June 2004 - Annual Pride Goeth Before Destruction Journal
 RayzRealm (c) June, 2004

[June 04][June 13][June 18]

Friday June 4

It's June, and time for the annual "Pride Goeth Before Destruction" flight recorder journal. Another annual note to travelers visiting the Boston area this June; try to make it between June 7 and 13, which is Boston's Gay Pride week. I'm not advocating gay stuff one way or another, but historically this week has been one of the best for weather of the entire season, plus there will be plenty for the geeks to gawk at. The festivities should be interesting, since Massachusetts (for now) allows gay marriages, plus the Democratic convention will be in town this summer, so it'll be a hot time in old Beantown this Summer.

I watched last year's parade from the curb at the Arlington Street Church, which offers a fairly good vantage point. Recent parades have become more commercial with corporate sponsors, as well as the usual army of (whore) politicians kissing up to the gay vote. I doubt Dubya, Rummy, the Whitehouse resident Uncle Tom's, Crisco man and Unka Dick will be here for the parade, but the current administration has been full of (mostly unpleasant) surprises.

This being an election year, the parade will probably be made of up 25% politicians, 25% businesses catering to weddings, 25% churches offering the gay community an invitation to swim in their baptismal pool, and the rest the usual suspects; Dykes on Bikes, Latino boys in drag and tribal tattooed, thorazine eye'd half naked muscle clones taking their nipples out for an airing.

There was a span of about 12 years when I didn't make the annual trip to watch the parade. I used to take in the festivities every year since the early 70's until most of the people I knew all had passed away from AIDS, plus the last parade I watched before going on a lengthy hiatus was in 1990 or 1991, when I was videotaping the parade for a gay social/PAC group at my previous employer.

As I was taping, a group of thumpers were disrupting the parade and bystanders with "hellfire and damnation" taunts. One little old buzzard waved a "God hates fags" sign in front of my cam corder, then knocked it out of my hands to the ground yelling, "who's going to be your Sodomite boyfriend tonight, you'll burn in Hell, etc, etc yadda, yadda", then he spit in my face and took off with me in hot pursuit. Well number one, I'm not a Sodomite and have never visited Sodom and number two, do not have a boy friend of any sort. So there the brave Christian soldiers were, dodging through the crowd trying to outrun me after their hit-and-run attack, "c'mere you little yellow belly'd weasel. I'll kick your f***ing ass!!!" I had felt very bad energy about that day from the moment I woke up, but had promised to tape the parade as a favor. I stayed away from Boston Pride Day until 2 years ago when boredom and curiosity got the best of me. Maybe on June 12th I'll have some interesting observations to jot down here after the parade. I still have the nagging gut feel that there will be big trouble in little Beantown his Summer.

I have recently stayed away from maintaining Area51 and have been tuning out the news, suffering from a moderate level of depression, fueled in part by the chronic uncertainty and psychosis of our leaders, "please mommy, make it stop!" I have made a few feeble entries in the Nightmare Hall blog, but my heart hasn't really been into writing.

I have not done much besides work, watch reruns of the X-Files on DVD and feel miserable due to the chronic urinary/prostate infection that I've had for almost a year. Nothing has shown up on any tests, but my doctor agrees that I have some sort of low level infection going on. I've been off an on different antibiotics since last July and most of the time have felt like being kicked in the crotch and peeing battery acid during the past year; I am not a happy camper. My last two regular quarterly rounds of Russian Roulette labs tests have been the best I've ever had, which seems strange, but my doctor claims they are valid despite the low grade infection.

Here's the weird part, while chatting with people over the past few months, 7 or 8 have replied, "oh you too!" when I mentioned the aggravation of the chronic infection. All of them have either been going through similar problems themselves of know someone who has; nothing shows up on tests, but they have a chronic, hard to treat urinary tract infection. OK! so what sort of gummint black op is behind this one, or is it the wrath of god, casting plagues on the pee-pee's of sinners during the end times?

Last month I bought myself a birthday present, the first 4 complete seasons of the X-Files on DVD. Costco off and on carries seasons of the X-Files, and had seasons 1 through 8 for $61 each. This is a hell of a lot better than the $149 I regularly see in music/video stores, which goes to show you how much of a markup retail products have. The DVD's have all sorts of extras, including games and Easter eggs that can only be accessed on my PC's DVD drive. I always enjoyed the X-Files up through season 5, the show seemed to change a lot after that.

