New Philadelphia’s new ordinance on body piercing has put professional piercers Del and Virginia Seevers on pins and needles.

They are worried the ordinance, which prohibits body piercing in the city for anyone under age 18, will force the more youthful to an unclean piercing establishment in a community without such an ordinance.

Limiting young teenagers from having a place to be pierced, they said, could also lead youths to pierce themselves.

The Seevers own Krazy Horse Tattoos and Body Piercing at New Philadelphia, where they perform 40 to 60 body piercings a month.

The two have visited the city’s health department and City Council several times to discuss the impact of the ordinance.

“Anybody, whether they have training or not, can open a store and pierce,” Del said. “Some piercing, if done incorrectly, can cause trauma. Nose piercing can cause infection that will kill you.”

Del and Virginia prefer the state’s law over the city’s.

It requires anyone under 18 to have a parent accompany them to give consent to have a body part pierced. That way, the two say, the parent knows exactly what their child is doing.

Council approved its ordinance in July. It allows those under 18 to get their ears pierced but only with an ear-piercing gun. Body piercing is traditionally done with needles.

“I know if kids come here, everything is going to be safe,” Del said. “Kids are kids. If they can’t do it here, they’ll go someplace else.”

Another concern the Seevers have is that stores can sell piercing needles and jewelry to anyone, including children.

The two also see people who pierce body parts with their own needles, leaving their skin severely infected.

“They are promoting infection and diseases. It irritates me to no end,” Virginia said.

“I won’t say piercing is brain surgery or rocket science, but a professional needs to do it.”

When the Seevers’ son was 16, they sent him to a store to determine whether he could buy a piercing needle at his age.

He could.

“It’s really scary when a kid brings back stuff as a minor,” Virginia said.

The Seevers warn customers to go to accredited body piercers.

Their training involved hours of hands-on work. Del helped write the state law on body piercing for North Carolina in 1999. The two teach classes to certify body piercers out of the store and attend conferences around the country to learn new and safe body piercing techniques.

Their store, Virginia said, is kept cleaner than a doctor’s office.

All employees wear gloves when piercing, wash their hands between piercings and keep all needles and jewelry in bags until it is used. The store sterilizes its own needles and jewelry, which they purchase in the safest grade of metal.

All employees are required to learn first aid and CPR and to get tuberculosis and Hepatitis shots.

Hepatitis B and C is a viral disease, which can be spread when bodily fluids from an infected person enter the body of an uninfected person.

“Even in a town like this, a person will run into a person who is infected with hepatitis (several times a month),” Del said. “Nine times out of ten if they have it, they don’t know.”

Virginia said she is currently drafting a letter to the mayor to further address their concerns.

“Piercing is not supposed to be a terrible experience,” she said. “It’s supposed to be exciting. That’s what people are choosing to decorate their bodies with.”

Attempts to contact a representative of the New Philadelphia Health Department for comment were unsuccessful.

www.timesreporter.com

Tyme Tattoo is known for their custom tattoos and body piercing, but recently they’ve embarked on another type of bodily expression: suspension.

Suspension involves lifting the body from the ground with hooks through the skin. Mike Burke, manager of Tyme Tattoo and professional piercer, said that they have already done a demonstration at the Parlor Bar, and have scheduled another one for September.

“I think it’s really cool that we’re able to expose the public to some of these tribal rituals. It’s something that you just don’t see. I think the more that people see it, the more they’ll understand it,” Burke said.

Tyme Tattoo didn’t just jump into the idea of suspension, however. It’s been a long process that has involved a great deal of exploration into the practice.

“I got into it about two years ago,” said Mark Ray, a tattoo artist at Tyme Tattoo. “I was working at another shop in Indiana called A Spot of Ink. My boss told me he would do it if I wanted to do it — and I guess he’s done some before. Ever since then I’ve just been looking into it — what all you’ve got to do to try to prepare yourself, what kind of tools and instruments it takes. But me and him had a falling out, so I came here and turned it onto Mike, and then Mike just pounded the Internet for information. And so I finally got a chance to do it.”

Ray and Burke said that suspension is not a fad. The practice has been around for thousands of years, and they became involved in suspension for some of the same reasons ancient cultures took part in it.

“This is kind of a traditional, almost Native American kind of thing, where they used to do the O-Kee-Pa or the Sundance. The O-Kee-Pa was actually done from (the chest). The Sundance was done a number of different ways where they would hook into their backs and pull a buffalo skull behind them until it ripped from their flesh,” Burke said.

“It clears your head, it helps you deal with stress, it takes you to another place. It really does. I thought I’d be the same afterwards, and said, ‘Well, I’m not going to know unless I try it myself.’ It’s almost like a rite of passage, and you really do feel a lot different afterwards. You deal with things a lot better,” Ray said.

Although there are a number of different types of suspension, Ray and Burke described two devices that they have at Tyme Tattoo.

The first is a six-point suspension called a suicide suspension, where six hooks are placed in a line across the back.

“When it goes straight across it helps distribute the weight from left to right. That way it’s all focused in that one area. That one there is particularly called a suicide suspension because you’re hanging like you’re hanging yourself in a noose,” Ray said.

The other type of suspension is called the Superman, and involves 10 to 12 hooks.

“One in each calf, one in each thigh and then six on your back, and possibly one in the back of each of your arms. And what that does is distribute the weight completely evenly from end to end,” Ray said.

Another type of suspension that Ray and Burke have done doesn’t involve suspending the body, but rather bricks. With hooks in their forearms they are able to lift cinder blocks.

In the near future, Burke and Ray hope to offer the opportunity to be suspended to the public in a safe, sanitary environment. But the experience won’t be cheap, and it’s not intended for a spontaneous thrill.

“We want people to know that they’re safe enough to come in here and do that. But if they want to come in here and do that, we need to know that this is something that they seriously want to do,” Ray said. “It’s not like … going in and getting a tongue piercing. If I see somebody that doesn’t think that their head is in the right place, then I’m not going to do it. I won’t. That’s just to protect them.”

Prices for suspension haven’t been set in stone, but Burke said they’re thinking about charging $500 for a suicide suspension and $850 for a Superman suspension.

“You really have to price it, because if somebody comes in and gets their tongue pierced it’s $55. That’s one piercing. These are eight. That and you’ve got all the rigging and time,” Ray said. “It’s not something you’re just going to run in and do and then run back out. It takes a couple of hours. Another reason why you put a price on that is because then I know somebody is serious about what they want to do.”

The next time that Ray and Burke plan to put on a demonstration will be Sept. 13 at the Parlor Bar.

www.laramieboomerang.com

Pride? Yes, I'm modified and proud. I'm proud of who I am, what I've done and what I've overcome. And yes. I'm more than a little proud of my modifications. But only because they are part of what makes me, well... Me.

If you look carefully, there are many more "Modified" in the world than people tend to think. Your average person is blind to what is considered "safe" mods: Gold or silver lobe studs & earrings, gunned at the age of 12 or 13 by a virtually untrained shop assistant. But this isn't a rant about Piercing Guns. It's about living and working as a Modified person, and the rights that we "enjoy".

Visible & public modifications are becoming more and more mainstream, practically by the day. When we see celebrity teenage pop stars, the Beautiful People of Hollywood and generally those outside of the usual pierced and tattooed group of Punk & Rock bands and so called bad boy actors, getting bigger and more visible tattoos, "non standard" piercings and the like, we as the body modification community seem to be having mixed reactions.

One positive side is what was once was, if not a taboo activity, but a frowned upon one is becoming less of an issue with the masses of modern society. It's less of a "freakshow" for them, if you like. Although after saying this, there is always a flip side: more people are seeing piercings and tattoos as disposable fashion items, with often little or no regard for aftercare or respect for their own body let alone the piercer or tattoo artist (let me quickly clarify: I do not mean all mods done on the spur of the moment, or done for purely decorative reasons. Just ones that are un-educated and/or disrespectful).

I understand that to many of us, a piercing or tattoo is something that is just for show, and to look good. That is a large part of what Body Modification is. To make our bodies, faces and selves look in our eyes better than it did. Not everything has a deeper meaning in life: some things are face value. And the modified community is no different.

So, we have established that what once an activity that was not "normal" (in society's eyes), is becoming more commonplace. In previous articles here on BME, I have read that "We are a self made minority". We will always be one but as a minority, our numbers are growing and quickly. It would be interesting to see a survey completed by Modification artists, and practitioners showing the percentage of "virgin" customers compared to Mod veterans. I was going to write that we'd be surprised. But we probably wouldn't, you know. I bet the numbers are higher than ever before.

Which moves things swiftly on. If there are more Modified people than ever, and it is becoming more obvious to the un-modified masses and (some of) the Media that we are not all the degenerate, illiterate, sociopath that traditional stereotypes portray; how is this REALLY affecting the life of Professional people with modifications in the workplace?

A quick look at my co-workers around the office is very enlightening. A few have openly visible tattoos on hands and forearms. Many others have the telltale signs of slightly more hidden tattoos: flashes of colour showing under shirtsleeves, tribal bands round ankles peeking under trouser legs. Kanji just visible through the back of a white shirt. My facial piercings, and old piercing scars. More than a few men and women have pierced ears.

