Pro Wrestling SUN changes name

Pro Wrestling SUN held a press conference Friday to announce an upcoming tournament. But they also announced that they're changing their name from Pro Wrestling SUN to Chick Fights SUN. The reason for the change given by Takahashi at the press conference is that Chick Fights is the worldwide generic name for women's professional wrestling. Really? Paging Chickfights owner Jason Deadrich. SUN president Nakamura isn't any more enlightening on the SUN blog. The likely real reason is simply to distinguish themselves from other wrestling promotions with a more distinctive name. Especially if they're going to have occasional matches abroad. That has to be it because they didn't change the logo.

SUN also announced plans for a tournament to be called Chick Fever J. This will be a round robin tournament The wrestlers will be divided into the Cup Zone and the Coin Zone. All matches will have a 30 minute time limit. There will be two points for a win, one point for a draw and zero points for a loss. The tournament matches will be on the Oct. 18, Oct. 19 & Nov. 15 Shin-kiba 1st Ring shows. The winners of the zones will face off in the final on the Nov. 16 Shin-kiba 1st Ring. Announced participants include Nanae Takahashi, Hikaru, Saki Maemura, Natsuki*Taiyo, Toshie Uematsu & Kayoko Haruyama. Yumiko Hotta has been contacted but hasn't confirmed. It doesn't say how many wrestlers will be in the tournament so I don't know if they will bring in any gaijins. But I wouldn't be surprised if they did.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Marvin Gaye

Artist:Marvin Gaye

Song:What's Going On

Album:What's Going On

Marvin Gaye's What's Going On is one of the most significant albums in black music history. Gaye was already a significant star but Motown owner Berry Gordy wasn't interested in producing socially relevant music. The recent tragic death of Gaye's duet partner Tammi Terrell and the recent return of Marvin's brother Frankie from a three year tour in the Vietnam War convinced Marvin that he needed to speak out. In late 1970, Obie Benson of The Four Tops brought him a song he had written with producer Al Cleveland. Gaye went into the studio with The Funk Brothers and recorded What's Going On. Benson & Cleveland also wrote Save The Children & Wholly Holy. Berry Gordy refused to release What's Going On because he didn't think it would sell. Gaye went on strike and refused to record until Gordy released it. He finally did and What's Going On hit number two on the pop singles charts in 1971. The album is an all time classic and changed the face of black music. Motown has rereleased What's Going On on CD several times including a 2CD Deluxe Edition featuring a vintage live performance. It's a must for anyone's CD collection. Here's Marvin Gaye with The Funk Brothers performing What's Going On & What's Happening Brother from the 1973 film Save The Children.

Maybe Ohka isn't WAVE's ace anymore

Pro Wrestling WAVE had a bit better attendance for their Sept. 30 Shin-kiba 1st Ring show. The announced attendance was 169. I wonder how many of those paid. Maybe they shouldn't run mid-week shows. It's still no great shakes but at least they broke a hundred. The opener was a mixed match with Kyoko Kimura & Manabu Hara vs GAMI & Daisuke Ikeda. Kimura won the match with a sleeper on GAMI at 14:53. Afterwards, GAMI demanded a singles match with Kimura as revenge. She wants Kimura to put up her afro. Kimura wants to know what GAMI is going to put up. GAMI says the natch will be called Afro Contra & Mortal Combat. she says if she loses, WAVE president Takashi will become a Buddhist monk. I think she was joking. It looks like a loser gets her head shaved match.

Next was Michiko Ohmukai vs Francoise in Diva WAVE. Ohmukai won in 7:00 when she it a Kakuto Drop and trampled Francoise. Apparently Francoise was terrible in the match. Next was Comical WAVE with Mariko Yoshida over Bullfight Sora with a schoolboy at 9:54. Yoshida is the wrong person to put in a comedy match because sheis unable to keep from laughing at Sora's goofy antics. There was also something about GAMI giving Sora a test to see if she is crosseyed.

