Now that Mazo Beach has officially been closed until further notice, I figured it's a good time to post some documents I authored in 2014 about the crime statistics and how the beach aligned with the goals set forth in the Master Plan. Crime seems to be the hot topic, but nobody (especially the media) actually analyzes the numbers.
Here's a link to the documents.
I believe they speak for themselves. Despite submitting them multiple times to multiple sources in the DNR, and handing them a copy in person, they were obviously ignored. So, I'm making them public here.
Two addendums though: First is that DNR reports (AP news articles) since 2013 have stated that the crime is "about the same as last year", indicating it's been relatively bottomed out (or lower) since 2013.
Second, last summer, I spent some time on Ferry Bluff instead of on the beach itself. It's a great spot to see the bigger picture! Not only did I witness naked people (1 single guy, and 1 family) in two different areas miles away from the beach, but I also witnessed over 30 people entering closed areas from the riverway. I witnessed none of them get cited, even though it was the exact same day the DNR were patrolling the beach area. It seems the DNR has very selective enforcement -- all eyes are on the beach and only the beach. Remember that citations get written in the beach parking lot. Beach people park in the beach parking lot.
Oh, and a return visit during the evening hours will often show people camping on the closed beaches. Do they get cited? No.
And as a reminder, there's no law specifically against simple nudity on state lands. (It's somewhat open to interpretation based on "public" and "indecent".) I've gone freehiking on numerous other trails along the Wisconsin Riverway and other DNR lands, and there's plenty of hidden beaches that I've been meaning to explore. At most, you'll likely face a "disorderly conduct" charge. When nobody else is around, does that really apply? Be careful. If you get it, fight it. I always leave a sign at the trailhead, just to prevent surprises.
Tuesday, March 8, 2016
Tuesday, March 17, 2015
Freehiking as a Public Health Issue
The
Threat
Ticks.
If you've ever seen one, that word should make you cringe. Despite
their tiny size, many carry a nasty bite with Borrelia
burgdorferi, the bacteria that causes Lyme disease.
There
is a lot of mystery, controversy, and politics surrounding Lyme
disease. On one side, there are organizations like the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC), which rely on scientific studies to influence
their recommendations for diagnosing and treating Lyme disease. On
the other side are organizations like the International Lyme and
Associated Diseases Society (ILADS), who listen to those affected by
the disease and conduct their own studies.
The
CDC [1] and ILADS[2, 3], for the most part,
agree on the early symptoms: fatigue, anxiety, chills, fever,
headache, muscle aches, and joint aches. They also agree that a
“bulls-eye” rash or finding a tick prior or during the symptoms
are a tell-tale sign of an infection.
According
to the CDC, 70%-80% of people get the “bulls-eye” rash. They
recommend performing both the ELISA
screening test and the Western
Blot test, both of which need to be positive to conclude a
positive result. If untreated, a variety of neurological symptoms and
joint pain/swelling will come and go. This is called Chronic Lyme
Disease. If treated, 10%-20% of patients still get a similar variety
of symptoms. They call this Post-Treatment Lyme Disease Syndrome
(PTLDS).
ILADS
takes a more dire stance. Their research indicates that fewer
than 50% of patients recall a tick bite, and fewer than 50% have the
“bulls-eye” rash. The ELISA test produces a false-negative 35% of
the time, and the Western Blot test has a false-negative 20%-30% of
the time. ILADS also believes that treatment sometimes cannot fully
eradicate the disease, and questions if PTLDS really is something different.
The
CDC maintains that the B. burgdorferi bacteria is primarily
transferred through tick bites. ILADS and others believe the bacteria
can spread in similar ways that other bacterias spread. Quite
frankly, there isn't a lot of research on one side or the other.
There is a lot that we don't know about this mysterious bacteria and
the disease it causes.
Lyme
disease is often called the “great imitator”. Since the symptoms
vary widely, and are often similar to other diseases, it's often
misdiagnosed. Both the CDC and ILADS suspected that there were more
infections than were being reported.
The
CDC originally reported about 30,000 cases of Lyme disease per year
in America. ILADS, citing some studies in the early 90's, believed
that the true amount of new cases was roughly ten times that number.
The CDC conducted additional studies and in 2012 announced that the
number was actually around 300,000. [4] This puts Lyme disease well
beyond more commonly known diseases like HIV/AIDS (around 50,000 new
cases per year in America) and even surpasses breast cancer (232,340
new cases in 2013 in America). It also makes one wonder what else
ILADS and others have right.
Somewhere
between the CDC and ILADS is the truth. It's scary. Living in one of
the high-risk zones, and enjoying wilderness recreation, is what
prompted me to learn all I can about Lyme disease and the ticks that
carry it. What I eventually realized, however, is that the common
advice to prevent tick bites isn't ideal.
In
order to remain safe while venturing through tick territory, you need
the best advice that research can provide. Before that advice,
however, are some details that'll make your skin crawl.
Tick
Life-Cycle
Ticks
go through three stages in their three years of life: larva, nymph,
and adult. [5] Each stage requires feeding on blood, and one
more feeding as an adult allows it to lay eggs.
Ticks
aren't born with Lyme, and receiving a bite from a larva usually
isn't a problem. However, the larva tend to feed on small mammals
such as mice. If the mouse has Lyme, the tick will become a carrier,
and all future targets are at risk.
As
the tick feeds on a host, not only is it sucking blood, it's also
salivating on your skin. This numbs the skin so the tick can remain
undetected for the 3-7 days it needs. It's also how diseases get
transferred. After removing a tick, make sure to sanitize the area it
was on.
Most
applicable to this article is how they hunt for a host. Many people
believe they drop out of trees at just the right time or somehow jump
onto you. Neither is true. Ticks can sense oder, heat, moisture, and
vibration. If a host is nearby, it'll crawl towards it. Otherwise,
it'll start “questing”.
To
quest, the tick climbs to the top of a nearby plant,
hangs on with its back legs and sticks the rest outward. It'll grab
on to anything that brushes by.
Fur
and Cloth
Researchers
have been collecting ticks for various studies for a long time. The
best method, still commonly used today, is called “tick dragging”.
[6] A researcher pulls a material behind them. Ticks grab on, and the
researchers stop to pluck them off every so often. The researchers
aren't using the natural choice – fur. They're using cloth.
With
that in mind, it seems a little silly that we wrap up in cloth to
venture out into the wilderness. Evolution has given us something
better.
A
2003 publication by Mark Pagel and Walter Bodmer [7] discusses a
unique trait shared by only a handful of mammals: hairlessness.
Excluding the mammals which have fur or have thick, tough skin, only
two species remain; humans, and naked mole-rats.
How
did this unique trait evolve? Pagel and Bodmer put forth a convincing
hypothesis that ridding our fur is an adaptation to reduce
ectoparasites. (Ectoparasites are parasites which live outside the
skin, like fleas and ticks.)
With
intelligence, fire, and clothing, human hairlessness became feasible.
Since ectoparasites are easily found and removed from hairless
regions, being hairless became an advantage. Finally, sexual
selection promotes hairlessness since having a parasite-free and
disease-free mate is good. Traditionally, males are more selective,
which explains why women typically have less body hair.
Similarly,
naked mole-rats group together in an always-warm underground
environment where ectoparasites are expected to be common. They don't
need fur to keep their body temperature regulated, so they lost it.
Ectoparasites are relatively rare in these colonies, compared to
similar colonies of furry rodents. [8]
Is
nakedness still to our advantage when ectoparasites are involved? A
different study has the answer, although indirectly.
Tick
Psychology
Once
a tick hitches a ride on a human host, where does it crawl to in
order to feed? The best study I've found [9] comes from Switzerland.
Although the Swiss ticks aren't the same species as the the ones in
the U.S., they have very similar characteristics, including being a
primary vector for Lyme disease.
The
purpose of the study was to measure the effectiveness of a typical
commercially-available bug repellent containing DEET (15%) and EBAAP
(15%) in a real-word setting. The study included 276 volunteer
forestry workers and
orienteers, and spanned from May to September, 1999.
Orienteers, by the way, are people who race through any terrain to
finish at a specific spot on a map.
An
important aspect that isn't detailed in the study is what clothing
the participants wore. The forestry workers were likely wearing long
pants, which were not tucked into their shoes or socks. The study
mentions that the orienteers
typically wore short pants (presumably capri-style) and
t-shirts, but doesn't detail if anything was tucked in.
The
volunteers were split into two groups, one got the repellent and the
other got a placebo. They were given instructions to apply the spray
on exposed skin (excluding the face) and the nearby edges of
clothing. They logged all ticks they found on them and where they
were at.
In
total, the placebo group found 335 attached ticks, and the repellent
group found 202. The percentages were similar for both groups. The
head had the least number of ticks (0.2%-4.0%), with the arms next
(13%-14%). At the other end of the spectrum, the legs were attacked
56%-61% of the time, followed by the torso 23%-27% of the time.
Thinking
about how ticks quest, most probably land on the shoes along a normal
trail. If the person is going through thicker brush, they land on the
legs or shirt. From there, they wander around until they find a good
warm spot. It makes sense that the legs and torso are most popular.
The
study continues with: “75% of the reported attachments were on skin
covered by clothing, whereas only 14% were on uncovered skin. For the
remaining 11%, it was unclear whether the skin had been covered or
uncovered.” From those observations, they conclude that “ticks
search for covered skin.”
Lastly,
their overall conclusion states that the tick repellent “offers at
least moderate protection against tick bites.” Presumably, going
naked with tick repellent is the best protection we can get.
Repellents
All
repellents on the market are based on a small collection of
chemicals. There are two chemicals which stand out.
The
first is DEET. In July 2010, Consumer Reports [10] found DEET to be
the best repellent for skin. However, remember that it's also toxic,
so more isn't better. Their research suggested that 30% strength is
ideal. Make sure to reapply as directed, and wash it off when it's no
longer needed.
According
to the CDC [11], products which combine sunscreen and bug repellent
should be avoided. Always apply sunscreen first, followed by insect
repellent. The insect repellent should be applied on the outside of
clothing. Don't apply it to skin that is covered by clothing.
The
second chemical is permethrin, an insecticide applied to clothing.
According to a recent study [12], both the manufacturer-treated
clothing and the home kits are equally effective. However, the
success varied depending on the article of clothing. Treated shirts
made it 2.17 times less likely to get a tick bite. Treated shorts
made it 4.74 times less likely. Treated shoes and socks, amazingly,
made it 73.6 times less likely to get a tick bite. Since most ticks
probably grab onto the shoes, it makes sense that few would make it
to the bare leg alive.
Staying
Safe
No
matter where you go to find advice about preventing tick bites, it's
basically the same. Here, the “common advice” comes from either
the CDC [13] or the Minnesota DNR [14]. Combined, they seem to cover
everything. “My advice” is based on the research I discussed in
the previous sections and personal experience.
The
common advice is to wear light-colored clothing so ticks are more
visible, and to tuck pants into boots and shirt into pants. While
this may be good to keep ticks outside your clothing, it'll be
extremely warm. Sweat attracts more bugs and makes repellent lose
effectiveness quicker. Wearing loose clothing to stay cool allows
ticks to sneak in. My advice is to go naked when weather permits.
This keeps you comfortably cool and gives ticks no place to hide.
My
favorite bit of common advice is to bathe or shower as soon as
possible after coming indoors to wash off and find ticks. Why not
start that way? From my own experience of textiled hiking, the
commute back home with ticks crawling all over is the worst. It gives
them extra time to find a spot and bite. I believe all of my bites
stem from not being able to get out of my clothes fast enough.
Although
the common advice to do a full-body check, wash clothing, and check
gear is good, my advice is much more simple. Keep your clothes sealed
in a plastic bag or in the car, and do the full-body check before
getting dressed. A shower and a double-check for ticks at home is a
good idea, but you'll already be confident that you're tick-free.
There's no need to rush home, so you can grab some food and continue
the day normally.
For
optimal protection, the common advice is to apply the minimum amount
of DEET to exposed skin and clothing. I recommend 30% strength, which
lasts up to 7 hours. If trails are nice and wide and you don't brush
up against anything, you could skip the DEET.
Don't
skip the permethrin though. The common advice is to treat everything
you wear. If you're hiking naked, I recommend treating a good pair of
solid boots and some shin-high socks at a minimum. Backpacks and hats
are good too.
