Youngcare and Thong Day

There are 6,500 young Australians with full-time care needs currently living in aged care and further 700,000 are being cared for at home by family and friends.Youngcare exists to drive change to create real choice in care and accommodation options for young Australians with full-time care needs. To promote the works of Youngcare’s the organisation host a national awareness day called Thong Day (1st October). Thongs represent youth, freedom and fun, all things that young Australians have the right to experience. Youngcare’s national Thong Day raises money to fund more appropriate care and accommodation options for young Australians with round-the-clock care needs.

Uggs the new bootlegs

Admistrators at Pottsdam Middle School in Pottsdam, Pa. have banned pupils from wearing ugg boots to school. Apparently authorities were alarmed at the number of girls hiding mobile phones in their uggs. The school has a strict policy on cell phones prohibiting their use during class hours. Students were using the phones for texting and posting on Facebook. Students are now only allowed to their wear winter boots to school but then must change out of them into sneakers or another shoes that lace at the ankle and cannot conceal a cell phone. Most parents were incredulous that the school thought that banning boots would solve the problem of sneaking cell phones. In day of old sailors turned their long (thigh length) boots over their knees and used the concealed panel to hide contraband rum (bootlegs).

Indonesian Flip Flop Protest

According to the Bali Advertiser, Indonesians have a new symbol for their growing frustration at uneven justice in the country. Thongs, cheap , worn out flip flops are being dropped in their 1000s at local police stations to express dissatisfaction and outrage at the arrest and trial of a 15 year old boy for lifting a pair of white sandals from outside a house used by police in northern Indonesia. The boy lifted the discarded shoes from a bin on his way home from school. Later he was interrogated and badly beaten by three policemen with the threat of five years behind bars. Thousands have joined in the sandal protest on Facebook and Twitter. Andreas Harsono of Human Rights Watch and local artist, Ayu Laksmi have joined their voice in protest.

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Gingerella has her shoe back

Aboriginal-rights protesters have now returned the shoe belonging to Prime Minister, Julia Gillard. The Melbourne-based makers of the now-famous "Gingerella"(Midas)are hoping to cash in on the moment with plans to release version of the shoe dubbed the "Julia."

Meanwhile, the fallout from the fracas has led to the resignation of one of Gillard’s press secretaries, Tony Hodges. He acknowledged tipping off protesters that Opposition Leader Tony Abbott was going to be at the Canberra restaurant with the prime minister at an award ceremony to mark Australia Day.

The Aboriginal Tent Embassy is a center point of protests against Australia Day, which marks the arrival of the first fleet of British colonists in Sydney on Jan. 26, 1788. Many Aborigines call it Invasion Day because the land was settled without a treaty with the traditional owners.

Michael Jackson is honoured

The three children of Michael Jackson (Prince, 14; Paris, 13; and Blanket, 9) recently sank their famous father's shoes and a sequined glove into the cement outside Grauman's Chinese Theatre, Hollywood. Other celebrities who appeared at the event included Justin Bieber, Chris Tucker, Smokey Robinson, Quincy Jones and members of the cast of "Glee."



The event also promoted the "Michael Jackson - The Immortal World Tour," a Cirque du Soleil show at the Staples Center.

Gillard's shoe a trophy

Austrlaia’s PM, Julia Gillard lost her shoe in ugly scenes outside a Canberra restaurant yesterday. The Prime Minister rode the gauntlet through a group of Aboriginal rights protesters, from the nearby Aboriginal tent embassy. They trapped Ms Gillard and Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott the Lobby restaurant before police arrived to clear a passage for the pair. Amid chaotic scenes, Ms Gillard lost her navy blue suede wedge shoe as she slipped during the mayhem, with a security official catching her. Activist Pat Eatock now holds the shoe as a trophy. Aboriginal protesters did plan to return the lost shoe but now have now decided to sell it on eBay. The protesters were inflamed earlier by alledged inflammatory comments made by Opposition Leader, Tony Abbott

Australia Day and the Havaianas 2012 Australia Day Thong Challenge.