Next was Shuu Shibutani & Misaki Ohata vs Cherry & Arisa Nakajima. This is Shibutani's final match before her trip to Mexico. They've been doing this angle where Shibutani is learning lucha moves from KAORU. The end comes when Cherry hits Shibutani with a knee to the back of the head followed by a nexk breaker drop from the second rope. But Shibutani reverses a pin with a small package for the win at 23:12. The main event had Yumi Ohka against Hiroyo Matsumoto. There's someone she can beat. It doesn't happem Matsumoto wins with a back elbow at 14:05. Ohka says she's taking this one day at a time and is improving every match. But she's not winning so it looks like GAMI is going to move her "ace" out of main events for a while.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Jill Scott

Artist:Jill Scott

Song:Hate On Me

Album:The Real Thing:Words & Sounds Vol. 3

Holy mackeral! This is the first single from Jill Scott's new CD. She kicks butt. Jill is one of my favourite artists. She was born Apr. 4, 1972 in Philadelphia. She started out reading her poetry in clubs and was spotted by Amir "?uestlove" Thompson of The Roots. He invited her to join them in the studio and the 1999 hit You Got Me was the result. Jill signed with Steve McKeever's Hidden Beach label and her 2000 debut CD Who Is Jill Scott? went double platinum and she was nominated for several Grammys. The Real Thing was released last week. Hate On Me is a rage song. I understand she went through a divorce recently. She co-wrote it with longtime collaborator Adam Blackstone. As usual, she also works with Andre Harris & Vidal Davis. Apparently she also wrote several bedroom songs with the son of 70s soul singer Leroy Hutson. Jill is also appearing in the new Tyler Perry film Why Did I Get Married? Jill Scott is one of the best singers working today. Here's the video for Hate On Me by Jill Scott.

Tuesday's all candidates meeting

So for those of you who read this blog and don't live in these parts, we're having a provinicial election in Ontario on Oct. 10. I live in Etobicoke-Lakeshore which is in the southwest part of Toronto. I can see Lake Ontario from my apartment. The current premier is Liberal Dalton McGuinty. He was elected four years ago on the basic platform that he was going to reverse all the bad things done by Progressive Conservative premier Mike Harris. The problem is he really didn't do that and now he's coming back and asking voters to trust him again. Well, you know what they say about fooling me twice. The other thing is though he attempts to come across as compassionate, every indication is that he's really a prick. Ocasionally this comes out as it did last week in an encounter with a disgruntled cancer patient in Ottawa. He apologized when one of his flunkies told him the guy was right but it just shows who he really is. I'm not crazy about the other leaders so I went to an all candidates meeting at The Assembly Hall on Tuesday to give them all hell.

Of course my main issue is that clients of the Ontario Disability Support Program can't afford to eat. Mike Harris cut rates by 22% and turned the agency into a bureaucratic nightmare. McGinty was elected on promised changes to this and similar social service agencies. He hasn't done that and his silence indicates that he can't be trusted to do the right thing. So let's see what these candidates have to say about the ODSP when faced with a pissed off guy in a power chair. The meeting started with an explanation of the Mixed Member Proposition referendum. I'm not getting into it but I've already researched it and will vote yes. I wasn't interested in the fringe candidates and though I came in just as the Green Party guy started, I don't care about him.

First up was Andrea Nemeth of the New Democrats. I did visit her campaign office last week and I spoke to her on the phone. So she knew I would ask about this. NDP leader Howard Hampton hasn't addressed the issue. I'm not crazy about him because he doesn't know how to go for the throat. Sometimes he has to attack his opponents to score points. When I spoke to Andrea last week, she thought maybe he addressed it as health care. I said it's not a health care issue. The disabled are being subjected to unfair treatment and it's come to a point where a class action lawsuit about the ODSP has been launched against the Ministry Of Community & Social Services because we get no response from the current government. She agreed that it's shameful and said that at the meeting. She's also a co-op person so that's in her favour too. I believe Hampton will make appropriate changes. I doubt he'll win but a minority government is possible.

Next up is Progressive Conservative candidate Tom Barlow. His dad was a politician in Western Ontario. His whole spiel was about John Tory's leadership skills. Nothing he tells us is going to make us trust the PCs because of Mike Harris. Barlow's shtick ain't working. So he's continuing to quote their policy paper but he's not actually saying anything. Then I asked him about the ODSP. And when he continued the same thing, I got pissed and accused him of a non-responsive answer. He got that deer in the headlights look and admitted that he doesn't understand the issue. Gotcha! Afterwards, he asked for my phone number and said he would call. I'm not holding my breath but if he does, I will be fair and post about it. I encountered Andrea Nemeth this morning on Lakeshore and though she wasn't there when this happened, she knew about it because people told her I handed him his head. I just laughed.