The only other excitement I've had is trying acupuncture at my doctor's request. I found a holistic health clinic in Boston that has a sliding scale. The results of my first session are subtle, but the acupuncture chills me out for a few days and temporally lessens the neuropathy in my feet and legs.

Sorry, but the weekly news article cupboard is bare. I've been avoiding too much information intake for now.

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Sunday June 13

A truly great American died this past week, Ray Charles, musical icon, passed away. Ray shared his gift of music across generations around the world. He entertained and brought smiles to the faces of his fans, and was well respected in the music world. his music appealed to all classes of people. He was a tribute to what African Americans have contributed to our culture; rest in piece Ray. The least we can do is have the post office issue a postage stamp in Ray's honor.

Also in the news this past week, Ronald Reagan, ex B movie actor, prior resident of the White House and darling of the filthy rich and far right, also shed this mortal coil.. Ronnie single handedly, without anyone's help, ended the Cold War, fought the Martians, stopped Godzilla from destroying Tokyo, deflected a dozen or so asteroids from colliding with Earth, ran faster than a speeding locomotive, regularly leapt tall buildings in a single bound, totally ignored the growing AIDS crisis, drove up the deficit, made his wealthy supporters even wealthier, cut social programs, all while making every Joe six-pack in America feel warm and fuzzy. The Gipper was blessed with a clear and well modulated voice, unlike the current White House resident, who cannot pronounce "nuclear", which I find humorous, considering the US is the world's biggest "nu-ku-ler" super power. As a tribute, republicans are following the lead of Catholics who revere their saints, all republican lawns will display bathtub grottos containing statues of the Gipper and proclaim every day a national holiday, "Ronald Reagan Day" plus every denomination of American currency will bear his image, ;along with Mount Rushmore. A giant of a man, no a god to some, has left this country much poorer...for more reasons than one.

Yesterday was Boston's gay pride (goeth before destruction) day. I wasn't planning on watching it this year, but had an acupuncture appointment in town, so carried along my digital camera and drove into Boston at around 9AM. The weather kept up it's annual deal, crystal clear skies, mid to high 70's with low humidity and a light breeze; perfect weather. After my acupuncture session, I walked over to Copley Square, where the various groups were queueing up into the prescribed order. Yup, the usual suspects, politicians, dykes on bikes, drag queens, plus a large number of "married with children" groups. Needless to say local businesses got some exposure in the parade, marriage planning, travel agencies, tuxedo rentals, caterers, church groups, limo services, a real feeding frenzy in drumming up business.

Since I'm not really a part of this celebration, along with the coupla hundred thousand spectators, I took up a spot under a shade tree, where the parade would be swinging around through the South End. The parade was long...v-e-r-y long, like a 2 hour TV commercial break. I noticed a lot of VW Beetles of every color under the rainbow, and then some (what is it with all the VW bugs?) Well come to find out, Volkswagen is the official sponsor of the 2004 Boston gay pride parade. I can think of an interesting twist on the Volkswagen byline, "drivers wanted, are you passenger or a driver?"

"Oh please let me, I insist, bend over, I'll drive." VW keys in the left rear pocket, driver, keys in the right pocket, passenger." Or would this lend new meaning to the term, "back seat driver."

Thirty to 40 years ago, companies would hardly dream of pandering to homosexuals, but thanks to runaway capitalism every warm body, regardless of race, creed, color, sexual orientation, etc is fair game to the marketers. Gays = $$$$'s lots of $$$$'s. There's a popular myth that gay men are all millionaires, but the majority I've known are as rent poor as the rest of us.

I confess to not watching a lot of the parade, preferring to sit on it out on the curb behind the 8 to 10 deep crowd that lined the streets. I do enjoy watching the dykes on bikes rumble past on their Harleys. I also have enjoyed the large women's percussion group that has been in the parade every year, but I didn't see them this year. Thank goodness the usual large contingent of tribal tattooed, pumped up and oiled bois in jock straps and thongs who are usually bumping and grinding, dry humping on passing bar floats to techno music were in the minority. The Log Cabin Club (gay repuglicans) had a contingent in the parade (what big brass ones they had, closet Bushites)

After it was all over I wanted to grab lunch, but forget about finding a restaurant with available seating. About half a million other people had the same idea. I wound up having a dub at the d'angelo's in the Transportation building, which seemed pretty deserted.

