Blog posts of '2015' 'February'

Barcodes are a part of a system of inventory control and price checking invented in the 1950's. It is represented as a series of vertical lines that are read by an optical machineand translated into data. Originally conceived as a way to make inventory control within large stores much easier, it is an everyday sight in modern life. Nearly every item purchased from even a medium sized merchant has a barcode on it. 

Barcode tattoos are usually done in an ironic tone on the wrist or neck. Those who wear them are commenting are today's culture, in which people are often treated as a product to be bought and sold. It protests against a society where homogeny is revered and individuality is ridiculed. Barcode tattoos are also associated with anarchist values and havebeen embraced by numerous groups, including punks, Goths, gays and activists. 

Another group that seems to be heavily into barcode tattoos is celebrities, musicians in particular. Several musicians and pop stars have tattooed a barcode on themselves that is the same as the one on their successful album or single. These tattoos are usually found the neck as well as the wrist.

Bees have been a part of human history for as long scientists can tell. In fact, there are theories that bees and their honey were very important to early man because the words for honey, bees and beeswax are similar in widely dispersed areas such as China, France, and Iceland. 

Early man thought the bees were heaven sent. And because they had the ability to find their ways back home from over long distance, bees were seen as representative of the soul. They came to be associated with sexuality and fertility. The bee's detailed, organized hive has made it also a symbol of social order and cleanliness. They also project the image of hard working and a symbol of good. The phrase "busy bee" comes from the image of bees gathering honey and working individually in their hives for the colony's greatergood. Killing bees is considered bad luck. 

Bee tattoos represent a "taking care of business" attitude, toughness and industrialism.

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It is likely you know multiple people with tattoos, as there are millions of people all over the world sporting incredible tattoo art. Whether your inked friend is a stock clerk at your local grocery store, a waitress at the bar or a co-worker in your office, the popularity of tattoos is undeniable. In fact, those who get one tattoo often get the tattoo bug and continue to get inked throughout their entire lifetime. Popularity of the world wide tattoo culture has spread tattooing from taboo to pop culture. While tattoos were once reserved for those in the military or those who owned Harleys, today tattoos adorn soccer moms and everyone in between. Spring breakers come back with their first tattoo on their hip every year and mother surprise their children by getting daisies tattooed on their ankle for their fortieth birthday.

While tattoos are hip and trendy today, this was not always the case. In fact, tattoos were once seen as an affiliation with bikers and or gangs only. It is true the majority of bikers (those people who live a lifestyle of driving motorcycles for sport, fun and socialization) do in fact have tattoos. In fact, there are few bikers who dont have at least onebiker tattoo. In fact, they have tattoos for a purpose. When asked, many people will find many of these pieces of art on the skin have symbolism or personal meaning. Eachtattoo is placed on the skin to tell a story. Much like someone may commemorate a birthday milestone with a tattoo, bikers can do the same. A biker tattoo design can be a way to mark ones self in a way which states their affiliation with a local bike chapter. A tattoo of a name, a number and possibly the letters MC would show the specific person belongs to a motorcycle club.

Not all bikers have club affiliation tattoos. Other bikers will tattoo their loved ones names or a photo of a loved one on themselves, as a memento or way to honor the person. These portrait tattoos and memorial tattoos are considered to be art of the highest honor. Another way to memorialize someone can be with tattooed pictures or scenic tattoos which can easily represent a lost loved one. For instance, there was a female biker who had a ship which was sinking into the sea. Aboard the ship was a man playing cards, gambling and drinking with death. Her tattoo was in memory of her son who had lost his life to drugs. Other biker tattoos often include Harley Davidson tattoos showing the HD emblem and an eagle or wings. Another popular tattoo design in biker culture is the Born to Ride tattoos or Live to Ride, Ride to Live tattoos. These tattoos show the love for the freedom of being on the road and sharing this sensation with a brotherhood or sisterhood of bikers. After all, bikers say there is nothing better than being one with the road, feeling the air in your face.

Similar to biker tattoos are gang tattoos. They should not be confused however. The two are different because gangs are often affiliated with crime organizations, whereas not all bikers are in bike gang seeking out trouble. Gangs often tattoo teardrop tattoos on their faces for murder victims or fallen comrades. Other gang related tattoos often include tattooed names on knuckles or spider web tattoos on the elbow. In addition, many tattoos are done between the webs of the fingers, as well as gang names or symbols tattooed on visible areas of the body. Bikers and gangs have been associated with tattoos for many years. However, with the growth of tattoo popularity in todays society you can not judge a person who has a tattoo and try to put them in the category of gangs or bikers. In fact, most of those who get biker tattoos are not affiliated in any way with crime organizations. Instead, they are simply people who enjoy motorcycles and riding in groups with their friends. Biker tattoos and all other types of tattoos are ways to artistically express yourself, honor someone, or simply have some fun celebrating your eighteenth birthday. Next time you see someone who has full sleeves of tattoos, or a name tattooed across their neck, think about why the person has embellished their body. Instead of the tattoo being a pointless act of rebellion, there is likely a story behind the ink.

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Black Cats found their infamous symbolism in the Middle Ages for being the familiars or companions of witches. Often times these so called witches were simply women who had knowledge of herbs and remedies or who attracted the wrath of a male dominated church. Their black cats were seen as demons in disguise and messengers from Satan. It didn't help the Crusades happened during the middle ages and as the European knights and soldiers were fighting the "infidels" in the middle east, they were venturing into Egypt, a country that revered cats as gods.

As innocent women were tortured and killed out of religious fear or for political reasons for a few hundred years, the black cat became an enduring symbol for feminism, freedom from male domination and Pagan spiritual beliefs. The black cat, shown with an arched back and extended claws, is also a little known symbolism of anarchist values. One of theback stories behind it is that a group of anarchist workers were striking against their employers and losing badly when a stray black cat wandered into their camp. The workers fedand cared for the stray and as the cat gained strength, their strike began to gain ground. They eventually won their strike and adopted the black cat as their mascot.

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