MAN GETS ROBBED AND SHOT AT A RESTAURANT ... WHILE THE GIRLS ON LINE BEHIND HIM ARE LAUGHING!!!!

Do these girls even know they are witnesses to theft and attempted murder? Do they even know that standing that close they could have just as easily become victims themselves?

*SMH*

Merrill Lynch CEO: I Deserve A $10 MILLION Bonus ... Even Though Our Company WENT BANKRUPT!!!

Merrill Lynch & Co. chief John Thain has suggested to directors that he get a 2008 bonus of as much as $10 million, but the battered securities firm's compensation committee is resisting his request, according to people familiar with the situation.

The committee and full board are scheduled to meet Monday to hear Mr. Thain's formal bonus recommendations for himself and other senior executives of the New York company. No decision has been reached, and it isn't known what Mr. Thain will recommend, but the compensation committee is leaning toward denying the executives bonuses for this year, these people said.

Full Story

Civilian prisons coming soon to U.S. Army base near you

The U.S. Army is authorized to create civilian prison labor camps on military installations, according to a little-noticed regulation.

The camps are allowed if the request comes from the Federal Bureau of Prisons or state corrections facilities under leasing requirements defined by federal law.

WND's discovery of the regulation comes shortly after Bush administration directives expanding presidential powers during an emergency.

The Army prison camp policy is defined in Army Regulation 210-35, entitled "Installations: Civilian Inmate Labor Camps," signed Feb. 14, 2005, by Sandra R. Riley, then-administrative assistant to the secretary of the Army.

The regulation revises an earlier civilian inmate labor camp regulation signed Dec. 9, 1997, under the Clinton administration.

Ned Christensen, spokesman for the U.S. Army Installation Management Command, confirmed to WND the 2005 version of Army Regulation 210-35 is currently valid and fully operative.

FULL STORY

ARE YOU LIVING IN A "CONSTITUTION FREE ZONE"?

Take A Look At This Map And See

FLU SHOTS CAUSE ALZHEIMERS

SHOULD YOU GET THE FLU SHOT?
Get the REAL Flu Facts before you decide.

"Look, first of all you have 2/3rds of the population on aspartame which interacts with all vaccines. Secondly, the CDC has admitted this is not the same strain as the flu that is here. Of course it couldn't be, its made from last year's flu vaccine. So even if someone wasn't using aspartame, all it can do is give you the flu. On an Ohio radio show Nov. 25,2003, a doctor stated 'If you have taken the flu shot more than 8 times in the last 10 years you have an 80% chance of getting Alzheimers'. Since aspartame is escalating Alzheimers anyway, and memory loss is so prevalent with aspartame its like #9 on the FDA list of 92 symptoms, people won't have a chance.

FULL STORY

Horses Poisoned by Fluoridated Water

Justus’s horses are found to be suffering from chronic fluoride poisoning from drinking fluoridated (tap) water. Study published in peer reviewed scientific literature.

DO NOT DRINK OR COOK WITH TAP WATER!!!!!! They are adding sodium fluoride to it! The same crap we've been brushing our teeth with for decades. It's supposed to contribute to the overall health of our teeth right? NEGATIVE!!!

They are also openly adding fluoride to baby formula, they have BEEN adding it to tap water, and they are attempting to use it on crops!

Not only has fluoride been proven to have cancer causing effects on all life forms, it massively impairs memory and overall IQ in human beings. It contributes to the onslaught of alzheimers and a host of other brain related ailments. It also contributes to kidney failure.

Bottom Line: Only use REVERSE OSMOSIS or FILTERED WATER for COOKING AND DRINKING!!!!

Just google "Fluoride Disorder" or "Fluoride Pancreatic Cancer".

FDA Is Criticized For Its Stance On BPA

FDA Is Criticized For Its Stance On BPA
InjuryBoard
November 1, 2008


Those watching the news have surely heard about the BPA controversy. BPA is a common product used in plastics, including hard plastic water bottles, baby bottles and the linings of soda cans. It has been used for years, but now is under fire for being the potential cause of health problems, including early onset of puberty and cancer.

