The Tattooed Poets Project: Jill Alexander Essbaum's Poetic Feet (and Jessica Piazza's Too!)

UPDATED! See below....I've decided to launch this special National Poetry Month Tattoosday feature with the wonderful tattooed feet of Jill Alexander Essbaum, author of several collections of poetry, the most recent being Harlot.Although this month I will be featuring tattoos on poets, not every tattoo is poetic, in the literal sense. Jill's inked feet are.Jill met me in the Starbucks at 7 Penn

The Tattooed Poet's Project: An Introduction

April is National Poetry Month!In addition to the "regular" Tattoosday features, every day in April will feature a different poet's tattoo(s).Poets across America have contributed photos of their tattoos for us to enjoy, with each post linking back to BillyBlog, where one of their poems will be posted on the corresponding day.Not all the poems are tattoo-related, but many are. Please come back

Tattoorism: Christina's Fleur-de-lys

For those of you visiting Tattoosday for the first time, I refer to posts based on reader submissions as Tattoorism. That is, tattoos from out of town visiting us here in the blogosphere.There was a pleasant surprise in my in box this morning:Skeptics may say, "What's the big deal? It's just a fleur-de-lis!" But we here at Tattoosday don't think that way. Tattoos aren't just designs inked into

Peter Zervas, 32, underwent emergency surgery after being shot in the right shoulder, hip, foot and chest as the Hells Angel motorcycle gang member sa

Peter Zervas, 32, underwent emergency surgery after being shot in the right shoulder, hip, foot and chest as the Hells Angel motorcycle gang member sat in his car in the driveway of his Lakemba unit about 11.30pm (AEDT) on Sunday.Hells Angel bikie gunned down outside his home may have been a key witness to the Sydney airport bashing murder of his brother, but a Comancheros lawyer says that doesn't mean the Comancheros shot him.An unidentified man with shoulder-length dark hair was seen running from the scene."It is an extraordinary level of violence (for) someone to be shot in their driveway, in their car," Superintendent Peter Lennon of Campsie police told reporters."He's very lucky to be alive."It is the latest incident in an escalation of bikie violence that has prompted the formation of a 75-strong police taskforce and plans for tough new anti-association laws targeting gang members. Zervas was in a stable condition in Sydney's St George Hospital on Monday, with his parents and senior Hells Angels - including president Derek Wainohu - spending time at his bedside.Supt Lennon said officers had already spoken to the victim, whom they have not publicly named, and they expected that he and his family would cooperate.He would not be drawn on whether the victim had been offered protection prior to the shooting, but in Sydney's Central Local Court on Monday police indicated he "may have been a potential witness" in the affray case against five members of the Comancheros, a rival outlaw motorcycle gang.The Comancheros and Hells Angels clashed violently at Sydney airport on March 22 in front of hundreds of passengers, leaving 29-year-old Anthony Zervas with "blunt force and sharp force injuries" that proved fatal.Peter Zervas was with his brother as he died. His family buried him on Friday in a funeral attended also by Bandidos gang members.

"Every person is going to think logically that the number one suspect (in the shooting) is somebody said to be associated with the Comancheros," the gang's barrister John Korn said.

But he said he was sure every police officer "who has turned his mind to the matter, would also conclude that there are other people, other groups, who would have a significant in the matter as well"."The president of the Comancheros wants peace and somebody takes action to ensure that can't happen - doesn't that seem to you slightly incongruous?" he asked of reporters.Mr Korn was speaking outside Sydney's Central Local Court after a bail application for Christian Menzies was adjourned until Wednesday.
Menzies, 26, of Matraville, on Friday became the fifth Comanchero refused bail on an affray charge following the airport brawl.The shooting is the third attack on the Hells Angels in two months, taking into account the airport brawl and the February 4 bombing of the Hells Angel's Petersham clubhouse.NSW Premier Nathan Rees was meeting on Monday with his cabinet to discuss planned laws allowing police to prohibit bikies associating with each other.Applications would have to be made in the Supreme Court and would not need to be based on known criminal behaviour.

Bikie war has never stopped.

Bikie war has never stopped. Since the Milperra massacre in Sydney a quarter of a century ago, it has seethed in the underworld of our main cities, with only a few dumped corpses and bombings occasionally surfacing in the news pages. This is also not the first time bikies have brawled on our streets. In one celebrated clash a few years back, two bikie gangs slugged it out on the steps of the Downing Centre Local Court in Sydney as police and court officials watched on. bikie culture has changed dramatically from the old romantic notion of bikers as big-hearted, big drinking Harley-Davidson lovers who do the odd charity drive for children's hospitals and enjoy the odd bit of biff. While there are still a few of the old-guard bikers who stay away from crime, he says bikie gangs have morphed into highly sophisticated fronts for organised crime and the violent clashes being waged between them for dominance are likely to get worse.

"It's a new violence," he says.
"In the old days the rule was: 'Never at work, never at home, never in front of women and children.' "Nowadays they don't give a shit. They will do it anywhere."

Much was made this week of how the president of the Comancheros bikie gang, Mick Hawi, had banned all his members from wearing their distinctive gang colours or patches or riding their bikes.
This was spun as a conciliatory gesture to ease public fears.
But in the outlaw motorcycle gang fraternity, another explanation was circulating. Talk was that members of the Hell's Angels motorcycle gang had issued a "shoot to kill" order on any Comancheros. "This is a declaration of war," the gang insider says. "All other gang members have been told to keep their heads down or face the consequences." Much of the present bikie wars is a simple battle for dominance between gangs, sparked partly by the entrance on to the local drug dealing scene of a self-styled Middle Eastern bikie gang calling itself Notorious. One factor fuelling this conflict is racial anger among traditional bikies at the "Leb boys" muscling in on their patch. But, as always, it is mostly about the money. As Sunday Night revealed a few weeks ago (despite government claims the trade was now impossible) bikies are still buying huge quantities of over-the-counter cough medicines containing pseudoephedrine and turning them into hugely lucrative speed or ice.

A former methamphetamine cook, Stevan Utah, now on the run from the Bandidos, told how $1000 of cough medicine could earn up to $250,000 "deal for deal" on the street.

