Temporary Cover-up of Your Tattoos

We are at mid-December. It’s time to panic if you are still searching for gift ideas. Here are some things that the tattooed among us might like to receive.

 #10 Movie Tickets

I know, it has nothing to do with tattoos. But we all love going to the movies. I saw The Road last week. My ticket was $15! And the 12 ounce bottle of water that I bought at the concession stand was another $5! With prices like that, anybody would love a gift certificate to a local movie theater.

 #9 Subscriptions to any body art magazines out there.

I happen to like “Inked” magazine (http://www.inkedmag.com). It is classy and a little more artsy than the others. I also favor Skin Deep magazine out of Great Brittan.   

 #8 Gift Certificate to a local tattoo shop.

Your tattooed friend or loved one may have a favorite artist or shop already. Or maybe they have just an idea for a new tattoo. If so, get them a gift certificate to help kick off their new ink for 2010.

 #7 Tatjacket….duh…

Beginning this week, the Tatjacket website will be offering an exclusive Headblade gift pack. If you know somebody with tattoos and a clean shaven head, this is the gift pack to get. This complete starter set will feature a HeadBlade toiletry hanging bag, Sport razor, refill pack of triple blades, mentholated shave cream and lotion. This combination of products is only available from Tatjacket. Plus, for this gift pack, we are including the Tatjacket full sleeves FREE. You choose the color and size; we throw them in at no charge. You get the kit and the sleeves together!  

 #6 Headblade S4 Shadow stainless steel razor.  

Again, you have to be looking for a shaved head tattoo enthusiast. But if you know one, here is a great gift. They are selling like crazy here and we are on the 3^rd reorder already (we have only had them in stock for 1 month). We offer them for 20% less than retail, maybe that’s why. This razor is heavy and well made. I love the feel and the design. They come in a cool little travel case with extra blades and a sample size shave cream. Very nice gift.

 #5 Miami Ink, Season One on DVD   

Available on line from Best Buy or Amazon. They will like this real life tattoo studio drama.

 #4 Tattoo related clothing.  

The Ed Hardy line, Rebel Spirit, Sailor Jerry, and Retro Fashions lines are all good choices. All are available on-line. Check out http://www.tattooapparel.com for these and more ideas.

#3 Tattoo related books.

American Tattoo Master (about Sailor Jerry Collins), Ink tattooing guide, Skin Shows. There are many interesting books on tattooing out there. You just have to pick one.

 #2 Gift certificate for a pro photographer.

The one thing people love about tattoos is the look of the tattoos they already have. Getting your tattoos professionally photographed like you see in the books and magazines is a cool idea.

 #1 Custom skateboard.

If your tattooed loved one happens to be a skater, this is a cool gift. Zazzle.com will make a custom board with any graphics you want. You upload the images and create the layout. Zazzle makes the board and ships it out. All for $60. Not bad. Check  http://www.zazzle.com/cr/design/pt-skateboard.

Tatjacket is happy to introduce our first tattoo tee shirt. These will be for sale soon on the website. But you can get one FREE! Choose either the Hanes “Heavyweight” 100% Cotton Tee or the Bella 100% Cotton Babydoll Tee. Either way, these are super high quality shirts that show a little attitude. The front reads: “My job does not define me. My ink does”. The back has the image of the Tatjacket logo and our motto. These shirts, along with unisex heavyweight sweatshirts and a racerback tank top for women, will be available on the site very soon. If you absolutely have to get one RIGHT NOW, no problem, they are in stock. Call toll free 800-492-6959 and we will make it happen!  

OK, down to business. How to get one FREE….

Get a photo of yourself, at work or in your work clothing, wearing the Tatjacket tattoo cover sleeves. That’s it. It can be a photo from your cell phone or from a professional photographer. Doesn’t matter. Email it to us here at Tatjacket (customerservice@tatjacket.com). Tell us your name, address, which shirt you want and the size (they only come in black). At the end of each month, we will RANDOMLY select one of the emails. If we select your photo, you get the Free tee shirt. November is already half over. You may have a free shirt in just 2 weeks.

