Happy Halloween from Tattoosday!

Here at Tattoosday, we're celebrating Halloween by posting the spookiest tattoo seen in the last month or so. Well, maybe not the spookiest, but certainly the most holiday-related tattoo:

This was offered up by Robert, who I met in Borders Penn Plaza last month. And yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, that is Frankenstein driving a Chevy (that's the stick shift he's gripping). Robert credits Adel at Addiction NYC with this tattoo.

Thanks to Robert for helping us celebrate Halloween here on Tattoosday!

Happy Halloween! Here's A Classic From SCTV

Here's wishing a happy and safe Halloween to you and yours!

Last night/early this morning I was watching a PBS begathon from Channel 12 in Philly. The show was a best of SCTV, with excerpts from that classic comedy show from Canada, presented in the late 1970's and into the 1980's. One of the clips works well into the "spirit" of the day.

Below, Joe Flaherty (Count Floyd), John Candy (Dr. Tongue), Eugene Levy (Bruno), and Catherine O'Hars (Stewardess) are featured in Dr. Tongue's 3D House of Stewardesses, the Saturday night movie on Count Floyd's Monster Chiller Horror Theater.

Ahhhh-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!

Ashlee Channels Snow White

This work in progress is on Ashlee's arm:

The tattoo features Snow White at the top of the arm, with the witch's hand proffering an apple, wrapping around the arm:

Ashlee explained that the tattoo is commenting on how superficial the world is and how the idea of Beauty was the downfall of the title character, at least until she was rescued from her poison-induced slumber.

The tattoo is the work of Eric at King Pin Tattoos in Harker Heights, Texas. Work from Kingpin appeared previously in August 2008 on Tattoosday here.

Thanks to Ashlee for sharing her work with us here on Tattoosday!

The real thing? Coke sues Pepsi over bottle shape mark

Thanks once again to the invaluable ipwars blog for bringing our attention to Coca Cola's recent lawsuit down under against Pepsico over use of a bottle with a flared base. Here's a link to the ipwars article and here is the press story it references. The picture is borrowed with thanks from MIP's fine article "How Coca Cola protects its IP in Asia", according to which they have protection in many Asian countries. Will there be worldwide litigation? The Coke bottle has long been the paradigm case for 3D marks, so this might be an ideal test case.

Those with long memories will recall that Coke's attempt to register the bottle as a UK trade mark under the 1938 Act failed (In Re Coca Cola Co. [1986] 1 WLR 693, [1986] RPC 421 (HL) - link to decision here). It had originally been registered as a design, but that expired (in the UK) in 1940, and the House of Lords clearly had public policy concerns about allowing an eternal post-expiry "monopoly" as a trade mark. (The "original" design, according to Wikipedia, was registered as US Design Patent D 48,160).

However, following the demise of the 1938 Act it is now comfortably registered as CTM 2754067. Japan's IP High Court also recently allowed the registration as a 3D mark there.

Rush Holt Gets My Vote in the New Jersey 12th

This coming Tuesday I will vote for my incumbent congressman, Rush Holt, a Democrat representing the 12th District in New Jersey. I agree with the groups and publications who have endorsed Mr. Holt for another two year term. He has served the 12th well, and is the better choice than his Republican challenger, Scott Sipprelle.

And of special note, Congressman Holt took the time to send me a personalized letter via snail-mail after I voiced my concerns about offshore oil drilling following the Deepwater Horizon disaster this past summer. Not every public servant would be so cordial and responsive, but Rush Holt has proved to be one of the good guys.

He deserves re-election. And I feel honored to have such a man of integrity representing the interests of Central New Jersey's citizens in the nation's capital.

Gov. Christie shouldn't cozy up to muckraker of 'Teachers Union Gone Wild' | NJ.com

In the Friday October 29th edition of the Star-Ledger (Newark, NJ), the editorial board chastised Governor Chris Christie for apparently choosing to ally himself with conservative muckraker James O'Keefe and, in the Star-Ledger's words, "(for co-opting) the questionable material for his political purposes".

The "questionable material" is a video called "Teachers Gone Wild" which supposedly shows less than extraordinary behavior by teachers (NJEA members), administrators, and union reps. For all of you newbies, Chris Christie and the NJEA, New Jersey's largest teacher's union, have been engaged in open warfare from Day One of the current administration.

Every taxpayer in New Jersey may have a beef with the NJEA; they might be the biggest lightning rod locally since Darryl Strawberry's days with the Mets or Patrick Ewing's near misses at titles with the Knicks. But for a sitting governor, and former federal prosecutor, to ally himself with O'Keefe's background is questionable in itself.

Conservatives and Tea Partiers love O'Keefe because of his videos that brought down ACORN last year. But then last January O'Keefe posed as a repairman to try to tap the office phone of Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu in a federal building, was caught along with his accomplices, and temporarily jailed with felony charges. The felony charges were dropped and reduced to a misdemeanor; O'Keefe was sentenced to three years probation, 100 hours of community service, and fined $1,500.

And then the James O'Keefe saga starts to get really weird.

CNN's investigative reporter Abbie Boudreau was putting together a series on young conservative activists in the United States. One of the persons Boudreau wanted to interview was James O'Keefe. O'Keefe agreed to a meeting with Boudreau aboard a boat in Maryland. Supposedly Boudreau and O'Keefe were to discuss a music video; O'Keefe told Boudreau the meeting on the boat was an attempt to protect his privacy.

But it was a setup, an attempt to "punk" and discredit Abbie Boudreau. O'Keefe had champagne and strawberries, and a plethora of sex toys and aids onboard the small boat. He was going to attempt to seduce Abbie Boudreau, and get it on tape in to discredit her and CNN. An associate of O'Keefe's tipped off Boudreau to the plot. This became one of the most bizarre stories to surface last summer.



It is amazing to me that a former federal prosecutor and current governor would ally himself to a man who'd enter a federal building under false pretenses to secretly tape a sitting member of Congress. Add to that, O'Keefe's lame and hairbrained plan to sandbag Abbie Boudreau and CNN for his own agenda.

But I suppose Chris Christie and James O'Keefe do share one thing in common; it's all about winning. It doesn't matter who gets hurt, it's all about painting the other guy as a villain, even if it means showing a distorted view to their true believers and to those sitting on a fence.

Some say "Chris Christie for President in 2012". Who knows? Maybe James O'Keefe can be his communications director.

Click the link below to read the Star-Ledger editorial about the Christie- O'Keefe relationship.




