garfield Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Every August, 99% of drum corps entertain 1% of the population. #OccupyLOS Or, if you're Plan9, 1% of the corps entertain 99% of the population. (Sorry, Plan, couldn't resist.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Ream Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Or, if you're Plan9, 1% of the corps entertain 99% of the population. (Sorry, Plan, couldn't resist.) shouldn't it be 1% of the corps entertain 1% of the population? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfield Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 shouldn't it be 1% of the corps entertain 1% of the population? No, no. Plan clearly claims that you and I, and maybe a few others here, are the only ones who weren't entertained. The other 99% looks at us with confusion and doesn't understand why we don't get it. In fact, IIRC, he said we were thinking too hard. (translation: we actually think about it.) (I hope he doesn't come in here; he'll start on us again and he'll sound a lot like the OP. ) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted November 18, 2011 Share Posted November 18, 2011 Hey wait a minute there's no Birthday Party in here!!! Fixed. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madalumni Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Thank you Michael! But those eyes....kind of disturbing...reminds me of my Birthday last year when a similar mouse was staring me down! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plan9 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 (edited) No, no. Plan clearly claims that you and I, and maybe a few others here, are the only ones who weren't entertained. The other 99% looks at us with confusion and doesn't understand why we don't get it. In fact, IIRC, he said we were thinking too hard. (translation: we actually think about it.) (I hope he doesn't come in here; he'll start on us again and he'll sound a lot like the OP. ) Here you go again G, off in a side conversation with Ream without adult supervision.......and discussing percents and fractions to boot. Don't make me turn this thread around. BTW, the 99% don't look at you two with confusion.....they look at you with archaeologist tools! :-) Edited November 19, 2011 by Plan9 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Boo Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 Thank you Michael! But those eyes....kind of disturbing...reminds me of my Birthday last year when a similar mouse was staring me down! It's always the eyes. And a belated happy birthday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corps8294 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 (edited) Occupy drum corps Edited November 19, 2011 by shortn'sour Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob984 Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 In a recent Post on farcebook to my Brothers in the Classic Cavaliers, I said "So...2012 marks the 40th Anniversary (or 41st; DCI is not famous for being good with numbers; - i.e. "Samurai", " "Mad World", "XtraordinarY") of the formation of DCI. And we are asked to participate in some sort of celebration of the birth of a monster that Dr. Frankenstein would have aborted. Ask Don Warren what he thinks of this abomination he helped create. While I realize that more of you marched DCI than we "Dinosaurs" (and we get fewer annually), you can't honestly tell me that it was the ultimate Drum Corps dream as initially hoped. It turned my Corps into a multi-million $ money hungry entity continually begging for every red cent anyone could offer. Celebrate DCI? I would sooner (get ready for a gross exaggeration) host a Hitler Retrospective in Jerusalem. I cannot, in good conscience, be part of any event in its honor - nor be a member of an organization that would, no matter how politically expedient that may be." I fully expect Flames Galore from them...and you. But one of the advantages of approaching the Finish Line is the Knowledge that you left it all out on the field, holding nothing back. Tired of my "Rants"? Be patient, kids. I'll soon be among so many Brothers & Sisters in that Ultimate Corps....."Somewhere Over The Rainbow". I am sorry that DCI is the source of everything wrong that ever happened in drum corps for you. I have tried to imagine what it would be like if DCI had never formed. Here are some possible things that I imagine could have happened..... (1) a corps goes undefeated, wins VFW prelims, then falls to 10th because of a "uniform malfunction" during inspection in finals.........daddy tries to explain to his 9 year old son why a broken belt buckle can/should cost the best corps 9 places in the show, even if the audience didn't see inspection............. (2) a corps from the Pacific Northwest gets a score of 80-85 at every show in the first half of August, then gets a 63 at VFW prelims................ (3) a rule is created during 1976 for the disqualification of any corps wearing a "non-military" uniform, and the Bayonne Bridgemen are disqualified at VFW prelims.. later on, the Velvet Knights are disqualified as well........... (4) due to money "constraints", VFW and AL restrict prize money to the top 5 finishers only. They make this announcement in May. Since they control everything, they turn a deaf ear toward the concerned calls and letters from directors. (5) There is one company that makes valve-rotor horns, and since they are the only game in town, they now cost 6 times what other brass instruments do...... (6) A request by the Phantom Regiment and Madison Scouts to go to California during the season is refused by VFW/AL...."you will stay in your region until nationals" is the response given. No appeal is available. (7) A corps tries to take the road in school buses with no insurance. On their 1st excursion, they are stopped by police. The director is jailed, and the corps is immediately disbanded. (8) VFW/AL allows the Troopers and Argonne Rebels to travel due to geographic reasons. The other corps sue VFW/AL for granting "special privileges" to these corps..... The other corps prevail. Troopers and Argonne are forced to compete in their region only, and VFW/AL has to fork out much money as a result of the suits. (9) VFW/AL continue to hold their championships in regions all across the country. However, the corps are not set up for long travel....vehicle-wise or budget-wise, and at many of the championships, less than 1/2 of the major competitors are even there......including several of the very best corps........... (10) Not one judge is ever removed for poor performance.......ever.........even though they