Student Life

Unthank at The Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth

By Chris Unthank
Student Life Editor
Opinion

I am addicted to ink. This is no secret. I can’t get enough tattoos or the lifestyle that goes with them. I just got back from Secaucus, NJ where I attended “The Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth,” an annual event thrown by Mario Barth. He owns Starlight Tattoos and has been a tattoo artist since the age of 12.
I had an excellent time, and if you have the means and desire I highly recommend going to a tattoo convention. It’s a gathering of unique individuals who are some of the most interesting and diverse people on the face of the earth. There are always colorful people from all walks of life, including celebrities. I met Robbie Van Winkle a.k.a. Vanilla Ice at this convention. The Ice Man and I ended up going out for supper and chatting together for a couple of hours. We ate and drank at a Mexican Restaurant and compared notes on life.
Gene Simmons of the rock band KISS also attended but he didn’t desire to meet anyone of the same sex (who can blame him, I mean come on guys he’s Gene Simmons for Pete’s sake he can have any woman he wants… the bastard.)
As tattoos grow in pop culture, so do the conventions there were several hundred people at this year’s convention and there may be even more next year. There are at least 10 conventions around the country. The National Tattoo Convention will be held in St. Louis at the Adams Mark Hotel the Apr. 24-27.
If you think you would like to attend a convention, do a little investigating and find one near you. Or contact me at [email protected] Attn: Chris U., and I’ll tell you what you need to know to open up a whole new world of freaks, fun and friends.
--I’ll see you there.

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Chris Unthank (right) and Robbie Van Winkle A.K.A. Vanilla Ice (left) met at The Biggest Tattoo Show on Earth. Afterwards, they hung out together.

Andy Gore of Satan’s Sideshow is one of the “colorful” people Chris knows. To see some of the cool stuff Andy does, go to satanssideshow.com

Reverend Rick Frueh of Dead Serious Designs (right) and Tony Paternoster of Rings-n-Things of Dover, NJ (left) perform a double nipple piercing on convention attendee.

LC Hosts Madison County Youth Forum

By Stephanie Orr
Copy Editor

LC was the host for the sixth annual Madison County Youth Forum on Oct. 15. The purpose of the forum is to give youth a chance to voice opinions about their problems and offer solutions. This year, the topics were violence, alcohol and tobacco issues.
The program started off with an introductory speech by Amy Yeager, Director of Health Education for the Madison County Youth Board, and then George Terry, Vice President of Student Life for LC, gave a welcome speech.
Then the keynote speaker John St. Clair, right tackle for the St. Louis Rams used personal experience stories to deliver an anti-drinking and drugs message. His speech focused on the negative effects drugs and alcohol have on performance in life and on the field. “I set a goal for myself in life,” St. Clair said, “I’m going to be my best at whatever I do.”
A short question and answer session followed St. Clair’s speech where he answered questions on topics ranging from groupies to NFL policy. In response to a question about how to help a friend who is indulging in destructive behavior, St. Clair said, “Keep talking to them til their ears fall off.”
Following the keynote address, the students went to their “break-out” groups where they formulated ideas and solutions. A panel of community leaders heard the students’ presentations at an open forum that evening. Mal Goldsmith, Coordinator of Health Education Division at SIUE, moderated the event.
The forum was video recorded and will be played on cable access channels sporadically until next years’ event.
This was the first time LC has hosted the Youth Forum, and students were asked to volunteer their time to help monitor the “break-out” groups. Mary Molloy, LC Health Services Nurse and the LC Substance Abuse Prevention and Traffic Safety Task Force Coordinator was key in organizing the event in cooperation with the Madison County Youth Board and Meaghan McBride, President of the SIUE chapter of Eta Sigma Gamma, a national professional health education honorary.
Students from Alton High School, Civic Memorial High School, East Alton-Wood River High School, Edwardsville High School, Granite City High School, Highland High School, Roxana High School, and Triad High School were in attendance. Each school sent about ten students to the half-day event.

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Q: What are you going to be when you grow up? How is LC helping you attain this goal?
Kelly Hughes “I plan to be a biologist upon graduating. LC is helping me finish up some extra classes for my degree.”	Jenny Heide “I plan to become a music teacher. I want to teach kids how to play the violin. LC is giving me an opportunity to get my grades up and helping begin my music career.”		Pat Gibson “I plan to get an associates of science degree and hopefully major in landscape architecture at a four year university. LC is helping me start my college education with a baseball scholarship.”
Nora Laird “I am in the process of getting the Occupational Therapy Assistant degree. After receiving my degree I plan to work for a school district or hospital.”		Alec Lacey “I plan to finish up here at Lewis and Clark and then transfer to SIUE to obtain a masters degree, which will allow me to be a Hure Anesthesiologist.

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