Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football (Out November 2010)

Not to be confused with the English football 'hooligan', the UltraS are the hardcore subculture of fans at the two main Rome football clubs - AS Roma and SS Lazio. With neo-fascist sympathies, these groups (the Boys at Roma and the Irriducibili at Lazio) are political and well-organised. Following years of ethnographic work and interviews with the leading figures within the organisations, Alberto Testa and Gary Armstrong have written a fascinating expose and examination of the UltraS. Football, Fascism and Fandom is a unique and terrifying study of a group that has not been examined in depth before now.

Football, Fascism and Fandom: The UltraS of Italian Football (Out November 2010)

Okinawa training 2010 March

March 2010 saw a succesful international seminar of Karate and Kobudo held in Okinawa by Senseï Chinen. Sensei Chinen emphasised the importance of dojo kumité and the Shorin ryu basic katas: fukyu gata ichi and ni, naihanchi shodan, the 5 pinan, Itosu passai, Matsumura passai.

The entire training week was paced by combat work concentrating on developing timing and toughening up the body. The atmosphere was particularly intense and productive. It was an excellent preparation for the 2011 Karate World cup in Okinawa.

Many thanks to Senseï Chinen and to his assistant at Yomitan, Sensei Jungo Matsuda, who is in charge of the Oshukai Hombu Dojo in Yomitan (Okinawa-Japan).

Oshukai Seminar in India- January 2010

The 27th of January Sensei Martin Takatsy and Roland Gorbaty held a succesful karate and kobudo seminar in India.