I'd
like to offer a few additional pieces of advice. These aren't
typically found in the common advice, but they probably should be.
Find
a hat that keeps ticks out of your hair. If it has holes in it, ticks
might find their way in. Also, if ticks can hide in your body hair,
you should consider trimming it down.
It's
best to hike with others. Take turns leading so others can “watch
your back”. I've gotten into the habit of running my hands across
most of my skin every so often. If there are any ticks, they get
brushed off or I feel that they've recently bitten.
Conclusion
With
Lyme disease impacting such a large number of people, I believe the
best advice that research can provide should be promoted as a matter
of public health. In a high-risk area during the warm months, wearing clothing significantly increases your chances of getting Lyme disease through a tick bite.
In a growing number of states, a nursing mother can breastfeed openly in public. Laws allow the “nudity in public” since public health takes priority. Freehiking in the wilderness should someday be accepted on the same basis.
In a growing number of states, a nursing mother can breastfeed openly in public. Laws allow the “nudity in public” since public health takes priority. Freehiking in the wilderness should someday be accepted on the same basis.
References:
[1]
Centers for Disease Control (2012, Aug. 27). Signs and Symptoms of
Lyme Disease. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/signs_symptoms/index.html
[2]
International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (2009). Top Ten
Tips to Prevent Chronic Lyme Disease. Retrieved from
http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/lyme_tips.html
[3]
International Lyme and Associated Diseases Society (2006, April 15).
Basic Information about Lyme Disease. Retrieved from
http://www.ilads.org/lyme_disease/about_lyme.html
[4]
Centers for Disease Control (2013, Aug. 19). Press Release – CDC
Provides Estimate of Americans Diagnosed with Lyme Disease Each Year.
Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2013/p0819-lyme-disease.html
[5]
Centers for Disease Control (2012, Sept. 9). Tick Life Cycle and
Hosts. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/ticks/life_cycle_and_hosts.html
[6]
Falco, R. C., Fish, D. (1992). A comparison of methods for sampling
the deer tick, Ixodes dammini, in a Lyme disease endemic area.
Experimental & Applied Acarology, 14(2), 165-173.
[7]
Pagel, M., Bodmer, W. (2003). A naked ape would have fewer parasites.
Proceedings of the Royal Society, Biological Sciences, 270,
117-119.
[8]
Scharff,
A., Burda, H., Tenora, F., Kawalika, M., & Barus, V. (1997).
Parasites in social subterranean Zambian mole‐rats (Cryptomys spp.,
Bathyergidae, Rodentia). Journal
of Zoology, 241(3),
571-577.
[9]
Staub, D., Debrunner, M., Amsler, L., & Steffen, R. (2002).
Effectiveness of a repellent containing DEET and EBAAP for preventing
tick bites. Wilderness & Environmental Medicine, 13(1),
12-20.
[10]
Consumer Reports (2010, July). Best ways to keep bugs at bay.
Retrieved from
http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine-archive/2010/july/health/insect-repellent/overview/index.htm
[11]
Centers for Disease Control (2012, Aug. 27). West Nile Virus Q&A
Insect Repellent Use and Safety. Retrieved from
http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/qa/insect_repellent.htm
[12]
Miller, N. J., Rainone, E. E., Dyer, M. C., González, M. L., &
Mather, T. N. (2011). Tick bite protection with permethrin-treated
summer-weight clothing. Journal of medical entomology, 48(2),
327-333.
[13]
Centers for Disease Control (2011, Nov. 15). Preventing Tick Bites.
Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/lyme/prev/on_people.html
[14]
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (2013). Deer Ticks.
Retrieved from
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/insects/deerticks/index.html
Comments and feedback can go on the Preface.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Public Health Issues - Preface
The next article, to be posted tomorrow, has been a long time coming! It's perhaps one of my best research articles so far, and will hopefully have a positive impact.
Naturists have always been pushing to expand opportunities. Although "nakations" have been fueling some growth recently, I believe the biggest growth was way back before the 1960's when naturism was part of the health movement. Back when doctors would sometimes recommend it as a way to rejuvenate health.
Right now, naturism is merely a form of recreation that is often struggling to survive. Top-freedom is leveraging "equal-rights" and is gaining ground. The LGBT community has done the same too for their acceptance and rights. Breastfeeding has advanced the most, by leveraging itself as a matter of public health.
Freehiking, as my research shows, should also be accepted in high-risk areas as a matter of public health. To clarify, I don't mean in a "health movement" type of way; I mean in a "use of clothing greatly increases your risk of contracting a horrible life-long illness" type of way. And the little-understood illness is spreading like wildfire, as the article tomorrow will show.
This revelation was actually an afterthought, after I was already deep into the research. At that point, I decided that it would be best to get it published as soon as possible, to the largest audience that I could. That didn't happen as I'd hoped. Here's the timeline of events:
July 2012 - A presentation on the subject, along with meeting someone who's been dealing with the health problems, and along with a few prior close-calls myself (some still visible), prompted me to learn a lot more about it and write what I found, especially since I live in a high-risk area.
March 2013 - Originally written for the blog, I pitch the article to TNS to get it published there first. They (both Nicky and Mark) say it's something they'd be interested in.
November 2013 - After an extensive re-write, I submit it to TNS. Nicky says it's too long, and I re-submit to the specifications.
April 2014 - I don't see the article in the Spring issue, so I check in. Nicky says the Summer issue is all-female-written, so it'll be published in the Autumn issue.
Autumn 2014 - No article.
Winter 2014 - No article.
Spring 2015 - No article.
"High-risk" season is starting right now, and I don't want to go any longer without publishing. The last thing I want is for TNS to kick the can further down the road, so I'm not checking in about it again. If both Nicky and Mark simply forgot about the article, then it must not have been very important to them.
I decided to publish here. I apologize that the article has 2-year-old or older references. Also, that there's no hyper-links within the article. It was written for the magazine, and I don't want to spend more time updating references and in-lining them into the article. It's magazine quality: concise, informative, important. But it has far fewer eyes on it, a year later than I was hoping for.
Naturists have always been pushing to expand opportunities. Although "nakations" have been fueling some growth recently, I believe the biggest growth was way back before the 1960's when naturism was part of the health movement. Back when doctors would sometimes recommend it as a way to rejuvenate health.
Right now, naturism is merely a form of recreation that is often struggling to survive. Top-freedom is leveraging "equal-rights" and is gaining ground. The LGBT community has done the same too for their acceptance and rights. Breastfeeding has advanced the most, by leveraging itself as a matter of public health.
Freehiking, as my research shows, should also be accepted in high-risk areas as a matter of public health. To clarify, I don't mean in a "health movement" type of way; I mean in a "use of clothing greatly increases your risk of contracting a horrible life-long illness" type of way. And the little-understood illness is spreading like wildfire, as the article tomorrow will show.
This revelation was actually an afterthought, after I was already deep into the research. At that point, I decided that it would be best to get it published as soon as possible, to the largest audience that I could. That didn't happen as I'd hoped. Here's the timeline of events:
July 2012 - A presentation on the subject, along with meeting someone who's been dealing with the health problems, and along with a few prior close-calls myself (some still visible), prompted me to learn a lot more about it and write what I found, especially since I live in a high-risk area.
March 2013 - Originally written for the blog, I pitch the article to TNS to get it published there first. They (both Nicky and Mark) say it's something they'd be interested in.
November 2013 - After an extensive re-write, I submit it to TNS. Nicky says it's too long, and I re-submit to the specifications.
April 2014 - I don't see the article in the Spring issue, so I check in. Nicky says the Summer issue is all-female-written, so it'll be published in the Autumn issue.
Autumn 2014 - No article.
Winter 2014 - No article.
Spring 2015 - No article.
"High-risk" season is starting right now, and I don't want to go any longer without publishing. The last thing I want is for TNS to kick the can further down the road, so I'm not checking in about it again. If both Nicky and Mark simply forgot about the article, then it must not have been very important to them.
I decided to publish here. I apologize that the article has 2-year-old or older references. Also, that there's no hyper-links within the article. It was written for the magazine, and I don't want to spend more time updating references and in-lining them into the article. It's magazine quality: concise, informative, important. But it has far fewer eyes on it, a year later than I was hoping for.
Friday, February 21, 2014
A Blueprint for Progress
We all wish society was more accepting of naturists. We all wish there were more opportunities for nude recreation, without the occasional social and legal repercussions. We all believe that the lifestyle is healthy and natural, and we wish others could understand that.
Every naturist seems to have their own opinion of what the problems are and what needs to be done to advance our cause. My opinion is quite straight-forward -- do what works. And I look to the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community as a good example of what works.
LGBT vs. Nudist Statistics
There are a lot of parallels between being a nudist, and being gay. (Or part of the LGBT group, more specifically.) There is a period of self-discovery, followed by a duration of keeping a secret, followed by a "coming out". Although we live in an America which is more tolerant of some things, it seems less tolerant of others.
There are some important differences too. First is that naturism is a choice, and being gay is typically not. Second is that discovering and "coming out" usually occur at very different ages for each group. The LGBT group typically "come out" in their teenage years. Naturists often discover the lifestyle and "come out" much later. Despite the differences, I think there is still a strong comparison between the two groups.
I previously mentioned a surprising statistic, and asked the obvious question: 8.2% of Americans have engaged in some form of same-sex sexual activity, yet most Americans think 25% of the population is gay. Per the NEF poll, 25% of Americans have gone skinny-dipping or nude sunbathing in mixed company, yet many Americans think we're a fringe group. Why are these statistics inversed? For the sake of this post, let's assume that these two groups have roughly the same numbers of people, somewhere between 8.2% and 25% of the population.
Last summer, a publication caught my eye: "A Survey of LGBT Americans" from Pew Research. In the back of my mind, I contemplated what naturists would say to those same questions. (I wish a similar poll was conducted on naturists so that we have a baseline.)
92% of LGBT adults find America more accepting of them compared to 10 years ago, and expect it to be even more so 10 years from now. Naturists might say the opposite, or say there has been little progress.
54% of LGBT adults say that all or most of the important people in their lives know that they are LGBT. (Only 14% haven't told anyone.) Do you think that many naturists are open about it? Not only that, but 70% of LGBT adults believe that the biggest help to making society more accepting is "people knowing someone who is LGBT."
The LGBT adults clearly saw Barack Obama and Ellen DeGeneres as important public figures advancing their rights. Although I once tweeted that Obama could fit in as a nudist, we really don't have any public figures that we can proudly point to. LGBT adults also point to the entertainment industry, with 70% thinking it's friendly. Most mainstream TV depicting naturists isn't so friendly, especially the news media. And what do LGBT adults think of the news media? Most think it's friendly or neutral.
The LGBT adults are active too. 52% have attended a pride event, 40% attended a rally or march, 39% are members of an organization, and 32% have donated to the cause. For naturists, I'm betting these numbers would all be much lower. (For attending an organized gathering or conference, participating in a protest, being a member of TNS or AANR, and donating to support naturist rights.)
The Blueprint
In order to:
We need to:
I've helped all of those metrics, and I hope all of you will do the same.
Every naturist seems to have their own opinion of what the problems are and what needs to be done to advance our cause. My opinion is quite straight-forward -- do what works. And I look to the LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender) community as a good example of what works.
LGBT vs. Nudist Statistics
There are a lot of parallels between being a nudist, and being gay. (Or part of the LGBT group, more specifically.) There is a period of self-discovery, followed by a duration of keeping a secret, followed by a "coming out". Although we live in an America which is more tolerant of some things, it seems less tolerant of others.
There are some important differences too. First is that naturism is a choice, and being gay is typically not. Second is that discovering and "coming out" usually occur at very different ages for each group. The LGBT group typically "come out" in their teenage years. Naturists often discover the lifestyle and "come out" much later. Despite the differences, I think there is still a strong comparison between the two groups.
I previously mentioned a surprising statistic, and asked the obvious question: 8.2% of Americans have engaged in some form of same-sex sexual activity, yet most Americans think 25% of the population is gay. Per the NEF poll, 25% of Americans have gone skinny-dipping or nude sunbathing in mixed company, yet many Americans think we're a fringe group. Why are these statistics inversed? For the sake of this post, let's assume that these two groups have roughly the same numbers of people, somewhere between 8.2% and 25% of the population.
Last summer, a publication caught my eye: "A Survey of LGBT Americans" from Pew Research. In the back of my mind, I contemplated what naturists would say to those same questions. (I wish a similar poll was conducted on naturists so that we have a baseline.)