Gov. Christie shouldn't cozy up to muckraker of 'Teachers Union Gone Wild' | NJ.com

In praise of harmonisation

Said St Francis of Assisi: "Where there is discord, may I bring harmony." Or words to that effect in Latin.
Many in the IP world would echo that, particularly in relation to designs, where there is perhaps more diversity than anywhere else. WIPO's SCT is currently playing the role of good Fransiscan, though five years of analysis and discussion have, alas, resulted in little by way of concrete progress. So it is at least refreshing to see Anna Kingsbury of New Zealand's University of Waikato making an overt plea for greater disharmony in the pages of eipr at Vol 32 Issue 8 2010. But is legal chaos really her aim?
We will skip the first nine pages of status quo, of which the worst thing to be said is that it is unrealistic (example: design registration involves "inevitable delays" - OHIM are now registering within a week, which seems unlikely to adversely affect product lifecycles as she suggests) and get on to her arguments in favour of "the Case for Diversity", which are fourfold.
Her second-listed argument is for me perhaps her best: she suggests that diversity creates "laboratories of politics" allowing "legal experimentation". Experimentation (other than vivisection) is, I suppose, a good thing - though having spent some years of my life donning and doffing the white coat it is not a career I would recommend to a budding Senior Lecturer. But there is no point in conducting comparative experiments without analysing and comparing results, concluding which experiments succeeded and which failed, and then harmonising on the success. Where they are paying for experiments, taxpayers and other stakeholders deserve to know the results. That hasn't happened in the past. WIPO's SCT design harmonisation process is the best hope of getting precisely that kind of comparative analysis.
But back in the real world, is there, in fact, any evidence that this kind of laboratory approach has been either the cause or the result of design law diversity? Far from it. Most design systems are rotten with age - no shiny test-tubes on display here, merely the dust and mildew of a century of neglect. Many design laws (including the one with which Ms Kingsbury is, presumably, most familiar) are based on hoary old versions of the UK statutes - dating back perhaps to 1949, perhaps to 1911. She cites not a single "experiment" to support her contention. Let me give a few. Consider, for example, the EU design law of 2002, or its predecessors the Benelux design law, or the Scandinavian design law. Each in fact made major changes to its precursors. And what was the driver of these experiments? Nothing other than harmonisation.
She dismisses her own third argument as quickly as she makes it - it is "based more broadly on concepts of local democracy, and the idea that local communities should have some input into devising policies appropriate to that community." But, as she says, "Such an argument may seem naive in a globalised world". Well put. It is naive. It is also unbounded. Why should US design law be federal? Wouldn't State law be more appropriate? Or county law? Wouldn't it be more logical, according to this "broad" concept, to abolish the New Zealand design law and allow the people of Waikato, or the staff of Waikato University, to make their own?
Real life has an answer. Mercantile laws are the rules of the marketplace, and should be coterminous with the marketplace. Once, national boundaries marked the edges of markets. Now, in a global marketplace, companies and regulators need global rules.
That leaves her first and fourth arguments, neither of which is in fact against harmonisation at all.
The crunchpoint of the first argument is this quote: "There is evidence that providing intellectual property protection to foreigners is also not in the interests of developing countries." I haven't read the papers cited as "evidence" - perhaps a reader can fill me in. But this is no argument against harmonisation. Whatever rules are applied, whether harmonised or sui generis, it is simply an argument for preferential treatment for locals - economic nationalism.
There is a big difference. Malaysia, for example, a good example of a developing country that really has developed, was not for many years a member of Berne, so gave little or protection to foreigners - but it had a copyright system much like that of the UK and was therefore "harmonised". The UK's own Unregistered Design Right system is both disharmonised and nationalistic. These are not the same thing. If Ms Kingsbury wants to bang the drum for economic nationalism, and thinks that "developing" economies benefit from that kind of economic isolation, fine. I sympathise with the cause, but doubt the course.
Let us now go to her final argument. She says that IP regimes in developed countries "are very far from constituting ideal models". Again, I suppose, one would not necessarily disagree - in the same sense that we would all agree that democracy is the worst of political systems - "apart from all the others".
But what is the comparator? Is it her suggestion that the IP regimes of the developing world are better models? My own observation is that as a result of the colonial past they are simply older, worn out versions of those of the developed world. If they are easier on infringers, it is by accident, inefficiency or corruption (not that these are confined to the developing world, by any means) and not by design. One wonders whether one has somehow wandered into a proxy battlefield for the ongoing drug patent wars, for in reality (barring minor issues such as whether icons are protectable) design law in the developing world is not generally better or worse than that in the developed world - both are generally antiquated and chaotic, and equally in need both of reform and of harmonisation.
She prays in aid a passage by Vaver, but Vaver does not there have anything positive to say about the IP systems of the developing world - his point is simply that "...IP is excessive. It needs trimming back". Well, you may agree or disagree with that - it is a pure and perfect prejudice point, and depending on your prejudices you will either cheer or boo. But it has nothing to do with harmonisation. If Vaver is correct, he is as correct in the US as in New Zealand, or New Guinea, or on the moon, and we should harmonise on his trimmed-back system. At least we would then know where we were. If he is incorrect, of course, this would not be the greatest moment to deal a dangerous wound to the world's economy - not that this need concern tenured academics.
So, what do we have? In order: an anti-foreigner argument. An argument on experimentation that, on the facts, is the reverse of the reality. An argument on democracy so specious that she herself knocks it down. And a straight anti-IP argument.
There is certainly a case for reform of design law in New Zealand (indeed, Ms Kingsbury has written a paper on it), and a stronger case for reform and modernisation elsewhere. But quite apart from that, there is a case for harmonisation, and global markets require global rules. It is always open to States who don't want to operate in the global market to close their borders and exit gracefully from their international commitments - if they are inclined to follow these siren voices leading them to a graveyard of lost states, rather than actually taking the path to development.

Nesting Dolls and a Zombie, Courtesy of Kristin

Last month, I ran into Kristin at the Penn Plaza Borders store.

She has ten tattoos, but the piece on her shin was the first one I spotted:

These Russian nesting dolls represents the friendship Kristin has with her friend Kyle (thus, the merging of their names into "Kryle").

It was tattooed by Bret from Electric Tattoo in Pasadena, Maryland.

Kristin also shared another tattoo, one certainly more appropriate for our current season. Check out this amazing tattoo:

This cool zombie piece was inked by Kike Castillo at Timmy Tattoo in Huntington, New York.

Kristin says that Kike is one of her favorite artists and she is happy for him to provide her with great body art. "He needed someone," she told me, referring to this particular tattoo, and "I'm always game". Tattoo artists love clients that let them do their thing, and you can tell with this great piece of art.

Thanks to Kristin for sharing her cool tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

HEREAFTER; Clint Eastwood's Gentle Masterwork

I took a few hours away from the slings and arrows of political discourse last night to check out the latest film from filmmaker and legendary movie star Clint Eastwood, who with Martin Scorsese are the two directors who's work never disappoints me. Hereafter is probably the most understated yet elegant film director Eastwood has ever made; who knew that the man who once played The Man With No Name and Dirty Harry as a younger man who become a filmmaker of range and depth probably not seen since John Huston?

Lately I've been thinking a lot about mortality, and for lack of a better word, fate. I was present at the New Meadowlands Stadium on the day Rutgers player Eric LeGrand was paralyzed after making a tackle. I couldn't help but think for days afterward "what if?"

