Giddy Up: The Gay Rodeo Circuit Hits the Big Time

It's summer and the smells of the rodeo lay heavy over the outdoor arena. It's gay rodeo time again and the living is easy.

I love the gay rodeo. It has something for just about everyone. The events, the cowboys, the excitment of competition, the cowboys. Oh well, you can't say I have a one track mind.

Details Magazine has made the gay rodeo cool to guys who read the publication. In the August 2005 issue, Sonny Koerner, Mr. Atlantic States Gay Rodeo Association 200 proundly sits on his horse bare butt and loving it. This guy is what makes the International Gay Rodeo Association what it is today, the third largest rodeo association in the world with 20 scheduled events annually. One of the biggest is Cowtown Rodeo in Dallas Fort Worth. While I haven't been to the Cowtown Rodeo, I've been to several others, and I always left the weekend with a smile on my face.

The gay rodeo community, like other communities, can be clickish, but it gets down to business to host these annual events. The turnouts are large and while PETA loves to picket, these rodeos are very animal friendly. It's more about raw skill and determination in events such as the barrel run, pole bending and flag race, and the crowds really get into the action.

I loved one quote in the article about how to wear your Wranglers or Levi's 517's which almost all rodeo guys subscribe to: "They should be tight enough to show what religion you are." Now that's some kind of form fitting jeans.

Some find the drag events entertaining. I usually tolerate them, because they give the cowboys a rest from the main competitions. The drag queens compete annually for the title of Miss IGRA. These events combine camp and athletic prowlness and show gay strength in a Stonewall kind of way. These guys take the competition seriously and the winnings go to worthy gay causes.

Sonny Koerner, one of the champions on the circuit, was a kid growing up loving horses and the rodeo. He was skeptical at first, but later realized, while attending a gay rodeo one weekend, that this is the real thing and embraced it.

One of the fun and frustrating events is the goat dressing competition. Putting on a pair on underpants or udderpants, (oh brother, I couldn't resist) on a goat is harder than it looks. Cowboys like to mix up their competions and compete in both the stock events such as steer riding, bull riding and chute dogging and the goat dressing competitions.

Sonny has won many a buckle. While not on the circuit, Sonny is employed as a counterterriorism expert in Washington, DC.

The article concludes with a funny confrontation between Sonny and one of the patrons of a local DFW gay C&W bar. The dude tries to grab Sonny's ass. Sonny responds, "Do you realize that you can't (grab my ass) this time?" The troll responds, "What do I have to do to get a belt buckle?" Sonny replies, " I typically don't give my buckles away. I earn them and they mean something to me". The troll pouts and stamps out of the bar area. Sonny concludes, "Now of course, the real story is that those goat dressing buckles and stuff, I might have given a few of them away." Yea, Sonny, I know a few hot guys that would love strutting one of your buckles.

So if you got a little spare time the rest of the summer, check out the gay rodeo circuit. For more info, click on, http://www.igra.com

Gay Marriage Featured at New York Fringe Festival

Howdy guys. Been playing the role of handyman at my Mom's house. Sorry to be away from the computer for so long. But like everything else, it's easy to pick up where you left off. Missed you guys.

Read in the NY Blade that the GayCo productions of Chicago is going to present, Weddings of Mass Destruction, a satire with songs and sketches about same-sex marriage in America, to be held August 12-28,2005 at the Lucille Lortell Theatre on Christopher Street in lower Manhattan.

This how is sescribed as a "satirical atack on the state of our union: political, poignant, and heartbreakingly hilarious, (someone must have paid off the reviewer)". It goes for the jugular, as the Queer Eye guys transform into pink-faced minstrels, Alyssa Milano hets her lesbian toruch song hommage, stuff like that.

It is billed as the revue that boasts comedy scenes and satirical songs that explore America as a land where everyone, struggles equally to connect or get laid. Sounds like my kind of revue.

In the meantime, have a great day and big hairy muscle hugs. Glad to be back.

We Have Just Begun To Fight

His name is John G. Roberts, Jr. and you will be seeing and hearing alot about this man who will decide our future, if nominated as a justice on the U.S. Supreme Court.

He is a conservative wrapped in a pretty bow. He is youngish, 50, and ifapproved by the U.S. Senate, will be able to shape our Nation's laws for many years to come.