Now Notorious wants a piece of the action that bikie gangs have been quietly controlling for years because the money to be made is huge.
"I've been in houses where every room is full of money wrapped up in bundles," the gang insider tells Sunday Night. "They couldn't move it. They need laundromats for the money." The view among the traditional bikie gang fraternity is that Notorious is not a genuine motorcycle gang at all but a criminal gang that is using the brand value of being a bikie gang to add cachet and fear to their efforts to muscle in on to the Sydney drug scene. They have even created their own patch and its publication in one Sydney newspaper served only to enhance the desired feared reputation. What Notorious has learned is what bikie gangs in Australia have known for years: police are reluctant to confront bikies.
"The cops are scared of them," the gang insider says. "They have lost control. Gang members are caught with guns, drugs or shooting people, and they get a bit of community service. It's a pussyfoot approach. Anybody else would get the book thrown at them but these guys get away with it." This week, one self-styled gang expert proclaimed that police and politicians should bring gang leaders together to broker a peace before a feud escalates. The same academic also naively suggested in the pages of another Sydney newspaper that outlaw motorcycle gangs "perform an invaluable social service by keeping some ofthe most disturbed and unstable members of society in check through rigid internal structures".

Gang insiders laugh at such claims. They say that to dignify the gangs' inflated sense of their own importance by brokering some implicit peace deal through them is precisely what is wrong with present policing approaches. Whatever any gang leader ever told the police, he would do anything to stay dominant. And even if gangs are banned by the proposed new laws, the killings will continue on behind the scenes as they have done for decades. The only way to nip the gangs in the bud is to harass their control of the drugs trade with the sort of anti-racketeering laws used in the US that target the money that drives the crime. One of the reasons Notorious's entrance on to the bikie scene is so threatening is because, as the money rolls in, they are wooing Middle Eastern gang members from other gangs, such as the Hell's Angels, Comancheros and Bandidos.

This is a direct threat to the institutional control of the main gangs because most "full-patched" gang members know too much about the gang's dealer network and protection rackets to be allowed to leave. To be inside the gang is all too often to be privy to a major criminal enterprise. "Nobody can walk away," the gang insider says. "You can retire or step back but never walk away. If they go to another club, they give all the club secrets away, all the areas they deal. Many of the shootings in recent weeks are a case of: 'You steal our f--ing drugs and this is what happens."'

Anzac Day is traditionally a big day on the bikie calendar and this year it is likely to be a flashpoint for further violence. The speculation is that the Hell's Angels will not brook anything less than complete capitulation by the Comancheros as a sub-club of the Angels. Anything else would be bad for business.

Tony Sobey local president of the Gypsy Jokers is a keeper of secrets

Tony Sobey.The former bikie gang leader bought the lemon-coloured split-level in 2002 for $383,000 and settled in with wife Tracey and the kids. The family has now moved out after the property sold last month for $880,000. Skye is a preserve of quiet privilege in the Adelaide foothills, which would have suited Sobey down to the ground. He has come a long way since he was local president of the Gypsy Jokers, one of the country's most notorious outlaw motorcycle outfits, and a target of the crackdown in South Australia that gained national traction this week after the rampage by bikies through Sydney Airport left 29-year-old Hells Angels associate Anthony Zervas dead. Sobey is a keeper of secrets. His leathers to riches story is a case study in how bikies, far from being marginalised by anti-social gang behaviour, have prospered. If South Australian Police Commissioner Mal Hyde gets his way, Sobey and others prominent in bikie circles may have some explaining to do. Mr Hyde says the state police are seeking additional powers to make bikies and ex-bikies account for "unexplained wealth". "Everyone knows the person who doesn't work and has a two-storey mansion in the street, and everyone wonders what in the world this guy does for an income," Mr Hyde told The Weekend Australian. "So one of the things we are looking at is ... unexplained wealth. What that means, basically, is if a criminal has more wealth then their income would allow, they have to explain where it came from ... if you can't show you legitimately acquired it, then you lose it." The idea, Mr Hyde said, was to disrupt the business of being a bikie. Nationally, there are about 4000 bikie gang members. Their illegal dealings are said to run to drugs -- especially amphetamines -- stolen cars, prostitution and extortion. The proceeds have been laundered through legitimately-established front companies. "There is no single answer here in terms of what you do to deal with them," Mr Hyde said. "What you have to do is really think about them being in business ... and how you actually deal with disabling or disrupting that business."

Determining exactly what Sobey, 53, does for a living is certainly a challenge. One former neighbour in Skye was surprised he drove a top-of-the-range Mercedes when he had "no obvious form of employment".

