ModBlog News of the Week: September 9th, 2011

Thanks to the holiday it’s been a short week here on ModBlog, a trend which is continuing into today’s news.  Before we begin I just want to thank all those who have been sending in news links.  The old submit link isn’t working right now, but e-mailing me directly does.  So if you find a story you think should be included in next week’s news post, just send me an e-mail.

Today’s first story was sent in by IAM:AmberLilith and comes to us from Norfolk in the UK.

An 81-year-old woman from Norfolk has had “Do Not Resuscitate” tattooed across her chest in case she falls ill and attempts are made to revive her.  Joy Tomkins had the message tattooed, along with “P.T.O.” and an arrow on her back, earlier this year.  The former magazine company secretary said she could not bear to “make beds and wash-up for another 20 years”.  Despite having a living will for about 30 years, she said the tattoo meant there was be “no excuse” for error. “The tattoo is immediate… no excuse for not knowing what I thought,” she said.

The widow said that at the age of 81 she did not have the “stamina” to enjoy all of her hobbies any more, such as playing the piano and gardening.  “I’ve had 80 good, interesting years of marriage and children and grandchildren and plenty of friends,” she said.  “I’m quite happy if I wake up in the morning, but if I don’t I’m just as happy.”  Her two children, who between them have six grandchildren, are aware of their mother’s views, but Mrs Tomkins said, “they won’t argue with me”.  Dr Anna Smajdor, a lecturer in medical ethics at the University of East Anglia’s Medical School, said she could see that Mrs Tomkins wanted to send a “very clear message” and “cover all bases” with her tattoo.

Even though she’s talking about her eventual death, it’s wonderful to hear her story about all the joy she’s found in life.  So hopefully it’ll still be a few more years before she’ll need that tattoo, but it’s good to know that no matter what, she’s going out on her terms.

There are a few more stories to come, so keep on reading.

Down in Brisbane, Australia a man finally got around to proposing to his girlfriend, without saying a word.

Glen Robinson never uttered the words “Will you marry me?”  He had the proposal tattooed on his wrists instead.  “I really wanted to do something different, or something special,” he said.

Fortunately, Glen and his girlfriend Michelle Bate, both 34, had already agreed to marry and had chosen an engagement ring.  Glen, who works for a transport company, had gone so far as to suggest the Albany Creek couple make their engagement official, without a formal proposal.  “I could tell Michelle, straight away, wasn’t too happy about that,” he said.

That evening, with the new tattoo still raw, Glen bent on one knee in the couple’s living room with a ring in his open palms.

“Michelle wasn’t feeling well that night … she was lying on the couch,” he said.  “I came home and sat down beside her on the knee and said, ‘Hopefully, this will make you feel better’.”  Michelle said, “Are you going to ask me something?”  Glen tactfully replied, “Surely you can read.”

Michelle said ‘yes’.  “I said, ‘Yes! But I don’t know what I think about that [tattoo]‘.”

I wonder where he’s going to get “I do” tattooed?

Without much of a segue, here’s an article about tattoo remorse.  I swear, this has nothing to do with the previous story.

Most fads are relatively harmless, inexpensive, and, by their very nature, short-lived. Tattoos, however, have become remarkably trendy at the same time they’re as long-lasting as purchases get. If and when you have that sweet $80 tattoo you got on a whim in college removed because it now looks silly, the procedure will wind up being far more painful (“like getting burnt with hot baking grease”) and way more expensive ($3,600!) than when you got tattooed in the first place.

The Boston Globe recently profiled a few of the many tattooed Americans who regret their decisions to go under the needle and now just wish their skin was ink-free. According to a 2008 poll, 16% of the inked suffer from “tattoo remorse,” and the number of people electing to have tattoos removed—like the number of people choosing to get tattoos, by no coincidence—has been on the rise in recent years. In 2009, there were 61,535 surgical procedures performed to remove tattoos.  That doesn’t necessarily mean 61,535 tattoos were actually removed that year. In some cases, it takes 15 or more sessions to remove a single tattoo. Each of these sessions can be an ordeal.

Of all the tattoos that can be later regretted, perhaps none is worse than the name of one’s ex.

In today’s last tattoo-related story, the New York Islanders made history last week by becoming the first major sports team to endorse a tattoo studio.

The New York Islanders have just become the first professional sports team to have an official tattoo parlor. The once storied franchise dominated the NHL in the early 1980s, winning four consecutive Stanley Cups, but it’s been all downhill ever since. The team hasn’t won a playoff round in nearly twenty years, and the city just turned down its request for tax dollars to fund a new stadium. Nassau Coliseum is widely considered the worst arena currently home to a major sports team, but on the bright side, at least now fans will be able to get tributes to Mike Bossy during intermissions.

On ten home dates next season, Tattoo Lou’s will set up a booth offering artwork and body piercings, as well as jewelry and other collectibles. Both the team and the business itself are citing the partnership as a historic boon for the ink industry.

It’s a good thing NHL teams never move cities.  Isn’t that right Quebec City?

Moving on to Fayette County in Georgia, several high school students have been charged after an incident where a 13 year old was forced to have her navel pierced.

Apparently, seventeen year old Christian Tucker, who is a student at Fayette County High School in Fayetteville, has been doing body piercing on other students during breaks at school.

A thirteen year old female student (name withheld) was game for having her naval pierced; but then changed her mind. With the assistance of two other students (who were holding her down), Tucker then proceeded with the piercing.   Tucker was arrested on the scene; and the two other students were charged later.

Tucker is being charged with battery, disruption of public school, and piercing the body of a person under the age of 18.  The school’s administrator responded when notified; and saw the attack first hand.

Detective Mike Whitlow was the reporting officer.  It was later discovered that the 13 year old had witnessed the piercing of another student (who was 18) earlier in the day in the school’s bathroom; and apparently had changed her mind.  It is not known at this time if Tucker charged students for piercings.

Here’s a tip to budding piercers, if you have to get 2 people to hold down a client who doesn’t even want the piercing, it’s best to just put the needle down and walk away.

Well, that’s it for this week’s news.  I’m going to leave you with a video that was sent to me by quite a few people.  It’s Marilyn Manson’s newest music video and features the gorgeous Miss Crash suspending.  I believe Mosh is also featured in it.  Click here to check it out (embedding was disabled).

Have a great weekend everyone.