92% of LGBT adults find America more accepting of them compared to 10 years ago, and expect it to be even more so 10 years from now. Naturists might say the opposite, or say there has been little progress.
54% of LGBT adults say that all or most of the important people in their lives know that they are LGBT. (Only 14% haven't told anyone.) Do you think that many naturists are open about it? Not only that, but 70% of LGBT adults believe that the biggest help to making society more accepting is "people knowing someone who is LGBT."
The LGBT adults clearly saw Barack Obama and Ellen DeGeneres as important public figures advancing their rights. Although I once tweeted that Obama could fit in as a nudist, we really don't have any public figures that we can proudly point to. LGBT adults also point to the entertainment industry, with 70% thinking it's friendly. Most mainstream TV depicting naturists isn't so friendly, especially the news media. And what do LGBT adults think of the news media? Most think it's friendly or neutral.
The LGBT adults are active too. 52% have attended a pride event, 40% attended a rally or march, 39% are members of an organization, and 32% have donated to the cause. For naturists, I'm betting these numbers would all be much lower. (For attending an organized gathering or conference, participating in a protest, being a member of TNS or AANR, and donating to support naturist rights.)
The Blueprint
In order to:
- Move America in the right direction for accepting naturists.
- Make society more accepting to naturists.
- Have celebrity support.
- Have a naturist-friendly entertainment industry (TV, movies, news).
We need to:
- Have at least 54% of naturists "come out" to most friends and family, with another 32% or so telling at least someone else. This would have the biggest impact.
- Have at least 52% of naturists attending gatherings, conferences, or other similar events.
- Have at least 39% of naturists be members of a naturist organization.
- Have at least 32% donate to naturist causes.
I've helped all of those metrics, and I hope all of you will do the same.
Wednesday, August 7, 2013
Accidental Hiatus
It's been more than 6 months since my previous post. Time goes fast!
This spring, I labored on a really good article for the blog, and then decided that it might be better for N magazine. Recognizing significant differences in writing for the blog and writing for a magazine, I re-wrote most of it from scratch. It's still a work in progress, and I'm targeting a submission date in the winter months. The article would be ideal for spring-time publication.
While writing it, I stumbled upon another great article idea. Again, it might be better suited for the magazine. I'm collecting data this summer and through some of the winter.
Both articles are interesting and applicable for naturists, and academic-style with original research. I plan to publish each here a while after they run in N magazine (if accepted). No spoilers in the meantime!
My summer has remained busy due to a more personal reason too. My significant other and I are finally, after nearly 11 years, getting married.
In other blog news, I've decided to stop (or at least significantly scale back) writing about trips and events. I'm the only naturist blogger who has written about ALL of my social naturist trips for the entire 7 years I've been participating. I don't think it has much value anymore. (Unless someone can persuade me to continue?)
With that, expect the hiatus to continue for a while longer and for posts to be less frequent. I'd like to shift more to quality instead of quantity. Thanks for understanding.
This spring, I labored on a really good article for the blog, and then decided that it might be better for N magazine. Recognizing significant differences in writing for the blog and writing for a magazine, I re-wrote most of it from scratch. It's still a work in progress, and I'm targeting a submission date in the winter months. The article would be ideal for spring-time publication.
While writing it, I stumbled upon another great article idea. Again, it might be better suited for the magazine. I'm collecting data this summer and through some of the winter.
Both articles are interesting and applicable for naturists, and academic-style with original research. I plan to publish each here a while after they run in N magazine (if accepted). No spoilers in the meantime!
My summer has remained busy due to a more personal reason too. My significant other and I are finally, after nearly 11 years, getting married.
In other blog news, I've decided to stop (or at least significantly scale back) writing about trips and events. I'm the only naturist blogger who has written about ALL of my social naturist trips for the entire 7 years I've been participating. I don't think it has much value anymore. (Unless someone can persuade me to continue?)
With that, expect the hiatus to continue for a while longer and for posts to be less frequent. I'd like to shift more to quality instead of quantity. Thanks for understanding.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Future Resort Summary
Since the Future Resort series is a good start for a business plan, I'll summarize all the best ideas from the Original series (O) and the Redux (R). As I mentioned at the start of the Redux, I'm interested in a business partnership. Contact me here if you'd like to play any part in opening a venue which satisfies this criteria.
Obviously, I've published all of these ideas already. Anyone can open a venue. I'm not looking for profit from a business partnership. I'm focused on the long-term benefit of having the venues in place. I'm hoping that profits from the venues get wisely reinvested into nudist causes, instead of pocketed for lavish lifestyles. And I'm hoping that anyone who may copy my ideas also copies my philosophy.
The word "should" indicates a goal to strive for as a best effort. The word "must" indicates the venue needs to have it to earn my support.
Summary of ideas:
Of course, there are other good ideas outside of the Future Resort series. For example, I cover effective use of markerboards here, might inspire a venue name and marketing ideas here, and might offer a few event ideas here.
Obviously, I've published all of these ideas already. Anyone can open a venue. I'm not looking for profit from a business partnership. I'm focused on the long-term benefit of having the venues in place. I'm hoping that profits from the venues get wisely reinvested into nudist causes, instead of pocketed for lavish lifestyles. And I'm hoping that anyone who may copy my ideas also copies my philosophy.
The word "should" indicates a goal to strive for as a best effort. The word "must" indicates the venue needs to have it to earn my support.
Summary of ideas:
- The venue must be one of the following:
- The venue must be located in a city, and should be located in one of the largest cities in the states listed in (R4).
- The venue must provide privacy/seclusion and access control. (R2)
- The venue should be spacious and able to support a crowd. (R2)
- The venue must provide access to sunshine for sunbathing. (R2, R3)
- The venue must be easily accessible, and within range of a taxi. It should be along a main road. (R2)
- The venue must be comfortable. (R2)
- The venue must provide food through an internal restaurant, snack shop, groceries, or selection of delivered food. (R3)
- The venue must provide both hostel-style lodging and hotel-style lodging. (R6, R3)
- The venue must allow more granular "grounds fees", such as charging by the hour. (R7)
- The venue should evaluate the green technologies listed in (O3, O3.1, O3.2, O3.3) and implement any which would be profitable as soon as they can be afforded.
- The venue should diversify using my crowdsourced evolutionary model. (O4, O5) Note: Initial projects will likely be a pool, hot tub, games, fitness equipment, and other things nudists like to do.
- The venue should do iterative development. (O4)
- The venue should specialize in one or more specific events. (O4)
- The venue should consider all ideas from guests, and track the decision making process for transparency. (O4)
- The venue should offer chores in exchange for credit, so people can have a cheaper stay if they help out, using the framework in (O5) and the suggestion in (O-Recap3).
- The venue should encourage fundraisers, both to fund internal projects (O5) and to fund community projects (O7).
- The venue should implement ideal resource-sharing methods as described in (O6). Avoid the main example, however.
- The venue should make use of regulars with specific skills who are willing to support side-businesses, fundraisers, and community involvement. (R3)
- The venue must be open and involved with the community, such as attending meetings, fundraising for community efforts, offering textile "open house" days, and doing good whenever possible. (O7, R7)
Of course, there are other good ideas outside of the Future Resort series. For example, I cover effective use of markerboards here, might inspire a venue name and marketing ideas here, and might offer a few event ideas here.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p7) - End Effect
The venues described in the series aren't entirely revolutionary. There are numerous venues which already fit in to the urban nudist oasis category. N magazine 31.4 talks about Fawlty Towers in Cocoa Beach, which is a hotel that recently turned nudist. Another recent addition is Clover Spa in Britain, which is more like a bed and breakfast. A commenter pointed out his "Clothing Optional Home Network" of bed and breakfast venues. (There are many more, including some traditional nudist venues which happen to be at the city's edge.)
The existing venues basically market themselves as hotels. You go there, pay a substantial sum of money, and enjoy a room for the night. Some go a step beyond and allow guests to enjoy the facilities for a day fee. This is often a substantial sum of money and they feel like they need to stay all day to make it worthwhile. With these policies, the venue attracts vacationers and people who have the day off from work. It becomes a tourist destination and a hotel. Although this can be profitable, my venue would focus on a different market.
My policy for an urban nudist venue would be to also take the next logical step: charge by the hour. With this policy, the venue would provide dual roles. It can still be a tourist destination and hotel, but it will also become an entertainment establishment. It would compete with things like bowling alleys, skating rinks, gyms (both workout facilities and classes such as yoga), theaters, arcades, restaurants, and bars -- all of which you pay a small amount of money and have some small duration of entertainment or use.
Think about how much time you spend at vacation destinations. Perhaps a week or two each year? Now think about how much time you spend at the entertainment establishments I listed above. Likely a few evenings each week and most weekends the rest of the year. When people want to get out of the house for a while, or have time to kill in town, they can stop in.
If anyone is curious, a small fee and an hour of time is all it takes to give nudism a try. (An hour is usually all it takes to become hooked, too.) As people drive by the venue, many will be curious. They'll think about it and talk about it even if they never go. And this would be good for nudism.
How many nudists do you know on TV? Probably none. Is nudism a talking point in each political election? The obvious answer is "no". However, gay rights are a talking point and I'm sure you know several gay characters on TV. Here are the stats: 8.2% of Americans have engaged in some form of same-sex sexual activity, yet most Americans think 25% of the population is gay. Per the NEF poll, 25% of Americans have gone skinny-dipping or nude sunbathing in mixed company, yet many Americans think we're a fringe group. Why are these statistics inversed?
I believe that the difference in attitudes is related to the difference in primary social frameworks over the last 50 years. Nudist resorts are hidden away in rural areas, keep to themselves, and in general become forgotten. Gay bars, on the other hand, are in the middle of town. They are seen on a daily basis. They are talked about among the community. They are frequented by a lot of casual visitors, both regulars and the curious. They are a social hub for tight-knit local communities who are actively pushing for change.
I'm not advocating that we open a bunch of "nudist bars" to mimic the success of the gay culture. (Legally speaking, establishments serving alcohol and offering nudity are heavily regulated, so a "nudist bar" would be very difficult to open and operate anyway.) But if similar facilities -- minus the alcohol and plus the numerous features I've mentioned in this series -- popped up around the country, I believe it would have a huge positive impact on nudism long-term.
In conclusion, my revised prediction for the future of nudism is within an urban setting. Existing urban venues can be repurposed with casual nudists in mind, in cities which are already ripe with demand. A healthy mix of people will give it a try. Naturally, a strong sense of community will develop. With the increased visual presence, nudism will become a topic of political debate and mainstream media. Change is coming in the next couple decades, and I'm already looking forward to it!
The existing venues basically market themselves as hotels. You go there, pay a substantial sum of money, and enjoy a room for the night. Some go a step beyond and allow guests to enjoy the facilities for a day fee. This is often a substantial sum of money and they feel like they need to stay all day to make it worthwhile. With these policies, the venue attracts vacationers and people who have the day off from work. It becomes a tourist destination and a hotel. Although this can be profitable, my venue would focus on a different market.
My policy for an urban nudist venue would be to also take the next logical step: charge by the hour. With this policy, the venue would provide dual roles. It can still be a tourist destination and hotel, but it will also become an entertainment establishment. It would compete with things like bowling alleys, skating rinks, gyms (both workout facilities and classes such as yoga), theaters, arcades, restaurants, and bars -- all of which you pay a small amount of money and have some small duration of entertainment or use.
Think about how much time you spend at vacation destinations. Perhaps a week or two each year? Now think about how much time you spend at the entertainment establishments I listed above. Likely a few evenings each week and most weekends the rest of the year. When people want to get out of the house for a while, or have time to kill in town, they can stop in.
If anyone is curious, a small fee and an hour of time is all it takes to give nudism a try. (An hour is usually all it takes to become hooked, too.) As people drive by the venue, many will be curious. They'll think about it and talk about it even if they never go. And this would be good for nudism.
How many nudists do you know on TV? Probably none. Is nudism a talking point in each political election? The obvious answer is "no". However, gay rights are a talking point and I'm sure you know several gay characters on TV. Here are the stats: 8.2% of Americans have engaged in some form of same-sex sexual activity, yet most Americans think 25% of the population is gay. Per the NEF poll, 25% of Americans have gone skinny-dipping or nude sunbathing in mixed company, yet many Americans think we're a fringe group. Why are these statistics inversed?