Company records show Sobey is the director of a number of companies, some of which are now in the throes of being liquidated. The name of one of them, Simple Loan Pty Ltd, gives away a line of business he has been into. Sobey told the Federal Court in 2006 he was collecting commissions on $7 million in funds from other investors he had directed into a seemingly high-yield scheme run by Adelaide businessman Giuseppe Mercorella, which was in fact a giant pyramid scam. The initially juicy returns were coming from new investors, not investment income. By the time Mercorella's house of cards came tumbling down in 2005 Sobey said he had also pumped in $2million of his own cash. All up, an estimated $94 million in investors' funds went down with the fraudster, who was jailed for five years. There is no indication in corporate or court records of impropriety concerning Simple Loan, and The Weekend Australian does not suggest this was the case. But asked in the Federal Court, as part of an examination by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission into the Mercorella debacle, to detail where he had obtained the $2 million he sank into the investment scheme, Sobey said in February 2006 he could not recall details of his numerous business dealings. Pressed on the point, he said he earned money from share trading, gambling on horses and the commission he had received on putting other investors into the Mercorella scheme. The 4 per cent per month Mercorella returned, before the fund went bust, was "average" compared to what he could have earned lending money, Sobey said. Another area of known interest for bikies is the nightclub scene, and Sobey was into that, too. In March 2006, the Licensing Court of South Australia found he had part of deal involving "deliberate flouting" of licensing laws for a Adelaide nightclub called Heaven. District Court judge Paul Rice described how Sobey and another former Gypsy Joker, convicted Melbourne cocaine dealer Paul Pavlovski, effectively took control of the nightclub from licensee John Richard Pike through a corporate play. Pike had started associating with Sobey in November 2002, about six months after the latter had moved up to Skye. In 2004, Pike restructured his company, Adelaide City Entertainment Pty Ltd. Sobey's company, Sobey Pty Ltd, was issued 10 per cent of the holding shares. Pike later complained that the deal was "forced upon him" by Pavlovski, landlord of the hotel in which the club operated. He and Sobey often turned up at the hotel together, Pike told the Licensing Court. For two years, Pavlovski skimmed $5000 a week in cash from the club, money he had "no right to take", the court found. While Sobey had set his wife up as sole director and shareholder of Sobey Pty Ltd, there was no doubt who had control. "Mrs Sobey was, in reality, no more than a front for Mr Sobey and the Gypsy Jokers," the judge found. Judge Rice said it was open to infer that Pike, in knowing "Sobey was involved with the Gypsy Jokers Club ... was allowing and permitting an element of organised crime to infiltrate the ownership and management" of the nightclub. Pike was declared unfit to hold a liquor licence, and the nightclub folded. It has since reopened with a new name and under new management. In a sense, the Licensing Court proceedings marked a turning point for Sobey, who was well acquainted with the courts in Adelaide. In 2002, he had been charged with possessing a controlled substance, but the case was dropped by the prosecution within months. Two years later, he was charged with intentionally making a false statement and importing prohibited goods. After the false statement count was withdrawn, he pleaded guilty to the importation charge, and was fined $2000. In 2005, he was charged with a minor assault charge, but this prosecution was discontinued in 2007. By then, Sobey had other problems. He was fighting legal battles on a number of fronts. Having claimed security of $17.4 million over what was left of Mercorella's assets, Sobey was hit with a bill from the Taxation Office of $1,519,607.87 for unpaid income tax and interest, mainly on the commission and interest he had earned from the pyramid scheme ahead of its implosion. Sobey decided to wheel in the heavy legal artillery, and engaged top-drawer Melbourne barrister, Peter Hayes QC, to prosecute his claim to the Mercorella assets. The two men evidently hit it off personally. Hayes flew to Adelaide on May 10, 2007, for a hearing in the Federal Court; that night, he had dinner at Skye with Sobey, Tracey and their six children. Next morning, after Hayes failed to meet him as arranged, Sobey found the lawyer unconscious in his hotel room. Hayes had overdosed on a cocktail of illegal drugs allegedly provided by one of a number of prostitutes who were in his room; nearly two years on, the South Australian coroner is still weighing whether to order an inquest into his death, according to the state's Courts Administration Authority. Sobey, meanwhile, has dropped his claim over the Mercorella assets in what has been described as a "favourable" settlement with the scheme's liquidators. He remains in dispute with the tax office, which issued a bankruptcy notice in the Federal Court against him in 2007. The bankruptcy notice has since been set aside by consent and Sobey is now challenging the assessment of his income.

Jorge's Attabeira Tattoo Pays Tribute to His Puerto Rican Heritage

Last May, I spent a few minutes on the N train talking to a woman named Patricia who had a cool tattoo on the back of her neck (see the post here). She disembarked before I was able to get all the facts on the piece, but I still posted the blurry photo.No, I didn't run into her again. But I did meet Jorge, who had a similar piece on his inner left forearm based on the fertility goddess Atabey, or

Xrin Arms Explains His Tattoos

I ran into Anthony after work while passing through the Amtrak section of Penn Station.He was in town to perform in Brooklyn and was waiting for his ride. He performs under the name "Xrin Arms," which he pronounced as "Your-in-arms". He's a techno punk musician currently on tour. Here's the flier for the gig he was playing that night:He had an unusual series of tattoos which he allowed me to

Mark Edward Walker was a full-patch member of the motorcycle gang, The Outlaws.arrested

Arrested Mark Edward Walker and Margaret Rose Berg-teed.
Participating in the raid were 13 members of the Missouri State Water Patrol S.W.A.T. Team, two Deputy U.S. Marshals, two members of the Mid-Mo Drug Task Force, eight Morgan County Sheriff’s Office S.W.A.T Team members and Sheriff Jim Petty.
Walker, 42, of Florida had a warrant from Marion County, Fla. for Attempted Second Degree Murder with a Firearm. This stems from an incident in the city of Ocala, Fla., that occurred in August 2008.
The U.S. Marshal’s Fugitive Task Force received information that Mark Walker was living in Ivy Bend with his brother, Andrew David Walker, 47. Andrew Walker has been in the Morgan County Detention Center since Feb. 14, 2009 for an unrelated charge of Driving While Revoked.
Margaret Rose Berg-teed, 56, of Missouri was also arrested Tuesday.
Mark Walker was arrested without incident and is currently being held in the Morgan County Jail without bond. Charges on Margaret Rose Berg-teed are pending, and she is also being held at this time in the Morgan County Jail without bond.
Information received by the Morgan County Sheriff's Office indicated, and was later confirmed by deputies, that Mark Edward Walker was a full-patch member of the motorcycle gang, The Outlaws.

Brandon Cheville is believed to be a member of the Mongols motorcycle gang.

Brandon Cheville was charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine and violations of federal racketeering statutes.Authorities said Cheville is believed to be a member of the Mongols motorcycle gang. He was featured on the Fox show America's Most Wanted in November.Authorities said he eluded capture during a nationwide crackdown on the Mongols gang in October.U.S. Marshals Southern Iowa Fugitive Task Force made the arrest after learning Cheville had been living and working in Boone. Officials said he did not resist arrest. They said he was working as a tattoo artist.Cheville is being held in the Polk County Jail pending extradition and court hearings.