What if the Army kick returner headed for the sidelines instead of attempting to run across the field? Or if Eric slowed down for a second while running towards the return man, or if someone even minimally blocked Eric? If any of those things would have occurred, perhaps Eric LeGrand would have never had that fateful mishap that changed his life forever.

Mortality, the fragility of life, and chance are some of the themes we see in Hereafter. There are "what if's?" in abundance. What if we we were in a certain place at a certain fateful time instead of a loved one who died after taking our place, or if we made a decision that fatefully put us in harm's way, and for some reason we lived while others did not?

And what if death is not the end, but only the start of something we cannot fathom?

This film will have you trying to find answers for the questions it asks, but it will leave it to the viewer themselves to look for those answers. As main character George Lonegan, a psychic played by Matt Damon, informs us in the film he doesn't know what happens next, he just listens to those who've passed on and hears their voices, and passes on messages to those left behind.

Peter Morgan's script tells three separate but parallel stories that will intersect in time. Marie LeLay (Cecile De France) is a French television journalist who is enjoying a Pacific vacation with her producer- boyfriend Didier (Thierry Neuvic) when a tsunami destroys the island and kills thousands. Marie almost drowns, and stops breathing after attempts to resuscitate apparently fail. She goes into a netherworld temporarily inhabited by shadowy figures, but then she is pulled back to consciousness...and to life. Marie and Didier return to Paris (the French scenes, at least one quarter of the film, are in French with subtitles), but Marie sems haunted and distant after her near death experience. She soon decides to try and find out....what happens when we die?

Across the English Channel in London, two children, twins Marcus and Jason (Frankie and George McLaren) spend much of their time looking out for their well meaning but destructively alcoholic mother Jackie (Lyndsey Marshal). Always one step ahead of the social services officers, the boys are extremely close, with Jason being the outgoing leader and Marcus the quiet follower. One fateful day one of the boys loses his life, leaving the other to care for Jackie, and himself. The surviving twin goes on a quest to talk to his brother just more time.

And in San Franciso George Lonegan (Damon) toils away in a sugar factory, seemingly hiding from the world. George is a psychic who finds his gift to be curse; merely touching someone he can feel the spirits of those close to that person. George cannot reconcile a life based on the ability to talk with the dead; he was once a famous person who had books written about him, but now has turned his back on that life, even after the appeals of his younger brother Billy (Jay Mohr) to cash in on his psychic abilities..

George takes a cooking class at night, where he's paired up with a lovely newcomer to San Francisco, Melanie (Bryce Dallas Howard). In the weeks that follow they become close, to the point of a budding romance. Melanie does have a deep, dark, and hurtful secret in her past, and at first she knows nothing of George's past profession. But chance....or fate.... intervene in an encounter in George's apartment after class. And their relationship changes forever.

While watching this movie I kept thinking...."How are these stories going to intersect?". I won't spoil your fun about figuring out how the three stories come together, but the clues are there almost from the start.

Let's just say that British actor Derek Jacobi (playing himself) plays an important role in the weaving of the tale. And so does a famous author from another century who wrote about a ghost who visited the meanest man in town.......HUMBUG!

A couple of familiar faces from TV are in the film along with Jay Mohr (SNL, GARY UNMARRIED, and of course, GHOST WHISPERER); Richard Kind (SPIN CITY and MAD ABOUT YOU), and Steven R. Schirripa (I almost yelled out "it's Bobby Baccala from THE SOPRANOS!") were featured in memorable supporting roles.

Eastwood also produced the film (and wrote it's musical score), along with Kathleen Kennedy and Robert Lorenz, and executive producers Frank Marshall, Tim Moore, Peter Morgan, and Steven Speilberg.

I recommend this film, and I must say, it's good to start seeing movies for grownups again, where special effects enhance the film and not dominate it. No amount of technical wizardry can ever take the place of a great script, good acting, and a master directing the action.

Hereafter is worth your time, and your attention- not to mention your $10.50.

And to paraphrase a popular commercial....trust me; I DRINK Dr. Pepper.

Christie to tunnel commuters: Drop dead | NJ.com

The editorial board of The Star-Ledger, New Jersey's largest daily newspaper, tells of how the killing of the ARC project by Governor Chris Christie will impact the New Jersey-New York area not only for years, but for generations to come.

Well done, SL.

Click the link below to read more.

Christie to tunnel commuters: Drop dead | NJ.com

Amanda's Phoenix

Amanda has two tattoos, one of which she shared with me at the end of August in the Penn Plaza Borders store.

This is the tattoo she designed:

Amanda was inspired by the "compelling mythology of phoenixes" and had Bobby at Modern Age Tattoo in Nanuet, New York, translate the design into the final product.

The quote, in Latin, "post tenebras lux" means "After darkness, light". This mirrors the life cycle of the mythological phoenix who dies, bound in flame, only to be reborn from the ashes. Clicking here will display the vast array of phoenixes that have appeared on Tattoosday previously.

In other words, even when things appear their darkest, affirmation is just within reach.

Thanks to Amanda for sharing this cool tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Rib Cage Tattoo

Rib cage tattoos are considered to be private as the area is not always exposed for all to see, hence it opens the doors to some unique and personal tattoo designs. Some say getting a tattoo was one of the best experiences they have ever had with art, going through a little pain to create something beautiful felt like a spiritual journey for some. Using your body as a canvas for rib cage tattoos is a great idea because the artist gets a large space to work with. Tattoos have been used since time immemorial and nowadays are quiet popular with many celebrity endorsements. 'Transformers' star Megan Fox has 'Those who danced were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music' inscribed on her right rib cage.

A tattoo is forever and if you want to remove it you will have to under go expensive cosmetic surgical procedure. It is imperative that you think before you choose a tattoo design for your rib cage, generally big and expansive designs look good in this region. If you are going to get a colored tattoo then choose colors that will complement your skin tone and the tattoo design. If you have decided to get rib cage tattoos then be ready to bear a little rib cage tattoo pain as the area has many underlying bones.

Getting a tattoo on an area which has bones underneath like the ankle or rib cage is slightly more painful than fleshy areas like the biceps. In ancient times tattoos were used to express loyalty to the tribe or to mark the rank of a warrior. Tattoos are not only trendy but are also used to express your views and beliefs.

Helloooo...... Mr. President, are you listening??: Chris Christie killed the tunnel project!

Here's blogger buddy Sue's take on the news of Chris Christie's cancellation of the ARC tunnel project.

A nice read.

Good comments, too!

Helloooo...... Mr. President, are you listening??: Chris Christie killed the tunnel project!

Christie To Kill ARC Project- Tunnel Vision For The Future; His Own

Commentary

There was once a time when New Jersey made things. We had auto assembly plants, breweries, factories that made electronic components, and New Jersey built some of America's first super highways, like US 1, the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike. We had "cloverleaves" and bridge projects, and Trenton used to make, and the world did take.