Finally we have our current MPP Laurel Broten. She is Minister of the Environment. I've met Laurel before. She's very nice but way too glib for me. I've told her and her staff that I can't vote Liberal because their boss McGuinty is a prick and I don't trust him. She didn't say anything to change my mind. She doesn't understand the ODSP either but I have a feeling I'll hear from her if she gets the Community & Social Services portfolio. I do think she will win. The incumbent always has an advantage unless the leader really pisses off the electorate and she is well liked in the riding. The opposition leaders haven't made enough inroads to win but I'm voting NDP because I'm looking for a minority government.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Janis Joplin

Artist:Janis Joplin w/Big Brother & The Holding Company

Song:Piece Of My Heart

Album:Super Hits

Of course Janis Joplin was a fabulous singing talent overshadowed by her premature death due to alcoholism & drug abuse. She was born Jan. 19, 1943 in Port Arthur, TX. She had been singing blues & folk since her teens but moved to San Francisco in 1966 and got together with a struggling psychedelic group called Big Brother & The Holding Company led by Sam Andrew & David Getz. They were going nowhere until Janis' performance at the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival opened record industry eyes. After a false start on Mainstream Records, their Columbia Records debut Cheap Thrills was huge. And Piece Of My Heart is Janis Joplin's signature song. The group heard the song on a record by Erma Franklin (Aretha's sis) and Janis adds so much to the song. This budget comp is a reasonable intro for beginners. She left the group shortly after to go solo. Janis had further solo chart success but I thought her solo records were uneven. And of course her continued substance abuse didn't help and she died on Oct. 4, 1970 at age 27. There's been a stage show about Janis Joplin. Over the years there's been talk of a biopic, most recently to star Alicia (Pink) Moore but it never seems to go anywhere. For a short period of time, Janis Joplin was the greatest singer in the world. Here's Janis Joplin with Big Brother & The Holding Company performing Piece Of My Heart in 1968.

Dario Franchitti to NASCAR

As expected, it was announced today that 2007 Indy 500 winner and IRL Champ Dario Franchitti will drive the #40 Dodge for Target Chip Ganassi With Felix Sabates Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. The sponsor hasn't been named. Franchitti received his release from Andretti Green Racing yesterday. He will make his stock car debut in Friday's ARCA race at Talledega. Franchitti said that he spoke to Ganassi about NASCAR last year but Ganassi signed Juan Pablo Montoya instead. It's obvious that Montoya's performance is encouraging NASCAR owners to sign international racing stars. And of course with Franchitti we get to see wife Ashley Judd in the pits. Also, former Indy 500 winner and Formula 1 champ Jacques Villeneuve will make his Nextel Cup debut in this Sunday's race at Talledega. He is expected to drive a Toyota for Bill Davis Racing in 2008. Also announced today is Scott Riggs moving to Haas CNC Racing for the 2008 season. It isn't known which car he will drive. But it does open the door for Gillett Evernham Motorsports to hire former CHAMP Car racer Patrick Carpentier to drive the #10 Dodge next year. He opened a lot of eyes with his performance at Watkins Glen. So after all these years we may have two Canadians driving regularly in NASCAR next year. Here's video of the announcement from Speed TV.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Donnie

Artist:Donnie

Song:Classified

Album:The Daily News

Donnie is another great Neo Soul singer songwriter to come out of the Atlanta scene. He was born Donn Johnson in Lexington, KY in 1975. He grew up in Atlanta and both parents are ministers. Not surprisingly, he sang in the church choir and was heavily influenced by gospel and soul. He performed with India.Arie at a showcase in 1997 and she recommended him to Giant Step Records owner Maurice Bernstein. Bernstein sent Donnie to Los Angeles to work with veteran producer Steve "Scotsman" Harvey. A series of EPs got Giant Step a distribution deal with Motown. Donnie's album The Coloured Section was released in 2002. But Motown did a very poor job of promoting it. Donnie is now recording for Soul Thought Records and The Daily News was released in May. Like the first CD, Donnie's music is a potent mix of gospel, R & B and many of his songs are politically and socially aware. Classified is about folks who can't find work. He reunites with producer Harvey and legendary Earth Wind & Fire guitarist Al McKay makes a rare appearance. Unfortunately he's on a small label so it may not get properly distributed. Here's the video for If I Were You by Donnie.