Double murder in Canberra is a dramatic escalation of bikie violence

Double murder in Canberra is a dramatic escalation of bikie violence, triggered by an increasingly brutal turf war on the eastern seaboard.Hours after police locked up high-ranking Sydney bikie Mahmoud Dib, emergency services crews were called to a southern Canberra home near where two men had been fatally shot. ACT Police would not confirm or deny media reports that the shooting at the house in Couchman Crescent, Chisholm, was linked to bikie gangs. "We are looking at all possible circumstances surrounding this incident and that will include any possible associations that these persons may have had with any groups," a spokeswoman said.
One man was found dead from gunshot wounds in the front yard of the home; another was discovered in a rear yard. A gun was recovered from the scene. A man was arrested and taken to Tuggeranong police station for questioning. One of the residents, who was too scared to be identified, said the home was clearly a drug house and was always full of young people. But he had not seen motorbikes parked outside. "It's definitely drug-related, there are always a lot of cars there, people turning up all the time," he said. Another resident said her 10-year-old daughter heard the gunfire and was terrified. "The police told us not to leave the house, and we've been stuck ever since," she said. Residents believed there could be two homes in the street occupied by bikies or their affiliates. They were concerned about possible connections between yesterday's shootings and the alleged killing by Comancheros of a Hell's Angels associate at Sydney airport on Sunday. Mr Dib was arrested at his western Sydney home on firearms offences by police investigating a string of drive-by shootings. The sergeant-at-arms of the Bandidos' Parramatta chapter was taken into custody after a pre-dawn raid by heavily armed police on his home at Auburn. The arrest followed the 11th drive-by shooting in western Sydney in the past six days, including attacks on Mr Dib's Park Street home on Monday and on the home of a relative of his in nearby Pine Road. Mr Dib, 27, was charged with six firearms offences over a loaded gun police found in his car last Monday.
Acting Superintendent Angelo Memmolo, from the Middle Eastern Organised Crime Squad, said Mr Dib was not in the car when police found the .45 calibre semi-automatic pistol -- loaded with seven bullets -- but had been in the area. No drugs or weapons were found in the 6am raid on Mr Dib's home, but police seized two Harley-Davidson motorcycles they believe may have been stolen. Anthony Zervas -- the 29-year-old brother of a Hell's Angels member -- was bashed to death at Sydney airport on Sunday with metal bollards. Police have not ruled out that bikies were behind a western Sydney drive-by shooting on Monday targeting a Merrylands home containing two adults and three children. Yesterday, Mr Dib sat silently throughout his brief appearance at Burwood Local Court. Magistrate Michael Dakin agreed to a request for an adjournment from Mr Dib's lawyer, Mohammed Masri, for a bail hearing until Friday and formally refused bail.

Two Tattooed Tourists on a Tuesday

Sometimes the hand of Fate guides the Tattoosday blogger as he journeys through the streets of New York. At lunch, a change in traffic signals prompted me to veer East, sending me into a bank vestibule that I rarely, if ever, frequent.I could have ventured into a dozen branches or drug stores to do my business but this is where I ended up on a day that started frigid, but was still in the

Tips for future car racers

Start the engine either by turning it over or by electronic ignition. The motor should already be started by the time the announcer comes over the PA. Give it some gas to get her warm. Just keep an eye on the temp and be sure all gauges are working properly.
Racing sports cars means running 500 to 1000 horsepower, you can just imagine the g- forces that are in all that power. Many secrets for additional horsepower are turbo or bigger turbo. If you slide out when racing that means to much power for the track and need to tune before racing.


Racing with an automatic transmission over a standard in racing is not recommended. Usually this is for the rookies if they can’t shift on their own. Usually people who have been racing like to race with a Manuel because of the feel they get when downshifting then boosting back up to 8grand. Track cars or bracket cars can be used as automatics but when it comes to drag racing and drifting its all about the standard.

When you are racing sometimes it is hard or unavoidable to skid the wall. This is not a cause for alarm but should be taken seriously. If you are an experienced driver or racer then you are probably already fine with the wall but in drifting its different you’re sliding towards the wall at about 60 mph trying to drift parallel to it. It can get very insane at times when you see someone’s rear come within an inch of the wall and they drift it perfectly.


Always stay beneath the white lane at 100mph or over this is just so other racers can avoid crashes and crashing into one another. After you have made speed with others and are at speed you can begin drafting again.

Keep your eyes on the road or track at all times. Be steady and don’t let your hands ever slip off the wheel while making a fast turn or while drifting this can result in a crash injury or fatality.

Part of being careful and focused also knows that there is an emergency button on every sports car when it is being raced. It is usually in the middle of the dash where the driver can easily reach it and punch it. This button will automatically tell the cars ECU to shut down the cars motor.

Keep in mind that in a bad situation the sports car can still be driven but it isn’t a good idea since most sports cars being raced today are running with injected fluids such as methanol or alcohol.

Family members of Notorious may have been targeted in one of two drive-by shootings in Sydney's west.

Family members of Notorious may have been targeted in one of two drive-by shootings in Sydney's west. An elderly couple, believed to be closely related to Notorious's sergeant-at-arms, were asleep when several bullets tore through the front of their home in Doonside about midnight, narrowly missing the pair.Minutes later several bullets were fired into the front of a house at nearby Prospect. Six people, including a 15-year-old and a four-month-old, were inside but escaped injury.Police said the homes might have been targeted because of the occupants' links to Notorious. "We believe there may be links between the two locations and … the Notorious criminal group," said the commander of the Gangs Squad, Detective Superintendent Mal Lanyon, mother of Notorious's sergeant-at-arms is the owner of the Doonside home.The attacks may be retaliation for a drive-by shooting at the house of a senior member of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club's Blacktown chapter early on Monday. Notorious is suspected of being behind that shooting, as well as attacks on the Nomads' clubhouse in Marrickville and the Hells Angels' clubhouse in Petersham in recent months.

Notorious, thought to have been formed in 2007, is run by a Lebanese-Australian Christian with longstanding links to one of Sydney's most well-known underworld families. Police and underworld sources have indicated that Notorious is relying heavily on "Islander muscle" and has opened a clubhouse in Kings Cross - an area traditionally treated as neutral by the older clubs.

"Since Notorious have been around things have been getting hotter and hotter," an underworld source told the Herald.

