Before blowing out 228 candles or lighting up fireworks to celebrate our country’s birthday, consider the risks.

And instead, see one of the state’s best fireworks displays, for free, at Fort Jackson’s Hilton Field at 8 p.m. Saturday.

The annual Torchlight Tattoo brings in tens of thousands of South Carolinians to celebrate Independence Day in the best way possible — by saluting the men and women in the armed forces.

With the war in Iraq and the continued turmoil in Afghanistan, there is no more poignant way to celebrate July 4.

Each state and territory of the union will be honored in a flag ceremony, and the 282nd Army Band will perform. This will be a great opportunity to catch the 40-member “Victory” band that tours the state.

Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, nonalcoholic beverages, picnics — and a photo ID. Here are a few other things to keep in mind before going on base.

• The public must use the Percival Road entrance (Gate 4) a half-mile from I-77’s Percival Road exit. All other entrances are for vehicles with Department of Defense decals only. Vehicles will be searched.

• No pets, personal fireworks, alcohol or firearms will be allowed.

• Remember, about 20,000 people showed up for this event a couple of years ago, and that was considered a light turnout. Get there early, and be patient.

Especially during these times, this will be a special event that will stick with you for many Fourths to come.

Cherish it.

www.thestate.com

The Colerain Township man convicted of running an illegal tattoo parlor out of his home did not show up for his sentencing Thursday.

Tony Pippin's defense attorney stood before Judge Mattingly and said he had no idea of his client's whereabouts. As a result, a warrant is now out for Pippin's arrest.

Now Pippin is due back in court next week for a probation violation carrying 180 days in jail.

He also faces a maximum of six months behind bars for operating Colerain Tattooing and Body Piercing without a license.

Police said more than 150 high school students were customers at the parlor, and at least two of those students have been diagnosed with bacterial infections.

www.wcpo.com

PARIS - If the lines of people waiting to be tattooed, pierced or painted at Paris’s recent Body Show are anything to go by, body decoration is almost as much a tribal ritual today as it was a few hundred years ago.



“I wanted something that made me look different”, “It’s something personal between my girlfriend and I”, “All my friends have one” were typical responses among the thousands of visitors who attended the three-day show late June.

From Africa to Asia and from the Americas to Oceania, ancient societies have decorated and altered their bodies in (sometimes gruesome) initiation rites, as preparation for war, for family rituals, and as social and cultural identification.

Despite a difference in context, the core reasons are not so different today - identification with a group or highlighting individuality, cementing relationships, rebellion and provocation, or simply being fashionable.

A phenomenon

“Body decoration and transformation have become a phenomenon of modern Western societies whose popularity is spreading across social boundaries,” said Christiane Falgayrettes-Leveau, curator of an exhibition on the subject that will open in Paris in September.

“Today these signs of recognition among and within different groups are even referred to as “tribal’”, she added.

The exhibition at Paris’s Musee Dapper, entitled “Signes du Corp”, or Body Signs, will include 100 pieces depicting ritualistic tattoos, scarring, body piercings, implants and ornaments from Africa, the Americas, Asia and Oceania.

It will highlight the transference of these rituals from traditional societies to modern times, a transference Falgayrettes-Leaveau sees as a lasting evolution.

“Very large tattoos and the more painful or extreme forms of body transformation may not become common usage, but body decoration as a means of self-expression has become a permanent aspect of our society, much as did pierced ears on women in Western societies long ago”, she said.

Falgayrettes-Leveau hopes the exhibition will show body transformation and decoration in a new light, tempering the disapproval shown by much of the general public towards ostentatious markings and body piercings.

Negative attitude

“Many people have a negative attitude towards tattoos and piercings, except perhaps pierced navels on young girls because they are sensual”, she said.

As a means of dialogue, the Signes du Corps show will feature a series of photographs by Alain Soldeville accompanied by written texts by individuals photographed over a two-year period explaining when and why they chose to express themselves in this way.

Thanks to pop singers and sports personalities, this means of self-expression has undergone something of a change in image over the past 10 to 15 years, appealing to all ages and backgrounds. And though body decoration may be increasingly “ethnic”, harking back to old traditions, the chosen signs of tribal belonging have little in common with the imposed initiation rites of long ago.

Ironically though, the more hardcore tattoo and piercing enthusiasts are somewhat resentful that their chosen form of provocation has become a mainstream fashion statement.

“Tattoos used to make us different,” said a graffiti-covered 42-year-old woman at the Paris Body Show. “Now every other Tom, Dick and Harry does it.”

www.khaleejtimes.com

SANTA CRUZ - Something old, something new.

The 2004-05 grand jury report touches on some perennial hot-button topics — such as planning departments, jail overcrowding, and traffic — and takes on some new issues, including tattoo parlors and body piercing.