Devil Masami announces retirement

The Devil Masami 30th anniversary show was held Sept. 30 at Differ Ariake. The show was called Marvelous Night Miracle Game and was promoted by Chigusa Nagayo. The announced attendance was 1,000. You have to love round figures. The show itself wasn't noteworthy. However, there were a couple of notable announcements. Devil Masami announced her plan to retire. I'm not surprised because she hasn't worked much lately. A date wasn't announced but it looks like it will be during Summer 2008. Devil said she's just tired and it's time to go. She says she plans to be a nurse in her home town of Kyushu. Imagine a super heel as your nurse.

The other thing is that Chigusa Nagayo announced that she plans to present an All Japan Women 40th Anniversary show probably in May 2008. The details haven't been finalized yet but one of the Matsunagas was at the show so this will probably happen. The results of the show were Azumi Hyuga over Bolshoi Kid at 9:42 with a Gannosuke clutch, Ayako Hamada & El Blazer defeated KAORU & LTP when El Blazer used the lightning strike on LTP at 11:54, T-Rex Okuda & Mizhaaya defeated DASH Chisako & Sachiko Sendai at 12:56 when Okuda used a diving knee attack on Sachiko, Meiko Satomura, Toshie Uematsu & Chikayo Nagashima defeated Sonoko Kato, Carlos Amano & Ran YuYu at 18:47 when Uematsu used a Solarina on Ran. The main event was Aja Kong, Kaoru Ito & Yumiko Hotta over Devil Masami, Dynamite Kansai & Manami Toyota at 16:46 when Aja used a uraken on Devil.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Artist:Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Song:Nobody

Album:Unclassified

Robert Randolph has taken the country music staple pedal steel guitar to a whole new level. He started playing the instrument as a teen in his church in Orange, NJ. Randolph was spotted playing at the Sacred Steel Convention in 2000 and manager Gary Waldman took him on. He got Randolph a gig opening for the North Mississippi All Stars at the Bowery Ballroom in New York. This earned him a gig opening for jazz group Medeski, Martin & Wood. John Medeski liked him so much he asked him to play on the 2001 CD The Word. This led to the CD Live At The Wetlands and that earned Randolph a contract with Warner Bros. 2003's Unclassified was their debut. The band is Robert Randolph on pedal steel guitar, cousin Danyel Morgan on bass, cousin Marcus Randolph on drums and John Ginty on organ. Randolph's music is a mix of a lot of different styles anchored by his gospel roots. His latest CD is 2006's Colorblind. Here's the video for I Need More Love by Robert Randolph & The Family Band.

Fuuka Matsuri debut

Fuuka Matsuri made its debut on Sept. 30 at Shin-kiba 1st Ring with 316 fans in attendance. There were matches on the show but obviously that's not what this show is about. It's mostly about Fuuka doing all kinds of things. The show started with Fuuka leading a rhythmic dance group. This was followed by a talk show with Karate Idol Yuka Kobayashi. This was followed by a recreation of Fuuka's apprehension of the flasher or whatever he did. Finally we had a couple of matches. Atsuko Emoto defeated Kana at 8:45 with the Momo clutch. Arisa Nakajima & Io Shirai defeated Yuri Urai & Mio Shirai when Io used a moonsault press on Io at 11:42.

Fuuka Kid defeated Bolshoi Kid with a rollup at 6:44. At some point, Fuuka and her Fuuka Ranger singing group debuted their song. It was Fuuka, the Shirai sisters & RICA. They even got to give an encore. The main event was a very confusing tag team match with Fuuka, Nanae Takahashi, AKINO & Shuu Shibutani. The gimmick had them switching tag team partners every five minutes. So Fuuka & Nanae Takahashi defeated AKINO & Shuu Shibutani when Fuuka used the F-Crash on Shibutani at 19:08. So it lasted long enough for Fuuka to tag with all three wrestlers. Apparently the match was very difficult for fans to follow. That's never a good thing. Afterwards, Fuuka said she was very happy with the show and she hopes that former JD Star fans are happy with what she's doing. The next Fuuka Matsuri is Dec. 22 at Shin-kiba 1st Ring. Obviously it will be a Christmas themed show. I fully expect Fuuka to come to the ring wearing reindeer antlers.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-New Grass Revival