Hells Angel in Australia was killed Saturday afternoon

Hells Angel in Australia was killed Saturday afternoon during a 10-man brawl involving bikers of his group and members of a rival motorcycle gang inside the Sydney Airport.Police arrested four men involved in the melee that killed an unnamed 29-year-old man from southwestern Sydney. The man died in a hospital after his head was repeatedly smashed with metal posts by men of the Comanchero club, according to police.Other suspects escaped from the terminal by riding on taxis.An investigation in under way to determine what caused the deadly brawl witnessed by many travelers at the airport's domestic terminal.

REBELS bikie accused of bashing patrons and staff during two pub brawls has been arrested

REBELS bikie accused of bashing patrons and staff during two pub brawls has been arrested despite fearful victims who refused to press charges.Crime Gangs Task Force officers arrested the 22-year-old bikie this morning over bashings in two southern suburbs hotels last month. He was refused bail and appeared in the Christies Beach Magistrates Court this afternoon.Police claim the man entered the Aldinga Hotel on February 26 and kicked and punched four people, including staff members.They claim two days later he and three accomplices stormed the Victory Hotel at Sellicks Hill and punched and kicked an unidentified person to the ground.In each case the victims could either not be located or "were fearful of retribution " and refused to press charges, police said.Recent legislative changes which created the offences of `affray' and engaging in violent disorder enabled police to take action despite the victims' silence.Affray carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Offenders can be jailed for two years for engaging in violent disorder.The bikie has also been barred from the two hotels under new powers handed to police by changes to the Liquor Licensing Act.Detective Superintendent Des Bray said pub violence perpetrated by outlaw motorcycle gangs was "of major concern" to police.He also called on all victims of gang violence to report the incidents to police. "In the absence of victim and witness statements, police can now rely on the contents of security vision to prosecute offenders for the recently created offences," Det Supt Bray said.
"Remember, you can remain anonymous."

Kings Cross-based Notorious are embroiled in a gang war with the Hell's Angels and Rebels

Kings Cross-based Notorious are embroiled in a gang war with the Hell's Angels and Rebels over ethnic and territorial disputes.Neighbours in Taworri Rd said yesterday the home at the centre of the drive-by had been raided by police about a year ago.
But the elderly couple at the home during the drive-by said the shooting was a case of mistaken identity."I heard this bang, bang, bang more than I could count and I thought that it was an electrical problem with an appliance, maybe the stove," the 64-year-old man said."Then I felt pain in my leg and it was glass from the windows.
"(The room) was filled with haze, smoke. I've never experienced anything like this before."His 63-year-old wife escaped being shot in the head by about 15cm.
"If I had sat up in bed I would have been killed," she said.The Range Rover believed to have been used in the shootings - stolen from Waterloo on March 7 - was found burning in Blacktown.Premier Nathan Rees said yesterday he would consider changing the law to help police catch and prosecute people involved in drive-by shootings.

Only God Can Judge Him

A nice surprise last night when, out of the blue, a previous Tattoosday subject, John, sent me his latest tattoo.I met John initially at the 3rd Avenue Festival in Bay Ridge, back in the earlier days of the blog, where he displayed a leg piece in progress here.He later had the piece finished and we featured it, in all its glory, here. In addition, he sent me photos of his other three tattoos

Paul "Stepchild" Iorio, 44, last known address 343 E. Ridge St., Nanticoke, is charged with one count of solicitation to deliver cocaine

Paul "Stepchild" Iorio, 44, last known address 343 E. Ridge St., Nanticoke, is charged with one count of solicitation to deliver cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility

Robert Muntz, 42, 195 West Green St., Nanticoke, is charged with one count of delivery of methamphetamine

Robert Muntz, 42, 195 West Green St., Nanticoke, is charged with one count of delivery of methamphetamine, one count of manufacturing of methamphetamine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

Mitch "Buddah" Miller, 48, 15 Bank St., Wilkes-Barre, is charged with one count of criminal solicitation to deliver cocaine

Mitch "Buddah" Miller, 48, 15 Bank St., Wilkes-Barre, is charged with one count of criminal solicitation to deliver cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

Nineteen of the defendants will be prosecuted in Luzerne County

Lazaro Salavarria, 43, 200 Park View Circle, Apt. 4101, Wilkes-Barre, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Michael Brostoski, 46, 39 Nicole Drive, Wilkes-Barre, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Kevin "K Dog" Nowakowski, 33, last known address 65 Fort St., Forty-Fort, is charged with three counts of delivery of cocaine, one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Francis Buracewski, 37, 2 Mill St., Wilkes-Barre, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Michael Scavone, 43, 246A Lake Drive, Harveys Lake, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Larry "Doctor" Gwynn, 54, 14 Allenberry Drive, Hanover Township, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Michelle Adams, 41, 12 Beech Lane, Harveys Lake, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Kenneth Koonrad, 25, 79 Grove St., Wilkes-Barre, is charged with one count ofcorrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Melissa "Missy" McEvoy, 34, 115 North Main St., Ashley, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
John Macking, 37, 9 Everhart St., Hanover Township, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Michael "Kick Start" Bafile, 38, 719 Sycamore St., Berwick, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.
Paul Czerniakowski, 44, 223 Brown St., Wilkes-Barre, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

Patrick Brown III, 39, 39 Fern St., Dallas, is charged with one count corrupt organizations

Patrick Brown III, 39, 39 Fern St., Dallas, is charged with one count corrupt organizations, one count conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count of delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

Michelle Ulitchney, 47, 212 Farmhouse Lane, Wapwallopen, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations

Michelle Ulitchney, 47, 212 Farmhouse Lane, Wapwallopen, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

Joseph "Skidmark" Janick, 44, 115 N. Main St., Ashley, is charged with one count corrupt organizations

Joseph "Skidmark" Janick, 44, 115 N. Main St., Ashley, is charged with one count corrupt organizations, one count conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine, one count criminal use of a communications facility and one count prohibited offensive weapon.

John "G Unit" Gonda, 38, 224 Fern Ridge Road, White Haven, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations

John "G Unit" Gonda, 38, 224 Fern Ridge Road, White Haven, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine, one count delivery of marijuana and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

Anthony Manchio Jr., 49, 212 Farmhouse Lane, Wapwallopen, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations

Anthony Manchio Jr., 49, 212 Farmhouse Lane, Wapwallopen, is charged with one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count delivery of cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

John "J Bone" Ricci, 36, 52 Diamond Ave., Hanover Township, is charged with nine counts of delivery of cocaine

John "J Bone" Ricci, 36, 52 Diamond Ave., Hanover Township, is charged with nine counts of delivery of cocaine, one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, one count of delivery of marijuana, and one count of criminal use of a communication facility.