The report is to be officially released at a 10 a.m. press conference today in front of the court building at the County Government Center, 701 Ocean St., Santa Cruz.

Some of the recommendations may not come as a surprise.

Among them:


The grand jury recommended the Santa Cruz City Council develop a plan to curb traffic congestion in the UC Santa Cruz area. The Grand Jury said park-and-ride lots on Highway 1 and Highway 9 should be considered.

Another enduring gripe in the county centers around planning departments, and the grand jury took aim at all of them. The jury said the permit process, costs and sometimes conflicting information frustrates residents and encourages illegal building.
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"A rising percentage of the public apparently finds it easier to work without a permit, therefore encouraging illegal growth and loss of revenue to local government," the report states.

The jury estimated 320 illegal units were discovered during the last fiscal year in unincorporated areas of the county, compared with 259 in Watsonville and 92 in the city of Santa Cruz.

The jury recommended all jurisdictions in the county make permitting process faster, easier and cheaper while also considering potential amnesty programs to bring illegal units into compliance.

It suggested jurisdiction appoint an ombudsman to act as a public advocate in planning matters and to establish review boards to hear complaints.


The jury said overcrowding at the county’s Main Jail should be addressed. The 311-inmate capacity jail has been holding more people than that since it was opened, the report contends
The jury urged law enforcement officials to find ways to shorten stays at the jail for offenders coming in for parole hearings, but said county officials need to plan to add more capacity to the main jail.


On other, more trendy topics the jury said area tattoo and body piercing shops should be more closely inspected.
A 1997 state law calls for the state Department of Health Services to craft standards for tattoo and piercing artists, but the agency has yet to do so.

The grand jury said local governments should craft their own regulations with the aid of tattoo and piercing practitioners.

At the same time, the report lauds most local body artists for safe practices.


The jury also delved into school facilities, namely portable classrooms. Such portable units are so widespread that the jury said most students will likely spend time in one during their school careers. It recommended school districts track illness of students in portable classrooms. The report cited a statewide study that found some units are prone to poor air ventilation, high noise levels and moisture problems, among other woes.

www.santacruzsentinel.com

(Sports Network) - Orlando acquired Saint Joseph's point guard Jameer Nelson, who was drafted by Denver with the 20th overall selection, from the Nuggets in a trade on draft night. The Magic obtained the draft rights to Nelson from Denver Nuggets exchange for a future first round draft pick.

The Portland Trail Blazers decided to pass on Nelson, who spent four seasons at Saint Joseph’s University, and pick high school point guard Sebastian Telfair at No. 13, while the Atlanta Hawks, New Orleans Hornets and Miami Heat all picked high school players with pick 17-19.

Even though some teams seemed to show a lack of respect for the skills that Nelson displayed in college, the Saint Joseph's product has handled his situation with class.

"It's a blessing in disguise," said Nelson. "Because obviously I'm wanted down here (Orlando), I'm needed, and I obviously want to be down here."

What merits Telfair being selected over Nelson? What has Telfair against his high school competition that showed Portland that he will have more of an impact in the NBA than Nelson.

Nelson averaged 16.8 points, 5.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds. and 2.05 steals in 125 career games at Saint Joseph's. He left as the school's all-time leader in points, assists and steals. Saint Joseph's also retired his jersey number 14.

What about Atlanta, New Orleans and Miami? The Hawks could have moved Jason Terry to shooting guard and immediately plugged Nelson in at point. The Hornets and Heat both have excellent lead guards in Baron Davis and Dwyane Wade, but Nelson would have been a great backup and could have even played with either one in certain situations.

Nelson will surely remember the teams that decided to pass on him when he meets them on the court. He will be highly motivated and will play with a chip on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it's not going to go away," said Nelson. "It's not going to go away after the season either. It will be with me throughout my career. Whatever I have done so far in my career, in basketball or anything else, I was always told I can’t do something. To me, to be drafted 20 is a blessing.

By acquiring Nelson, the Magic have a player who plays the game with passion, heart and desire. No matter what the odds, Nelson is always ready for the challenge.

"Passion. I have love for the game," said Nelson. "I know that everyone knows that I have tattoos, and I have a tattoo right here on my chest that says, ‘love of the game’, a heart with a basketball in it. This is my job, and I’m going to approach it like it is my job. Something that I love to do, something that is fun to me."

Nelson is already acting like a professional. He is coming to a team that finished an NBA-worst 21-61 in 2003-04, and is also rumored to be close to trading superstar Tracy McGrady. But, that does not deter his class or his professionalism.

"I'm going to come in here and fulfill my role," said Nelson. "Hopefully my role is strong enough to help the team with their record. They have great guys on this team, I"m going to do whatever I can do."

