From the Eyes of the Chuck - Part Tres

Ahh....another game day Saturday is approaching. Last weekend was the home opener and rededication ceremony for Memorial Stadium. There were several former players on hand for the celebration including Rash Mendenhall, J Leman, Dave Diehl, Jeff George, Dick Butkus, and a ton that I have no clue as to what their names are. Check out my latest photos for pics from both the Mizzou and Eastern games. Juice and Rejus had a pair of rushing TDs, and the offense tallied a whopping 435 yards on the ground.

I would also like to introduce the newest member of the posse to everyone. He stands MAYBE 12" tall and is certainly a cute, little fellow. He loves Illini football, cold beer, and the ladies. Lucky recently set up his very own MySpace because well....he is a manwhore. Anyways, drop by Lucky's page and say hello. He is always looking for new friends and especially chics. Click on the link below to be transported to Lucky's Very Own MySpace.

For more details on Saturday's game against Lousiana-Layfayette....the Rajun' Cajuns.... click on the link below.
Game 3

In NFL news....specifically fantasy, those of you who have Tom Brady as your starting QB are F!KED! The injury certainly was a crushing blow to the Patriots and may just squash any dreams of appearing at their 3rd consecutive Super Bowl. There were quite a few impact players that dropped in the first week including Nate Burleson, Joseph Addai, Shawn Merriman, and Marques Colston. It's gonna be a brutal year in fantasy if the injuries keep up at this pace. Thankfully, I went 2-1 across my three teams. Get those rosters realigned and set because Week 2 is right around the corner.

Don't forget that the 'game of the year' featuring OSU and USC is on Saturday evening. OSU will attempt to kick the living sh_t out of the Trojans on their home turf. This is one of the rare occasions where it is absolutely acceptable to cheer for the Buckeyes. O-H!!

From the Eyes of the Chucks - Part II

Shizzle shammy! There are only eight days left until the start of the 2008 college football season. The anticipation and anxiety continues to build as we move closer and closer to opening day against #6 (AP) Mizzou. The Illini are ranked #20 in the latest AP polls and #15 in the Football Writers Association of America poll. They will face Heisman candidate Chase Daniels at the Edward Jones Dome in Saint Louis. Kickoff is slated for 7:30PM.

Illinois Football: The Journey
The Big Ten Network will be filming a series that follows the Zook and the Illini throughout the season as they continue on their journey towards success. The series will provide an in depth look at the Illini football program both on and off the field. The series is set to debut at 8:30PM CST on Sept. 2.


Renaissance Celebration
The rededication of Memorial Stadium will commence on Sept. 6, which is the home opener against Eastern Illinois. There will be an arsenal of old school players on hand for the ceremony including Dick Butkus, Jeff George, my boy Kurt Kittner, Harold 'Red' Grange, Kevin Hardy, Dana Howard, J Leman, Rash Mendenhall, Ray Nitschke, and many more. The team will don throwback jerseys similar to those worn during the infamous Butkus era. This game has not yet sold out but is very close. Four of the six home games for the 2008 season have sold out.

Illini Players to Watch

Arrelious 'Rejus' Benn #9
Position - WR & PR/KR
Walter Camp 2008 Player of the Year Watch List


Isiah 'Juice' Williams #7
Position - QB


Vontae Davis #1
Position - DB
Bronko Nagurski Trophy Watch List


Martez Wilson #2
Position - LB
Butkus Award Watch List


Sam Carson III #43
Position - LB


Will Davis #81
Position - DL


Dere Hicks #28
Position - DB


Dustin Jefferson #53
Position - LB


Will Judson #13
Position - WR


David Lindquist #94
Position - DL


Brit Miller #44
Position - LB


Doug Pilcher #95
Position - DL

Next Friday is College Colors Day. Wear Orange or be prepared to suffer the consequences. GO ILLINI!

From the Eyes of the Chuck - Part I

If I listen closely enough to the voices in my head, I can hear the beloved announcer welcoming Illini fans to another football filled Saturday at Memorial Stadium. It is almost time.....25 days and counting. Season and single game tickets are in high demand and selling faster than anyone could have ever imagined two short seasons ago.

