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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Tonight is Bear Party night. Bear Party features some of today's best DJs, Big and Burly Go-Go dancers, Drink Specials, Raffles, Door Prizes and great food. It's $5 at the door and a portion of the profit from the dance benefits will go to selected local not-for-profit groups such as Magnet San Francisco and Stop AIDS Project. The party will begin at 6PM on tonight ~ Sunday, November 30th in San Francisco at The Stud which is located at 399 9th Street at Harrison.

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Saturday, November 29, 2008

News from Bearracuda: "Thanks to all that came out for the last Bearracuda - it set an all time record for the busiest November night at Deco. Our photographer, Eric Nielson, posted photos from the last party here (password: bearracuda). These shots were a parody of our Nov. 15th 'splash' flyer. Eric will be back upstairs this Saturday, taking more pics (but not as messy this time). Expect another busy night (except maybe not as sweltering!) this Saturday as we bring you our final UnderBear party of '08. Bearracuda is located inside Deco at 510 Larkin @ Turk in San Francisco. Free Massages by Paul McGregory upstairs. Every 1st & 3rd & 5th Saturday of the month. Visuals by III".

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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Hot off the press is the latest issue of 100% BEEF Mag (website - articles - profile), and that would issue #39 (cover).

Some really great looking men in this issue, like Clint Taylor who's been in many a Bear movie, a well known Bear model. Then there's the real hot Devlin Michaels.And on the cover: Bill... triple woof. Bill is a 50 year old Daddy from San Fran. Overall, this is a real handsome looking issue. Oh, and from what I read from the editorial, we might be seeing some more leather... very cool. You can find a copy of BEEF Mag probably at your nearest adult store, or the best way is to simply order a subscription from their site.

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Friday, November 7, 2008

It's wild to think of it but another year is about to wrap up very soon. '09 is upon us... this is the 1st New Year party mentioned so far on PlanetBears. If you have an event and run a bar or are part of a Bear group, send in your news and we'll be glad to post it.

From the Bearracuda hunks: "After 2 years of sold out New Year's parties, we are so happy to 'again' give our guys the best bang for their Bear buck this NYE. For the past two years we've brought you great DJ's who have made their mark on the Bay Area. This year we bring you an amazing talent that has never played here. Making his San Francisco debut, we present: DJ Francisco Guerra (check out his podcasts)". This event will be taking place on Wednesday, December 31st at Turk in San Francisco and it is sponsored by Big Muscle Bears & 100% BEEF Mag.

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Sunday, November 2, 2008

Can you tell me what you're looking at...? That's the very 1st cover of the very first BEAR magazine (full cover) which was published back in '87. Were you ever curious as to what those early BEAR rags looked like? Well you'll soon be able to see all the back issues online. Bear Fund is working right now on posting the complete archives ~ issues #1 thru #64. All the proceeds will benefit the Bear community through the Bear Fund and the Bears of San Francisco.

A little Bearish history lesson: Richard Bulger and Chris Nelson started the mag back in '87 as a photo-copied flyer. As the magazine grew in popularity, they decided to 'inc' it and they formed Brush Creek Media (archived website) as well as grab the brand name 'BEAR' as a registered trademark.

In '94, they sold the company to BearDog Hoffman who at decided to expand Brush Creek into several 'special-interest' mags (such as 'International Leatherman', 'Hombres Latinos', 'Foreskin Quarterly' to name a few). However, by '00 the company was having financial issues and by '02, BearDog had run the company into the ground. This forced Brush Creek to go bankrupt.

For years the brand name 'BEAR' was actually up for grabs, and either nobody knew about it or nobody actually cared. It wasn't until '06 when Butch Media Ltd of Las Vegas, a creditor's of Brush Creek, decided to go court and they were judicially assigned the name BEAR. Since then, Butch Media has formed Bear Omnimedia and has already published their very 1st BEAR Magazine ~ issue #65, with issue #66 slated for the winter '09 (website - interview - profile).

Once they acquired the BEAR name, they also acquired all the back issues (1 thru 64) as well as the videos. After speaking with the guys at Bear Omnimedia, they told me that they might put up a pay section for guys to view the back issues and whatever proceeds they make from doing this, it will to be benefit charitable groups.

So there's your Bear history lesson for today. Keep an eye out on the Bear Fund website, and we'll be sure to let you know here at PlanetBears when you can start perusing them very 1st BEAR issues... 'cause it's real important to know where your Bear roots come from, and what better way than to look at naked photos of Bearish men (some sources from Wikipedia's article on BEAR Magazine).

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Sunday, November 2, 2008

What do Bears like to do...? They like to party! Come and join Bear Party as they are offering a new and unique atmosphere where some of the hottest men in the community can celebrate their Bearness.

