Why the Human Race is Doomed/Awesome #2 - Tattoos

Tattoos. Yes, todays WTHRDA is about the ink-based body art. Let's get started with the history of the tattoo shall we. Below is some information about tattoos from Wikipedia:

1. The word "tattoo" was brought to Europe by the explorer James Cook, when he returned in 1771 from his first voyage to Tahiti and New Zealand.
2. A tattoo is a form of body modification, made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment
3.  There are five types of tattoos: traumatic tattoos, also called "natural tattoos", that result from injuries, especially asphalt from road injuries or pencil lead; amateur tattoos; professional tattoos, both via traditional methods and modern tattoo machines; cosmetic tattoos, also known as "permanent makeup"; and medical tattoos.

In this specific article we are going to mainly elaborate on the professional tattoos which are the most common variant we see in modern society. If you are interested in the other types of tattoos do check out the hyperlink right here.

The Awesome
Tattoos used to be something excruciatingly painful to do. Before the conception of the modern tattoo machine, things used to be done the old school way; with pigment and a needle (some types of tattoos are made by cutting the skin). Polynesian tribes often used tattoos as a symbol of maturity and as a right of passage of child to adulthood. Japanese yakuza tattoo their whole backs as a sign of loyalty to their organization (they also chop their pinky off). This types of tattoos take a long time to do perhaps more than 30 hours to more than a hundred hours. These tattoos are undoubtedly a symbol of strength and fortitude of these people. It shows who they are and it speaks volumes of their character.

                                  Pe'a is a traditional male tattoo in Samoa (courtesy of Cloudsurfer)

In fact, some religious sects also use tattoos to convey their religious beliefs. That is the key word in this segment : belief and loyalty. These people are not afraid to show dedication in what they truly accept as their truth/calling and I have to admire that. Say what you like about these people, but they have balls, and that is a quality that seems to be lacking these days.

                           Gotta respect the intricacy of the art                           

Special mention to the artistic tattoos that are aesthetically and technically advanced. It really makes the body look like an ornate canvas. I may be contradicting myself here but I do have a soft spot for good works of art.

                                                         3D tattoo (courtesy of Alex Filth)


The Doomed

Everyone is a hipster nowadays it seems. With love for the quirky, Generation Y seems to be preoccupied in being caught up with the next upcoming trend while still proclaiming to be unique. This is why I have issue with the fingerstache tattoo. It serves no purpose and it only is useful for cheap laughs and kodak moments. While I don't advocate religion, I do agree that the body should be treated as a temple and therefore should be treated with respect. The same applies for other pointless tattoos such as ones gotten due to lost bets. 

                                               Because glasses are too mainstream perhaps?


One more thing I should mention about modern tattoos is that allegedly removing them is actually more painful then getting one. Food for thought for the impulse driven people of this world before you go rushing to go under a needle to ink that novel phrase or image. Quirky tattoos also do not age well. I shudder to think of what the tattooed hipsters of today will look like in their golden age. Most young people nowadays are rash and do not really think of the consequences of their actions ( I do acknowledge that they are old people doing crazy shit too ), as part of the new generation myself I really hope that we will go down as a respected generation and not with the title the worst generation that has ever lived.



                             I'll let you be the judge of this


That does it for this segment of WTHRD/A, I hope you enjoyed today's topic. I also extend an apology to any hipsters or Gen Y's that I have offended (I'm lecturing you guys from the good of my heart) . Please leave a recommendation or comment to help us pick our next topic. Until then keep on trucking :).

Why the Human Race is Doomed/Awesome #1 : Bicycles

Hello, helloooo and welcome to my series which I will dub 'Why the human race is doomed/ awesome'. In this series I will talk about things which I think suck (hence why we are doomed) and things which I think are amazing (hence why we are amazing). If we are lucky like today, we might have one topic which is both incredible and horrible. Without further delay, let us begin.

                                          A bicycle as we all know it ( Source: Wikipedia) 


We all know the bicycle, the wonderful two-wheeled mean of transportation that is not only environmentally friendlier than our gasoline guzzling automobiles but a lot more healthier for you too, as it gives your body that much-needed aerobic workout. With a frame, two handlebars, a saddle, two pedals and a couple of wheels there isn't really much room to improve on something that has been pretty similar for the past two centuries. However, that has never stopped people from trying.

Why we are doomed




Enter the no pedal bike by FLIZ. A bike that uses momentum by you making you run like Fred Flintstone and then sticking your feet back once you have garnered enough speed. I give props to the German team for trying to reinvent the bicycle but seriously a freaking harness to ride a bike?

I don't really have to say much here as the comment section of the videos illustrate exactly what the majority thinks of this bike. Here are a few (I kid you not, these are actual comments from the video) :


1) The upside of this bike is that anybody who uses it is going to have their ballsack crushed and will likely not  
   reproduce. It could benefit society by removing anyone dumb enough to buy one from the gene pool


2) It would be nice if you werent suspended by your balls.. 


3) It could be easier, cheaper, more comfortable, and eco friendly to take out the pedals of a conventional bike! 

4)  Nice design. So if you crash, well you are gonna be fucked since you cant be thrown free of the bike. Oh and the 
     straps putting all your weight right on your stomach and balls, man thats awesome. And speaking of weight, nice to  
     see that if you weigh more than a hipster or a 12 year old, you aint riding this. Good way to encourage fat people to 
     exercise. Genius design overall. 

Why we are awesome

This bike is awesome. I know, i know. Some of you are probably thinking, 'But Alex why do you need a bike that can go up to speeds of 80kmph for? Isn't that what motorcycles are for?'

True, true. I admit that if it is speed or raw power you are after, a motorcycle would be a better bet. However think of it like this, motorcycles in general, are heavy, clunky things that don't really maneuver as well as a bike. By the way the dude in the video was handling that e-bike, I would be guessing that it would be a hell of a lot easier for someone of slight frame to use it. Take it from someone who has ridden a 650cc sports bike, a motorbike is not for everyone.

You could probably use the bike as per normal like any other bike, but lets say you feel tired on the way back, you could just turn on that electric engine and cruise right along home. I love the way the bike is lockable electronically as it gets rid of the hassle of having to babysit your keys from disappearing (trust me, I have lost a whole lot of keys for my bicycle locks). There is a downside though to the system as it would be a major hassle to get your bike unlocked if your phone were to get stolen or run out juice.

Thats it for today's segment folks. I hope you liked today's article and if you did why not leave a comment and show us at The Ops Centre some love. Until then this has been your weekly 'Why the human race is doomed/awesome' series.