I work for a medium sized software company, with programmers, graphics teams and writers; so it's a pretty creative place. This possibly accounts for a higher percentage of modified people, as in the UK the Design Industry is well known for being creative, pierced and tattooed. But possibly not. Is this an accurate cross-section of the population, Modified and not? I'm not sure...

If the numbers of pierced and tattooed people in the workplace are increasing, we have to think about how this is effecting our employer's decisions and Company Policies. Are the days of "No visible Tattoos" in small print at the bottom of our contracts, on the way out? It's not in my contract. Not even a mention of tattoos or piercings. So as the social climate changes, do companies have to re-think in order to gain the skilled staff they need?

It still seems to be a grey area. We could push for Discrimination in the Workplace, if it came to that. But that won't always wash. Its not like it's a case of Racial or Sexual discrimination. We are a self-made minority, after all. There is very little information on the Internet that is easy to find and readily available to the general public on the rights of the Modified in the workplace. I'm not surprised.

On a more positive note, as our employers average age gets younger, nearer to our own (even sometimes younger), negative & outdated social opinions and prejudices should in theory become less of an issue. They too might even be modified themselves. But we cannot count on such a possibility. Until proper laws, rules and regulations that PROTECT our rights and are widely known, respected and adhered to are commonplace; it might be long shirtsleeves and PTFE Retainers for a few years yet.

The question is whether society is beginning to be more accepting of these modifications and we who get them, or if it is merely becoming de-sensitised to it is yet to be answered.

www.bmezine.com

Think tattoos, and you'll probably think bikers or sailors, or perhaps the "tattooed lady" from the circus. Those stereotypes, however-together with tattoos of hearts inscribed with "Mom"-are a thing of the past. These days, middle-aged women are the fastest growing demographic seeking a permanent piece of body art. In fact, women now are requesting half of all tattoos.

And they're not just doing it on a spur-of-the-moment impulse.

According to Shawn O'Connor, co-owner of World Class Tattoo on Main Street, most people don't come into his shop on a whim. They may not know exactly what they want but usually have a piece of art in mind.

Realizing the customer's vision is the job of the tattoo artist. The consultation process may take one hour or one month-whatever is necessary to create the custom design.

"There's no point in putting crappy art on people's bodies," said O'Connor. "If someone comes in wanting a portrait done and no one here does it, I'll send [the customer] somewhere else. I work on things I do best. Tattooing is so permanent I don't want to do a bad tattoo."

He hopes other tattoo artists feel the same and will send him work that he's most skilled at. "That way, we all get to do what we want. Anyone who will do anything at all is just in it for the money and not the art."

Body art-especially tattooing-has become big business.

According to some estimates, over 30 million North Americans have tattoos and one new shop is set to open every day. Internet search engine Lycos reports the word "tattoo" is consistently one of the top searches on its site, right up there with Pamela Anderson, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears, the WWF and Las Vegas.

With all of this demand, tattoo shops are proliferating. O'Connor welcomes the company, believing the more people in the business the better.

"Competition is the old way," he said. He wants to promote a greater sense of community in the tattoo world where everyone can work and learn together in a positive environment.

There is no school of tattooing and each artist takes his or her own path. O'Connor always enjoyed art and knew he wanted to be involved in it in some capacity. When he finished high school, he moved to Vancouver from Edmonton to apprentice with a local tattoo artist. He rented a room in a house with five other artists, including his mentor. With no television to distract him, his apprenticeship was accelerated.

"There was nothing to do but make needles," he said. "I quickly learned how to solder them together to make different configurations, why you use outlines, shading, all that stuff_ The first 100 to 200 needles never touched anyone's skin though."

Knowing it was important to draw with the flow of the body in order to complement muscle structure, he borrowed Gray's Anatomy from his dad, an orthopedic surgeon, and spent many late nights learning about muscle groups, skin pigment, and how skin heals.

Tattooing has come a long way since the early days when artists used crude, hand-held instruments and needed an assistant to stretch the skin. The slower traditional methods have all but disappeared, victim to the speed and efficiency of electric machines that deliver ink at upwards of 100 strokes per minute. Advances have also come in the way of infection control. World Class Tattoo uses autoclaves (for sterilization), ultrasonic cleaners, disposable gloves and Sharps needle collectors. O'Connor believes these days most artists are extremely health and safety conscious but, as with any group, there are a couple of bad apples that taint the rest of the profession.

Traditional cultures use tattooing as a rite of passage, to provide protection from evil spirits, or to indicate social position. North Americans use tattooing as a way to express themselves. The most common tattoos are the "safe" ones-those whose meaning won't change and aren't controversial, such as astrological symbols, the maple leaf, and Japanese characters. Men commonly get their biceps tattooed, while women opt for their lower backs and ankles. The most painful sites are ribs, neck, elbow, stomach and behind the knees.

The weirdest place O'Connor tattooed someone was the inside of his friend's lip. The friend requested a hamburger with a carton of milk. Two years later, his friend is still talking to him. His friend's mother is not.

www.canada.com

A FULL dress rehearsal for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo passed off without protest last night as hundreds of performers fine-tuned their routines ahead of tonight’s official opening.

Human rights campaigners have threatened to take a stand against the inclusion this year of members of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

Earlier, two demonstrators were detained after trying to abseil down Edinburgh Castle to hang a 28ft-long banner from north-facing walls.

Five Free Tibet Campaign members had entered the castle yesterday morning. One was caught by staff before going down. Another took almost half an hour to descend, bringing out a small Tibetan flag.

A campaign spokeswoman, Anne Callaghan, said: "One of our activists did manage to get the Tibetan flag out, and even though it is a small flag it’s a significant gesture, since just displaying that in Tibet could lead to arrest and torture by the Chinese PLA."

She added: "The decision to invite the PLA to the Tattoo, which is watched by thousands of people at the castle and millions around the world, sends a message that we accept what’s currently going on in Tibet."

A spokeswoman for Historic Scotland said: "Although we recognise that it is a democratic right to protest, Edinburgh Castle and the Esplanade is Crown property, therefore we would not usually permit the property to be used for this purpose."

The Tattoo’s chief executive and producer, Brigadier Melville Jameson, has insisted that organisers were "100 per cent right" to invite the band.

This year’s military musical extravaganza will feature The Royal Air Force including their Massed Military Bands and Queen’s Colour Squadron together with the world-famous Massed Pipes and Drums, and Massed Highland Dancers.

news.scotsman.com

Two years ago, Andy Abrams was startled to notice a 20-something colleague tattooed with the Hebrew word, shechina. The woman hadn’t been raised in an observant household, like Abrams: "Yet she not only chose a word heavy with religious meaning, she chose a style of script only found in the Torah," he said. Her intention wasn’t to show off a hipper-than-thou take on Judaism, a la Heeb magazine, or the kind of in-your-face ethnicity popularized by films such as "The Hebrew Hammer."

"It was her identification with Jewish feminism and with some sense of the divine," Abrams said. "And the word meant so much to her that she was willing to permanently ink it on her body."

Abrams — 34 and uninked — was so intrigued that he embarked upon a book, movie and photography project, "Tattoo Jew," with photographer Justin Dawson, and images now at Gallery Zel. By interviewing more than 30 subjects, they hoped to discover why young Jews tattooed themselves, despite the prohibitions: The Torah forbids marking the body; concentration camp tattoos have scarred the Jewish psyche and even secular parents feel, "We eat pork, but we don’t get tattoos because we’re Jewish," Abrams said. (Although 15 percent of Americans over 18 have at least one tattoo, Abrams hasn’t encountered statistics on how many are Jews.)

He did encounter interviewees who wore their Judaism, literally, on their sleeves as "a profound metaphorical act with deep resonance."

For Todd Barman, a San Francisco yeshiva alumnus, the word emes (truth) on his forearm is as much a reminder of God as wearing a yarmulke. For Los Angeles performance artist Marina Vainshtein, covering her body with Holocaust imagery, such as a burning synagogue, is her walking billboard for "Never Again." Orian Livnat, meanwhile, honors his parents with the words "ema" and "aba" emblazoned against cherubs, a Jewish play on traditional tattoo iconography.

The project has been receiving national attention, with articles in publications such as Skin & Ink magazine, because it explores "a new way of revitalizing Judaism that doesn’t often get talked about in a serious way," Abrams said. "Jews with tattoos aren’t simply identifying with a cool, hip trend and not doing the spiritual work. They’re often cementing their relationship with their roots, their culture and spirituality."

www.jewishjournal.com

Almost 400 people attended the Collier County Democratic Club's Convention party at the Golden Gate Quality Inn on Thursday, July 29. A large screen allowed the patio full of cheering guests to connect with the convention in Boston and watch John Kerry accept the presidential nomination.

Former president of the CCDC John Cooledge had vowed to have a Democratic emblem tattooed on his body if the 40 to 50 paid memberships rose to 400. When the club reached 402 members, it was time to make good on that vow.
True to his word, Cooledge sat stoically Thursday night while Jimbo Carriero of Body Branding Emporium carefully tattooed the Democratic donkey on Cooledge's left shoulder.

"It wasn't really painful," Cooledge replied to those who asked. "It stung a little bit."

Why did he do it?