Nelson is ready to prove to the teams that passed on him that they made a mistake. Not only did the Magic get a class act when they traded for Nelson, but they got a pretty good basketball player who is determined to succeed.

www.sportsnetwork.com

A MacArthur Boulevard building housing a tattoo and piercing business was destroyed Monday morning by a fire that started in an adjacent woodworking area.

Firefighters were called to 2919 S. MacArthur Blvd. about 10 a.m. after getting a report of smoke coming from the metal-sided, one-story building.

A spark from an exhaust fan in the woodshop - which was not related to the tattoo business - apparently ignited lacquer fumes, fire officials said.

The best-known business in the structure was New Age Tattoos & Body Piercing, whose employees stood in disbelief as they watched their building burn.

"This is everything we have, all of our equipment, all of our supplies," said Jason Lee, a tattoo artist and owner of the business.

Estimates indicated there was at least $100,000 worth of tattoo and piercing equipment and supplies inside the business, much of it personally owned by the artists. The building's owner, Harold Christofilakos, said later New Age was able to salvage some of the materials.

The tattoo parlor had not yet opened for the day, so employees and friends rushed to the scene as they got word of the fire Monday.

One of those who rushed over was Roger Reinstorf, who runs the piercing operation. He said he was asleep at home when he was awakened with the news. He got a ride to the shop, jumped out of the vehicle while it was still moving and ran barefoot and bare-chested to the scene in horror.

In addition to his piercing supplies, equipment from his band, the Habitual Line Steppers, also was stored in the building.

After calming down, Reinstorf worried how he and the three other employees would continue to support their families. Much of his salary depends directly on how many customers he works on.

"I had 30 people waiting to see me (Monday)," Reinstorf said. "We all have families and depend on this place."

Dave DeFraties, a division chief with the Springfield Fire Department, said it appears the fire started in a woodworking area on the far north end of the building.

He said people were inside applying a lacquer finish to wood products. They turned on an exhaust fan to remove the fumes, and a spark likely got the flames going.

"It immediately just took off with all those lacquer fumes," DeFraties said, although he said fire officials will continue to investigate.

The fire crawled across the inside of the building for the first several minutes firefighters were on the scene. But when the roof opened up about 10:45 a.m., thick black smoke and flames poured out, causing police officers to move all onlookers to the other side of MacArthur.

MacArthur Boulevard was closed to traffic from Wabash to Maple avenues because fire hoses were strung across the roadway.

It wasn't clear who operated the woodshop where the fire began. Several people at the scene, including some from New Age, said wood products for a nearby gift shop, Penny Lane, 2901 S. MacArthur Blvd., were produced there.

But someone who answered the phone at Penny Lane, who wouldn't provide his full name, said that while Penny Lane did make some products in the space next to New Age, there was another small woodworking space next to theirs - not affiliated with Penny Lane - where the fire began.

Christofilakos said when the rent is due for those two spaces, he gets one check from Penny Lane.

DeFraties said the front of the building, valued at $100,000, is a total loss and probably needs to be torn down. However, a section of the building behind New Age, which houses another business Christofilakos owns, Amco Fence Co., likely can be saved, he said.

Christofilakos said he offered to rent New Age another building.

Employees said they do plan to rebuild New Age, but they're not sure where yet.

"We started this place from ashes when the city had crumbs for tattooing and piercing," Reinstorf said. "We won't lay down and take this."

www.sj-r.com

Monterey County health officials are poised to leave their mark on local tattoo artists and body-piercing practitioners.

A proposed county ordinance would license body art operators and require annual inspections of body-art and piercing studios. Health officials say the proposed law would protect people's health and has the support of local body-art practitioners.

"There's nothing controlling this industry other than what industry itself puts on it," county Environmental Health Director Allen Stroh said Monday. "It only makes sense when people are puncturing skin there is an opportunity for infection."

State law already requires tattoo artists and other body artists to register. Under the proposed county law, health inspectors would inspect studios at least once a year, and practitioners would be required to have operator cards.

The inspection fee would be $210, and operators would pay $105 for their annual cards.

"Many people in the industry have been clamoring for this kind of thing," Stroh said. "They are concerned about their industry."

Joe Villapondo, a veteran tattoo artist at Indian Ink Tattoo and Piercing in Salinas, welcomed the proposed health rules.

"This kind of eliminates people tattooing outside with homemade guns," he said. "You've got to have a clean place. We are messing with blood here and everything."

Under a 1997 law, health officials were supposed to come up with statewide rules for the body-art industry. That hasn't happened because of budget constraints, so a few counties have adopted their own rules, Stroh said.