It is Australia Day (26th January) and all over the iconic beaches of the big brown land, masses will gather for The Havaianas 2012 Australia Day Thong Challenge. The competition is to set a world record for the longest line of giant inflatable Havaianas and competition between states is fearce. Bondi took out the challenge in 2011 setting a new world record attempt of 2068 people so the gaunlet is down for other states to match the feat (sorry). Participants unbale to get to the beach can for the first time have the opportunity to have your own Havaianas 2012 Australia Day Thong Challenge in your own backyard. As part of the registration, participants receive a Giant Inflatable Havaianas Thong (valued at AUD49.95). Beer gut, Bonds singlets, stubbies (shorts) and thongs (made in China) are unmistakable marks of the true-blue male Ocker. POHMS (Prisonersa of her Majesty) may have superior underwear via Marks and Spencer but I doubt whether they have a singlet to beat a Bondy. Whether we like it or not the humble thong, single or double plugger, is very much part of the Australian way of life for many and of course has recently enjoyed a fashion fling in the northern hemisphere. Still despite this not many citizens can boast of a thong throwing contest, but Australians can. Two common events held on Australia Day is thong or gum boot throwing competitions where participants try their luck. In these events technique is everything and through the years distances have increased.

Zola Budd barefoot runner in trainers?

In 1984, 17 year old Zola Budd grabbed the headlines as the barefoot champion who broke the women’s 5 000m world record. She went on to break her own record twice, running barefoot. She was also twice the winner at the World Cross Country Championship in the UK and at the Los Angeles Olympics (1984) had the controversial collision with Mary Decker-Slaney (US) in the women’s 3000m final. Ironically the barefoot champion now promotes running shoes, albeit according to Budd, Newton running shoes, simulate barefoot running. At 45 years old, Budd is still a strong athlete and blisteringly fast runner and although she still likes to run barefoot she trains in trainers.

Streethouse Design a Shoe Competition: and the winner is?

The Streethouse Design a Shoe Competition is a shoe design competition for Namibians, sponsored by Streethouse Clothing and Student Lounge (Univ of Namibia). It was launched early last year and aimed at providing a platform for Namibian designers and the youth to express their talents within the clothing industry. The competition has managed to draw in more than a thousand entries from different backgrounds across Namibia. 20 finalists each received N$1000. The final 6 received N$2000 each and a chance to win the Grand Prize. All finalists also received a pair of their signature sneaker. The sneakers are being sold for N$599 and are available in Streethouse stores. The overall winner will receive N$50 000 plus 15% of sales of his/her sneakers, with the other 5 finalists receiving only the 15% commission on their sneaker sales.

"Walk in My Shoes" : Empathy training for children

Hillside Elementary School hopes their "Walk in My Shoes" program will encourage their students to support and empathize with peers who have learning challenges. "Walk in My Shoes, “ is an experiential learning program that allows mainstream kids to feel what it's like to have sensory challenge, such as like movement disabilities, dyslexia, Asperger's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder. The program is normally recommended as a one-day break from the regular schedule but the special education team at Hillside have stretched it out to last a full month. The kids were first presented with an obstacle course to navigate which they did then they had to do it again with big clown shoes on. The idea of the exercise was to show what it's like to try to walk across a balance beam, for example, when you struggle with keeping your balance. Week one focused on sensory challenges, week two, on reading; week three, making friends and social skills and the final week revolves around speech and language. The week if special tasks is followed by a debriefing session each Friday.

Paul Simon Diamonds on the soles of her shoes

George “Shoeman” Hutchings wants your soles

Kathy Fantasia has a goal is to collect at least 20,000 pairs of old shoes for the International Shoeman Water Project. Fantasia started collecteing for her shoe drive shoe only a few months ago and has collected 3,000 pairs. The International Shoeman Water Project works to raise money from the sale of the shoes to fund drinking water projects in countries such as Kenya, Haiti, India and South America.. The program was founded by George “Shoeman” Hutchings of Missouri in the late 90s and the charity picks up donated used and new shoes year-round from businesses, churches, schools, special events and shoe drives. These are then exported to retailers in the developing world. The resale of shoes provides jobs and affordable footwear and the funds generated provides well drilling rigs, water purification systems, and hand pump repair micro businesses bringing clean, fresh water to needy communities. Rotary clubs from Porterville and Sunrise as well as Sequoia Middle School students have recently joined Kathy Fantasia to collect more shoes.