"I wanted to send a message," Cooledge said. "First of all, I gave my word and as a Democrat my word is good. In the past we've built the membership as high as 325. I wanted to do better. I was club president in 2003, and I told Gene Vaccaro who is president now, I'd get the tattoo when we reached 400 paid members by the end of 2003. When he said we had reached that number, well, this is Florida, so I asked for a recount. The number actually came in at 402. And after tonight, I wouldn't be surprised if the total is at least 425."

Cooledge said he's never had a tattoo before, "And I most likely won't ever have another," he laughed.

During the festivities, Vaccaro introduced the "best Democratic talk show host in the area" ­ also the only Democratic talk show host ­ Guy James.

The popular WPTK 1200 AM Powertalk host, whose live show can be heard on Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m., reminded the audience they could continue to "Careen down the road with Bush" or use the next 96 days to take a new fork in the road with Kerry and Edwards.

"I am supremely confident we are going to win this," James said. "I keep an electoral map and right now we're leading 300 to 210."

Julie Uresti, Democratic candidate for Collier County Commissioner, District 3, challenging Republican Tom Henning for his seat, was also present.

Al and Georgia Bruggemeyer of Naples told of their early days in Collier County: "Being a Democrat was a lonely situation. Look at it now," they said, motioning to the packed room.

It was a lot different that night, and by the time the Kerry speech began almost five hours later, it was standing room only. The hollers and hurrahs from the loudspeakers were indistinguishable from those of the live audience as people rose to their feet cheering.

Taking advantage of the excitement and enthusiasm created, the local party's executive enlisted the help of volunteers, notifying all that their party headquarters will be at the Quality Inn until after the election.

www.zwire.com

Key Points
• Two detained by police after protest
• Both face breach of peace charges
• Campaigners angry over Chinese band

Key Quote
"The reason we took a Tibetan flag up to the Castle was because it is actually illegal to fly it in Tibet. We had two people cordon off a walkway just along from the One O’Clock Gun to allow the abseilers to go down and three people were waiting in the Gardens but unfortunately three stewards discovered the abseilers and managed to stop the protest." - ANNE CALLAGHAN Free Tibet Campaign.

Story in full TWO protesters were seized today after attempting to stage a spectacular demonstration at Edinburgh Castle.

Members of the Free Tibet Campaign were involved in a struggle with officials after attempting to unfurl a massive Tibetan flag on the side of the Castle Rock.

The protest came ahead of the participation of the military band of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in this year’s Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Historic Scotland security guards pounced as two men tried to abseil down from a walkway just along from the famous One O’Clock Gun at around 10am today.

Protesters in the Gardens were armed with a nine by four metre flag which was to be hoisted up to the abseilers who then planned to spread it out across the Castle Rock, but they were foiled.

However one man who managed to abseil down on ropes was able to unfurl a smaller flag before the police arrived.

He was detained at the scene and was being held for questioning, along with another man who was caught trying to abseil down.

Both were expected to be charged with breach of the peace.

The Lothian and Borders Police force was called in immediately by Historic Scotland to help deal with the security scare, which comes amid fears protesters will attempt to disrupt performances at this year’s sell-out Tattoo.

Five protesters were involved in the operation at the Castle, which was held just days after 120 people marched through the Capital to protest at the presence of the People’s Liberation Army’s band in the open-air event.

A full house is expected on the Castle Esplanade tonight for the official preview of the Tattoo and every ticket for the three-week run was snapped up weeks ago.

Anne Callaghan, a spokeswoman for the Free Tibet Campaign, said: "The reason we took a Tibetan flag up to the Castle was because it is actually illegal to fly it in Tibet.

"We had two people cordon off a walkway just along from the One O’Clock Gun to allow the abseilers to go down and three people were waiting in the Gardens but unfortunately three stewards discovered the abseilers and managed to stop the protest.

"We think it’s very ironic that we’ve been prevented from staging a peaceful protest at the same time as the red carpet is being rolled out for the People’s Liberation Army."

A spokeswoman for Historic Scotland said: "We can confirm that there was a protest at the Castle this morning which involved five individuals. The police were called to deal with the protest and they are currently at the scene.

"Although we fully recognise it is a democratic right to protest, Edinburgh Castle and the Esplanade is Crown property, therefore we would not usually permit the property to be used for this purpose."

Alan Smith, spokesman for the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, said: "All we can really say about this is that we are aware of the matter and it is being dealt with by the police."

A spokesman for Lothian and Borders Police said: "Two men have been detained, one of whom had abseiled over a wall and another who was trying to do so.

"Officers also spoke to three other protesters at the scene. No-one has been charged yet."

• Environmental campaigners staged a protest against today’s British Energy AGM.

A devil representing the nuclear industry and an angel to depict renewable energy were among the Friends of the Earth Scotland protesters.

The environmental group says it targeted the nuclear power company’s event at Murrayfield Stadium to highlight the "danger, pollution and expense" of nuclear power.

Friends of the Earth’s head of research, Dr Dan Barlow, said: "Politicians should never again dance with the nuclear devil. If they do there will be hell to pay come election day.

"Nuclear power has proven itself to be an economic and environmental disaster. It is only through subsidies

and government bail-outs that nuclear power ever made it this far.

"The angels will look more favourably upon those who ditch nuclear in favour of good, clean renewables."

news.scotsman.com

Any teen under age of 16 will need parental approval if he or she wish to pierce their body, even for an earring.

The Knesset on Tuesday approved the “piercing bill” in the second and third (and final) reading.

According to the new law, teenagers under the age of 16 would be required to get approval from their parents if they wish to pierce their bodies, including for an earring.

The law will require business owners to demand teens to show them an ID card and a letter of approval from their parents.

www.maarivintl.com

Town classifies 3 groups as adult establishments

CAROLINA SHORES, N.C. - Tattoo parlors, body-piercing studios and fortune tellers now are classified in the same category as strip clubs in Carolina Shores.

Town commissioners approved classifying the three groups as adult establishments Tuesday night, effectively barring them from setting up shop within town limits.

Classifying the businesses as adult establishments keeps them from operating within 1,500 feet of a residential district.

Carolina Shores' only commercial district is adjacent to a large residential development.

The Board of Commissioners' action comes about two months after S.C. Gov. Mark Sanford lifted South Carolina's 40-year tattoo ban, prompting concerns that some Brunswick County, N.C., tattoo parlors would want to operate closer to the state line.

The closest Brunswick County tattoo parlor to Myrtle Beach is Fantasy Ink Tattooz & Body Piercing on U.S. 17, four miles north of the state line.

In other business, Commissioner Gere Dale said the town's recently passed ordinance that prohibits tourist-oriented directional signs in residential districts is unintentionally affecting a Calabash, N.C., business.

Dale said the N.C. Department of Transportation took down a directional sign Tuesday that directed traffic to Sunset River Marketplace in Calabash as part of a DOT program designed to lure tourism to rural areas.

Several Carolina Shores residents were concerned about the sign being in a residential district, which prohibits commercial signs. Commissioners passed the ordinance prohibiting the tourist-oriented directional signs in a residential district in hopes of prohibiting more signs from being erected.

Commissioner John Manning said the DOT "may have jumped the gun" on taking the sign down and the town did not ask for that action.

Carolina Shores Mayor Daniel Mann said it's not the town's fault the sign is down even though Dale said the DOT told him the town's ordinance is what spurred the removal.

www.myrtlebeachonline.com

A boy could be scarred for life after he suffered an allergic reaction to a henna tattoo.

Matteo James, 11, was horrified when a large picture of a dragon he had had painted on his upper arm while holidaying in Greece erupted into a mass of painful, weeping blisters.

The youngster had an allergic reaction to an unknown ingredient in the black henna paste used to create the tattoo.

Pure henna, which is red-brown and used by most professional henna artists, rarely causes allergies.

However, a common additive in black henna, phenylenediamine, or PPD, which is used to darken the colour, can be dangerous.

Now Matteo's parents, Nadine and Chris, from Glen Parva, have issued a warning to other people who might be tempted to have a black henna tattoo while on holiday.

Mrs James said: "I'd urge everyone else not to have one.

"Nobody knows if they are going to have an allergic reaction to it until it's too late."

Matteo and his sister, Larissa, eight, had had small henna tattoos without suffering any reaction earlier in the holiday so, when Matteo asked if he could have another, the day before they went home, his parents were not worried.

Henna temporary tattoos are readily available in many holiday destinations.

Mrs James said: "There were people lining the sides of the main road in Zante, doing hair braiding and henna tattoos."

Shortly before the family boarded the plane home, Matteo said his arm was hurting. By the next morning, the whole area of the tattoo was covered in blisters.

Mrs James said: "We took him to the doctor and she was horrified."

The doctor gave Matteo two types of antibiotic.

Mrs James said: "It's drying up slowly but it looks like he's going to be scarred.

"I'm mortified it's gone the way it has. I stayed with him while he had it done and he had it at the same place we'd been to previously."

She believes the large amount of henna paste needed to create the second temporary tattoo provoked the reaction.

Mr James said: "Having seen what they can do, I'd tell people not to have these tattoos, especially children."

Muriel Simmons, spokeswoman for Allergy UK, said black henna could include ingredients to which some people could be sensitive.