What we know about this man is that he is a Washington insider who clerked for William Rehnquist when Rehnquist was an associate justice and worked in Bonzo's and Daddy's administrations.

He is a long-standing member of the Republican National Lawyers Association who gave little brother Jeb private legal advice during the 2000 presidential election recount.

He is no friend of gays or gay marriage. He was the one who convicted a young girl who was caught eating french fries on the Washington DC metro system where eating food is prohibited.
This guy likes to send a message, his message and interpertation of the law.

Some parts of his record contradicts itself when it is useful to do so. He is quoted as saying that a women's right to choose was "wrongly decided and should be overruled". When he was up for a judgeship, he played down that earlier statement, explaining that he made the administration's case against Roe V. Wade only because that was his responsibility as its lawyer.

So what we have is a guy that can speak from both sides of his mouth when it serves his purpose.

I am not personally surprised by the nomination. But the battle lines are already drawn. Look for a long and vigorous battle waged from both sides.

Don't Get Stung By Someone Behind the Bushes or the Stall Who Appears to Be Too Good To Be True

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

Hola, the First Gay Couple Weds in Spain

The first gay couple to wed under Spain's new gay marriage law are Emilio Menendez and Carlos Baturin German who were smiling broadly as they exchanged thir vows.

The ceremony took place in Tres Cantos, a town outside Madrid. Spain is the third country after the Netherlands and Belguim to grant full legal recognition to same sex couples.

The ceremony was presided over by a town councilor from the United Left Party.

The law gives gay couples the same rights as heterosexual ones. Besides getting married, they can adopt children and inherit each other's property. Truly remarkable in this overwhelming Catholic country.

Since the law took effect on July 3, 2005, about 50 couples are believed to have filed papers seeking to get married. With the gay population estimated to be about 4.3 million in Spain, there will be plenty of "Si" exchanged. I wish all of these couples the best of lives. Of course, big hairy muscle hugs of congratulations are in order. Salut!!!

Michael Cunningham, A Gay Author for Our Times

I am a big fan of Michale Cunningham's work. He has spellbound me when reading "The Hours" with all its interwined time capsules. He has pleasured me while reading his fantastic interplay of characters in "A Home At the End of The World" and writes from the heart in "Flesh and Blood"

Now Michael is at it again. His latest novel, "Specimen Days" , which I have ordered and not read yet is a collection of 3 linked novells that takes the form a ghost story, a thrillr and a science fiction tale all wrapped up in a neat bowtie.

Michael is really a cool guy. He likes long walks, his favorite East Village New York City book store haunts and peaceful times with his partner in P-Town.

The title, "Specimen Days" is borrowed from a collection of Walt Whitman autobiographical writings, beginning with a Victorian ghost story set in a rapidly industrializing, grit and dirty mid 19th century Manhattan. He next links us to New York after September 11, 2001. Then he ends it with a futuristic flare where thrill-seeking tourist pay to be mugged in a theme park called "Old New York" and where the masters of the universie use alien lizards as nannies. I kid you not.

This is an experiment in writing. He needed to top himself after his "the Hours" achievement.
And he does it with writings that stretch out over two centuries. This work may be flawed, but you can't fault the guy for exploring new territories in his writing.

He is a gay author first and foremost, but he doesn't make it the forcus of his work. I feel that this frees him to write creatively from the soul and take risks in doing so.

This won't be an easy summer read, but you'll come away with a deeper sense of awe and respect for this accomplished gay author for our times.

This Guy May Have All the Answers You've Been Looking For

Who knew? There is a gay psychic out there and he's HOT.

Dougall Fraser is the new psychic on the block who just happens to be gay.

For starters, he doesn't talk to dead people. That's a load off my mind.

He says that's boring. He's more interested in human dynamics and why we are here on this planet.

He say, "People want the mysteries of the unvierse unlocked instantly." His job, he says, is to ponto out where a guy is missing out in life. Truth being told, if everything were great, he says, why would anyone bother to come see him? Good point.

He stress self-reliance and introspection and he isn't afraid about being open about his sexual orientation.

He got a new book out called, "But You Knew That Already", published by Rodale Press.

The book is not excusively about gay issues, but a large part of it deals with is coming out process and life as a gay man.

He wants to show the public what it's like for a gay man trying to blend being spiritual and bieng human at the same time.

His book is also reported to be uplifting, with its insights into the basic life questions that so many people want answered, all written with a quirky sense of humor.