In August, the FDA released findings that BPA didn’t pose an immediate health risk. The FDA’s findings contradicted more than 100 studies. Now those findings are now being criticized within the agency. Yesterday, the FDA’s Science Committee voted unanimously to accept a report criticizing any findings that BPA is safe and called upon the FDA to consider more studies. The report criticized the FDA for relying too heavily on BPA studies funded by manufacturers.

There are also criticisms that the FDA isn’t looking out for the consuming public.

The margins of safety defined by FDA as adequate are not adequate," said Martin Philbert, chairman of a seven-member subcommittee commissioned by the FDA’s Science Board to review the agency’s findings regarding bisphenol A.

But critics say that more studies only means more time that BPA products are on shelves:

"The FDA is once again taking up the traditional call of the chemical industry that "more research is needed to settle all uncertainties before we take regulatory action" — delay, delay, delay!" said Frederick vom Saal, a leading expert on BPA and a professor or reproductive biology and neurobiology at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

FULL STORY

OPRAH SEES OWN VOTE DROPPED BY VOTING MACHINE

yes, the election is being stolen again.....















VIDEO: OPRAH SEES OWN PRESIDENTIAL VOTE DROPPED BY TOUCH-SCREEN VOTING MACHINE
I went back to check it, it had not recorded my presidential vote!', Says Terrified, Potentially Disenfranchised Queen of Television...

Well, now, finally we may be able to get rid of these damned things, now that it's actually happened to Oprah.
'When I voted yesterday electronically, the first vote that you vote for on the ballot is the presidential candidate. It was my first time doing electronic, so I didn't mark the X strong enough, or I held down too long. Because then when I went back to check it, it had not recorded my presidential vote,' she said.

She then simulated her meltdown, shaking and breathing heavily while stuttering out the words, 'It didn't record my presidential vote.

Video, Full Story:

EU to Govern “Internet of the Future”

EU TO GOVERN "INTERNET OF THE FUTURE"

Published: Thursday 9 October 2008

The European Commission will roll out a range of initiatives in the coming months to promote the Internet of the Future, while remaining highly vigilant in protecting citizens and networks, Information Society Commissioner Viviane Reding told EurActiv in an interview.

The EU executive identified the following key topics to be addressed by 2009 in to prepare Europe to the new generation of the Internet: the early challenges of the Internet of Things, rolling out Next Generation Access Networks, opening radio spectrum to wireless services, broadband for all, security of critical communication infrastructure, privacy concerns related to the massive deployment of Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags and Internet governance.

FULL STORY

WAXMAN TELLS BANKS TO JUSTIFY BONUSES

WAXMAN TELLS BANKS TO JUSTIFY BONUSES
Globe Wire Services / October 29, 2008

Congressional investigators demanded State Street Corp., Citigroup Inc., and seven other banks justify billions of dollars in pay and bonuses after they accepted $125 billion as part of a taxpayer-funded bailout.


FULL STORY

Countrywide’s ‘VIP’ Loan Program

Countrywide’s ‘VIP’ Loan Program

Lisa Myers & Amna Nawaz
NBC News
October 30, 2008

The wide-ranging criminal investigation into wrongdoing at Countrywide - once the nation’s largest mortgage originator - now includes serious scrutiny of a loan program that provided special mortgage deals to the well-connected and powerful, including two U.S. senators.

FULL STORY

New York Attorney General Cuomo warns nine banks about bonus payments

NEW YORK (Reuters) – New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo, who negotiated executive payment clawbacks by American International Group Inc (AIG.N) as it received a taxpayer bailout, warned nine banks receiving government money on Wednesday that using the funds for bonus payments may be illegal under state law.

In a letter sent to Bank of America Corp (BAC.N), Bank of New York Mellon Corp (BK.N), Citigroup Inc (C.N), Goldman Sachs Group Inc (GS.N), JPMorgan Chase & Co (JPM.N), Merrill Lynch & Co Inc (MER.N), Morgan Stanley (MS.N), State Street Corp (STT.N) and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N), he also asked their boards to explain what mechanisms they have put in place to protect taxpayer money.