She said: "We are seeing more and more people reacting to henna tattoos. The problem is you are really not going to know if you are allergic to it until you have it done, and then you're in trouble. I know they are fashionable, but it's simply not worth the really nasty price."

www.thisisleicestershire.co.uk

A plan to restrict where tattoo parlors can go on Hilton Head Island under a new state law permitting them has received the Town Council's preliminary approval.

The zoning ordinance cleared the first of two required readings Tuesday on a 5-1 vote, with Councilman George Williams Jr. opposed and Councilman Bill Ferguson absent.

If given final approval at the council's 4 p.m. Aug. 17 meeting at Town Hall, the plan would restrict tattoo parlors to limited parts of two areas zoned as Commercial Center District. One area centers around Sea Pines Circle. The other area includes Mathews Drive.

Williams, who represents Sea Pines, said he objected to the plan because it would allow two tattoo parlors within the Sea Pines circle area "and practically puts them no place else ... and I don't think that's what we're trying to do here."

Mayor Tom Peeples said that, out of all the places the ordinance would allow tattoo parlors, "I think Triangle Square (on Mathews Drive) would be the first place you'd see one pop up."

Williams made an unsuccessful motion to instead allow tattoo parlors in just one area - a small section of central Forest Beach that town planner Teri Lewis said is now occupied by the Xanadu apartments on South Forest Beach Drive. Williams received no support for his motion.

The planning staff had originally recommended restricting tattoo parlors to that Forest Beach area, and said that it would amount to a prohibition unless the current multi-family use changed. But, after several Forest Beach residents objected, the Planning Commission and the Council's Planning and Development Standards Committee recommended the plan backed Tuesday.

According to Lewis, the restrictions would allow tattoo parlors in the following south-island areas, and in some cases existing uses would need to be changed before that could happen: The southwest corner of Arrow and Archer roads; the area off Arrow Road now used for a recreational vehicle resort; an area behind Park Plaza and off Greenwood Drive now used for storage units; a small area of The Island Crossing shopping center on the Staple's side; and a small area on New Orleans Road. The only north-island area is a tiny portion of Triangle Square.

Lewis said a tattoo parlor could not be located in a RV resort or in a storage unit.

The town code would prohibit tattoo parlors within 500 feet of major roads including William Hilton Parkway, Palmetto Bay Road and Pope Avenue. It also would require a 500-foot distance between tattoo parlors. And it would outlaw tattooing within 1,000 feet of a church, a daycare center, a school, a recreation area, publicly owned land or a residentially zoned district.

Councilman Drew Laughlin, a lawyer, said that the town might be open to a legal challenge if the council picked the Central Forest Beach option where "you're limiting it to a place there could not be one."

Lawyer Chester Williams, addressing the council on the issue, said Laughlin made a good point. He also said that restrictive covenants in the Central Forest Beach area in all likelihood also would prevent tattoo parlors.

He said the plan backed by the council majority was "better than having a free-for-all" in which, under the state law, tattoo parlors could otherwise go in any retail use area.

Councilman John Safay said he reluctantly concurred, and "we've got to create some kind of escape valve, if you will, for anyone who wants to come in with this type of facility."

Other council business included tentative approval, on a 6-0 vote, of code to regulate use of temporary tents. It would allow tents to be set up for no more than four days a week and not more than 60 days a year on any property, with some exceptions.

www.lowcountrynow.com

LOS ANGELES -- Some companies that make ink for tattoos are being painted as dangerous in a California lawsuit.

A nonprofit group called the American Environmental Safety Institute alleges that eight firms making ink and pigments have exposed people to potentially unhealthy levels of lead and other metals without warning.

The group claims the manufacturers are violating a California law that requires people to be warned before being exposed to hazardous materials. The manufacturers include Huck Spaulding Enterprises, Superior Tattoo Equipment Inc. and seven other tattoo ink and pigment manufacturers located in New York, Arizona, Illinois, Florida, Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

"Our scientific research shows that tattoo inks and pigments manufactured and/or distributed by these defendants contain lead, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cobalt, nickel and selenium, all heavy metal poisons known to the state of California's health experts to be hazardous to human health," said Deborah Sivas, the group's president.

The safety institute wants the companies to lower levels of the alleged toxins in their products and label pigment containers to alert tattoo parlors and customers of possible risks associated with the inks.

www.theindychannel.com

Rumors continue to swirl about Paris Hilton’s mysterious bruises. Ms. Hilton was seen with a swollen lip and bruises on her upper arms. The bruises looked as if she had been grabbed. Hilton recently broke up with ex-Backstreet Boy Nick Carter. The pair announced the split two weeks ago. Carter has been reported as saying there was a lot of distrust in the relationship. Although Hilton has not indicated that Carter was responsible for the injury, she has not issued a denial and indicated that she has no intention of doing so. Carter’s camp meanwhile says the injuries resulted from a “S & M” photo shoot that Hilton was involved in. Sources close to Hilton state this is false. Carter, who is back in the studio recording a new album was seen with a red mark close to his “Paris” tattoo. The injuries have not slowed Hilton down, she has been photographed multiple times during the last week, often in sleeveless outfits.

www.elitestv.com

A local businessman says he is leaving town after the Austin City Council approved a tattoo and piercing ordinance Monday night.

Steve Kish, owner of Unusual Expressions in Austin, said the age requirement for piercings will eliminate most of his business and cause serious health risks to teens in the area.

He said he would move his business to Lansing Township within the next two weeks.

His complaint is with the section that requires a parent's presence and notarized signature for anyone under 18 to be in the store. That will cause 16- and 17-year-olds to go to unsafe, underground artists, he said. It will also keep them from taking care of the piercings properly.

"They can't even come in there to buy after-care stuff without a parent present and notarized signature," he said.

Two of his staff members are under 18, he said, and they will have to be eliminated if he remains in Austin.

Community Development Director Craig Hoium compared the Austin ordinance to others in Minnesota and found the under 18 rule across the state. Also, City Attorney David Hoversten advised the council there could be legal problems with allowing piercing or other methods of body art to be performed on people under 18.

Kish said it simply moves the problem of infection and virus transmission beyond Austin's borders.

"They (the city council) said they don't care what you do outside of town," he said.

The ordinance passed 7-0.

In other business:

n Finance Director Tom Dankert announced the final figures for Austin's Local Government Aid in 2005. Austin will receive about $6,725,000 next year, an increase of about $225,000 over 2004.

There was some fear earlier this summer that Austin would get substantially less than that because of a glitch in the formula for figuring state aid. An assistant at the legislature forgot to delete a portion of the bill that wound up drastically influencing formulas. Gov. Tim Pawlenty agreed recently to follow the intent, rather than the letter, of the law.

n Council agreed to a $1,125,000 General Obligation Improvement Bond issuance. The money will be used for street projects in the city. After assessments and taxes are collected, the debt is paid off annually.

www.austindailyherald.com

Nine Tattoo Ink Manufacturers Face Lawsuits

LOS ANGELES -- Nine tattoo ink and pigment manufacturers were sued Monday for allegedly exposing people to potentially dangerous levels of lead and other metals.

Representatives for Huck Spaulding Enterprises and Superior Tattoo Equipment, two major manufacturers named in the lawsuit, could not be located for immediate comment.

The American Environmental Safety Institute, which filed the suit in Los Angeles Superior Court, is asking for an order to require warnings on the products before they can be sold or applied to a customer's skin.

The AESI is a California nonprofit founded in 1998 to investigate environmental and public health hazards, including the amount of lead and cadmium in vitamins and second-hand smoke.

"The Institute asked these tattoo ink and pigment manufacturers to change their practices," said AESI's Deborah Sivas.

"But the companies refused to take appropriate or responsible actions to voluntarily lower the dangerous levels of toxics in their tattoo ink and pigment products, comply with current law or notify consumers of the inherent health risks from the use of their products."

Sivas said the inks and pigments manufactured or distributed by the companies contain lead, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, chromium, cobalt, nickel and selenium.

The AESI claims the companies are violating the state's Proposition 65, which requires a warning before exposing people to hazardous chemicals.

Health risks are widespread, with at least 16 percent of Americans -- and about 4 million California adults -- having one or more tattoos, Silva said.

Thirty-six percent of adults ages 25-29 reportedly have at least one tattoo.

The AESI also is asking for punitive damages and damages for those tattooed with the products without receiving a legally mandated warning.

www.nbc4.tv

Human rights campaigners took to the streets of Edinburgh yesterday in the latest protest against the appearance of a band from the Chinese People's Liberation Army at the Edinburgh Military Tattoo.
Scores of campaigners, including members of the Free Tibet Campaign and the Falun Gong religious group, gathered for a rally after marching through the centre of the city.

The inclusion of the PLA in the lineup for this year's tattoo, which starts on Friday, is controversial.

The organisers say the band is very welcome and "carry musical degrees not guns". But campaigners say the PLA is part of a culture of repression and intimidation.

John Watson, programme director of Amnesty International Scotland, told yesterday's protesters: "The situation in China is appalling in terms of human rights, with thousands of people executed on the back of a legal system that's not working properly and where torture is being used as a means of extracting information from people.

"People using the internet in China are being persecuted and put into jail, people trying to form trade unions are being persecuted and put into jail.

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army are implicitly involved; it's at the heart of the Chinese system."