He says that the books main message is that people need to learn to trust their own hearts when confronting life's daily obsticles.

He seesy gay people as often able to achieve that more easily than straights. But gay or straight, he says the message is the same: "Worry less about trying to look into the future and focus more on applying intuition to get the most out of today." Now that's really heavy and deep.

For whatever it's worth, Dougall might be onto something. If you're looking for a beach read, this just might be what the Gay Sun God ordered. I'm going to order it and give a future review.

For anyone traveling this weekend or going/returning from vacation, wishing you the best of travels. Big hairy muscle hugs to keep you safe and happy.

He's So Close and You Want It So Bad

In my pursuit of the ultimate safer sexual experience, I am a firm believer in intimacy exercises.

On the surface, this might sound like a bunch of crap, but don't knock them if you haven't tried them.

Woody who writes a column for the Window Media gay paper chain, has a very interesting weekly column. Here is some exerpts from last week's column. It can be found at http://www.washblade.com. Click on Eclipse and scroll down to "Need Wood"

Anyway, Woody shares these exercises with his readers.

First step, always get naked. That is definitely my kind of instruction.

Then you and your partner, sex buddy, whatever, sit cross-legged, face to face with your partner, knees touching. Your hands are resting on his knees, palm up. He puts his hands on your hands, palms down.

Then you look into each other's eyes for a few minutes with the intention of studying them. Make mental notes but don't break the silence or the eye contact.

Now take a break and cover your eyes with your hands for about a minute. Then place your hands in the same position as b efore and stare into each other's eyes. But this time, don't study your parnter. Instead, let him look at you. Receive his gaze. Let yourself be look at, undressed if you will. With this exercise, you are evaporating barriers. You are closer to him. After this experience, hard and horny, you can strap on that condom and pound him into pleasureland.

Another one is called the star crossing. Lie down on a rug and spread your arms wide. Your legs should be spread about shoulder width apart. Your partner stands over your crotch, sits his butt down on the ground between your legs and mashes his cheeks agains your crotch.
He then lays back like you did and spreads his arms out next to your feet. He puts his hands on your feet and keeps them there. He spreads his legs over yours so that his feet are next to your hands. Hold his feet. From above you both have formed a star. Your genitals are facing his but not touching. Your sexually vulnerable but emotionally connected, symbolized by the toching of each other's feet. This exercise brings up different feelings depending on where your legs are over or under your lover. Now you are again in the position to put on that condom and plug his ass silly. WOOF.

For the heck of it, try it when you and your partner feel the need to try something different. It worked for me. I felt constrained and held back, with made the sex even more enjoyable. Afterall, a little variation never hurt the experience. Try it, you might just like it.

The Devil and his Temptations Wrapped Up With a Pretty Bow

Anyone condoning unsafe sex is a fuckin asshole, plain and simple.

I came across some quotes from the gay guru and HIV+ poster boy, Andrew Sullivan last week.

Old Andy writes that he has never felt better. "HIV transformed my life, made me a better and braver writer, prompted me to write the first big book pushing marriage rights, got me to take better care of my health, improved my sex life and deepened my spirituality."

Well, a ringing endorsement for unsafe sex unlike anything I have read before. Doesn't it just want to make you walk around with a sign, saying, "Bareback me, please".

While he glamorizes HIV, old Andy mocks HIV prevention efforts for using fear to promote safe sex. The guy just wants to have fun.

He quoted as writing, "Young negative men need to see more of us keeling over in the streets, or they won't be scared enough to avoid the disease that may, in the very distant future, kill them off."

He further states, "They, (young negative gay men) may even stop believing that this is a huge, escalating crisis, threatening to wipe out gay life on this planet. But the bottom line is that HIV is fast becoming another diabetes."

So soothing Andy. Thanks for sharing. True, that HIV is no longer the immediate death sentence for wealthy gay men, but hell, it can and does kill with horrible side effects and a constant dependence on drug therapy.

So Andy is the Good Humor guy, spreading the news that HIV and AIDS are no big deals. He takes "only" five pills a day and gives the feeling as if "AIDS meds were nothing more than taking Flinstones' vitamins."

But thank goodness there are others who don't buy this candy coated bullshit. The safer sex message is even more important today because of the "I don't care" mentality of many younger gay men.

