Show Review: Street Dogs, Roger Miret, Stigma

Bands: Wreck the Halls tour- Street Dogs, Roger Miret and the Disasters, Stigma
Date: 12/16/2009
Location: Black Cat, Washington DC

This show mixed some of the best street punk still out there with a couple of hardcore legends.

Stigma is fronted by legendary hardcore guitarist Vinny Stigma, best known for his work with Agnostic Front. Surprisingly, Vinny did the lead vocals but did not play at all during Stigma’s set. I was unfamiliar with the band before this show, and I left fairly impressed. Their music has that hardcore sound, but with more harmonic vocals, similar to H2O. I hesitate to call it “melodic hardcore” because that term invokes memories of many terrible pre-emo 90′s “hardcore” acts that were described as such, but that’s probably the best term to use. They had a lot of energy, but the DC crowd wasn’t up to the task. The pit consisted of a mere 3 people, despite the loud, fast music blasting from the stage. In the middle of Stigma’s set, they did an updated version of Crucified (originally by DC hardcore legends Iron Cross) called “Still Crucified,” which I didn’t particularly like. It sounded like a poor cover of the original rather than a new take on it. However, they closed strong, finishing with two Forced Reality covers: “We’re Not Alone” and “15 Pints and I’m Still Standing.” Sadly, the crowd had no idea what was going on, and I’m pretty sure I was the only one there who actually knew the songs.

Next, Roger Miret and the Disasters took the stage. Miret is also the front man for Agnostic Front-the Disasters are his street-punk side project. Years of hard living have taken their toll on his appearance, yet his performance is just as strong as ever. The Disasters’ music is fast and strong. They even mixed in a couple of new songs, which were definitely up to their standards. The show really picked up when Vinny Stigma picked up a guitar and joined Roger Miret to play a couple of Agnostic Front favorites: Gotta Go and, of course, Agnostic Front’s version of Crucified (which more than made up for the lackluster Stigma version earlier in the night). This alone was worth the ticket price.

Finally, the Street Dogs took the stage. Miret and Stigma certainly don’t lack charisma, but Street Dogs (and former Dropkick Murphys) front man Mike McColgan has a stage presence like no other. The band came out to Wild Cats of Kilkenny by the Pogues, which got the crowd moving before they were even on stage. Highlights of their set included a beer-chugging contest before “Toby’s Got a Drinking Problem,” new songs, a moving rendition of “Final Transmission” dedicated to the troops overseas, former Dropkick Murphys guitarist Rick Barton joining them onstage, and of course, my personal favorite Street Dogs tune: “Katie Bar the Door.” McColgan even did a stage dive and got the crowd to carry him as far as the mic cord would allow, then return him to the stage.

The Street Dogs returned for an encore, and closed with a rocking cover of Sham 69′s “Borstal Breakout” as the crowd joined them onstage (much to the chagrin of Black Cat security).

The whole experience felt like a Dropkick Murphys show from 10 years ago, when no one knew who the Murphys were and they tore up tiny clubs (yes, the Dropkick Murphys were around in 1999 and yes, I’m old enough to have been at the shows). It was definitely a worthwhile way to spend a boring Wednesday night.

O/T: My first Youtube video

I finally edited some of our vacation footage from South Africa into a video:

This is my first attempt at video editing, and I only spent about an hour on it, so it’s a little unpolished. But now I have a feel for the editing software and future projects will be better.

Also, I realize this is a little off-topic from what I usually post, but it’s original content so I’m putting it here anyway.

My wife and I took all the pictures and videos- she did most of the video and I took most of the pictures. The music is “Heart Like a Lion” by Pressure Point.

Enjoy!

What is it about homosexuality….

that elicits such hate and negative emotions in people?

Here is an article from Puerto Rico about a gay teenager found decapitated, and an absolutely appalling reaction from the police there:

http://gay.americablog.com/2009/11/gay-teenager-found-decapitated.html

(insert jokes about why I was reading a gay blog here- I really don’t care).

People are opposed to homosexuality mainly because it is considered sinful, right? Well, there are plenty of other things in the Bible that are considered sinful or immoral: pornography, strippers, infidelity, any sex outside marriage, prostitution, divorce… the list goes on and on.