Mr Watson said Amnesty International had taken its concern to Brigadier Melville Jameson, chief executive and producer of this year's tattoo. Brig Jameson has said that the organisers were "100% right" to invite the PLA.

Mr Watson said they accepted that the organisers had no intention of withdrawing the PLA's invitation. He added: "But for as long as they are involved in these abuses we will speak out."

www.guardian.co.uk

PASSION-FILLED 'WOOLF,' 'SHREW' SHOW HOW LOVE CAN DEVOUR LIVES, HEARTS

The phrase ``till death do us part'' takes on distinctly ominous overtones at Shakespeare Santa Cruz this summer, where a passionate three-play anatomy of marriage is under way.

There's Tim Ocel's film-noirish take on ``The Taming of the Shrew,'' which nearly succeeds in making Kate and Petruchio's brawling seem romantic, Michael Donald Edwards' devastating tour through Edward Albee's ``Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' in which George and Martha draw blood over nightcaps, and Danny Scheie's version of ``The Tamer Tamed,'' John Fletcher's sequel to ``Shrew'' (opening later).

Make no mistake, a double bill of ``Shrew'' and ``Woolf'' makes for an intense study in matrimony -- one that strips away all the noble trappings to reveal the base truth about how money and sex can lead us astray from our hearts. But both productions also burn with the mad ecstasy of love, the way it turns reason to jelly, the way it binds people together even as it rips their insides out.

From the acting to the direction to the sets, ``Shrew'' and ``Woolf'' engage the mind and the emotions, shining light on nuances in the text. Both prove that Shakespeare Santa Cruz, after a few lackluster seasons while artistic director Paul Whitworth was on sabbatical, is back in top form.

Ocel looks at ``Shrew'' through the gauzy lens of a '40s movie, the milieu of snappy repartee, cocked hats and endless clouds of cigarette smoke.

Kate (Blaire Chandler) becomes a schoolmarmish type clad in sour looks and sensible shoes who gets swept off her feet by Petruchio (Robertson Dean), a dashing war hero with a jaw so square it's got sharp corners. If the period atmosphere shines through only in fits and spurts (it's hard to see billows of smoke in the bright outdoor light of the glen), there's no missing the sparks flying between Chandler and Dean as they trade puffs and jibes.

Their crackling sexual chemistry goes a long way toward making the plot feel less offensive. After all, Petruchio ``woos'' Kate by cutting off her food and sleep until she lapses into a state of abject submission. If there's no sugarcoating the degrading overtones in Kate's final speech to modern ears, take heart that Petruchio gets his comeuppance in ``Tamer'' (which will feature the same cast).

The battle of the sexes gets fought on much more even terms in ``Woolf.'' Albee takes us inside the shabby early '60s abode of George (Whitworth), a broken-down history professor who can't climb the tenure ladder, and his terminally disappointed wife, Martha (Kate Skinner), as they host a ritual sacrifice thinly veiled as a late-night cocktail party. She taunts. He snipes. They bait each other and their hapless guests, Nick (Coleman Zeigen) and Honey (Vicki Van Tassel), in a deeply disturbing dissection of married life.

The playwright lays bares every institution he can get his hands on, from academia and science to parenthood, in a play that's as emotionally harrowing as ever. Edwards has assembled a pitch-perfect cast that captures every exchange of wit, lies and bile in all its perverse glory.

Whitworth, with his lightly venomous touch, seems born to play George, a troubled soul ill-equipped to compete in a system that preys on the sensitive and the weak, and Skinner delivers a titanic performance as the ravenous Martha. Stifled by a society that left no outlet for her ambition, she pinned all her hopes on her husband and then loathed him for it.

Their macabre mind games resonate with myriad shades of intimacy. Husband and wife circle each other like tigers, but their ferocity is tinged with tenderness as well as blood lust. That mingled sense of love and hate casts the show's comic thrust into high relief and lends the ending a nearly optimistic air.

Only one note rings false in this staging (a co-production with Syracuse Stage): Scott Bradley's kitschy red, white and blue set. It spells out the play's political point -- that our democracy is built on its own illusions -- a bit too obviously. But that's a quibble in a show where every performance slices past the bone into the marrow.

www.mercurynews.com

AROUND 120 protesters opposed to the appearance of a band from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at this year’s Edinburgh Military Tattoo took to the streets of Scotland’s capital yesterday.

Human rights activists and members of the Free Tibet Campaign marched from the Tattoo offices on Edinburgh’s Market Street and along Princes Street before gathering for rally at West Princes Street Gardens.

During the peaceful march activists distributed leaflets to the public on China’s history of human rights abuses.

John Watson, programme director of Amnesty International Scotland, told the rally: "The situation in China is appalling in terms of human rights with thousands of people executed on the back of a legal system that’s not working properly and where torture is being used as a means of extracting information from people.

"The Chinese People’s Liberation Army are implicitly involved, it’s at the heart of the Chinese system that’s bringing this about."

Mr Watson said Amnesty International had taken its concerns to Brigadier Melville Jameson, chief executive and producer of this year’s Tattoo, which kicks off on Friday. Brigadier Jameson has said the organisers were "100 per cent right" to invite the PLA.

Mr Watson said: "[Brigadier Jameson] says that the PLA are charming people and that the events at Tiananmen Square are in the past and things have changed."

He added: "It’s clear the PLA are still going to take part in this Tattoo, but for as long as they are involved in these abuses we will speak out against it."

Another speaker, Ze Xia, whose cousin was shot dead in Tiananmen Square, said: "I feel sorry for the PLA soldiers, they are victims of [former Chinese president] Jiang Zemin’s crimes because they have been cheated and used against their own will to kill innocent people."

Annalie Haywood, of Glasgow’s Friends of Tibet and the march’s organiser read to the crowd messages of support from Mike Pringle MSP and Chris Ballance MSP, both members of the cross-party group for Tibet.

Anne Callaghan, campaign manager of the Free Tibet Campaign, said the fight for justice in China would continue throughout the Tattoo, which is expected to be attended by 220,000 people and will run until 28 August.

More than 500 million people are expected to watch the spectacle on television.

thescotsman.scotsman.com

A protest against the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China taking part in the Edinburgh Military Tattoo has been held in the capital.

About 120 human rights activists, members of the Free Tibet Campaign and supporters of the banned Falun Gong religious group took part.

They claim the PLA is responsible for persecution, oppression, torture and killing in China and Tibet.

Tattoo organisers have defended their decision to invite the PLA band.


Turn a blind eye

Brigadier Melville Jameson, chief executive and producer of this year's Tattoo, said they were "100% right" to invite the band.

He described the soldiers as "charming" people who "carry musical degrees not guns".

During Sunday's march, from the Tattoo offices on Market Street and along Princes Street, activists distributed leaflets to passing locals and tourists.

They told of the invasion and illegal annexation of Tibet and the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 in which students demonstrating against corruption were "brutally crushed" by the PLA.

Protesters also claim persecution against practitioners of Falun Gong, described as "a traditional school of self-cultivation based on truthfulness, compassion and tolerance".

John Watson, programme director of Amnesty International Scotland said: "The situation in China is appalling in terms of human rights with thousands of people executed on the back of a legal system that's not working properly and where torture is being used as a means of extracting information from people.


Tattoo organisers said they were "100% right" to invite the band

"The Chinese People's Liberation Army are implicitly involved, it's at the heart of the Chinese system that's bringing this about."

Speaking at a rally in West Princes Street Gardens, Ze Xia, whose cousin was shot dead in Tiananmen Square, said she felt lucky to no longer be living in China.



She said: "Other people in China can't speak out about human rights abuses which are happening in China. The story of my cousin is heartbreaking, but it's important to speak out and tell the truth.

"Dear friends, so far we don't know how many people were killed in that massacre.

Focal point

"I feel really sorry for the PLA soldiers, they are victims of (former president ) Jiang Zemin's crimes because they have been cheated and used against their own will to kill innocent people.

"I believe that the only way we can have the truth of the Tiananmen Square massacre revealed is if we all speak out to expose Jiang Zemin and bring him to justice."



The Edinburgh Military Tattoo, a focal point of the festival season, begins on 6 August and runs until 28 August.

A record breaking 220,000 are expected attend the Tattoo and more than 500 million people to watch it on television.

news.bbc.co.uk

(AP) _ The First District Health Unit in western North Dakota has adopted new regulations for body piercing in the seven-county district.

The board voted to require people who do body piercings to be licensed and follow a new health code.

Previously, body piercers had no licensing requirements.

The new code also applies to tattoo artists, who were licensed under a different code.

The district includes Burke, Renville, Bottineau, Ward, McHenry, McLean and Sheridan counties.

www.kxmc.com

Scores of people took to the streets of Scotland’s capital today to protest against the appearance of a band from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) at this year’s Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Around 120 human rights activists and members of the Free Tibet Campaign marched from the Tattoo offices on Edinburgh’s Market Street and along Princes Street before gathering for rally at West Princes Street Gardens.

Accompanied by a lone piper, drummers and percussionists, amid a high police presence, the throng of men, women and children of all ages and races waved banners with messages such as: “PLA, toot for human rights abuses in China”; “Stop the injustice, Stop the PLA”; “Scotland’s kids say free Tibet”; and “People’s Liberation Army, 18 million victims.”