We used to have a film industry here as well. Actually, the first films were produced by Thomas Edison, and there were studios in Fort Lee, before sunny California beckoned the fledgling movie moguls. In more recent years TV became an important industry in New Jersey with The Sopranos and most recently Law and Order; SVU.

Terence Winter and Martin Scorsese wanted to film HBO's Boardwalk Empire in Asbury Park. However, the tax credit given for film production was discontinued by the new administration of Governor Chris Christie, the tough talking guy who's the nation's Republicans have fallen in love with- probably because they don't have to deal with him on a daily basis. Anyway, Boardwalk Empire moved it's operation to Brooklyn, and SVU crossed the Hudson into New York after spending it's first 11 seasons being filmed in New Jersey. New York offers a tax credit for film production; NJ doesn't. Say goodbye to New Jersey's film industry.

On May 3, 2009 the largest public works project in the United States was begun in North Bergen, a new railroad tunnel, the first in nearly a century to connect New Jersey and New York. The project was known as Access to the Region's Core, or ARC. The tunnel would burrow 100 feet below the Hudson River and end at a new 34th Street train station in Manhattan. At the station there would be access to 14 subway lines, PATH trains, and the Long Island Railroad. The full story behind the tunnel and the history of previous construction can be found here.

The tunnel project would provide thousands of construction jobs in Northern New Jersey, as many as 40,000 permanent job after the completion of the tunnel project, would cut the commute time for some riders in half, and add increased property value to tens of thousands of New Jersey homes. Candidate Chris Christie supported the tunnel project and reaffirmed his commitment to it after his election.

But today, Governor Chris Christie, citing cost over runs of $1.1 billion to $5.3 billion has decided to cancel the ARC project for good. He initially canceled the project on October 7, but then conferred with US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, and went on to further review the funding over the next two weeks, in between his stops across America campaigning for Republican candidates in this year's mid term elections.

Some will call Chris Christie a man of vision. But I for one see him a man of only one vision- of himself as the Republican challenger for the presidency of the United States in 2012.

Christie appears to be adamant in obtaining federal money to cover any cost overruns; in using this approach he puts the onus on the Feds for the collapse of the ARC project while enhancing his status as a tax cutting, spending slashing, fire breathing star of the GOP. He can flip flop on his commitment to the tunnel project because it died because the Obama administration won't give New Jersey anymore money....so he'll say.

And while federal authorities have offered to find alternate financing or even scale back the project, Chris Christie appears to be entrenched and inflexible in his position, despite the benefits the completion of the ARC project would have. The commuter, already saddled with higher fees and less service since Christie took office, is getting socked yet again.

Here's what I find most disturbing. When the state of New Jersey said it would not fund the $1.5 billion New Meadowlands Stadium, the ownership of the Giants and Jets found ways to get it financed and built. I find it it impossible to believe that New Jersey, with the resources available from both the public and private sector, couldn't find a way to cover any potential overruns. If the overrun was low at $1.1 billion, you mean to say the state, the Feds, and the Port Authority couldn't find a way to get the cash and get it done now? Because the bottomline is new tunnels will be needed, and needed soon. At what point do the existing one hundred year old tunnels become so unsafe that they have to be closed, leaving New Jersey, New York, and AMTRAK in an impossible situation managing the masses that commute or use the train for travel along the Eastern Seaboard.

In this two week window of review since the first closure of the ARC project, it appears that Governor Christie spent little time in seeking alternate financing to get the job done. It's pretty hard to do your job properly when the chief executive of New Jersey is at a GOP dinner in Indiana..... or in in Connecticut campaigning for Linda McMahon.... or in Florida, stumping for Marco Rubio. In the past six weeks or so when this crisis was bubbling to a surface, we could find Christie in Pennsylvania speaking for numerous candidates, or in California campaigning for Meg Whitman (and ripping into a protester in the audience....there's nothing like being confrontational to someone YOU think is confrontational to calm things down).

The Chris Christie Ego Tour 2010 seems to be winding down with the midterms on Tuesday. And much like his fiasco regarding the loss of $400 million in federal RACE TO THE TOP funding because of a clerical error- and Christie's unwillingness to compromise (or even APPEAR to compromise) with the NJEA, his decision to sink the ARC project seems to be driven by political ambition over the real needs of the state of New Jersey. This is a mistake that will impact not only New Jersey, but the whole region as well.

We....all of us....deserve so much better than this.

Gary's Three Knuckles Speak Volumes

I spotted Gary standing at the top of some escalators in Penn Station. As I passed him, I noticed he had knuckle tattoos so I stopped to ask him about them:

Gary explained that they are Korean characters

that translate to "Soo Bahk Do," or "The Way of the Striking Hand".

Soo Bahk Do is a form of martial arts that originated in Korea.

This unassuming gentleman has studied the form for seventeen years and is a third degree black belt. Gary studied at East Winds Karate in Port St. John, Florida.

The tattoo was inked at a shop on Eight Avenue in Bayonne, New Jersey.

Thanks to Gary for sharing his "striking" tattoo with us here on Tattoosday!

Reckitt stripped of Indian design by own prior art

In Reckitt Benckiser (India) v Wyeth, the Delhi High Court has clarified that publication of a foreign equivalent design detroys novelty of an Indian design, according to an article by Sudhir Kumar of Aswal Associates. Spicy IP's take on the case is here.

It appears that the court differed from its earlier case law, including Dabur v Jain, in so finding.

The design was Indian RD 193988 for an S-shaped spatula for applying depiliatory cream. The anticipating design appears to have been US D387,629, and its UK priority filing 2055969, both published some 6 years earlier, so it doesn't seem to have been a particularly close call. That spelt the end of the infringement case, alas.

It seems slightly surprising that a large company would file over seven years out of priority and then attempt to enforce the resulting registration, but perhaps I am missing something.

New Poll; Which of the Following Makes You The Craziest?

I need a little respite from the backbiting, mudslinging, the slings, the arrows, and prospect of two rainy days coming up to just have some fun...and get some things off my chest about things that are bugging me.

So I started a new poll, to see how many of you agree with me.

Are you sick of political ads? "Candidate Smith does it with barnyard animals!."

"Oh yeah? Candidate Jones does with livestock too....and so does his wife!"

You know what I mean? I'm a political guy, but it's even getting to me.

And I'm sick of Brett Favre....Brett comes out of the tunnel, Brett throws a pick six, Brett sits on the bench, Brett slaps Randy Moss on the butt, Brett throws another pick six, Brett breaks a bone, Brett will play...no Brett won't, yes Brett will......ENOUGH!

Jersey Shore? How many 15 minutes can these self described "Guidos and Guidettes" keep getting? Sheeeeeesh!

Starting the Christmas season in October....are these people at QVC, HSN, et al out of their minds? People are broke! And these people saying "Merry Christmas!" weeks before Halloween...what's with that?


