The Purple Pinup Guru Platform

When purple things are pulsating on your mind, I'm the one whose clock you want to clean. Aiding is Sparky, the Astral Plane Zen Pup Dog from his mountain stronghold on the Northernmost Island of the Happy Ninja Island chain, this blog will also act as a journal to my wacky antics at an entertainment company and the progress of my self published comic book, The Deposit Man which only appears when I damn well feel like it. Real Soon Now.

Friday, October 21, 2005

SPARKY: FEARLESSLY FACING FRIDAY'S FULLNESS FROM FUKUOKA!

Japanese idol

A Japanese idol (????; aidoru) is a celebrity who achieves widespread popularity and fame in Japan largely by virtue of her looks. The term usually refers to female performers in their late teens and early twenties who are considered "kawaii" (pretty, cute) and achieve fame through publicity in the mass media. Male performers such as Masahiro Nakai (aka "Nakai-kun") from the singing group SMAP are also commonly referred to (and refer to themselves as) "idols." Japanese idols are predominantly singers and actors, as well as models (in the case of females) for weekly men's magazines such as "Friday" and "Shuukan Gendai". Some of them may also appear as TV personalities (tarento). The idol phenomenon of Japan is comparable to Western concepts such as teen idol and celebrity.
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History

The idol phenomenon began during the early seventies and this reflected increasingly materialistic and richer Japanese youths. Teenage girls, mostly between 14 and 16, began rising to stardom. One in particular, Momoe Yamaguchi, was a huge star until her retirement for marriage in 1980. Idols dominated the pop music scene in the 80s; and this period is known as the "Golden Age of Idols in Japan". In a single year, as many as 40 or 50 new idols could appear, only to disappear from the public spotlight shortly afterwards. A few idols from that era, such as Seiko Matsuda, are still popular. In the 90s, the power of Japanese idols began to wane, as the music industry shifted towards rock musicians and singers for whom music was a more important sales point than looks or wholesomeness, as well as towards genres such as rap that were harder to square with conventional prettiness. The Japanese idol phenomenon has had a large impact on popular culture in Hong Kong and Taiwan, especially Cantopop.

It is commonly said female Japanese idols represent the perfect female form in Japanese society. They are symbols of female sexuality and are often dressed erotically. For this reason they are often idolised by both males and females. Male audiences' infatuations with an idol's good looks are fed with detailed information about the idol's measurements, favourite colours, food, hobbies, blood type etc. Female audiences are interested in imitating their style, hair colour, fashion etc. Good examples of fashion-leader idols are Ayumi Hamasaki, Noriko Sakai, Ryoko Hirosue and Namie Amuro.

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Namie Amuro was the most popular idol in the late 1990s, although marketed as more sexy and mature than other idols. She began her career in 1992 as a vocalist for the pop group Super Monkeys, but the group flopped very quickly. Producers liked Amuro, and in 1995, she went solo, enjoying massive success. One of her recent CDs, "Sweet 19 Blues", sold three million copies in advance sales, and went on to become the best-selling album in the history of Japan. This number has since been eclipsed by Hikaru Utada who is known as the current diva.

A diversification occurred in the 1990s and instead of few idols vying for popularity, a number of idols with specific characteristics divided the market. In the mid 1990s, idols became much younger than before, and groups of idols like Speed and Morning Musume became prominent. A new genre of idols called Net Idols became known in the late 1990s, only appearing on websites. In 1997, there appeared Kyoko Date, the first "cyber idol" or "virtual idol". Kyoko Date has a fabricated history and statistics and her own songs. Meanwhile, gurabia aidoru (????????, i.e. "[photo]gravure idols") such as Yoko Matsugane, Rio Natsume and Eiko Koike have largely appeared skimpily clad in cheesecake photographs, and some such as Natsuko Tohno and Sora Aoi have done the same nude.
The image “http://www.japanforever.net/noriko%20sakai4.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.

Culture

The culture of Japanese idol has changed over the years and it is questionable whether past idols would have same amount of success if given the same opportunity today. Most of those called idols have sung songs that would fit J-Pop and they are generally cute if not beautiful.