"It's an area that has been neglected by public health officials, in my opinion," Stroh said. At least two deaths in California have been caused by infections from body piercing and tattooing, but no in-depth health studies have been done, he said.

County supervisors are expected to introduce the proposed ordinance today and set it for adoption July 13. If passed, the law would take effect in mid-August.

www.montereyherald.com

Magic might have the steal of the draft in point guard

ORLANDO -- Jameer Nelson's muscular upper body is plastered with tattoos, spilling out from his tank-top jersey in all directions.

But there's one tattoo you don't see.

"Right here," Nelson said, thumping the middle of his chest. "I have a tattoo that says, 'Love For The Game.' It's a heart with a basketball in it. Passion. That's what I have. I love the game."

You'd think that passion and love for the game would be a given. After all, Nelson, the point guard the Orlando Magic took in the first round of Thursday's NBA Draft, was pretty much college basketball's consensus player of the year. Seems like you'd have to have passion and love for the game to rise to that level.

Right?

Well, you'd be surprised at what guys really love, and what motivates them. For some it is basketball. For others it can be a myriad of things. Magic general manager John Weisbrod calls it the "dividing line." It's what often separates good from great, and great from legendary.

Nobody knows whether Nelson will ever be legendary, great or even a good NBA player. But whatever that it is, he appears to have it.

"Where does this kid get his fuel? Is it intrinsic, or extrinsic?" Weisbrod asked, somewhat rhetorically. "Is he playing for fan adulation? Or is it records? Or shoe contracts?"

He paused.

"Or is he playing because he can't help himself, like it's just in him to compete?"

Weisbrod believes it's the latter, that Nelson has an addiction to competition.

"He's that type of kid. Whether it's after practice or one-on-one or shooting pool in the locker room, it's like he does not know any other way to be, except trying to beat people. Obviously, that's the type of guy we're looking to fill our team with."

Nelson talks about work ethic like it's a no-brainer. And here's a novel thought that tumbled from his mouth during a media bull session Monday morning: Nelson believes that a team's best player should also be the hardest worker, and thus lead by example.

"If your best player is your hardest worker and your most dedicated, then you'll have guys who will naturally follow and say, 'I want to be like him.' Who doesn't want to be like Michael Jordan? And he worked harder than anybody ever."

Sounds so logical, doesn't it? Like, duh.

So why did Nelson, a guy the Magic targeted as the most NBA-ready and the fifth-best player in the draft, slip to the 20th overall pick? For the same reason that, even after he won the Heisman Trophy at Boston College, Doug Flutie still had to play most of his career in the Canadian Football League.

Scouts, coaches and general managers seem to know a player's every size and dimension -- from wingspans to hand size -- but the one thing they don't know, or perhaps put equal importance on, is the one thing you can't measure. And that's the size of the muscle that does double duty pumping blood.

Heart.

For the record, Nelson stands 5-foot-11 in bare feet. It's that statistic, and that statistic alone, that had people telling him he'd never be a big-time high school player. (He was.) Then it was that he'd never be a big-time college player. (Was he ever.) Nelson almost single-handedly turned the Saint Joseph's University basketball program around. After returning for his senior season (imagine that), he led the Hawks to a 27-0 regular-season record, and then a 30-2 overall record that was the best in school history.

Proving people wrong. That's all he ever seems to do.

"Don't tell me," Nelson said through gritted teeth, "that somebody is better than me because they're 6-2."

Before Nelson arrived, Saint Joe's was 13-17 and, according to a USA Today story, operating on a $400,000 loss. By the time he left, the Hawks achieved the first No. 1 ranking in their 95-year history. During Nelson's senior season, all 3,200 seats for every home game were sold out. ESPN televised six of their games, an all-time high. An economics professor from California said Nelson's financial impact on Saint Joe's approached $2 million. But Hawks athletic director Don DiJulia disagreed.

"I would say that's conservative," DiJulia told USA Today. "This is once in a lifetime. This is Ralph Sampson. Patrick Ewing. This is one person to take you from very good to great."

Nelson did that. But the bottom line wasn't on an accountant's ledger sheet. It was on winning.

"His team won just about every game when he was in there," Weisbrod said. "He just found a way of running his team that they always seemed to come out on the upper end."

Nelson put it this way, "Throughout my life, I have always been overlooked. They'd say I'm too small, too this, too that. What they don't understand is that I keep getting the job done. I keep winning."

Sound familiar? Can you think of another undersized athlete from a Jesuit college who put the school on the map by passionately proving people wrong and doing what matters most in sports, which is winning?

There's that Doug Flutie name again.

But will Nelson get the job done in Orlando? Can an undersized guard survive and thrive in the NBA? For the answer to that question, see Damon Stoudamire, Stephon Marbury and Allen Iverson.

