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An REC History Lesson |
| 1984
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July 20, 1984 was the day that 882-6328 was connected. The original name
for REC was "California Comments". The name was taken from a short segment that
used to air on KFI where
callers would call 213-CALL-KFI and then their messages would be played on the air.
The first 22 "CalCom" tapes were 6 minute recordings using a
Radio Shack answering
machine and a 6 minute loop cassette tape purchased from Sandy's Electronics in
Canoga Park. Tapes were done twice a week. In late October, the Radio Shack
machine was replaced by a Record-A-Call 675 which means that REC could run up to
30 minute output recordings. Mike "Wolfman Jack" Granada Hills and Don G. Calcom
guest-stars on some episodes.
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| 1985
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REC continues the first season on the Record-A-Call. An "Instant Input" line was
added so callers can leave comments without having to listening to the entire
recording. After 49 episodes, REC closes out the first season and retires the
Record-A-Call. A new two line answering device built by Jim Clothesline was
installed. A third "auxilliary" line was added. The first program to air on
the new output equipment was the 3rd Annual ARTE Awards. In the evening before
the premiere of the ARTE Awards, REC ran it's first live "broadcast" where
the studio board was connected to the output devices and callers listened in
anticipation of the ARTE presentation. The answering device could be very easily
converted into a two line conference. At times, we would switch the system into
conference mode. REC resumes recordings with Tape #50, the Cinco De Mayo Special
featuring Nino Telephun. In 1985, REC also experimented with ))STEREO PHONE((
where we recorded the output tape in stereo and then played the left channel
into one phone line and right channel in the other. Callers with two phone lines
and two phones can call and put one phone in each ear for an audio experience.
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| 1986
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REC starts adding more lines for conference. In the Spring, we break for the
4th Annual ARTE Awards. Calcom wins Best Comment Line this year. This was
the last ARTE presentation. Legendary traffic reporter Bruce Wayne was killed
in a plane crash in Fullerton. REC ran a memorial recording. This year, REC
also ran a tribute recording to the space program submitted by caller
Larry (New Jersey) Inglewood. In August, Calcom came back up with Tape #100
and a new name, REC 407. In the fall, a new voice is heard on REC tapes,
Bo Zipkin aka The Dude from Calabasas.
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| 1987
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During the beginning of the year, REC is continuing to make recordings. However
during this time, REC is working with Dave Reseda on a new interactive system.
We wanted to bring a "touch tone activated conference" similar to the old
Oakland City Conference to Southern California. Work started on the prototype
system. The project was shelved for something better. There were these cards
that were very expensive that can connect to an IBM compatible computer and each
card can hook up to four phone lines. A separate card allowed for conferencing
up to two of those cards. Someone was willing to supply us with those cards.
So, REC went ahead and purchased it's first PC Compatible. An IBM XT Clone with
4MB of RAM, MS-DOS and a 20MB hard drive. The system, called the "REC Conference
Voice Mail and Information Access Service" identified each caller with a 3 digit
user number. Callers would be able to leave private messages to each other,
be able to put outgoing messages on "IAS" boxes and use the conference to talk
to each other. "Generation 1" as we call it now was very archaic compared to what
would come out in the future.
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| 1988
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Generation 1 would continue to operate. Over time, it would experience problems
such as lagging from the computer trying to keep up. Remember, we were still on
an XT (for those newbies, that was before the 286). The system was eventually taken
down and REC went back to output recordings. In late 1988, REC would come up with
it's next system, Generation 2. G2 still experienced some of the problems of G1.
For awhile, REC tapes would run parallel to the system.
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| 1989
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Generation 2 will continue to run. Most people came for the conference.
A few tapes were made during this time. The REC Cow made a mark on the future
of conference lines in the Valley.
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| 1990
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1990 saw something that has been asked for the most on REC systems and finally
we budged. The REC Generation 3 system came up with public message capability.
The system, known publically as "The Public Side" was the most successful system
so far. The computer was upgraded to a 286 and a second 20MB hard drive was
added on. The main reason why we have been resistant to running a public
message system was because of the impact it could have on REC recordings.
For a period of time, REC recordings and the Public Side ran in parallel.
After 199 recordings, REC discontinues commentline operations in the
San Fernando Valley. The REC Public Side was here to stay.