The last thing younger gay men need to hear and read today that it is OK to ignore warnings about the dangers of contracting HIV and to find sexy alternatives to unprotected sex.

As we have discussed here numerous times, safer sex is a pleasurable alternative to barebacking. This reckless attitude fostered by Sullivan and others will no doubt lead to more HIV infected gay men.

The cycle continues because there are not enough of us to prove Sullivan and the others wrong.
Sullivan has this platform and it is too bad that he couldn't use it to promote something good, like safer sex.

That message is clear. Safer sex is the only sexual option, period. I guess it just has to be repeated and repeated over and over again.

Big Companies That Support Gay Events Are Under Attack Again by the American Family Association Windbags

Two corporate giants, Kraft Food Co. and Harris Bank, both Chicago institutions, have come under fire from the American Family Association for sponsoring the 2006 Gay Games.

More than 80 percent of Fortune 500 companies include sexual orientation in their anti-discrimination policies. Illinois is one of only 16 states that prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation.

But because these companies provide such protections, they are becoming targets of groups such as AFA.

But having this protection in the workplace fosters eventual acceptance from fellow workers and makes the workplace a better place to work for everyone.

Quoting the source for this report, the Chicago Tribune, one of the openly gay employees of Harris Bank, Larry Passo, a vice president and branch manager, has spearheaded the bank's initiative targeting affluent gay and lesbian customers.

"It's important not to apologize" for who you are, he said. "If you're doing a good job at work, they (fellow workers and management) will respect you."

So again the ugly head of discrimination against gay men and lesbians in corporate America is raised, condemning our lifestyle and right to marry and live happily ever after.

So to combat this personal attack and counteract their boycott, if you buy Kraft products, continue to do so. If you don't, fight these crafty evil bastards by buying Kraft products.
This is one of many ways to show them that we won't stand for this attack on our lives anymore.

A New Gay Cable TV Channel Has Begun Broadcasting Programs 4 Your Viewing Pleasure

From the folks that bring youMTV, CMT and VH1 comes Logo TV.

Brian Graden, an openly gay man, is responsible for this gay channel that caters to our gay sensibilities.

He grew up in rural Illinois, attended Oral Roberts University. Hey, we can't hold the ORU thing against him. I guess he liked the clean cut boys.

Anyway, Logo is here, to be broadcast first and seen in homes with digital cable. And it isn't pay-per-view, so anyone getting digital cable can receive it, according to the press release.

Gay and lesbian themed movies and documentaries will fill many of Logo's first programming hours. A future scripted series called "Noah's Arc" about a black gay man and his friends in LA along with a reality series about opening a gay bar and for cutting edge programming, a stand-up comedy series called "Wisecrack" are slated for airing sometime in the fall.

Everything is about Brian, according to various reports on the AP wire and elsewhere. He is responsible for torturing us with the Osbournes, Jackass and Pimp My Ride. He has been responsible for putting between 200 and 300 programs on the air. Should we whip his ass for subjecting us to such mindless entertainment? He might think of that as a show of appreciation.

So here we are, and during the last week of Gay Pride Month, we have our own cable TV channel. But where are the gossip shows, the news programming about this year's coverage of Gay Pride across the county, the continent and the world? I guess they haven't found the right on-air reporters yet. Some nude news would bring in the viewers and hype the ratings.

Whether or not LOGO will live up to its hype and ground breaking attempt to cater to our varied tastes, only time will tell. Hopefully they will broadcast a wide variety of shows including travel and fitness. And thank goodness they won't be rebroadcasting "Queer Eye" marathons since this is Viacom and not NBC/Universal. The gay gods must be with us.

Sex on the First Date: Does it Lead to a Romp in the Sack or a Meaningful Relationship?

I found an interesting article on the Washington Blade web site main page, http://www.washblade.com

It proclaims, "Gay sex is everywhere these days." The TV is a mainstain of this, including "Queer as Folk", "Six Feet Under" and even "Desparate Housewives".

It's often promiscuous sex that is depected on these programs. But to gay men believe that this is always the case? From the results of a survey conducted by the Washington Blade, it runs the spectrum from promiscuity to long-term relationships to personal codes of conduct based on a variety of complex factors?

So is screwing around on the first date, the norm for gay men? According to those guys surveyed, it all depends.