placed a corps 9th in a caption which they won at every other show that year, including prelims...........that judge has "called the show" at 3 national championships....... Do I believe that DCI was/is the "ultimate drum corps dream"?? No. However, DCI has always been run by the DIRECTORS OF THE COMPETING CORPS, and no major decisions could happen without a vote. It is not "some man" or "some corporation", but a consensus of directors. However, if you believe that VFW/AL was some kind of "competitive Eutopia", I don't think you have a strong argument there, either. I am not happy with all that has happened over the years.....the demise/loss of many great corps, the disturbing shrinkage in the sheer number of corps out there....these are 2 items that bother me greatly. However, I don't believe that you can place the blame solely on DCI, either. Money troubles, membership woes, and unrealistic competitive aspirations have killed many a corps. Right, wrong, or indifferent, the activity has changed immensely. Nobody knows if drum corps would even exist had things stayed the same. However, I still see kids learning life lessons in gyms and on practice fields, and corps that can still light it up on any given night. That keeps me coming back, and I hope that never changes. Yes, every corps begs for money, and it can get old.....however, it could be worse....I can at least SEE what the corps spend the money on, and frankly I am happy that the kids are traveling in decent buses, getting fed well, are covered by insurance, have decent equipment and uniforms.....and have good instruction......at least there is not a ton of money going into some CEO's pocket...........and I can tell you that I think people believe that staff and directors of corps are paid way more than they actually are.............and I see many "kids" become fine young men and women from their drum corps experience, and I think that remains....priceless......... GB 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUARDLING Posted November 19, 2011 Share Posted November 19, 2011 I am sorry that DCI is the source of everything wrong that ever happened in drum corps for you. I have tried to imagine what it would be like if DCI had never formed. Here are some possible things that I imagine could have happened..... (1) a corps goes undefeated, wins VFW prelims, then falls to 10th because of a "uniform malfunction" during inspection in finals.........daddy tries to explain to his 9 year old son why a broken belt buckle can/should cost the best corps 9 places in the show, even if the audience didn't see inspection............. (2) a corps from the Pacific Northwest gets a score of 80-85 at every show in the first half of August, then gets a 63 at VFW prelims................ (3) a rule is created during 1976 for the disqualification of any corps wearing a "non-military" uniform, and the Bayonne Bridgemen are disqualified at VFW prelims.. later on, the Velvet Knights are disqualified as well........... (4) due to money "constraints", VFW and AL restrict prize money to the top 5 finishers only. They make this announcement in May. Since they control everything, they turn a deaf ear toward the concerned calls and letters from directors. (5) There is one company that makes valve-rotor horns, and since they are the only game in town, they now cost 6 times what other brass instruments do...... (6) A request by the Phantom Regiment and Madison Scouts to go to California during the season is refused by VFW/AL...."you will stay in your region until nationals" is the response given. No appeal is available. (7) A corps tries to take the road in school buses with no insurance. On their 1st excursion, they are stopped by police. The director is jailed, and the corps is immediately disbanded. (8) VFW/AL allows the Troopers and Argonne Rebels to travel due to geographic reasons. The other corps sue VFW/AL for granting "special privileges" to these corps..... The other corps prevail. Troopers and Argonne are forced to compete in their region only, and VFW/AL has to fork out much money as a result of the suits. (9) VFW/AL continue to hold their championships in regions all across the country. However, the corps are not set up for long travel....vehicle-wise or budget-wise, and at many of the championships, less than 1/2 of the major competitors are even there......including several of the very best corps........... (10) Not one judge is ever removed for poor performance.......ever.........even though they placed a corps 9th in a caption which they won at every other show that year, including prelims...........that judge has "called the show" at 3 national championships....... Do I believe that DCI was/is the "ultimate drum corps dream"?? No. However, DCI has always been run by the DIRECTORS OF THE COMPETING CORPS, and no major decisions could happen without a vote. It is not "some man" or "some corporation", but a consensus of directors. However, if you believe that VFW/AL was some kind of "competitive Eutopia", I don't think you have a strong argument there, either. I am not happy with all that has happened over the years.....the demise/loss of many great corps, the disturbing shrinkage in the sheer number of corps out there....these are 2 items that bother me greatly. However, I don't believe that you can place the blame solely on DCI, either. Money troubles, membership woes, and unrealistic competitive aspirations have killed many a corps. Right, wrong, or indifferent, the activity has changed immensely. Nobody knows if drum corps would even exist had things stayed the same. However, I still see kids learning life lessons in gyms and on practice fields, and corps that can still light it up on any given night. That keeps me coming back, and I hope that never changes. Yes, every corps begs for money, and it can get old.....however, it could be worse....I can at least SEE what the corps spend the money on, and frankly I am happy that the kids are traveling in decent buses, getting fed well, are covered by insurance, have decent equipment and uniforms.....and have good instruction......at least there is not a ton of money going into some CEO's pocket...........and I can tell you that I think people believe that staff and directors of corps are paid way more than they actually are.............and I see many "kids" become fine young men and women from their drum corps experience, and I think that remains....priceless......... GB AHHHHHH the good ole days...lol.....we all do look back to the past with selective memory don't we..hehehehehehe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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