Willie85

A little unsolicited life advice for the OP: While I'm sure your heart is in the right place and your outrage may be justified, you're not doing the marching community any favors by sending a letter like that. It's an embarrassment man. You start with the most juvenile of personal name-calling attacks and pepper the whole thing with misspellings and unforgivably horrendous grammar. You're writing to a journalist for Pete's sake. If he even reads past the first sentence, it will only be to see how much of a train wreck the letter is. I know that's the only reason I read on. At best, he'll dismiss you as the undereducated punk you come off as (not saying you are one, but that's the way it comes off). At worst he'll pass the letter around to his colleagues or even publish excerpts for a laugh at your expense. Take a look at Crunchy Tenor's letter. He makes the same points, but so much more effectively. Sorry, I know this is harsh, but it's for you own good.

Again, suggesting a little respect and restraint here. I don't think it's productive or appropriate to speculate on the details of the work situation. What I think most folks (including myself) are voicing objection to is that those details were alluded to at all, and in a derisive, vindictive, and unprofessional way in a public, external communication.

Jeff, I'm sure I'm not the only one who has been in the same situation as you and can sympathize. Hoping the best for you. However, I for one don't care to churn up any more private details of the bookkeeper situation from either party.

Again, not presuming to speak for Tristan, but perhaps the above is what he was getting at by posting in the first place.

Lesson well learned: When we say YES, when we say NO --- these decisions frame our world!

Well, I can't speak for Tristan. But perhaps he might say something like: "We do not control the reactions of others. We control our response to the actions! BUT .. we may also wish to be aware that there is a response to the actions we take." Wise words indeed! With all sincerity, best of luck with the new staff and the new season.

Facts? Seems more like a demonstration of the lengths people will go to manipulate numbers to match their opinions.

OK, I'll say it: I didn't realize the SCV lower brass needed filling and supporting.

1) I don't think movement in the rankings for the sake of movement in the rankings translates to more creativity and excellence. Seems like it's the other way around. 2) Depends on your definition of "creativity". It's not necessarily what we all want. See page 412 of the synth thread.

If she hadn't have said "there is no accounting for the logic and action of a 25 year old", I would have guessed that it was written by a another 25 year old. The funny thing is after trashing the previous jobholder with that little gem, the job description itself still solicits flighty twenty-somethings: "It's perfect for the 24 year old who wants to work hard and move up!." Oh, and isn't it illegal (or just a really bad idea) to mention a specific age for the ideal candidate?

Sounds about right!

I think I get what wcf is getting at - a show that grips you from start to finish with no weak points or lesser moments. The kind where 10 minutes passes in a flash. Yeah, certainly 'perfect' is in the eye of the beholder. To me, it means a 'perfect' balance of emotion, sophistication, and accessibility, and a 'perfectly' unified yet contrasting program that builds and builds in musical and dramatic tension... higher ... faster ... louder... until... until.... yes.... yesssssss... : that perfect moment of musical and dramatic ..ummm.. release. Certainly '84 Cadets is the top of the list. Others (mostly the usual suspects): BAC '00 Several Phantom years including '89, '96, '06, others that come close. SCV '85,'99,'04 Spirit '80 Suncoast '85

Yeah, for the life of me I still can't tell a Blue Devil from a Blue Coat from a Blue Knight. So characterizing them as elite, ultra-elite, and super-double-extra-special-elite helps me keep them straight.

This. All of it. Maybe they can do like the early days of electric basses in HS bands and have a uniformed member follow the soloist around with a speaker on a cart.

First ones that come to mind: Guardsmen 1980 Colts 2007 Dutchboy 1988 Suncoast 1989 Geneseo Knights 1983 Sky Ryders 1987 Crossmen 1996