Many have asked, "So what about this 'occasional Roller Coaster'?  What's this all about?" 

We here at TheOccasionalFag are proud to introduce our very first roller coaster podcast, and where else would we record from first other than that East Coast Mecca of all things carnival, Coney Island, NYC.

On the opening day of one of the best woodies on the planet, the Coney Island Cyclone, the first one hundred people in line ride for free.  We were there as well as many ACE'rs (American Coaster Enthusiasts) and Brooklyn-ites celebrating that little bit of "good-to-have-wood" heaven in their own back yard.  Interviews all around at the Cyclone and later at Nathan's Famous over Hot Dogs and Frog legs.

Also, we interview Kate Dale (Pictured), mermaid extraordinaire and Board Member of Coney Island USA, about the up and coming changes sweeping through the area (developers have purchased Astroland making it this park's last year) and what it means to be the best mermaid in the yearly Mermaid Parade three times over!

(If you are anywhere near New York City this summer, come see what Coney Island is before it does what it has been famous for in all of it's history: becoming something else.  The Mermaid Parade is always on the Saturday of the Summer Solstice (this year - June 23, 2007) and always the most fun.)

Enjoy the ride!

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Email your comments to TheOccasionalFag@gmail.com


For more images of Coney Island and Mermaids, click on Flickr badge below:

It's not always about changing the world.  Sometimes you just have to take a break and get away from it all.

Here in the tri-state area, if you wish to invest the money, or - like me (Brian) - you have friends that have invested the money, you get away for the weekend out on Fire Island.

My friends Mark and Jay have me out each year at the beginning of the season to help them open up their house.  This podcast is an interview with Jay Pagano about the new community center in The Pines, and a, on my part, stream of consciousness "sound-seeing" walk along the beach wearing the binaural mics.

David B. is out of town the weekend of this posting, so - like it or not - this is a Brian podcast.  (I hope David B. likes it...  ).

Enjoy!

We here at TheOccasionalFag pride ourselves on our activist pasts, but what about the activist future?


In this episode we interview members of a relatively new group to emerge on the Queer Activist horizon, the Radical Homosexual Agenda, who describe themselves thusly:


The Radical Homosexual Agenda (R.H.A.) provides grass-roots support for queer youth and adults entrenched along the frontlines of the homophobia crisis in America. Frequently recognizable by our regulation pink army helmets, we believe in education and advocacy via direct action, sensationalism, and participatory arts-n-crafts for all. With over 23,000 Google results and counting, the Radical Homosexual Agenda has long been a household name from coast to coast.

Call the listener line and leave comments 206-600-5504
Email your comments to TheOccasionalFag[at]gmail[dot]com

Assemble for Rights NYC

WNYC RADIO

On April the 18th of this year, the 11th annual Day of Silence (a national youth-run effort using silence to protest the actual silencing of LGBT people due to harassment, bias and abuse in schools), Erin Davies VW Bug was spray-painted with the words "FAg" and "U R gay" because of a rainbow sticker she had previously placed on the bumper.

The vortex of emotions that anyone of us would be feeling at having been violated in such a way coalesced into a determination that not only would Erin not "fix" her car, but work to fix her world instead. Thus was born the "Fagbug". This summer Ms. Davies will be driving her modified automobile cross country to generate dialogue about the oppressive conditions GLBT people still live with day to day.

We discovered her story on the web, asked for an interview and are happy as could be that we got to speak with Erin.


Part of The FagBug project is to include in the coming weeks the creation of VW shaped rainbow Fagbug stickers of support that will be available at Erin's website. Just as all forms of sexual expression are welcome into the Queer community, the Fagbug sticker will be for anyone standing (or Driving) for cultural and sexual diversity expressed without fear (Gilbert Baker - our rainbow flag Betsy Ross - would be so proud!).