Nikes for the American Indian

Nike unveiled Tuesday what it said is the first shoe designed specifically for American Indians, an effort aiming at promoting physical fitness in a population with high obesity rates.

The Beaverton-based company says the Air Native N7 is designed with a larger fit for the distinct foot shape of American Indians, and has a culturally specific look. It will be distributed solely to American Indians; tribal wellness programs and tribal schools nationwide will be able to purchase the shoe at wholesale price and then pass it along to individuals, often at no cost.

"Nike is aware of the growing health issues facing Native Americans," said Sam McCracken, manager of Nike's Native American Business program. "We are stepping up our commitment ... to elevate the issue of Native American health and wellness."

Nike designers and researchers looked at the feet of more than 200 people from more than 70 tribes nationwide and found that in general, American Indians have a much wider and taller foot than the average shoe accommodates. The average shoe width of men and women measured was three width sizes larger than the standard Nike shoe.

As a result, the Air Native is wider with a larger toe box. The shoe has fewer seams for irritation and a thicker sock liner for comfort.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe!
~~Aileen Mehle~~

Bride Attacks Groom with Stiletto Shoe

This is not the best way to start off the perfect marriage!


(AP) LONDON Scottish bride Teresa Brown's dream of a perfect wedding day probably did not include attacking the groom with her stiletto shoe and spending the weekend in a cell.

Police arrested the 33-year-old in the couple's hotel room in April while her wedding reception continued downstairs, prosecutor Alan Townsend said Tuesday at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. She spent the rest of her wedding weekend in a cell.

The distraught groom, Mark Allerton, 40, staggered to the front desk, clutching a bloody towel to his head, Townsend said.

"He indicated that his wife had struck him over the head with a stiletto heel," the prosecutor said.

Police found Brown, a real estate agent's assistant, sitting on the hotel room bed, surrounded by broken glass.

Brown told police she and her husband had "been accusing each other of different things," the prosecutor said, without going into details. Brown said she hit him on the head because he had taken a hold of her, he added.

Brown's lawyer Stuart Beveridge said the newlyweds began throwing things at each other after an argument in their room turned physical. He said Brown had been on antidepressants at the time and had been drinking.

"She and her husband are still together although this incident has not helped," he said, adding she is receiving counseling.

Sheriff James Tierney let Brown off on the assault charge with a warning and fined her 250 pounds ($505) for damaging the hotel room and ordered her to pay the hotel 500 pounds ($1,150) in compensation.

Hilton Treetops said in a statement that they were happy the case has closed.

"This has been a very unusual case," the hotel said.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe!
~~Aileen Mehle~~

Sleek Golden Shoes

The shoes are said to be made of up-to-680g pure gold by an Italian designer in Wuhu, Anhui Province under the invitation from World Gold Council. Price? Most likely priceless. I would not think it would be very comfortable. Does gold give like leather? No. They make a showy statement!

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe!
~~Aileen Mehle~~

If The Shoe Fits

A Cinderella story it isn't. There is a mysterious shoe and a fitting to find its rightful owner. There's even a wedding. But, at least for the shoe's alleged owner, there is no happily ever after.

The story begins with a van plowing into the bathroom of a house in Holiday, a suburb of St. Petersburg. Residents Sandy McCombie and her fiance, Michael Toth, watched the van's driver flee across their front lawn — leaving a shoe behind.

The Florida Highway Patrol was investigating about an hour later when John Glen Aquista, 43, of Holiday walked up to the scene.

The man was bloody, wearing only boxer shorts and, most important, shoeless. His injuries looked as if his face had smashed into a steering wheel, investigators said. Aquista denied involvement in the crash, but the van was registered to his address, the patrol said.

When a trooper asked him to slip on the wayward shoe, "it was a perfect fit," the FHP said.

Aquista was charged with leaving the scene of an accident involving property damage and driving without a valid license. He was being held in the Pasco County jail in lieu of $1,250 bond Monday, jail records show. It was not clear whether he had an attorney.

McCombie, 46, and Toth, 39, plan to get married Friday.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe!
~~Aileen Mehle~~

Very Unusual Feet

This was a news article sent to me by Wayne. Kind of alarming to see. I just hope that this young woman has had some medical attention and it is not some sort of active disease that will only get worst....you know some sort of connective tissue problem. I have not see anything like this in my life. I wonder what sort of shoes she wears? Has to be some sort of sandal? She has very unusual feet. I hope she gets her wish to see the world. Brace yuorself for this picture!

21 year old Shen Xiaojing lives in Nong'an County, China. She was born with an unusually large feet where her right foot is 32 cm long and 12 cm wide while her left foot is 30 cm long and 11 cm wide. The size of the big toe on her right foot at 7.5cm long and 4.5 cm wide is equivalent to that of a baby’s foot. However, the same toe on her left foot is entirely normal. Her second toe is also quite unusual at 9 cm long and 3.5 cm wide.

Shen Xiaojing has reached marrying age but due to her giant feet, most young men has been frightened away. Shen has only two wishes: see the world and get into the Guinness Book of Records.

What I do is kick them in the pants with a diamond buckled shoe!
~~Aileen Mehle~~