Bonjour, Bears!

Off to Montréal for SugarBear Weekend! [I *might* be back on Monday.]

Why is The Pope SUCH an A-Hole?!?

Pope Benedict XVI recently told a group of African bishops that: "The traditional teaching of the church [THE church, got that?] has proven to be the only failsafe way to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS."

R U f'n kidding me?!?

[Photo above lifted (without permission) from Joseph Alois Ratzinger's high school yearbook.]

Angry Alan's "Brotherhood of Bears"

I’m not sure how or when I discovered the incredible work of Alan Charlesworth, but I’ve been a fan ever since. I checked in on him recently and was thrilled to find a series of stunning photographs and color portraits titled, “Brotherhood of Bears.”

Not only are the men hot, but the shots are so beautifully rendered and incredibly intimate that they seem quite “painterly” to me in a lot of ways. Is it the saturation of color in the images? Or the combination of strength and vulnerability exhibited by the hirsute subjects themselves? I couldn’t tell you, but I can tell you that I love this guy’s work and am the proud owner one of his dark and understated Polaroids.

And, while not part of the bear series, I also love these night shots of Rochester and Toronto.

[Pictured above is: "Jim - Sitting In Dining Room (Old House)."]