Free Republic

A new study has discovered that tattoo inks could be linked to cancer or organ failure. An analysis of 54 inks commonly used in tattoo parlors across America has uncovered that a staggering 45 of them contained unlisted additives, including chemicals known to pose alarming health risks. Multiple inks contained 2-phenoxyethanol, which can cause toxic effects in high doses. Researchers involved in the study found the most common additive to be polyethylene glycol, which is a compound that can cause acute renal failure. The study was led by Jonn Swierk from the Department of Chemistry at Binghamton University, and was...

Tattoos have been around for millennia. People got them at least five thousand years ago. Today they’re common everywhere from Maori communities in New Zealand to office parks in Ohio. But in the ancient Middle East, the writers of the Hebrew Bible forbade tattooing. Per Leviticus 19:28, “You shall not make gashes in your flesh for the dead, or incise any marks on yourselves.” Historically, scholars have often understood this as a warning against pagan practices of mourning. But language scholar John Huehnergard and ancient-Israel expert Harold Liebowitz argue that tattooing was understood differently in ancient times. Huehnergard and Liebowitz...

Fashion has always been obsessed with mythology. Whether it’s Medusa on the Versace logo, or Gucci’s Dionysus handbag, brands continually lift inspiration from mythological figures—be it Hermes or Nike. Even in 2023, the crossover between fashion and mythology is still going strong. Now, the focus is on mythology, which is seeing buzz in the tattoo world. Greek gods and goddesses have been among the most popular tattoo styles this summer, according to tattoo artist Kiljun Chung (who goes by the moniker @kiljun on Instagram). Whether it’s an entire leg covered in a Greek tragedy, or Medusa on your arm, these...

A well-known computer brand has disabled the printers of customers using ink cartridges from rival companies. Hewlett-Packard, or HP, has sparked fury after issuing a recent “firmware” update which blocks customers from using cheaper, non-HP ink cartridges in its printers. Customers’ devices were remotely updated in line with new terms which mean their printers will not work unless they are fitted with approved ink cartridges. It prevents customers from using any cartridges other than those fitted with an HP chip, which are often more expensive. If the customer tries to use a non-HP ink cartridge, the printer will refuse to...

The Razzouk family has tattooed pilgrims arriving to the Holy Land for the last 700 yearsJerusalem’s “Old City” was, until the mid-19th century, the entire urban area of the Holy City. Today, it only occupies a small area (actually, less than one kilometer) in East Jerusalem, but it is still home to several of the most important religious sites for Jews, Christians and Muslims alike: that’s where you find the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock, and the Kotel. But the Old City is also home to the Razzouk’s tattoo shop. A sign on the door identifies it unequivocally:...

Recently, European scientists bombarded tattooed corpses with X-rays from a particle accelerator. While it could have been a scene for an upcoming goth body horror movie, it was actually a study meant to benefit living humans with tattoos. This grisly experiment helped European nanoparticle researchers understand how tattoo ink travels in human bodies over time. In a study published in the journal Scientific Reports on Tuesday, a team of French and German researchers reports that nanoparticles found in some tattoo inks can migrate away from the skin — and accumulate in lymph nodes.

President Trump's declaration that opioid abuse is a public health emergency is sparking debate about addiction. Tragically, myths and misinformation are blocking the path to preventing more deaths. Start with the causes of the opioid crisis. On "Face the Nation," New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, chair of Trump's opioid commission, blamed overprescribing doctors. "This crisis started not on a street corner somewhere. This crisis started in the doctor's offices and hospitals of America." That's untrue, Governor. It contradicts scientific evidence and lets drug abusers off the hook. At least three-quarters of opioid pill abusers and almost all heroin addicts got...

Jerusalem, Jul 9, 2017 / 04:02 pm (CNA).- In the Old City of Jerusalem it's hard to escape the ancient history that's still alive within its walls. A simple smartphone search can send you on a walk to a centuries-old shop, bring you to the steps of a millennium-old Church, or lead you past the 3,000 year-old Temple Mount – all bursting with people and energy. But it's only within the stone walls of Razzouk Ink that the modern pilgrim can have that history etched onto his or her body for the rest of their lives. And Christian pilgrims have...

The explosives were reportedly found at Cairo airport Guards at Cairo airport apparently discovered the suspected bombs during security checks on two packages which were due to be stowed away on board a flight to America via London. But after a probe they discovered the packages contained no explosives, an Egyptian Interior Ministry source said. It was thought that the parcels, which weighed about 10kg, were flagged up after unusual objects were detected by an X-ray scanner. Egyptian news agency Aswat Masriya reported that the parcels, which contained printer ink cartridges, "appeared to be contaminated" and were set to be...