Gay bashing incidents happen all the time, but you never hear of “stripper bashing.” Fred Phelps has the Church of “God Hates Fags,” not the Church of “God Hates Porn Stars” or “God Hates Divorcees.” Churches, religious people and others opposed to homosexuality certainly do not condone these other sins, but they do not attack them with the hatred and fervor with which they attack homosexuality (and, unfortunately, sometimes homosexuals as individuals).

I can understand why people consider homosexuality a sin (I don’t agree with that interpretation, and even if it is correct, I don’t believe we should be judging people for it, but on some level I can understand why people think that way), and I certainly do not group everyone who considers homosexuality to be sinful in with extremist elements or violent criminals. I just cannot comprehend why homosexuality elicits so much more anger and organized opposition than any of the other so-called sins.

Opposing an act or considering it sinful is fine. Judging people who disagree is not.

On a related note, please do not judge Puerto Rico based solely on this article. I have been there many times. In some ways, it is not the most progressive place on the planet, but most people there are much more tolerant than that ignorant cop (and this story has created controversy there). Judging PR based on this would be like judging the US based on what a Klan member from Mississippi says about race.

Brakes on the 2008 Honda Accord

I’m adding a new category to this blog: Consumer Complaints. When I have a problem with a company or product, I will describe the experience here. This will serve two purposes: first, it will spread information about companies that are not treating their customers properly. Second, it will allow me to track the problem for future reference. I am also starting a category for general consumer information.

So, on to Consumer Complaint #1: Brakes on the 2008 Honda Accord.

I drive a 2008 Honda Accord EX-L Coupe. It was making a squeaking noise, so I took it to the dealer. It turns out I needed new rear brakes, after a mere 17,000 miles. I talked to the service manager, and apparently all the 08 and 09 Accords are coming in for new brakes between 12k and 17k miles. I also looked online and found several links that document the issue:

Accord Brakes Complaint Link #1
Accord Brakes Complaint Link #2
Accord Brakes Complaint Link #3
Accord Brakes Complaint Link #4

However, the service manager also told me that Honda has not authorized the dealers to do anything about the brakes issue, and Honda has not issued a recall despite the fact that they are aware of the problem.

I called Honda Customer Care, and they sent my complaint to their regional representative, who will review it to determine if I am entitled to reimbursement. I will update this post when I get an answer. If you have had a similar problem with your brakes, I suggest taking the same course of action. Make sure Honda (the company- not your local dealer) is aware of the problem. Sooner or later, it may force them to take action.

For the record, this is the 4th Honda that I’ve owned. I love the car and I’ve never had any problems. But it’s inexcusable to put a defective part in a car and simply choose to ignore it.

UPDATE: 9/21/2009
I called Honda Customer Care, and they reimbursed me for half the cost of the brakes. While that is a nice gesture, it certainly won’t cover the cost and hassle of replacing rear brakes every 15k miles. Motor Trend recently reported the same problem on their long-term test vehicle, so maybe this will force Honda to finally do something about it.

Sarah Palin vs David Letterman

Recently, Sarah Palin made a trip to New York, the highlight of which was a controversial joke by David Letterman about Palin’s daughter getting knocked up by Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees. The joke has led to numerous complaints, including calls for Letterman to be fired, proving once again that this country has gone collectively insane.

Palin has a right to be upset. Letterman made a joke about her daughter on national TV. Any parent would be upset by that. Yet, the response to this joke is asymmetric to the joke’s nature and impact. She is simply playing the role of the victim to garner attention. News flash: jokes don’t have “victims.” They’re jokes.

First, anyone who claims Letterman was making a “rape,” “statutory rape” or “date rape” joke about Palin’s 14 year old daughter is simply ill-informed. Letterman has writers who write the jokes for him. One of Palin’s daughters got knocked up. A-Rod gets around. The joke practically writes itself. Letterman’s staff isn’t going to research a one-line joke to see which daughter was actually at the game. No one has the time or the resources to do that kind of research, especially on a show that tapes daily. In addition, Letterman is very careful about which jokes he allows on the air. Comedian Jim Norton recently appeared on Letterman, and the screeners wouldn’t let him use the line “My girlfriend’s very liberal, but I guess that’s common for girls who are still in high school” because it was too close to a pedophilia joke. Norton modified it to “but I guess that’s common for girls who are still 18,” and he had to fight to use the modified version. It’s just absurd to think a show so careful on one night would turn around and intentionally make a “child rape” joke a few nights later.