Bear Party features some of today's best DJs, Big and Burly Go-Go dancers, Drink Specials, Raffles, Door Prizes and great food. It's $5 at the door and a portion of the profit from the dance benefits will go to selected local not-for-profit groups such as Magnet San Francisco and Stop AIDS Project. The party will begin at 6PM on Sunday, November 30th in San Francisco at The Stud which is located at 399 9th Street at Harrison.

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Friday, October 24, 2008
Some upcoming news from Bearracuda (articles). Firstly, this is a party that takes place in San Francisco which takes place the 1st and 3rd Saturday every month at Deco. There's free massages, good tunes and a lot of very good looking men. However on December 13th, they will also be in Seattle (following Bear Crawl which will be taking place on December 12th). Also make sure to check out their New Year's Eve bash, sponsored by Big Muscle Bears and Beef Mag.

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Saturday, September 6, 2008

We got some news from BearFighter (website - articles - profile). The German photographer is from back the USA and has a bunch of new photos that he's added to his site.

From BearFighter: "After my little exhibition in San Francisco during the summer, I have worked more behind the scenes, in the background, drank some sips from the creative cornucopia and came back now with a lot of new photo material. Feel free to dig around on my website, under Visions click through my different themes of 'Real Brutes', 'Bears' and 'Wrestlers'. If you go to Events, please have a look at my latest promotions & publications".

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Thursday, August 28, 2008

CyberBears (articles) has put out a new DVD entitled Eros Encounters. "Where are you going to go for an erotic group Bear encounter? How about a sex club like Eros in San Francisco, with high ceilings, padded tables, and a healthy supply of friendly, frisky Bears?

Manuel and Goatee Guy are getting it on in the lofts when KJ Bear, Hank, and Eric Bear decide to join in. The action goes from sucking to rimming to fucking, with some of the guys both topping and bottoming. If you're a fan of pig scenes, you will definitely enjoy watching Hank and then KJ as first one and then the other gets swarmed with mansex to the point of ecstasy in this five-Bear orgy. In another room, T.P. Deaux totally tops submissive bottom Tony from lips to hips, before shooting a heavy load on his chest. There's a good use for that leather harness Tony is wearing, and T.P. is happy to bend Tony over the sling and demonstrate".

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Wednesday, August 20, 2008

The Hairrison Street Fair (website - poster) is coming once again, it's just around the corner, and it's gonna be big. It's their 5th year doing this and it's all taking place in San Francisco over the Labour Day Weekend ~ August 31st.

Not only that, but it's gonna be Bear Week soon as well. A full 10 days of Bear bustin' events starting August 23rd and running right thru until September 1st.

"The Hairrison Street Fair and San Francisco Bear Week are organized by PrideWorks, a California non-profit corporation. It is a celebration of Bear community pride but is welcoming to all - we like to say 'The Bears are having a party and we want everyone to come!'. The fair and events during the week support different LGBTI community organizations. The fair raises more money per capita than any other gay fair in San Francisco. We also organize Team Bear (articles) which raises funds for AIDS services. Last year the team raised $150,000 and our goal this year is to raise over $250,000!".

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Tuesday, July 29, 2008

The Golden State Bears from Fresno, CA are planning for their upcoming Bear Frenzy 14 which is just around the corner ~ August 15th thru the 17th.

Bear Frenzy is their annual Mr. Golden State Bear contest weekend. The title winner helps them all year round by raising money at their events (selling raffle tickets and being charming) for the club and gets to represent their club at selected events, including IBR in San Francisco (February). The basic schedule for the weekend is: Greet Your Meat, Pool Party & BBQ, Contest, and Victory Brunch. Visit their site to see photos from prior years.

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Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Team Bear has added a new look to their website. They have added more photos to their gallery and there's a new discussion forum as well. They have also raised a ton of dough for the San Francisco AIDS foundation - 145k.

"Team Bear is a community project of PrideWorks, a San Francisco-based non profit organization. PrideWorks absorbs administrative, marketing and development costs so that 100% of all net proceeds raised by Team Bear goes to AIDS LifeCycle, benefitting the San Francisco AIDS Foundation and the Gay & Lesbian Center of Los Angeles".

In other news, they need volunteers for the Hairrison. "Several fundraising efforts for Team Bear will take place over the Labor Day Weekend during Hairrison Street Fair this year. We need volunteers 1) to staff the Team Bear Beverage Tent (selling drinks during the fair), 2) to act as bar managers for other Beverage Tents, 3) to sell Bear Tags, and 4) to help out at fundraisers that week".