And lastly....The Palins. Stop it already. "Momma Grizzly"....it's October. Eat a pizza or two and hibernate until March.....or even April if you will. Tina Fey will fill in nicely, thank you. Or that nice young witch from Delaware, maybe.

Anyway, just for fun....the poll is beneath the PLAYLIST and above the election poll in the left hand column. Vote early and often.

Because I will.....Good night!

The Associated Press: Officials say NJ-NYC tunnel project likely doomed

As expected, New Jersey Governor Christie will officially cancel the ARC tunnel project to Manhattan citing cost over runs, according to the AP and other media outlets.

I have a few comments on the situation, which I'm working on, and will publish tomorrow morning.

The Associated Press: Officials say NJ-NYC tunnel project likely doomed

Lip Plate

Lip plate is a surface piercing mouth. Such a modification is obtained by stretching the lip piercing. Stretching the lips appeared in ancient times, is especially popular lower lip. and there are still tribes and nations that adhere to its old tradition (stretching the lips) and refer to this with all seriousness and respect, such as the Suya (Brazil), Botocudos (Brazil), Sara (Africa), Mursi (Africa) , Lobi, etc … in these nations people stretched his lips almost from infancy through old age. they do this almost all my life. and so their lips could reach enormous proportions. If you ask any of them, “why and from where it went?”, then they will not tell you the exact answer to this. it is their tradition and their ancestors have been doing this too.

Lips can pull almost indefinitely, because the lips are very different from the tissues of other body parts are capable of such an extension. diameter holes in the lips, and accordingly the size of the lips can reach 400 mm or more … in this case the sensitivity of the lips and saved all across its surface, even at large sizes. Stretching lip treat modifications of the human body. and you will not find a single animal with these dilations lips. this particular distinction between man and animal. man at his birth is physically given only his own body, which he uses to further his life and how he uses it – the case of each person, since it is a personal physical body, without which he could not physically exist. but I’m talking about stretching the lips. Extensions to your changing shape of lips, and every form of lip varies, and facial features also vary in parallel, so your face gets a “new”, I would have called body modification. First the incision in the lip and stretched. Someone is trying to reduce the time stretching their lips and enjoy this event with a scalpel. It is better to stretch from the lip piercing. All this time dilation can be compared with the moment of conception until its subsequent development, growth and learning.

Healed or fresh hole you made, you can stretch the ballroom pianist (stretching as long cone) to a diameter, with whom you feel that you can wear jewelry and to suffer the pain of stretching. But the pain – it is only temporary, because Your tissues are under tension. Over time, this tension is reduced and the pain goes away. Inside the cluttered with fabric, as in an ordinary puncture. If you are afraid of pain, then you can pull quite a bit on the shares of a millimeter, it could be the addition of 0,5 mm. But where, then, to take so many ornaments that would be inserted each time, increasing the diameter of the hole? Then you can use for this tape. This may be teflon tape / PTFE tape, or bondage tape. This is done as follows: you take out a Labret and pulls on it a layer or several layers of tape, so – as you can then paste back into your lip, but do it all on the healed hole. Next you have to wait until you feel that the tension was gone and no pain.

Your lip is completely healthy and ready for further extension. Then again, you can also pull at your discretion. but, at the sizes of more than 10 mm is recommended not to use now, or a better use of the tape. It’s much cares for lips, to the tissues inside the hole, and does not cause such pain. Teflon tape can be a long time, unlike the bondage tape, which does not stick to the skin and not dry. You need to do step by step .. In no case do not stretch your lips, when a hole has not healed. You have to completely cure it for a further step in tension. this will take time .. may be a week .. may 2 .. maybe more .. But in any case, do not pull your lips quickly. no need to hurry up with it. In order that would grow huge lips takes years.

A 16 Inch Penis

This is the kind of incident no one wish to go thru. Trusting an artist and ending up with a huge penis tattooed on. Something like this happens often, not only when it comes to going for a bootleg tattoo. For some reason unprofessional artists tend to mess with their customers in such a messed up way. It is unacceptable to see this kind of things happening and unfortunately affects those who take their job seriously while others get a kick out of it. I believe if an artist does not want to perfom their duties or simply don't wish to tattoo someone then they simply can refuse to do it instead of doing some screwed up job especially when they have a full knowledge of their profession.

***From a news source: A 21-year-old Australian man has been charged with assault after allegedly tattooing an image of a penis on his friend's back, according to the Courier Mail.
The 25-year-old victim was visiting the amateur tattoo artist at the man's home last week when he was talked into getting a tattoo, according to the paper.

The man wanted a yin and yang symbol tattooed on his back, but allegedly got a 16-inch tattoo of a penis with an obscene gesture instead.
Australian authorities said the incident followed an argument between the two.

The victim also says he was punched and thrown out of the man's house.
The 21-year-old tattoo artist has been charged with two counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and is due to appear in court next month.

December 2010 - a new ERA for designs

ERA, aka the Academy of European Law, are running an excellent program on designs and trade marks on 2-3rd December in Trier, featuring an afternoon of case law brought to you by Hari Salmi of OHIM's Appeal Boards, Judge Johanna Brückner-Hofmann of the Dusseldorf Court, and a supporting cast of the great and the good (including Alex von Mühlendahl and Class 99-er David Musker). The PDF program is here. Access is easy from Luxembourg airport or Frankfurt, and a cursory scrutiny of the map suggests that it is in the heart of Germany's best kept secret - its rather acceptable wine region.

Designs now possible in Oman

Thanks to NJQ & Associates for news that you can, as of this month, file designs in Oman. Their October newsletter article, with more information, is here. In a nutshell: lifetime: 10 years (quinquennial renewals), absolute novelty required.

Political Ad of the Day; "Shouldn't The Senator From West Virginia Actually Live In West Virginia?"

A very interesting (and effective) political ad from organized labor in the West Virginia US Senate race.

It asks the question.....shouldn't the next senator from West Virginia actually live in the state?

They claim Republican John Raese moved to Florida to avoid paying taxes, and are backing Democratic challenger Joe Manchin, currently West Virginia's governor.



OMG!

John looks remarkably like a smiling version of Dick Cheney!

The Tattoosday Book Review: Kat Von D's The Tattoo Chronicles

You can say a lot of things about Kat Von D. She is arguably one of the most well-known tattoo artists in the United States, if not the world. This fact, to old school tattoo enthusiasts, is not necessarily a good thing. She is the star of the hit "reality" series, L.A. Ink, has her own make-up line at Sephora, and on October 26, her second book, The Tattoo Chronicles, is being released by HarperCollins Design. And whether you love her or hate her, it's hard to argue the fact that this book, like its predecessor High Voltage Tattoo, is a lovely effort that looks and feels amazing.