The rules: No purchase is necessary. If you would like to enter and do not own our tattoo cover up sleeves, you may submit a photo showing you and your arm tattoos. Once you send it, your photo becomes the property of Tatjacket. We may use the photo and your name in printed materials or on the website. Photos that include nudity, are in poor taste or are vulgar will be discarded. You may only enter once per month. A display of all entries along with the winner will be made in this BLOG at the end of each month.

Thats it. Questions or comments, please email us. Otherwise, good luck…

The following is the police department policy concerning covering tattoos for the city of East Palo Alto, California.

Operating policies online for public view and access. By providing unfettered access to policies that govern officers’ actions, the Department will enhance its professionalism and be more open, accessible and accountable to the community.

“I believe this information will assist the community to better evaluate the Department, understand the legal actions of officers, and identify actions that are not in accordance with established policies”, according to Chief Davis.

The Department will start the program by posting a new policy that prohibits officers from visibly displaying tattoos and body art while in uniform. Future postings include a policy that governs the Department’s acceptance, processing and investigation of citizen complaints, and a policy that prohibits racial profiling and requires data collection for all stops made by officers.

The Department recently had all of its policies reviewed and updated by a legal expert. These policies are under final review by the Chief of Police and will be posted on the website after they have been finalized and published. Effective August 1, 2007, the East Palo Alto Police Department will publish its

CITY OF EAST PALO ALTO POLICE DEPARTMENT POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

Chapter:

Subject: Tattoos and Body Art Prohibition for Employees

Supersedes:

Signature of Issuing Authority: Chief Ronald L. Davis

Body Art and Tattoo Prohibition for Employees

It is the policy of the East Palo Alto Police Department that all uniformed employees and explorers maintain the highest standards of professional appearance when interacting with the public and representing the Department

I. CORE VALUES

Maintaining a professional appearance is critically important to fostering public trust and confidence in law enforcement, and to exceeding the standards of the profession. This order incorporates the Department’s core values of Service, Teamwork, Respect, Integrity, Vision, and Excellence (STRIVE).

 

II. GENERAL POLICY

A. All uniformed employees and explorers are prohibited from displaying any body art, tattoo(s), intentional scarring, mutilation, or dental ornamentation while on duty or representing the department in any official capacity.

B. Any currently employed uniformed employee and explorer with existing body art, tattoo(s), intentional scarring, or mutilation that is visible shall have the following options:

1. Uniformed employee shall cover existing body art, tattoo(s), intentional scarring, or mutilation by wearing the long-sleeve shirt and/or uniform pants/breeches.

2. Cover the existing body art, tattoo(s), intentional scarring, or mutilation with a skin tone patch or make-up.

3. Have the tattoo(s) or brand(s) removed at the employee’s expense.

C. Body art, tattoo(s), brand(s), intentional scarring, and/or mutilation that is not able to be covered or concealed is prohibited. This includes, but is not limited to; foreign objects inserted under the skin, pierced, split or forked tongue, and/or stretched out holes in the ears.

D. Uniformed employees and explorers shall not have any dental ornamentation. The use of gold, platinum, silver, or other veneer caps for the purposes of ornamentation are prohibited. Teeth, whether natural, capped, or veneered, shall not be ornamented with designs, jewels, initials, etc.

By order of

Ronald L. Davis

Chief of Police

Ok, This has nothing to do with Tattoos. But we all drive, so this matters to all of us….

Yesterday, I attended a Ventura County DUI Prevention Summit in the city of Ventura. The program was intended to educate law enforcement and other public and private entities about the current state of DUI in the area. There were several interesting speakers. But one of the most eye opening parts of the presentation were the statistics.

Most of the statistics were local and therefore wont be interesting to most of you reading this post. But I have added national statistics which should catch everybody’s eye. No matter what you do for work or where you live, you or somebody you love is going to drive a car today. Keeping that in mind, think about this….

Alcohol Impaired Driving Statistics

Over 50% of all fatal highway crashes involving two or more cars are alcohol related.
Over 65% of all fatal single car crashes are alcohol related.
Over 36% percent of all adult pedestrian accidents are alcohol related.
80% of all fatal alcohol related auto crashes occur between 8 pm and 8 am.
36% of all adult pedestrian accidents involve an intoxicated pedestrian.

