rpbobcat

I believe its up to each state's Governor. In N.J., our Governor isn't allowing any fans at NFL games, even though they're open air stadiums. He also wouldn't allow fans at Rutgers football games. If anyone follows college football, that was the reason why, in the interest of fairness, no Big Ten game can have fans in the stands.

DCI didn't make any reference to "carrying over" a 2020 ticket for 2021 in Indy. To me that is a pretty good indicator that there may not be many fans allowed in Lucas.

To me this boils down to "the devil is in the details". From reading DCI's announcement,it sounds like DCI is still working things out,in anticipation of their Winter meeting.

I presume DCI has been in discussions with the state and people who run Lucas. I wonder what they anticipate the number of fans to be allowed to attend will be. I also wonder many fans are going to want to attend in person. Maybe DCI is considering Pay Per View.

Is there somewhere to read the guidelines ? Does anyone know if DCI will be finding housing for any corps that participates ? Seems like corps will have to spend a lot of money,including insurance,if they can get it,for a single 3 day event. That's presuming they can even find enough MM to field a corps.

If I'm reading DCI's announcement correctly, right now the only event(s) scheduled are the 3 days in August. Doesn't seem exactly practical.

I was listening to a story on the news this morning about the recommended "pecking order" for the Covid vaccine: 1.Health care workers 2.Long term care facility patients and staff 3.First responders 4.Essential workers,including people who work in food processing plants 5.High risk individuals This is just a recommendation,but follows what pretty much every expert has said about vaccine distribution. As much as I would like to see some form of drum corps next summer,this, in and of itself,is a pretty good indicator that a vaccine won't be available to the general public in time for a 2021 season.

The NCAA did grant an additional year of eligibility. But,the number of scholarships and "slots" for teams remains the same. In my opinion, if DCI wants to consider this,you have to put all potential corps members on equal footing. No reserved slots for people from the canceled 2020 season. Everyone has to earn their spot.

With limited exceptions, for something like a serious injury, students, including Graduate Transfers, are only allowed to compete for a total of 4 years. Many Freshman take a "red shirt" year, which still allows 4 years of actual competition. As far as BYU and Utah, I believe that they have to be doing a 2 year missionary to maintain eligibility.

Gotta ask. 10-9 for what ?

The question is, can there be enough revenue, to warrant the risk. Contract or not, a school or other entity can still be at risk. Plus, if a contract has that kind of liability protection, can a corps afford, assuming its even available, the insurance they would need to tour.

I can tell you from personal experience,right now schools are reluctant to let any outside group use their facilities. One school district made their own town's police department jump through hopes to hold a promotion ceremony the school gym.

Opps ! (Red face) Corrected it . I'm not an "anti vaxer",but I'm also not going to rush out and get the covid vaccine either. Last week I was at a meeting on the best way to deal with positive tests in a local school system. One of the attendees was a doctor,another a pharmacist. We started talking about a Covid vaccine. They expressed the same concerns I have posted about. Namely,that we won't know for a while potential side effects. They can take a couple of years to show up. Some times the side effects can be worse then the disease.

Just a follow up to my previous post. Cost aside,the logistics of testing all corps and staff members at least once,more likely twice,a week are daunting. Assuming the rapid test is used,you'd have to find labs with enough excess capacity to add 200 or so tests for each corps and staff. I live in a densely populated area,close to NYC. The labs around here that do rapid tests can handle a total of 200 or so a day. Right now they are turning people away every day. Trying to find labs with rapid test capability and capacity in "rural" areas may not be possible. What if several corps need to have tests done in the same area,at the same time ? Even with masks and social distancing indoor competitions could easily turn into a "Super Spreader". Then you also have the problem of how do you deal with a positive test ? In my opinion,these are all questions that are going to need to be addressed before DCI can even consider a 2021 Tour.

A couple of weeks ago my wife needed to get a Covid test for a medical procedure. Problem was, they moved the procedure up. She needed the test results in 24 hours. She thought about getting a rapid test. But she was told that,right now ,they are only about 65% accurate,with a lot of false positives. That's what's happened with a number of NFL players who tested positive with the rapid test,false positives. Given the impact a positive test would have on a corps,until the rapid tests get more reliable,they really aren't a great option. Fortunately, in her case,the hospital where she works was able to get her a "slot" at a local lab for a standard Covid test.

Actually,not in parts of NYC anymore. According to the news today,the city has put in new restrictions for demonstrations in what are considered "Hot Spots" . Allows the police a lot more latitude to disburse crowds and make arrests.