Full Story

Psychological Control: States of Mental Disempowerment: Deconstructing the Power of the Global Elite

Dr. Judith H. Young
Global Research
October 25, 2008


Normalization of the abnormal has been achieved in large part through the power elite’s control of the news media and entertainment.

In Part I of "Deconstructing the Power of the Global Elite," I discussed a threefold model of power: Brute Force, the Power to Hurt and Psychological Control.

In Part II, I will address several forms of psychological control designed to induce states of mind that are inherently disempowering, that eliminate or severely diminish our will to take corrective action in the face of grievous harm.

FULL ARTICLE

FORBES BLAMES THE FEDERAL RESERVE FOR ECONOMIC CRISIS

EXPLOSIVE: CYNTHIA MCKINNEY TOLD 5000 EXECUTED DURING KATRINA

Nigerian streets to be named for Bob Marley, Malcolm X, others

Wed Oct 1, 3:38 PM ET

ABUJA (AFP) - Nigeria will re-name streets after music legends Fela Anikulapo-Kuti and Bob Marley, as well as Martin Luther King and Malcolm X, a minister said on Wednesday.

Names of some 80 streets in Nigeria's administrative capital are to be rebranded in coming days, some of them stripping off names of former military governors, the minister said.

WHO ACED THE VP DEBATE?

They both stretch the truth but Republicans lie - ALOT!

SNL Spoof on Sarah Palin & Katie Kouric Interview

Black In America Special on CNN!

A Response To The "Black In America" Special on CNN!








^^^Another audio full of some jewels from this guy's perspective, I suggest a good listen to this one from beginning to end! He drops alot of jewels, some uncomfortable truths!

Why Are Black Americans Not As Well Off As Others?

If you can get past the first like fifteen minutes of the audio, this guy really starts dropping some jewels! Some things I'd heard, I've seen, experienced but felt were isolated incident and /or coincidences.

I'll have to check out this "SunDown Town" book.

Are Black Women not feminine enough?

So I’m surfing a forum for black people to chat and I run across this discussion.

The following comment jumped out at me and I just had to share it….

Nicolle wrote:

Could it be that Black Women mistake education and strength with femininity? I think so. I am not saying that education, ambition and strength are not important for black women to have/obtain.

Femininity, in my opinion is much more than that, it is the way you talk and respond to people, it is the way you carry yourself, it is the way that you take care of yourself etc. And when I said that we as BW could learn something from other races, I was specifically talking about a comment I read somewhere where a BM (BlackMan) or BW (BlackWoman) said that we could learn from White women about how they make staying in shape a priority, or we can learn from Latino women who are very loyal and loving to their men, and that we can learn from Asian women who are very family oriented.

Granted there are some women who have it together and don't need to learn anything about being feminine but for those who do why not stop being defensive, put away the attitude and humble yourself enough to admit that you don’t have all of the answers and that you can learn from other women. I wanted a happy marriage so I did not listen to my single girlfriends or some angry/bitter/rude poster that I encountered over the internet; I went to a woman who had been happily married for thirty years.

Just my opinion; GOD IS LOVE

MATT DAMON CONDEMNS PALIN

Actor Matt Damon speaks out on the Republicans' choice of hockey-mom Sarah Palin for VP. Damon compares her rise to a 'really bad Disney movie' and says it's crazy that this woman could become President.

GARDASIL AND HPV INFECTION — GET THE FACTS

Gas For 87Cents a Gallon

Surge in Natural Gas Has Utah Driving Cheaply

by Clifford Krauss
Tuesday, September 2, 2008

provided by

SALT LAKE CITY — The best deal on fuel in the country right now might be here in Utah, where people are waiting in lines to pay the equivalent of 87 cents a gallon. Demand is so strong at rush hour that fuel runs low, and some days people can pump only half a tank.