I believe that the difference in attitudes is related to the difference in primary social frameworks over the last 50 years. Nudist resorts are hidden away in rural areas, keep to themselves, and in general become forgotten. Gay bars, on the other hand, are in the middle of town. They are seen on a daily basis. They are talked about among the community. They are frequented by a lot of casual visitors, both regulars and the curious. They are a social hub for tight-knit local communities who are actively pushing for change.
I'm not advocating that we open a bunch of "nudist bars" to mimic the success of the gay culture. (Legally speaking, establishments serving alcohol and offering nudity are heavily regulated, so a "nudist bar" would be very difficult to open and operate anyway.) But if similar facilities -- minus the alcohol and plus the numerous features I've mentioned in this series -- popped up around the country, I believe it would have a huge positive impact on nudism long-term.
In conclusion, my revised prediction for the future of nudism is within an urban setting. Existing urban venues can be repurposed with casual nudists in mind, in cities which are already ripe with demand. A healthy mix of people will give it a try. Naturally, a strong sense of community will develop. With the increased visual presence, nudism will become a topic of political debate and mainstream media. Change is coming in the next couple decades, and I'm already looking forward to it!
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p6) - Targeting Youth
Follow the Trend
Many nudists acknowledge a declining trend in youth at traditional nudist campgrounds. Although there is a lot of speculation for why that might be, there is one hypothesis which pertains to this series.
The National Wildlife Federation, citing several studies, presents this conclusion:
"In the last two decades, childhood has moved indoors. The average American boy or girl spends just four to seven minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day, and more than seven hours each day in front of an electronic screen."
Youth don't go outside as much anymore. (And when they do, I'd bet most of that play time is in urban playgrounds.) As they grow up, they'll gravitate to the city and prefer to be inside buildings. I don't think many have a desire to "escape to nature," especially since many find nature uncomfortable and maybe even a little scary. Why would they want to travel hours away from the city to spend the weekend at a nudist campground? This goes for kids, teenagers, college students, and young adults. The younger generation just isn't interested in nature anymore.
By having an urban nudist venue, you'll implicitly target the youth. When given the choice, I'm confident that many young adults would prefer a smaller local urban venue over a distant large rustic venue. As time goes on, more and more will choose the urban one.
Additionally, according to the CIA World Factbook, about 82% of the total population in the US live in an urban environment and it's increasing by 1.2% annually. Everyone goes to the city -- either by moving there or traveling there regularly. It only makes sense that most businesses would prefer being in the city. That's where the customers are.
Leverage Nudist Culture
In the USA, it's rare to find a hostel. In Europe and Australia, they're quite common. Backpackers are often young Europeans or anyone else who wants to take a year off from school or work and travel. As the name implies, they travel with little more than a backpack full of necessities.
Hostels cater to this group by offering up a bed. From my own experience, backpackers pay between $10 and $20 at a hostel. In return, they get a bunk bed and sometimes a pillow and blanket. The rooms are shared among many different people (mixed gender). They typically aren't even locked. They're dirty and often things are broke, but they're cheap. And many backpackers love meeting new friends through the random room assignments.
The reason hostels aren't popular in the US, I believe, is due to trust. We're a culture of locking doors and protecting our space with guns. We Americans don't trust anyone. Sharing a room with a bunch of strangers seems absurd.
Nudist culture is different. At hotel parties, we don't always close/lock doors. We trust leaving our stuff on a table while we make a trip to the room. Everyone becomes a friend. It's difficult to be a thief when everyone is naked, trusting, and friendly. In addition, I'm willing to bet a nudist hostel area would remain cleaner than the textile hostels I've been to. Offering chores to reduce cost is always a good idea.
I suggest including some hostel-style rooms in any urban nudist venue. I believe cash-strapped nudists (especially the youth) would jump at the chance for a $10-$20 bed for the night, sharing a room with a new group of friends. Most nudists don't care if they have a big comfy bed, a door that locks, or the seclusion they get with their own room. Give them the option of their own fancy hotel-style room (at a price), or a cheap hostel-style bed. Nudist culture makes a choice like this possible in the US, and I suggest we make use of it.
Many nudists acknowledge a declining trend in youth at traditional nudist campgrounds. Although there is a lot of speculation for why that might be, there is one hypothesis which pertains to this series.
The National Wildlife Federation, citing several studies, presents this conclusion:
"In the last two decades, childhood has moved indoors. The average American boy or girl spends just four to seven minutes in unstructured outdoor play each day, and more than seven hours each day in front of an electronic screen."
Youth don't go outside as much anymore. (And when they do, I'd bet most of that play time is in urban playgrounds.) As they grow up, they'll gravitate to the city and prefer to be inside buildings. I don't think many have a desire to "escape to nature," especially since many find nature uncomfortable and maybe even a little scary. Why would they want to travel hours away from the city to spend the weekend at a nudist campground? This goes for kids, teenagers, college students, and young adults. The younger generation just isn't interested in nature anymore.
By having an urban nudist venue, you'll implicitly target the youth. When given the choice, I'm confident that many young adults would prefer a smaller local urban venue over a distant large rustic venue. As time goes on, more and more will choose the urban one.
Additionally, according to the CIA World Factbook, about 82% of the total population in the US live in an urban environment and it's increasing by 1.2% annually. Everyone goes to the city -- either by moving there or traveling there regularly. It only makes sense that most businesses would prefer being in the city. That's where the customers are.
Leverage Nudist Culture
In the USA, it's rare to find a hostel. In Europe and Australia, they're quite common. Backpackers are often young Europeans or anyone else who wants to take a year off from school or work and travel. As the name implies, they travel with little more than a backpack full of necessities.
Hostels cater to this group by offering up a bed. From my own experience, backpackers pay between $10 and $20 at a hostel. In return, they get a bunk bed and sometimes a pillow and blanket. The rooms are shared among many different people (mixed gender). They typically aren't even locked. They're dirty and often things are broke, but they're cheap. And many backpackers love meeting new friends through the random room assignments.
The reason hostels aren't popular in the US, I believe, is due to trust. We're a culture of locking doors and protecting our space with guns. We Americans don't trust anyone. Sharing a room with a bunch of strangers seems absurd.
Nudist culture is different. At hotel parties, we don't always close/lock doors. We trust leaving our stuff on a table while we make a trip to the room. Everyone becomes a friend. It's difficult to be a thief when everyone is naked, trusting, and friendly. In addition, I'm willing to bet a nudist hostel area would remain cleaner than the textile hostels I've been to. Offering chores to reduce cost is always a good idea.
I suggest including some hostel-style rooms in any urban nudist venue. I believe cash-strapped nudists (especially the youth) would jump at the chance for a $10-$20 bed for the night, sharing a room with a new group of friends. Most nudists don't care if they have a big comfy bed, a door that locks, or the seclusion they get with their own room. Give them the option of their own fancy hotel-style room (at a price), or a cheap hostel-style bed. Nudist culture makes a choice like this possible in the US, and I suggest we make use of it.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p5) - Casual Culture
In part 2, I said that "nudism would be casual experience instead of a planned vacation or second residence." This statement can be broken down into three markets.
The "nakation" (planned vacation) industry is a $400 million and growing global industry according to AANR. There are a lot of opportunities for nude cruises and vacations at big resorts all around the world. These take time from work and cost money, especially since travel is becoming increasingly expensive. It's fair to assume that the majority of people taking "nakations" are retired, or middle-aged with the money and the time off from work to be able to do it.
Many stay at resorts and campgrounds either full-time or as a second residence. Full-timers are almost always retired, or are lucky to work close enough to keep the commute reasonable. The second residence crowd typically have a camper and stay at the resort on weekends. It's fair to assume that these people have the money to buy a camper and pay for the site, which likely means they are middle-aged and have a career. (Purchasing and developing their primary residence takes money and time first.)
The above two markets are currently the most profitable, and both are geared toward the middle-aged or older since they happen to be the primary customer.
Young naturists, and cash-strapped naturists, take a more casual approach to nude recreation. They are the ones visiting the local free beaches whenever they have the time. They are the ones bravely freehiking and skinny dipping on public lands. They are the ones going to local hotel takeover parties. They are the ones attending bowling parties, house parties, WNBR, and any other event that happens to be going on. Perhaps "casual" isn't the right word since it takes a lot of work to organize these events, and sometimes a lot of work to participate in them. But compared to buying a camper, membership, or vacation, and dedicating weeks or more at a time to being nude, these cheaper day-long or weekend-long activities are casual.
Both the Florida Young Naturists and the Young Naturists and Nudists America have seen a boom in numbers since forming. FYN's Spring Bash went from 75 in 2009 to 200 in 2011 per N 31.2. YNA claims to be "the fastest growing nudist organization and online naturist community based out of the NY / NJ / PA area". The Chicago Fun Club has seen growing numbers of participants -- they've grown to more than 200 members in the 3 or so years they've been active. These groups have popped into existence with a primary goal of having fun at whatever venues they can set up. It seems that people of all ages are eager to participate in local events.
I haven't gone to an unsuccessful nudist event yet. The hotel parties are always packed. House parties always attract a crowd. Public events like the WNBR have been growing. Even the bowling group, almost in the middle of nowhere, has a good turnout each Winter month. It seems that naturists are always looking for something local to do.
Just how much demand is in the market? There were numerous people at the bowling party that didn't bowl. I'm sure the WNBR gets it's share of people who don't normally ride bikes. I haven't been to a nude skate party yet, but I'm sure some people attending can't skate. (N 29.1 shows a group photo from a skating event, and a few people aren't wearing skates.) Many people who visit nude beaches never go in the water, and some even avoid the sun. It seems that people just want to be naked in social settings, even if they aren't interested in what's going on. Markets are about supply and demand, and I believe there is more demand than supply for naturist events.
The Chicago Fun Club tested the limits of demand this year. The club is one of only a few in the Chicago area, and the nearest resorts are across state lines several hours away. One of the club's events worked out to be an ideal experiment. When Naked Girls Reading was still new, I said: "Naturists would find this event to be one of the most boring things we could possibly sit through." Then, later on, the Chicago Fun Club organized a nude viewing of this event.
How did it go? Corresponding with one of the members, it was "well attended and much enjoyed". I'd never go watch naked girls read. But, with the opportunity to be in a social naturist setting with friends, I'd be tempted.
Even with nothing going on, people are still drawn to places. Many like to stop in at the bars, just to see who's there and what's going on. Many like to stroll through the mall even though they aren't shopping for anything specific. People will be drawn to the urban nudist venue just to see what's new, who's around, and to kill some time while being social. They might even bring their curious friends along.
The "nakation" (planned vacation) industry is a $400 million and growing global industry according to AANR. There are a lot of opportunities for nude cruises and vacations at big resorts all around the world. These take time from work and cost money, especially since travel is becoming increasingly expensive. It's fair to assume that the majority of people taking "nakations" are retired, or middle-aged with the money and the time off from work to be able to do it.
Many stay at resorts and campgrounds either full-time or as a second residence. Full-timers are almost always retired, or are lucky to work close enough to keep the commute reasonable. The second residence crowd typically have a camper and stay at the resort on weekends. It's fair to assume that these people have the money to buy a camper and pay for the site, which likely means they are middle-aged and have a career. (Purchasing and developing their primary residence takes money and time first.)
The above two markets are currently the most profitable, and both are geared toward the middle-aged or older since they happen to be the primary customer.
Young naturists, and cash-strapped naturists, take a more casual approach to nude recreation. They are the ones visiting the local free beaches whenever they have the time. They are the ones bravely freehiking and skinny dipping on public lands. They are the ones going to local hotel takeover parties. They are the ones attending bowling parties, house parties, WNBR, and any other event that happens to be going on. Perhaps "casual" isn't the right word since it takes a lot of work to organize these events, and sometimes a lot of work to participate in them. But compared to buying a camper, membership, or vacation, and dedicating weeks or more at a time to being nude, these cheaper day-long or weekend-long activities are casual.
Both the Florida Young Naturists and the Young Naturists and Nudists America have seen a boom in numbers since forming. FYN's Spring Bash went from 75 in 2009 to 200 in 2011 per N 31.2. YNA claims to be "the fastest growing nudist organization and online naturist community based out of the NY / NJ / PA area". The Chicago Fun Club has seen growing numbers of participants -- they've grown to more than 200 members in the 3 or so years they've been active. These groups have popped into existence with a primary goal of having fun at whatever venues they can set up. It seems that people of all ages are eager to participate in local events.