Speaking at a rally in the midst of a merry-go-round and ice cream stalls, John Watson, programme director of Amnesty International Scotland said: “The situation in China is appalling in terms of human rights with thousands of people executed on the back of a legal system that’s not working properly and where torture is being used as a means of extracting information from people.

“People using the internet in China are being persecuted and put into jail, people trying form trade unions are being persecuted and put into jail.

“The Chinese People’s Liberation Army are implicitly involved, it’s at the heart of the Chinese system that’s bringing this about.”

Mr Watson said Amnesty International had taken its concerns to Brigadier Melville Jameson, chief executive and producer of this year’s Tattoo, which starts on Friday. Brigadier Jameson claimed this week the organisers were “100% right” to invite the PLA.

However the director conceded Mr Jameson was “not a man for turning”.

“He says that the PLA are charming people and that the events that Tiananmen Square are in the past and things have changed,” Mr Watson said.

“Let’s make our response clear – the charming people that he’s talking about are in the good books of the Chinese government, he should be careful about who he wants to be friends with.

“And Tiananmen Square is not history, it was not a one off incident, it was a particularly brutal incident, but it still goes on, this is living history and the PLA is still involved with it.

“It’s clear the PLA are still going to take part in this Tattoo, but for as long as they are involved in these abuses we will speak out against it.”

news.scotsman.com

Robert Alarcon, co-owner of Trails West Lounge, has opened a tattoo parlor in the old Pizza Hut building on East Tucumcari Boulevard.

Alarcon is the principal tattoo artist, but he has several assistants with years of combined tattooing experience. Alarcon said he has been tattooing for about three years.
“I’ve been drawing ever since I was a little kid. I started out copying illustrations in comic books and magazines like Mad Magazine,” said Alarcon. “About three years ago my wife said she wanted a tattoo but said she would only let me do the tattoo, so I went out and bought a tattoo gun.”
Since opening the business July 20, Alarcon said he and his assistants have tattooed around 25 people, both male and female. “We’ve tattooed more women than men,” said Alarcon, “and parents have even signed for their teenaged children to get tattoos. No one under 16 may get a tattoo, but parents can sign for their 16 and 17-year-olds.”

Alarcon said he ensures that all his tattoo equipment is kept sterile. “We have an autoclave that sterilizes the ink tubes and all needles are sterile and disposed of immediately after use,” he said. “We also make sure that people know how to take care of their new tattoos.” Rachel Garcia came into Outlaw Tattoo Thursday morning to get a chain of flowers tattooed around her ankle. Garcia, a grandmother, said a tattoo represents a new life for herself. “Five years ago my husband was killed in the line of duty as a corrections officer,” said Garcia. “I thought that getting a tattoo would represent a new start in life. I chose to get a flower design because I think flowers represent my femininity.”

Gwendolyn Benavidez, a mother of two also stopped by Outlaw Tattoo to watch the tattooing process. She said she was considering getting a small Star of David tattooed on the back of her neck. The Star of David represents Christianity and Judaism,” said Benavidez. “If the bible is right and a big end of the world battle takes place, I would like everybody to know which side I’m on.” Alarcon said the process of tattooing may sting a little, but it is not too painful.
“Actually the tattooing process is a little euphoric,” he said. “That’s why I think people often get more than one tattoo. They are kind of addicted to it. I have tattoos myself on my arms, legs and back.”

Alarcon said he thinks the popularity of tattoos will not wane.
“They are as popular as ever,” he said. “I don’t think they will ever go out of style. It is an ancient custom dating back to primitive man.” Alarcon said he and his assistants are capable of tattooing any type of design, and that they encourage people to come to them with a design concept and they will reproduce it to the customer’s satisfaction.
“Right now, contemporary ‘tribal’ designs are popular,’ said Alarcon, “but we can do anything. Our prices start at $40.”
Outlaw Tattoo also sells biker apparel and accessories.
The new business, Outlaw Tattoo, is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and by appointment on weekends.

www.qcsunonline.com

CLIFTON SPRINGS — A military music show later this month in Rochester will honor local soldiers killed in Iraq, including Sgt. Heath McMillin.

McMillin, a 1993 Midlakes graduate, was patrolling south of Baghdad on July 27, 2003, when he and other members of the 105th Military Police Co. were attacked with rocket-

propelled grenades and small arms. McMillin was killed and three other U.S. soldiers were wounded.

“He served his country honorably and he died a hero, and we honor his memory and the memories of all the fallen soldiers,” said Richard VanHorne of Clifton Springs, a retired Marine colonel.

VanHorne will be the saluting officer and master of ceremonies at the Rochester International Marine Tattoo; part of his role will be to salute the show’s guest of honor — Marine Brig. Gen. Kevin M. Sandkuhler — and a gallery of the fallen soldiers’ families.

There will be two performances — 7:30 p.m. Aug. 14 and 2 p.m. Aug. 15 in the Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial.

Tattoos stem from the 17th-century British military practice of sending horsemen to taverns in the European lowlands to bring soldiers back to their billets. The detachment’s commander would shout the Flemish phrase, “Doe den tap toe,” meaning “turn off your taps,” into taverns. Tavern owners would comply and shoo the soldiers into the street, where the men would march home to military music.

“The only way to get the soldiers in the street to march back to their barracks was to have the innkeepers turn off their taps,” VanHorne said.

Now elaborate military shows, tattoos are held in Norfolk, Va.; Hamilton, Ontario; Halifax, Nova Scotia; and Edinborough, Scotland, among other places. The show was held in Rochester in 2000 and 2001, and prevented in 2002 by renovations to the facility, and in 2003 by some bands not being available because of the war in Iraq.

This year’s show will feature six marching bands, including the 2nd Marine Division Band, the Army’s 10th Mountain Division Band, the Continental Army Band, and the Royal British Legion Band from Romford, England; five pipe bands; and eight color guards, including the Doughboys from Geneva’s Winnek American Legion Post 396.

Doughboys bugler Jack Hart, of 55 Tremont St., Geneva, called the tattoo a great event.

“You don’t [otherwise] have an opportunity to see all these massed bands and pipe outfits at once; it’s a tremendous opportunity,” Hart said. “I can’t describe the feeling when all those pipers and bands fill the floor of the War Memorial and all play the same music.”

Hart is glad the show will honor fallen soldiers and their families, saying that Americans should do everything they can to show their appreciation for all service people and the sacrifices they are making.

“Whether we do it on a local level or a state level or a national level doesn’t matter. It only matters that we do it,” he said. “[The show is] very patriotic. At this time in our lives and the situation we’re in, I think we really need something like this to remind us about our patriotism.”

Other performers will include the U.S. Army Drill Team, dancers from Young School of Irish Dance and from Highland Dancers, Irondequoit Chorale, and Gymnastics Training Center of Rochester.

www.fltimes.com

For 10 years, Kristi Doe's left shoulder has been home to a skull wearing a top hat, clenching a flower in its teeth.

Getting rid of it, Doe said, will be a supreme relief.



"I'm tired of seeing people's faces when they notice it," she said. "So many people have told me it does not belong on me at all."

Doe, a Lansing resident and assistant office manager for Lansing's Gypsum Supply Central, a provider of building materials, was the top vote-getter in the Lansing State Journal's Tattoo Tales contest.

As such, she'll get her tattoo removed free of charge by Dr. Greg Shannon of Haslett. He specializes in cosmetic medicine and hair restoration.

Responding to a column about my own close call with a bad body-art decision when I was a 19-year-old sailor, he offered a free tattoo removal (a $600 procedure) to the person making the most compelling case of regret.

Big turnout

State Journal readers voted via an Internet poll. The results:

A total of 3,391 votes were logged during the 60-hour voting period that ended Wednesday at noon. Doe got 1,120 votes, nearly one-third of the total.

Here's what she wrote:

"Once upon a time, a 16-year-old girl was trying to make a statement, and instead made a mistake that would scar her for the rest of her life.

"She thought she would show everyone - mostly her parents - that she called the shots and got a tattoo of a skull with a top hat and a flower in its mouth on her left shoulder (it's really bad).

"That 16-year-old girl was me 10 years ago, and now that I'm all grown up, with a 3-year-old daughter of my own, I deeply regret my choice. Now that I am a parent myself, I realized that all my parents ever really wanted was the best for me.

"I would give anything to have my tattoo removed."

And, removed it shall be.

Doe has an appointment with Shannon next month.

Tales of regret

Of the 17 candidates who told their stories of remorse, three others received vote tallies in the hundreds. They were:


Matt Blythe of Lansing, who got 905 votes:

When he was a helicopter mechanic, Blythe couldn't wear jewelry of any kind. So he had a wedding ring tattooed on his finger.

Fourteen days before his 10th wedding anniversary, Blythe got divorced.

"Now I regret my tattoo every day," he wrote.


Rachod Mildton of Lansing, who got 560 votes:

At age 21, Mildton had a devil's face tattooed beneath his left eye.

Mildton, now 27, wrote:

"I was a different person back then .... I was with the wrong crowd, abusing alcohol and hanging out in the streets.

"I have to be a positive role model for my daughters. ... The tattoo is not a representation of the person I am now."