Yet, 16 NBA teams passed on him, with Atlanta and Utah doing so twice. Six guards also were selected before him, including three who had never played beyond high school.

Extra motivation? Oh, yeah. You betcha.

"He got himself all (ticked) off, and I liked that even more," Weisbrod said. "Talk about a chip on his shoulder. After I talked to him on draft night and hung up the phone I was . . . well, I'm not easily moved to giddiness, but I was pretty giddy after I spoke to him."

Now Nelson is out to prove that all those teams that passed over him were wrong.

"That will be with me throughout my career," he said.

To that end, he will suit up and take the court, and you will see all kinds of tattoos spilling out from his tank-top jersey. But you won't see the one tattoo at the center of his chest that is shaped in a heart.

Then again, you won't need to.

www.floridatoday.com

COCOA BEACH, Fla. -- A murdered tattoo artist received a surfer's farewell on a Brevard County beach.

Police in Cocoa say Robert McKee was killed by two robbers outside his tattoo parlor.

Sunday, in McKee's memory, friends held a small service around a surfboard, with pictures and flowers along Cocoa Beach.

"Mark had a love for the beach. He loved to surf; he found a peace here by himself that's something a lot of people don't get to do in a lifetime," said McKee's brother, Mike Thompson.

Detectives are still looking for the two robbers. Witnesses say they were last seen driving in a tan or beige car, possibly a Nissan, with tinted windows.

www.wftv.com

TWO "mini Tattoos" are to be staged in West Princes Street Gardens following the sell-out in record time of the main event earlier this month.

The South African Navy Band and the New Zealand Invercargill Pipes and Drums are expected to be among the performers at the two free concerts at the Ross Bandstand in August.

Tattoo organisers have decided to hold the two lunchtime events after the Military Tattoo at Edinburgh Castle’s Esplanade sold-out in record time.

Non-musical performers, including Highland dancers from Australia, are also expected to take part in the concerts at the bandstand on August 18 and 25. Under the plans announced today, the South Africans are also expected to stage another two concerts and the New Zealanders one extra performance for tattoo fans.

Today, Edinburgh Military Tattoo producer Brigadier Mel Jameson said the concerts would give people who missed out on tickets a taste of the world-famous event.

"Inevitably a lot of people have been unlucky at the box office, or with postal applications. This happens every year now.

"But we’ve found that many jump at the chance to see the next best thing, short of the traditional televised version, and we’ll stage that on two lunchtimes in Princes Street Gardens at the bandstand.

"Thanks to our major sponsors, the Royal Bank of Scotland, both shows will be free. We’ll supply several bands and from overseas some of the non-musical performers from the Tattoo proper. The splendid South African Navy Band will participate at both shows and they’ll do separate concerts there on their own on August 11 and 19, with the New Zealand Invercargill Pipes and Drums playing the bandstand in similar circumstances on August 26."

All the events will start at noon and last an hour, with free admission on a first-come-first served basis, said Brig Jameson.

Councillor Steve Cardownie, the city’s festival and events champion, said: "Brigadier Mel Jameson should be commended for coming up with this initiative.

"It is a fantastic idea. Every year many people are disappointed because the Tattoo is such a fantastic success and the tickets sell out long before the event. This will give people a flavour of the Edinburgh Military Tattoo."

It was announced earlier this month that this year’s Edinburgh Military Tattoo had sold out in record time. More than 211,000 tickets were snapped up, with the sold-out sign going up five weeks ahead of last year’s record. Around ?3.7 million was taken in box office sales for the spectacular three-week event, which attracts thousands of visitors to the Castle Esplanade every August. Some resale tickets may be available for performances until the end of the 2004 run. A limited number of half-price tickets go on sale late next month for a preview Tattoo performance on August 5.

The RAF’s Massed Bands and renowned silent drill display team, The Queen’s Colour Squadron, will be among the largest cast ever established for the Tattoo. The showcase, which will include around 1000 musicians and performers from around the world, will feature favourites such as Dam Busters and Aces High from the RAF. Other performers will include an Indian cultural group from Mizoram in north-east India and the South African Navy Band from Cape Town, whose musical instruments include water buffalo horns.

A massed Highland dancing display featuring 50 young dancers from Australia, who will join the Tattoo’s own Highland Dancers, is also expected to be a highlight.

But activists have vowed to disrupt Tattoo performances in protest at the appearance of a Chinese military band.

Campaigners are threatening to mingle with the sell-out crowds at Edinburgh Castle in order to stage a series of stunts in protest at the involvement of the People’s Liberation Army. The activists support the campaign to free Tibet from Chinese rule and claim the army is a "symbol of brutality". The demonstrations will also mark the 15th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.

news.scotsman.com

THEY can’t be wrong, can they, the 220,000 souls who have sold out the Tattoo five weeks from the start? As ever, the hottest ticket in town.

