Gypsy Baron

Having just purchased my tix online for Prelims, Finals and Alumni Spectacular I was wondering when and where I can pick them up (will call). The DCI ticket order email confirmation states 'at the venue'. If that is the case, will all three tickest be available for pickup prior to the Prelims? Even though I a marching with the Renegades Honor Guard I always buy tickets so I have a good seat in the stands when I'm not on the field :) Being able to pick up the tix all at once in advance will save me a bit of leg work. Paul

Well, I must take issue with all that you find to show "a willingness and philosophy of Progressive Enhancement". I don't ask for "garish color palettes". I ask for contrast that makes identifying read vs unread threads possible at a glance. Or if you will readvs unread. As to the "nifty function" in my browser, I am well aware of it. I have already set my Firefox preferences to a minimum font size of 14, however that doesn't seem to hold true for boards such as this. I dislike the CTRL+mouse-wheel zooming and avoid using it. I'm not going to "tailor" Firefox to be able to read the, IMO, aberrant boards and thus PORK the display of the forum boards that I find to be well designed and usable as they are. Paul

I don't scan "icons" when looking for content. I scan WORDS! The choice of the text font and the color scheme that has been chosen makes it more difficult to find threads of interest. The only mouse actions I want to take are those associated with going from page to page. I do NOT want to have to resort to filter options, etc. Easy of use....the designers these days seem to have lost sight of that and gone for the "bells & whistles" and "pretty page" approach. Paul

"blah" is a gross understatement, IMO. Unfortunately the Invision board software makes use of poorly chosen colors and fonts which I find makes it very difficult quickly scan/browse the forums that have gone to this software. IMO, there should be a very distinct means of seeing at a glance the topics that you have previously read, or as a minimum, are new since your last visit WITHOUT having to resort to "filtering". My preference is a BOLD font for the topic with the NEW Topics highlighted and the OLD TOPICS in a subdued color. The sort of "boldness" that is used with the "IP BOard Mobile" scheme. There just is not enough contrast in the Invision board software for my old eyes. Clearly it was designed by someone much younger who was more inclined towards "pretty" and "bells & whistles" than functionality. A couple of other boards that I frequent have gone to this software and I fear the future of my forum contributions as a result if this trend continues! Paul

Actually, Beef on Weck is a Buffalo "tradition" that spread through the Western New York area. Growing up in Batavia, I had Beef on Weck from Getner's Grill ( before it burned down) and to this day from the Pk-A-Dot on Ellicott Street. The Red Osier is a few miles outside of Batavia, so I still associate that sandwich with Buffalo as opposed to Rochester. That said, I was sad to find Beef on Weck no longer available on the menu at Rhinos Stadium the past two years at DCA. I had to make special "runs" to Batavia to get them :) Paul http://www.nyfolklore.org/pubs/voic29-1-2/buffalo.html http://whatscookingamerica.net/Sandwich/BeefOnWeck.htm

Jay's Diner, 2612 W Henrietta Rd, is open 24 Hrs and serves breakfast 24 Hrs as well. It is on the east side of Rt 15 between county roads 83 & 85, across the road from the Movies 10 Cinema. There is a traffic light right there at the entrance to Jay's parking lot. It's about 4 miles from downtown. Jay's Diner Review Paul

The members area on the site has been restored. Paul

Oh man, you are breaking my heart! I'd be sooo there if I didn't live 2500 miles away now! How did you manage to find those "old school" drums anyhow? The Renegades had a devil of a time trying to find a 15" head for the old sling drum that was used during last years show entrance. Paul

I received my tickets in the mail yesterday. I sent the request back the day after I received it. Got my same seat as I have had for the past 3 years. Paul

All the foul weather worries were for naught. Blue skies appeared over Site-X and the tsunami advisory was a non-issue. Later, after many bowls of chips and salsa were consumed at Chevy's , the sea of red shirts descended upon Market Street and the sky was still clear overhead. The temperature was much milder than predicted. The parade route was lined with thousands upon thousands of onlookers from beginning to end and a good LOUD time was had by all! Paul

