Full Coverage: Links From All Over (Feb. 20, 2009)


[CNBC] Scandal rocked the worlds of sports, print media and soft-core pornography this week when it was revealed that Sports Illustrated digitally removed IndyCar racer Danica Patrick‘s lower-back tattoo from her photos in this year’s Swimsuit Issue. (The chilling photographic evidence is above.) When made aware of this startling injustice, Patrick’s camp issued the following response:

“Danica is aware of the edits and is comfortable with the final photos.”

What sort of high-level coercion are these Sports Illustrated fat-cats using to elicit this sort of timid, fearful response? The publication outright refused to comment on the subject, for at least a day, until CNBC’s Darren Rovell was able to squeeze the following explanation from an SI spokesperson:

“The Swimsuit Issue emphasizes natural beauty […] The freckles are left on and, in this case, the tattoos came off.”

Oh. Well, that makes sense. When you look at it that way, actually, this is a fairly historic move for the Swimsuit Issue. Indeed, the magazine’s photo editors also went ahead and Photoshopped all of the models’ breasts back to their original sizes, used only natural light, and limited their airbrushing to erasing offensive tattoos like Patrick’s. The issue has thus far sold seven copies.

[Citizens Voice] So you may have heard about the case of this cretin, this fool, Holly Crawford of Sweet Valley, Pennsylvania, who was arrested for selling what she called “Gothic Kittens.” These are just like regular kittens, except this dildo had pierced their ears, the napes of their necks, and cut off their tails and pierced the remaining nubs, and then attempted to make a business of selling these to … who the hell would buy these? Anyway, the case is going to court now, Crawford is facing criminal charges and, as such, more details are emerging:

“This was tying a rubber band around a cat’s tail so tight that it falls off,” said Deputy District Attorney David Pedri. “She caused the cats pain. She did this to sell them to make money.”

Crawford’s defense attorney, Demetrius Fannick, argued state law “goes on and on” about specific acts of animal cruelty, but nothing about piercing cats and docking their tails.

Prosecutors said a part of the cruelty included Crawford tying rubber bands around the tails of the cats so they would fall off. She’d then pierce the nub.

“There’s nothing in the statute that expressly says you can’t pierce your cat’s ears or necks, or even crop their tails,” Fannick said. “It’s a case that you will be for or against as an animal owner. Let the legislature say you can’t pierce or tattoo your animal, and it will be different.”

Magisterial District Judge Paul Hadzick said the case was a gray area in the law and predicted it might one day cause for a clarification in the law. At the very least, he said it’s a case that should be decided by a jury or a higher judge.

“I don’t think that the decision is for me to be made here,” Hadzick said.

While it’s probably true that this is fundamentally not all that different from pet owners who clip their pets’ ears and tails, this just seems particularly idiotic to me for some reason — probably the winning combination of animal abuse with the hoary old “piercings are goth!” chestnut.

[Scripps News] Good news, tattoo artists, the recession is over! For you, at least! The anecdotal evidence is in and has decisively shown that people would rather get tattooed than eat or give their children medicine.

“My question is ‘What recession’?” said Kate Hellenbrand, a tattoo artist for the past 38 years. “Every day, new clients are being born. The media promotes the industry. There are ads everywhere and sports heroes, rock n’ roll stars and models all have tattoos.”

While this may be true, it may also be a touch skewed coming from one of the most famous tattoo artists in the world, but nonetheless. The article goes on:

Sergio Reynoso of Salt Lake Tattootland was one of the few vendors who said the recession has hurt his business. Since about 80 percent of clients are Latinos, many experiencing trouble finding a job in a down construction industry, he has noticed a drop in business. He has, however, been doing a good business lately repairing or sprucing up bad tattoos done on the street by less qualified artists.

I’m not so P.C. that I’m going to act terribly offended by the implication all Latinos seem to be in the construction industry, but holy crap is this poorly written. Anyway, let’s bring it on home:

Even in Seattle — where thousands have been laid off in recent months — tattoo art is a shelter in the storm. Seattle tattoo artist April Cornell keeps quite busy.

“If you weren’t watching the news, you would not know there was a recession,” she said.

Artist Vinnie Almanza of Anchorage, Alaska, said he was booked all weekend in Salt Lake and is booked through June at his home shop. “One thing people definitely don’t have a problem spending on is their ink,” he said. “It’s like an addiction.”

There you have it: A statistically meaningless sample size that likens the impulse to get tattoo work to your common booze and drug addictions, as proof that tattooing is recession-proof. I can’t wait to read several thousand more of these articles over the next 10 months, at which point I will have to sell my computer, to eat, or more likely, to get tattooed. Best recession ever!