Youth
Although persons between 16 and 24 years old comprise only 20% of the total licensed population, and 20% of the total vehicle miles traveled in this country by all licensed drivers, they cause 42 percent of all fatal alcohol related crashes.

Total Fatalities / Fatality Rates

250,000 people have died in alcohol related accidents in the past 10 years.
Presently 25,000 people are killed each year in alcohol related accidents.
500 people are killed each week in alcohol related accidents.
71 people are killed each day in alcohol related accidents.
One American life is lost every 20 minutes in alcohol related auto crashes.
It is estimated that one out of every two Americans will be involved in an alcohol related accident in his or her lifetime.
In 1994, New Hampshire had 119 total highway fatalities, 42 were alcohol related (or 35.3% of the total). New Hampshire leads the nation with one of the lowest percentages of alcohol related fatalities.

Cause of Death

Alcohol related crashes are the leading cause of death for young Americans, between the ages of 16 and 24 years old.
For all Americans between 5 and 35 years of age, motor vehicle accidents are the number one cause of death. Over 50% of these accidents are caused by alcohol impaired drivers.

Injury Crashes / Collisions

Every year, 708,000 persons are injured in alcohol related crashes; 74, 000 of those people suffer serious injuries.
About 2,000 people are hurt each day in alcohol related accidents.
Two million alcohol impaired driving collisions occur each year.
Arrest / Characteristics of Alcohol Impaired Drivers.
Of every 200 to 2,000 alcohol impaired drivers on the road, only one is arrested. Therefore, the probability of getting caught is slim. Of those who are caught, very few receive a serious penalty.
The average alcohol impaired driver arrested on the highway has a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .20%, double the level for presumed intoxication in most states; that is 14 drinks of 86% proof liquor (or 14 beers) in 4 hours for a 180 lb. man.
Between 7 pm and 3 am on weekends, 10% of all drivers are legally impaired; in some parts of the country. Most Americans drink alcohol. Over 80% admit to driving after drinking.
Relatively few problem drinkers, about 7% of the driving population, account for over 66% of all alcohol related fatal accidents.
When drinkers are at the presumed level of intoxication, the risk of causing an accident is six times greater than for non-drinking drivers.

Economic / Societal Cost
According to a recent Allstate Insurance Company study, alcohol impaired drivers are estimated to cost American taxpayers $21 – $24 billion dollars per year.
National Geographic recently stated that alcohol abuse costs American society $136 billion and 65,000 lives annually.

Miscellaneous
Admittedly, the United States has one of the safest highway systems in the world, due in part to design characteristics, guard rails, highway markings and signs. We have relatively few fatalities per 100-million miles driven. But the portion of our accidents involving alcohol is among the highest in the world.

An accident by an alcohol impaired driver is the most frequently committed violent crime in the United States today. Other alcohol-related statistics show the involvement of alcohol in many non-driving aspects: 40% of all suicide attempts are alcohol-related 54% of all violent crimes are alcohol-related 60% of all emergency room admissions are alcohol-related 80% of all domestic disputes are alcohol-related

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These statistics were copied from Community Alcohol Information Program Inc.

Whenever I go to a party or other social function, I inevitably end up in a conversation with somebody about a traffic ticket they received. There is such misunderstanding and misinformation about traffic tickets that I end up in a protracted explanation of traffic enforcement as a whole. There are so many myths and misconceptions out there that I thought it might be nice to put some things out for all to read. My intent is to break this up into a series. The following is the first segment.

Traffic ticket myth and fact:  PART 1

Last July, the traffic fines in the state of California went up sharply. Other states are also adopting the same sharp increases as a means of gathering “revenue” in this crummy economy. As a result, I have noticed a sharp increase in the number of people taking the matter to traffic court. With fines in the $300, $500 or even $700 range, it’s no wonder that people are trying to find any way to beat the ticket or simply have the fine reduced.

The following is a little “truth” about traffic tickets that you might not know. Please feel free to add your 2 cents. I will respond to all comments and emails.

MYTH 1 Cops enjoy giving tickets.