In the 1970s, idols had an aura of mystique that left much of their lifestyles secret. Their public and "private" lives were carefully orchestrated - they always appeared perfect in all situations and seemed to enjoy a lavish lifestyle that most Japanese could only dream about. In reality, however, they were placed under continuous surveillance by their promotors and were unable to enjoy the private lives invented for them. Their pay was surprisingly low. They were often overworked and even if their songs sold well most of the money went to the musicians and writers. Fans had few opportunities to see them beyond a few minutes on TV or radio and it was difficult to share their interests. Magazines were the best source for information and many idols had an official fan clubs that periodically mailed what little information could be released.

In the 1980s, idols became much closer to an average Japanese person, because the average lifestyle of the Japanese improved. While still tightly controlled, idols were allowed to show more of their actual personalities and were permitted to let out some carefully scripted outbursts. The media often fabricated "competitions" between two or more idols, based on things like the number of records sold, the number of fans in the official fan club, etc. In the late 1980s, instead of relying on magazines and TV, some started experimenting with new media and technologies like video games, with mixed results. The working conditions of idols improved and even those with a limited success can live modestly and more of the money made was paid to idols themselves, though they still only received a small proportion.

In the 1990s, instead of being marketed as people who lived better and were better than average, idols became people who just happened to have a little something to become popular. Where the tastes of past idols had to be saccharine, it was now acceptable for an idol to simply love eating ramen or to display something other than a smile, to lament having got a little out of shape or to admit to shopping around for lower prices. Idols also became a fixture in countless anime by singing opening or ending songs that have little relevance to the anime itself. Some experimented with being seiyu, and seiyu themselves became somewhat like idols, becoming increasingly popular. Even today, some are still involved with the video game industry, not entirely successfully.

Theory

Dr. Hiroshi Aoyagi has proposed that Japanese idols are a modern version of the geisha, a woman whose art is to perform a highly stylised and artificial interpretation of ideal feminine beauty. He also parallels the phenomenon to ritualistic practices in other cultures. As traditional institutions break down as a result of modernization and industrialization, Aoyagi argues that the mass media are fulfilling this function more and more, and that the nationally-known teen idols in Japan are in fact playing the all-important role of performing their culture for their audiences.

List of Japanese idols

(Note: By their nature, idols often have a short celebrity life-span, so the above list may become rapidly out of date.)

See also


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Noriko Sakai

Noriko Sakai (????, Sakai Noriko. born February 14, 1971) is a J-pop star and actress.

Sakai was born in the Fukuoka Prefecture in Kyushu, Japan. Her debut single was on February 5, 1987. The name of that song was "otoko ni naritai" (I want to be a boy). Above 40000 copies were sold. She remained a lovely, energetic girl idol in Japan in the 80s.

Discography
  • Fantasia – Noriko part 1
  • Guanbare – Noriko part 2
  • Guanbare CDV Special
  • Times – Noriko part 3
  • Yumeboken Noriko Special
  • Soundtrack - Gunbusters (Active Heart)
  • Blue Wind – Noriko part 4
  • My Dear – Noriko part 5
  • Singles – Noriko Best
  • White Girl – Noriko part 6
  • Sweet'n Bitter – Noriko part 7
  • CD-File 1
  • CD-File 2
  • CD-File 3
  • Soundtrack - Video Girl Ai (Ureshi Namida)
  • Magical Montage Company
  • Sentimental Best
  • Manmoth
  • Singles Noriko Best II
  • Anata-ga Michite yuku
  • Natural Best
  • 10 Songs
  • Watercolour
  • Twin Best (dual album)
  • HoHoe (Chineese: Smile)
  • Soundtrack - Hoshi no Kinka (Aoi Usagi)
  • Soundtrack - Zoku Hoshi no Kinka (Kagami no Doresu)
  • In Snowflakes
  • Workout Fine
  • moments
Television Dramas
  • Toi Shinseki Chikaku no Tanin, NHK 1990
  • Hitotsu Yane no Shita as Kashiwagi Koyuki, Fuji TV 1993
  • Longing For The Old You, NTV 1994
  • Watashi, Mikata Desu, TBS 1995
  • Hoshi no Kinka as Kuramoto Aya, NTV 1995
  • Zoku Hoshi no Kinka as Kuramoto Aya, NTV 1996
  • Hitotsu Yane no Shita 2 as Kashiwagi Koyuki, Fuji TV 1997
  • Seija no Koushin, TBS 1999
  • Tenshi ga Kieta Machi, NTV 2000
  • Honke no Yome, NTV 2001
  • Toshiie and Matsu as One, NHK 2002
  • Mukodono 2003, Fuji TV 2003
  • Fight as Kido Ayako, NHK 2005