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| 1991
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In 1991, the Public Side was REC's main form of operation. Over the past couple
of years REC ran a WWIV bulletin board system. This system operated off and on
during the years. In 1991, REC held a very successful phone party, the "REC
Summer In The Park" offered callers 177 minutes of bonus time, just for showing
up. REC issued Tape #200 to celebrate the 7th anniversary of REC. The recording
aired on the neighboring Comedy Music Line.
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| 1992
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The Public Side still operated however there were reports of "a big tarp being
laid over the West San Fernando Valley". Suddenly one day, the REC Public Side
became REC MegaCity. Inspired by another line called "Teletown" that also operated
in the San Fernando Valley, REC takes the use of compass navigation over the phone
to the extreme. Instead of a small town, the entire west San Fernando Valley was
laid out over the phone. Callers would use their phones to move between intersections.
Callers could set up their own 'houses' where they can put a short message on it
and then people would leave messages. Messages could be either private or public.
Certain theme rooms were also set up based on real landmarks that are at the
locations depicted on the phone system. Did you know that we actually went up and
down every street that was placed in the MegaCity layout to get the landmarks.
MegaCity was the first phone system that some users would need a map in order to
navigate around in. In September, REC shuts down all operations in the San Fernando
Valley.
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| 1993
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In 1993, REC resurfaces in a less likely place, Palmdale. What is now the home
of AfroMan was once the home of REC805. In the AV, REC ran a short commentline
stint and also operated computer BBS.
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| 1994
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January 17, 1994, everyone in the San Fernando Valley was woken up by a shake
rattle and a big roll. Later in the year, REC comes back up in the San Fernando
Valley with REC Generation 4 based out of Van Nuys. G4 was definitely the most
successful REC system ever. G4 featured the Public Side as well as "Kristi Kitty's
very Private Side". So private, you needed to be invited. Some of the famous
IAS personalities such as John Sylmar's "Sport's Beat" came back and this REC system
also featured horse racing. REC had a list of over 150 "horse" names and starting
at 1:05 in the afternoon and then every 30 minutes, the horses would run. Callers
would wager their time. Callers with "winning tickets" would receive additional
time on the system. The system also featured a slot machine and other games of
chance where callers can redeem their time for points.
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| 1995
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In 1995, REC took a break from phone lines. We all moved out to rural Nevada for
a short period of time before eventually moving to Phoenix, AZ.
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| 1996
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During this year, REC would come up in Phoenix with REC602, a short commentline
series. This would eventually lead into an interactive system dubbed "REC Generation
5". Unlike it's predecessors, G5 operated on a Unix based platform instead of a
MS-DOS platform. This allowed for some additional functionality and it cooked on
a 386! As the REC Cow was popular in the San Fernando Valley, callers in Phoenix
were crazy about Pink Plastic Flamingos. The Phoenix System had a public message
board called "The Never Ending Story", where callers append a message to an
ongoing story. The story eventually turned into martians who used Pink Plastic
Flamingos to take over the world.
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| 1997
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Even though REC has been operating websites since 1995 and computer BBSs since
the mid 80's. REC focused all of it's efforts on the internet. Many of the sites
operated by REC were experimental including AzTIP, the Arizona Transit Information
Page, which carried on-line bus schedules for the Phoenix bus system. This was
eventually replaced by the transit authority placing their own schedules on-line.
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| 1998
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Pretty much a dead year until the fall when a new TV show on Cartoon Network
caught the eye of REC's Michelle. REC was back up with a new website, "Michelle's
Powerpuff Girls Fan Site".
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| 1999
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Michelle's Powerpuff Girls site becomes POWERPUFF.COM. The audio entertainment side
of the house supports the operation by starting a service on the upstart service
Live365. POWERPUFF-FM operated a single narrowband feed of themes from American
cartoons. Later on in the year PPFM would start programming songs from Japanese
animation including many of the songs in Japanese. REC would affilliate with
retailer Trend Zone to offer some of the first Powerpuff Girls licensed merchandise.
REC gets it's broadband connection. POWERPUFF-FM blossomed (pardon the pun) a
second feed inspired by the Powerpuff Girls episode "Bubblevicious".