60 thoughts on “Full Coverage: Links From All Over (Feb. 20, 2009)

  1. Oh wow, that is awful about the kittens… cats use their tails for balance, and cats that naturally do not have tails have the body structure to make up for it, so by doing that she most definitely is being cruel because she is giving an undeserving kitten a handicap, in a very back-alley-coat-hanger-abortion kind of way at that.

  2. Oh wow, that is awful about the kittens… cats use their tails for balance, and cats that naturally do not have tails have the body structure to make up for it, so by doing that she most definitely is being cruel because she is giving an undeserving kitten a handicap, in a very back-alley-coat-hanger-abortion kind of way at that.

  3. Apparently it’s not cruelty if it’s something weird enough that it isn’t explicitly described and forbidden by law. I am going to go force my cats to practice tightlacing. It is sooo not cruelty because they love to be fancy. See, Beebly is even right here clamoring for a septum piercing because she wants to be like her mama. Yesss.

  4. Apparently it’s not cruelty if it’s something weird enough that it isn’t explicitly described and forbidden by law. I am going to go force my cats to practice tightlacing. It is sooo not cruelty because they love to be fancy. See, Beebly is even right here clamoring for a septum piercing because she wants to be like her mama. Yesss.

  5. While I feel it was cruel and wrong what this woman did to those kittens, I don’t understand why most people would be so horrified when it’s generally considered acceptable to lop off half of a dog’s ears and all of it’s tail. Why is it okay to do so to one type of animal and not the other? I think it should all be outlawed.

  6. While I feel it was cruel and wrong what this woman did to those kittens, I don’t understand why most people would be so horrified when it’s generally considered acceptable to lop off half of a dog’s ears and all of it’s tail. Why is it okay to do so to one type of animal and not the other? I think it should all be outlawed.

  7. I’m opposed to ear and tail docking of dogs, but even when it’s done to dogs at least the parts are severed in one go, not by tying rubber bands around them until they become necrotic. EW.

  8. I’m opposed to ear and tail docking of dogs, but even when it’s done to dogs at least the parts are severed in one go, not by tying rubber bands around them until they become necrotic. EW.

  9. honestly i hope tattoos get to be unacceptable again its kinda cool that some people can get jobs easier with tattoos and piercings but honestly its becoming way too mainstream its not what it used to be, just my oppinion

  10. honestly i hope tattoos get to be unacceptable again its kinda cool that some people can get jobs easier with tattoos and piercings but honestly its becoming way too mainstream its not what it used to be, just my oppinion

  11. Two of my parents’ dogs have docked tails, but this was done before we got them and we had no chance to stop it. They’re very cute little stumpy things, but if I could have, I would have chosen to leave them. At least they were cut and not left to rot off though. I guess. Not quite as cruel as it could have been. (And don’t get me started on the dog who was left in a dumpster to die, with her mouth taped shut…)

  12. Two of my parents’ dogs have docked tails, but this was done before we got them and we had no chance to stop it. They’re very cute little stumpy things, but if I could have, I would have chosen to leave them. At least they were cut and not left to rot off though. I guess. Not quite as cruel as it could have been. (And don’t get me started on the dog who was left in a dumpster to die, with her mouth taped shut…)

  13. Usually tail docking is done on canines, done by a veterinarian, and done when the puppy is 2-4 days old. Its never to be done by a rubber band. Its a surgical procedure! I’d like to find this chick and rubber band her fucking fingers till they fall off. Who the hell would by a cat like that anyway, I don’t just mean the docked tails but the piercings. Isn’t the whole point of all this to express ones self? Cats don’t know piercings or tattoos. They aren’t a complex as humans, don’t feel the drive to alter their physical appearance for any reason.

    I work in as a veterinary technician and personally I hate helping with tail docks and dewclaw removals. We flat out don’t crop ears. I hope one day it stops all together.

  14. Usually tail docking is done on canines, done by a veterinarian, and done when the puppy is 2-4 days old. Its never to be done by a rubber band. Its a surgical procedure! I’d like to find this chick and rubber band her fucking fingers till they fall off. Who the hell would by a cat like that anyway, I don’t just mean the docked tails but the piercings. Isn’t the whole point of all this to express ones self? Cats don’t know piercings or tattoos. They aren’t a complex as humans, don’t feel the drive to alter their physical appearance for any reason.

    I work in as a veterinary technician and personally I hate helping with tail docks and dewclaw removals. We flat out don’t crop ears. I hope one day it stops all together.

  15. What’s so bad about dewclaw removal? My parents’ dog (one of the ones with the docked tails) had to have his removed ’cause he had extra and they were just gonna catch on something and get ripped the hell off. He’s proud of his mods, I’m sure.

  16. What’s so bad about dewclaw removal? My parents’ dog (one of the ones with the docked tails) had to have his removed ’cause he had extra and they were just gonna catch on something and get ripped the hell off. He’s proud of his mods, I’m sure.