Filmography


Sora Aoi
Sora Aoi

Birthdate: November 11, 1983
Birth location: Tokyo, Japan
Birth name: -
Date of death: -
Measurements: 35-23-33
Height: 5 feet 1 inch (155 cm)
Weight: -
Eye color: -
Hair color: -
Natural bust: Disputed
Orientation: Heterosexual
Ethnicity: Japanese
Alias(es): Sola Aoi, ????
Website: aoisola.net

Sora Aoi (????, also known as Sola Aoi) is a Japanese AV idol, or porn star, and nude model. She was born on November 11, 1983 in Tokyo, Japan. She made her debut as a nude model in November 2001 and gained popularity due to her young-looking face and voluptuous figure. In May 2002, she made her debut as an AV idol (pornstar) in the film Happy Go Lucky, with the two adult film studios Samansa and Alice Japan. Although she was criticised for faking sex in her films, made possible by the Japanese censorship laws, Aoi gained more fame. At one point, she was in the top 10 Internet searches on Google and Yahoo! Japan. Aoi has since played parts in non-pornographic films and TV shows and sang on some punk rock albums. She continued to work for Alice Japan and Samansa until November 2004, when her contract was not renewed. Sora then moved to a newly formed porn film production company known as S1 - the studio's main selling points were that its films were thinly censored because the company that applied the censor was not monitored by the Japanese government and that the films contained more hardcore scenes such as gang rape and bondage. She has stayed with S1 (as of July 2005) and continues to release on average about one film a month with them.

Prior to signing with Kuki (Samansa, Alice Japan, etc.), Sora made two other adult movies. Summer Break and Twinkle Twinkle supposedly aired on a subscription porn TV service, although details have not been confirmed. Furthermore, Sora has done at least a few gravure (nude-only) movies over the years, such as Blue, Full Nude, and Full Nude 2.

Figures

Height: 1.55 m (5' 1")
Measurements: B:90 (F Cup) W:58 H:83 (35-23-33)
Blood type: B

Filmography

  • Summer Break
  • Twinkle Twinkle
  • Happy Go Lucky
  • Let's Go Blue in the Sky
  • Virgin Sky
  • Cosmic Girl
  • 50/50
  • Sola-Graph
  • Sexy Fruit
  • The Secret of Younger Sister
  • Mejiri
  • Splash
  • Soap Heaven
  • Max Cafe
  • Y-Setsu Model
  • Be My Valentine
  • Lolipop
  • Witch Hunt
  • Fetisch Sola
External links


Have a fun Friday! - Sparks

SPARKY: hehehehehehehe!
Special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald is about to conclude his investigation.
Special counsel Patrick J. Fitzgerald is about to conclude his investigation.
Photo Credit: By Alex Wong -- Getty Images

Washington Post: Jim VandeHei and Peter Baker: Palpable Silence at White House: Bush administration nervously anticipates CIA leak probe indictments that could sideline top aides to Bush and Cheney. –

I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, left, Karl Rove, center, and prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald (AP / CBS)
Key Players in CIA Leak Investigation

Former ambassador Joseph Wilson blasts Bush in SoCal speech


- pondering who to feature for the Guru's Friday Fantasy Femme Fatale ... - Sparks

Thursday, October 20, 2005

SPARKY: CONTINUING MY LITTLE 'TOLD YOU SO' — ROVE TO SACRIFICE “SCOOTER!” HE REALLY THINKS WE'RE ALL STUPID. TIME TO GET RUMMY, CHENEY AND ROVE AS WELL.