Most cops do not enjoy giving traffic tickets. Let me repeat this…. It’s true; most cops do not enjoy giving traffic tickets. This may be hard to believe if you have ever been on the receiving end of a citation. But it really is true. Most don’t. Most cops would prefer “catching criminals”. The traffic stop for a vehicle code violation often puts a cop in contact with an otherwise law abiding person. That person may even have a positive or favorable view of the police. They may have committed some thoughtless violation that we have all done at one time or another. It is true that infraction citations (95% of vehicle code violations are infractions) are discretionary. Meaning, an officer can issue a citation or a warning. So, why do cops issue citations? Here is some insight:

 There are basically 2 kinds of traffic tickets: We call them “Movers” and “Mechanicals”. Mechanicals are equipment violations most often associated with the vehicle itself (inoperative headlight, expired registration, loud exhaust, tinted windows, etc). These are correctable and can have no fine if fixed within a designated time frame (usually 10 to 30 days). There is sometimes a nominal paperwork processing fee associated with these ($10 to $25 depending on the jurisdiction). “Movers” are non-mechanical violations, but depending on the violation may or may not be a “point” on your driving record. There are basically 2 kinds of “Movers”: PCF violations and all others. PCF strands for Primary Collision Factor and it is the essential cause or finding for traffic crashes. Failing to yield and speed are some of the most common PCF violations.

 There is a ton of research to indicate that there is a direct correlation between an increase the volume of traffic citations and a decrease in traffic accidents. That is the ultimate goal of the officer; to decrease traffic accidents and thus increase public safety. The myth that the officer is trying to generate revenue for the city or county is false.

 MYTH 2: Cops write tickets to raise revenue for the city or county.

The Vehicle Code is state law. Traffic fines are set by the state. In California for example, the jurisdiction issuing the citation receives only a very small percentage of the fine amount (approximately 7%). The rest goes to the state. Some goes to the court system (again, a state function) and the rest to the general fund. So the idea that the cop is writing tickets to boost the city coffers is a myth. In reality, the money generated by the fine from a citation is far less than it costs to pay the cop to find, stop and cite the violator.

FACT 1: Attitude matters. Lying and defensiveness will only hurt your cause.  

When a cop makes a traffic stop, the underlying purpose or mission is to change behavior. For example if the driver is speeding, the officer is merely trying to get the driver to slow down. If the cop believes that the behavior will change, the mission is accomplished and the ticket may not be forthcoming. The purpose of a traffic ticket is to compel the driver to change the behavior. A sure way to talk your self into a ticket is to lie about the behavior. If you were doing 60 in a 45 zone don’t insist that you were doing 45 when asked by the officer.

The lies are partly just a natural defense mechanism to getting caught doing something wrong. So, we partly take into account this natural reaction and attribute it to a consciousness of guilt. But lying about your speed or the color of the traffic light or anything else for that matter also makes one of the following statements to the officer. Either that you are asserting that the officer is lying about it, or that you are so unaware of what you are doing that you truly believe you have done nothing wrong.  Neither of these bode well for you. Remember, the officer is trying to change behavior and correct a problem. If you are honest and offer some plausible reason or excuse, the officer may form the opinion that the problem has been corrected and a citation is not required. Lie and you are telling the officer that you require a fine to help motivate you to change the behavior. Cops appreciate and respect honesty. We rarely get it.

 MYTH 3: Cops are out there hammering drivers all day long.

 Most cops make very few traffic stops and write even fewer citations. Let me explain:  

Cops have a number of different assignments within the agency. Many of these assignments are in uniform and in a marked police vehicle. The average citizen seeing a police car driving down the street has no idea what the particular assignment of that cop might be. There are full-time “Traffic officers” but they are a very small percentage of the overall police force. There are also Patrol officers, DARE, Juvenile officers, Community Resource officers, School Resource officers, Gang officers, and on and on. We have a number of duties within each assignment. So only a very small amount of the overall workday of a very small fraction of the officers that you see may be involved in the enforcement of traffic violations. Most cops, unless looking for pretextual stops, (see the next installment for the meaning of a “Pretext Stop”) will only stop the most egregious violations that happen to occur right in front of them. They are otherwise working on or doing other things.    