  17. All these procedures that people do to their animals these days sicken me. Most of them are totally unneccisary, and just a dood excuse to put some extra cash in the vet’s pocket.You know you can get your dog’s vocal chords removed so he can’t bark? There are a lot of people that i would love to see get their vocal chords removed, but animals don’t deserve this shit. Think about your pets people.

  18. All these procedures that people do to their animals these days sicken me. Most of them are totally unneccisary, and just a dood excuse to put some extra cash in the vet’s pocket.You know you can get your dog’s vocal chords removed so he can’t bark? There are a lot of people that i would love to see get their vocal chords removed, but animals don’t deserve this shit. Think about your pets people.

  19. That bit about people who would rather get tattooed than eat or take medicine.. Well, I live that every day. The instant I get paychecks I don’t think ‘Hooray I can purchase groceries’, I think to myself ‘What can I afford to pierce?!’. And I usually am thoroughly pleased with my decision. Some might say my priorities are off.. I beg to differ.

  20. That bit about people who would rather get tattooed than eat or take medicine.. Well, I live that every day. The instant I get paychecks I don’t think ‘Hooray I can purchase groceries’, I think to myself ‘What can I afford to pierce?!’. And I usually am thoroughly pleased with my decision. Some might say my priorities are off.. I beg to differ.

  21. Buttons, some of us like having things go mainstream because then I don’t have to choose between working in my somewhat specialized field and keeping the changes I’ve made to my body.

  22. Buttons, some of us like having things go mainstream because then I don’t have to choose between working in my somewhat specialized field and keeping the changes I’ve made to my body.

  23. In working/hunting dogs dew claw removal is actually pretty necessary because they are likely to get ripped off in the field. Surgical removal is far more humane. Of course removing them on a dog that isn’t going to be running around in brush all the time is pointless. I really hate docking of ears and tails, they’re cosmetic procedures with the possibility of infection. Animals don’t get a choice in the matter which makes it even more important that their owners take their wellbeing into account before what looks good.

    About what happened to these cats, makes me cringe, cats need their tails and I won’t argue it wasn’t horribly cruel. However tying them off with elastics isn’t as dangerous as it sounds, it’s done to neuter farm animals all the time because it rarely gets infected.

  24. In working/hunting dogs dew claw removal is actually pretty necessary because they are likely to get ripped off in the field. Surgical removal is far more humane. Of course removing them on a dog that isn’t going to be running around in brush all the time is pointless. I really hate docking of ears and tails, they’re cosmetic procedures with the possibility of infection. Animals don’t get a choice in the matter which makes it even more important that their owners take their wellbeing into account before what looks good.

    About what happened to these cats, makes me cringe, cats need their tails and I won’t argue it wasn’t horribly cruel. However tying them off with elastics isn’t as dangerous as it sounds, it’s done to neuter farm animals all the time because it rarely gets infected.

  25. I don’t feel that modifying your animals (regardless of what kind of animal or procedure) is right, unless it is absolutely necessary and for the benefit of the animal. They don’t have a choice in the matter, nor the capacity to understand what is being done to them and such surgical procedures can drastically change an animal’s response to people in regards to certain parts of their body (such as becoming aggressive if the site of the trauma is touched, intentionally or not). Regardless of whether or not tying off the cats’ tails is not as dangerous as we think, this woman is doing this only for cosmetic reasons and to make money off of a terrible idea. More people need to understand that simply because an animal cannot vocalize their opposition or complaints does not mean it doesn’t feel them, and especially for cats, which are less likely to express that something is seriously wrong (health-wise) until it gets too serious for it to bear, unlike dogs.

  26. I don’t feel that modifying your animals (regardless of what kind of animal or procedure) is right, unless it is absolutely necessary and for the benefit of the animal. They don’t have a choice in the matter, nor the capacity to understand what is being done to them and such surgical procedures can drastically change an animal’s response to people in regards to certain parts of their body (such as becoming aggressive if the site of the trauma is touched, intentionally or not). Regardless of whether or not tying off the cats’ tails is not as dangerous as we think, this woman is doing this only for cosmetic reasons and to make money off of a terrible idea. More people need to understand that simply because an animal cannot vocalize their opposition or complaints does not mean it doesn’t feel them, and especially for cats, which are less likely to express that something is seriously wrong (health-wise) until it gets too serious for it to bear, unlike dogs.

  27. #20
    i bet you could argue all day about abortion too eh?
    fetus’s dont have a choice, but thats done all the time to.

    just think, would ya rather give your ol lady a swift kick to the gut and possibly down the stairs or rubber band her babysac

    not that anything im saying is making sense..im just bored and i took the day off of work.