-BUMP-

You wouldn't happen to have any pix of St. Joe's (non-peanuts ) circa 1954-1958 would you? Paul

I think it was 1954 with St. Joe's of Batavia. Marched with them in the snare line until I graduated high school and went into the Navy in 1959. Marched with the Recruit D & B corps, Great Lakes during my boot camp. That was my last appearance with a corps until DCA finals in 2008, when I was with the SF Renegades Honor Guard. Stayed with the Renegades in that capacity through 2009 and am looking forward to marching the 2010 season under the 'sign of the 7'! Paul

Exactly :) Paul ( turning 69 in 2010 )

Aha...thanks for that explanation. I was wondering if I should be looking around out here ( the REAL west ) for other ex-St.Joe's members :) Didn't Scout House play "Long, Long Trail" back in the 50's? I seem to recall hearing it on glockenspiel sometime during my stint with "Father Kelly's Boys" back then. Say "Hello" to Larry for me at the next get together. Paul

"There's a long, long trail a winding....." Just were or who is MSJWest, I might ask? Paul

( noted time stamp...PST ) ...and today :)

St. Joe's ( Batavia ) wore white bucks back in the 50's. They were HELL to keep clean and one invariably got white polish on the sole which was a bear to clean off.

I'm really sorry to hear that :( Paul

Yes, that's him. In "my day" he was reffered to as "Father Grimes" :) Speaking of equipment trucks, I recall we once had a used bread truck ( I think it was ) that served as our equipment truck, until one fateful day it wound up in a ditch. I don't recall now who was driving it. Could have been Dick or one of the Sherwoods. No injuries to my knowledge, other than pride. As to NYC, I remember we went there one year in the late 50's and Jimmy Hacket and I were nabbed by the Port Authority Police when we tried to get a bus to Audubon, NJ to visit a couple of the Bon Bon gals whose numbers we got when they were at our show in Batavia. Sully had to come and 'bail us out'. He was NOT amused!!

That looks like Dick "Father" Grimes to me. But Sully was there....probably off to the side chewing on his cigar :) I'm 3 to the left from Carol Ellis, the Drum Major, between Garry Ellis and Larry Darch. Not sure what year that picture was taken but it was mid to late 50's. I'm carrying the Mexican flag in the Renegades Honor Guard picture. DCA prelims this year.

For those of you that use Google Earth to get the 'lay of the land', as I do, there is a discrepancy with respect to the location of the hotel if you just enter the name or address in the GE search bar. There are two Hawthorn Inn/Suites locations shown about 0.6 miles apart and the search will get you to the one that is in error. From what I have determined, by matching the hotels web site photo to the GE image, the 'real hotel' is identified as the "Hawthorn Suites Las Vegas" and is situated just south of the intersection of NV 582 and Palo Verde Drive. Not north of the intersection with N Major Ave. The GE 'street view' addresses are also way off, identifying the real location as being in the 1500 block when in fact it is at 910 S Boulder Hwy. Here is the URL for the hotel chain site: http://www.hawthorn.com/Hawthorn/control/home Now that that is out of the way.... Bob, is there a group ID/code to use when booking rooms for the prices listed in the commitment form? Paul

I am mighty tempted to fly down to Vegas from San Francisco for this if you can give me a spot in the Honor Guard! No way could I manage to handle a snare these days....just too many decades since I marched with Larry Darch and Gary Ellis back in the 50's :) Paul Strogen St. Joe's snare line - in the 50's Renegades Honor Guard in this century

As Jeff said: "( tho I still miss those awesome roast beef sandwiches under 107...Allen, if you are reading get the Osier sandwiches" I have to second that! Having grown up in Batavia and having Beef on Weck sandwiches regularly, they are one of the things I miss, living here on the left coast now. Whenever I'm back in Western NY the first thing I look for is a place that has Beef on Weck. I was very pleased to find them at Patec Park during DCA 2 years ago, thus saving me a dash to the Pok-a-Dot in Batavia :) I'm not really a fan of "yuppie food" at sporting events ( or DCA ) and the new vendors at Patec, or whatever the name is now ( kinda hate the "selling" of names as well! ) , are a big disappointment for me. Paul