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Wednesday, October 15, 2025

Ads - Part 74

The Club Baths

The Club Baths was a chain of gay bathhouses in the U.S. and Canada that operated from the 1960s into the 1990s.  Some of them are still in operation today under different names.

Today we look at the ads for these bathhouses.  I found multiple ads from the one in Houston, some of which also advertised the Club Baths in Dallas, like the 1975 ad above.

Another 1975 joint ad for Houston and Dallas.  Only a line drawing, but it was a bit more explicit than the ads featuring photos.

But some of the ads with photos showed quite a bit.  Here's a 1978 ad for Houston.

Another 1978 ad for Houston.

A third 1978 ad for Houston almost has a frontal view, but not quite.

A 1979 ad for Houston.  Give someone a helping hand.

A 1983 ad for Houston.

I also found some ads for the Club Baths in New York City.

Another New York ad.

 

This New York ad for Buddy Day at the baths featured a nice photo.

We end with this 1977 New York ad.  It appeared in Mandate magazine, so it was able to show a bit more than other ads, but personally, I like the previous ad for Buddy Day better.

Tuesday, October 14, 2025

Bodybuilders - Part 28

Taua Alves

Taua Alves is a Brazilian bodybuilder.  Above, at right, he won 3rd place in the Novice class in the Olympia Amateur Brazil contest in 2019.

Here's another trophy that he won, though I don't know at which competition.

But Taua is not only a bodybuilder, he has also become a gay porn model and actor.  Above, a nice rear view.

Inside a car.

Outside wearing a cowboy hat.

On a beach.

And on some train tracks.

We end with an excerpt from one of many videos that he has done.  Evidently being in bodybuilding contests is nice, but porn pays the bills.

Monday, October 13, 2025

Hiking - Part 75

 Grand Portage State Park

Today we look at two hikes done by favorite unashamed male Jim Tighe in Grand Portage State Park, Minnesota in 2023 and 2024.  Above, Jim on the trail.

One of the side trails leads to a ridge with a view of Lake Superior.

Jim at the peak of the ridge.

By the sign for the spur trail that leads to the ridge and view.

Grand Portage State Park is located on the Canadian border.  Looking north, that's Canada on the other side of the Pigeon River.

By the Middle Falls Trail sign.

Here's Jim by the Middle Falls of the Pigeon River.

Much more impressive are the High Falls of the Pigeon River, viewed from the High Falls Overlook.

Here's Jim by the International Border Monument, which explains the history of how this section of the U.S-Canadian border was determined.  Click on the photo to read the text.

Note that the monument shows a British flag, not a Canadian flag.  In the years mentioned on the monument, Canada was a British colony.  Later, Canada became a semi-autonomous Dominion, but interestingly, the Canadian maple leaf flag did not appear until 1965, and it was as late as 1982 that Britain ceded authority over the Canadian constitution and Canada became completely independent.

We end with Jim at a "selfie station" near the border.  This is not the actual border; the Pigeon River is the border, so the "Canada" sign means that Canada is in that direction.

All photos used with Jim Tighe's permission via Creative Commons license.

Sunday, October 12, 2025

Events - Part 76

 Columbus Day

Today is Columbus Day.  Christopher Columbus discovered America on October 12, 1492.  Some people do not consider that a thing to celebrate, as it led to genocide of Native Americans.  So, today's post does not celebrate Christopher Columbus.  It celebrates an event in Columbus Circle, New York City.

The event was New York City Bodypainting Day on July 26, 2014.  Organized by artist Andy Golub, NYC Bodypainting Day had 30 painters and 40 nude models.  The models were mostly female, but there were a few male models, like the one above.

Bodypainted with an Egyptian theme.

A design with little pieces of faces.

This design is entirely made of faces.

And this design is one big face.

This design comes as somewhat of a relief: a geometric design with no faces.

Now we're back to a face (for the older gentleman) and eyes and facial features (for her).

We end with a rear view of the older man being bodypainted with another elaborate face.

In 2011, in an earlier New York Bodypainting Day, Golub and two models were arrested, but charges were dropped after authorities ruled that it is legal to be nude in public in New York if the nudity is associated with an art project.  So this event has performed a public service in advancing the freedom to be naked and unashamed.  That's something to celebrate, whether you celebrate Columbus Day or not.

Saturday, October 11, 2025

Not the Same Old Song - Part 67

Flintstones

The Flintstones was a cartoon TV show produced from 1960 to 1966, starring cavemen Fred Flintstone and Barney Rubble and their wives Wilma and Betty.  Some of us are old enough to remember it.

This is the song that introduced each episode.  Fred and Barney were best friends.  I found some artwork showing them being more than friends.  But, after all, as the song promises, "You'll have a gay old time!"

Friday, October 10, 2025

Weighing In - Part 76

Harry Scarff

"Horrible" Harry Scarff is an English boxer, born in 1993.  Above, we see him weighing in for his fight against Jack Flatley on Sept. 28, 2019.  Flatley was previously undefeated and held the English super-welterweight title.

There was no modesty shield.  Scarff didn't care; he just started stripping.  The attendant had to take off his jacket to provide a modesty shield.

Meanwhile, we got a nice rear view of Scarff.  In the ensuing fight, Scarff won by unanimous decision, capturing the English super-welterweight title.  Scarff's record to date is 13 wins and 4 losses.

Thursday, October 9, 2025

Poem of the Day - Part 76

I'm a Little Teapot

I'm a Little Teapot was a song written by George Sanders and Clarence Kelley in 1939.  Kelley ran a dance school for children, and I'm a Little Teapot provided a routine of minimal difficulty for the younger children.  The song was recorded and played on the radio, and it became a hit.  In 1941 Newsweek called it "the next inane novelty song to sweep the country."

My interpretation of the lyrics is for a slightly older generation.

I'm a little teapot short and stout.

Note: I got this photo from Vellohomo (gracias, Franco) as a black-and-white photo, which I colorized.

Here is my handle

And here is my spout.