Jazz band a a lot different this yeah, and I don't think its for the better. I feel that the ability of Jazz 2 has declined from the past year. and that because of this it will not be as much fun and may become a chore to go to rather than and excuse to play more music. There is a number of reasons why i think this is happening.
The first reason being that drummers cannot and do not do what they need to do as a jazz drummer. When they play fills they don't play with the style and more often than not just play some outrageous rock or metal fill. There is a number of problems with that, one, being that there a some rules for drummer when playing jazz. The drummer shouldn't be heard unless they have a solo, rock fills are loud and obnoxious, this obviously violates the rule. Another problem with the crazy fills is how they, as younger drummers, lose the tempo which causes the whole band to collapse. And because they cannot keep the time Mr. Bird must devote at least 15 minutes each practice to correcting or yelling at them for playing out of place.
The second reason has to deal with new students who, while good, are freshmen and not familiar with how jazz band and band in high school is run. The band (Jazz 2) is almost entirely freshmen which i am certain decreases the playing ability of the band as a whole.
The third reason is that the time keeper of the band, the bass, is also a freshmen (god, i hate sounding like i hate freshmen). He is not as good as the bassist from last year, who is a a senior this year who is an all-state bassist. He could keep time and had good intonation when he used his upright bass.
I guess I hate to complain about how something sucks, but i believe that the band has room for improvement and the ability to play really well by the end of the year. But I am bothered but the current state of the band and our ability.
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
The New MacBook/Pro
Steve Jobs announced the new MacBook line two days ago. The new laptop ditch the plastic of the old line and the MacBook now looks like a smaller version of The MacBook Pro.
I'm not too sure if the new design is for the better. The black keyboard awkwardly contrasts the silver case as well as the black border of the screen. Everything is more rounded and make the computer look nothing like the previous professional lines. Even the plain, vanilla MacBook looks like a small Macbook Pro. There is no difference in appearance other than size and the Pro only has better video and processor, Something Apple already offers to do (upgrade processor and gpu) for more money.
There is a new manufacturing method Apple now uses to make their notebook products. In this process they use a solid slab of aluminum to from a seamless case and reduce waste. Any scrap metal is reused to make more notebooks. Apple also uses LED Back lights in their screens. This makes the screen thinner, use less battery power/energy, and has nothing like Mercury in it. Apple claims its the "Greenest" of all notebook PCs released.
I'm not too sure if the new design is for the better. The black keyboard awkwardly contrasts the silver case as well as the black border of the screen. Everything is more rounded and make the computer look nothing like the previous professional lines. Even the plain, vanilla MacBook looks like a small Macbook Pro. There is no difference in appearance other than size and the Pro only has better video and processor, Something Apple already offers to do (upgrade processor and gpu) for more money.There is a new manufacturing method Apple now uses to make their notebook products. In this process they use a solid slab of aluminum to from a seamless case and reduce waste. Any scrap metal is reused to make more notebooks. Apple also uses LED Back lights in their screens. This makes the screen thinner, use less battery power/energy, and has nothing like Mercury in it. Apple claims its the "Greenest" of all notebook PCs released.
The seamless manufacturing process makes the new notebooks look less professional and that frustrates me a bit (its not like I will be buying one soon). While it does look a little more unprofessional, it updates the dry look of the old MacBook Pro /PowerBook. Which I suppose will grow on me just like the new (I guess they're a little old now) iMacs.
IMAGE FROM: ENGADGET.COM
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Stories
I've always wondered if it was right to put story ideas on a blog. I guess I put some here so i don't forget.
1.
Setting: post WWII Germany; Alternative universe
so I guess this is a generic alt. uni. idea but i'd kinda like to at least write some back story for the setting if i have any real alternative universe ideas. But I'd like to maybe have the story be about the lives of the middle class after Hitler succeeded in his plan. He would have become completely insane and just an image for a group of leaders. This idea is kind of empty but i think it has potential.
2.
This idea I have a few pages written out of back story and setting.This story is an exercise of alternative religion. This idea is once again, set in an alternative universe. This universe, however is much more similar to ours and in fact the earth is identical in every way. What separates it is the fact the The god of Christianity exists andthe creation of the world was result of and augment between "god" and "lucifer" (i'm not gonna use quotes any more, jsut assume they are there). I this universe lucifer challenges god for power and god accepts and they both create two worlds. God creates the world as fundamentalists believe today. But Lucifer creates a world that is based upon reason and rationality, more similar to scientists today. However each world has its problems. Our world does not accept rationality as quickly (until more recently) and runs rampant with ignorance. The world of Lucifer relives only upon reason and rationality and this causes few wars and argument, but creates a world government (which is similar to communism, if it were not corrupt). This huge system is corrupt causing class separation. In this world the people are looking to faith as an alternative to reason.
I guess that's the background of that universe. But the story is based upon the end of days and the destruction of the "gods." AND it all begins with a car wreck in which a Young Male Earth human is some how transported to this alternative world and must find what is going on and help the rebellion against the corrupt government.
I REALLY like this idea ! :D
3.
this one is less original again, but it is more of an idea for setting of a game or D&D. but this is set in the far future where humans have colonized other planets. on one particular planet the humans lost all technology and were assumed dead by other humans in the universe. because of the loss of knowledge technology exists but is viewed as magic and only a few "alchemists" can do the magic (even if they don't know exactly what they are doing).In this world a group of humans find a "magical" artifact and go on a journey to find the origin. I guess i was just thinking that it would be the first "episode" and there would be "sequels" in what ever form.
1.
Setting: post WWII Germany; Alternative universe
so I guess this is a generic alt. uni. idea but i'd kinda like to at least write some back story for the setting if i have any real alternative universe ideas. But I'd like to maybe have the story be about the lives of the middle class after Hitler succeeded in his plan. He would have become completely insane and just an image for a group of leaders. This idea is kind of empty but i think it has potential.
2.
This idea I have a few pages written out of back story and setting.This story is an exercise of alternative religion. This idea is once again, set in an alternative universe. This universe, however is much more similar to ours and in fact the earth is identical in every way. What separates it is the fact the The god of Christianity exists andthe creation of the world was result of and augment between "god" and "lucifer" (i'm not gonna use quotes any more, jsut assume they are there). I this universe lucifer challenges god for power and god accepts and they both create two worlds. God creates the world as fundamentalists believe today. But Lucifer creates a world that is based upon reason and rationality, more similar to scientists today. However each world has its problems. Our world does not accept rationality as quickly (until more recently) and runs rampant with ignorance. The world of Lucifer relives only upon reason and rationality and this causes few wars and argument, but creates a world government (which is similar to communism, if it were not corrupt). This huge system is corrupt causing class separation. In this world the people are looking to faith as an alternative to reason.
I guess that's the background of that universe. But the story is based upon the end of days and the destruction of the "gods." AND it all begins with a car wreck in which a Young Male Earth human is some how transported to this alternative world and must find what is going on and help the rebellion against the corrupt government.
I REALLY like this idea ! :D
3.
this one is less original again, but it is more of an idea for setting of a game or D&D. but this is set in the far future where humans have colonized other planets. on one particular planet the humans lost all technology and were assumed dead by other humans in the universe. because of the loss of knowledge technology exists but is viewed as magic and only a few "alchemists" can do the magic (even if they don't know exactly what they are doing).In this world a group of humans find a "magical" artifact and go on a journey to find the origin. I guess i was just thinking that it would be the first "episode" and there would be "sequels" in what ever form.
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