonies at a reception honoring African National Congress President Oliver Tambo at Roosevelt House, Hunter College, in New York City. The reception was held by the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) and The Africa Fund. He is a current board member of the TransAfrica Forum and the Institute for Policy Studies.

Opposition to the George W. Bush administration.

Belafonte achieved widespread attention for his political views in 2002 when he began making a series of comments about President George W. Bush, his administration and the Iraq War. During an interview with Ted Leitner for San Diego's 760 KFMB, on October 10, 2002, Belafonte referred to a quote made by Malcolm X. Belafonte said:  Belafonte used the quote to characterize former United States Secretaries of State Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice, Powell and Rice both responded, with Powell calling the remarks "unfortunate" and Rice saying: "I don't need Harry Belafonte to tell me what it means to be black."  The comment was brought up again in an interview with Amy Goodman for "Democracy Now!" in 2006. In January 2006, Belafonte led a delegation of activists including actor Danny Glover and activist/professor Cornel West to meet with President of Venezuela Hugo Chávez. In 2005, Chávez, an outspoken Bush critic, initiated a program to provide cheaper heating oil for poor people in several areas of the United States. Belafonte supported this initiative. He was quoted as saying, during the meeting with Chávez, "No matter what the greatest tyrant in the world, the greatest terrorist in the world, George W. Bush says, we're here to tell you: Not hundreds, not thousands, but millions of the American people support your revolution." Belafonte and Glover met again with Chávez in 2006. The comment ignited a great deal of controversy. Hillary Clinton refused to acknowledge Belafonte's presence at an awards ceremony that featured both of them. AARP, which had just named him one of its 10 Impact Award honorees 2006, released this statement following the remarks: "AARP does not condone the manner and tone which he has chosen and finds his comments completely unacceptable." During a Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech at Duke University in 2006, Belafonte compared the American government to the hijackers of the September 11 attacks, saying: "What is the difference between that terrorist and other terrorists?" In response to criticism about his remarks Belafonte asked, "What do you call Bush when the war he put us in to date has killed almost as many Americans as died on 9/11 and the number of Americans wounded in war is almost triple?... By most definitions Bush can be considered a terrorist." When he was asked about his expectation of criticism for his remarks on the war in Iraq, Belafonte responded: "Bring it on. Dissent is central to any democracy."  In another interview, Belafonte remarked that while his comments may have been "hasty", nevertheless he felt the Bush administration suffered from "arrogance wedded to ignorance" and its policies around the world were "morally bankrupt". In January 2006, in a speech to the annual meeting of the Arts Presenters Members Conference, Belafonte referred to "the new Gestapo of Homeland Security" saying, "You can be arrested and have no right to counsel!" During the Martin Luther King Jr. Day speech at Duke University in January 2006, Belafonte said that if he could choose his epitaph it would be, "Harry Belafonte, Patriot."  In 2004, he was awarded the Domestic Human Rights Award in San Francisco by Global Exchange.

Obama administration.

In the 1950s, Belafonte was a supporter of the African American Students Foundation, which in 1959 gave a grant to a Kenyan student named Barack Obama to study at the University of Hawaii. There Obama met and married a white American named Ann Dunham and had a child who became the first black president of the United States.  In 2011, he commented on the Obama administration and the role of popular opinion in shaping its policies. "I think [Obama] plays the game that he plays because he sees no threat from evidencing concerns for the poor."  On December 9, 2012, in an interview with Al Sharpton on MSNBC, Belafonte expressed dismay that many political leaders in the United States continue to oppose the policies of President Obama even after his re-election: "The only thing left for Barack Obama to do is to work like a third-world dictator and just put all of these guys in jail. You're violating the American desire."  On February 1, 2013, Belafonte received the NAACP's Spingarn Medal, and in the televised ceremony, he counted Constance L. Rice among those previous recipients of the award whom he regarded highly for speaking up "to remedy the ills of the nation".

NYC Pride.

In 2013, he was named a Grand Marshal of the New York City Pride Parade, alongside Edie Windsor and Earl Fowlkes.

2016 presidential election.

In 2016, Belafonte endorsed Bernie Sanders for the Democratic Primary, saying: "I think he represents opportunity, I think he represents a moral imperative, I think he represents a certain kind of truth that's not often evidenced in the course of politics".  Belafonte was an honorary co-chair of the Women's March on Washington, which took place on January 21, 2017, the day after the Inauguration of Donald Trump as President.

2020 presidential election.

Harry Belafonte is a Fellow at The Sanders Institute, which has a mission to "revitalize democracy by actively engaging individuals, organizations and the media in the pursuit of progressive solutions to economic, environmental, racial and social justice issues."  In March of 2019, Belafonte was not able to attend a Sanders Institute Gathering due to health reasons. Instead, he sent his encouragement and support: "Thank you for what you are doing, and thank you for making us all feel that we have a chance at this thing."

Discography.

Belafonte has released 30 studio albums and eight live albums, and has achieved critical and commercial success.

Legacy.

Belafonte celebrated his 93rd birthday on March 1, 2020 at Harlem's Apollo Theater in a tribute event that concluded "with a thunderous audience singalong" with rapper Doug E. Fresh to 1956's "Banana Boat Song". Soon after, the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture announced it had acquired Belafonte's vast personal archive - a lifetime's worth of "photographs, recordings, films, letters, artwork, clipping albums," etc.

