You could yet plan a trip to the International German Bear Week, being held in Cologne, Germany from November 21 – 29. During the festively furry week, events will be held in saunas, discos and bars. The contestants for Mr. Bear 2005 may be seen here.

As part of your pre-Bear Week education, you might read an article on Bears in this week’s New York magazine. The piece gets right down to business, describing a bear gathering at The Dugout in the Village as smelling: “beery, sweaty, like a frat party gone on way too long.” If you didn’t know that a bear’s fag hags are called “Goldilocks,” you will after reading this article.

John Waters says: “The porn section in Lambda Rising in Baltimore is half-nude 350-pound men, and I don’t get it.” Amibearornot.com, by contrast, offers the opportunity to rate bears in their birthday bear suits on a scale of one to ten. More National Geographic than Playgirl, it nonetheless is not safe for work.