Columbus Dispatch Editorializes Against Bare Feet

Sigh.

Yesterday’s Columbus Dispatch contained a short editorial in which they weighed in against allowing bare feet in the Statehouse.

Here it is:

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Arlo & Janis

This is a rerun from about six months ago of one of my favorite comics.

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Ricky Nelson’s “Barefoot Boy”

Today, just a little musical interlude:

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Colorful Characters: Elias Lönnrot

Elias Lönnrot was a Finnish doctor. However, he is best known for collecting Finnish folk tales during the mid-1800s and producing the Kalevala. The Kalevala is considered the national epic of Finland (kind of like the Sagas of Iceland).

So, why would I include Lönnrot here?

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Bare Feet in Scandinavia

Scandinavia is not the sort of place that you usually associate with bare feet. Being so far north would tend to suggest that, historically, folks would be shod all of the time.

But it turns out that their history of going barefoot isn’t much different than what we’ve seen in a lot of other countries.

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A News Story About Orthotics

There was a story in the New York Times last week about the relative ineffectiveness of orthotics.

It seems that they often don’t do much.

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Rockbridge

One of the interesting formations in Hocking Hills is Rockbridge. This is a natural rock arch spanning around 95 feet. It is the longest such natural arch in Ohio.

I haven’t been to Rockbridge for quite a while. Usually, if I’m heading into Hocking County I’m looking for a longer hike, so I’ll go elsewhere. However, I’m still paying extra attention to my feet after peeling some of the skin, so, particularly with yesterday’s temperature in the mid- to upper-30s, I thought I’d revisit it.

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The Tap Test

There was a short little blurb in the January 15 New York Times magazine about barefooting.

It contained a quote I thought I’d write about.

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Acclimatization Inadequacy Syndrome

Ken Bob Saxton, in his book Barefoot Running, Step by Step, identifies what he calls B.R.E.S.: Barefoot Running Exuberance Syndrome. He refers to some of the pains one can get when getting too exuberant about barefoot running and overdoing it. Like everything else, you have to work up to barefoot running.

The same principle applies to acclimating to the cold. I’ve called that Acclimatization Inadequacy Syndrome.

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The Authoritarian Mindset

It is always interesting to read some of the comments that other people make to the newspaper stories about governments attempting to make footwear rules. Ofttimes they will be pretty supportive, or at least make sense.

But sometimes it brings out those with a strong authoritarian mindset.

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Statehouse Approves Shoe Rule — Again

First, I want to thank everybody who wrote to the Ohio Statehouse Board (The Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board—CSRAB). I attended the meeting yesterday morning and talked to the members as they arrived.

There wasn’t a lot of time so I couldn’t say a lot.

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I Wish These Folks Would Make at least Some Sense

The other day I came across one of those heartstring-tugging videos from The Christian Broadcasting Network.

Sometimes I really wonder if they even pay attention to their pitches.

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Special Evening Edition: Statehouse Agenda

I just got the agenda for the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board (CRSAB) meeting this Thursday. They will be discussing the shoe rule for the Statehouse, and there is new language being proposed.

The new language is still a barefoot ban.

If you have not yet written to the CRSAB (note that these are different folks than JCARR) please do so this evening or early tomorrow. If you have already written, I have some updated email addresses, so please additionally write to those folks.

Here are some particulars.

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Scandalous! Vibrams at the Golden Globes

I just had to laugh. In some ways, the Golden Globes are like weddings. The women get all dressed up, including ridiculous shoes that they totter around in. And then they are so painful they have to get rid of them as soon as possible.

But Shailene Woodley of “The Descendants” came prepared.

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The Disneyfication of Huckleberry Finn

We’ve looked at The Disneyfication of Tom Sawyer. What about that other iconic barefoot boy, Huckleberry Finn?

First, let’s take a look at how an older movie treated him.

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