Artist:New Grass Revival

Song:Big Foot

Album:Best Of

New Grass Revival took traditional bluegrass and mixed it with jazz and other things. The group started in 1972 but became more popular in the 80s when they signed with Liberty Records. Sam Bush & John Cowan brought in banjoist Bela Fleck & mandolinist Pat Flynn. They started appearing on the country charts and the Fleck composition Seven By Seven was nominated for a Grammy in 1987. This comp is a good intro to their 80s music. Big Foot is a Fleck composition from the 1989 CD Friday Night In America. This was their final CD before they split up. Most of the guys do sessions but Fleck has been very successful with his group The Flecktones. New Grass Revival were innovators to the point where this style of music is called New Grass. Here's New Grass Revival performing Seven By Seven on Nashville Now in 1987.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Irma Thomas

Artist:Irma Thomas

Song:I Needed Somebody

Album:Modern New Orleans Masters

Irma Thomas is the Soul Queen of New Orleans. So says the city itself. She's been recording since the 60s and is still making great music. She was born Feb. 18, 1941 in Ponchatoula, LA. She grew up singing in church and after a false start in 1960 with the Ronn label, she went to Minit Records to work with legendary producer Allen Toussaint. Minit was acquired by Imperial Records in 1963. Wish Someone Would Care hit the Top 20 but Irma never had the national success of someone like Aretha Franklin. What always seemed to happen is someone else would do a version of one of her songs and have a hit with it. That's what happened when the Rolling Stones covered Time Is On My Side. It got her respect over the years but that doesn't pay the bills. Irma signed with the roots music label Rounder Records in 1985 and has recorded great music for them ever since. Rounder does a lot of these various artists comps so you can sample their artists. Johnny Adams & Walter "Wolfman" Washington are also on this. Irma's great version of the Ann Peebles song I Needed Somebody is from the 1991 CD Live! Simply The Best. Irma Thomas survived Katrina though her house was destroyed. She was in Austin, TX at the time and continues to record for Rounder. After The Rain was released last year. Though not as well known as other soul singers, Irma Thomas is a great singer. Here is Irma Thomas performing Time Is On My Side with Allen Toussaint on piano.

Irma thomas - time is by my side
Uploaded by mickeynold

JWP introduces two new wrestlers

JWP had what I would describe as a media opportunity to introduce two new wrestlers on Friday at the JWP Dojo. It was set up as a test of the new trainees but it's actually a way to promote the New Year's Eve Junior All Star War. Both wrestlers did various exercises including 200 squats. JWP owner Commando Bolshoi, Azumi Hyuga, Tsubasa Kuragaki & Kayoko Haruyama were judging them and of course they passed the test. There's not much point in testing them and failing them. Kaori Yoneyama & Tojuki Leon were in the ring putting them through their paces including sparring. The first girl is Mayuka Shinzaki. She was born Jan. 16, 1992 in Tokyo. She is 157cm tall and weighs 58kg. The second is a masked wrestler named YUKI. She is 154cm tall and weighs 53kg. Like her boss Commando Bolshoi, she hails from the famed Parts Unknown. That's where all the masked wrestlers live. Bolshoi said aftewards that both wrestlers will debut at the Junior All Star War.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-Bud Powell

Artist:Bud Powell

Song:Dance Of The Infidels

Album:The Very Best

Earl "Bud" Powell is one of the all time great jazz pianists and one of the architects of bebop. He was born Sept. 27, 1924 in New York City. He started playing piano at age 7 and was heavily influenced by the great Art Tatum. In the early 40s, he was playing a lot of jam sessions with Thelonious Monk. He was playing in Cootie Williams orchestra in 1945 when he was beaten by police in a racial incident. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital and when he gave his occupation as "pianist & composer", doctors thought he was delusional and he was given shock treatment. Powell would never fully recover from this. This comp is a good intro to his Blue Note recordings of the late 40s. Dance Of The Infidels was recorded in 1949 with Fats Navarro on trumpet, Sonny Rollins on sax, Curly Russell on bass and Art Taylor on drums. Powell moved to Paris in 1959. He continued to be in and out of hospital and died on July 31, 1966 at age 41. Bud Powell's Blue Note recordings are essential. Here's Bud Powell performing Get Happy with drummer Kenny Clarke in Paris 1959.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-The Platters