Like her first book (reviewed last year on Tattoosday here), Kat Von D lets you into her world, with glossy detailed photos of her work and clients. But whereas her first book shows mostly her public persona, the new effort gives us an inside look at the inner thoughts and feelings of someone who is portrayed very much as a "character" on her television show.

It is L.A. Ink that has brought her fame, yet also the scorn and scrutiny of her detractors. The new book lets us peek behind the scenes and, if you didn't realize this already, the Kat Von D you see on the show is not the whole package. Through a diary/journal format, the reader is granted greater access to Kat's true emotions and feelings. We finally get to peek behind the character Kat Von D and meet the person.

It was on Page 44 where I first felt the facade truly come down. She talks about getting booed in the shop by "fans" who resent that she won't drop what she's doing to pose for photos for them, and there is the matter of the stalker who freaked everyone out in the shop. Granted, these are consequences nowadays for success of her order, but you certainly believe that such consequences were not anticipated when she headed down the road to fame.

It is also fascinating to read Kat's frustration with the onset of another season of L.A. Ink. If you're looking for validation that the only thing real on the show is the tattoos, it's here. I was reminded of Charles Bukowski's strong aversion to poetry readings. He despised them, yet they were often necessary as sources of income. The spectacle often outshone the poems. Similarly, L.A. Ink's forced drama often swallows up the tattoos, yet the drama drives ratings, which lets the series continue to showcase tattoos, which is why many of us tune in in the first place.

Whereas I found her journal entries fascinating, as I am sure most readers who are fans of the show will as well, there are still pages and pages of photographs featuring her work (drawings, sketches, and of course, tattoos) that are breath-taking in their beauty.

Viewers of the show  know that this book has been in the making for a while and it has found its way into plot points as well. Fans will also note that the author's relationship with Nikki Sixx, bassist for Mötley Crüe, runs throughout the volume (as it has in the reality series). However, 2010 has been a tumultuous year for the couple, having broken up, and then, quite recently, reportedly gotten back together. All that said, it's very interesting to read about the relationship with a future perspective.

Or, it isn't. If you're not interested in Kat's "personal" life, then perhaps you should pass on this book. I can see her detractors poring over the text, looking for evidence that reinforces their negative image of the artist, one that has been honed by the one-dimensional portrayal of her reality show and the tabloids.

For fans however, and the followers of Kat Von D's career, The Tattoo Chronicles, will be a treat, to be savored, an all-access pass to a window of her life, with a stunning visual guidebook to pore over, with evidence enough to back up her on-air claim of being so busy all the time.

My one criticism would be that we don't see enough of her tattoos, which is really what she is all about. I mean, sure it's interesting to see a full-page shot of her stuffed albino squirrels, but is it really necessary? I would have rather seen more art that she created, rather than collected.

However, in the end, I was delighted with the book. It really adds dimensions to one of the more dynamic celebrities in the tattoo industry. I doubt that it will turn detractors into fans, or fans into detractors, but it certainly provides those who admire Kat Von D for her art, a little more validation that she is a talented, complicated individual that can not only create amazing body art, but knows how to wow us with her pen, as well.

4,500 + at Portland Tattoo Expo

Until recently, it was nearly impossible to hold national tattoo gatherings in Oregon -- a paradox for Portland, given its robust and growing tattoo industry. But about six months ago, the legal landscape changed. And one figure emerged as the leader in efforts to amend the state's rigid license rules for tattoo conventions. Fittingly, his full-time job now includes planning an annual tattoo expo, which was held Friday through Sunday in Portland. "Every tattoo artist in the world wants to do work in Portland," said Brandon Ingram, 42, publisher of Northwest Tattoo Magazine. "We wanted to make that possible, so we were very persistent with Salem. The result was huge." The Portland Tattoo Expo, held over the weekend at the Oregon Convention Center, is a testament to Ingram's tenacity. More than 4,500 people turned out over the three-day event, which was organized by Ingram and his business partner, Kevin Rasmussen, both of Eugene. The event, in its second year, featured exhibits, seminars and contests. "Winter is a hard time for tattoo artists, so coming to expos keeps me inspired," said Jeremy Justice, 33, an artist from Seattle-based Apocalypse Tattoo. "I've done the same tattoo on four different continents. I'm traveling a lot. And Portland has a lot of talented tattoo artists. A lot of big names here. You don't find that everywhere." Ingram agreed that Portland has a certain panache in the tattoo world. He estimated that the region has roughly 100 shops, twice the number that existed five years ago. Local artists at the Expo confirmed the expanding market. "The past couple of years there's been a whole lot of new people tattooing in Portland," said Craig Brown, 31, an exhibiting artist from Portland. "It's a double-edged sword because you get a bigger audience along with oversaturation." Several artists explained the growing number of tattoo shops in Portland by pointing to the popularity of tattoo schools. The schools, held in tattoo shops and state-regulated, serve as a fast-track to becoming a state-certified tattoo artist. Since 1993, tattoo artists in Oregon have been required to have state-issued licenses. A departure, many artists say, from the days when the craft was mastered through long and rigorous shop apprenticeships. But whatever the reason, tattoo shops are cropping up all over. And it's not just local artists who understand the booming demand. But state law had to change for outsiders to tap the Portland market. Before April, a tattoo artist had to obtain an Oregon license with the Oregon Health Licensing Agency to do work -- even short-term -- in the state. After two years of lobbying the state agency, Ingram helped change the rules: Out-of-state tattoo artists can now obtain a 15-day permit to do work at "settings such as fairs, carnivals or bazaars," according to the new regulations. Thus, the turnout for this year's expo. "People come from around the world now. And they come for different reasons," Ingram said. "Sometimes to make money, as a social thing, to network, to get guest spots, to trade tattoos and ideas. We'll keep this going for as long as we can."

Tattoo Machines Then and Now

With all of the people every year heading to a tattoo parlor, getting inked it is no wonder why there is a market of different types of tattoo machines that are able to be used in getting a person the look that they desire. Many of these tattoo machines are advanced and are able to give a better overall result to the person looking for a tattoo. The invention of the tattoo machine or gun as it is known these days, has allowed a person better control and more precision than previous models. There is a lot more detail that can be placed into a tattoo when a person makes the decision to get inked and not go with another symbol of pride in their life. These guns or machines, whichever you chose to call them, have made the process a lot quicker, and often times a lot less painful. Imagine had the machine not been invented, there would be a tattoo carved by hand into your skin, sounds fun right? Thanks to this invention, things are quicker and a lot less painful. As more and more places to get inked pop up, this leads to there being a need to see many of the different machines that were used needing to be replaced with new machines. This is a cost that many places have to pass along to the customers as a result of this. This cost many of the customers are willing to pay simply for the fact that they are able to ensure that they will get a quality product from a person that knows what they are doing. While these advances are giving the power back to the artist, there are some parlors that are passing the increase that they had to pay in an effort to get new machines on to their customers. Unlike many other services, there is little argument when it comes to this as a way to get a quality tattoo. This has also led to the designs having more life to them and a person even being able to go 3D with their ink. All of these advances are made within the last several years and has given rise to more possible advances in the coming years. Regardless of if it is the first or tenth tattoo, the tattoo machines of today are a lot more friendly and simple than their previous ancestors. Keep these facts in mind when you head to have your ink done on your body. Just relax and enjoy the experience, it is better than what your parents probably went through.