I haven't gone to an unsuccessful nudist event yet. The hotel parties are always packed. House parties always attract a crowd. Public events like the WNBR have been growing. Even the bowling group, almost in the middle of nowhere, has a good turnout each Winter month. It seems that naturists are always looking for something local to do.
Just how much demand is in the market? There were numerous people at the bowling party that didn't bowl. I'm sure the WNBR gets it's share of people who don't normally ride bikes. I haven't been to a nude skate party yet, but I'm sure some people attending can't skate. (N 29.1 shows a group photo from a skating event, and a few people aren't wearing skates.) Many people who visit nude beaches never go in the water, and some even avoid the sun. It seems that people just want to be naked in social settings, even if they aren't interested in what's going on. Markets are about supply and demand, and I believe there is more demand than supply for naturist events.
The Chicago Fun Club tested the limits of demand this year. The club is one of only a few in the Chicago area, and the nearest resorts are across state lines several hours away. One of the club's events worked out to be an ideal experiment. When Naked Girls Reading was still new, I said: "Naturists would find this event to be one of the most boring things we could possibly sit through." Then, later on, the Chicago Fun Club organized a nude viewing of this event.
How did it go? Corresponding with one of the members, it was "well attended and much enjoyed". I'd never go watch naked girls read. But, with the opportunity to be in a social naturist setting with friends, I'd be tempted.
Even with nothing going on, people are still drawn to places. Many like to stop in at the bars, just to see who's there and what's going on. Many like to stroll through the mall even though they aren't shopping for anything specific. People will be drawn to the urban nudist venue just to see what's new, who's around, and to kill some time while being social. They might even bring their curious friends along.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p4) - Location
Population map, from Wikipedia:
Modified map showing the number of nudist resorts in each state, based on the AANR club listings:
Analyzing the data in the above graphics, it's reasonable to conclude that the following states have a large population and a shortage of nudist resorts (compared to similar states):
New York
Illinois
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Arizona
Tennissee
Virginia
North Carolina
New Jersey
Massachusetts
However, since this series is about urban resorts, one must also consider the population density maps.
Population density map from Wikipedia:
Many of the states which contain no nudist resorts have a low population. But, the majority of the population is within cities. States which have no resorts and have a high urban population density include:
South Dakota
Iowa
Nebraska
Utah
Nevada
New Mexico
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Deleware
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
Maine
Alaska
If I were to create an urban nudist oasis, I'd put it in one of the states above.
Many of the states happen to be in northern latitudes as well. Nudist resorts, for the most part, close down during the winter months. Most only have outdoor facilities. Bigger ones have a few indoor facilities, but it's often not worth venturing down slippery backroads just to swim in the nude. An advantage of an indoor urban resort is that it can remain open year-round and provide the same facilities.
Modified map showing the number of nudist resorts in each state, based on the AANR club listings:
Analyzing the data in the above graphics, it's reasonable to conclude that the following states have a large population and a shortage of nudist resorts (compared to similar states):
New York
Illinois
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Arizona
Tennissee
Virginia
North Carolina
New Jersey
Massachusetts
However, since this series is about urban resorts, one must also consider the population density maps.
Population density map from Wikipedia:
Many of the states which contain no nudist resorts have a low population. But, the majority of the population is within cities. States which have no resorts and have a high urban population density include:
South Dakota
Iowa
Nebraska
Utah
Nevada
New Mexico
Arkansas
Louisiana
Kentucky
Deleware
Rhode Island
New Hampshire
Maine
Alaska
If I were to create an urban nudist oasis, I'd put it in one of the states above.
Many of the states happen to be in northern latitudes as well. Nudist resorts, for the most part, close down during the winter months. Most only have outdoor facilities. Bigger ones have a few indoor facilities, but it's often not worth venturing down slippery backroads just to swim in the nude. An advantage of an indoor urban resort is that it can remain open year-round and provide the same facilities.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p3) - Layout
The venue layout is partly determined by the existing layout, partly determined by how much money and work can be invested, and partly determined by what people in the area want. All I can offer on this topic is advice.
First of all, make sure the venue will meet my original list of basic requirements. Seclusion, Accessibility, and Space should all be considered prior to purchasing the venue. Seclusion can be improved with things like window coverings after the purchase, but ideally the building shouldn't be all windows.
The inclusion of Sunshine needs to be considered. Make sure there is a nice flat roof or an area outside that can be made private. A lot of people get hooked on naturism when they feel the sunshine and breeze on their naked bodies for the first time. Many city-dwellers have a difficult time finding a place where they can try this or participate regularly. Although an outdoor space may be difficult to provide, it is a basic feature of all traditional venues. Avoid developing a venue in any building which has no possibility of Sunshine.
A similar indoor space should be provided as well. When the weather turns cold, sunshine through the windows provides a nice alternative. Consider an area of skylights or replacing part of a southern wall with windows. As an example, here is a place in Wisconsin which tries to simulate a day at the beach even in the middle of winter. They even have signs posted about sunburning while indoors.
Successful nudist venues, other types of resorts, casinos, and just about any other place that wants people to stick around, consistently provide customers two basic features: A room to stay in, and food. If these can both be provided in your venue, it'll support a wide range of stays. If these are high in luxury and price, you'll only attract vacationers who are probably older. You'll be competing in a world-wide market too. (I wouldn't go this route.) If the rates are low, it'll support weekend getaways for all ages and support anyone who is traveling on a budget. Others may want it to be a temporary residence while they work in town. Adjust the room rates to be competitive for each market. For food, a variety is always best and make sure it's available whenever people may want a meal. If the hotel rooms have kitchens, or a shared kitchen is available, a mini grocery store would be helpful. If meals cannot be provided, collect menus from local restaurants who would be willing to deliver.
Give people things to do during their stay. Collect recreation equipment, fitness equipment, and anything else that people might enjoy spending time on. If you know anyone who has lots of free time, give them the task of finding good deals on Craigslist for all this stuff. Make sure to keep people busy with games and events as well. Get people involved and they'll develop a strong relationship with the business.
It's also helpful to find a Niche. As an example, there used to be a eBay Store in town which would sell your stuff on the global auction site, but it closed. Perhaps a nudist venue could offer this service as a side-project. Test the waters in different areas and see if anything becomes profitable. What are you, or your core members, good at? A stand-alone business might not stay afloat (like the eBay store), but coupling a few businesses together might. Nudists have skills beyond socializing and sunbathing. Put those skills to good use.
There is quite a lot of variability in how a venue can be laid out and what services it can offer. Don't be afraid to remove things that aren't profitable, and play up things that are. Success depends on how quickly you can find the best balance for the venue.
First of all, make sure the venue will meet my original list of basic requirements. Seclusion, Accessibility, and Space should all be considered prior to purchasing the venue. Seclusion can be improved with things like window coverings after the purchase, but ideally the building shouldn't be all windows.
The inclusion of Sunshine needs to be considered. Make sure there is a nice flat roof or an area outside that can be made private. A lot of people get hooked on naturism when they feel the sunshine and breeze on their naked bodies for the first time. Many city-dwellers have a difficult time finding a place where they can try this or participate regularly. Although an outdoor space may be difficult to provide, it is a basic feature of all traditional venues. Avoid developing a venue in any building which has no possibility of Sunshine.
A similar indoor space should be provided as well. When the weather turns cold, sunshine through the windows provides a nice alternative. Consider an area of skylights or replacing part of a southern wall with windows. As an example, here is a place in Wisconsin which tries to simulate a day at the beach even in the middle of winter. They even have signs posted about sunburning while indoors.
Successful nudist venues, other types of resorts, casinos, and just about any other place that wants people to stick around, consistently provide customers two basic features: A room to stay in, and food. If these can both be provided in your venue, it'll support a wide range of stays. If these are high in luxury and price, you'll only attract vacationers who are probably older. You'll be competing in a world-wide market too. (I wouldn't go this route.) If the rates are low, it'll support weekend getaways for all ages and support anyone who is traveling on a budget. Others may want it to be a temporary residence while they work in town. Adjust the room rates to be competitive for each market. For food, a variety is always best and make sure it's available whenever people may want a meal. If the hotel rooms have kitchens, or a shared kitchen is available, a mini grocery store would be helpful. If meals cannot be provided, collect menus from local restaurants who would be willing to deliver.
Give people things to do during their stay. Collect recreation equipment, fitness equipment, and anything else that people might enjoy spending time on. If you know anyone who has lots of free time, give them the task of finding good deals on Craigslist for all this stuff. Make sure to keep people busy with games and events as well. Get people involved and they'll develop a strong relationship with the business.
It's also helpful to find a Niche. As an example, there used to be a eBay Store in town which would sell your stuff on the global auction site, but it closed. Perhaps a nudist venue could offer this service as a side-project. Test the waters in different areas and see if anything becomes profitable. What are you, or your core members, good at? A stand-alone business might not stay afloat (like the eBay store), but coupling a few businesses together might. Nudists have skills beyond socializing and sunbathing. Put those skills to good use.
There is quite a lot of variability in how a venue can be laid out and what services it can offer. Don't be afraid to remove things that aren't profitable, and play up things that are. Success depends on how quickly you can find the best balance for the venue.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p2) - Space
Commercial buildings can meet the five requirements in a different balance than rural land.
Seclusion is satisfied by walls, controlled use of windows, and access control through doors. Many commercial buildings have some level of security designed into them. Whether or not the building is publicly accessible, access is generally limited to specific entry points and a lobby controls access beyond that. Fire exits are locked from the outside. There are no other easy ways into a building. For rural land, a hike through the woods can probably get you in. It isn't practical to put a fence all the way around a large campground or resort. Therefore, a commercial building in a city is better secluded than rural land.
Sunshine and Space are the most limiting factors with a commercial building. The building has a fixed size, and it has a roof which blocks all or nearly all of the sunlight. However, both can be increased by a fenced in area outside or by fencing in the roof (if it's flat). Consider a green roof for a naturalistic roof development.
Accessibility is a strong feature of a commercial building. The location can be inside or on the outskirts of a city. Not only is it a short drive for everyone in the city, but there is likely cab service to the local airport too. Everyone in the county (or beyond) visits the city to do shopping, go to appointments, visit friends, and whatever else. They could stop by the venue for a couple of hours if they have time to kill. Nudism would be casual experience instead of a planned vacation or second residence. I'll talk more about this in part 5.
There is no doubt that buildings are more Comfortable than the outdoors. We go through a lot of effort to build them, maintain them, keep them the perfect temperature, control humidity, keep the air fresh, keep the weather and bugs out, provide lighting, maintain security and privacy, provide clean running water, retain food for long periods of time, provide ways to prepare that food, and have a safe and comfortable place to get a good night's sleep. Traditional nudist venues have some level of difficulty providing all these things and are often at the mercy of the outdoors.
Recently, I've been imagining what I'd do to convert various commercial buildings into nudist venues. Depending on the building, it might be easier than you think.
A friend of mine used to live in an old schoolhouse. It was a big square three story building within the city that was developed into apartments. Each classroom became an apartment. They kept the small gym as a recreation area, and added a pool within it. Access to the building was controlled through a single door. It's not hard to imagine this as a nudist venue with the pool and rec. area, and with roomy rentable hotel-style rooms.
Buying an old hotel can provide the same setup but with less work. Rooms are available to rent and there is often a nice pool and recreation area. Access control is already in place.
There are a lot of closed factories, stores, churches, and office buildings around. Many have ceilings high enough to not disturb a volleyball game, and many have offices that can be rental suites. Some will be more work than others to convert. Every building is different. Each has it's own layout, it's own maintenance costs, and it's own price tag.
In the next parts I'll discuss layouts and locations for an urban nudist venue. After that, I'll explain why this alternative approach to nudism might just catch on.
Seclusion is satisfied by walls, controlled use of windows, and access control through doors. Many commercial buildings have some level of security designed into them. Whether or not the building is publicly accessible, access is generally limited to specific entry points and a lobby controls access beyond that. Fire exits are locked from the outside. There are no other easy ways into a building. For rural land, a hike through the woods can probably get you in. It isn't practical to put a fence all the way around a large campground or resort. Therefore, a commercial building in a city is better secluded than rural land.