The CIA Leak Case
Rove Told Jury Libby May Have Been His Source
White House adviser testifies that he learned the name of CIA operative Valerie Plame before her identity was revealed.


“... Libby's lawyer, Joseph Tate, did not return calls for comment last night. Rove's attorney, Robert Luskin, declined to comment. The development was first reported last night by the Associated Press.

Lawyers in the case have said Rove and Libby are the central focus of Special Prosecutor Patrick J. Fitzgerald's 22-month investigation, which is scheduled to end by the time the grand jury expires Oct. 28. But they are not the only officials worried about the uncertain conclusion to the case.

John Hannah, an aide to Cheney and one of two dozen people questioned in the CIA leak case, has told friends in recent months he is worried he may be implicated by the investigation, according to two U.S. officials.

It is not clear whether Hannah had any role in unmasking Plame, or why he should fear Fitzgerald's probe. But the eleventh-hour emergence of another possible target shows how Fitzgerald has cast his net so widely over the past two years that it is impossible to know who, if anyone, it might ensnare.

Fitzgerald and his team have interviewed or taken before the grand jury at least two dozen officials or staffers from the White House, the vice president's office, the State Department and the CIA, according to people involved in the case.

Fitzgerald has dug into the deepest corners of the administration, pressing for information about everything from the mechanics of a secretive group of officials tasked with selling the Iraq war, to the State Department officials who assembled information on Wilson, the diplomat-turned-Iraq war critic, according to people familiar with the case. The focus has been on who leaked Plame's name, and who else knew about it. ...”(complete in link)
THE GOOGLE NEWS CRAWL ON ROVE

USA Today
Rove in more spy strife
Australian, Australia - 1 hour ago
... agent to the US media - a criminal offence - took another damaging turn for the White House yesterday with allegations that top Bush aide Karl Rove had pointed ...
Rove said to talk to Libby on CIA aide Boston Globe
AP: Rove, Libby discussed reporter info San Jose Mercury News
Democrats question Bush-Rove meeting on CIA leak Reuters
Kansas City Star - San Diego Daily Transcript (subscription) - all 856 related »

Washington Post
Source: Rove, Libby discussed Plame
Indianapolis Star, United States - 7 hours ago
WASHINGTON -- New York Times reporter Judith Miller appealed to senators Wednesday for a federal law to shield the identities of news sources. ...
The Sorry Story Of Judith Miller: The Times Was Wrong Hartford Courant
Editorial: Blood on their hands People's Weekly World
EDITORIALS : Judith Miller’s mess Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (subscription)
Independent - Reuters - all 419 related »

Washington Post
Rove's fate leaves Bush agenda in the balance
Financial Times, UK - 20 hours ago
By Caroline Daniel. If Karl Rove, chief political strategist for President George W. Bush, were a betting man he might be feeling relieved. ...
Democrats want Bush-Rove details Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
George Bush May Be Distancing Himself From Karl Rove The Moderate Voice
Bush needs a good lawyer to clear his name Baraboo News Republic
Press & Sun-Bulletin - Kansas City Star - all 54 related »

NewsBusters
Olbermann Hypes Idea that Bush Lied about Rove's Role in CIA Leak ...
NewsBusters - 11 hours ago
... night, MSNBC's Keith Olbermann began his show by hyping an article by the New York Daily News claiming that President Bush "rebuked Karl Rove" two years ago ...
Matthews Raises Watergate Specter: "What Did the President Know ... NewsBusters
It's Not the Crime It's the Cover-Up Brad Blog
Veep Out? Slate
Quadrangle (subscription) - Reuters - all 8 related »