It is not gasoline they are buying for their cars, but natural gas.

By an odd confluence of public policy and private initiative, Utah has become the first state in the country to experience broad consumer interest in the idea of running cars on clean natural gas.

In NYC, New HIV Infections 3 Times National Rate

Illegal Immigrants Returning to Mexico in Record Numbers

That is if you trust Fox News. I'm a skeptic/critic of EVERYTHING they report.

Army Open Prep School for Dropouts To Fill Ranks

Texas truant students to be tracked by GPS anklets

Do You Know Your Constitutional Rights?

A copy of the United States Constitution for your review.

Impeachment Hearings For President Bush and Vice President Cheney

Congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) is pressing for the impeachment of President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. Click on the link above to get audios of the proceedings which include a list of over 60 charges against the Bush Administration.

Asparatame = Silent Death

Aspartame = Silent Death
Article written by Nancy Markle

I have spent several days lecturing at the World Environment Conference on Aspartame marketed as NutraSweet, Equal and Spoonful. In the keynote address by the EPA, they announced that there was an epidemic of multiple sclerosis and systemic lupus, and they did not understand what toxin was causing this to be rampant across the United States.

I explained that I was there to lecture on exactly that subject.

When the temperature of Aspartame exceeds 86 degrees F; the wood alcohol in Aspartame converts to formaldehyde and then to formic acid, which in turn causes metabolic acidosis. (Formic acid is the poison found in the sting of fire ants).

The methanol toxicity mimics multiple sclerosis thus peoples were being diagnosed with having multiple sclerosis in error. The multiple sclerosis is not a death sentence, where methanol toxicity is.

In the case of systemic lupus , we are finding it has become almost as rampant as multiple sclerosis, especially with Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi drinkers. Also, with methanol toxicity, the victims usually drink three to four 12 oz. cans of them per day, some even more. In the case of systemic lupus, which is triggered by Aspartame, the victim usually does not know that the Aspartame is the culprit. The victim continues its use aggravating the lupus to such a degree, that sometimes it becomes life threatening..

When we get people off the Aspartame, those with systemic lupus usually become symptomatic. Unfortunately, we cannot reverse this disease.

On the other hand, in the case of those diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis, (when in reality, the disease is methanol toxicity), most of the symptoms disappear. We have seen cases where their vision has returned and even their hearing has returned. This also applies to cases of tinnitus.

During a lecture, I said, 'If you are using Aspartame (NutraSwee t, Equal, Spoonful, etc.) and you suffer from Fibromyalgia symptoms; spasms, shooting pains, numbness in your legs, cramps, vertigo, dizziness, headaches, tinnitus, joint pain, depression, anxiety attacks, slurred speech, blurred vision or memory loss, you probably have Aspartame disease.' People were jumping up during the lecture saying, 'I've got this. Is it reversible?'

It is rampant. Some of the speakers at my lecture even were suffering from these symptoms. In one lecture attended by the Ambassador of Uganda, he told us that their sugar industry is adding Aspartame. He continued by saying that one of the industry leader's sons could no longer walk - due in part by product usage. We have a very serious problem. Even a stranger came up to Dr. Espisto (one of my speakers) and myself and said, 'could you tell me why so many people seem to be coming down with M.S.?' During a visit to a hospice, a nurse said that six of her friends who were heavy Diet Coke addicts, had all been diagnosed with M.S. This is beyond coincidence.

Here is the problem. There were Congressional Hearings when Aspartame was included in 100 different products. Since this initial hearing, there have been two subsequent hearings, but to no avail. Nothing has been done. The drug and chemical lobbies have very deep pockets. Now there are over 5,000 products containing this chemical, and the PATENT HAS EXPIRED. At the time of this first hearing, people were going blind. The methanol in the Aspartame converts to formaldehyde in the retina of the eye.

Formaldehyde is grouped in the same class of drugs as cyanide and arsenic - DEADLY POISONS!