Second, we need to end this ludicrous idea that people have a right to never be offended. As I already said, Palin has a right to be upset. But if she’s offended, that’s just too damn bad. Letterman doesn’t deserve to be fired or owe her an apology because she was offended. We have forms of entertainment that range from the benign to hardcore violence and pornography. Some people are offended by the slightest bit of violence, profanity or sexuality, while other people have hard drives full of George Carlin bits and pornographic videos. At times, entertainment will offend people. It’s the nature of a free society. And one of the advantages of capitalism is that if it offends too many people, that form of entertainment will stop making money and it will go away.

This brings me to my final point on this issue: free choice. A small group of people find Letterman in bad taste, so they are attempting to apply their standards to society at large and deprive EVERYONE of his comedy. We live in a country where the government largely does not control our speech or entertainment, yet, for some incomprehensible reason, we permit self-policing by self-righteous vocal minorities. No one is forced to watch Letterman, and if one chooses to watch Letterman, one is not forced to laugh at or enjoy every joke. If Letterman is too offensive or edgy, simply change the channel.

PS: Sorry about the lack of updates. I haven’t had a lot to say lately, and this blog was turning into a traffic camera blog, which is unnecessary since DC CameraFRAUD already does a great one (see my links on the right). I did, however, have a Letter to the Editor in the Washington Times about traffic cameras.

Falls Church votes to allow Red Light Cameras

The city of Falls Church recently voted to allow photo red light enforcement. The details can be found on DC CameraFRAUD’s blog at http://dccamerafraud.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/falls-church-va-sneaks-into-the-deadly-camera-game/

If you live, work or shop in the city of Falls Church, VA, please contact the mayor and city council members (info is at the link above) to voice your disapproval (as I have already done).

Remember, these cameras cause more accidents than they prevent, and line the coffers of both government and private industry at the expense of citizen safety.

We may be distributing information in Falls Church this Saturday, April 4- more information will be forthcoming.

Speed Camera Protest

Here is an email I recently received from DCCameraFraud.com:

Although this is going to be in Maryland, this is an important event to show we’re serious about stopping this nonsense:

DC.CameraFRAUD.com is planning its first anti-speed camera demonstration in Montgomery County, MD on Feb 15th at 1pm. Our preliminary plan is to meet in Chevy Chase Village where we will be holding signs, passing out fliers, and taking photos and videos. Our goals for this activity are:

a) Make Maryland residents aware of the fraud and deception which has surrounded the current cameras in Montgomery County
b) Help people understand that, barring a large public outcry, we are on the verge of having cameras enforcing laws on almost every road in
the state
c) Help our representatives understand that if the above happens, people will be marching in the streets in protest

To the best of my knowledge nobody has done something like this in MD before. The group CameraFRAUD.com got its start in Arizona where similar protests have brought about the near-certain end of freeway photo radar in that state. For more information on what’s happening with speed cameras in Virginia, DC and Maryland, visit:

http://DC.CameraFRAUD.com

If you want to help out with the protest, send an RSVP to either:
StopBigBrotherMD@gmail.com
or dc@cameraFRAUD.com

For those who don’t know, here is why I oppose speed cameras and red light cameras:
1. Privacy. It’s government electronic surveillance and it’s a dangerous trend. This is a classic example of what has been called the “camel’s nose” effect in public policy. Once the camel gets its nose under the edge of the tent, it’s only a matter of time before the whole camel is inside. Citizens are slowly becoming more complacent about electronic surveillance, and it needs to stop.

2. It combines traffic laws with revenue generation. For those who claim they are about safety, read about Montgomery County’s traffic scam. This all about

3. Proponents claim they make the roads safer, but the evidence shows they make the roads more dangerous. If you think they make the roads safer, read about the multi-car pile up caused by a driver trying to avoid a red light citation. Prefer hard data to anecdotes? VDOT’s own statistics show that red light cameras caused accidents to go UP (both T-bone and rear-end accidents, despite the claims by proponents of these devices).

4. In the specific case of Montgomery County, the contractor who runs the electronic ticket program is paid on a PER TICKET basis, which is ILLEGAL under county law and encourages the disbursement of questionable citations.

