Bare Naked Nudity

A number of news stories in recent days have a common thread -- even if they lack "threads" in the street patois sense.

First came this Daily Telegraph report on July 2, about an interesting experiment in building up office morale:

David Taylor, a business psychologist, told workers at design and marketing onebestway, in Newcastle upon Tyne, that a Naked Friday idea would boost their team spirit.

He was called in to help the firm after six staff members were forced into taking redundancies at the start of the credit crunch.

Mr Taylor told them that, by stripping off their clothes, staff could also strip away inhibitions and talk to each other more openly and honestly.

He said: "Inviting an organisation to go naked is the most extreme technique I've used. It may seem weird but it works. It's the ultimate expression of trust in yourself and each other."

Despite some initial reluctance, nearly all the staff took off all their clothes – except for one man, who wore a posing pouch, and one of two female workers, who kept on black underwear.

The Telegraph article notes, almost as an aside:

The experiment in April was filmed for a one-off TV show, Naked Office, to be screened on July 9 on cable channel Virgin 1.

I don't think many American cable systems carry Virgin 1, but I expect some clamor for it from television consumers in the near future.

Five days later, this story from the Connecticut Post earned international attention:

A 41-year-old man was arrested after appearing for a dental appointment without a lick of clothing, police said.

Christopher Hoff, of Masarik Avenue, was naked -- and five days late -- when he showed up for a Monday appointment at Optimus Dental on Honeyspot Road. He was charged with two counts of disorderly conduct and one count each of public indecency and failure to comply with fingerprinting. He is being held in lieu of $10,000 bond.

When Hoff entered the dental office completely naked Monday afternoon, the startled female receptionist began screaming, police said. He ran from the office, police said, onto Honeyspot Road.

"Honeyspot Road"? Really?

Meanwhile, the story that's being reported all over the place today is about multiple attempts around the country to break the Guinness-confirmed world record for the most people skinny-dipping simultaneously.

In Ivor, Virginia, we learn that as part of a recruitment effort, White Tail Resort (that's almost as precious a name as Honeyspot Road) will try to break the record:

As part of the weekend's events, the resort will be participating in an attempt to make the Guinness Book of World Records as part of the nation's largest simultaneous skinny-dip at 3 p.m. Saturday, and on Sunday there will be a display of antique and customized cars.

For more information, call 1-800-987-6833.

From Palm Springs, California:

The Desert Sun Resort at 1533 N. Chaparral Road expects “hundreds of nude people” in its three pools at noon Saturday, said resort owner Elizabeth Young.

Thousands of other naked people across North America will take the plunge at the same time, she said.

There is no doubt a skinny-dipping record will be set because Guinness just created the category, Young said.

From Cleveland, Georgia:

North Georgia nudists Saturday gathered to set a Guinness World Record for the Largest Skinny-Dip in North America.

Serendipity Park, an American Association for Nude Recreation Club site near Cleveland, was the location of the local observance of a national effort to set the record according to park spokesman Chuck Ray.

“All the AANR clubs are getting together and exactly at 3:00 p.m. Eastern Time we’re going to have the largest skinny dipping nation wide,” Ray said. “We’ve been planning this for several months now.”

Jerry Gunn, writing for AccessNorthGa.com, includes a photo of the event and explains the rules:

In order to qualify for the Guinness record, the skinny dippers had to be exactly that, completely nude when counted, but there was a concession for bashful first timers.

Participants not used to skinny-dipping in public were allowed to wear swimsuits into the water but had to remove the swimsuit once in the water and hold it overhead to signal the witnesses.

And in Maryland, courtesy of WBAL-AM radio:

There are two sites in the Baltimore Area where the skinny dipping will take place.

Walter Green is organizing an event at a private club North of Baltimore. Green told WBAL's Shari Elliker that the location is kept private because people have misconceptions about these events, and he wants to protect the site's reputation.

Green says the skinny dip will be preceded by a picnic at 1 p.m. Green said that he isn't sure how many people will attend. He is hoping for 50-100 people.

"I don't have a specific number in mind, just as long as everyone has fun," Green said.

Members of the Maryland Health Society will also participate from their location, at 3000 Patuxent River Road in Davidsonville.

The association on its website bills this as a family event, and as a way to celebrate,"a wholesome tradition as old as mankind and frequently honored in art and movies."

I just can't make this stuff up.

There really is a "Honeyspot Road" in Stratford, Connecticut. You can look it up.



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