A psychologist and sex therapist interviewed for the article, Michael Hendricks, says that when "two people have sex too soon, the relationship is more likely to be based on fantasy". But what is so bad about that? A respondent to the survey said that it can be "fun to just go at it becuase you find the other person "hot" and the feeling is mutual".

According to those in the know, sex lives are influenced by emotional and supeficial factors, such as race, age, level of comfort with being gay, how drunk or high you might be at a particular moment, your relationship history, a broken heart and health status. So being on the rebound has some influence on how you take that first encounter, easy and slow, or ramping it to the extreme.

One of the respondents, Mike, wrote that he would "only engage in bondage, role-playing and spanking with men he has an emotional connection with". But he concluded that relationships for him take priority over casual sex.

This other guy who completed the survey, "Dan", said that he assumed in his 20's that a sexual attraction meant "happy ever after". But he knows better now than to, at the drop of a pin after the first dates, to rent the U-Haul and " order his and his mongrammed towels".

Also, obviously, HIV status also plays a role in making decisions about sex, for rational gay men, anyway.

Mike Hendricks, the psychologist interview for the article, concludes that "sexual freedom with no rules ultimately leaves gay men with the right to choose a sex life that makes them feel comfortable and says that it's an important extension of their personalities".

The Dan man also feels that God gave him this wonderful ability to have sex, and by God, "it would be a sin not to use it". Now that's putting the most positive spin on having gay sex that I have ever read. I absolutely agree with him.

So what are your feelings about sex on the first date? And taking this one step further, is kinky sex healthy or harmful to a gay man, whether or not he's in a relationship? I feel that a little sleaze as long as it's protect sex, can only lead to more pleasurable sex and who knows, a long term commitment. You won't know if you don't try.

The PRide Parade: Marching or Just Mingling in the Crowd

The three biggest Gay pride parades and celebrations in the U.S. take place this weekend in NYC, San Francisco and Chicago.

These events cap off a great Gay Pride month. Hundreds of cities have already celebrated Pride in their own way. Now the big three get to strut their stuff, bare butt, bare chested and all that.

I fondly remember marching in the 1993 March on Washington as well as Stonewall 25.

These were giddy times. We were fighting for our lives. AIDS and discrimination were killing us. They still are. It seemed the best of times and the worst of times. Don't ask, Don't Tell, a still friendly Congress and optimism galore.

But we got ahead of ourselves. The gay bashing Republicans took over Congress and we were back at square one.

Fast forward to 2005. The under 30 crowd thinks it is uncool to go to the parade, yet alone march in it. We marched squirting each other with water pistols. Hey, who says that we can't have some good clean fun every once in a while.

The Human Rights Campaign Fund and their blue and yellow equal signs still florish at parade time. Safe sex messages and condom tossing is still in vogue along the parade route.

But our parades have become overly commercial. This float sponsored by Bacardi, the Absolut Vodka drag kings, the Bud Light beefcake, you get my drift.

You used to see dollars stamped with pink triangles, currency reminding us that the best way to get our issues addressed is my spending our money at gay owned businesses and letting the large straight corporate America that we have spending power.

But the marriage issue eludes us today. Quoting Mike Albo in the Village Voice's queer issue, "The fuel of anger behind the event of gay pride has gradually turned into a marketing technique." Our tight ass opponents and enemies can just sit back and laugh, because we have lost that fire in our gut.

I, for one, welcome the younger guys to stand up and be counted, instead of crystalizing their life on the endless party circuit. These GoodTime Charlies need to get with the program and march for our right to marry, to live a life no different and every much as equal as straights.

So as we enter our final weekend of Gay PRide, let us reflect upon the past and regroup for the future fights. We have only just begun. Big Hairy Muscle hugs of Pride to each of you.

Playing With Your Food Takes On A Whole New Meaning

I only wish that the Food Network would devote some airtime to the true pleasures of food.

Did you know that bubble gum is America's Number 1 snack food? It's true. Bubble gum is a $3.3 billion industry. At the National Confectioners Association trade show in Chicago earlier this mopnth, 86 new gums were introduced, including ones that help people lose weight or that taste like chocolate. Yummy.

However gum chewers are fickle, with 60 percent changing flavors and brands regularly. The No. 1 reason people chew gum is to freshen their breath. Wrigley's even has a patent that covers a Viagra gum. Say, isn't that handy, freshening breath and keeping a hard on all at the same time.