Nic Spoors of East Lansing, who got 393 votes:

Spoors, 20, wrote that his lifelong dream of joining the U.S. Navy had been blown out of the water by two tattoos on his forearm.

It seems the new Navy frowns on tattoos - at least for those just coming aboard.

"When I turned 18 and made the hasty decision to get them, I had no idea they would prevent me from enlisting," Spoors wrote. "Please help me; I would give anything to serve."

www.lsj.com

A MAN who unzipped his trousers and showed off his "intimate body piercing" to a teenage girl did not commit a sexual offence, a judge ruled yesterday.

Richard Bloxham, 35, was said to have kissed the girl on the cheek in a night club where he was a bouncer before taking her to an office and locking the door, where he revealed his silver ring and ball adornment.

He asked her: "Don't you think this is ace?"

But Judge Michael Pert QC halted the trial and told the jury at Nottingham crown court to find him not guilty of indecent assault.

He said: "A kiss on the cheek does not amount to indecent assault, no matter how disgusting the evidence that followed it."

Bloxham, said to be of previous "excellent character", admitted an alternative charge of common assault and was fined £250.

www.mirror.co.uk

TAKE the Tattoo away from Edinburgh and you could, in some respects, wipe the city off the map in August.

For it’s not the concurrent festivals that have visitors piling into the Capital at this time. They don’t automatically sell out year in, year out.

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo is perennially the hottest ticket in town in the summer months and the man in the hot seat, the man the public never see up there on the Esplanade, is its chief executive and producer Brigadier Melville Stewart Jameson.

Essentially he is a showman. But with last year’s turnover of ?4.2 million about to be exceeded this year, business remains at the front of his mind. This is his tenth year as chief executive and producer and while this is the Tattoo’s sixth successive sell-out season he and his team still have to stay very much on the ball. They are not at all triumphalist.

Complacency simply doesn’t feature in the vocabulary at their Market Street headquarters overlooking Waverley Station.

A head-to-toe soldierly sort, the blazered brigadier - a retired Army officer - told me when I walked into his office that he had given up smoking. But perhaps the stress of the forthcoming extravaganza was getting to him. He was back on to his favourite cigars. Mind you, his abstinence had lasted but a fortnight. Figures littered his desk and while he is by no means complacent, he exudes confidence.

"In 1950, the Tattoo’s total income was ?16,508. Expenditure was ?13,332, leaving a ?3000 surplus. Half of that went to the Festival which had started only three years previously," Brigadier Jameson explains.

He says that while the Tattoo operation has to be run as a commercial organisation, it is in fact a charity.

"The Tattoo from its inception has been supporting the Edinburgh International Festival of Music and Drama and specific branches of the military. Our charter makes that clear. Every December our board of directors decide where our cash surplus is going," he says.

"Turnover in 1995 was ?2.5m but in the same breath I must add that the reason the business side [of the event] had done so well, and why we’ve been able to enhance it these past ten years, is that Major Brian Leishman, who was for a long time the Tattoo’s business manager, left us with such a slick operation.

"If the Royal Tournament, for many years a sell-out attraction in London, had had a Brian Leishman, possibly it would never have had to close."

While lavishing praise on the major, Brigadier Jameson says the most important legacy he left behind was "an impressive set of figures" on the event’s balance sheet.

The brigadier can’t seem to stress the Tattoo’s charitable function strongly enough. He says: "We are a multi-million pound business that is, uniquely, a charitable event with all ‘profits’ going to various services appeals and other charities.

"We raised ?400,000 for charity last year and in the last four years we’ve given ?1m overall. We shouldn’t, and cannot, omit the Tattoo’s involvement with television. It boasts the largest international TV audience for any UK musical show, and without a helping hand. The TV broadcasts get no arts grant or subsidy from local government."

However, underpinning the Tattoo is sponsorship. "We do rely heavily on sponsorship," Brigadier Jameson states.

This year, the event’s main sponsors come in the shape of the Royal Bank of Scotland - Scotland’s biggest company. He also says that Tattoo-associated merchandise figures "prominently in our accounts".

"We have a slick team in this department, bringing in considerable revenue from various audiovisual products and Tattoo souvenirs. Our television audience is positively staggering. The first screening in the UK (on September 7 this year) draws an audience of around six million, with 100 million tuning in from the rest of the world."

This year the Chinese People’s Liberation Army will appear at the Tattoo, much to the anger of protesters who allege links with human rights violations. The brigadier has staunchly defended the invitation.

And Brigadier Jameson says China’s first appearance on the Esplanade could lead to around 500 million additional viewers in the world’s most populous country tuning in to this year’s Tattoo. "That’s truly astonishing, most people will agree," he adds.

Another figure providing satisfaction is the ?88m that the Tattoo generates for the Scottish economy - "?55m for Edinburgh, ?33m for Scotland outwith the Capital," explains Brigadier Jameson.

The price of the hottest ticket, he maintains, is far from prohibitive.

"This year we had seats at ?9.50 but generally our customers paid ?15 or ?17. For the pick of the seats, those at the bottom of the Esplanade, facing the Castle, paid ?27 or ?30," he says.

"Our ticket prices evidently haven’t been deemed to be over the top. The fact is we are hitting the sell-out stage earlier and earlier. We were sold out this time five weeks before our opening night on August 6.

"Frenetic activity at the box office used to be around July and August, now it’s in January and February, spurred by the gigantic demand through the internet."

The Tattoo box office opened on December 1 last year and by Christmas "we had sold 49 per cent of our 217,000 capacity", says Brigadier Jameson proudly. By the end of January, it was 71 per cent.

And he adds: "Beginning each year with virtually blank balance sheets, we like to think, makes us an outdoor entertainment phenomenon, not only in showbusiness terms but in the commercial world, too."

Brigadier Jameson joined the Army 34 years ago, a product of Glenalmond and Sandhurst. He served from day one with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and, demobbed in 1997, he remains honorary colonel of the regiment. He recalls how he got the job overseeing the Tattoo. "I was commanding the Highland Brigade when I took a phone call just before Christmas from General Mike Scott, who was then in charge of the Army in Scotland and governor of the Castle.

"‘We would like you to be the next producer of the Tattoo’, he said. ‘Would you mind?’ In good old Army tradition, one assumed that was an order."

The width of the world is no problem for the brigadier. In his annual quest for new acts for the Esplanade his round-trip spanned 39,000 miles.

On his return to Edinburgh in March he said: "Talking business in eight countries and logging 150 hours of flying time has not softened my brain or weakened my resolve."

He was referring to the flak he’d had for inviting China to participate in this year’s event. "I can appreciate where the Free Tibet faction is coming from," he added at the time. "But the Tattoo will carry on as it has done for 54 years. The Chinese students on the Esplanade will be carrying musical instruments, not guns. Instead of guns they’ve got degrees."

A businessman with 217,000 customers can do without the hassle. Wearing his business hat, and with sell-outs seemingly guaranteed in the foreseeable future, where can he go from here?

"New Zealand. We sold out four nights of our ‘touring Tattoo’ there to 85,000 people in Wellington in 2000 and we’ve been invited back," he says.

"And Australia. We’ll be doing six nights in Sydney next in February. The Australians, of course, see us on TV every year but, like the New Zealanders, they like to get as close to us as possible in the flesh, so to speak.

"Financially these far-flung trips are well worthwhile to us. And, like I always say, it’s great to fly the flag."

news.scotsman.com

Justin Hawkins, lead singer with rock band The Darkness, punished himself for cheating on his girlfriend by having his penis pierced.

According to the Sun today, Justin did the dirty on his manager and long-term lover Sue Whitehouse last Christmas. To teach himself a lesson, the 28-year-old decided to put himself through an eye-watering "Prince Albert" operation - so named after Queen Victoria's husband sung the praises of penis piercings.

"Whenever I have a down I always put a piercing in to mark it," the singer told the newspaper. "I was miserable when I had my nipple done. And I was even more miserable when I had my c**k done. Me and Sue split up. I didn’t like myself much. I thought, what’s the most painful place to have a piercing? I’ve taken it out now."

Justin is now back together with his grilfriend.

www.digitalspy.co.uk

SANTA ANA, Calif. — George Reiger Jr. claims to be Disney's No. 1 fan.
If you want to challenge him, you'll have to beat this: 1,643 tattoos of Disney characters from the base of his neck to the tops of his toes; a 4,200-square-foot house in Bethlehem, Pa., with 19,000 Disney collector pieces, and six honeymoons at Walt Disney World in Florida.



When he finally leaves it all behind, his will calls for his ashes to be spread in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Nothing is more important than Disney, says Reiger, who was in Anaheim last week for the National Fantasy Fan Club convention, a gathering of Disney collectors.

"My love for Disney comes first; that's why I've been through so many wives," he said. "Both my daughters (ages 18 and 25) have moved out, too. They got tired of everything Disney."

Like the Mickey Mouse waffle iron, Mickey Mouse teapot and cookie jar, and the Little Mermaid-themed bathroom.

Reiger strolled the convention rooms in shorts and a tank top, showing off his tattoos. There were 300 a decade ago, and his goal was 500. He keeps squeezing them in, adding 47 Disney rides, 111 cast members and 13 hidden Mickeys to the characters.