  28. #20
    i bet you could argue all day about abortion too eh?
    fetus’s dont have a choice, but thats done all the time to.

    just think, would ya rather give your ol lady a swift kick to the gut and possibly down the stairs or rubber band her babysac

    not that anything im saying is making sense..im just bored and i took the day off of work.

  29. What bugs me the most about this cat piercing thing is that cats scratch themselves, run through bushes, have fights with each other – that jewellery is gonna get snagged on a billion things, it will NEVER heal, most likely just get ripped out, and what about the infection and aftercare issues! Ugh.

  30. What bugs me the most about this cat piercing thing is that cats scratch themselves, run through bushes, have fights with each other – that jewellery is gonna get snagged on a billion things, it will NEVER heal, most likely just get ripped out, and what about the infection and aftercare issues! Ugh.

  31. I never said what she did wasn’t cruelty. I was just explaining that as far as infection goes it wasn’t as dangerous as it sounds, doesn’t have to be deadly or painful to be cruel. It’s completely wrong and disgusting and the poor cats now have to learn to balance without a tail but at least the method likely wouldn’t lead to blood poisoning and death.

  32. I never said what she did wasn’t cruelty. I was just explaining that as far as infection goes it wasn’t as dangerous as it sounds, doesn’t have to be deadly or painful to be cruel. It’s completely wrong and disgusting and the poor cats now have to learn to balance without a tail but at least the method likely wouldn’t lead to blood poisoning and death.

  33. Noadi, I don’t want you to think I was being hostile. I didn’t mean to come off that way, because you make a very good point. And 21, I don’t think its fair for you to assume my position on any other issue based on what I’m expressing here, so please don’t take my opinions on the matter out of context.

  34. Noadi, I don’t want you to think I was being hostile. I didn’t mean to come off that way, because you make a very good point. And 21, I don’t think its fair for you to assume my position on any other issue based on what I’m expressing here, so please don’t take my opinions on the matter out of context.

  35. I’m pretty sure ear clipping and tail docking was made illegal in Australia, not sure about rest of the world… Obviously there is no explicit law saying you can’t pierce your animals, because the first thing that comes to my mind is who the FUCK would do that? As mentioned above, as well as the initial pain, there will obviously be ongoing complications and infection because the poor thing can’t exactly follow an aftercare routine, and is more likely to be trying is hardest to get rid of the irritation by rubbing it on everything possible. This bitch is obviously sick in the worst possible way, considering she tortured these creatures for the sole purpose of making money. I really hope they find some way to at least prevent her from ever owning an animal again.

    As for the model having the tattoo airbrushed out – good decision, its a hideous looking tattoo anyway! Not like they airbrushed off a high quality piece of custom artwork that would have boosted the public profile of tattooing, is it?

    And yup, I’m still having work done on my second sleeve, economic depression and all! I’ll just buy cheaper clothes… and not go to the dentist lol

  36. I’m pretty sure ear clipping and tail docking was made illegal in Australia, not sure about rest of the world… Obviously there is no explicit law saying you can’t pierce your animals, because the first thing that comes to my mind is who the FUCK would do that? As mentioned above, as well as the initial pain, there will obviously be ongoing complications and infection because the poor thing can’t exactly follow an aftercare routine, and is more likely to be trying is hardest to get rid of the irritation by rubbing it on everything possible. This bitch is obviously sick in the worst possible way, considering she tortured these creatures for the sole purpose of making money. I really hope they find some way to at least prevent her from ever owning an animal again.

    As for the model having the tattoo airbrushed out – good decision, its a hideous looking tattoo anyway! Not like they airbrushed off a high quality piece of custom artwork that would have boosted the public profile of tattooing, is it?

    And yup, I’m still having work done on my second sleeve, economic depression and all! I’ll just buy cheaper clothes… and not go to the dentist lol

  37. Narcissus – dogs often get dewclaws removed at a young age because they’re prone to snagging/tearing, and it’s better to remove them then have them rip out later on and cause larger problems, like infection. The issue with dewclaws is more related to cats… it requires removal of the first knuckle and it’s very painful for them and unnecessary; cats need their claws (for climbing, for defense, for properly stretching their muscles, etc.)

    What I don’t understand is, if everyone thinks this is wrong (which I totally agree with), then why is there a gallery dedicated to animal piercing/tattoos/mods on this website??

  38. Narcissus – dogs often get dewclaws removed at a young age because they’re prone to snagging/tearing, and it’s better to remove them then have them rip out later on and cause larger problems, like infection. The issue with dewclaws is more related to cats… it requires removal of the first knuckle and it’s very painful for them and unnecessary; cats need their claws (for climbing, for defense, for properly stretching their muscles, etc.)

    What I don’t understand is, if everyone thinks this is wrong (which I totally agree with), then why is there a gallery dedicated to animal piercing/tattoos/mods on this website??

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