Harry Belafonte (born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927) is a Jamaican-American singer, songwriter, activist, and actor. One of the most successful Jamaican-American pop stars in history, he was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s. His breakthrough album "Calypso" (1956) was the first million-selling LP by a single artist. Belafonte is known for his recording of "The Banana Boat Song", with its signature lyric "Day-O". He has recorded and performed in many genres, including blues, folk, gospel, show tunes, and American standards. He has also starred in several films, including Otto Preminger's hit musical "Carmen Jones" (1954), "Island in the Sun" (1957), and Robert Wise's "Odds Against Tomorrow" (1959).

Harry Belafonte (* 1. března 1927, New York, USA) je americký zpěvák, známý v padesátých letech jako "Král kalypsa", také herec a producent.


Club career.

Răducioiu was a product of Dinamo Bucureşti. Mircea Lucescu, former Dinamo coach, saw his skills and, as a feature of his philosophy towards football to promote young players, gave Răducioiu the chance to play at the highest level at the age of 17 years.  By the beginning of 1988–1989, Răducioiu was first-choice in Lucescu's team. He made an impressive debut in European football by reaching the quarterfinals of the 1988–89 Cup Winners' Cup (ousted by U.C. Sampdoria in the quarterfinals, on away goals) and finishing second in the league. By 1989–90, Răducioiu was one of Romania's finest players, and that year was to be the most significant of his early career. He won the Romanian championship and the cup (hat-trick in the final against Steaua), reaching the semifinals of the 1989–90 Cup Winners' Cup, where Dinamo was defeated by RSC Anderlecht.  After two seasons in Serie A, Răducioiu joined A.C. Milan in 1993–94, making only seven appearances and scoring two goals, but winning the UEFA Champions League. In 1994, he went to Spain to play for RCD Espanyol.  Having scored his country's only goal in Euro96 manager Harry Redknapp signed him for West Ham United in 1996. Most famously, he scored a goal against Manchester United after being criticized by Harry Redknapp for going shopping with his wife at Harvey Nichols on a previous match day; a claim Răducioiu denies. Despite showing promise, he never adapted to the pace and competitive nature of the English game, making no real impact at Upton Park. He scored three goals during his spell with the Hammers. In addition to his goal against Manchester United he scored against Stockport County in the League Cup and Sunderland in the league. After his short underachieving spell at the East London club, having fallen out with manager Redknapp, he was transferred back to Espanyol, having scored just two goals in the Premier League.  Răducioiu retired in 2004, after a short stint with modest French side US Créteil-Lusitanos. He had a short spell as a sports agent and as sporting director at Dinamo Bucharest.  He is one of the two professional football players (alongside Christian Poulsen) to have plied his trade in the top five European leagues (England, Spain, Germany, Italy and France), and the only player to score in those five leagues.

International career.

Răducioiu debuted for Romania in a friendly game against Israel on 25 April 1990, playing for 58 minutes before he was replaced. Răducioiu made his FIFA World Cup debut in 1990 against the Soviet Union at the Stadio San Nicola in Bari, aged 20. Appearing in three games for Romania, he finished the tournament without scoring, and Romania fell to the Republic of Ireland in the second round, in a penalty shootout. Răducioiu had to wait until the last game of 1990 to score his first goal. He scored for Romania in a 6–0 victory over San Marino on 5 December in a qualifying match for Euro 1992, only to double his account in the next game in San Marino, as the Romanians won 3–1.  The year 1993 would be significantly more successful for Răducioiu internationally, as he scored two goals against Czechoslovakia in Košice, even though Romania lost 5–2. Răducioiu's second goal came in the 55th minute, to tie the game at 2–2. However, Slovak player Peter Dubovsky scored a second half hat trick to beat Romania. His first goal came just four minutes after Răducioiu's second, and in the final eight minutes, Dubosky scored twice to win the game, even though the Czechoslovak had had two players sent off.  An even greater success for Răducioiu would come three months later when in Toftir, he managed to score all four of Romania's goals against the Faroe Islands, becoming the first Romanian player to score four goals for the national team in modern times, a record equaled only by Gheorghe Popescu in 1997 against Liechtenstein.  Răducioiu also scored a penalty kick against Belgium in the qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup. In the last group game of qualifying, he scored another goal against Wales finishing a nice team effort after a pass from Ilie Dumitrescu. This late goal, coming in the 83rd minute, sent Romania to the top of its group from the potential third place in the case that the game had ended 1–0, and subsequently to the 1994 World Cup.  At the 1994 FIFA World Cup, Răducioiu scored two goals against Colombia during the qualifying round. In the quarterfinal against Sweden, he first equalized Sweden's 0–1 lead in the 88th minute of regular time, taking the game to extra time, where he put Romania ahead 2–1 in the first period. Shortly thereafter, Sweden's Stefan Schwarz was sent off after his second yellow card, but despite this Kennet Andersson equalized the game in the 115th minute, leading to a shootout. Răducioiu scored Romania's first penalty attempt after Sweden had missed its first, but Romania was eliminated after missing two attempts out of six. Still, Răducioiu's four tournament goals helped Romania to its most successful World Cup campaign ever.  At the Euro 1996, as Romania lost all three group stage matches, Răducioiu netted the nation's only goal, in a 1–2 loss against Spain. Overall he won 40 caps between April 1990 and June 1996.

Florin Valeriu Răducioiu (born 17 March 1970) is a Romanian former football striker, who played for Dinamo Bucureşti, A.C. Milan, Brescia Calcio, West Ham United, RCD Espanyol, VfB Stuttgart and AS Monaco.

Florin Valeriu Răducioiu [florin valeriju radučoju] (* 17. března 1970, Bukurešť) je bývalý rumunský fotbalový útočník. V 1. lize si poprvé zahrál v 16 letech. Účastník Mistrovství světa 1990 v Itálii, Mistrovství světa 1994 v USA a Mistrovství Evropy 1996 v Anglii.