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Saturday, May 31, 2008

Author Les Wright, editor of The Bear Book I and The Bear Book II and founder of the Bear History Project has many projects in the works yet he's needing some assistance, mostly from webmasters. The following is from Les, and if you're interested, then make sure to contact him:

"I launched the original BHP (Bear History Project) around 1997. In a matter of a couple of years it grew and grew and grew; I organized the BHP into a 501c3 nonprofit, called it the Nashoba Institute, and it continued to grow... and to be funded out of my pocket. By 2004, I could no longer afford to fund the whole of it, and I had decided to quit my teaching post and move back home to San Francisco. I have also been doing a lot of serious self-examination and re-viewing of what the Bear community has become since the 1980s.
 
After three years back in San Francisco, I have been able to find part-time teaching, but am now following through on a massive career and life calling changes. I have very limited finances at this time, I am looking to develop some of what I propose to do into gainful employment, some will be donated to the community. I have three web site projects to develop and launch. I am open to partnership, collaboration, or barter and, eventually, service for fee as I can afford to do so.
 
1) www.bearhistory.com will be a web-based resource for Bear history and related gay men's tribal homo-masculine communities: basic factual history, grassroots and academic content, oral histories (transcribed), videos, photo/pictorial galleries; social, sexual, spiritual, aesthetic aspects of 'culture', progressive, eco-friendly, global village perspectives, non-commercially defined subcultures, etc.
 
2) www.leskwright.com will be my personal professional page, to include my bio, resume academic CV), selections published writing (web-based and print), bibliography of published materials, links to a new blog, and professional services and activities - writer, editor, photographer, video documentary project, the Lazarus Generation (AIDS survivors essays book project), etc.
 
(3) www.thinkingbear.com will be my entrepreneurial web presence, for a new Cultural Events business I have been brainstorming for a long time now - it could include revitalized 'Bear Icons & Beyond' art exhibition type projects (as commercial business venture, not developed and donated out of my now nonexistent purse); Bear Camp weekend retreats in the manner of Easton Mountain, Hillside Campgrounds, etc. (I have a site available in northern California). These would be alternative type events, something a bit different form the Bear circuit events now held, hopefully".

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Tuesday, May 27, 2008

The following is from BearParty Magazine: "Some 25,000 copies of the latest issue of BearParty Magazine should be hitting local Bear bars and events around the world starting this weekend. You can also read it online for free with a free membership at BearParty.com.

Just in case you haven't seen it yet, BearParty Magazine is a convenient, digest-sized, bi-monthly print publication distributed for free at hundreds of bear bars, clubs, and events across the United States and around the world. Each glossy, full-color issue includes Bear comics, Bear galleries, features on Bear-friendly events, celebrities, trends, products, and news.

In case you were wondering about that sexy daddy on the cover, we met Matty at the Mr. San Francisco Leather contest this year, where he passed on his 2007 title as Mr. San Francisco Leather Daddy. You can see some pictures from that event in this issue as well. We're also featuring part three of Ken Slater’s tips on hooking up online, an illustrated interview with fine erotic artist Minoru Terada, and a discussion about the history and the future of Bear porn in print with Scott McGillivray of 100 Percent Beef. Or if you just want to relax, why not order a Zombie from the Open Bar, and read the new episode of Frankie & Roque? Woof!".

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Wednesday, April 2, 2008

About a month ago, I mentioned that Bigg Nugg (website - MySpace page - TubeBear profile - articles) and his compatriots were gearing up for their upcoming Unity Tour. This show is about to kick off in a couple of weeks.

Now Bigg Nugg is stating that he and his troops are in need for some fuel sponsorship money. They need to raise $500 so they can make their Seattle and San Francisco show a reality. If you would like to promote them, email Bigg Nugg or contact him by calling (877) 497-3762 (extension 1). It's even better if you can make their show. Check out this promo video (and a little PS here - Bigg Nugg signs his emails as Nugget... now that is just too cute... and Bigg Nugg is a truly cute Bear Cub Snuggly Nugget... ok I will now stop with the cutesy stuff).

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Friday, March 21, 2008

The latest issue of BearParty Magazine is out for March and April. You can find a copy at your local Bear bar and you can also it read it online for free with a membership at BearParty.com. BearParty Mag is associated with CyberBears.

From the introduction to the current issue: "March and April are the start of the mid-year Bear season all around the world, and as usual, they're kicking it off in Europe with Bearcelona. We're doing our best to make BearParty Magazine available for free to attendees of as many events and customers of local Bear businesses as possible. As always, if you don't see BearParty Magazine somewhere you think it should be, ask the folks who run the local event, bar, or club to get in touch with us.