Illinois football raised the bar last year higher than ever before despite the outcome of the Rose Bowl. They made leaps and bounds last year making headlines across the nation. This season they will face three of the tough Big 10 teams on the road, and the 2008 schedule is one of the most challenging schedules in several years. The psychics of college football are predicting a 6-6 season and a 3rd place finish in the conference. The offensive and defensive squads took a hit with the loss of Mendenhall, Harrison, and Leman. In order to have a successful season, Zook and his staff must find a way to fill the gaps and expand the offense.

Illinois is ranked #19 in the USA Today/Coaches Poll.

The official schedule for the 2007-2008 schedule goes as follows:

8/30 Arch Rivalry Game vs. #7 Mizzou @ the Edward Jones Dome - St. Louis

In case you haven't heard, this game sold out in five minutes.

9/06 Home opener vs. Eastern Illinois (puhshaw to you, filthy Panthers!)

9/13 vs. Lousiana-LaFayette .... uh who?

9/27 at Happy Valley vs. the infamous Joe Paterno and the # 22 Nittany Lions of PSU....we are Penn State!

10/4 at the Big House vs. #24....bring on the maize and blue of Michigan! MUCK FICHIGAN!

10/11 vs. Minnesota....I've got nothing.

10/18 vs. those damnable Indiana Hoosiers. Say how is that basketball coaching position shaping up? (SOLD OUT)

10/25 at Camp Randall Stadium - home of Bucky the walking popcorn box.

Think I'm kidding?

11/1 vs. the pink locker room bandits of Iowa (SOLD OUT)

11/8 at Western Michigan

11/15 vs. none other than #3 THE Ohio State University.... O-H...Oh no! (SOLD OUT)

11/22 vs. Northwestern and the purple cats


....and so it begins.

Check out the links below and follow the team as they prepare for the upcoming season at Camp Rantoul.

Camp Rantoul Day 1

Camp Rantoul Day 2

Up next.... the skinny on key Illini players to watch, fantasy prospects, and more.

Getcho popcorn ready because here comes the Illini!

Time Flies When Your Strung Out Face Down In A Puddle of Your Own Vomit

That was certainly a mouthful.

I sincerely apologize for the negligence. It has been a busy, busy June thus far.



FIRST AND FOREMOST.....HAPPY PRIDE EVERYBODY!

First order of business.... the infamous lesbian love kiss. My opinion is that it's complete and utter bullshit. However, I have let the moment slip away, and this is now officially 'old' news. Therefore, I will let it die and carry on. See below for a few articles including Dan Savage's opinion on the matter. We love our Dan!

CNN Article
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/06/05/seattle.kiss.ap/

AP Article
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hOad7MrHB-xGaWYJAIvKTV0eAZugD913STT00

Dan Savage
http://www.thestranger.com/seattle/Content?oid=589753




Pridefest St. Louis is only two days away. Clear those weekend plans and get your sweet asses down to Tower Grove Park. Festivities begin Saturday at 11am until last until 8pm. At that point, all queers within a 50-100 mile radius will invade the bars and clubs in the St. Louis area. The parade begins at 12pm on Sunday but festivities will maintain the same hours noted for Saturday. Leave your booze at home!

Check out the home page for more information.
Pridefest St. Louis 2008

The Kids in the Hall.... great f#%king show! We had great seats as well, which always helps. If they're coming to your neck of the woods, I highly recommend picking up tickets. They are getting up their in age, and the time to catch the boys live is now!


Up next.....Lewis Black...the man, the myth, the legend. He will be appearing at the fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis on Aug. 8th in support of his "Let Them Eat Cake" tour. The show starts at 8pm.
Get your tickets now because this will be a event! For ticket information, click here.


Tune in next time for more of my madness and irrational thoughts. Until next time....


HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY PRIDE!

Hail Satan!

Ever bring up a topic of discussion and suddenly become enveloped by it? Case in point - Mr. Harvey Milk. Harvey was in my thoughts last week. Now he's everywhere.....news/sex documentaries/etc.