Unfortunately, it just takes longer to quietly kill, but it is killing people and causing all kinds of neurological problems. Aspartame changes the brain's chemistry. It is the reason for severe seizures. This drug changes the dopamine level in the brain. Imagine what this drug does to patients suffering from Parkinson's D isease. This drug also causes Birth Defects.

There is absolutely no reason to take this product. It is NOT A DIET PRODUCT. The Congressional record said, 'It makes you crave carbohydrates and will make you FAT.' Dr. Roberts stated that when he got patients off Aspartame, their average weight loss was 19 pounds per person. The formaldehyde stores in the fat cells, particularly in the hips and thighs.

Aspartame is especially deadly for diabetics. All physicians know what wood alcohol will do to a diabetic. We find that physicians believe that they have patients with retinopathy, when in fact, it is caused by the Aspartame.

The Aspartame keeps the blood sugar level out of control, causing many patients to go into a coma. Unfortunately, many have died. People were telling us at the Conference of the American college of Physicians, that they had relatives that switched from saccharin to an Aspartame product and how that relative had eventually gone into a coma.

Their physicians could not get the blood sugar levels under control. Thus, the patients suffered acute memory loss and eventually coma and death Memory loss is due to the fact that aspartic acid and phenylanine are neurotoxic without the other amino acids found in protein.

Thus it goes past the brain barrier and deteriorates the neurons of the brain. Dr. Russell Blaylock, neurosurgeon, said, 'The ingredients stimulate the neurons of the brain to death, causing brain damage of varying degrees.'Dr. Blaylock has written a book entitled 'EXVIROTOXINS: The Taste That Kills' (Health Press 800-643-2665) Dr. H.J. Roberts, diabetic specialist and world expert on Aspartame Poisoning has also written a book entitled, 'Defense against Alzheimer's Disease' (800-814-9800).

Dr. Roberts tells how Aspartame Poisoning is escalating Alzheimer's Disease and indeed it is. As the hospice nurse told me, women are being admitted at 30 years of age with Alzheimer's Disease.

Dr. Blay lock and Dr. Roberts will be writing a position paper with some case histories and will post it on the Internet.

According to the Conference of the American College of Physicians, 'We are talking about a plague of neurological diseases caused by this deadly poison.' Dr. Roberts realized what was happening when Aspartame was first marketed. He said, 'his diabetic patients presented memory loss, confusion, and severe vision loss.

At the Conference of American College of Physicians, doctors admitted that they did not know. They had wondered why seizures were rampant (the phenylaline in Aspartame breaks down the seizures threshold and depletes serotonin, which causes manic depression, panic attacks, range and violence).

Just before the Conference, I received a fax from Norway, asking for a possible antidote for this poison because they are experiencing so many problems in their country. This 'poison' is now available in 90 plus countries worldwide. Fortunately, we had speakers and ambassadors at the Conference from different nations who have pledged their help. We ask you to help too.

Print this article out and warn everyone you know. Take anything that contains Aspartame back to the store. The 'No Aspartame Test' and send us your case history. I assure you that Monsanto, the creator of Aspartame, knows how deadly it is. They fund the American Diabetes Association, American Dietetic Association, Congress and the Conference of the American College of Physicians.

The New York Times, on November 15, 1996, ran an article on how the American Dietetic Association takes money from the food industry to endorse their products. Therefore, they cannot criticize any additives or tell about their link to Monsanto.

How bad is this? We told a mother who had a child on NutraSweet to get off the product. The child was having Grand Mal Seizures every day. The mother called her physician, who called the ADA, who told the doctor not to take the child off the NutraSweet. We are still trying to convince the mother that the Aspartame is causing the seizures. Ever time we get someone off of Aspartame, the seizures stop. If the baby dies, you know whose fault it is and what we are up against. There are 92 documented symptoms of Aspartame from coma to death. The majority of them are neurological because the Aspartame destroys the nervous system. Aspartame Disease is partially the cause to what is behind some of the mystery of the Desert Storm health problems. The burning tongue and other problems discussed in over 60 cases can be directly related to the consumption of Aspartame product and several thousand pallets of diet drinks were shipped to the Desert Storm troops.

