Both locations of the Dragon's Lair Tattoo Shop (Lewes and Millsboro) have been ordered to cease all tattoo operations by the board of health. It's been discovered that they lack the necessary permits and licensing that is required by the state of Delaware. Also, when inspected, no sterilization equipment was found at either location. The shops, which also sell tobacco and adult items, are allowed to keep their retail sections open but can't do any tattooing unless/until they meet up to local required standards.

Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Rick Genest, Snoop Dogg, and 50 Cent all made the news this week for their connection with tattoos; some good, some....mmmm...not so much.

First, we have Miley Cyrus, who is reportedly planning tattoo number six (yes, apparently we are keeping count). Cyrus hasn't said what she's planning on getting this time; actually, it doesn't seem to matter to her what she gets, as long as she gets one. She's quoted as saying that she's addicted to the feeling of being inked and wants to get something before Easter. (Biting tongue)

50 Cent, who has been in the news for shedding most of his ink so that he can get more acting roles, is calling out fellow music artists for foolishly tattooing their faces with bizarre images such as Gucci Mane's ice cream cone and Yung L.A.'s duck. Yeah, it makes you stand out, he admits, but once your music career is over what do you have left? A stupid facial tattoo and an instant deterrent against finding "real" work.

Lady Gaga's making headlines for talking about her tattooed side - literally. I never noticed it before, but Lady Gaga's tattoos are all located on her left side, and now we find out that it's on purpose. Apparently, Gaga promised her daddy that she'd keep at least one side of herself "slightly normal." Well, you have to admire anyone who makes such a big sacrifice just to keep a parent happy. Personally, it would drive me batty to only have tattoos on one side of my body; I'd feel completely off balance!

Rick Genest, also known as "Zombie Boy" for his extensive zombie-like facial tattoos, has an interesting background and story as to how he was discovered. It's also been revealed that he only has one part of his body that isn't tattooed - wanna guess which part?

Last, but certainly not least, Snoop Dogg got some new ink in honor of his late friend, Nate Dogg, who passed away recently. Snoop and Nate were friends and fellow bandmates for many years, and his sudden passing at such a young age really his friends and fans hard. Snoop got a portrait tattoo of Nate along with the words, "All Doggs Go to Heaven."

The tattoo convention calendar has been updated to add several new events and to change the information on a few others. I'm really excited to see India hosting its very first tattoo convention, and I hope it goes really well for them. It's great to see the love of body art expanding into cultures where it has previously been looked down on.

A note to those submitting events: Please do not submit your event to be added to my calendar until you have your dates and venues secured. The amount of venue, date, and itinerary change requests I've been receiving lately has been ridiculous. I'm just one person running this whole site by myself, and I don't have time to make constant changes because you can't get your stuff together. If your courtesy listing becomes a burden to me, it will simply be removed.

Elektryk Inkk in Covington, GA made the news this week for standing up to "the man" when they were told that they were no longer welcome inside city limits due to zoning changes. Now the city is backpeddling, saying that they made an error, but Elektryk Inkk isn't staying where their business isn't wanted, and they've already found new premises. The Covington shop is still open for now while the new location is being remodeled and furnished for business, but they anticipate the move in about a month.

One of Elektryk Inkk's tattoo artists, Inkkman Jay, has been a featured artist on this site for several years. He's a great guy and a talented artist; the city of Covington has no idea what they've lost.

In posting on their Facebook page about the news article in a local Covington paper, Elektryk Inkk responds to the article title, Tattoo parlor error angers shop owner by saying, "Well we did it again...made the paper! But our exact words were more like F*** YOU." lol