California passed legislation this week that will designate a day to honor Mr. Milk. Once approved by the state Senate, May 22nd will be officially dubbed Harvey Milk Day. May 22nd would have been Harvey's 78th birthday. The City of San Francisco also plans to unveil a statue of the late Mr. Milk on Thursday. The statue will be located in the Ceremonial Rotunda in City Hall. Harvey was on the verge of breaking through discriminative barriers specifically involving gay acceptance and rights until he was gunned down by a disgruntled Republican (aka f*cker).

Speaking of queers and California, Mr. Sulu (aka George Takei) has announced that he will wed his long time partner after the California ban on same-sex marriage has been listed. He is seventy-one years old.



Twenty-five years ago today, a team of scientists from the Pasteur Institute in France reported a virus found in a patient who had recently died from AIDS. That virus is better known as HIV, and the rest is history. A journalist by the name of Randy Shilts chronicled the early beginnings of the AIDS epidemic in his book entitled And the Band Played On. He also wrote a book about Mr. Harvey Milk entitled The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk. Both books are also available in film format. Randy was an advocate for gay rights and AIDS awareness. He passed away in 1994 due to complications from AIDS. If you want to see the extent of the effect AIDS had on San Francisco and the world for that matter in the early 80s, then I highly recommend reading And the Band Played On. The movie version is also quite good and features several iconic, gay celebrities including Sir Ian McKellen and Lily Tomlinson.

R.I.P. Randy....

I caught a documentary on IFC (Independent Film Channel) last weekend entitled 'The Bridge'. It was chilling to say the least. The film displays the relationship with the Golden Gate Bridge and suicide. The GG Bridge is one of the most popular locations in the world for suicide attempts. The director and crew spent a year filming activity on the bridge and captured a handful of attempts while filming. The documentary tells the story of twenty-four people who threw themselves from the bridge in 2004. It is a fascinating documentary but also very sad and somewhat disturbing. One individual, who originally from Saint Louis, is featured throughout the majority of the film. His name is Gene. I was able to locate an online blog or journal that this person once kept. It is rather dark and dismal, but here is the link if you are interested. http://freekboyg.livejournal.com/
The story of Gene comes to an abrupt halt at the end of the film when he jumps from the bridge in dramatic fashion. I recommend viewing 'The Bridge', but it is a little tough to watch.

I highly encourage those few of you who actually read this source of strange and somewhat useless information to use the comment function. Comments provide feedback, and feedback is an essential part of growth and improvement especially when embarking on any writing endeavor. I learn from you the reader via feedback so by all means post away!

Check back soon for more enthralling tales from the nether regions.

Thanks to the following resources...
365gay
AFP via GoogleNews
Towelroad.com
Los Angeles Times
imdb.com
freekboyg

Q is for Queer and V is for Victory

May 15th, 2008 proved to be a monumental day in the state of California and across the nation. If you listen very closely, you can hear the gasps of fascist conservatives across the land, and ain't it grand?

In a nail biting 4-3 decision, the California Supreme Court ruled that the ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and discriminatory. The ban will be lifted and the ruling is expected to go in full effect within the next thirty days. This isn't a green light for civil unions or partnerships. This is the real deal.....marriage and all the bells & whistles that come with it. Hell, even Governor Aaaahnold vowed that he would uphold the ruling. He also stated that he would not support any amendment to the Constitution overturning the ruling.

This ruling is a small victory, but there are many small battles still to be won. Expect a strong rebuttal from one angry 'family value' posse. This ruling has the religious right and morale majority absolutely shitting kittens. Rumor has it that the Nazi coalition rounded up and submitted nearly 1.1 million signatures that support a constitutional amendment. 763,790 signatures were required to qualify for a spot on the upcoming ballot. The amendment adds fourteen crucial words to the California Constitution. "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California".

If this makes its way on the ballot, gay advocates in California will be in for a long, drawn out battle. The ruling could also have a substantial effect on the upcoming presidential election. If McCain shows strong opposition against same sex marriage, then he takes the risks of losing the more middle to leftist Republican voters. The same goes for Obama should he choose to support same sex marriage. At this point, the majority of voters are more focused on the crumbling economy and tiresome, endless war. Advocate groups need as much support as they can get. The score is currently - Crazy Christian Crusaders 27 Queer Nation 1, which means queers need to get to steppin'. 27 of 28 attempts to uphold this state ruling have failed. One step at a time....