Diet drinks sat in the 120 degree F Arabian sun for weeks at a time on pallets. The service men and women drank them all day long. All of their symptoms are identical to Aspartame Poisoning.

Dr. Roberts says that consuming Aspartame at the time of conception can cause birth defects. The phenylanine concentrates in the placenta, causing mental retardation, according to Dr. Louis Elsas, Pediatrician Professor genetics at Emory University in his testimony before Congress. In the original lab tests, animals developed brain tumors (phenylaline breaks down into DXP, a brain tumor agent). When Dr.Espisto was lecturing on Aspartame, one physician in the audience, a neurosurgeon said, 'when they remove brain tumors, they have found high levels of Aspartame in them'. Stevia, a sweet food, NOT AN ADDITIVE, which helps in the metabolism of sugar, which would be ideal for diabetics, has now been approved as a dietary supplement by the FDA. For years, the FDA has outlawed this sweet food because of their loyalty to Monsanto.

If it says, SUGAR FREE on the label, DO NOT EVEN THINK ABOUT IT.

Senator Howard Hetzenbaum wrote a bill that would have warned all infants, pregnant mothers and children of the dangers of Aspartame. The bill would have also instituted independent studies on the problems existing in the population (seizures, changes in brain chemistry, changes in neurological and behavioral symptoms). The bill was killed by the powerful drug and chemical lobbies, letting loose the hounds of disease and death on an unsuspecting public. Since the Conference of American College of Physicians, we hope to have the help of some world leaders

Passionate Hillary Delegate Talks About Convention Speech

I mean even if you don't care for Obama how can you as a respectable black person opt for McCain?

Better still "if I can't have Hillary than I won't vote at all". Are you serious?

Even after the racial tension caused by Bill Clinton's comments in the Carolina's? Even after Hillary suggested McCain would be better suited for President than Obama (a member of her own party). Even after she clearly played on people's personal prejudices to divide the party in her favor; even if it meant losing all Democratic momentum and handing another Republican to the most powerful appointment in the land?

You're still a die hard Hillary supporter? Even after it's a mute point?

This woman was so gender biased that even at the DNC she couldn't bring herself to support a man. Watch as she fumbles over explaining her emotional state. It's kind of......oohhhh, how shall we say this? Disgusting.

KANYE WEST - GOOD MORNING

This Video is FIYA!

More Black Restaurants Going Vegan

"More African Americans are going vegan in South Los Angeles, and the restaurant industry is responding with alternative options on their menus. Rosetta Riley is an editorial intern with the L.A. Watts Times. This article is part of a New America Media project sponsored by the Ford Foundation to increase the online presence of ethnic media."

What is "THE BLACK WALL STREET"

You may have heard or seen this logo courtesy of the hiphop artist "THE GAME"
But do you understand what he's trying to get you to remember by taking on the moniker as the name of his record label?

Click on the logo above and find out a bit of American History that's been quietly tucked away from the public.

Using Salt Water For Fuel....

^^Why isnt' this nationwide news? This guy was searching for a cancer cure and
found an alternative to gasoline as fuel for cars. What's the alternative? Salt Water.

So You LIke Pork and Chitterlings?

Freddy Mac and Fannie Mae were Engineered Collapses

Jim Cramer Goes Off On Everybody

You Tube
August 21, 2008

Cramer calls out what he regarded to be fraudulent destruction of Freddy and Fannie, shameful actions of the FED, SEC, Treasury, and Whitehouse; the damage being done to market capitalism; and directly implies that our economy is being illegally manipulated by insiders.

GROW YOUR OWN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES..

^^That's a cancer patient, click on the picture and you'll find out why!

Listen closely... THEY ARE TRYING TO FUCKING KILL YOU!!!

YES...YOU!!!!

FDA Unleashes Mass Irradiation of Spinach, Lettuce and Other Vegetables

Why don't they want stickers on the produce indicating what's been treated and what hasn't?