Powerpuff Hardcore was a broadband version of the POWERPUFF-FM feed but focused more
on full length tracks instead of the short cartoon themes and was very heavy on the
anime music. REC also operated REC Radio 1 featuring phone songs and phone skits,
Radio 2 with full length comment tapes, REC Radio 3 that played disco music and
whatever else we could find and REC "4" Jingles played.. what else? jingle ID
package demos.
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| 2000
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After all of the fears of the millenium bug were dispelled, POWERPUFF.COM continued
to be a very popular site even seeing visits from show staff including show creator
Craig McCracken. After being screwed over by CI Host, POWERPUFF.COM moves to
Sweeet Networks. In the summer, there was a shakeup on the radio side.
Powerpuff Hardcore came the broadband feed for the new Anime Hardcore Radio. A
narrowband feed for AHR was added. Shortly after, the format of AHR was split
into three different networks. Hardcore 1 played the upbeat anime themes,
Hardcore 2 played the lighter tracks. Background music and karaoke tracks were
moved to Hardcore 3. Each feed had a narrowband and a broadband version.
Hardcore 3 replaced REC Radios 3 and 4. Also in 1999 and 2000, REC has been very
politically active in the movement to legalize a new low power FM broadcast service
that would allow community organizations to operate their own FM stations. LPFM
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| 2001
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J-culture is the thing on REC. POWERPUFF.COM continues to be successful despite
almost an entire year of re-runs of the TV show. On Memorial Day weekend, one
year after Anime Hardcore Radio was born, the struggling Hardcore 3 Narrowband
feed becomes a new broadband service. Hardcore J first started off playing
JPOP songs from the same artists that performed the anime songs on Hardcore
1 and 2. The format eventually transformed into Top-30 reflecting the music
charts from Japan.
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| 2002
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The year starts with the Hardcore J Top 30 countdown becoming the Hardcore J Top
40 Countdown.
Many changes in the webcasting industry and a new definition to the word "CARP"
resulted in some major changes to webcasting at REC. REC eliminates all narrowband
broadcasting as well as the Hardcore 3 broadband feed.
The broadcasting side of the house saw an interim decision on digital audio broadcasting
with the adoption of the Ibiquity IBOC system.
The FCC opened up a remedial filing window for LPFM applicants who were short spaced on
the third adjacent channel due to congressional action that took place after the first
LPFM filing windows opened. REC provided database support for this window as well as
started a new service called MAX (Mutual Application Exchange) that allowed LPFM
applicants to communicate with each other in an effort to reduce the number of competing
applications.
The REC database products move to Gamesquad Networks and the products provided are
expanded to include database queries and professional broadcast services.
The year ends with "Watsumi no Ki" from Chitose Hajime being the number one JPOP song
on Hardcore J for 2002.
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| 2003
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The year begins with changes at Live365 that require listeners to get free passwords.
HCJ/HC1 listening declines slightly but then picks right back up. In February, REC drops free
listening on Hardcore 2 and Powerpuff-FM to focus on Hardcore 1 & J.
Nevada and Arizona are approved for 271, which allows SBC and Qwest to sell in-region
long distance in those states. Arizona was the last of the 50 states to get approved.
REC used the power of the pen to help fight off an attempt by a major religious broadcaster from being
able to expand satellite fed translators into the commercial FM broadcast band precluding
the LPFM stations supported by REC. In March, the "Great St. Patty's Day Massacre" saw
the dismissal of hundreds of LPFM applications that were not properly spaced because of
the revised 3rd adjacent channel rules. REC unsuccessfully filed for reconsideration.
Right afterwards, the FCC opened a window for translator applications in the commercial
FM band. The applications were dominated by two religious organizations who do not even
have a full power FM station.
REC files comments with the FCC on allowing license-free wireless devices in the
television spectrum.
The FCC starts taking action on the LPFM applicants that faced competing applications.
REC supported these applicants by providing different reports and suggestions.
After some pressure from another activist group, the FCC finally makes available the
independent report that shows that LPFM stations can be placed on the third adjacent
channel of a full power station.
The year ended with "Segai ni Itsu Dake no Hana" by SMAP being the #1 on Hardcore J's
Top 100 of the Year.
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| 2004
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The year starts off the 300th LPFM station filing their final license application. A whole
bunch of Calvary Chapel LPFM applications are dismissed for having "cookie cutter" information.