Tribal Chest Tattoos

There are so many different types of tribal chest tattoos that it's impossible to say anything bad about the design in general They have lot of black ink that holds up the tattoo very well and does not fade like other colors. The designs of tribal tattoos are popular and it is easy to design one They have been the hottest thing in the tattoo world since sliced bread or the old school WWII era Hula dancer You see these influences have been all around us for a long time my grandpa even has one of those Hula Girls tattoos still. This is really an up and coming thing and it is not huge yet Many tattoos include Maori designs, Eskimo totems and Aztec sun clocks and so on Other types of these rely more on the use of heavy lines and colors to create an image. They are extremely popular if not the most popular tattoo style currently These type of tattoos have their origin the the ancient tribes of Polynesia, New Zealand(Maori tattoos), Hawaii and many other early cultures. Tribal Tattoos recounts the history of body decoration, explains the meanings and myths behind the symbols, and offers many patterns that can be combined into new motifs All the designs included can be enlarged and traced to decorate any part of the body. They were used by ancient cultures as a means by which the young become adults, but some have made it into a fashion statement A few words of advice to those people: fashions are seasonal, tattoos are not Tribal tattoos have existed for thousands of years in numerous cultures around the world. Tribes in Africa used to tattoo the bodies of their warriors with crocodile teeth and handmade ink with simple images and symbols in order to mark their place in the tribe and scare their enemies with the strength of their warriors Tribal tattoos symbolize membership in a group, family, social, or whatever At least they used to, nowadays anyone with a cool design in their mind can get one, which makes them more a decorative thing, I suppose Tribal chest tattoos are possibly one of the most sought after tattoo designs and the most popular are based on the Maori, Haida, Polynesian and Native American designs Of course the term tribal has so many different meanings and an almost limitless amount of variations and combinations These tattoos were originally used as a form of permanent tribal identification. Therefore putting on the wrong tattoo will jeopardize your chances of being one of the tribe and might just permanently mark you as an outsider They have a simple appeal: we like the way they look on us, It reinforces a positive feeling about ourselves and connects us some how to an element of mystery and ancient activity.

Jason from Capricorn Body Art

Tattoo artist Jason stands as a body of art among his inked designs at his Nunawading studio. His body is 95 per cent covered in tattoos from his feet to scalp with just his knees and one thigh a clear canvas. Tattoos have become the latest fashion accessory on Melbourne streets whether it is marking an anniversary, a sentimental proverb or football premiership. Jason said the city had become one of the most heavily tattooed places in the world. “There are more tattoo shops per capita in Melbourne than anywhere else, it’s just flooded with tattoo shops,” he said. Over the past 20 years Jason has shared in those memories at his Capricorn Body Art studio where he has become a minor celebrity. Jason even met his partner, Jane, after she wandered through his doors to get a tattoo of a dragon done nine years ago. They are now part-owners of the studio and she has since added to her tat collection. Jason said tattooing sparked his interest from a young age, having grown up in a household of oil painters. He received his first tattoo at 14 of a bulldog on his leg to acknowledge his English heritage and the Western Bulldogs Football Club. “I remember being a kid and just being fascinated by them but by the time I was 17 I was pretty much covered,” he said. Jason said he could not count how many tattoos he now had engraved on his body. “I tattoo myself if I can reach the area,” he said. “A lot of people get used to the pain and you learn to switch off from it. “When people get tattoos it’s more a postcard of that era of their life. “It’s a life-changing moment for them.” Jason said he was surprised to find the number of women and men asking for tattoos had become even with the arms and legs the most common spots to be inked. The professional engraver said he regularly came across people wanting their tattoos fixed after dealing with shady artists. Jason said more unhygienic shops and home parlours had propped up as the art form became mainstream. “There is nothing to stop someone who wants to become a tattoo artist from doing it out of their own garage,” he said. “There is no legislation to stop someone from opening a shop. People have to make sure that it’s a registered tattoo studio and should do some background history.”

Missy's Initials, Illustrated by Gorey

I met Missy on the corner of 23rd and 7th back in the beginning of September and she shared her two tattoos, on both biceps.Her right arm bears this piece:

and her left shoulder hosts this cool image:

 

These images may seem familiar, because they are based on Edward Gorey's Alphabet.

Missy has the two pieces representing her initials, M and N. The right arm represents "M": 

And the left arm represents the "N" for her last initial:

Missy got these tattoos in Santa Cruz about ten years ago.

Thanks to Missy for sharing her cool Gorey tattoos with us here on Tattoosday!

Getting a Tattoo?.......... Keep some things in mind

Some of the things a person should remember:

1) Do make an appointment. And be patient when waiting to get your tattoo. Tattoo Artists do not rush through a sitting to get to the next person. They take their time with each customer in order to do their best work. Tattoo Artists tend to be perfectionists and YOU are their canvas AND their best advertisement. Besides, you don’t want them to rush through your tattoo, do you?
2) Do wear comfortable, loose fitting, appropriate clothing. Reckon about your tattoo placement and wear clothing that will easily allow access to that area. And remember that your tattoo session may take one or several hours, be cool and comfortable. And try to be very….still.
3) Do some advance research on your tattoo. A tattoo is a lifetime commitment, know what you want, or at least have a general thought of what you want before you go. Unless you are VERY free-spirited and a live-in-the-moment type person, impulse buying isn’t a excellent way to choose a tattoo. Your Tattoo Artist can help you explore and develop thoughts, but have some thought or direction.
4) Do research the shop. Know the precautions they are taking for YOUR safety and theirs. Sterile equipment and supplies should always be used for tattoos and piercings. Watch for unacceptable or unsafe conditions, such as the re-use of STERILE single-use needles or Artists who don’t wear gloves….and
5) Do question questions. Tattoo shops can be intimidating, but don’t be worried to speak up — it’s your body! Make sure you see them take the tattoo needles from a fresh sealed package. The Tattoo Artist will generally open this package directly in front of you prior to your sitting. Alert your Artist if you know you’re allergic to red ink, or Latex or any other condition he or she should be aware of.
6) Do keep things simple. This rule applies if this is your FIRST tattoo. Start small. Getting a tattoo is painful, especially on areas with a lot of nerve endings, and different people react differently to pain. The pain IS tolerable, but start with a smaller, simpler design to see how YOU handle the pain before you get that huge, intricate back piece! (You CAN do those LARGE pieces in multiple sittings.)
7) Do choose an appropriate location for your tattoo(s). Reckon twice about where you place tattoos (and piercings) on your body. I would never (nor will I ever) tell you what you should or should not do to YOUR body, BUT – There IS Body Modification Discrimination out there in the REAL world! Consider placing your tattoo or piercing in an area that can be covered by clothing worn in the work place.
8) Do question for recommendations. If you see someone with gorgeous, detailed tattoos compliment them and question where they were done, and WHO did them and find THAT Tattoo Artist. Tattoo Artists have ‘specialties’. There are experts in Tribal work, Fine-Line work, Lettering and Text, Portraits, etc. Question to see their Portfolios. Find YOUR expert.
9) Do take a shower. It’s not a excellent thought to go get a tattoo right after work. Be considerate, go home, and take a shower. Your Tattoo Artist will appreciate it (and possibly spend more time on the details of your new body art).
10) Do listen to your Tattoo Artist. Once your tattoo is completed, your Tattoo Artist will tell you the best way to take care of your tattoo. Don’t listen to your family, friends or neighbors…follow your Artist’s tattoo aftercare instructions.
11) Do TIP your Tattoo Artist! If you didn’t know that tipping a tattoo artist is customary, and expected, now you do! Many Tattoo Artists are not paid an hourly wage, they work for a percentage of the money you pay for your tattoo. OR, they are independent contractors who pay the owner rent and overhead. Either way, they depend on tips. Tip your Bartender, Tip your Waitress, Tip your Barber or Stylist and TIP YOUR TATTOO ARTIST! And if you receive exceptional service, show your appreciation by tipping exceptionally well!