Here are some interesting statistics I was able to sniff out regarding the acceptance of gay culture in our society.

Prior to the California announcement, Massachusetts was the only state that actually recognized same-sex marriage. Vermont, Jersey, Connecticut, and New Hampshire have all recognized civil unions but not marriage. California, Hawaii, Maine, Washington, and Oregon currently acknowledge domestic partnerships, which includes a handful of the perks associated with marriage.

A whopping 26 states have approved a ban on gay marriage. If I list them all, I doubt you would be surprised. However, I am proud to state that my beloved home state of Illinois is not on the list. The state I currently reside is on the list, but we all know MO sucks a fat one.

Ahh....what the hell? Here's the list. Yee f*ckin' haw!

....and the winners are Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and last but never least Wisconsin.

Now for the sunny side of the street...

• The acceptance of same-sex relations has increased from 11% to 31% between 1973 and 2004.
  
• The acknowledgement that gays should have equal employment rights has increased from 56% to a staggering 89% between 1977 and 2004.
  
• The validation and approval of gay marriage has increased from 27% to 39% between 1996 and 2005.

There is hope within these numbers. The acceptance of gays in society has made dramatic improvements since the days when marital standards were determined by Ozzie and Harriet.

Ellen (DeGeneres) announced on her show (Ellen...duh) that she would definitely be getting married to her long time partner Portia de Rossi. Bless her sweet, little heart. You go, girl!

Stay tuned.....more to come.

Much thanks to the following resources....

The San Francisco Chronicle

CBS News

Towelroad.com

Los Angeles Times

The Age

Associated Press

New York Times

Look!

a complete and utter douchebag!
a>

Now on to the meat & potatoes because we all know I could spend hours venting about this one.



June is nearly upon us. What's so special about June you ask? Well, it's when us queer folk start the uprisin' whilst raising a little Cain.

A little queer history...
So what is this Pride you speak of? Funny you should ask because I'm fixin' to tell you. This year will mark the 38th year of the GLBT (gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender) Pride celebration. Somewhere in the haze of 1969, an incident occurred that triggered this marvelous, annual event. This event is better known as the Stonewall Uprising or riots. In the 60s, the Stonewall Inn was a happening gay establishment located in Greenwich Village - NYC. Members of the gay community often flocked to these predominantly gay establishments because it was the one public place where queers could come together, embrace their gayness, and feel as though they truly belong. However, law enforcement and other power hungry pigf*ckers often raided these prominent gay establishments. This was not an isolated event as gay bar/club raids were occurring everywhere throughout the United States. The patrons were often arrested unless they managed to escape. The police also went on to publish the names of those who were arrested because they apparently felt it was their duty to publicly out these kind folks.

Anyways, one evening (June 27th, 1969) at the Stonewall Inn the pigf*ckers attempted to pull the same bullshit. However, the patrons of the bar took a stand and fought back and POOF so began the celebration of Gay Pride all throughout the land. Isn't it grand?

Symbolism
The Rainbow flag was originally masterminded by a fellow by the name of Gilbert Baker. Here is picture of ol' Gilbert.

He crafted the flag for his dear friend, one Mr. Harvey Milk. Do y'all know about Harvey Milk? If you don't, then I suggest doing some research. Here's a quick run down about Mr. Milk. He was an advocate of gay visibility and acceptance in the disco-infested 1970s. Harvey became the first openly gay person to hold office when he was elected to the San Francisco board of supervisors in 1977. Unfortunately, a conservative pig f*cker by the name of Daniel White shot both Harvey and the mayor (at the time) of Frisco, George Moscone, killing them both.

Back to thy rainbow flag...the flag first appeared at the San Francisco Gay and Lesbian Freedom Day Parade in the late 70s. The original flag consisted of eight, multi-colored strips. Each color or strip represents a particular meaning or message. The two that were later dropped, pink and turquoise, represented sexuality (pink) and magic (turquoise).