I love chewing bubble gum, but have to watch sometimes. I usually like to chew while working outdoors in the summer. Getting sweaty and working shirtless, I have on occasion blown quite a bubble which has burst all over my goatee and even on my chest. Removing chewing gum from these places can be fun or can be torture, depending on what you like.

Other fun foods gaining popularity are cream puffs. Now I like the pop in the mouth kind found in the frozen food case, but fresh bakery cream puffs are so gooooooooood. They ooze so deliciously. I love the vanilla cream puffs. And licking some of that cream off a guys fuzzy face is awesome. I have also indulged several of my buds by licking the cream puff filling off their nipples. Also ass cheeks are really cool places to hide some of the smaller puffs and have a guy lick the crack gives both the bottom and the top guy pure satisfaction during foreplay. There's even a company called sweetfountains.com that rents its chocolate dipping fountions to party givers for $299. Among the hottest dipping items, cream puffs. Talk about a fun idea for your next orgy. Pure pleasure in every lick.

Two items that I have tried lately which are really delicious and used in the right way, really erotic are Edys Dibs Ice Cream Snacks and Smuckers Sundae Singles. YUMMMMMMMMMY.
Dibs snacks are bite-sized ice cream. These munchable delights cum in the following flavors: Vanilla ice cream with chocolate and Nestle Drumstick cone coating, chocolate ice cream with chocolate coating, mint ice cram with chocolate coating, vanilla ice cream with chocolate coating and vinilla icecream with chocolate and Nestle Crunch candy coating. Being a drumstick kind of guy since childhood, I prefer the vanilla ice cram with the Drumstick coating. The coating keeps the balls hard and lying back and having several placed around the balls and then having them licked and getting sucked off is pure pleasure. This foreplay can last as long as there are dibs in the carton.

As a companion treat, try Smucker's microwavable sundae singles. Just make sure that the chocolate and carmel cool down a little after coming out of the microwave, but still liquid. Pour generously over your erection and have your play partner experience the best banana split ever. Do take turns, so that both of you can experience the pure pleasure of these erotic experience.

So guys, I leave it up to you to discover these new snack foods. When you find yourself bored with the ordinary foreplay and are in the mood for a little comfort food, give these snack treats a try.

Gay Officer is accused of Harassment in NYC

Well the boot is on the other foot, figuratively speaking.

Kieran Crow, an openly gay officer, is accursed of behaving badkly, allegedly making sexually suggestive use of his hands, tongue and other body parts in front of three male sergeants, according to the New York Daily News.

Crowe was their supervisor and occurred in the NYPD's Office of Equal Employment Opportunity.

The fromal charges accuse Crow, 46, of repeatedly harassing Sgts. Sean Gallagher and Dominic Coppola and constantly staring at the private parts of another sergeant.

Coppola, in his affidavit, said, "He (Crowe) informed me that he was the best "kiss ass" in the department and he was going to teach me to be the second best." Oh brother.

However Crowe ever denys this. One of his former supervisors stepped forward to defend him, saying the charges are completely out of character for Lieutenanta Crowe.

Quoting him, "These allegations are sheer fabrications by two malcontents" siad Robert Brown, a retired NYPD captain.

Sounds liked trumped up charges to me. Will keep you guys posted.

Why We Don't Have a More Effective HIV test

There is a revised, better HIV test that still isn't being used, thanks to the footdragging by CDC officials in Atlanta.

NAAT for Nucleic Acid Amplification Test, provides a new weapon for HIV experts. IT was the main reason North Carolina health officials, who developed the test, were able to uncover an outbreak of the AIDS virus among 84 suitdents at 37 colleges in the state.

The NAAT test finds the actual AIDS virus itself and can do so within a week after infection. The current test which looks for antibodies can take weeks to develop in the bloodstream, whereby giving a false negative because a recently infected person would show being negative and thus free of HIV, when that wouldn't be the case.

Because the test is expensive, it is done using blood pooling. Up to 100 samples that tested negative using antibody testes are pooled together and tested at one. If the virus is not found in the pooled sample, officials go no further. If the virus is found, indivisual samples are tested until the positive match is found.

NAAST has increased HIV detection by 8 percent in SanFrancisco, where it has been used since 2003. Other than North Carolina, few other places offer the test, mainly because many health officials are waiting for the CDC to endorse it.

according to Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, San Francisco's director of sexually transmitted disease prevention, "It's up to localities to take the initiative." He woul dlove to see strong evidence, but sometimes acting in lieu of the evidence is more beneficial that waiting until there is achieved the highest level of evidence.