Guerrilla News Network
Myths To A Plame: The Case Against Rove
Investor's Business Daily (subscription) - 16 hours ago
Politics: As special prosecutor Patrick Fitzgerald's mandate expires, Karl Rove's only crime may be not that he "outed" Valerie Plame as a CIA operative but ...
Husband of ex-covert CIA officer calls leak a defamation campaign Boston Globe
Husband of ex-covert CIA officer calls leak a defamation campaign Eyewitness News
Wilson: Bush Administration misinformed the American people MetroWest Daily News
all 50 related »
Judy, Scooter, Karl, Harriet, Saddam & Co.
Washington Post, United States - 55 minutes ago
... News on the Plame front, first broken by the AP: Rove testified that Libby told him about Valerie and they discussed their conversations with reporters on the ...
Roger Simon: Generating answers for the Karl Rove investigation The Union Leader
all 3 related »

Unconfirmed Sources (satire)
Rove, Libby, Meirs, and Cheney appear on Leaked list of Upcoming ...
Unconfirmed Sources (satire) - 18 hours ago
Unconfirmed sources reports that a draft list of White House officials to be pardoned by the President has been leaked to the media. ...
Rove/Plame: the witness list
Minneapolis City Pages, MN - 22 hours ago
The National Journal's blog, The Hotline, has compiled a list of the people who have spoken to Patrick Fitzgerald and/or testified before his grand jury. ...
Rove cancels three appearances before conservatives in the past ...
Newsday, NY - Oct 18, 2005
WASHINGTON -- Juggling appearances before a grand jury and conservative admirers didn't seem to make sense, so presidential adviser Karl Rove has canceled ...
Rove cancels three appearances before conservatives in the past ... WTNH


John Lapp wrote Sparky asking him to share the below -- but I was already prepped with the news ...

Just want to give you an update on Tom DeLay's legal situation. Yesterday, he was issued an arrest warrant and in coming days, as hard as this is to believe, he will be booked, fingerprinted and seen in a mug shot. That's right, the former Republican Leader, now twice indicted, will face the humility of a mug shot.
The Associated Press is reporting...

"A Texas court issued a warrant Wednesday for former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay to appear for booking, where he is likely to face the fingerprinting and photo mug shot he had hoped to avoid.

"Bail was initially set at $10,000 as a routine step before his first court appearance on conspiracy and money laundering charges. Travis County court officials said DeLay was ordered to appear at the Fort Bend County jail for booking."

Then came this from Tom DeLay's hometown paper yesterday morning...

DeLay's lawyer lacking evidence of DA misconduct
Houston Chronicle -- October 19, 2005

"U.S. Rep. Tom DeLay's chief lawyer says he has no evidence that Travis County District Attorney Ronnie Earle participated in grand jury deliberations, despite having made that allegation in motions to dismiss DeLay's indictments."

Tom DeLay fought the law, and the law is winning.

We'll keep you updated in days to come -- stay tuned.

Sincerely,


John Lapp
Executive Director, DCCC

P.S. -- Even mired in disgrace and supposedly stripped of his leadership role, we hear that DeLay is still taking part in Republican Leadership meetings, making crucial decisions that affect us all. No Republican in Congress has challenged this outrage, and to this day only three out of more than 200 Republicans have given back the money they took from him. The DCCC is committed to installing a Congress that provides more for America than blind obedience to Tom DeLay.


The image “http://www.truthout.org/imgs.art_01/3.delay100404.jpg” cannot be displayed, because it contains errors.CBS INTERACTIVE:
DeLay's Dilemma
Here's a look at the career and the woes of the former House majority leader.

Arrest warrant issued for Tom DeLay

October 20, 2005

An arrest warrant was issued on Wednesday for U.S. House Majority Leader Tom DeLay. Bail was set at $10,000 ahead of his scheduled court appearance in Austin, Texas for money laundering and conspiracy charges.

Court officials said DeLay was expected to go to Fort Bend County Jail in his district near Houston for booking, but this has not yet been confirmed. DeLay has been charged with conspiracy and money laundering in a campaign finance scheme tied to his political action committee, Texans for a Republican Majority. Texas law forbids the use of corporate money in political campaigns. He is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Friday before state District Judge Bob Perkins.