Red = Life
Orange = Healing
Yellow = Sunlight
Green = Nature
Indigo = Serenity
Violet = Spirit

Rainbow flags are now visible in all sizes, shapes, and formats and are widespread throughout the entire world. There has also been several variations, which include the bear and bisexual flag. The pink triangle is another relatively renowned symbol amongst the gay community. The pink triangle is perhaps the most historic and dates back to the World War II era. It was used by the Nazi regime to identify homosexuals similar to how the yellow Star of David patch was used to identify the Jews. Last but not least, we have the lovely Lambda symbol. It is a symbol of kinetic energy and represents the energy of the gay/lesbian movement. Both are displayed below for your viewing pleasure.



So there you have it....gay history in a nutshell.


Hey....where did she come from? We shall refer to her as the 'other' woman. Moving right along...

The annual St. Louis Pridefest will commence on June 28th. The Pet Parade and commitment ceremony will commence on June 28th. The Grandmaster Flash of all parades will take place on Sunday, June 29th starting at noon. Get your hungover asses up and out to Tower Grove Park.

Gay Day at Six Flags will be held on Sunday, June 8th. For more information about Pridefest St. Louis, please click on the link below.

Pridefest St. Louis

EMBRACE YOUR GAYNESS AND JOIN US AT THE PARK AS WE CELEBRATE DIVERSITY

IT'S OUR MONTH TO PARTY!

HAVE A SAFE AND HAPPY PRIDE!

Many thanks to the following resources:
About.com
The Pink Triangle Organization
Indiana University
Brookens Library Online @ the University of Illinois - Springfield
PlanetOut
LAMBDA.org
The many wonderful volunteers, sponsors, and organizers of Pridefest St. Louis

The Bitch Is Back

People of electronicaland rejoice! The great Al has returned. I bet you just missed the ever loving be Jesus out of me.

Let's get to crack-a-lackin'. I got a lot of ventin' to do, y'all. Wee hoo!

Politics & Economics
We are screwed.....that about sums it up. The economy is a bleedin' mess. Gas prices appear to be an endless topic of conversation. I'm sure everyone is just ecstatic over the Economic Stimulus Act. The checks are scheduled for distribution starting May 2 if you filed using direct deposit. If you selected snail mail on your tax return this year, then don't expect to see your check until June or July. Granted, I'll take the money, but it should have never gotten to this state of economic meltdown and financial hardship.

How about the price tag on this pathetic, ridiculous, never ending war? Americans are struggling to keep their heads above water yet our lovely 'For the people - by the people' government continues to piss away millions and millions of dollars to FIGHT TERRORISM?

Hang in there. That Satan's spawn of a president we have will be gone soon....not soon enough.

I'm not exactly certain that things will get better. The Dems have two minority candidates. What are the chances of either winning presidency in country still thick with racism and sexism? I'm not trying to crap on the parade but am being realstic. Apparently, the only person qualified to 'run' the country is a white, oppressive male. Don't forget the importance of being a good, honest Christian. Whatever the f_ck that is?

Impeachment.... It seems to me that we have a huge disconnect in regards to what actually will get your impeached as a president. Killing thousands of people, bullying other countries, lying to your fellow countrymen and women again and again and again OR getting a blow job by the intern? I know....I know. It was the dishonesty (aka fibbing under oath) that got ol' Bill ousted rather than the actual act of receiving oral sex.

BACK DA F UP. DISHONESTY? I haven't the time nor the patience togo into all the dishonest sh*t we've shoveled through during the reign of Bush II. He preaches about weapons of mass destructions in other regions posing a threat to the United States. How about fear? It has sucked the life out of this country more than ever imaginable. We were tricked into shelling out millions to support terror and democracy for other countries. Most importantly, we were tricked into forking over some of them thar Amendment rights we all love and cherish. It may not be a physical element or reaction that results in destruction, but it has damn near ran this country and its citizens into the ground.

There has been some neutral politic ads running across several networks lately that basically state one message. Divided we fail. George W. Bush has divided us in numerous ways, and we must reunite in order to get this sh*t back on track. Seriously, folks....it's beyond picking sides and cheering your team to victory. Now it is about humanity. Check out Divided We Fail for more information.