Accordingly I found Tattoo producer Brigadier Mel Jameson in fine heart, just back from Fallingbostel, near Belsen in Germany, where the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards are based.

As colonel of the regiment, he pinned medals on Gulf War participants and was reunited with his son, Captain Harry Jameson, who today was second in command of the guard for the Queen at Holyrood Palace.

Mel, tending to fawn over an old airman like yours truly right now because the RAF will be significantly involved in this year’s Tattoo, reminded me that the Squadronaires, a dance band culled from the Central Band of the RAF who’ll hog the Esplanade, will play some extraneous gigs.

"For an authentic Second World War feel I’ll dress them in battledress, gas masks and steel helmets," he told me in all sobriety. Which should prove inconvenient while they are playing.

• You ask: a) Can you recommend the DIY separation and divorce kit Tesco is selling at ?7.49?

b) Should immigrants face compulsory HIV tests before they are allowed into Britain?

c) Can you believe that local singer Edith Budge is being mentioned in the same breath as Ella Fitzgerald?

d) Brigadier Mel Jameson has after his name, as well as MBE, the initials DL. What do they stand for?

e) Are you chuffed that Donna Air’s the latest big name booked for the Fringe?

f) Should a woman be in charge of Britain’s eight nuclear subs?

g) Should Scottish taxpayers be paying thousands to ferry drug addicts by taxi to and from the chemists to pick up their methadone prescriptions?

h) Is Prince Andrew the Playboy of the Western World?

Replies: a) Unreservedly! I was first in the queue. Anything that has greedy, grasping solicitors panicking can’t be bad. b) Do you need to ask? Silly questions give me the needle. c) There may be some confusion here with Barry Fitzgerald, movie star of The Quiet Man and, I’m told, a fair old warbler in his own right. d) Not Dalai Lama, as you suspect. DL is short for Deputy Lieutenant (of Perthshire). e) We have to say, Donna who? f) But of course. g) Again, of course. h) Yep. He gets the unanimous vote at our line dancing club.

Run drudge Dylan out of town

WHY the long face? The eternally boring-in-the-wind Bob Dylan, the dead man walking at St Andrews University, wasn’t at all clever. The drudge should have been run out of town with his tambourine stuck up where the sun don’t shine. For other topical examples of delusions of grandeur, think Tony Blackburn (is he still on the planet?). Thought he was bigger than the radio station and he wasn’t. But as a stunt, it worked perfectly. And Humberside’s police chief. Thought he was bigger than the Home Secretary and he isn’t. Today he can be found munchin’ his truncheon.

• Everything’s coming up rose at L’Alba D’Oro. Filippo Crolla can’t wait to celebrate next year the 30th anniversary of his award-winning chippie.

"When we opened in 1975 you could get a fish supper for 40 or 50 pence. Today a supper costs ?4.70 but our premises have grown and are unrecognisable from those days."

Meanwhile, Filippo, who hasn’t had to deep fry a Mars Bar to survive, claims he is stocking the largest range of rose wines in Edinburgh, more than 50 from ?3.50 to ?140 a bottle.

Should one be impressed? Never been a rose man myself.

• Last word: After Portugal had been denied a blatant penalty, the muffled Motty, talking to the "analyst" by his side in the 66th minute, asked: "Is there anything Eriksson can do at this time?"

Ring Nancy, I’d have suggested.

news.scotsman.com

Durban tattoo and body-piercing artists are concerned about the absence of an age restriction and health legislation to regulate the sector which is attracting young teenagers seeking to emulate their pop idols.

Dave Edwards, owner of Body Art Tattoo and Piercing Studio, said the industry had become "massive" in recent years.

"Every time you watch TV or read a magazine there is a tattoo or body piercing, and all their (teen) idols, like David Beckham and Britney Spears, have been pierced and tattooed."

"It has come out of its stigma into the yuppie bracket because parents themselves have had tattoos and piercings. They don't have the attitude that you are a call girl if you have it done," Edwards said.

Legally, in South Africa there is no age restriction barring children from obtaining tattoos and body piercings.

Edwards said that about half of the established parlours in the greater Durban area indiscriminately serviced teenagers under 16.

He believes this is unethical. He said his parlour refused to tattoo minors under the age of 18 unless he/she was "mature", accompanied by a parent and an indemnity form had been signed.

"We belong to the British Tattoo Association, and the age restriction in the United Kingdom is 18. They (authorities) can just walk in and close the shop. In the United States, age restrictions vary from 18 to 21 from state to state.

"We are one of a few countries that does not have legislation. There are studios in Durban where they don't care if the child looks 10-years-old.