Then there were the "gay pride" block parties that dotted Boston yesterday and today. You could hear, or feel the music 10-12 blocks away, a steady, "boom...boom...boom....boomba, boomba boom...boom...boom. As I walked closer I could feel the shock waves set off from the banks of speakers, driven by probably 100, 000 watts worth of amplification and powered by a truck mounted nuclear reactor. I used to DJ back in the late 70's and 80's, but must be getting old. What passes for dance music today sounds like a bunch of cats, pit bulls and chain saws tossed into a washing on the spin cycle; and every song sounds exactly like the one before it.

I made my way back to my car, which was on the lowest level of the Boston Common underground garage. The massive post parade rally was on the Common, so I had to claw my way through the crowds, but I did stop to listen to some wimmin musicians who were performing on stage before inching my way out of the city.

My high points of the day and weekend; fabulous weather, playing acupuncture voodoo witch doll, finding a copy of "Rule by Secrecy" by Jim Marrs at Barnes and Noble and picking up a neat tee and tank top with an international biohazard warning sign embroidered on them.

Today I returned to Boston, since it was much quieter. I was sort of in a downer since last night. I guess seeing a lot of people celebrating (gay or straight) with friends and loved ones, is a mirror to my total lack of social contact with anyone. The only reason I have a phone is to access the internet. But then, I'm pushing 60, not very attractive, totally sexually unmarketable, not the sort of person people would be climbing all over to be around. I would stand a better chance of selling real estate at Love Canal than for anyone wanting to get involved with me beyond the, "hey hiya, nice seein ya, gotta go, meeting friends, bye" Oh well, such is my station in life.

Something went terribly wrong 3 to 4 years ago and I'm still trying to figure it out. I'm not sure if I've changed or have people in general drastically changed since the turn of the millennium.

Here's a week's plus worth of alternative news and views

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Saturday June 18

I've been thinking about a couple of things Jesus said. Christ referred to the people as "sheep". He could have just as easilly referred to them as lemmings, moths around a bug light, herds of cattle or Bambi's caught in the headlights of an oncoming truck. Of course using these terms in his parables would have confused the masses even more, since trucks were not invented yet and nobody 2000 years ago went to the movies, so Bambi would be lost on them.

Sheep are by nature "dumb" animals. They'd all march over a cliff if it wasn't for a kindly shepherd watching over and guiding them to safety. Jesus warned his flock that there would be good shepherds and bad ones. The term "wolf in sheep's clothing" comes right from the good book itself. Some shepherds would lovingly tend their flocks, while others would watch the stock market for wool futures. The sheep would feel safe, thinking the shepherd was taking them back to the barn for the night, when in fact he'd be herding them off to the nearest woolen mill, then to the butcher.

People are like that, basically fat, dumb and happy, trusting anything that anyone who calls himself a shepherd says. Not much has changed in 2000 years, except for 3 piece suits, cars, computers, cell phones, TV, a two party system and a false sense that man has "evolved" beyond those towel headed, stone throwing wackos of Biblical times. Basically we're still a bunch of ignorant, superstitious savages, with a thin veneer that we call "civilization"; technology, weapons of mass destruction, 3 piece suits, Gucci briefcases, cell phones, lap top computers and Mercedes Benz convertibles and trophy homes make us fully human, or so we think.

Christianity, along with other religions are supposed to keep us from devolving back into spear chugging, feces flinging morons, but alas, one too many religious people I have met are among the worst warmongering, shit slingers I've ever met.

One of the last things that Christ said as he hung on the cross was, "Father, forgive them for they know now what they do." This tells me that Jesus had a lot more compassion for cretins, especially since they were screaming for his blood, than I do. The mob was all worked up, calling for Barabas to be set free and for Jesus to die. In modern terms Christ was essentially saying, "crowds of people are stupid. The larger the crowd, the higher the level of collective stupidity. Please forgive them Father because they're all suffering from a group induced psychotic state." If you keep adding more people to the crowd, angry words turn into fist fights, riots; adding even more adrenalin pumped up sheep and you get Jihads, Crusades, and if they get worked up enough Armageddon. To get a crowd truly stirred up, you need a number of influential, charismatic, ego maniacs to egg the the collective on.

I wonder what Jesus is thinking now? Many will run to him saying, "look what we did in your name! Can we have our eternal reward now, something opulent, with a nice ocean view and convenient access to God's throne."

A mid month dose of alternative reality for you that you won't see in the Faux news channel.

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Shalom, Ray