Al has questions...

Why are we so narrow minded when it comes to beneficial contributions to science and disease research? Is stem cell research that offensive? More offensive than the bullsh*t we've been fed for the last eight, miserable years? Puhleeeease!

Why are we so offended by sex? It's a part of human nature. The purpose of sex is two fold - pleasure & reproduction. Maybe we could work on reducing the ignorance epidemic by focusing more on pleasure rather than breeding. Obviously, the wrong folks are doing all the breeding.

I recently saw a bumper sticker that read ...my thoughts exactly.

Why are we so dictated by the Christian way of life? We are not all devout Christians nor do we all believe in God. We have minds and possess the capability to think for OURSELVES. America needs a serious overhaul. People are different in a variety of ways - race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, eye color, etc. We need to accept and appreciate the fact that we all make up what was once known to be this great country of opportunity and freedom. It is the combination of such a diverse group of people that make this country and the world unique.

Countries and governments dictated by religion are obviously not the best examples to follow. See Middle East, the history of Islam, or Holy War for example. No one person EVER has the right to tell another person who they should be, how to live, or what they should believe.

More Rants...
Thanks to the ongoing construction that obstructs my normal route to work, I am forced to drive by the 'abortion clinic' on a daily basis. The clinic itself is not the problem. The ridiculous Pro-life jackasses that stand outside with gigantic pictures of mutilated baby parts and carcasses are. First of all, abortions are not the only services provided at this facility. Second, the facility is located next to the local hospital.

Dozens of by standards are virtually forced to see this ridiculous display including children, moms, grandmothers, and dirty uncles. Take your 'I hate baby killers' sh*t elsewhere. I have done everything I can to contain the urge to yell slurs of anger while extending my favorite finger. I do not always agree with the decision to have an aborition especially as means of 'birth control', but I certainly understand and agree that it is a woman's right to make that decision. Oh...and by the way....guess who the majority of the protesters are? Ooh ooh guess!

MEN! Ain't life queer?

I am a proud student once again and have been hitting the books hard all semester. It has been a busy but interesting semester. I am finding new and improved ways to reinvent myself. Exciting....I know. My goal is to graduate....obviously, but more importantly I hope to obtain better self-knowledge and skills that will help me tolerate those that continuously piss me off. That, my friends, is a neverending task. But hey....I'm trying.



The Kids in the Hall are coming back to St. Louis in support of their latest tour entitles 'Live As We'll Ever Be'. I had the distinct pleasure of watching their last live appearance a few years ago. It was one of the better live performances I have ever experienced. Obviously, I will be in attendance at the upcoming show. At any rate, tickets are available now through those fascist bastards known as Ticketmaster. The show is May 20th at the Pageant. I may run onstage and hug the living crap out of Scott Thompson. Hell, maybe I'll give them all a big, juicy hug. They are the Kids, and they truly rule. Go check them out.

Check out their MySpace page for more details including a full schedule of all upcoming shows.
Kids In the Hall on MySpace

I came across a handful of amusing sites as I conducting a little research for whatever reason. Check them out for sh*ts and grins.

Dubyaspeak.com - This is endless entertainment. I have yet to figure out how he even remembers how to breathe on regular basis.

Ann Coulter is a retard - Not the most politically correct name for the site but interesting and amusing. Ann Coulter and Fred Phelps should be shipped off to a desolate area where they are no longer allowed to speak or breed. Hopefully, they will join their pal Jerry Falwell (in Hell) soon. These people are poisonous to society. They can take that sh*tbag organization know as the Morale Majority with them. Ann Coulter is a betch. Period.

Space Invaders Street Art - Creative, fun and cool.

Read something useful and entertaining....you might learn a thing or two. If you rely on FOX for your news, slap yourself really hard across the face, smile, and refer to one of the links below for all future news resources. I'm kidding. Don't harm yourself. Do get your head out of your arse, though.
The Onion
The Guardian
BBC


Check back soon for another delicious and delectable information overload as I am just getting warmed up.

Focker out.