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After the worst riots for a generation, and as thousands of extra police are drafted in for this weekend’s Notting Hill Carnival, the ‘gangsta’ culture seems to have permeated even the higher echelons of society. For beautiful heiress Willa Keswick, 27, whose family are worth £1.7 billion thanks to their stake in Hong Kong conglomerate Jardine Matheson, is now sporting a large tattoo of a red and black handgun stretching from her armpit down the side of her torso. While no one could accuse Willa of advocating civil disorder, her new tattoo nevertheless echoes the controversial ‘copycat’ criticisms made by historian...

"Show us your tattoo" contest draws critics BY STEVE PARKER Posted: Friday, October 1, 2010 11:36 am The Modesto Bee is reporting that it's online "show us your tattoo" contest met with some criticism. The contest -- which ended Thursday -- was aimed at attracting younger readers. Interactive media director Dan Day wrote: It's that under-30 generation we're trying to reach with the contest, hoping they'll stop by our website to view a few tattoos and maybe even pick up a copy of the newspaper. In a column explaining the contest, Day said he heard from critics: "What kind of...

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.

Tattoos have held a prominent place in society for centuries. From culture to culture and age to age, the evolution and history of the tattoo goes beyond the boundaries of the physical or spiritual. When a person decides to get inked, the reasons are uniquely personal. In modern America, they have made counter cultural statements and aroused controversy in every walk of life. Whether for the sole purpose of evangelizing or simply to honor a loved one, the bearer of the tattoo has a story to tell and delights in the telling. Opponents and skeptics in the Christian faith have...

Is This The World's Best Body Art? Stunning Eye-Deceiving Images Reveal An Artist At The Top Of His Game [Stunning Pics in URL] DAILY MAIL REPORTER 01st November 2009 Body art is an art form that stretches back thousands of years, although for one American artist, it is as relevant today as it ever was. Craig Tracy paints stunning images on people's bodies before photographing them in unique poses. The resulting collection of masterpieces could be regarded as some of the best body painting in the world by an artist at the top of his game.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Kelly Brannigan was suffering from a case of tattoo remorse. Just a year ago, Ms. Brannigan, 24, who holds up Case No. 24 as one of the models on the NBC game show “Deal or No Deal,” had been full of hope when she and her fiancé had each other’s names tattooed across their inner wrists. But now, when she looks at the letters — P-A-T-R-I-C-K — she is reminded of the failed relationship. For help, she turned to Dr. Tattoff, a chain of tattoo removal stores where nurses use lasers in a series of treatments...

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....

Joaquin Laguer (above) fainted and fell through glass, killing himself, after getting the tattoo (below) entitled 'Last Rites.' A Brooklyn father getting a tattoo called "Last Rites" inked into his flesh passed out and crashed headfirst into a glass counter yesterday, killing himself, police and witnesses said. Joaquin Laguer, 27, nearly was decapitated during the horrific accident inside Buzz Tattoo, an unlicensed parlor in East Williamsburg. "There was nothing I could do," said shaken tattoo artist Julio Ramos, 36. "I was kneeling next to him, praying to God. My assistant said, 'He's gone.'" Laguer, an aspiring model and rapper,...