Keep in mind, these are the same folks that refused to enforce notices as to which food products contained GMO (Genetically Modified Organisms) and which did not!

They already know when you consume anything synthetic (unnatural or chemically engineered) that cancer spikes occur in the recipient.

It's like they want the public sick!

TATTOOS CAN BE DIRTY TOO

By Marrio Gardner

The vast world of body art has grown in popularity and acceptance in Hip-Hop throughout the years. If you try to think of rappers who don’t have at least one tattoo, more than likely you’ll come up with very few.

There are even rap odes to tattoos in songs from artists like The Alliance and Twista. Tattoo artists are becoming celebrities themselves, displaying their work and name to endorse apparel and novelties. Tats are very big in the Hip-Hop community, and it’s very likely that you’ve thought about getting a tattoo at one time or another - preferably not on one of those wild nights that you’ll regret for the rest of your life!

Before getting a tattoo at the spur of the moment, there are some things that you should strongly consider such as cleanliness, safety and certification.

Even choosing the right tattoo artist is an important factor when getting a tat. Is the tattoo artist open to answering your questions? Does the artist have a portfolio? Being educated means being prepared, and making the right decisions will put you at less risk of disease and in better control.

Rapper and jeweler Paul Wall has even raised awareness of high toxicity in tattoo ink with hundreds of formulas that include lead, arsenic, beryllium, cobalt, nickel and other heavy metal toxins. Paul and his father have developed a heavy metal detoxifier from an ancient volcanic called Clinoptilolite.

The product is called Tattoo Detox and should be released in the U.S. soon. Paul's goal is to educate tattoo enthusiasts of the risks of tattoo inks and provide them with a product which allows them to continue their lifestyles without giving up their health.

We spoke with “H,” a professional tattoo artist from Harlem who has done tattoos for celebrity rappers like Juelz Santana. He also does house calls, meeting artists at their studios and homes. We got his opinion on the tattoo game, his advice on aftercare, and what to look for when entering a tattoo shop.

AllHipHop.com: Who are some of the artists that you have done tattoos for?

H: Artist-wise would be Juelz Santana, Un Kasa, Freekey Zekey, T-Money, Tito Green, J.R. Writer, Dinero and Stevie Q.

AllHipHop.com: So you also do “house calls” for artists. How do you prepare to do tattoos outside of your shop?

H: Whatever area that I work on, that immediate area has to be clean. That’s including the floor, the seating, the tabletops… and I work on a stainless steel tray that I provide. The majority of the work is being done off a tray. The arm rests are wrapped with the same cloth that you’ll see at your dentist; one side is plastic, the other side is cloth.

AllHipHop.com: So do you use an Autoclave?

H: Yes. I use a standard Autoclave and that’s brought to the place sterile-ready.

AllHipHop.com: Do you have any advice on what people should look for when they enter any tattoo shop?

H: Overall it’s like entering a restaurant or anything. You’re looking at pretty much what’s around you, you ask questions about how they sterilize. Especially in New York City - in most places you’re required to have a license. So you ask for their license because you’re not licensed on tattooing, you’re licensed on sterilization.

Ask to see the stuff coming out of packaging, because there are indicators on the packaging to tell if it’s been sterilized or not. Check for all of that. Check the indicators - they’re brown once they’re sterile. Pretty much a person’s overall hygiene you should be looking at too. If a person is not taking care of themselves, they’re not going to take care of their stuff well.

AllHipHop.com: Do you hear stories often about scratchers, hackers and scammers who try to get a quick buck?

H: Wow! Yeah. That’s the thing, tattooing use to not have so many artists and a lot of artists are coming in the game and they’re reckless for the dollar. They figure like, “Oh! It’s a way that I can make a quick buck.” And they don’t pretty much care what they’re doing. They don’t know how to sterilize. They don’t know how to deal with cross-contamination.