Artist:The Platters

Song:Only You (And You Alone)

Album:The Doo Wop Box

The Platters were one of the most popular doo wop groups of the 50s. They started out in Los Angeles in 1953 as a standard doo wop group recording for Federal Records. The turning point came when they were discovered by producer Buck Ram. He was born Samuel Ram Nov. 21, 1907 in Chicago. Ram was a big band arranger in the 40s and co-wrote I'll Be Home For Christmas for Bing Crosby in 1943. By the mid-50s, he ran his own agency in Los Angeles. He got together with The Platters and refined their sound by making tenor Tony Williams the lead singer and adding Zola Taylor from Shirley Gunter & The Queens. Mixed groups were very unusual in R & B at the time. Ram got them out of their contract at Federal and moved them to Mercury Records. Only You was written by Ram and it was their first big hit in 1956. The group was presented as very classy & elegant. The Platters had several more hits until Tony Williams left in 1961. There have been various versions of The Platters over the years but Ram owned the name until his death on Jan. 1, 1991 at age 73. This 4CD Rhino box set is the definitive doo wop comp. There are Platters comps available but be sure you get the original versions of their recordings. The Platters' recordings like Only You continue to hold up well today and Buck Ram has a lasting legacy because of that success. Here are The Platters performing Only You in the 1956 film Rock Around The Clock.

Pro Wrestling SUN visits Nikkan Sports

The Pro Wrestling SUN girls were out making the media rounds to promote the Oct. 7 Osaka show. Nanae Takahashi, Hikaru, Saki Maemura & Natsuki*Taiyo visited Lady's Ring & Nikkan Sports and Nikkan has posted the video evidence. They mostly talked about how exciting it is to have a show in Osaka and everybody should come, the usual thing. Takahashi told Lady's Ring that she was very happy to have a ZERO-ONE MAX match on the show for the first time because of the many times the SUN girls have appeared on ZERO-ONE MAX shows. Enjoy the video.



FreeVideoCoding.com

Interview with Fuuka, the Shirai sisters & RICA

Sportsnavi has posted an in depth interview with Fuuka, Mio & Io Shirai and RICA to promote the Sept. 30 Fuuka Matsuri show. We do get a bit of a clarification about Fuuka's activities. Fuuka was asked about her right knee. She says it's not perfect but it's good enough. There's no pain. She says she wants to be ready for the EWA Womens Title match against Tracy Taylor. She wants to win the title and then defend it at Fuuka Matsuri in December. She was asked about her younger sister Fuuka Kidd. She says they will be reunited after being separated for a long time and it's a taboo subject in her family.

Next is the first Sportsnavi interview for Mio & Io Shirai. Since they are on opposite sides of a tag team on this show, they were asked if they've fought each other before. They said yeah and it's not a big deal. They were asked about the pain of being a pro wrestler. Io says there's pain on Sunday but it's gone by the time she goes to high school on Monday. Io is 17 and Mio is 19 and is in the second year at a special school. They were asked how they got into pro wrestling. Mio says MAHEKEN owner Tomo Hashimoto asked them about it. She went to a show with a friend and decided to try it. Then Io got interested. They didn't know Hashimoto before but it seems he was looking around for girls to train.

They talk a bit about their match at Fuuka Matsuri. Mio wants to pin her sister. Io says she has a really strong partner in JWP's Arisa Nakajima and Io wants to pin her older sister. All four girls get a good laugh from this. Io says there is also an older sister and she designs all their costumes. Mio says they were happy to be invited to be on Fuuka Matsuri. They like to work a lot of shows. They also said that Hashimoto is going away to the US for a couple of months.