Ronald "Block" Molnar, 37, 9 Joseph Lane, Wilkes-Barre, is charged with nine counts of delivery of cocaine

Ronald "Block" Molnar, 37, 9 Joseph Lane, Wilkes-Barre, is charged with nine counts of delivery of cocaine, one count of corrupt organizations, one count of conspiracy to deliver cocaine, one count of possession with the intent to deliver cocaine and one count of criminal use of a communications facility.

Joseph Janick, president of the Wilkes-Barre chapter of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club, has also been charged

Luzerne County corrections officer is one of more than 20 people arrested today for allegedly being part of a cocaine ring affiliated with the Outlaw biker gang.Attorney General Tom Corbett says Ronald Molnar was at the center of a drug ring that distributed narcotics worth $3.6 million in the Wilkes-Barre area.
Corbett says the investigation started last year with corrections officer John Gonda and led to the arrests of 22 people.Joseph Janick, president of the Wilkes-Barre chapter of the Outlaw Motorcycle Club, has also been charged. $3.6 million cocaine ring, which operated in northeast Pennsylvania over the past year by members of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, was broken up today by agents from the Attorney General's Bureau of Narcotics Investigation (BNI).
Attorney General Tom Corbett said the investigation, known as "Operation Avalanche," began in July 2008 after agents received information that John Gonda, a corrections officer at the Luzerne County Correctional Facility, was selling large quantities of cocaine in the Wilkes-Barre area.According to the criminal complaint, agents made a series of at least 30 controlled cocaine purchases from Ronald Molnar and his main associates, John Ricci and Kevin Nowakowski.Corbett noted that Gonda, Molnar and Ricci are all associates of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, Wilkes-Barre Chapter.As the investigation unfolded, court authorized wiretaps were approved to determine the scope of the organization and help identify suppliers.Hundreds of drug related conversations were intercepted on wiretaps between Molnar, Ricci and their customers, which led agents to identify Molnar's main cocaine supplier as Anthony Manchio. Manchio is a known cocaine dealer in northeastern and central Pennsylvania.
According to the criminal complaint, Molnar or Ricci called Manchio every 10 to 14 days to order a kilo of cocaine for redistribution in Wilkes-Barre. The two had numerous customers who called regularly to place orders and make arrangements to meet at specific Wilkes-Barre locations for delivery."Anytime you have a kilo of cocaine being brought into your town every 10 days you have a significant problem," Corbett said. "The cocaine coming to Wilkes-Barre was either cut and repackaged for street-level sales or it was kept for individual use among club members."
The charges state that Manchio normally met Molnar a couple days prior to delivery in order to receive payment up front for the cocaine. The two allegedly would arrange another meeting and contact point for the delivery to take place.
Corbett said that as the investigation progressed agents identified Joseph Janick as a major sub-dealer of cocaine for Molnar and Ricci. Janick is the president of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, Wilkes-Barre chapter.According to the criminal complaint, wiretaps placed on Janick's cellular phone produced thousands of drug related conversations showing that he, Molnar and Ricci had a widespread customer base throughout Luzerne County.Agents identified four of their main customers as members of the Wilkes-Barre chapter of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club, including Michael Bafile, the club's past president.
Over the course of the investigation, agents seized 528 grams of cocaine, cutting agents, drug paraphernalia, more than $5,000 cash, rifles, shotguns, handguns, a bullet proof vest, the motorcycle gang's colors, a copy of the bylaws and a list of all the Outlaw associates in prison."Drug trafficking and violence are synonymous," Corbett said. "The large amount of weapons seized in this investigation demonstrates the violent capabilities this organization possessed." Agents also seized motorcycles, SUV's, sedans, a quad and a piece of farm machinery.
Corbett noted that this is part of a continuing investigation.Nineteen of the defendants will be prosecuted in Luzerne County by Deputy Attorney General Timothy Doherty of the Attorney General's Drug Strike Force Section. Three individuals will be prosecuted by Luzerne County District Attorney Jackie Musto Carrol's Office.Corbett thanked the Luzerne County District Attorney's Office, Luzerne County Drug Task Force, and the Luzerne County Sheriff's Office for their assistance with the investigation.The defendants will be arraigned before Magisterial District Judge Diane Malast.

Tattoorism: Joltin' Joe Swings for the Fences

A couple weeks back, I posted a really cool Marilyn Monroe tattoo with a New York Yankees spin.To give Joe DiMaggio his proper due, we have this leg piece above, sent to us by Craig, who explains:"[Had] this tattoo done last February. I am a big Yankee fan .... [I] like watching all the old timers on TV anytime I can. Wanted something different.....something that stood for what baseball was, back

700 Hells Angels, Gypsy Jokers, Rebels and Finks converged at the Gawler racecourse, then rode with a police escort through Barossa towns

Biker gang leaders say Premier Mike Rann has a personal axe to grind against them.
Mr Rann agrees – emphatically. "Yes, I have a personal axe to grind," he said yesterday, a day after bikies staged their protest against State Government laws which can be used to prevent members from associating with each other. "My personal axe is I am a father," Mr Rann said. "I am determined that criminal bikie gangs won't run our pubs, our clubs, or run our streets." He also called on other state governments to copy SA's legislation. In unprecedented scenes on Saturday, some of the world's most infamous bikie gangs united for a protest run through the Barossa Valley and announced plans to form their own political party to contest the next state election. About 700 Hells Angels, Gypsy Jokers, Rebels and Finks converged at the Gawler racecourse, then rode with a police escort through Barossa towns, causing traffic chaos. The protest ride coincided with a Gypsy Jokers annual run, which never before had been open to other clubs. "I know from going out there talking to real people that other parents want me to keep going," Mr Rann said. "We have tough laws against criminal bikie gangs. No decent motorcyclist has anything to run about.
"If you are involved in drugs, violence, extortion, we stand by our laws and back our police to the hilt. "I slept really well last night. That's because I have great confidence in the people of South Australia . . . No one is going to be dumb enough to vote for the bikies party." Mr Rann said supporters of the bikies would have people believe they ran "knitting circles". "They are involved in everything from murder to rape to extortion to kidnapping to running protection rackets," he said.
Asked about the strong police presence on Saturday, Mr Rann said one could imagine what would have happened if police had not been present and something had gone wrong. "I totally back the police with what they did. "This was about a demonstration by bikies who hoped we would back down. I will not back down against violent criminal gangs who are selling drugs to our kids."

