Support on all sides

A 38% more pronounced bulge or a 20% lift of your bum: buying underwear is suddenly fraught with choice.
Marks & Spencer launched two lines of male equipment supporting undies, which are supposed to give men more self-confidence.

I, of course, am never taken in by all that preening and fluffing and cod-piecing. The proof, delight or disappointment always comes up when it gets stripped away.
A truly confident man goes commando anyway.

Scandinavian humour is very droll (again)

What do Swedish men in their midlife crisis? After all that Ikea flat pack assembling, Volvo selling, Ericsson calling, Swedish au pair seducing lifestyle, they apparently feel a little flat like the rest of the 40 something male world and, incongruous as that may sound, call it a midlife crisis.
Nothing like a little Swedish droll humour to tackle the big issues in life (see Kitchen Stories), so a few of them have decided to join a male synchronised swimming team called "Sinking Men".

Dutch television station VPRO is showing a documentary about them and this is the promo:

Channeling Marky Mark

Via Naked Male News: NYC go go boy and his crew rap and strip. Who says men can't multitask?
Video and lyrics NSFW!

Rural bachelor of the year 2009

It's that mid-Winter time again when one is looking for something to keep warm with and what better place than sitting next to one of those entrants of this year's Rural Bachelor of the Year edition.

My two nominations are Alex (left) and Michael (right):

Michael's idea of a perfect date ("involves a few bottles of wine, chips and dip, possibly fish and chips or a gourmet burger, sitting on the back of a ute on a cliff looking out to sea") sounds very appealing but it would have to be preceded by a trip to the barber shop to get rid of all those curls.
Alex's singlet and shorts look just the part too!

A profile of all entrants is here.

Previous years' coverage compiled here for comparison's sake.

UPDATE 15 June: Michael Short won.

Dog whistling blokes (final update)

Rural Bachelor of the Year 2008 is Mark Woodcock, one of my favourites to win. The other finalists with are here.
I prefer men bringing home the crayfish instead of the bacon!

You can stop whistling at dogs now.

Dog whistling blokes (update)

Well, our blokes have started their Rural Bachelor of the Year competition, so here's an update and a rather fetching group picture.
They can come round my paddock any day to graze.

From the press release:

"The Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year finalists were in action throughout the site during their first day of competition. Starting with the NZ Pork ‘Brekkie Bloke’ heat, the guys cooked up a storm in the Kiwi’s Best marquee demonstration kitchen, with finalist Lee Poulton impressing hungry Suzuki Cheerleaders with his unbeatable breakfast. The Bachelors further settled into the public life, meeting Fieldays visitors, before really putting themselves on show this afternoon as the cheerleaders returned to teach these rural romeos how to dance. Patrick Bellerby (25), from the Hawkes Bay, impressed both judges and a large crowd of spectators, taking away the heat with judges scores of 9 and 10 with his enthusiastic performance. In the last heat of the day, the Fastest Fencer heat, Lee Poulton returned to winning form to take out the heat. Poulton commented that the heat was a tough one."

Dog whistling blokes

The line up [Word document] for the 2008 Rural Bachelor of the Year has been released.
My top-3 picks are Lee Matthews, Robert Pollock and Mark Woodcock.

Rural Bachelor of the Year 2008

Here we are again for the 2008 edition of Rural Bachelor of the Year at the Hamilton Fieldays. I forgot it was on last year, but you can see the 2006 entries here.
In 2007 the winner was a farm manager called Paul Slater (pictured), looking quite dishy.

You don't have to be straight to enter, but I guess it helps. As long as you take me with you on the trip to the Cook Islands when you win. You can keep your chainsaw prize.

Entries for this year close on 16 May. Entry form here.

Rural Bachelor of the Year (an update)

We mentioned it to you before and now this year's pageant was held last weekend in Hamilton.

From the press release:

"The bachelors battled it out for the ‘Golden Gumboot’ trophy and their share of over $30,000 worth of prizes while experiencing an unforgettable week of celebrity status. They were hosted in the ‘secret bachelor pad’ for the week with all expenses paid."

At first sight I'd go for Matiu Noakes (pictured left), but why do all their perfect dates have to be so corny? A hot, sweaty, grunty night in the secret bachelor pad is all I'd be after!
Who's your favourite?

Christen Dimond (first on the profile list here) won the title.

Don't let your farmers' sons camp on Brokeback Mountain

Entries for the 4th Fieldays Rural Bachelor of the Year competition have now opened and organisers are encouraging friends and family to ‘dob in’ single rural blokes.
“Typically, quality rural blokes are humble guys who like to get on with their work and sometimes they need a bit of encouragement to put themselves out there” said competition coordinator Elysia Shirtliff.
“This is an awesome opportunity to bring these guys from out of the shadows and for the guys to experience an unforgettable week and win their share of $30,000 worth of prizes, not to mention loads of female attention” she said.
The 2006 competition introduces semi-final rounds which will select the crème of the crop from each region to compete for the national title and the prestigious ‘Golden Gumboot’. The competition seeks to find New Zealand’s most eligible rural bachelor through a series of heats at the final at the NZ National Agricultural Fieldays in June.
Heats are designed to test the entrants’ rural skills and bachelor eligibility. They will cover all aspects of the typical rural Kiwi bloke’s lifestyle including fencing, cooking, farm fashion, digger driving, chainsawing, dog trialing, making music, dating and classic Kiwi sport.
Last year’s winner, Tony Buckingham from Southern Southland (pictured getting the trophy from the 2004 winner Justin Nelson), says the competition is well worth entering,
“It was an amazing experience, an all-expenses-paid week with some great guys. We were treated like celebrities and were lavished with great prizes from the sponsors.”
Mr Buckingham will return as a judge this year and will give this year’s finalists some tips while he stays with them in the secret bachelor pad.
Eligible contestants will be over 18, work in the rural industry, ooze Kiwi bloke charm and most importantly, be single.

Now why would any fit farmer's son want to leave that bachelor pad?
You can enter here. And what's more, you don't have to be straight!

Brown eye candy

American Idol: The Ass Crack Edition. Go vote for your favourite pair of buns. It may not be worksafe, but hey, it's something you can share with your girlfriend.
My favourite: #9 Oliver, no question, but I'm strangely drawn towards #2 John too.