If the NAAT test works, then I say, go with it. With new strains emerging and more than 1 million people living with HIV and others still not knowing their status, it makes good sense to let the NAAT test be implemented nationwide. How can CDC officials live with themselves, knowing that there is a test that detects HIV almost instantly? The more lives can be saved if this information, is used responsibly, and HIV infected inviduals can start their treatment immediately. After all, shouldn't this be the No. 1 priority of an agency like the CDC?

Points of Pride and Then Some

Read this wonderful tidbit on the wire services.

Seems that German gay men and lesbians in Hamburg during their Gay PRide set a new world record for a group hug, with 16,000 people embracing each other for 10 seconds.

Oliva Jones, a drag queen and one of the organizers was quoted as saying, "This march should bring people together, regardless of whether people are gay or straight".

Police estimated the crowd at 22,000 who attended the Christopher Stree Day parde, a Pride march held in numerous cities in Germany and elsewhere in Europe to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1969 in NYC.

Another tidbit on the wire services was the death of cutie pie former actor, Lon McCallister, who was 82. The reason why I mention his death was that he kept to himself as well as hiding his sexual orientation.

The Washington Post mentions his companion, fellow actor William Eythe, who pre-deceased him in 1957. Of course survivors include the following relatives, a brother and a sister, another clue that he never married.

He sisliked flaunting his acting career. IT was once written about him that he"enjoys his privacy and the freedom of being anonymous".

His boyish good looks led him to be cast as the likable small-twon hero in various 1940's pics including"The Story of Seabiscuit" with Shirley Temple, Scadda Hoo, Scudda Hay, and no I din't make that title up, and "The Red House" (1947) with Edward G. Robinson and Julie London, better known as nurse Dixie on the 1970's TV show, "emergency".

He maintained close relations with Carol Channing, Jane Withers, the Comet TV commercial lady and another diva of the silver screen, Deanna Durbin, all gay friendly actresses.

Speaking of "close", did you watch "The Shield" this season on FX? Glenn Close played a remarkable character, precient police chief. She was awesome. She deserves an Emmy and if she doesn't, it is the most injustice and oversight ever in the history of television.

Her on screen performances are riveting. If you haven't seen her, check out the final episode of the season airing on FX this week. It is television at its best.

Well, guys, maybe we can set our own world's record with the biggest hairy muscle hug ever over the internet. I know that comes natural to you men. So get ready to hug. Big hairy muscle hugs and the best day today ever.

The New Lost Boys: Thrown Out By Their Polygamist Dads. So Don't Expect These Sons to Send Their Dads a Father's Day Card

While we wage a brave battle to marry just one man, there are those in this country who live in Holdale and Colorado City Utah that can live as polygamists.

Now these crazed men are through out their own flesh and blood, teenage boys to fend for themselves because they pose a burden when seeking new brides.

These guys were given as little as 2 hours notice before being driven to St. Goerge, Utah or nearby Hurrican, Utah, and left like unwanted pets along the road, with only the clothes on their backs. More than 400 teenage boys have faced this abandonment in the past 4 yers, according to reports by Utah authorities and an investigative report by the LA Times. See
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-lostboys13jun13,0,5219104.story?page=4&coll=la-home-headlines

Who is responsible for kicking out these boys is Warren Jeffs, the 49 year old prophet of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They control Hildale and Colordo City, Utah with a combined population of 15, 000.

How these so called righteous men get away with it is beyond me. Last time I checked, polygamy is illegal.

But things are looking up. Recently, Jeffs was indicted in Arizona on charges that he had arranged a marriage between a 28 year old man who was lrady married and a 16 year old girl.
Funny that the religious right isn't screaming about these horror stories.

Also Jeffs is bieng sued by five of the "Lost Boys" who claim he conspired to banish them so church eldeers would have less competition for wives. See, these young studs were proving too much competiton for the old bucks. These are really strange folks. And Michael Jackson is thought to be really weird.

These young men were given trumped up charges by their elders and banished because they acted like teenage boys, sneaking off to see "Charlie's Angels" or just having some fun.

But some of these boys have been taken in by other Mormon families and that has helped to aleviate the situation somewhat. Still these boys want to see their moms again, who won't have anything to do with them.

