Photo source: http://www.capohedz.com/typebrighter/

[Adam Riff] Jon over at Adam Riff, operating, as always, at full slaying power, has been following this “hot dog tattoo” trend for a little over a week now, with sexy delicious results:

A link to a tattoo of a hot dog in a leather jacket led to a tattoo of a hot dog squirting condiments on her breasts and free records for anyone who gets a tattoo of a hot dog and a comment from someone who claims to have seen a tattoo of the Black Flag logo with hot dogs in place of the bars.

So, um … anyone got some awesome hot dog tattoos to share? Or had one in mind for ages? Now’s the time, friends.

[ABC Local] Quick one here: Do you live in the Toledo, Ohio, area and have an old musical instrument kicking around? Well, bring it on by to Juki’s Tattoo and Body Piercing, who will be donating these instruments to the Imagine Madison Avenue School of Arts, and you’ll get yourself a free tattoo out of the deal. If you bring in a new, unwrapped toy, those will be donated to children in local homeless shelters, and you’ll receive half-off a new tattoo. Get to it, Toledo.

[Daily Camera] So, here’s something: Aimee Heckel over at the Daily Camera has long suffered from debilitating anxiety and panic attacks, but, a few months ago, got a cleavage surface piercing, and the anxiety ceased. She theorizes:

Several weeks later, I was at my acupuncturist. I told him about my piecing. I asked him if the rod through my chest could affect the flow of my energy, or “chi” in Eastern medicine. If sticking tiny acupuncture needles into your body can transform you, what about a more permanent puncture?

He looked at where I was pierced and smiled.

“You pieced two exact acupuncture points,” he said. “The anxiety points.”

Acupuncturists place needles there to reduce panic attacks, insomnia and anxiety. The increased blood flow and changed direction of the energy there often eliminates panic attacks, he said. I had never talked to him about my struggles with anxiety.

Which is when I realized I have not had an attack since I got the piercing.

Still haven’t.

It’s interesting, to say the very least — especially considering Heckel didn’t get the piercing with the intention of addressing her anxiety, and that that as just an after-effect that it took her a while to notice. Her article then goes on to discuss something called Ear Stapling, which is basically just a tragus piercing, I guess? But the woman who does it claims it does all sorts of magical things:

Ear stapling has been around for over 20 years and is fast becoming one of the most sought after innovative alternative methods to stop smoking, and to lose weight. A small surgical stainless steel device is strategically placed in the inner cartilage of the ear to target certain reflex points in the ear. The staples work by applying pressure to the ear reflex points, which send signals to the brain, causing endorphins to release, and communicate with your body.

[BBC] I’ve been forgetting to post this, but the BBC recently put together a documentary slideshow about tattoo culture within South African prisons, with some really stunning photography of many former inmates. This is absolutely worth your time.

[Removable Parts] Are you in Toronto? Do you like musicals? Having a lingering fascination with voluntary amputation? Well hot holy damn, Serendipity wants to give you a thundering high-five, because Removable Parts, a musical about voluntary amputation (seriously) is rolling into The Music Gallery in Toronto tomorrow night, with tickets on sale for $15. (More ticket info can be found on their Facebook page HERE.)

But what does a song about voluntary amputation sound like, you ask? Well, take a peek over at the Songs page and you can listen to .mp3s of “Fingers,” “Hands” and “Castration.” Some sample lyrics:

I understand your frustration
But for me castration
Well, it’s an evolutionary decision
I want to be more than just a breeder
I want to be a leader
And sometimes you just have to know when to quit

Why would I pass along these defective genes
They’ve caused me nothing but trouble
There comes a point when survival by any means
Is just not worth the struggle

You’ve always said that my erection
Could use a vivisection
But no one will castrate the rank and file
So I’ll have to become a pedophile
For the treatment I deserve

Sometimes, I feel like the human race will do just fine.