Sunshine and Space are the most limiting factors with a commercial building. The building has a fixed size, and it has a roof which blocks all or nearly all of the sunlight. However, both can be increased by a fenced in area outside or by fencing in the roof (if it's flat). Consider a green roof for a naturalistic roof development.
Accessibility is a strong feature of a commercial building. The location can be inside or on the outskirts of a city. Not only is it a short drive for everyone in the city, but there is likely cab service to the local airport too. Everyone in the county (or beyond) visits the city to do shopping, go to appointments, visit friends, and whatever else. They could stop by the venue for a couple of hours if they have time to kill. Nudism would be casual experience instead of a planned vacation or second residence. I'll talk more about this in part 5.
There is no doubt that buildings are more Comfortable than the outdoors. We go through a lot of effort to build them, maintain them, keep them the perfect temperature, control humidity, keep the air fresh, keep the weather and bugs out, provide lighting, maintain security and privacy, provide clean running water, retain food for long periods of time, provide ways to prepare that food, and have a safe and comfortable place to get a good night's sleep. Traditional nudist venues have some level of difficulty providing all these things and are often at the mercy of the outdoors.
Recently, I've been imagining what I'd do to convert various commercial buildings into nudist venues. Depending on the building, it might be easier than you think.
A friend of mine used to live in an old schoolhouse. It was a big square three story building within the city that was developed into apartments. Each classroom became an apartment. They kept the small gym as a recreation area, and added a pool within it. Access to the building was controlled through a single door. It's not hard to imagine this as a nudist venue with the pool and rec. area, and with roomy rentable hotel-style rooms.
Buying an old hotel can provide the same setup but with less work. Rooms are available to rent and there is often a nice pool and recreation area. Access control is already in place.
There are a lot of closed factories, stores, churches, and office buildings around. Many have ceilings high enough to not disturb a volleyball game, and many have offices that can be rental suites. Some will be more work than others to convert. Every building is different. Each has it's own layout, it's own maintenance costs, and it's own price tag.
In the next parts I'll discuss layouts and locations for an urban nudist venue. After that, I'll explain why this alternative approach to nudism might just catch on.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
Future Resort Redux (p1) - Intro
"If I had a clean slate and some seed money, here's how I would build my future venue." That's how I started my popular "Future Resort" series four years ago. After some more experience since then, I'd like to offer an alternative approach.
Going over my list of requirements from before:
1. Seclusion -- So nobody can peek in, and to avoid trouble with the laws.
2. Sunshine -- Just because it makes us happy.
3. Space -- We need room to run around.
4. Accessibility -- It should be easy to get to.
5. Comfortable -- Few bugs, clean air, good weather, etc.
Last time, I never really contemplated how each of those should be weighted. Is Accessibility more important than Space? Is Sunshine more important than Comfortable? If they are, then how much so? The market will eventually fine-tune the ratios based on the demand. If a venue has a bug problem, they may start spraying them regularly. If a venue isn't easily accessible, people will prefer going to one that is.
I previously made some assumptions about how, in general, things should be weighted. My starting point was lots of acres of cheap rural land. This made Seclusion, Sunshine, and Space more abundant than Accessible and Comfortable. Although I very much enjoy venues like this, there is a flip-side that may also be appealing.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on the importance of Accessibility last time. I was thinking of it more as a measure after the venue is built instead of a driver for where it should be. It was a lower priority item.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on Comfortable quite enough last time either. In order to stay at a venue, my basic requirements are a place to sleep, available food and water, and internet. Why is internet on this list? It's not required in order to survive, but many younger Americans depend on it to check in with work or school, socialize, and rely on it as an information resource. Although smartphones can do a lot, many people don't have them yet and internet typically isn't free from the cellular network. Perhaps that will change in the next 10 years, and my requirement for internet will be obsolete.
In part 2 of the series, I accidentally limited my scope with the first word: "land". While I was oogling rural land with lots of undeveloped acres, and dreaming of a nudist tour boat, I was too quick to dismiss another viable option. I'll start part 2 of this redux in this direction.
Buying up land and developing a resort isn't a bad thing. There are a lot of resorts that have taken this path. The successful ones will keep growing, and the less successful ones will keep dying out. Getting into the market will be increasingly difficult. The big resorts are a little like big-box stores, which make it difficult to open a competing successful small business. Let them dominate their market -- it's time for us to start something new.
I'll be putting my money where my mouth is this time around. If you're thinking of opening a venue which satisfies much of the criteria in this series, I'm willing to help out. I'm interested in a business partnership. (Don't leave comments about opportunities here -- instead please post to the General Feedback page.)
Going over my list of requirements from before:
1. Seclusion -- So nobody can peek in, and to avoid trouble with the laws.
2. Sunshine -- Just because it makes us happy.
3. Space -- We need room to run around.
4. Accessibility -- It should be easy to get to.
5. Comfortable -- Few bugs, clean air, good weather, etc.
Last time, I never really contemplated how each of those should be weighted. Is Accessibility more important than Space? Is Sunshine more important than Comfortable? If they are, then how much so? The market will eventually fine-tune the ratios based on the demand. If a venue has a bug problem, they may start spraying them regularly. If a venue isn't easily accessible, people will prefer going to one that is.
I previously made some assumptions about how, in general, things should be weighted. My starting point was lots of acres of cheap rural land. This made Seclusion, Sunshine, and Space more abundant than Accessible and Comfortable. Although I very much enjoy venues like this, there is a flip-side that may also be appealing.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on the importance of Accessibility last time. I was thinking of it more as a measure after the venue is built instead of a driver for where it should be. It was a lower priority item.
Perhaps I didn't elaborate on Comfortable quite enough last time either. In order to stay at a venue, my basic requirements are a place to sleep, available food and water, and internet. Why is internet on this list? It's not required in order to survive, but many younger Americans depend on it to check in with work or school, socialize, and rely on it as an information resource. Although smartphones can do a lot, many people don't have them yet and internet typically isn't free from the cellular network. Perhaps that will change in the next 10 years, and my requirement for internet will be obsolete.
In part 2 of the series, I accidentally limited my scope with the first word: "land". While I was oogling rural land with lots of undeveloped acres, and dreaming of a nudist tour boat, I was too quick to dismiss another viable option. I'll start part 2 of this redux in this direction.
Buying up land and developing a resort isn't a bad thing. There are a lot of resorts that have taken this path. The successful ones will keep growing, and the less successful ones will keep dying out. Getting into the market will be increasingly difficult. The big resorts are a little like big-box stores, which make it difficult to open a competing successful small business. Let them dominate their market -- it's time for us to start something new.
I'll be putting my money where my mouth is this time around. If you're thinking of opening a venue which satisfies much of the criteria in this series, I'm willing to help out. I'm interested in a business partnership. (Don't leave comments about opportunities here -- instead please post to the General Feedback page.)
Saturday, December 29, 2012
Fundraiser Recap
I tried out two fundraising ideas this year.
First was advertisements, which I detailed in this post. In the first 3 months, it raised a whoppin' $3! Then the AdSense team decided to shut off the ads in August (apparently) due to lack of original content. After adding some more content in recent months, I tried to get ads turned back on. They refused, so no more ads!
Second, as a winter project I built an arcade machine. (I'll have another post on this later.) Then, I took it to VVRC's annual Car Show for the extended weekend. I found that many like to admire it, but few like to play it. (I only asked for donations too -- some played but didn't donate.) It raised $23.25. I chipped in another $20 and sent a check to NAC. Bob wrote a reply saying it was a clever idea and thanked me for the donation.
The arcade is mostly for personal use (in the rec. room), but I built it for fundraising. At another fundraising event it raised about $125 over two weeks. However, that money was for a non-naturist cause.
Coming Soon:
My "Future Resort" series is back! After being "in progress" for more than 2 years, I present my bold new expectations for the future. All 7 parts are scheduled through January.
I also plan to write more about non-nudist projects, like the arcade and some of the other things I've been working on. Maybe I'll bring some non-nudists to the blog.
Hopefully everyone is having a Happy Holiday!
First was advertisements, which I detailed in this post. In the first 3 months, it raised a whoppin' $3! Then the AdSense team decided to shut off the ads in August (apparently) due to lack of original content. After adding some more content in recent months, I tried to get ads turned back on. They refused, so no more ads!
Second, as a winter project I built an arcade machine. (I'll have another post on this later.) Then, I took it to VVRC's annual Car Show for the extended weekend. I found that many like to admire it, but few like to play it. (I only asked for donations too -- some played but didn't donate.) It raised $23.25. I chipped in another $20 and sent a check to NAC. Bob wrote a reply saying it was a clever idea and thanked me for the donation.
The arcade is mostly for personal use (in the rec. room), but I built it for fundraising. At another fundraising event it raised about $125 over two weeks. However, that money was for a non-naturist cause.
Coming Soon:
My "Future Resort" series is back! After being "in progress" for more than 2 years, I present my bold new expectations for the future. All 7 parts are scheduled through January.
I also plan to write more about non-nudist projects, like the arcade and some of the other things I've been working on. Maybe I'll bring some non-nudists to the blog.
Hopefully everyone is having a Happy Holiday!
Friday, December 7, 2012
Turn Up The Heat!
Within a few months after moving in to the house, I started on a quest for home efficiency. There are a lot of gizmos available to audit the efficiency of your home. Some companies and contractors specialize in that. The home inspector said our windows and insulation are all fine -- it's only a 12 year old house -- so I knew the efficiency improvements would mostly come from behavioral changes.
Last winter, I plugged a $5 webcam into a computer. I was quite excited about it, too. You may be thinking -- so what?
The webcam is pointed at a couple LEDs near our furnace. The computer runs a program to determine what LEDs are lit up every 10 seconds. The LEDs are as follows:
This also lets me test a few common myths.
#1: Setting your thermostat 1 degree colder can lower your heating bill by 1-2%.
One night last winter presented the perfect opportunity to test this. From 11pm to 5am the wind was low, the sun wasn't out, we were sleeping, and the temperature steadily dropped from 32 degrees to -2 degrees. The average furnace runtime steadily increased during this time as well.
In the end, I calculated that (for our house) there is a 2.36% increase in heating cost for every degree. Note that since it's based on a degree delta from our thermostat setting to the outside temperature, a degree change outside is equivalent to a degree change inside. Lastly, the resulting 2.36% makes sense. We have a bigger-sized ridge-top country home, so I'd expect the percentage to be higher than a typical city home.
So when the bill normally reaches $300 mid-winter, and my partner wants it 10 degrees warmer so she can run around naked, I ask "Is the extra $80 that month worth it?"
#2: Turning down your thermostat during the day will save you money.
In my experience, this statement is true. But I rarely do it because it isn't worth it.
During the day, the sun has a huge effect on your house. Even when the sun isn't shining, there is still heat radiating in. Your windows amplify this effect by acting like a greenhouse, despite most windows having a heat-repelling glaze to minimize summer cooling costs (I wish they didn't). All-in-all, your furnace works way less during the daytime! If the high temp outside is within 20 degrees of our thermostat temp, our furnace normally doesn't run while the sun is shining.
Changing the temperature has no effect. The time the furnace is off while the house temp drops will be balanced out by the time it runs to bring the temp back up. The savings you get is by reducing the delta. (Inside temp minus the outside temp.) Reducing the delta for 8 daytime hours will save money, but not much. Literally pennies per week. Buying a programmable thermostat to do this will never pay for itself.
On the flip side, employing the same tactic at night WILL save you more than chump change. Your furnace works the hardest at night, when the temps are colder and there is no sunlight to help out. Throw a few extra blankets on the bed and make a quick dash to clothing when you get up.
My ideal thermostat would keep the temp at 60 through the night, bump it up to 65 for the morning rush, let it sit at 60 all day, then crank it to 75 some evenings so we can run around naked (but only if it's a reasonable temperature outside -- we can stay clothed on the colder days).
#3: Open the curtains during the day to let heat in, and close them at night to keep it in.
I tried this and it didn't have any measurable effect. Windows are fairly insulated, and once heat gets through them it will stay in. (Unless you buy a shiny heat reflector to use as your curtains, like what is used for auto windshields.) At night, the cool breeze goes right around or through the curtains. (Unless you use blankets as curtains and tape them to the window frame.)
If you often have the curtains closed, and the sunlight hits them, it may be worth having two sets. Have a light color for the summer, and a dark color during the winter.
Another great option that others have tested is the use of bubble wrap. It's easy and cheap to put in, pays for itself within half of a heating season, lets light in, and also obscures the view. Perfect for naturists!