Using that case-law, REC files informal objections against 18 LPFM applications doing a similar
cookie cutter method. So far, most of the applications have been dismissed. 2004 saw another
rulemaking proposal for digital audio broadcasting, a contraversial proposal to allow wi-fi devices
on TV channels, broadband over powerline, changes to the Amateur Radio Service, an AM broadcast filing window and the
long awaited FM auction that netted millions of dollars for the FCC.
2004 was not a good year for Mercer Island High School in Washington State. The Class-D educational
station KMIH, though secondary in nature (like LPFM) was being threatened by a very interesting attempt
to move a rural Oregon station to the Seattle metro area. At the beginning of the year, this proceeding is
still being reviewed. REC provided assistance in this case and made sure that Class-D FM stations were
considered for protection in REC's filings. Some movement on the repeal of the third adjacent channel restrictions
but not enough for any change. REC broadcast database services were converted from using legacy flat-files
to SQL databases to improve the information given by our tools. REC filed significant comments in the broadcast
localism proceeding as well as a proposal to restrict LPFM stations in New Jersey. REC took on Educational Media
Foundation (K-Love and Air1) in comments made to the FCC regarding broadcast localism and the preclusion of local
religious and secular radio by large chain religious organizations setting up de-facto national networks using
full power and translator stations. REC reached out to EMF listeners to assure them that many of their stations
were not going to be displaced based on REC's translator proposal.
2004 saw the granting of the first LPFM timeshare agreements and the dreaded consecutive licenses to those groups
that could not agree. To celebrate REC's 20 year anniversary, all of the old REC Telephone Entertainment line
recordings were placed online and a project was started to place old Observatory recordings online. At the end
of the year, REC appeared for about 90 minutes on the "Tech This" radio show to discuss LPFM, the FCC, phones and
virtually everything else. Anime Hardcore Radio and Hardcore J continued to play Japan's hottest music.
Hardcore J's capacity was expanded in December for 2005. Ayaka Hirahara's hit "Jupiter" was this year's #1 song
on the Hardcore J Top-100 of the Year.
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| 2005
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2005 saw the folding of our web hosting provider. Game Squad Network ceases operation due to the decline
of revenue in web banner advertising. Many REC services move to internal REC Network servers. This change
saw the discontinuation of the Oekaki (Paint) BBS due to excessive bandwidth usage and operational issues.
Since the "TechThis" interview of late 2004, REC has been very involved with the W0KIE Satellite Network which led
to many opportunities for REC productions on the network. Over the course of the year, REC "Wild Feeds"
would fill in for various show hosts, REC's location in Arizona would be used several times for the year
as the venue for the "TechThis" and "FunZone" shows. REC produced a small series of short bits and
full-length songs called "REC Motivation", which aired primarily on the W0KIE show "Life The Universe and
Everything". These little bits were based on events that place on a previous show or in some cases, the
same show!
REC created a new website called w0kie.info that allowed show hosts to give a simple website
over the air and it would point to the URL of the show host on the air.
A short lived podcast called "The REC Report" gave news on tech and FCC issues.
A proposed deal between Live365
and a Japanese interest would have resulted in the loss of half of the listeners of Hardcore J and Hardcore 1.
This "J-listing" would have resulted in all Live365 stations operating Japanese content to not be heard in
Japan. Fortunately, the deal fell through and Hardcore J is as popular as ever in Japan. The floundering
"Hardcore X'tra" broadcasts (Hardcore 2, 3, 5 and Powerpuff-FM) have all faded out of existance through the
course of 2005. One broadcast, Hardcore 6 that plays "cute" JPOP continues to get a small listener base
and has been able to survive. REC converts Hardcore J to a live stream which gives new flexibility of
program scheduling and a much wider variety of music. Hardcore J introduces "Variety Weekend" which plays
music from the entire Hardcore J JPOP library. Through our new relationship with the W0KIE Satellite
Network, REC puts JPOP on terrestrial radio with "The Japanese Invasion", which airs on WTND-LP Macomb, IL.
In LPFM, 708 stations have filed their final license application. REC joined various groups in asking for
a freeze on the grants of construction permits for translators. The FCC accepted comments on some changes
to the LPFM service as well as changes to the FM Table of Allotments and City of License rules. REC
launched LPFM.WS as a user friendly guide to LPFM. A group had petitioned the FCC to establish a Low Power
AM (LPAM) service. REC supported the concept of LPAM but we supported it was a non-commercial service.