This cult has been defying the law for over 50 years. Nothing seems to stick and they are allowed to exist and practice polygomy openly.

The Hildale manor, David Zitting said that the exiled boys were defiant. But there cause is not left unnoticed. There is a group, Diversity Foundation, out of Salt Lake City that wnats to raise awareness about these boys as well as provide them with housing and education.

One of the boys said, "If you have 71 brothers and sisters in the house, how can you establish a relationship with your father?" Now that's some feat trying to get his attention.

So injustice permeates everywhere you look. Something to think about.

A Milestone of Sorts Has Been Reached-Those Living With HIV Has Topped the 1 Million Milestone in the U.S.

The Center for Disease Control has issued a statement that the HIV population in the U.S. has now reached 1 million persons infected with HIV and living with HIV. Great news or so it seems as we celebrate Gay Pride Month.

The CDC states that 74 percent of the HIV positive populationi are males. Also 47 % are black, 34 % white, 17 percent Hispanic and 2 % other. 45 percent of the HIV transmission is still attributed to male to male sex with high risk heterosexual contact, 27 %.

This is not surprising that gay males continue to have sexual activity that is unprotected, thus contributing almost half of the HIV transmission. And with the new LGV strain and an entire new generation of gay men exposing themselves to unprotected sex, these numbers can only go higher.

So those pundants in the gay community who continue to preach a moritorium on safer sex, are having their way. They really don't care if these young guys become another lost generation of gay men. They DON'T care that living with AIDS is no picnic. It isn't COOL and it isn't without pain and suffering. These guys forfeit a normal life for that one moment of savage, unbrided bareback sex. Such stupidity. They do know better, but yet they act like morons.

The CDC had issued a goal in 2001 to "break the back" of the epidemic by reducing the rae of new HIV infections to 20,000 a year by 2005. It has been a miserable failure. Instead of halving, the new rate has increased to 60,000 new cases of HIV in the US each year. Besides these alarming rates, there are nearly 300,000 people who are infected with HIV but don't know it , because they won't get tested.

So the dilemma has never gone away. Still guys don't get tested, don't know their HIV status, and some really don't care. We as a tribe must preserve our very existance. If we don't practice protected sex, we will only be extinguishing our being. What a great loss that would be.

Younger guys will never know what a normal gay life is. They won't be able to carry on our traditions and establish their own mark in gay life. They are throwing their healthy lives away.
For what, some sleaze. You can have sleazy fun and live HIV free. I and a lot of others are living proof of that.

Gay Pride Celebrations Take Center Stage

I headed down to DC on Saturday afternoon to catch the 30th annual DC Pride parade.

I had sense to ride the Harley, because parking along P street was tight. I managed to get a space on the Whole Foods side of the street.

It was awesome. Lots of cruising and everyone seemed to have a great time. The dudes of the Gay Men's Chorus were especially friendly, slapping on several "We're 25 " stickers on my chest.

After the customary Dykes on Bikes, the first featured floats and contingents honored gay men in the military. That was fitting. After that, the illuminaries, the grand marshall. Rip Taylor, then all the politicians, then the bars, social groups such as the Lambda car club and the DC COwboys, leathermen, porn stars, Chi Chi La Rue, etc, then the church, PFLAG groups, hispanic groups, and finally the Results Gym with a huge float. Especially loved Freddies Beach Bar's float. Very hunky and colorful.

The next day was the Gay PRide itself. It was hot and sweaty, as usual. Lots of skin. So many booths, so little time. The entertainment was cool. A musical group, Betty, part Harlots, good guitar licks, very good all girl vocal group had the crowd in a festive mood.

But the booths were torn between commerce and social groups. Real Estate seems to be a very big thing in DC and there were so many realtors there that it looked like a Parade of Homes or Home Show. There was a little bit of everything stretching the four blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue.

I'm a little beat from the ride and the walking, but it was fun. The home crowd in DC is in a lovefest with its baseball team, the Nationals as they continue to win and stay in first place.

Caught in the paper this morning a pic of Paris Hilton and her mom, who were grand marshals of the LA Gay PRide parade. I guess West Hollywood and environs were in a street party mood as well.

If you celebrated Gay Pride over the weekend, feel free to share your observations. It is that one time of the year when our tribe can get together for one event. Wishing you the best of Gay Prides. Big hairy muscle hugs.