#4: Turning up the thermostat more will make it warm up faster. (Especially on a cold winter day.)
For most furnaces, they are either on or off. When they are on, they warm up the house at the same rate no matter what the thermostat is set to. I've witnessed this first-hand. I can measure it if someone really wants me to.
I say "most furnaces" because I know of one exception. My parents have a geothermal system which has a "low" setting for warming up the house a degree or two, and a "high" setting when the thermostat is further off.
Lastly, cranking up the thermostat on the coldest winter days is the quickest way to raise your bill. But if you insist on doing this, there better be a party involved. Bodies are wonderful heaters. Having a mid-winter nudist party might be cheaper than you think -- as long as you have plenty of warm guests.
Last winter, I plugged a $5 webcam into a computer. I was quite excited about it, too. You may be thinking -- so what?
The webcam is pointed at a couple LEDs near our furnace. The computer runs a program to determine what LEDs are lit up every 10 seconds. The LEDs are as follows:
- Power -- ignored, but could be used to determine if there is a power outage since the computer is on battery backup.
- Electric heat -- Used as primary (unless load balanced or gas fails), computer records this. This runs on a cheaper electric rate, so it's cheaper than gas.
- Gas heat -- Rarely used, but the computer records this too.
- A/C -- ignored for now, don't use it much anyway since we're naturists.
- Load Balancing in effect -- ignored, but could be used to detect if gas is failing.
This also lets me test a few common myths.
#1: Setting your thermostat 1 degree colder can lower your heating bill by 1-2%.
One night last winter presented the perfect opportunity to test this. From 11pm to 5am the wind was low, the sun wasn't out, we were sleeping, and the temperature steadily dropped from 32 degrees to -2 degrees. The average furnace runtime steadily increased during this time as well.
In the end, I calculated that (for our house) there is a 2.36% increase in heating cost for every degree. Note that since it's based on a degree delta from our thermostat setting to the outside temperature, a degree change outside is equivalent to a degree change inside. Lastly, the resulting 2.36% makes sense. We have a bigger-sized ridge-top country home, so I'd expect the percentage to be higher than a typical city home.
So when the bill normally reaches $300 mid-winter, and my partner wants it 10 degrees warmer so she can run around naked, I ask "Is the extra $80 that month worth it?"
#2: Turning down your thermostat during the day will save you money.
In my experience, this statement is true. But I rarely do it because it isn't worth it.
During the day, the sun has a huge effect on your house. Even when the sun isn't shining, there is still heat radiating in. Your windows amplify this effect by acting like a greenhouse, despite most windows having a heat-repelling glaze to minimize summer cooling costs (I wish they didn't). All-in-all, your furnace works way less during the daytime! If the high temp outside is within 20 degrees of our thermostat temp, our furnace normally doesn't run while the sun is shining.
Changing the temperature has no effect. The time the furnace is off while the house temp drops will be balanced out by the time it runs to bring the temp back up. The savings you get is by reducing the delta. (Inside temp minus the outside temp.) Reducing the delta for 8 daytime hours will save money, but not much. Literally pennies per week. Buying a programmable thermostat to do this will never pay for itself.
On the flip side, employing the same tactic at night WILL save you more than chump change. Your furnace works the hardest at night, when the temps are colder and there is no sunlight to help out. Throw a few extra blankets on the bed and make a quick dash to clothing when you get up.
My ideal thermostat would keep the temp at 60 through the night, bump it up to 65 for the morning rush, let it sit at 60 all day, then crank it to 75 some evenings so we can run around naked (but only if it's a reasonable temperature outside -- we can stay clothed on the colder days).
#3: Open the curtains during the day to let heat in, and close them at night to keep it in.
I tried this and it didn't have any measurable effect. Windows are fairly insulated, and once heat gets through them it will stay in. (Unless you buy a shiny heat reflector to use as your curtains, like what is used for auto windshields.) At night, the cool breeze goes right around or through the curtains. (Unless you use blankets as curtains and tape them to the window frame.)
If you often have the curtains closed, and the sunlight hits them, it may be worth having two sets. Have a light color for the summer, and a dark color during the winter.
Another great option that others have tested is the use of bubble wrap. It's easy and cheap to put in, pays for itself within half of a heating season, lets light in, and also obscures the view. Perfect for naturists!
#4: Turning up the thermostat more will make it warm up faster. (Especially on a cold winter day.)
For most furnaces, they are either on or off. When they are on, they warm up the house at the same rate no matter what the thermostat is set to. I've witnessed this first-hand. I can measure it if someone really wants me to.
I say "most furnaces" because I know of one exception. My parents have a geothermal system which has a "low" setting for warming up the house a degree or two, and a "high" setting when the thermostat is further off.
Lastly, cranking up the thermostat on the coldest winter days is the quickest way to raise your bill. But if you insist on doing this, there better be a party involved. Bodies are wonderful heaters. Having a mid-winter nudist party might be cheaper than you think -- as long as you have plenty of warm guests.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Zombie Apocalypse
It's been a few years since we've attended the Friends of Mazo Beach / Badger Naturist Halloween Party. (This year nicknamed the Zombie Apocalypse.) We had forgotten how much fun it is.
Being used to the VVRC Mid-Winter Party, the differences become more apparent. The age is a bit younger here, with a few kids and more people our age. We see a different set of faces here that represent Mazo beach and TNS. The facilities include a steam room, sauna, arcade, and large conference room with a kitchen. The pool is perfectly warm. The hot tub is perfectly hot. The hotel itself isn't bigger, but it's better. Same with the party as a whole.
Percilla and I spent much of Friday helping decorate and paper up the windows. Then we hit the hot tub, pool, and sauna a few times. Saturday, she had to go to class, so I spent much of the day bouncing between the hot tub, pool, and sauna. So much so that I had to visit the laptop and look up the hazards of too much hot tub use. Luckily, I'm not on medication, not pregnant, and not concerned about sperm count. As a fellow hot tub owner, I can say from experience that theirs is properly maintained and the chemicals balanced, so no concerns there either. Back in I go!
Saturday night was fantastic. Dinner offered an array of great food that fit the Halloween theme. It was the best pot-luck meal I've ever seen. In addition, a live guitarist offered acoustic background music during the meal. (A DJ played background music in the pool area too all evening.)
After dinner, the spooks crawled out of the woodwork. This year was the most costumes I've seen. Many couples had their own themes: Cowboy and Indian, Devils, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, the Bobbitt's, and many more. Several of the costumes were quite elaborate. All-in-all, a majority won prizes after 13 categories were defined.
This trip was a basically a last-minute decision, where we didn't have time to come up with a clever costume. Our plan was to "sit this one out". But, as fate would have it, another couple brought along a few "minimalist" costumes and talked us into trying one. They dressed as smartphones, with post-its representing apps. We dressed as candy dots, with those round colored stickers that are usually used in garage sales. It was fun.
Saturday and Sunday mornings offered a variety of breakfast items, both what the hotel usually offers (bagels, cereal, etc.) and freshly cooked items from the kitchen (french toast, various things with eggs, waffles, and donuts). There was no shortage of things to eat all weekend.
After yet another dip in the hot tub, we helped with taking down decorations and general cleanup. Another successful Halloween party comes to a close, and we're looking forward to next year!
Being used to the VVRC Mid-Winter Party, the differences become more apparent. The age is a bit younger here, with a few kids and more people our age. We see a different set of faces here that represent Mazo beach and TNS. The facilities include a steam room, sauna, arcade, and large conference room with a kitchen. The pool is perfectly warm. The hot tub is perfectly hot. The hotel itself isn't bigger, but it's better. Same with the party as a whole.
Percilla and I spent much of Friday helping decorate and paper up the windows. Then we hit the hot tub, pool, and sauna a few times. Saturday, she had to go to class, so I spent much of the day bouncing between the hot tub, pool, and sauna. So much so that I had to visit the laptop and look up the hazards of too much hot tub use. Luckily, I'm not on medication, not pregnant, and not concerned about sperm count. As a fellow hot tub owner, I can say from experience that theirs is properly maintained and the chemicals balanced, so no concerns there either. Back in I go!
Saturday night was fantastic. Dinner offered an array of great food that fit the Halloween theme. It was the best pot-luck meal I've ever seen. In addition, a live guitarist offered acoustic background music during the meal. (A DJ played background music in the pool area too all evening.)
After dinner, the spooks crawled out of the woodwork. This year was the most costumes I've seen. Many couples had their own themes: Cowboy and Indian, Devils, Little Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, the Bobbitt's, and many more. Several of the costumes were quite elaborate. All-in-all, a majority won prizes after 13 categories were defined.
This trip was a basically a last-minute decision, where we didn't have time to come up with a clever costume. Our plan was to "sit this one out". But, as fate would have it, another couple brought along a few "minimalist" costumes and talked us into trying one. They dressed as smartphones, with post-its representing apps. We dressed as candy dots, with those round colored stickers that are usually used in garage sales. It was fun.
Saturday and Sunday mornings offered a variety of breakfast items, both what the hotel usually offers (bagels, cereal, etc.) and freshly cooked items from the kitchen (french toast, various things with eggs, waffles, and donuts). There was no shortage of things to eat all weekend.
After yet another dip in the hot tub, we helped with taking down decorations and general cleanup. Another successful Halloween party comes to a close, and we're looking forward to next year!
Monday, October 15, 2012
Summer of VVRC
Since we've only gone to VVRC this summer, I figured I'd summarize the trips in a single post.
In May, we spent a weekend sharing the family suite with Alice and Bob. (Having the room makes the trips a lot easier!) A fun evening of Karaoke and a fantastic themed supper were provided by VVRC.
July 4th weekend, Alice and Bob brought a friend. Temps were well into the 90's which is a bit hot even for a naturist. The pool was popular. We had another fantastic themed supper from VVRC.
Early August, we made a diplomatic day-trip. After the board meeting, they called another quick meeting to hear me out. I pitched the idea of a fundraiser (separate post on that later), and pitched the idea of writing an article for N magazine. They loved both ideas.
A week later was Car Show weekend, which happened to land on an unseasonably cool weekend (so numbers were down a bit). It was fun as always! I sported a "Press" hat and made it known that there was a N article in the works. I definitely spent more time and effort on this article that any of my previous ones. It's an article I'm quite proud of. Hopefully the editors at TNS were kind.
Labor Day weekend, as I found out, has the second-best event of the summer -- the Nude Olympics. Saturday was a Caribbean Carnival with a big parade, themed supper, and an entertaining steel drum player. Sunday was the Olympics. It was the largest group of active naked people I've ever seen. My team won Silver metals. Going for gold next year!
In May, we spent a weekend sharing the family suite with Alice and Bob. (Having the room makes the trips a lot easier!) A fun evening of Karaoke and a fantastic themed supper were provided by VVRC.
July 4th weekend, Alice and Bob brought a friend. Temps were well into the 90's which is a bit hot even for a naturist. The pool was popular. We had another fantastic themed supper from VVRC.
Early August, we made a diplomatic day-trip. After the board meeting, they called another quick meeting to hear me out. I pitched the idea of a fundraiser (separate post on that later), and pitched the idea of writing an article for N magazine. They loved both ideas.
A week later was Car Show weekend, which happened to land on an unseasonably cool weekend (so numbers were down a bit). It was fun as always! I sported a "Press" hat and made it known that there was a N article in the works. I definitely spent more time and effort on this article that any of my previous ones. It's an article I'm quite proud of. Hopefully the editors at TNS were kind.
Labor Day weekend, as I found out, has the second-best event of the summer -- the Nude Olympics. Saturday was a Caribbean Carnival with a big parade, themed supper, and an entertaining steel drum player. Sunday was the Olympics. It was the largest group of active naked people I've ever seen. My team won Silver metals. Going for gold next year!
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Skinny-Dipping Country
A List of Country Music Songs which Portray Innocent Nudity
Background:
Everyone who despises country music seems to think it's full of sad songs about dogs, wives, old trucks, and drinking. Sure, that's often the case, but there's more to it.
Being a bit of a "hillbilly" myself, I often listen to country music. I like it. Pop music is full of sex, rap is full of gangs, and older music is too full of love songs. Country music is often full of clever storytelling.
Part of that storytelling is of naturist interest. It's common knowledge that many of our grandparents used to skinny-dip at their local swimming hole and thought nothing of innocent nudity. (It was more common in rural areas.) Country singers, even now, still sing about memories of skinny-dipping and a healthy attitude towards innocent nudity.