MYTH 4: Cops have to generate a certain number of tickets (Quota).

There is absolutely no validity to the myth that cops have quotas and must issue citations to meet those numbers. In fact, quotas or any numerical “expectation” are completely illegal. The police union and the police administration act to check and balance against each other. If the police administration begins looking at the number of citations generated as a means to discipline or reward officers, the police union will call foul and make it stop.

Stay tuned for PART 2…..

In the 15 years that I have been in law enforcement, I have watched 2 friends die of cancer and several others “survive” cancer. They all had a few things notability in common. They were all in their late 30’s to early 40’s and they were all in law enforcement.

By far, the biggest cancer threat to cops is skin cancer. Police work is an outdoor job. That’s one reason why we love it. But the more exposure to the sun we experience the greater the likelihood of contracting skin diseases such as cancer.

Skin cancer is so prevalent among law enforcement officers that in most states, it is listed as a presumptive condition for Workers Compensation. In California for example, Labor Code section 3212.1 covers the cancer presumption for all public safety workers: “The cancer so developing or manifesting itself…shall be presumed to arise out of and in the course of the employment”.

(click here to view the entire Labor Code section)

This holds true for Firefighters as well. In fact, according to a report issued by the National League of Cities in April 2009, “43 states have enacted laws which allow Firefighters and EMS providers who develop certain illnesses, injuries and diseases to qualify for Worker’s Compensation and certain other benefits under the presumption that the injuries, illnesses or diseases are work-related. Cancer is one of those diseases in 24 state presumption laws. 8 other states have pending cancer presumption laws. Presumption is a concept that assumes that certain injuries, illnesses and diseases are a consequence of work and are compensable without evidence provided by the employee that the affliction is work-related”.  Meaning, if a cop, firefighter or EMS worker is diagnosed with any form of skin cancer; the presumed cause is the working environment for insurance and workers comp purposes. That is amazing when you think about it. Of all the possible forms of disease and illness out there, very, very few have this presumptive status.

When I started Tatjacket, cancer prevention was the farthest thing from my mind. The original concept was a fast and easy way for employees to cover their tattoos in order to comply with grooming and uniform policies. But an interesting byproduct of the design and function of the tattoo cover up sleeve is its ability to protest the skin from the sun.

Fairly early on, we sent the tattoo cover up sleeves to the International UV Testing Laboratories in Auburn Alabama. They were tested and found to have a UPF rating of 50. The “UPF” rating is similar to an “SPF” rating found on a bottle of sunscreen.

This means public safety workers and anybody else working primarily outdoors can have substantial UV skin protection for their arms. This protection does not come with the discomfort or inconvenience of wearing a long sleeve shirt. Consider this, in many of the hotter jurisdictions such as Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico and Texas, many cops and public safety employees wear long sleeve shirts year round. Why would anybody wear a long sleeve uniform shirt when it is 112 degrees out? Because these employees know that protecting your arms and keeping the direct sun off of your skin actually feels better and decreases cancer risk.

Whether you have tattoos or not, Tatjacket tattoo cover up sleeves can help keep you comfortable and reduce your cancer risk from exposure to the sun.

Intresting article by  Karen L. Hudson.

Tattoos and the Economy

Is the Tattoo Industry Being Hurt by Current Economic Conditions?

By Karen L. Hudson, About.com

I hesitate to speak of our current economic situation as being anything more than a temporary slump, but the fact remains that there are a lot of people feeling a financial pinch right now. Layoffs, pay cuts, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and closings of once-strong company giants are on the rise and serve as proof that, as a whole, our nation is suffering.

And yet, there has been a recent string of news articles from varying parts of the country that describe the body art industry as holding strong despite the current economic downturn:

I found that interesting considering the fact that tattoos and piercings – although highly addictive and a great passion for many of us – would hardly be considered a “need” when faced with other financial demands.

So, I started asking around for thoughts on the situation from readers and from friends in the industry, and (fortunately!) the responses do lean more heavily on the positive side. While some tattoo shops, especially new ones, are struggling to keep their heads above water, the majority are surviving and some are even thriving.