That’s the biggest part of tattooing is cross-contaminating something, because people are thinking to themselves like they’re doing the best they can do but easily germs are transmitted from surface-to-surface, person-to-person very easily. I’m a germophobe, and a lot of people will ask why I’m so anal about everything that’s being done. I’ve seen artists kick their feet up on their workstations. I’ve seen artists spray out tubes with Lysol.

AllHipHop.com: What?!

H: You name it, I’ve seen it done. So I tell people who say that will run over here and say that they’re getting a good deal, that you’re playing with your life. You’re playing with your overall health to save a few dollars. And the artists are playing with people’s health to gain a few dollars. So overall it’s a dirty game. Again, it’s like eating in a restaurant. You don’t know what goes on behind the scenes, you’re just sitting down and eating without knowing what’s happening.

I always try to tell people don’t think it’s a hot deal when you don’t know what’s happening. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, ask as many as you want. It’s like seeing a doctor, you ask him as many questions as you want or don’t deal.

AllHipHop.com: I didn’t think that it would be that brazen.

H: It is, and your mind would be blown away. You have to think about it, if I were tattooing you and suddenly go into my pocket and touch your skin. It’s just like surgery, that’s why they scrub up and it’s like that. I have money in my pocket, keys, overall dirt and lint in my pocket and touch the surface of your skin I just cross-contaminated you. So people don’t look at the slightest thing, they just do it and go on with their lives. It’s incredible.

AllHipHop.com: What are some of the mistakes that people make with tattoos as far as aftercare?

H: One; I get a lot of people who have the overall mindset that if something doesn’t hurt it’s okay. A person will say, “Oh, my tattoo is not bothering me,” and they’ll stop the aftercare right away. And because it’s not hurting you shouldn’t give up. It will hurt you later on down the line. It’s so much deeper than just little words, like people just feel like, “Ok, we’re going to talk and I’m going to just tell you something and that’s that.” No, because it’s bigger than that.

Say I tattoo you and you happen to go on a dirty surface. That could be someone’s couch, someone’s bed, a train or something. They don’t take into consideration that it’s pretty much an inflicted wound. You’ve been engraved. The process of engraving and you’re not covering up the wound, that you have to give it care in order for it to heal.

It’s an open wound and they just lay anywhere and come back to me and say, “Hey, what is this?” and it’s like where have you been? “Oh, I was just home.” Do you have any pets? “Yes.” Well, you’re lying on the same thing your dog was just laying on, your dog walks close to the ground. Laying on the ground, laying in your bed and you’re laying where your dog just layed.

AllHipHop.com: Ah, man!

H: It’s about 7,000 things you can do wrong in a day. So there’s no quick answer. Overall, you must keep yourself away from all germs.

Poll Answers

Here are some important tips to consider when it comes to getting a tattoo:

∙ Never be impulsive when getting a tattoo. Remember that tattoos are permanent and making quick decisions may lead to a lifetime of regret.

∙ When it comes to selecting a design, make sure that it is your choice and not one that your friend, spouse or artist picks.

∙ Make an appointment and make sure that you’re well rested and nourished. You will be more relaxed and still. Tensing up and complaining does not help your tattooist. Never get a tattoo under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

∙ Fall and Winter are the best time of year to get tattoos, because you don’t sweat as much and it’s less exposure for your skin by wearing more clothes. However, take vitamins to boost your immune system such as C and Zinc to prevent you from getting a cold.

∙ Always remember that you must wait one year before you can donate any blood or plasma. A lot of people are being turned away because finding suitable donors are increasingly difficult.

∙ Do not shave your tattoo until 5-10 days after receiving it. Shaving your tattoo during the healing process can damage your artwork. Wait until after your skin peels and a protective layer of skin is over your tattoo.

Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned tattoo enthusiast, getting a tattoo takes a lot of thought and preparation. Being unprepared may end up scarring you for life. If you have any additional tips for getting a tattoo or aftercare, please feel free to share them with us.

You can find out more about H's tattoo work at myspace.com/bestkeptformula - also look for H in issue #88 of Urban Ink Magazine this September!