The List:
Craig Morgan - Almost Home.
"Drip dryin' in the summer breeze, After jumpin' into Calico creek" - Actually a memory from an older man in the song. It doesn't say he skinny-dipped, but it's a reasonable assumption since drip-drying in clothing is nearly impossible.
Steve Holy - Brand New Girlfriend
"flew out to LA for the weekend, spent the whole day, lyin' on the beach, wearin' nothin' but a smile" - He's likely talking about San Onofre Beach which has been under fire in recent years. If you're a fan of Steve Holy and think he should be able to do as his song says, donate to NAC.
John Michael Montgomery - Country Thang
"We like moonlight sippin', late skinny-dippin'." - This song is a big list of what it means to be Country, which skinny-dipping is a part.
Halfway to Hazard - Country 'Til The Day We Die
"When it gets hotter, We naked in the water" - Again stating that skinny-dipping is part of being Country.
Blue Country - Nothin' But Cowboy Boots
"Nothin' but cowboy boots, sets your spirit free. That wild wild western birthday suit, is the remedy for modesty" - The song is all about the joy of nudity.
Brook Benton / Joe South / Bobby Bare / ? - Dont It Make You Want To Go Home
"There's a six-lane highway down by the creek, Where I went skinny-dippin' as a child" - Many parents now would freak out if their children went skinny-dipping in a creek.
Dolly Parton - Sugar Hill
"Down in the mill pond swimmin' naked ... We were just kids explorin' nature" - Childhood memories of skinny-dipping, and still finding it appealing.
Ken Mellons - Don't Make My Have To Come In There
"When I was a boy about ten years old, I went swimmin' in the fishin' hole, Floatin' around in my birthday suit" - Another childhood skinny-dipping memory.
Bobby Bare - They Covered Up the Old Swimming Hole
"But it never can compare with the food for the soul, You could get for a dip in the old swimmin' hole. ... And I'm wishing these days I could strip to my soul, And go for a dip in the old swimmin' hole" - Society squeezing out yet another skinny-dipping area.
Billy Ray Cyrus - I Want My Mullet Back
"I 'member packin' that ol' fishin' pole, Skinny-dippin' at a swimmin' hole" - Per the song, he misses his mullet more than the skinny-dipping.
The McClymonts - Kick It Up
"And if you jump out in the water, You got to be naked as a breeze" - A female band who is encouraging skinny-dipping.
Whitney Duncan - Skinny Dippin'
"I never felt more alive" - Another female artist with a whole song about a skinny-dip.
Edens Edge - Skinny Dippin'
"There's no iced tea, no AC, I guess we'll just have to cool off naturally" - Yet another female with a cute skinny-dipping song.
Williams Riley - Country Livin'
"When we get hot we just go skinny dippin'. That's what our women love about country livin'." - The men agree that everyone loves a skinny-dip.
Craig Morgan - Nothin' Goin' Wrong Around Here
"Luther wackin' off weeds in his underwear. They go moon skinny-dippin this time of year. There's always somethin' goin' on, But there ain't nothin' goin' wrong around here" - Obviously no problem with skinny-dipping. The song continues by bragging about the low crime rate: "Only time Sheriff Lester breaks his handcuffs out, Is when his wife's been drinkin' and they're back at the house."
Blake Shelton - Who Are You When I'm Not Looking
"When you undress, do you leave a path? Then sink to your nose in a bubble bath?" - There's nothing wrong with going about the house naked.
The Roys - Beautiful (no lyrics online, just a video)
"She fussing 'cause she can't find nothing to wear, when to me she looks real good standing there." - Another reference to simple nudity in the house.
Trent Willmon - So Am I
"We love the life we're livin'; It feels so good skinny-dippin'. Skinny-dippin' an' long legs kickin', In the Mississippi mud line." - This scenario is a fairly big part of the song. It starts with a hot night when they're fishing, and clearly a skinny-dip is a much better idea!
Dixie Highway Band - I Call It Love
"I remember skinny dipping in Lawson's Pond, And your daddy caught us in each others' arms ...
He took you with him along with my clothes, And I walked naked all the way home" - Isn't this what all couples go through when they're in love?
Blake Shelton - Cotton Pickin' Time
"As I passed Old Johnson’s Mill, I saw Becky Morgan, skinny dippin’ nude. ... Then she gave me a come here smile ... I fell down tryin’ to kick off my jeans." - There's no apprehension when a chance to skinny-dip arises.
Blake Shelton - Green
"And when the summer time hits, we skinny dip in the stream. I was green before green was a thing" - A song about environmentalism (being "green") which puts a skinny-dipping reference in the chorus.
Justin Moore - Redneck Side
"Went to meet her family ... Yea we were really havin fun, Til they caught me in the pool at 2am, Wearin nothin but a farmers tan" - That about sums up modern skinny-dipping -- frowned upon by the masses, but a whole lot of fun for those who partake.
Blake Shelton - Playboys Of The Southwestern World
"Aw but my favorite memory of school that fall, Was the night John Roy came runnin down in the hall, Wearin nothing but cowboy boots and a big som-brero" - Do country people just randomly run around naked? It sure seems that way.
Terry Allen / David Byrne - Buck Naked
"They’re all naked in the land where I come from" - The song is actually a religious song, stating that everyone is naked in the eyes of the Lord. But he asks "Well, how does it feel; Does anybody know?" Yeah, I think naturists are well aware of the feeling of being naked.
Travis Tritt - Wanna Feel Too Much
"I wanna run naked in the rain; feel it soak my skin." - He describes this like it's a good feeling. Any naturists who have been in the rain know it's quite cold and unpleasant!
Tracy Byrd - You Feel Good
"I like sleeping in the nude, When It's hot and the moon is full" - Isn't it always a full-moon when you sleep nude?
If you know of other songs, please add them in the comments.
Of course if you're not into country, you can instead rock out to Screeching Weasel - I Wanna Be Naked.
Background:
Everyone who despises country music seems to think it's full of sad songs about dogs, wives, old trucks, and drinking. Sure, that's often the case, but there's more to it.
Being a bit of a "hillbilly" myself, I often listen to country music. I like it. Pop music is full of sex, rap is full of gangs, and older music is too full of love songs. Country music is often full of clever storytelling.
Part of that storytelling is of naturist interest. It's common knowledge that many of our grandparents used to skinny-dip at their local swimming hole and thought nothing of innocent nudity. (It was more common in rural areas.) Country singers, even now, still sing about memories of skinny-dipping and a healthy attitude towards innocent nudity.
The List:
Craig Morgan - Almost Home.
"Drip dryin' in the summer breeze, After jumpin' into Calico creek" - Actually a memory from an older man in the song. It doesn't say he skinny-dipped, but it's a reasonable assumption since drip-drying in clothing is nearly impossible.
Steve Holy - Brand New Girlfriend
"flew out to LA for the weekend, spent the whole day, lyin' on the beach, wearin' nothin' but a smile" - He's likely talking about San Onofre Beach which has been under fire in recent years. If you're a fan of Steve Holy and think he should be able to do as his song says, donate to NAC.
John Michael Montgomery - Country Thang
"We like moonlight sippin', late skinny-dippin'." - This song is a big list of what it means to be Country, which skinny-dipping is a part.
Halfway to Hazard - Country 'Til The Day We Die
"When it gets hotter, We naked in the water" - Again stating that skinny-dipping is part of being Country.
Blue Country - Nothin' But Cowboy Boots
"Nothin' but cowboy boots, sets your spirit free. That wild wild western birthday suit, is the remedy for modesty" - The song is all about the joy of nudity.
Brook Benton / Joe South / Bobby Bare / ? - Dont It Make You Want To Go Home
"There's a six-lane highway down by the creek, Where I went skinny-dippin' as a child" - Many parents now would freak out if their children went skinny-dipping in a creek.
Dolly Parton - Sugar Hill
"Down in the mill pond swimmin' naked ... We were just kids explorin' nature" - Childhood memories of skinny-dipping, and still finding it appealing.
Ken Mellons - Don't Make My Have To Come In There
"When I was a boy about ten years old, I went swimmin' in the fishin' hole, Floatin' around in my birthday suit" - Another childhood skinny-dipping memory.
Bobby Bare - They Covered Up the Old Swimming Hole
"But it never can compare with the food for the soul, You could get for a dip in the old swimmin' hole. ... And I'm wishing these days I could strip to my soul, And go for a dip in the old swimmin' hole" - Society squeezing out yet another skinny-dipping area.
Billy Ray Cyrus - I Want My Mullet Back
"I 'member packin' that ol' fishin' pole, Skinny-dippin' at a swimmin' hole" - Per the song, he misses his mullet more than the skinny-dipping.
The McClymonts - Kick It Up
"And if you jump out in the water, You got to be naked as a breeze" - A female band who is encouraging skinny-dipping.
Whitney Duncan - Skinny Dippin'
"I never felt more alive" - Another female artist with a whole song about a skinny-dip.
Edens Edge - Skinny Dippin'
"There's no iced tea, no AC, I guess we'll just have to cool off naturally" - Yet another female with a cute skinny-dipping song.
Williams Riley - Country Livin'
"When we get hot we just go skinny dippin'. That's what our women love about country livin'." - The men agree that everyone loves a skinny-dip.
Craig Morgan - Nothin' Goin' Wrong Around Here
"Luther wackin' off weeds in his underwear. They go moon skinny-dippin this time of year. There's always somethin' goin' on, But there ain't nothin' goin' wrong around here" - Obviously no problem with skinny-dipping. The song continues by bragging about the low crime rate: "Only time Sheriff Lester breaks his handcuffs out, Is when his wife's been drinkin' and they're back at the house."
Blake Shelton - Who Are You When I'm Not Looking
"When you undress, do you leave a path? Then sink to your nose in a bubble bath?" - There's nothing wrong with going about the house naked.
The Roys - Beautiful (no lyrics online, just a video)
"She fussing 'cause she can't find nothing to wear, when to me she looks real good standing there." - Another reference to simple nudity in the house.
Trent Willmon - So Am I
"We love the life we're livin'; It feels so good skinny-dippin'. Skinny-dippin' an' long legs kickin', In the Mississippi mud line." - This scenario is a fairly big part of the song. It starts with a hot night when they're fishing, and clearly a skinny-dip is a much better idea!
Dixie Highway Band - I Call It Love
"I remember skinny dipping in Lawson's Pond, And your daddy caught us in each others' arms ...
He took you with him along with my clothes, And I walked naked all the way home" - Isn't this what all couples go through when they're in love?
Blake Shelton - Cotton Pickin' Time
"As I passed Old Johnson’s Mill, I saw Becky Morgan, skinny dippin’ nude. ... Then she gave me a come here smile ... I fell down tryin’ to kick off my jeans." - There's no apprehension when a chance to skinny-dip arises.
Blake Shelton - Green
"And when the summer time hits, we skinny dip in the stream. I was green before green was a thing" - A song about environmentalism (being "green") which puts a skinny-dipping reference in the chorus.
Justin Moore - Redneck Side
"Went to meet her family ... Yea we were really havin fun, Til they caught me in the pool at 2am, Wearin nothin but a farmers tan" - That about sums up modern skinny-dipping -- frowned upon by the masses, but a whole lot of fun for those who partake.
Blake Shelton - Playboys Of The Southwestern World
"Aw but my favorite memory of school that fall, Was the night John Roy came runnin down in the hall, Wearin nothing but cowboy boots and a big som-brero" - Do country people just randomly run around naked? It sure seems that way.
Terry Allen / David Byrne - Buck Naked
"They’re all naked in the land where I come from" - The song is actually a religious song, stating that everyone is naked in the eyes of the Lord. But he asks "Well, how does it feel; Does anybody know?" Yeah, I think naturists are well aware of the feeling of being naked.
Travis Tritt - Wanna Feel Too Much
"I wanna run naked in the rain; feel it soak my skin." - He describes this like it's a good feeling. Any naturists who have been in the rain know it's quite cold and unpleasant!
Tracy Byrd - You Feel Good
"I like sleeping in the nude, When It's hot and the moon is full" - Isn't it always a full-moon when you sleep nude?
If you know of other songs, please add them in the comments.
Of course if you're not into country, you can instead rock out to Screeching Weasel - I Wanna Be Naked.
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