Tattoo-lovers have again been urged to get professional spellchecks and translations - to avoid embarrassing ink blunders lasting a lifetime. Clueless customers have been left branded with mis-spelled words and bizarre phrases in foreign languages. But a professional translation service has today launched a "Think Before You Ink" campaign to cut the terrible tattoo travesties. And the translators warned spelling horrors have come back to haunt the tattoo customers before they inked. Sharon Stephens, managing director of Veritas Language Solutions, said: "There are some hilarious examples of translation errors out there." One man wanted to show the world how "awesome"...

A hundred years ago — and that's when this picture was taken, in 1912 — men didn't leave home without a hat. Boys wore caps. This is a socialist political rally in Union Square in Manhattan. There may be a bare head or two in this crowd, but I think those heads are women's.

BREAKING: 2 UPS Planes Isolated At Philadelphia International Airport October 29, 2010 9:56 AM From Jessica McWilliams PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Authorities have isolated two cargo planes are Philadelphia International Airport following a report of a suspicious package. Local and federal authorities are investigating a suspicious package aboard a cargo plane that landed at Philadelphia International Airport at about 9 a.m. Friday. A second UPS plane was isolated near the UPS terminal before take off. Authorities say a crew member aboard an inbound UPS plane from Paris, France notified authorities on approach about a suspicious package. The crew member described a...

Nearly one in three Britons aged 16-44 has a tattoo, according to research. A massive boom in body art has been led by celebrities, footballers and other high-profile figures over the past couple of decades. A fifth of all adults have a permanent tattoo, but this rises to a 29 per cent of men and women aged 16-44, the study revealed.

It was supposed to be the simplest and most effective defence against election fraud, but the supposedly indelible ink daubed on every Afghan voter’s index finger seems to have caused more problems than it solved yesterday. Many people said they were too scared to vote because the Taleban had threatened to cut off voters’ ink-stained digits. Two voters in the southern province of Kandahar were reported to have been hanged by militants who spotted their blackened fingertips. Other Afghans -- including at least two presidential candidates -- complained that the ink at some polling stations came off too easily, allowing...

Palaeontologists have drawn with ink extracted from a preserved fossilised squid uncovered during a dig in Trowbridge, Wiltshire. The fossil, thought to be 150 million years old, was found when a rock was cracked open, revealing the one-inch-long black ink sac. A picture of the creature and its Latin name was drawn using its ink...

Leo Tolstoy, wordy fellow that he was, used a lot of ink. He was also on the frugal side, eventually renouncing his fabulous inheritance, trying to free his serfs and opting to stay in his kid sister’s convent. So you’ve got to wonder, if the Russian novelist had a home office, what kind of ink-jet printer would he use? It’s a question worthy of a great thinker’s consideration. After all, depending on which system you choose, the cost of printing a black-and-white page can range from two to 14 cents. Whether you’re printing a 1,400-page novel or your favorite borscht...

Even the sight of someone being needled with a normal tattoo is enough to make your eyes water, then it might be best to look away now. For body-art enthusiasts have developed a new technique that gives a whole new meaning to beauty being in the eye of the beholder. What is thought to be the first ever "eyeball tattoo" has been inflicted on a man in Toronto - good news, perhaps, for anyone who ever dreamed of having blue eyes. The tattooer injected ink into the eyeball of volunteer Pauly Unstoppable using a needle, until his eye was completely...

It's an undercover movement — literally: Tattoos have become a fad among many young Iranian women who proudly display them in private but must keep them under wraps from authorities. "This is the tattoo generation," said Milad, a 24-year-old artist who does body art as a sideline in his Tehran studio. He gave only his first name, fearing police might crack down. "It's the new sign of being hip." It's a select, largely female clientele, mostly teens and 20-somethings in Tehran's most affluent and style-savvy districts. But these have been the birthplaces for nearly every limit-testing trend since the strict...

Rebecca Holdcroft likes to "express" herself through body art. However, she felt she was being discriminated against at work and contacted the BBC News website to express her point of view. Even though she does not deal with the public face-to-face, her latest employers told her she must wear a cardigan to conceal her tattoos. And in the hot weather, this can get unbearable, she says. Rebecca Holdcroft "It's not the first job where this has happened," says the 25-year-old temp, who had her first tattoo - Japanese blossom and ribbons on her back - at the age of 21....

When the Founding Fathers took the initiative to permanently inscribe our natural rights on paper, one can imagine it being done so with a quill pen. The first copies enshrined our liberties in the Constitution as the Bill of Rights to include the freedom of religion, freedom of the press and the right to keep and bear arms and were printed with a manual printing press. This freedom of speech includes our right to express ourselves with every available medium. At no point have we considered that the freedom of speech is limited to expressing oneself with hand presses and...