Rusty

I have one finals ticket available. PM me.

I have a ticket for finals available. PM me.

Wanting to go to finals. One ticket wanted. Can anybody assist?

A show doesn't have to be weird to be cerebral. Or artistic, for that matter.

As my wife put it, "Just what we needed - another weird show."

I've sent two separate emails to see about doing an ad buy on the site, and nobody has responded. Can somebody please PM me? (Sorry if this isn't the place for this sort of message, but I would really like to run a campaign on the network of sites, and I haven't been able to get anybody to reply, so...)

Wow. The show really did undergo a lot of changes during the season - way more than just reducing the guard down to a single flag. And it was really clean drill for early season.

They've been used by several corps for a few years now. Thoughts? I'm a brass guy who admittedly doesn't have much of an ear for clean vs. dirty percussion, but honestly, I really like Mapex. Seems like an affordable alternative to the likes of Yamaha.

Adjusting the interior temperature of an NFL stadium to desirable levels is exceptionally challenging. I read someplace that the Houston Texans worked with a meteorologist to devise rules for if and when to open the roof on NRG Stadium. In Indy, LOS's managers would have had to contend with the following: The August heat Constant entrances and exits, likely many more than are encountered during a football game Constantly fluctuating spectator numbers that never hit more than 50% of the stadium's capacity (translation: fewer warm bodies to heat up the interior ambient temperature). I suppose it's possible that DCI and LOS colluded to gin up souvie sales by cranking the A/C to subarctic levels, but I suspect that there's a much simpler and less sinister reason: trying to get the interior temperature to a desirable level inside one of those caverns is a lot harder than setting the thermostat to 78°.

The organization, once it folds, is no more. It ceases to be. Bereft of life, it rests in peace. It has kicked the bucket, hopped the twig, bit the dust, snuffed it, breathed its last, and gone to meet the Great DCI Judges' Panel in the sky. I guess that we’re all thinking how sad it is that a corps of such talent, such capability and kindness, of such intelligence should now be so suddenly spirited away, before it had achieved many of the things of which it was capable, and before it had made the Top 12. Well, I feel that I should say, “Nonsense. Good riddance to it! I hope it fries." (As attributed to Oscar Wilde, "Talent borrows, genius steals" - in this case, from here.)

I read someplace that he had quietly stepped down from Devs.

I love '99 on many levels, and it was without question SCV's best show of that decade, but to me, nothing from any corps will top '89.

I thought Phantom switched to Quantum brass back in '09?

I’ve been thinking about this for a couple of days. The activity that I have loved for close to three decades is in peril by people who are either incapable of righting the ship or complicit in running it aground. Things cannot go on like this. The simple answer is, of course, a boycott. The problem with this is twofold: Broadly speaking, boycotts generally don’t work. Sorry, but that’s just how it is. Until or unless a critical mass of people withhold their money – which almost never happens – a boycott is mostly smoke with little to no fire. More importantly, unlike a boycott in a more mainstream or traditional industry, the very entities and individuals that one is trying to help – youth and the small nonprofits with which they participate – are arguably further harmed. These organizations need money, and the kids need people in the stands cheering them on. So after some thought, here’s what I’d like to see happen. Those of us who are outraged and fed up – and that number is growing, based on what I’m seeing on social media – should absolutely not stay home this summer. Let’s attend as many shows as we can, with the intent to make some noise while we’re at it. We should wear T-shirts bashing the current DCI leadership (especially Acheson) for failing to clean house. Let’s attend shows, prepared to spend money – on the organizations that have actually, you know, displayed some responsibility in protecting their kids. Attending a show where Acheson will be present? The second he steps onto the field, boo him. Loudly. He richly deserves it. And while we’re at it, let’s lean on DCI’s corporate sponsors to start rethinking their support of the organization. A bunch of disgruntled fans staying home is one thing; losing high-profile sponsors is another matter entirely. In short, attend events, support the corps, enjoy the shows – but demand change. Spread awareness. Make 'em squirm. I freely admit that this sort of behavior could get me kicked out of a show. In the event this happens, my next phone call will be to the local TV stations. I’ll make sure I have their assignment desks on speed dial. Give DCI the bad press they have earned. So: no, I’m not staying home this summer. None of us should. But if done properly, Dan Acheson will wish we had. Who’s with me?

Just caught the scores from Atlanta. Whoa. Can't remember the last time I saw that much of a shake-up in placements. EDIT: Never mind...looking at the wrong page...