Next was a brief talk with RICA. She was asked about the chalk art she's doing for the Fuuka Matsuri show. She says the signboards are already done and they can be seen on her blog. She uses oil paints in school but the chalk art is for fun. The four were asked if they are dancing together at the show. Fuuka said no but they do have a band and are planning to record a CD. She hasn't recorded any songs yet. Supposedly they will debut as a group on the Sept. 30 show. RICA says she's a lead singer in a girl group. Have they decided what instruments they will play? RICA said sort of. Mio says they'll decide somehow. What will Fuuka do? She says she hasn't done any music so she doesn't know. Io says she wants to play drums but has never done that. Mio says she played a little guitar in high school. Fuuka thinks she can play a tambourine. She says she's not worried because RICA can play guitar. Fuuka says they're looking to release the CD in February at her fourth anniversary.

Fuuka says it's not just the four of them on the Fuuka Matsuri debut. Several dancers will appear in the opening of the show. She also has the exhibition with Karate Idol Yuka Kobayashi and Matsuoka Satohaka has wriiten and performed a new theme song for Fuuka called SPEED. She thinks fans will get their money's worth. Fuuka was asked if this group of four has a name. She says Fuuka Ranger. Obviously a lot of the talk about music was just joking around. But joshi has a long history of singing wrestlers mostly from the glory days of All Japan Women. We just haven't seen much of that lately. All four girls said they want to put on the best possible show and make Fuuka Matsuri a success.

Yahoo LAUNCHCAST Song Of The Day-New Direction

Artist:New Direction

Song:Glory Glory

Album:Get Your Praise On

New Direction is a very energetic contemporary gospel choir from Chicago. The two guys behind the choir are brothers Percy Gray Jr. & Jeral Gray Sr. Both acknowledge the late great Milton Brunson as a major influence. Percy has been working with Chicago choirs since 1983 including the Chicago Mass Choir & Milton Brunson's Thompson Community Singers. Jeral had worked in music part time and held a full time job. In 1994, Jeral quit his job and formed New Direction and asked Percy to help him. They have three choirs under the Praise II Choir umbrella; New Direction, Righteous Living & Chapter Ministry Singers. Jeral supervises New Direction. New Direction signed with Word Records' Myrrh label in 1999. Get Your Praise On was their second CD in 2000. It's got great songs and arrangements with a horn section led by sax player Jim Horn and arranged by Lloyd Barry. New Direction moved over to GospoCentric in 2004 and their latest CD Send The Praise was released last year. Most gospel fans will really enjoy New Direction. Here's the video for I Came To Jesus by New Direction. It gives a really good sample of their energy.

Matsuo as underdog champ

So with all the criticism of Haruka Matsuo winning the NEO Singles & NWA Pacific Titles, we're all wondering how NEO GM Koda will book the new champ. The Sept. 24 Itabashi Green Hall show spells it out very clearly. There were 128 fans in attendance. Matsuo had her first post title winning match against veteran Etsuko Mita. Basically, Mita beat the crap out of her for 18 minutes. She kicked her and stomped her and verbally taunted her with "Are you still a champion?" during the match. After all that, Matsuo did something that was described as "cheating" and rolled her up for the win at 18:08. Mita was dumbfounded after the match. Generally speaking, the underdog champ is not very good long term booking strategy because at some point you have to have the champ look like a champ. But it might be fun for a couple of months. I'm sure there are fans that like the idea of Matsuo getting beat up all the time.

NEO is also doing what appears to be a standard veteran vs youngster angle. Toshie Uematsu & Ran YuYu defeated Aoi Kizuki & Nagisa Nozaki when Uematsu used a diving body press on on Nozaki at 17:36. Afterwards, Kizuki grabbed the mic and asked Uematsu if she remembers what it was like when she was a rookie. Why doesn't she wear that green bathing suit she wore in GAEA. Uematsu's reaction wasn't pleasant and I have video from the NEO site for your enjoyment. Other matches on the show had Shuu Shibutani over Asuka Ohki with a Northern Lights suplex at 9:33, Tanny Mouse & Yuki Miyazaki over Mika Mizunuma & Yuiga at 8:48, Misar Genki over Mai Ichii in 10:50 and Yoshiko Tamura over Tomoka Nakagawa with the Pariot Buster at 11:48. NEO announced that Yuki Miyazaki suffered a hip pointer on the show and will miss this weekend's dojo show. And they announced that their 10th Anniversary show will be Jan. 6, 2008 at Korakuen Hall. Here's the video.

FreeVideoCoding.com