An interesting way to look at tattoos and economy: ‘Tattoo industry might be the big ticket to pull the economy out of the dumpster;’ sadly, the content disappoints a little. Another way to look at tattoos and their popularity in an article from the UK, ‘the rise and rise of tattoo’ where you can not only read on the history of tattoo machine and tattoos now but also ponder  a little on the difference between ‘get a tattoo’ and ‘tattooing.’

Current trends in tattooing from the US and Germany: ‘faith that goes under the skin’ and ‘fine art in the flesh.’

This one certainly may come as surprise: ‘back-to-school’ shopping contains tattoos on its list. Sure it’s stylish to have tattoos, especially when you are still in school (but is it really true that ‘we automatically think that tattooed people are cool!’?) but once out in the working world, you can lose all your illusions: ‘pierced, tattooed hotel workers? Readers say no!’ (more).

A nice one courtesy of CNN: ‘the secretive world of traditional Japanese tattooing.’

Right in the open, in turn, are/ were these tattoo conventions: the first one ever in Nepal and the first one since 2005 in Taiwan! Bastian was nice enough to send me a cool slide show of Taiwanese tattoos!

A new book on tattoos in Australia.

Not a mug shot but quite funny: ‘NY prosecutors not sure which twin to charge’ and looks like the said twins’ tattoos might be a decisive factor here!

I kind of had a kick of this one: ‘tongue piercing not so stylish after all’ but probably only because I moved to the next stage of *un*originality!

Finally, something light and nice: ‘LEGO figures get tattoos’ and ‘a tattoo tribute to the Clone Wars.’