"Most kids aged between 16 and 17 don't even know what they want in life, and that what they are putting on their bodies is permanent," Edwards said.

A Pinetown parent, who asked not to be identified, was horrified when his 15-year-old son came home with a stud in his tongue.

"It is absolutely amazing that there is no age restriction at all. I was more worried from a health point of view than anything else," he said.

Rajesh Hoodlall, a senior officer at eThekwini City Health, was also concerned about the lack of legislation governing health issues, such as the sterilisation of equipment and the work area.

He said the disposal of waste from tattoo parlours was classified as "highly hazardous medical waste" because of the amount of blood involved.

"There is a need for tattoo artists to get together and form an association, and then formally approach the national health authority."

"There is a definite need to regulate the profession, because you don't want a child who has had a tattoo to end up with a
disease or secondary infection."

Hoodlall said the department would use the health bylaws to force any "unsavoury" parlour to improve its practices should it receive a complaint from the public.

A number of tattoo artists, including Edwards, said they had received a certificate from city health officials after an inspection had been conducted to check whether they had complied with the bylaws.

However, Edwards said it was highly unlikely that all tattoo artists would unite to request regulations, as some parlours would almost certainly face closure.

www.iol.co.za

COCOA BEACH -- Pete Govani knelt down to look at photographs of Robert Mark McKee, sitting near a dried palm branch next to two surfboards.

Not far was the spot McKee, a native of Huntsville, Ala., would sit each morning with a cup of coffee before wading out into the Atlantic with his surf buddies.

On Sunday, the same patch of powdery sands became the spot where at least a dozen people paid tribute to McKee, slain in a botched robbery at a tattoo shop in Cocoa last week.

"He was always smiling," recalled 32-year-old Govani, shortly after a group of McKee's friends placed flowers in the surf. "He was a great guy."

Cocoa police said McKee, 41, was working alone at the Altered Images Tattoo and body-piercing shop at a strip mall when the two armed men tried to rob him.

McKee, known as Mark to his friends, struggled with them and was shot in the upper body.

No arrests have been made.

The shooting left behind an 11-year-old daughter, McKee's parents and a girlfriend. Friends also said McKee's daughter was looking forward to talking to him for Father's Day when she heard the news.

"This touches my heart, because he loved people," Peggy Durbin, who met McKee a month ago, said about the beachside memorial.

Clutching a tissue, Durbin hugged some of the surfers who turned out to the memorial Sunday and shared memories.

McKee, who moved to Cocoa Beach three months ago to continue his tribal art tattoo work, also took up surfing after being invited by members of "The Breakfast Club."

"He was learning, he was very energetic," Joseph "Catfish" Wood said. "You could tell it was a goal in his life," he said. Then, looking over at the memorial, with two wood-framed pictures of his friend, Wood became quiet.

"They took his family's pride and joy. I also think the police will get them," he said of the robbers. "But if not, God will have the final say."

www.floridatoday.com

AN Australian man has inked his name into the record books by tattooing a person non-stop for 40 hours.

The marathon session - which beat the previous record by seven hours - was completed about 3.30pm (AEST) today at a tattoo studio in Melton, in Melbourne's outer west.

"It's an official world record and I'm numb with excitement. My hands are also numb," said Greg Hines, who has been a tattooist for 27 years.

The previous record was 33 hours, set in London in April last year.

Preparation for the attempt began about 8.30pm (AEST) last Friday. Mr Hines then worked virtually non-stop for 40 hours, taking only short toilet breaks as he created his body art.

Mr Hines' human canvas was Damian Ovchynik, 26, who went beyond the pain barrier to have 14 tattoos on his body.

"The last tattoo was on his head and showed that he could've had more," he said.

"Some were really big ones which covered his leg and thigh. He takes tattoos extremely well."

The tattoo designs included deceased friends, pet portraits and streetscapes and were a birthday present. "Damian was a little bit sore afterwards but I think he was as excited as me," Mr Hines said.

Nurses witnessed the session to monitor both of the men's well-being while observers recorded each break in a official log book.

A video was also taken of the tattoo session which will be submitted to the Guinness Book of Records.

"It hasn't sunk in yet, as soon as we hear from them it will though," Mr Hines said.

So what is his next challenge?

"We are talking about another world record, like tattooing the most amount of people in a row," Mr Hines said.

"But we've certainly put ourselves on the map."

www.news.com.au

For whatever reason, you've decided you've had enough of your tattoo. Here's what you need to know to banish it into history.

Beware of older techniques. Dermabrasion sands down the skin over the tattoo until the ink is rubbed away. This sort of method, explains Ross VanAntwerp, of the Maryland Laser Center, is "really not much more sophisticated than it was 5,000 years ago when the Egyptians did it."