Our hot CoverBear this month, Alfa Bear, was discovered at IBR in San Francisco this year. We've got more pictures of him inside, along with part two of Ken Slater's series on hooking up with Bears online, some sound health advice from Frank Strona, a revealing interview with hottie Thornton Grey of Grey Rose Productions, and a detailed look at the growing Bear scene in hot and friendly Phoenix, Arizona by local reporter Kurt Von Behrman. Or if taxes have got you down, take a sip from our Open Bar column about the Income Tax Cocktail".

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Wednesday, February 20, 2008

The following is from BearFilms: "Bearfilms is proud to be nominated for a 2008 GAYVN award for its DVD 'Bears in Heat' in the 'Best Specialty Release' (Bear) category. The award will be announced at the 10th Annual GAYVN Award Ceremonies in San Francisco on February 16th. The GAYVN Awards are dedicated to recognizing outstanding movies and talented individuals who have contributed to the advancement of the gay adult entertainment industry. Its broad-based, nation-wide panel of judges, predominantly gay-press-affiliated, has been awarding trophies for 21 years, making the GAYVN Awards the most respected and recognized awards in gay adult entertainment history".

Click here for some pics they sent us of their Bear model Danny Gonzalez.

Read more here.

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Friday, February 15, 2008

I remember way back over 5 years ago a now defunct Bear's Mailing List (of QueerNet) was all abuzzed about a certain San Francisco rag going belly up - this mag known as Bear. Some of the guys that were working for this mag decided to get together and wanted to create a new mag by compiling images of what they considered to be good looking men. They wanted to slightly move away from the 'Bear' tag (since the last mag didn't do so well) yet this mag was still all about husky hairy and mature looking men. Thus was born 100% Beef Mag (website ~ TubeBear profile). 5 years later and the magazine is still going strong, publishing their 35th issue (cover) which you can pick up from their website (via subscription) or at your local XxX store. And as of right now, Beef Mag is truly the only real 'Bear' magazine out there, ever since American Bear and American Grizzly went belly up as well a couple of years back (AmaBear - all gone now).

ps - 5 years later and Bear mag 'still' has their website up - Brush Creek Media - and they are 'still' selling stuff like hats and magazines, however there is no store that exists, meaning if you send your money to that site, it's like donating it to some fundamentalist religion... meaning... you're just donating your money to thin air. Instead, go to Beef Mag's site and get yourself a copy of a real subscription.

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Friday, February 15, 2008

The following is from Les Wright, editor of Bear Book I and Bear Bear II and of Bear History Project: "Bears' artistic creativity has exploded in recent years. As the Bears' subculture has flourished world-wide into gay-mainstream community everywhere, opportunities for Bear creative types to find an audience has not kept pace.
 
The Bear world has changed since the early days of the Bear History Project and the Bear Icons art exhibitions on the East Coast, and the first Bear Paws, then Ursology literary salons here at IBR. We are bigger, better, brighter than ever. The old venues are far too small and have outlived their usefulness. It is time to renew and redevelop the Bear arts – Bear writing, Bear photography and painting, Bear music and performing arts, Bear history and memoir. It is time for a new vision, bigger, bolder, broader, of these Bear arts.
 
Ursology brought a small taste of Bear writing and Bear visual arts to IBR. Bear cultural events have sprung up all over the US and overseas, Bear Café in New York, the Bear Film Festival in Vermont, and no doubt much, much more is happening today. Bears as subject matter of serious, established painters, theorizing Bear as homomasculine homoerotic ideal
 
This is a call to all Bear arts devotees – Bear creative types, arts nonprofit professionals, writers, scholars, film-makers, archivist, web publishers, commercial supporters of Bear community, friends with deep pockets, with vision, with big hearts, with creative drives to come together: to transform Ursology, or its next generation incarnation – into a Bear cultural phenomenon, into the Bear cultural event of the year.
 
Rather than mount a very small event, with little opportunity to do artists and writers justice, Ursology 2008 is being devoted to an open-ended forum, a call to plan a whole new kind of event. Spread the word!".

Ursology has its showing on February 16th at the Washington Gate Holiday Inn in San Francisco.

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Tuesday, January 29, 2008

If you ever plan to head on over to San Francisco, there's certain things you must do. Take a picture of yourself on the corner of Haight & Ashbury, walk the Golden Gate bridge, hang out with the Bears of San Francisco at the Lone Star Saloon, and on Friday night, play bingo with The Sisters of Perpertual Indulgence.

The sisters work very closely with the Bear community in San Francisco and for IBR they are managing 2 fundraisers. Visit their site to learn more about these hairy nuns and find out what's on their upcoming schedule of angelic good deeds.