Megan's Numeric Neck tattoo

On a day when my wife was tattooed with a lucky "13," it seemed fortuitous when our waitress at dinner unveiled her numeric tattoo:Born on April 7, Megan had these hash marks inked onto the back left side of her neck.Because of the numbers 4 and 7 being significant in her life (aside from their analagousness to the seventh of April), she chose a rather unorthodox forty-seven lines, inked up like

Tehila's Amazing Tattoos Rest Deep in Her Faith

After my wife got her "13" tattoo (story here), we had some time to kill before our dinner reservations at 7:00 pm. So, we headed to Chelsea, then walked down 23rd Street to the Housing Works Thrift Shop.It was there, while browsing, that I met Tehila, who was visiting from Washington, D.C. It was this tattoo that jumped out at me:Quite an elaborate neck tattoo, which was in part designed by her

Bryan Perun, 35, of Lincoln Place, is charged in connection with the death of Albert Kolano, 33, of Elliott

Bryan Perun, 35, of Lincoln Place, is charged in connection with the death of Albert Kolano, 33, of Elliott, following an altercation with the Pagans at the Longview Lounge around 1:30 a.m.Mr. Perun was a city officer from 2000 to 2003, when he was fired for violating regulations in regard to a pepper-spray incident at a North Side bar. But his supervisor at the time said he had no problems with the man everyone at the East Liberty station called "Dirt.""He was one of the better officers at the station," said Phil Dacey, a lieutenant who has since retired. "He had the tattoos and he was into bikes, but I had no inkling that he was involved with the Pagans."
It's not clear when he joined the biker gang.But Allegheny County police said Mr. Perun was wearing a leather Pagans jacket Thursday when he pulled a knife, issued a threat and fired two shots at witnesses before the fatal shooting.He and three other men -- Kevin J. Doolin Jr., 43, of Sheraden; John R. Miller, 56, of Brookline; and Nathaniel J. Robinson, 34, of Allentown -- are charged with conspiracy to commit homicide.Mr. Doolin is identified in a police affidavit as the shooter, although he had not been charged with homicide as of yesterday afternoon.
This is what happened, according to an affidavit:The victim's brother, Anthony Kolano, said his wife, Tracie, received a call from Bridget Hurley that 15 to 20 Pagans were threatening her, Albert Kolano and another man, Andrew Miller, inside the bar.Anthony Kolano arrived at the bar and motioned for the three to leave. When they did, some of the Pagans followed them outside.Mr. Perun pulled a large folding knife from a coat pocket and used it to puncture the right rear tire of Anthony Kolano's vehicle, saying "You ain't going nowhere."Mr. Perun then drew a revolver and fired a shot into the ground and second into the door of the vehicle.As Anthony Kolano drove from the parking lot, he said he passed a parked sport utility vehicle. He said he saw Mr. Doolin extend his arm out the driver's side window and fire two shots at Albert Kolano's moving vehicle. Albert swerved, struck the berm and crashed into some woods.Mr. Miller, a passenger in the SUV with Mr. Doolin and Mr. Robinson, climbed out and threw an object into the woods.Anthony Kolano used his vehicle to block the SUV from leaving the parking lot.Police said all four suspects were "wearing clothing displaying membership in the Pagans" and all four "conspired with each other in the shooting death of the victim."The Longview Lounge, which sits atop a muddy hillside along Greensburg Pike, was closed yesterday. A sign at the back door advised visitors that it would remain so "until further notice."No one answered the door yesterday at Mr. Perun's house. His pickup sat outside, a Fraternal Order of Police emblem on its rear bumper.Until August 2003, Mr. Perun worked as a patrolman in the East End."He was a good young officer," said Mr. Dacey. "He got a lot of complaints because he did his job. He was aggressive. If you took off running, Bryan would chase you down."Mr. Perun was involved in one high-profile case. In 2001, he and several other officers killed James B. Lewis, 36, after he led them on a chase in Garfield and fired at them. The shooting was ruled justified after a coroner's inquest.Two years later, Mr. Perun was fired for neglect of duty, lack of truthfulness and other violations after an incident at Hi-Tops, a North Side bar that has since closed.

The details are sketchy, but while working an off-duty security detail, he used pepper spray to subdue someone. The city's Office of Municipal Investigations received a complaint about his conduct and determined that Mr. Perun didn't file reports about using the spray, as regulations required.

He contested the firing through the arbitration process but was ultimately discharged, according to city records.Had Mr. Perun been a Pagan while on the force, he would have faced termination, city officials said. Regulations prohibit officers from associating with criminal organizations.According to the FBI, the state police and the former Pennsylvania Crime Commission, the Pagans qualify -- and they've long had a substantial presence in Westmoreland County.Four biker gangs have dominated in the United States for decades: . The Pagans, who got their start in Maryland, have always been Pennsylvania's most powerful gang.Two big federal prosecutions in the 1980s hurt them here, however, when the FBI used the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act to dismantle the group.They declined after that but remained involved in drug dealing, particularly methamphetamines, police said.