He has denied any wrongdoing, but is accused of laundering $190,000 in corporate campaign contributions through the Republican National Committee for distribution to Republican candidates for the Texas Legislature in 2002.

Previous related news Sources


Harriet Miers with Arlen Specter
Supreme Court nominee Harriet Miers meets with Sen. Arlen Specter on Monday
Miers Once Vowed to Support Ban on Abortion
Tuesday's disclosure did not appear to quell doubts among some conservatives.




Time for a bow, Sparks

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

SPARKY: I TOLD YOU SO ...

The CIA Leak Case washingtonpost.com: Jim VandeHei and Walter Pincus: Cheney's Office Is A Focus in Leak Case

SPARKY: PONDER THIS ONE WHILE WE WAIT FOR FITZGERALD TO DO THE RIGHT THING WITH CHENEY, ROVE AND THEIR GREEDY BAND OF TRAITORS TO AMERICA


Congressional Republicans took $2,452,959 from Tom DeLay.

Forward Our Message to Your Friends.

Sparky,

Two weeks ago, we offered the Republicans in Congress an opportunity. The American people were watching, and we gave them a chance to show that middle-class families are more important than their twice indicted and three-times admonished Republican House Leader. Thank you for adding your voice to our call.

At the beginning, only three out of more than 200 Republicans who accepted DeLay's influence peddling money took this opportunity to return the money and declare their independence. That number still stands at... three.

So now more than ever, we have to keep up the pressure. More calls, more e-mails, more petition signatures. Let's reach a critical mass! Make them walk the line -- they can either choose to return the money and stand with the American people, or keep the money and stand with Tom DeLay -- the former Republican Leader who has been admonished three times by the Ethics Committee and indicted multiple times by a grand jury.

Republicans got themselves into a bad spot through years of blind loyalty to DeLay and his culture of corruption. Time and time again, they've taken DeLay's dirty money thereby accepting the corrupting influence of the DeLay, Inc. money machine and marking themselves as DeLay dead-enders. But we are exposing them. Through the dozens of local and national press stories we generated, hard working families are beginning to know the truth.

Now, we need to give them one final push before we deliver your names to their campaigns. If you haven't forwarded this to your friends and family, please ask them to join us now:

Forward Our Call to Tell House Republicans to Return DeLay's Dirty Money.

In the disgraceful energy bill vote two weeks ago, you could see the gears of Tom DeLay's machine in action, fueled by the millions of dollars he's pumped into the Republican Congress.

Just days after Katrina struck, DeLay announced 1 he and "Smoky" Joe Barton would put together an energy package in the name of the disaster. Ears perked up from the oil industry lobbyists 2, and they came running to get a seat at the table with the two Republicans known as "The Toxic Texans."

Surprise, surprise, out comes a bill that allows more pollution, gives more handouts to one of the most profitable industries in the world, and does nothing to lower the obscene gas prices that fuel those profits.

No Republican in their right mind could think this was good policy. They all had seen a letter from a fellow Republican pointing out that "The new energy bill will do nothing for consumers and will hurt taxpayers, but it sure will help the bottom line of oil companies." 3

So why did 212 of them vote for it? Because that's just how things work when Tom DeLay is in charge. All he asked for from the Republicans he supported was that they vote as he told them to on the bills that showered giveaways on his donors. That's exactly what they've done for years, and even after he had been indicted, they did it again.

If you have a friend or family member angry about gas prices, forward this on so they know what the Republican Congress in Washington is "doing about it" -- and how they can fight back:

Forward Our Call to Tell House Republicans to Return DeLay's Dirty Money.

We can't let up for a minute -- Republicans in Congress need to start working for the American people and not Tom DeLay.

Sincerely,

John Lapp
Executive Director, DCCC


1 The Hill, October 8
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Frontpage/090805/gop.html

2 The Hill, October 14
http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/Business/091405.html

3 Mercury News, October 6
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/12837366.htm

More to come I'm sure of it - Sparks