Resistor-code tattoo, with free/open design

Jimmie P Rodgers shows off and describes the thinking behind his new tattoo, which provides a crib for resistor code, symbolizes the rainbow queer pride flag, and is also five inches long and can be used to measure lengths in fractions of that measure. It was designed in Processing, and Jimmy's posted the source so that you can replicate it, learn from it, tweak it and share it:

So in summary, it’s a resistor color code chart, it’s a rainbow, it’s a ruler, it’s got both the golden ratio and Tao built in, and it was written in a programming language. So it’s a meaningful tattoo that’s also useful for me beyond looking great.

New Tattoo (via Evil Mad Scientists )

I write books. My latest is a YA science fiction novel called Homeland (it's the sequel to Little Brother). More books: Rapture of the Nerds (a novel, with Charlie Stross); With a Little Help (short stories); and The Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow (novella and nonfic). I speak all over the place and I tweet and tumble, too.

MORE: happy mutants • makers • tattoo

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Kibo

But what happens if we suddenly switch to using Metric? He’d have to shrink his forearm to 100/127 its original length to keep the ruler function working. And have you ever tried shrinking your bones by a ratio involving a Mersenne prime? It’s harder than it should be.
- Antinous / Moderator
  
  Anyone who’s ever been to the Folsom Street Fair knows that tattoos lose their proportions quite rapidly.
winkybb

What is an “inch”?
- Kibo
  
  An inch is exactly 1.0 cm, but only for centimeters that are at least two and a half times fatter than they should be because they’ve been eating deep-fried American sketti (with ketchup-and-margarine sauce.)
- Glen Able
  
  In the UK nowadays, the “inch” is only employed as a unit of penis length.
  
  Btw, I think it should be “tau” (the number we should be using instead of pi), and not “Tao” (the Chinese metaphysical concept).
- That_Anonymous_Coward
  
  an archaic unit of measure used to describe phalluses online, the measurement is often reduced in that situation to make them sound much more impressive. ex. AOL Inches.
  - Antinous / Moderator
    
    There’s a scene in Shortbus where a potential date texts that his dick is 15 cm, and the American characters all ooh and aah.
    - That_Anonymous_Coward
      
      I think I dated that guy once…
winkybb

The geekiest tattoo I ever saw was last year. A guy in our bike club has a computer matrix thingy that represented the logic (or output?) of a Turing Machine tattooed on his calf. It is quite big, maybe 6cm x 15cm. Not that interesting from a purely artistic/graphical standpoint perhaps; but people who recognise what it is without asking are members of a different club. I had to ask.
- Kibo
  
  His calf? That’s not the part of the body where you’re supposed to get a “Busy Beaver” tattoo.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_OAUXAA362EXWLYVMPJOKLFB5JQ Incipient Madness

Obligatory XKCD:
http://xkcd.com/992/
http://boingboing.net/ Rob Beschizza

Suddenly, it dawned on me: the resistor code should be what we use for the black bar at the top of the site.
- missamo80
  
  I’m pretty sure you have the power to make that happen, Rob :)
  - Felton / Moderator
    
    I’m sure he won’t meet with much resistance.
  - Nadya Boone
    
    I would say he has the _capacity_.
    - oasisob1
      
      Ohmigod! Is it still the current thing, to make topical puns? I find it revolting. If it were in my power to end the practice, I would. Yet, each post gives us a new ton of such silly things.
      - Felton / Moderator
        
        I can’t give up my only remaining vice.
      - oasisob1
        
        Well then, don’t let me impede you.
      - Felton / Moderator
        
        I’ll try to watch my conduct.
DisGuest

I see a box of watercolor paints.
Randy Walters

I remember the mnemonic (now, as always, painfully politically incorrect) passed along by my dear physics teacher, back in high school:

“Bad Boys Ravage Our Young Girls, But Violet Goes Willingly. Get Some Now.”

It had the advantage of being memorable, but I know it’s horrid. Please tell me it’s been replaced by something more appropriate.
- Robert Cruickshank
  
  Better Be Right,or Your Great Big Venture Goes Wrong, is the one I teach. Bad Beer Rots Our Young Guts But Vodka Goes Well is common too, except among teetotalers.
- speleothem
  
  I remember it as “Bad Boys Rode Our Young Geese But Victor Got Wet,” although my electronics teacher hinted at a naughty version.
- http://profiles.google.com/westcarleton Ray Perkins
  
  We were taught even more non-pc, and used rape, not ravage. But do resistors still have color codes? Maybe the cheap ones, but any I have, have the values printed on in a font too small to read.
http://twitter.com/flyoverland flyoverland

What happens when he gets older and his skin starts to sag? Here’s the solution. http://www.drtattoff.com
Robert Cruickshank

No silver or gold? That’s intolerant.
drawboy

My tattoo isn’t as cool on as many levels as that one, but it’s still pretty pragmatic. http://drawboy.blogspot.com/2012/09/inked.html
perch

I’m not really seeing the pride flag in this…
- http://glitch.tl/ Michael Smith
  
  Geek pride.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Elijah-Greenleaf/100001787220723 Elijah Greenleaf

“…Do not mark your skin with tattoos….” Lev. 19:28, The Holy Bible.
- ldobe
  
  “Don’t be an ass” -Me, just now.
  
  There, I’ve negated your argument from authority with an equally valid counterargument from authority.
  - UnderachievingSheep
    
    Not only that but, unlike the “authority” quoted above, you are tangible and in a position to clarify/ correct should the need ever arise.
- iCowboy
  
  Right there in the Bible alongside condoning slavery, avoiding shrimp and not playing American football.
http://profile.yahoo.com/BWWKGJEIRZLHJGUJKZWNTTCZW4 Blake Gwinn

Not sure that is a tat.
But I have to say that these tats now days are just sad.
Given that that lovely butterfly of today will be a sad moth in a few years.
Love those neck tats too. “I never want to have a good job”
My choice for a tat would be my blood type and my last wishes.
- oasisob1
  
  “O-neg, please remove this before the funeral”.
- aap360
  
  Peoples tattoos end up looking that bad because they never give them a new lick of paint. They need a bit of upkeep every couple decades but people just don’t.
  - http://daruiburns.tumblr.com/ Dlo Burns
    
    also: MOISTURIZE PEOPLE
- ethicalcannibal
  
  Are you saying the lovely butterfly will degrade that fast? I’m old, me and mine have tats that are still looking great 20 years on.
http://profile.yahoo.com/BWWKGJEIRZLHJGUJKZWNTTCZW4 Blake Gwinn

Tats end up looking bad…!? They are temp tats that you pick out off the wall.
they then stick it on and color it in.
Your new unique tat is on you and a million others. I have yet to understand the desire for them. 4 years in the navy and the thought never crossed my mind.

Tats on the hands face neck
YAAA!

Yep… O-neg Please do not fold bend or spindle. Return for recycling
Would be my choice!
http://twitter.com/digitalArtform Joseph Francis

Can you work in an 18% gray card and something for white balance? Thanks!

(12% for the cognoscenti)
benher

I love pieces like this! It’s always nice when a client puts some thought and creativity into their orders.

Tattooing something “simple” like this is much more difficult than it looks, but the payoff is worth it. Then again, I’m a sucker for geometric straightness on curved body parts!
surreality

I’m constantly amazed that at such an enlightened blog, there are always multiple posts of “It’s going to look awful/ugh why would you do that” on EVERY tattoo post.

I think it looks amazing.