"Sakura" by Ketsumeishi was this year's #1 song on Hardcore J.
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| 2006
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2006 was a substantial year of change at REC, both personally and professionally. REC adds Canada to it's broadcast tools through periodic updates using extracted data from Industry Canada. FMFIND.info was created to provide a consumer friendly tool to search for FM frequencies that can be used by consumer electronic devices like satellite radio receivers. REC made various enhancements to its broadcast tool suite including how maps are displayed, DTV channel elections as well as new enhancements to tools relating to the Great Translator Invasion on 2003. REC created waves
in the Amateur Radio community by filing a brief with the FCC questioning a certain aspect of the FCC's enforcement action against Glenn Baxter, K1MAN regarding hams giving out website URLs over the air. REC Networks is added to Wikipedia. A major storm comes through Tempe causing minor damage at the Tempe Radio Ranch. REC comments partially in support of AM broadcast stations being able to use FM translators, but not at the expense of LPFM availability. Near the end of the year, we saw REC's Michelle finally get her legal name change to make the name Michelle Eyre fully official and after 20 years, Michelle leaves the telecommunications industry as her "real job" and gets an entry level job with a major airline. For W0KIE, REC produced many "motivations" this year including songs like "I Wanna' Be Blair Alper" and "JAWS Talking" as well as poking fun at Motel 6 and bedtime stories read by "Lady Alper". REC did a couple of parody versions of Japanese pop songs from the band AAA (Attack All Around) under the name "Srap All Around" including "Lady Srapping" and "On The Air at WTND". The latter was sung both in English and Japanese and was the first full-length Japanese parody song we have done. We joined with our friends at W0KIE to mourn the loss of Dishnut Gerry and our friends at Dementia Radio to mourn the loss of DJ Blindwulf. The year ends with the major announcement that REC has reached a technology transfer agreement with SIRIUS Satellite Radio where the rights to do Part 15 FM broadcast searches was sold to SIRIUS. REC stays on board to maintain the data. On New Years Eve, Anime Hardcore Radio quietly signs off to be replaced later in January by a new format. "Junrenka" by Shounan Nokaze was the number one song for the year on Hardcore J and was the first song to rank in the number one slot for the year that did not rank number one for a weekly chart.
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| 2007
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At first, 2007 was a pretty quiet year until March when REC introduced Hardcore XTRA,
a new streaming radio service that replaced Anime Hardcore Radio. Hardcore XTRA
featured the same anime format but also presented live and pre-recorded tech programming
from the W0KIE Network plus other providers as well as special programming such as an
all girlpop block and the return of POWERPUFF-FM. We mourned the loss of Izumi Sakai,
lead vocalist of the J-POP group Zard as well as W0KIE show host Dean Spratt and
KTLA anchorman Hal Fishman. We joined the entire state of Arizona in mourning when
two local news helicopters crashed over a city park in the middle of Phoenix resulting
in the loss of two pilots and two photojournalists. An electrical fire at REC did some
minor damage to the building and caused a slight network outage. Fortunately, no one
was injured. Proper fire procedures prevented a tragedy. The FCC opened a filing window
for new Non-Commerical Educational (NCE) radio stations. Over 3,500 applications were
filed. REC designed new broadacst tools and made enhancements to existing tools to
support the filing window. REC discontinues the long lasting "rec@recnet.com" e-mail
address and replaces public contact with an on-line form. At the end of November,
REC discontinues Hardcore XTRA and channel all internet streaming efforts on Hardcore J,
which is still fairly successful. The year ends with REC evaluating the latest proposed
rule changes for the LPFM service. While all of this is going on, REC's Michelle takes
on a new interest of flat track roller derby and using the creative resources of REC
to support it. This included a significant amount of graphic design work and the
recording of 4 parody songs. Through this interest in derby, REC starts producing videos
that air on YouTube. While most of the videos were related to roller derby, REC did
produce a video that documented the fire. In November, REC Networks creates Michi-chan
Rollersports Productions and produces a periodic video show "The Arizona Derby Report"
which summarizes events in the Arizona and regional roller derby scene. "Tsubomi" by
Kobukuro tops the Hardcore J Top-100 of the year followed by "Beautiful World" by Hikaru
Utada and "CHE. R. RY" by Yui.
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