Acid, sometimes used to eat away at tattoo pigment, also can corrode the skin, potentially causing serious scarring. And surgical removal of small tattoos is possible, but the bigger the slice, the more likely it will heal badly.

Laser removal is considered the safest and least painful. Lasers target the pigment, leaving the surrounding skin pretty much intact. Different types and wavelengths target different colors, breaking up the pigment and leaving the body's natural healing mechanisms to flush out the ink.

Check out your doctor. Before committing, schedule a consultation and view before and after photos of the doctor's work. Ask whether the doctor owns or rents his lasers. Renters, VanAntwerp says, "may not have the same depth of experience."

Expect to spend time. It typically takes at least six to eight treatments to remove a professionally done tattoo (homemade ones usually come out quicker, in two to four visits). Black and dark blue are the easiest colors to remove, while shades of brown, white, pink, light blue and some greens can be stubborn.

A large or complex tattoo, or one where the ink is deep, may require more visits. These sessions may each last only a few minutes, but weeks of healing must follow, meaning the whole process can take six months or more.

And money. At $100 to $400 per treatment, it costs a lot more to get a tattoo removed than it did to get it put on. And this isn't the sort of procedure where you want to go for the bargain-basement option.

Prepare for some risk and pain. Even when you're under the best care, laser treatments can result in scarring, skin texture changes or incomplete removal. And it's probably going to hurt about as much as getting the tattoo did.

www.indystar.com

Arroyo Grande's first tattoo parlor should open its doors soon after passing a Thursday health inspection.

The Board of Supervisors agreed Tuesday to a contract with the South County city to send county officers to exam the facility. The East Grand Avenue shop was required to pass an inspection before opening, and then pass one twice yearly for the next two years.

"Tried and True Tattoo" owner Gary Ellsworth will foot the bills, which should run about $350 each.

"I just now got the final clearance, and I'm all set to go," said Ellsworth, a tattoo artist and owner of Grover Beach's Monument Skateboard Shop.

Ellsworth said he's been paying rent, insurance and utilities since January -- totaling more than $3,500 -- but hasn't had income because hearings and investigations have kept the shop shuttered.

"I've been thinking I was going to be open every other week for the last five months," he said.

Some residents spoke against the parlor at a public meeting, and Mayor Tony Ferrara and Councilman Jim Dickens said they were worried about health concerns, particularly hepatitis C.

Ellsworth will have to take continuing education courses on disease control each year, according to City Council stipulations, and won't be allowed to ink satanic, racial or gang-related tattoos. He also won't perform body piercing.

www.sanluisobispo.com

Wherever he pitches, Justin Miller is a marked man. Literally.

Multicolored tattoos of clowns almost entirely cover his left arm. Umpires have ruled the tattoos are a distraction to hitters and have ordered Miller to wear a long-sleeved shirt under his uniform to cover them, even though he throws right-handed.

"For me, my left arm shouldn't even be counted as a distraction," said Miller, who also has the words "love" and "hate" etched on the knuckles of his pitching hand. "It's not part of my uniform, it's part of me. Right now, I just go along with what they tell me. The situation will take care of itself."

Miller spent most of 2002 as the fifth starter for the Toronto Blue Jays, then he missed most of last season recovering from shoulder surgery. The controversy over the tattoos emerged during a spring training game in March.

The umpire supervisor Jim McKean said someone had complained. Miller said he saw it coming.

"It was something that always was in the back of my head," said Miller, who got his first tattoo at age 16 and said he hoped to have his entire body covered with tattoos eventually. "So when it came, it wasn't really that big of a shock, but at the same time I couldn't understand why."

Neither could Miller's teammates on the Syracuse SkyChiefs, where he began the season.

"I thought it was a joke at first," infielder Glenn Williams said. "But I guess that's the decision the umpires and Major League Baseball made, and he just has to deal with it."

Rich Levin, a spokesman for Major League Baseball, said: "They're concerned, as they are with jewelry, that it would be distracting to the hitter. It's just because he's a pitcher. Players said they were having a hard time picking up the ball."

Miller might be the inspiration for a new rule in Major League Baseball.

"If necessary, it probably will be addressed with some sort of rule change if our existing rules cannot be made applicable," said Sandy Alderson, M.L.B.'s executive vice president of baseball operations. "It's an unusual situation because the tattoo is so extensive. In the minds of some umpires, it's a legitimate distraction. It's not only a competitive issue, but a health and safety issue. We'll see where it comes out."

Miller, on the disabled list with a leg injury and rehabbing with the SkyChiefs, said he was not concerned by the issue.

"Just give me the ball every five days," he said. "I pitch with or without sleeves. Naked. Whatever."

www.nytimes.com