The Orthodox Jewish communities in Ocean and Monmouth Counties were anything but cooperative. Going back to the Spring, in places like Lakewood ,the State police were finding "caravans" heading to tents hidden in the woods for engagement parties,weddings,Bar Mitzvah's and Bat Mitvah's,all in violation the Governor's Executive Orders on large gatherings. There were all kinds of problems over the Summer. In fact,nj.com did a big article about all the violations of the Governor's Executive Orders in Deal,with little local enforcement. As I posted,the hope is,with the end of the high holy days,the large gatherings will diminish.

New Jersey has seen a big spike in cases. They are primarily in Counties (Ocean and Monmouth and parts of Bergen) with large Orthodox Jewish communities. Large gatherings, with no masks or any type of social distancing have been a big problem. Its been building all Summer,due to a lack of any kind of local enforcement. But,the numbers really spiked during the high holy days. Sukkot ends tonight. Hopefully, that will cut down on the number of people participating in large gatherings,without masks or social distancing. At least Gov. Murphy has been clear that the spikes are,in no way ,related to activities like indoor dining and gyms. In fact yesterday he talked about increasing capacity for indoor dining. Another interesting fact. Even with the big spikes in positive tests,hospitalizations and deaths are staying very low. The hospital where my wife is a nurse has averaged 4-8 covid patients for the past month or so. Right now,no ICU's or vents. According to the doctors she works with,they think the virus has gotten more contagious,but less "severe". They have also gotten much better at treating it. Especially in the early stages.

I know that trying to classify instructors or staff as independent contractors can be really tricky. Years ago I believe the Bridgemen got into all kinds of tax trouble for calling instructors and other staff "independent contractors". I've had several of my employees want to be classified the same way. My accountant said if someone functions as an employee,they are one. He used the old "walks like a duck" analogy.

I was just wondering if anyone here knows how a corps' business model works,when it comes corps hiring design staff,especially in this environment. Right now everything,including in person auditions and 2021 are up in the air. Corps also have little if any income streams. So I was wondering,does anyone know if any of these new hires being paid,or is that contingent on what eventually happens with 2021 season ?

Some random thoughts: 1.As I've posted,my wife is a visiting nurse who has had to treat Covid patients. This week she had to go the hospital for a medical procedure. That meant a covid test. She had a "standard" swab test. Came back negative. :-) She was considering the rapid test. But she was told they are only around 65% accurate. With a lot of false positives. 2.There does seem to be evidence covid mutated. More contagious,but less "severe". We're seeing "spikes" in the Rate of Infection". But,even in Hot Spots,primarily Orthodox Jewish Communities, hospitalizations and deaths are way down. 4.Another thing starting to get medical people's attention is "colonization". Apparently you could have covid "in you", without being infected. But you still test positive. That would explain why, even though positive test results are up, everything else associated with covid is way down. 5.Despite numerous concerns and delays,there haven't been ANY spikes attributed to either indoor dining or opening gyms.

Dumont, New Jersey, had a large Demarcation Camp (Camp Merit). It was about 5 miles from where I live. When I was a kid, my grandfather,who was a WW 1 vet, took me to see the where the camp was,and show me the camp's Memorial Monument. He talked about how bad the 1918 influenza epidemic was and how many soldiers stationed there got sick and died. After WW 1 they tore the camp down. Now all that's left is the Memorial Monument. Its got the names of the over 500 people who died at the camp from what they now call the Spanish Flu.

First off, no one knows what DCI may be doing "behind the scenes". That being said, right now there really isn't a whole lot DCI can do for 2021. There way too many unknowns. 1.What corps will survive and be able to compete in 2021 ? 2.For those corps that do survive, what will be the "touring model" ? 3.What rules will corps that do survive have to follow for things like hygiene, Social Distancing, including on busses etc. ? 4.Will any school house a corps, or, for that matter, even allow them to use outdoor facilities for practice ? 5.What venues will even be available for shows ? For those that are, how many fans will be allowed ? WGI cancelling just threw another monkey wrench into 2021. I think we're months away from any indication from DCI of what may happen in 2021. Plus, if 2020 is any indication, any plans are subject to change in a heartbeat.

From what I've read,these hires see to have been "low profile" people,who could fly "under the radar", outside of the organizations who,for some reason, hired them. That won't be the case with GH. There's no way any organization could keep that hire a secret. I think the fear of repercussions would prevent his being hired by anyone in the marching arts.

The reason the judge accepted the plea deal may have something to do with the fact that, according to the article that was posted, the victims were O.K. with it.