It is true that running red lights is dangerous. However, the statistics show that red light cameras make intersections MORE dangerous, not less. If state and local governments were interested in keeping us safe, they would increase the time on yellow lights. Data shows that doing so DECREASES accidents at intersections. However, there is no money in that.

It is also true that excessive speeding is dangerous. However, what the government considers excessive speeds and what is actually an excessive speed are two different things. According to the commonwealth of Virginia, driving 80 mph is “reckless.” I see people doing that speed (or faster) on I-95 every single day. And I’ve never seen any of them get in an accident. If said behavior was truly reckless, there would be mass carnage on the highway. Painting an arbitrary number on a sign does NOT mean it is the maximum speed at which a vehicle can be safely operated. The government sets speed limits and traffic laws in a manner that allows them to issue citations and make money, not in a manner designed to keep us safe and facilitate the flow of traffic.

So, head out to Montgomery County on Feb 15 and support the effort to rid our region of these despicable devices.

Virginia bans smoking in bars and restaurants (well, sort of….)

Earlier today, the Virginia State Assembly struck a deal that outlawed smoking in bars and restaurants (with some exceptions).

The bill is not a complete ban on smoking like MD and DC have, and there have been some complaints about it (read the article). But it represents another shift in Virginia politics. The State Assembly is a place where the statement “because we’ve always done it that way” is justification for almost anything. As a tobacco-producing state, Virginia has traditionally been very responsive to the tobacco lobby and very hesitant to do anything. Virginia’s Speaker of the House, William J. Howell, is part of that tradition, and he had been holding up various bills to ban smoking in the Assembly. However, Speaker Howell gave up his opposition after an agreement was reached with Tim Kaine.

This is a dramatic change from Virginia. One of the more conservative legislatures has changed a long-held stance on an important issue. Tobacco growth is on the decline, as is Big Tobacco’s influence over the state government. VA has long been a Republican stronghold, but voters have chosen two straight Democratic governors, two straight Democratic US Senators, and Democrat Barack Obama in the recent presidential election.

The population boom in Northern VA has been slowly changing the state’s demographics for several decades, and it looks like it has finally passed the point of no return, and change is inevitable. Hopefully those changes will be for the better.

Congrats BRUUUUUCCCCEEE!

Bruce Smith, the NFL’s all time sack leader and my favorite football player of all time, is now a first-ballot Hall of Fame inductee.

Bruce dominated the defensive end position and was just amazing to watch. Here are a few clips in celebration of this honor:

Red Light Cameras return to Fairfax City

Last week, a Washington Times editorial reported that Fairfax City (the independent city, NOT all of Fairfax County) has re-instated photo red light cameras.  Aside from being an invasion of privacy, these cameras cause more accidents than they prevent.   Don’t believe me?  VDOT itself reported that the cameras increased accidents.

So, what can we as citizens do? First, if you live in Fairfax City, vote against anyone who supported this legislation. Second, don’t drive through Fairfax City or patronize businesses there. If you do, you are risking an unjust and unsafe ticket. Force the business community to put pressure on the city government.

Third, use technology to fight technology. If you have a GPS device, download Points of Interest (POI’s) for speed traps and red light cameras at this site: http://www.gps-data-team.com/poi/united_states/safety/. It has POI’s for every major brand of GPS, and once installed, you can set your GPS to warn you of impending red light cameras and speed traps. And it’s perfectly legal. I have used the red light camera POI’s with a TomTom One in the DC area with great success. In my experience, the red light camera POIs are more reliable than the speed trap POIs, but the speed trap ones still have some value. Just use them with caution and don’t think of them as a license to speed.

You can also use Photoblocker, which is a spray designed to make your license plate more reflective, so the flash from red light/speed cameras blurs your license plates and prevents the system from issuing a ticket. A few words of caution:
1. Photoblocker is illegal in some jurisdictions.
2. Photoblocker will not work against infrared cameras and will not work in daylight.
3. Photoblocker has received mixed reviews online and some claim it yellows license plates.

Personally, I have not tried Photoblocker, however, I am going to buy it and test it on an old license plate. I will take before and after photos and post the results here. So, now that you’ve read the disclaimer:
Photoblocker website
Buy Photoblocker cheaper on Amazon

In addition, a group called Camerafraud has been monitoring all the traffic camera developments in the DC metropolitan area. Check their website for updates.

These cameras will not go away unless citizens band together and fight back.