An Interlude

The previous post featured our recent adventures at Dare Devil Tattoo on Friday the 13th.I wrote specifically about my wife Melanie getting her lucky 13 tattoo on her birthday. People who know me and know Tattoosday were excited not just for her, but for me as well. They knew I'd be surrounded by tattoos, and that I would therefore be busy talking to people about Tattoosday, and collecting

Robert Shannon who distributed cocaine and marijuana for the Hells Angels in British Columbia was sentenced in Seattle to 20 years

Drug smuggler who distributed cocaine and marijuana for the Hells Angels in British Columbia was sentenced in Seattle to 20 years in a federal prison on Friday, and prosecutors say they will oppose any effort by Robert Shannon to serve his prison time in his native Canada.U.S. Attorney Jeffrey Sullivan said cross-border criminals such as Shannon "should not be able to further exploit their citizenship to avoid paying for their crimes."Shannon had close ties to the Hells Angels in British Columbia and, according to prosecutors, used violence and intimidation routinely.
Prosecutors wanted Shannon to serve 33 years. His defense lawyers asked for 13.The government alleged in sentencing documents that Shannon, a Langley, B.C., trucker who's boasted that he made millions from the drug trade, once paid to have a co-conspirator killed and threatened an Abbotsford, B.C., co-defendant who testified against him Friday.Dozens of others have been charged in the case, which has resulted in 39 prosecutions and the seizure of more than 1,700 pounds of cocaine, 7,000 pounds of "B.C. Bud" marijuana and $3.5 million in cash, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Friday the 13th: A Tattoosday Adventure

Today has finally arrived. A much-anticipated Friday the 13th. My wife, Melanie's, birthday. She was born on a Friday the 13th, so whenever it falls in March (the last one was in 1998, the next one is in 2015), it's always an event.This Friday the 13th, I've taken the day off and plan on spending a large chunk of it with Melanie, waiting in line for what has become a New York City tradition: a

Tattoorism: Sean Stops by To Unveil More Amazing Work

A month ago, I posted a bit of tattoorism; Sean from New Jersey sent me photos of his left leg, an intricate Japanese-style piece, complete with koi, dragons, a lotus, and a pagoda.Sean has been kind enough to update us here on Tattoosday with two more pieces, the first being this cool gypsy head that is tattooed on the inside of his upper left arm:As he was in the last post, Sean is not only

Dale Donovan,former president of the Manitoba Hells Angels has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison

Dale Donovan, 34, entered his surprise guilty plea this morning to several charges including conspiracy to traffic drugs, possession of proceeds of crime and participating in a criminal organization.The former president of the Manitoba Hells Angels has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison after admitting to his role in a drug trafficking network.Donovan and 17 other gang members and associates were arrested in December 2007 following a year-long undercover police investigation dubbed ``Project Drill`` that involved having a career criminal become a ``secret agent.``Scotty ``Taz`` Robertson was able to infiltrate the gang and conduct a series of drug and weapons deals that were caught on video and audio surveillance by police.He was paid more than $600,000 for his work and put in the witness protection program. During the investigation, police seized five machine-guns, three handguns, 11 kilograms of cocaine, 2,000 tablets of methamphetamine and 13 pounds of marijuana.
Donovan became leader of the local Hells chapter after former president Ernie Dew was arrested in a similar police sting in February 2006. Dew is now behind bars serving a 13-year sentence.

Arpita Singh Hot and Sexy Wallpapers

Aarti Chhabria Wallpapers

Kait, On Her Own Two Feet

While passing through Borders at 2 Penn Plaza, I spotted Kait's feet, both tattooed on their outside edges. She graciously allowed me to take pictures of both pieces.On her left foot is a green bow, inspired in part by the fact that she is known where she grew up for always having a bow on her, whether it be in her clothing or in her hair. It's her trademark, of sorts, and the tattoo insures that

The Tattoosday Book Review: High Voltage

As a viewer of the cable show Miami Ink, I watched with great interest when Chris Garver brought his friend Kat Von D. into the shop as a guest tattooer in the show's early days. Kat's portrait work is phenomenal, and she is an extremely charismatic person.The problem with reality shows like Miami Ink, its spin-off L.A. Ink, and the A&E Series Inked, is that the producers feel, and perhaps

Ratings Widget Added

Hey Tattoosday fans! Check out the bottoms of each post. I've added a ratings widget, so you can vote on the tattoos you like!

Tattoos from the Blogosphere: CoccoRossie's Triple Play

I recently received an email from "Coccorossie" who blogs here.She checks in on Tattoosday from time to time and offered to share a few of her tattoos.Since she took the time to share them with me, I thought it was only fair to share them with you.This "Omerta" tattoo is on her right side, on the ribcage. Omerta, traditionally understood as "Code of Silence," reflects her attitude:"My omerta

Soha Ali Khan in Dhoondte Reh Jaaoge - Wallpapers

Jamie Gunns

Takeshi's Reminder that Life is Precious

On a day of unlikely inkspotting (8+ inches of snow, frigid temperatures, blustery winds), I thought I would be okay without my camera. Fortunately, I had one on my phone.Fortunately because, during a brief sojourn into Borders, I met Takeshi, who was visiting from Boston. And he had quite a few tattoos.Takeshi offered up this neck piece for the Tattoosday audience:The words "Hold On" refer to

Fundraising Drive This Wednesday (3/4) at Red Rocket Tattoo

We pause a moment for an announcement...Chris, who I met on jury duty, and shared his tattoo here, sent me the following message:Dear Friends and Fans of Red Rocket Tattoo,A very loved artist in our tattoo family has suffered a tremendous loss. His eldest daughter was tragically killed on the night of February 26th. As he and the rest of his family suffer this loss, we suffer right along side and

Ariel Meredith

Irina Sheik

John Vasilantonakis wanted for a bikers' brawl outside the former Sorrento Hotel on The Kingsway

John Vasilantonakis wanted for a bikers' brawl outside the former Sorrento Hotel on The Kingsway almost 17 years ago is now in police custody. Greater Sudbury Police said in a release Saturday that two rival motorcycle gangs got into a fight Sept. 6, 1992. One biker was shot, two were knifed and others were struck with a two-by-four piece of lumber and a tire iron. "Although the injuries were serious all have since recovered," police said. Police in Sudbury issued an arrest warrant for John Vasilantonakis, 47, for allegedly attacking a man, who was 38 at the time, with the lumber. He eluded police until Friday, when he came into contact with the Toronto Police Service. Officers there discovered the warrant issued by Sudbury police. Vasilantonakis was arrested and has been returned to Sudbury, where he is scheduled for a bailing hearing by video on Sunday on a charge of assault with a weapon.