When it comes to body modification, no matter how tight our wallets are we found that we will somehow come up with just enough money to get that new piercing or tattoo done. If it means something to us or anyone we will come up with enough money to get it done. It’s self expression and the economic times should not affect how we want to express ourselves. – Krystal

What Krystal says would sound unreasonable to someone who is experiencing true financial hardship. When your income is less than your outgoing bills, or even if you just manage to break even, then there isn’t really much you can do to “come up with enough money” if there literally isn’t anything left, which sadly happens to many people in this country.

However, the majority of working and middle class society people do have expendable income, even if it is less now than what it once was. It becomes the choice of each individual or family unit, then, to determine where that expendable income should go. We all have different priorities and make that decision based on what we hold most dear. For some it may be entertainment, travel, dining out, clothing, personal pampering or some other equally “superfluous” means of making life enjoyable. And then again, for some of us, body art is at the top of that priority list.

Only a fellow body art enthusiast can truly appreciate why we would choose getting tattooed over a fabulous new outfit, a trip to Vegas, or tickets to the biggest concert of the year. But the very thing that draws us to tattoos in the first place – their permanence – is sometimes what draws us even more when the world around us seems to be spiraling out of control.

I own a shop in Limestone County, Alabama and we have not seen any abnormal slumps in our business. If anything we are maybe a bit busier. I think, in these economic times, that people find comfort in seeing any hard earned money spent on something tangible; something they can’t lose and that will be with them for life. Tattoos offer that. Clothes, cosmetics and other retail “me” items don’t last and everything else we spend money on are just consumables – purchased and gone. – Andi

Sometimes, though, when you have a family – especially one that includes younger children – a parent has to make personal sacrifices in lieu of providing for the family. In this case, sometimes the “choice” of how to use expendable income has already been made—the kids come first, and that is the creed followed willingly by any loving parent.

My husband, two kids and I live quite comfortably in northern California. While we both have our same jobs, we have felt the sting in the stock market and 401Ks. Tattooing was the first things to go for me. I was working on a back piece that’s about 70% complete. For the last 6 months I have not tattooed because it is a wonderful expensive hobby. The fact that it is something that I do only for myself and not for the family feels greedy. So until the economy is a bit more stable I’ll have to stay “incomplete”. – Nicole

I’ve been working on a sleeve of my two children and some of the things that remind me of them. I got about 3/4 of it done and had to stop due to the economy. – Paul

Tattoos can definitely cost a lot, especially large ones, and I certainly wouldn’t want you to go somewhere unclean just to get a cheaper one. If you decide you need to avoid hat expense for a while until you’re in a better position financially, that is your decision and it doesn’t mean your any less of an enthusiast or true fan of the art. In fact, waiting until you’re able to do it right – instead of getting something ugly and cheap just for the sake of saying you got a tattoo – proves that you do have great respect for the art form and there’s nothing for you to feel guilty about!

 

I have found that, surprisingly, I have been doing just as many tattoos this year as the same month last year, but the average size and expense is down. I even did one to reflect the current state of economics–a sad piggy bank with money spilled out. (Photo above) – Crystal Kyle (Crystalz Tatz – Bradenton, FL)

So, what are you supposed to do when the craving for new ink keeps you awake at night? Well, maybe you can work a few extra hours at your job or eat beans and rice for the next few weeks. Maybe you could come up with enough cash to at least get something small, or perhaps even a piercing. There are also some ways you can actually cut the cost of a tattoo, which I share in my article, How to Save Money on a Tattoo.

This is the first blog for us here at Tatjacket. We hope to create a central source of interesting information and quality products for those people who love their ink but their boss doesn’t. In the short time we have been around and without any advertising, we have sold thousands of pairs of these sleeves in the US and 14 other countries.

Our customers are nurses and doctors, waiters, hotel employees, cops, firefighters, EMT’s, school employees, office workers, mechanics, delivery drivers, soldiers and airmen, amusement park employees, and on and on. We even had one customer tell us that he uses them for Sunday church services!

The following is a brief glimpse into the steady stream of very positive feedback that we get via email all the time. These are actual excerpts from actual customers all across the globe. Check these out.

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