Monstro, the whale from Pinocchio, yawns across his belly. Beauty and the Beast dance on his left shoulder. Alice in Wonderland fills his upper arm, surrounded by menacing playing cards. On his back you can count 101 Dalmatians, plus two.

On his forearm is Reiger's first and favorite, the one he received at 18 — Mickey Mouse as the apprentice in the film "Fantasia."

There are 28 more in places "only wives can see."

Each tattoo is drawn by Sam Snyder of Easton, Pa. It's part of the deal Reiger made with Disney to wear the copyright characters on his body. He also agreed not to appear in a tattoo magazine or to make money off his display.

Reiger admits that it's odd for a 50-year-old man to be obsessed with characters created for children. But he says the magic created by Walt Disney filled the voids of his childhood. He grew up with his grandmother and Disney television shows. He visited his first theme park, Disneyland, at age 8.

"Disney raised me," he said. "It's my family."

He has visited theme parks on three continents, including Walt Disney World 379 times, and figures he pours $50,000 a year — most of what he makes as a postal maintenance worker and magician — into company cash registers.

seattletimes.nwsource.com

NEW YORK -- Paris Hilton and Nick Carter have permanent reminders of each other after getting tattoos together three weeks before their July 22 breakup.



Backstreet Boy Nick Carter, 24, got "Paris" tattooed on his wrist, People magazine reports. Carter says he's has no regrets about the untimely ink "because I love her. She'll have a place in my heart, always."

He wouldn't say what Hilton had tattooed.

Hilton, 23, told Us Weekly she decided to end the relationship while having her makeup done at a photo shoot - but only after getting her psychic's opinion.

"She thought I should be alone, and I agreed with her," the hotel heiress-reality TV star said.

Hilton flatly denied rumors of her infidelity: "I'm a faithful girlfriend. I never cheat."

Carter sounded less certain. "Our relationship was based on distrust. She didn't trust me. I didn't trust her."

On Thursday, Hilton was photographed with what appeared to be cuts and bruises on her arm and face as she passed through the Los Angeles airport. Hilton spokeswoman Tracy Schaeffer would not comment.

seattlepi.nwsource.com

Mike Tyson has one on his face, Britney Spears has six from head to toe and Bay State college students are following suit with tattoos of every kind on nearly every body part, a new study shows.



A University of Massachusetts survey has found that tattooing has reached a feverish pace among the UMass student body, with nearly 20 percent of students at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst reporting at least one tattoo.

``Tattoos are mainstream now,'' said Chris DeBarge, an artist at Xtreme Tattoos in Quincy. ``I get professional types, soccer moms, young girls - it's not just bikers and sailors anymore.''

Bay State tattooists say the trade has exploded in the three years since its legalization in Massachusetts, even as some parlor owners have faced resistance from communities wishing to keep them out of town.

The trend is driven by sports figures and A-list celebrities who have tattoos and body piercings on prominent display. It's gotten to the point where a tattooless body has become hard to find in Hollywood, even among the Academy Award-winning crowd.

Julia Roberts is tattooed on her shoulder and lower back, Halle Berry has one on her butt and Nicholas Cage has a tattoo with a lizard wearing a top hat on his upper back, according to the Web site vanishingtattoos.com. The Web site says model and hotel heiress Paris Hilton has Backstreet Boy Nick Carter's name on her buttocks.

``It's become more socially acceptable,'' said Shannon Heath, who does body piercings at Pins & Needles Tattoos and Body Piercings in Brockton. ``People aren't so shocked about it anymore. It's a unique way to express yourself.''

The UMass study found that 35 percent of female students have pierced a part of their body other than their ear, most often their navels. Of those who got a tattoo, just under half said they wanted to commemorate a friendship, relationship or other life event, with men more likely to cite that reason.

news.bostonherald.com

A schoolboy was left in agony by a holiday henna tattoo.

Leif Coffield, eight, had a three-inch dragon tattooed on his right arm as a treat while on a family holiday in Spain.

But within a day, he complained to his parents Alyson, 33, and Anthony, 34, that it was burning and had become painful and extremely itchy.

They managed to wash off the tattoo after a couple of days, but Leif's arm was left with an angry red mark in the shape of the dragon.

Alyson, from East Kilbride, warned other parents to think twice before letting their children get henna tattoos.

She said: "I wish we had never let him get the tattoo.

"All parents should take a warning from this that a seemingly innocent and harmless tattoo can go badly wrong.

"It was meant to be a bit of fun. We just hope the mark will fade over time."

The drama began on the last day of the family's fortnight on holiday in Torreveija, Spain.

The couple allowed their son to have the tattoo done by a street artist after he pleaded with them throughout the holiday.

But Leif took an allergic reaction to the henna dye in the tattoo.

When the family returned home the next day, he had to be rushed to his GP where he was given antibiotics and anti-histamine pills.

Alyson said: "I had to get stronger antibiotics for Leif and they're only now beginning to alleviate the pain."

She said Leif, who attends St Louise Primary School in East Kilbride was upset by the incident, but had been very brave.

She added: "The mark was ugly and red and we could see it hurt a lot."

Alyson said other parents should think twice before spending around 13 euros on the tattoos, which are painted using liquid from dried henna leaves and normally last for up to two weeks.

www.eveningtimes.co.uk

Experts say it’s best to wait until child can take care of earrings themselves

For many young girls, getting their ears pierced is an important and breathlessly anticipated rite of passage.

Others get their ears pierced when they are so young that they don’t even remember it.

Take Carolina Pantaleo.

The new Palm Desert resident and mother of two got her ears pierced when she was a baby.

"It’s a cultural thing in Mexico," she explained. "All the little girls have their ears pierced."

"You get out of the hospital with earrings," she added, pulling on both of her earlobes.

In fact, she had the ears of both of her small daughters pierced when they were babies.

"I have ladybugs right now," said her 7-year-old daughter, Marianna, pulling back her shoulder-length dark hair to show off the tiny earrings.

"Now that she’s older, she wants to get different kinds of earrings," Pantaleo said. "We’re going to Claire’s right now."

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, there is little risk to piercing the ears of children of any age, as long as the piercing is carefully performed and then cared for afterward.

However, the academy also generally recommends waiting until the child is mature enough to care for the piercings by herself.

Many parents arrange for a doctor or nurse to pierce their children’s ears, but it’s also very common to go to a jewelry shop that specializes in piercing.

At the Piercing Pagoda at Westfield Shoppingtown Palm Desert, parents must accompany children under age 18 and sign a waiver, giving permission for the piercing.

Manager Vanessa Rios noted that the form is also designed to inform parents about the necessary care for the newly pierced ears.

Many of her customers are around 10 or 11 years old, Rios said.

Pantaleo said many of Marianna’s friends are starting to get their ears pierced, at age 7.

"They get them as a special birthday treat," she said.

But Rios said that her shop also pierces the ears of lots of babies. She can pierce the ears of babies as young as 2 months, after they’ve had their first round of immunizations.

"That’s just in case they were to get an infection, they could fight it off," she said.

Rios had her daughter’s ears pierced when she was about 3 months old.

"It’s exactly like a shot," she said. "My daughter reacted exactly like she did when she got a shot. She cried, and then the minute we picked her up, she was fine."

Pantaleo agreed. She had a second set of holes pierced in her own ears at the same time that she had her younger daughter Isabella’s ears pierced.

"It was like a shot," she said. "It only hurt for a second."

In general, piercing practitioners agree that 14-karat gold earrings are the best kind to start out with. Cheaper earrings that are gold-plated or made of stainless steel are available, but people with nickle allergies should stick with gold.

"The gold seems to hold up better," Rios added. "It’s a little more hypoallergenic than the stainless."

Like many parents, Rios chose for her daughter a tiny pair of gold earrings, although she went with a pair set with sparkly pink alexandrites in honor of her daughter’s June birthday.

"Moms tend to choose the birthstones," she said of her customers. "They like to go with the kids’ birthstones."

www.thedesertsun.com

A TEN-YEAR-OLD girl faces being scarred for life by a temporary tattoo she received on a foreign holiday.



Chelsea Lowden, from Musselburgh, had the black henna tattoo painted on her lower back on the Greek island of Zante last week.

Within a couple of hours, the dye disappeared and painful red, swollen blisters appeared in the shape of the design.

Chelsea’s mother, Susan, 35, rushed her to the doctor as soon as they arrived home in Scotland last night.

"I had an emergency appointment with the nurse, but as soon as she saw Chelsea, she sent us straight in to the doctor," said Ms Lowden, who lives on Stoneyhill Road.

"The GP said she might always have a scar there in the shape of the tattoo.

"She’s given her some tablets to stop it from swelling any more, but if it doesn’t go down soon, we have to go back to the doctor’s again."

Chelsea, a pupil at Stoneyhill Primary School, was on holiday with her mum, 15-year-old sister Danielle and best friend Abbey Godsell, also ten.

She decided to have the tattoo, which cost ?6, done on Thursday, four days after arriving at the resort. But hours later, what should have been harmless holiday fun turned into a painful wound.

Ms Lowden today warned other parents to stay away from holiday tattooists.

"I don’t want anyone else to go through what Chelsea has had to suffer. She’s in a lot of pain," she said.

"When I asked the tattooist what the tattoo was made of, I was just told it was just black paint mixed with water and they said nothing bad would happen."

Many he