LICENSE FOR THE FEW?

In Missouri state law requires all tattoo/piercing/branding studios to be inspected and licensed by the state board of professional registration....in our little city of 80,000 people there are twelve shops doing business every day....problem is only 2 of us are licensed.... WHATS WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE? Fuck it I think I am gonna start tattooin out of my bathroom!

NO! BAD! SIT!

............Is there hair stuck to the floor around the toilet?

Yeah, Taz ain't the goverment something? What good does it do to have laws if they don't enforce 'em. And just think, the taxes we pay apparently endorses this shit. Yet we can't legally do anything about it. I remember your comment about 'tattoo police'-if only we could, THAT would work. Don't suppose it would do any real good to raise hell with the agency who supposedly monitors the licensing, eh? My experience is they want their fee and that's 'bout it in most areas, which don't really accomplish shit as far as regulating/safegaurding which is what the SAY the laws/rules are about. Frankly, THAT'S part of why I'm so against supplier who deal to anyone whose got the money (usually cheap shit at that), back in the day, THAT did not happen. But, back in the day we didn't crawl up anyones ass either, at least not without asking. If you know anyone who works for a local newspaper you could try getting them to do a story on that fact, THAT might get some results. Start thinking of the people you know and the people THEY know, chances are SOMEONE knows someone who works for the newspaper. How 'bout a writer who is known for stirring stuff up? Lay out the facts, show statistics on how many people are getting tattoos (might even check how many complaints have been filed against those w/out licenses), even better, get a victim of one of those unlicenced places to file a lawsuit against whatever agengy is SUPPOSED to enforce the licensing for ALLOWING it to happen. THAT should get their attention, especially if you can get news of THAT lawsuit into the papers. Can ya imagine what a flood of those lawsuits would do?...Doc

Looks like someone gutted a cockerspaniel!

Dammit Taz, now you're gonna have me checking out any meat served at the TazFest. I ate enuff 'mystery meat' during my 2 tours in Nam, damn you. Hear their better fried than smoked thou...Doc

Ahh, mystery meat.. I'm pretty sure I ate camel during my tours in the desert..

Doc I think it was you in an earlier post that said the govnt will step in when some politicians kid gets an infection....well man that is EXACTLY what happened here in Missouri....There were absolutely NO state laws until a 15 year old politcal bigwigs daughter got a nasty infection from a kitchen magician and nearly died.Within MONTHS we had laws inspections and huge fees..Not that it changed anything...they won't bother with the scratchers they say they don't have enough money to police all the unlicensed shops but when my buddy was 3 days late with his state license fee they came in and shut him down!! A man who had been in business for DECADES!! I have tried getting the media interested but until someone gets AIDS or HEP or MRSA or it involves someone "important" so to speak its a no go....now I do have to say that they DO agressively prosecute idiots who tattoo minors as does the local authorities....There are shops here in town that have been open for YEARS without licensing state or local...If I tried that They would kick in and confiscate my shit IMMEDIATELY!! Thats why its so important that we as professional artists refuse to buy ANYTHING from suppiers who do not try to weed out the hacks and amateurs...You, Gabe and I are all in agreement about that. I had been buying stuff from Diversified tattoo supply because A guy I knew worked there and assured me that they sell ony to m pros...well we had a little experience about some pigment that didn't set well so we decided to test them...I called from my cell phone and made an order in MY DOGS NAME!!!! Not once was I asked for proof of shop or license... nothing!!!...Needless to say no more Diversified for my shop!!! I do think Gabes beliefs that our best weapon is the advocacy of really GOOD artists and educating people. At this point I think thats all we CAN do...I have also tried to find people would would go to court against these fuckin posers fuckin people up but to no avail Like I said...out of 12 shops only 2 of us are fully licensed and I think that sucks...I guarantee that at least 8 of these so called shops couldn't even come close to passing the state inspection. Aw well...its all been said!...T

And now I have to apologize to everyone out there...I wasn't thinking and just gave up the name of a supplier...Sorry guys...my bad...Gabe can you delte that post ?...THANKS!!!...TAz

Sorry to hear none of my suggestions would work, but figured you had probably thought of 'em anyways but it was worth a shot. I did not realize I had already had my point proven (teenage rich brat) but it'll most likely happen again somewhere else and get the same immediate but basically ineffective results (hopefully NOT worse) I know I've dealt with the same shit, people bitchin up a storm about the shitty tattoo they got from some hack but to this day only one actually persued it in court. The rest expect us to do miracles fixing up that crap but ain't willing to do anything to try to stop 'em and those idiots are as much a part of the problem as the shitheads doing 'em. Wouldn't be 'scratcher' and/or kitchen magicians if they didn't have 'customers', that's why I'm repairing fewer of them (by choice not lack of opportunity) AS I expressed in another post, to me to continue to fix/cover them is sorta like helping the hacks stay in business. Maybe if no competent Tattoo Artist would fix them, more people would have to see what can happen if you're not careful. But, you and I know that ain't going to happen since some almost thrive off it, some just don't care and the sad fact alot of places can't be as picky simply because of all the shops around makes it harder to turn away any business.I don't pretend to know what the answer is but I sure do know there are more hacks and 'scratchers' out there than I've ever seen before and THAT WORRIES ME. And NOT just 'cuz the assholes are taking money out of our pockets but my main worry is the repercusions THEIR shit can and I suspect, ultimately WILL cause this profession/industry. I certainly agree that it sucks (sucks loud)that only 2 of 12 of the shops are licensed and that the 'powers that be' basically only give EXCUSES why they don't/can't enforce their own damn laws, not to mention how much it must keep assholes from ignoring the laws when they see it ain't enforced much anyways. Again, that's part of my concern, that if the Government ever steps in, all they will probably do is make it harder/more expensive for the real pros to do business, which may well force us to raise our rates to cover the expenses and, in turn, create a even bigger market for the assholes who can afford to do it cheaper because they don't have the overhead and ain't going to follow the laws anyways. How many people out there have ever heard of any scratcher having had his/her equipment taken away, fined and/or successfully sued in court? Now, how many people out there know of some asshole who will make house calls, works out of his house,basement or garage- bet THAT number is ALOT higher. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree we must continue to try to educate people, what else can we legally do but as you know, sure do get fucking frustrating at times. But, if it's any consolation, at least you know YOU'RE doing it right....Doc