China has banned references to hip-hop culture and actors with tattoos from appearing in the media as part of a crackdown on “Low taste content”.

There were four “don'ts” that the media must now abide by, according to Gao Changli, the publicity department director at the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of the People’s Republic of China

”Absolutely do not use actors whose heart and morality are not aligned with the party and whose morality is not noble," he said.
“Absolutely do not use actors who are tasteless, vulgar and obscene. Absolutely do not use actors whose ideological level is low and have no class. Absolutely do not use actors with stains, scandals and problematic moral integrity.”

Chinese news outlet Sina reported that the regulator now "specifically requires that programs should not feature actors with tattoos [or depict] hip hop culture, sub-culture and dispirited culture."

Hip hop artists Wang Hao, known as “PG One” and Zhou Yan, known as “GAI”, both won popular television show “Rap of China “, but both were sanctioned in recent weeks for bad behavior or content at odds with Communist Party values. 

PG One was forced to apologies for lewd lyrics, which critics said were insulting to women and encouraged the use of recreational drugs.

Last July, Beijing’s Municipal Bureau of Culture said it was “not appropriate” for Justin Bieber to tour in China because previous performances there had created “public dissatisfaction.”

Scientists have finally established where exactly the oldest tattoo ever drawn can be found.
The 61 tattoos that are across Iceman Ötzi’s body are the oldest tattoos known to man, according to new research.

Scientists have long argued about whether the oldest tattoos known belong to the Tyrolean Iceman called Ötzi who died around 3250BC or an unidentified South American Chinchorro mummy that has a moustache-like marking around its face. A new examination of the latter specimen has shown that Ötzi is older than the mummy — who had been thought to have died around 4000BC but is actually much younger— and confirms that the European specimen’s tattoos are the oldest preserved examples.
“I was surprised by the findings because in previous publications I brought attention to the tattooed Chinchorro mummy and its early date,” Lars Krutak, who was involved in the research, told Smithsonian Science News. “To me this mummy was like an underdog versus the all-too-popular Iceman that everyone was writing and talking about.
“But after reviewing the facts, we were compelled to publish the article as soon as possible to set the record straight and stem the tide of future work compounding the error.”The 61 tattoos on Ötzi’s body consist mostly of groups of lines or crosses, and are spread across his body. They were produced by making fine incisions in the skin and then rubbing charcoal into them — as such they are thought to have been meant to be therapeutic rather than as decoration.
It is very difficult to ascertain when tattooing came about in human culture because there are few written records and scientists must instead look at the archaeological record. But even that can be hard to depend on, since it is often tough to tell exactly what function possible tattoos served, and whether ancient implements were used for tattooing or for other purposes.
Hundreds of ancient tattooed specimens have been found. While Ötzi is now the oldest known, many more ancient examples have been found across the world, including in modern day Russia, Egypt and China.
It’s highly likely that Ötzi’s tattoos won’t stay as the oldest ones found, as we discover more about our ancestors. His markings suggest that by the time he received them the practice was developed and widespread, probably meaning that there are older tattoos in existence.

Would you let a 12-year-old give you a tattoo?
If the answer is yes, your bravery/optimism might lead you to the services of Ezrah Dormon – one of the world’s youngest tattoo artists.
The Panamanian child has already performed 20 inkings on willing customers and is learning the tricks of the trade from professional tattooist Ali Garcia at his studio in Honolulu, Hawaii.
Dormon, who goes by “Ezrah the Shark” on Instagram, began his tattoo career at the tender age of 11.
He found his calling after watching his mother get a tattoo of a red flower from Garcia.
It wasn’t long until the professional artist began showing Dormon how to do one himsel

His career may be flourishing already, but Dormon is keen to stress that he is still in the early stages of his development as an artist.
“Whenever someone comes to get a tattoo they always have to know that I’m still learning, that I’m just an apprentice,” Dormon said in a video posted by NowThis.
“They’ll always be a little bit nervous but they’re always usually excited,” he added.
So far, he has learnt to draw roses, panthers, swallows and sharks and regularly practises his designs on grapefruits.
The budding artist explained that he intends to continue developing his skills and hopes to become a professional tattooist in the future.

So there’s been another product recall on 3 batches of ink, 2 Eternal (both of which are Deep Red) and one from Intenze which is Dark Tone (I think this is from the Bob Tyrrell greywash range).
The two Eternal Deep Red batches are especially worrying as the presence of aromatic amine anisidine in the product isn’t above any acceptable levels (which is usually the case with these recalls), it’s not suppose to be in the ink at all.  It’s banned from use in tattoo and cosmetic makeup products as it’s carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic and sensitising.  So how the hell did it get there?


The Intenze Dark Tone is being recalled because of the unacceptable levels of the carcinogen : polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)s, including benzo(a)pyrene (measured values: benzo(a)pyrene: 0.02 mg/kg; total of PAHs: 145 mg/kg). Some PAHs are carcinogenic. Benzo(a)pyrene is a carcinogenic PAH.
Links to more information below :
Eternal Ink, Deep Red, Batch 040616
https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=main.notification&search_term=A12/1088/17&exclude_search_term=0&search_year=2017
Eternal Ink, Deep Red, 960315
https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=main.notification&search_term=A12/1087/17&exclude_search_term=0&search_year=2017
Intenze, Dark Tone, Batch SS192, expiry date 31/08/2019
https://ec.europa.eu/consumers/consumers_safety/safety_products/rapex/alerts/?event=main.notification&search_term=A12/1086/17&exclude_search_term=0&search_year=2017

A Cumbrian trucker has got a bizarre tattoo inked on his chest which makes him look like a tiny man driving his own body with a steering wheel.
Father-of-one Kenny Ollerenshaw's unique inking has gone viral, being shared more than a million times on Facebook.
When the trucker moves, the 'interactive' tattoo moves with him. 
Mr Ollerenshaw, who lives in Silloth, had his tattoo created at Immortal Art Studio in Cumbria.
It took four hours to finish and the first person he showed was his young son.
The 36-year-old said: 'He thought it was cool but I wasn't expecting it to go viral, it's all gone a bit mad and my son has told my mum that I'm famous.

 We Phnom Penh Tattoo think its always good to express yourself threw your tattoos but always give some thought if you will regret your tattoos later in life. Joke tattoos are always fun but not if there at your expense. Eventually the laughs wear off and your left with a tattoo you might start to think isnt funny anymore. Our recommendation is to always think twice befor you ink.