Tattoo Museum in Staten Island New York

Dozer's tattoo museum depict eras in the history of tattooing - the Polynesian art of tatu from the 1700s, the Japanese way of telling a story in ink, and, above, the all-American tattoo artist from 1930s New York City inking a sailor in a white T-shirt and a sailor's cap. The museum - which had its grand opening yesterday - showcases his collection of tattoo machines and documents the history of tattooing. The museum is located on the corner of Hylan Boulevard and Old Town Road, Staten Island, New York.

Heart Not Time

"I do not like the concept of linear time," Fredrika said to me, "moments and feelings should be more important".

This was her thought behind this tattoo:

I met Fredrika in Penn Station last month and she was kind enough to share this tattoo on her forearm.

She has a lot of ink, but this is her favorite piece.

Fredrika hails from Hamburg, where she is lead singer for a band called Jaguar of My Dreams.

Thanks to Fredrika for sharing with us here on Tattoosday!

Matt Gone Tattoos

Tattoo enthusiast Matt Gone estimated that 98 percent of his skin is covered in ink. "I never really knew how far I would ever go," he said. "And this is about as far as you can go." Now Gone has injected blue and green ink into both of his eyes by himself, a move that few have tried and doctors said went too far. "The risk of putting a needle near your eye is grave," said Dr. Douglas Meier, an ophthalmologist with the Portland Clinic. The doctor added that Gone is at risk for infection, which could lead to blindness or even cause him to lose his eyes. Gone said that he was well aware of the risks before performing the operation. "I patch tested it and was successful," he recalled. "I had to take the risk. I've done that a lot of times before. I'm not crazy. I'm trained. I have a lot of experience." Meier disagreed, saying that a nonprofessional could not safely pull of the inking. "Someone at home does not have access to the equipment, nor the expertise," Meier said. But Gone said the procedure turned out just fine, and he's glad that he did it. "I got lucky," he said. "But it's your risk, and I'm not going to help you. I did this for me. This is my project, my body." All of Gone's ink will be on full display this weekend in Portland, where he's attending a tattoo expo. Gone said that he's a very visual person. He said he picked a checkerboard pattern to be tattooed to his head, because it was something that he'd never seen done before. For his eyes, though, he wanted something more colorful. "I picked different colors," he explained. "Because I like mutations, because I have birth defects." Gone said those birth defects prevented some of the muscles in his body from developing properly and inspired him to get his first tattoo nearly 22 years ago. "The tattoos make me not hate my body, even though my body seems to be hating me," he said.

Juan Williams; No Mulligan Given For His Words

"Thinking aloud is the source of most of the world's problems". Benjamin Franklin to John Adams and Thomas Jefferson in the HBO series John Adams

Most of the world has heard the statement former NPR commentator and FOX News contributor Juan Williams made on The O'Reilly Factor this past Wednesday.....but if you didn't, here's what was said;

"When I get on a plane....I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."

This was in response to O'Reilly's appearance on The View in which Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar walked out after being offended to O'Reilly's comments about Muslims and terrorism.

And in the aftermath of those words, Williams was fired by NPR CEO Vivian Schiller- who later made a wisecrack (since apologized for) about Williams' sharing private thoughts with a publicist or psychiatrist, and stood her ground on Williams' firing.

Then the Right chimed in....O'Reilly, Palin, Gingrich, Huckabee, Cantor, Boehner, some of whom called NPR a left wing organization that should have it's whooping 2% of it's federal funding pulled for silencing Juan Williams. In a word, this was more out of control political correctness. And the Left, through voices such Eugene Robinson and EJ Dionne, defended Williams and spoke out against his firing as an overreaction, and felt that Williams should have been allowed to explain himself publicly.

Now, anyone who follows this blog knows, I am a slightly left of center Democrat, a liberal, a progressive if you will. But what was "liberal" (ie, "tolerant") in the way Williams was fired....for remembering an honest reaction he had, but not having the good judgment to keep those thoughts- which could be misinterpreted- to himself?

Let's bottomline this.

Is there anyone reading this who has never had a reaction to being in a situation where there are people who look different from you, or who speak another language, or are of another ethnic or religious background, and you don't feel entirely comfortable in their company, either consciously or unconsciously? It's usually something totally irrational, a fear of someone or something perceived as strange or unknown. And once rationality kicks in, openness will follow.

Progressives may not like Juan Williams for his appearances on Fox News, where he has signed a multi-million dollar a year contract post firing from NPR, and has now become the Righties on Fox latest cause celibre. Juan Williams is now Exhibit A for the Right in it's cultural war against "the intolerance of the Left". They may have a point in this case.....but for conservatives to wag fingers in the faces of progressives, well not so fast, ladies and gents.

Just this past week Meghan McCain took heat from Republicans and Tea Partiers for her criticism of Republican candidate for the US Senate from Delaware Christine O'Donnell for being unqualified for the job. And has any current Republican office holder ever shown the guts to call out Limbaugh or Beck when they make outrageous and divisive comments about those they see being threats (read "Democrats, liberals, progressives, et al")?


Yes, the Left does have a form of orthodoxy, and sometimes it does manifest itself in situations like the Williams/NPR affair....and it isn't right.

But the opposite side of the aisle is loaded with people who adhere to a written script and agenda.....and their 11th Commandment is "Thou Shalt Not Diss A Fellow Republican, No Matter How Crazy, Stupid, Or Unqualified For Office They May Be".

There's enough hypocrisy on both sides to go around.