Geeks Throw Shoes at Father of the Great Firewall of China

Pic: MICGadget

Beware of geeks feeling stiffed. Speaking as a blogger who has fallen foul of the Great Firewall of China, I'm guessing the guy who invented it isn't so popular among the people he reckons he's protecting.

It's with a small but delicious sense of schadenfreude that I note computer students threw shoes at Fang Binxing, known as the father of the "Golden Shield", when he gave a lecture at Wuhan University today. The fact that this news hit Twitter in minutes demonstrates the derision felt for Fang by the computer geeks who Fang presumably hopes will follow in his footsteps. The speed with which they disseminated information pertaining to his humiliation demonstrates their technical savvy. We hope that the good president of Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunication will give them all an A-plus in appreciation of their skills.

Fang himself owns six VPNs, allowing him to Great Leap over the Firewall. How very egalitarian of him. And what a waste. He says, “I’m not interested in reading messy information like some of that anti-government stuff."

Wadda heel! No sole.

This does beg the question: exactly when did shoes become an international symbol of contempt? We saw it in Iraq when portraits of Saddam were walloped with shoes, and Bush's narrow miss certainly added to the gaiety of the anti-war movement. However, not since sabots (wooden clogs) were thrown into machinery in the Netherlands in the 15th century, thereby giving birth to sabotage, has footwear taken on any political significance here in Yurp.

Lemme tell ya: NO-ONE is getting my precious Imeldas.

Thanks to China Digital Times for much of the above. Just 'cause your "Berkeley China Internet Project" is based in Berkeley University in the US sunshine state of California doesn't mean you have an axe to grind yourselves. No way. No siree! Keep it up, guys.

You can send roses or raspberries to the shoe-thrower @hanunyi on Twitter.

Madam Miaow — banned by both the Guardian and the Great Firewall of China ... and proud of it.

New National China Museum cuts out the Cultural Revolution among others.

Impossible shoes and sado-fashionism

I am reposting this item from July as the media seem to have caught up and noticed on the dominance of the killer heel in fashion over the past couple of years.

And I am supposed to walk in these, how?

The male species may not be aware of the torture-wear storming the shops this past year. Following the best few seasons for ages featuring frocks that I actually desire and which would be cramming my wardrobe if it weren't for (a) dosh (or lack thereof), (b) space (or lack thereof) and (c) my favourite outlet, Primark — bringing high fashion to the low rent — STILL failing to sort out its cheap labour sources ... the deity that rules these things has snuck in footwear that hates women.

Unbearable AND unwearable! Your choice this summer is flat flip-flop-style sandals with that alarming strap that threatens to slice your big toes from all the other little piggies; medium-height wedges that allow no movement in the dark night of the sole; and vertigo-inducing hobblers, example above (Top Shop). Steve Martin didn't call them "cruel shoes" for nothing.

What happened to good ol' Clarks, you may ask? Well, what happened with me was a pair of lovely black leather mid-heel boots that moulded beautifully to my size sevens, apart from the stitched band across the base of the toes that failed to give and pushed my big toe joint sideways, making walking painful even now.

China got rid of its bound feet decades ago, but here we are being lured back into crippling bondage boxes for our delicate tootsies. Do you know how similar to bound foot-stumps the current trend in foot shapes is? These things may look fab when you are reclining sexily, but have you watched women walking in them? Have you TRIED walking in them? Look at the angles on those things. They push your bum out at unnatural degrees closer to our Australopithecus ancestors, and force you to waddle like a duck.

France bans the veil but puts up with our young women crippling themselves permanently. If you are going to dictate what women should or shouldn't wear — which you should not be doing at all — I'd rather see Sarkozy banning Carla Bruni and her sisters from wearing these things in public than telling grown Muslim women they have no say in their own attire.

And, yes, I did buy a pair. Why do you ask?

Beautiful frocks, impossible heels: sado-fashionism

And I am supposed to walk in these, how?

The male species may not be aware of the torture-wear storming the shops this past year. Following the best few seasons for ages featuring frocks that I actually desire and which would be cramming my wardrobe if it weren't for (a) dosh (or lack thereof), (b) space (or lack thereof) and (c) my favourite outlet, Primark — bringing high fashion to the low rent — STILL failing to sort out its cheap labour sources ... the deity that rules these things has snuck in footwear that hates women.

Unbearable AND unwearable! Your choice this summer is flat flip-flop-style sandals with that alarming strap that threatens to slice your big toes from all the other little piggies; medium-height wedges that allow no movement in the dark night of the sole; and vertigo-inducing hobblers, example above (Top Shop). Steve Martin didn't call them "cruel shoes" for nothing.

What happened to good ol' Clarks, you may ask? Well, what happened with me was a pair of lovely black leather mid-heel boots that moulded beautifully to my size sevens, apart from the stitched band across the base of the toes that failed to give and pushed my big toe joint sideways, making walking painful even now.

China got rid of its bound feet decades ago, but here we are being lured back into crippling bondage boxes for our delicate tootsies. Do you know how similar to bound foot-stumps the current trend in foot shapes is? These things may look fab when you are reclining sexily, but have you watched women walking in them? Have you TRIED walking in them? Look at the angles on those things. They push your bum out at unnatural degrees closer to our Australopithecus ancestors, and force you to waddle like a duck.

France bans the veil but puts up with our young women crippling themselves permanently. If you are going to dictate what women should or shouldn't wear — which you should not be doing at all — I'd rather see Sarkozy banning Carla Bruni and her sisters from wearing these things in public than telling grown Muslim women they have no say in their own attire.

And, yes, I did buy a pair. Why do you ask?

Beautiful frocks, impossible heels: sado-fashionism

And I am supposed to walk in these, how?

The male species may not be aware of the torture-wear storming the shops this past year. Following the best few seasons for ages featuring frocks that I actually desire and which would be cramming my wardrobe if it weren't for (a) dosh (or lack thereof), (b) space (or lack thereof) and (c) my favourite outlet, Primark — bringing high fashion to the low rent — STILL failing to sort out its cheap labour sources ... the deity that rules these things has snuck in footwear that hates women.

Unbearable AND unwearable! Your choice this summer is flat flip-flop-style sandals with that alarming strap that threatens to slice your big toes from all the other little piggies; medium-height wedges that allow no movement in the dark night of the sole; and vertigo-inducing hobblers, example above (Top Shop). Steve Martin didn't call them "cruel shoes" for nothing.

What happened to good ol' Clarks, you may ask? Well, what happened with me was a pair of lovely black leather mid-heel boots that moulded beautifully to my size sevens, apart from the stitched band across the base of the toes that failed to give and pushed my big toe joint sideways, making walking painful even now.

China got rid of its bound feet decades ago, but here we are being lured back into crippling bondage boxes for our delicate tootsies. Do you know how similar to bound foot-stumps the current trend in foot shapes is? These things may look fab when you are reclining sexily, but have you watched women walking in them? Have you TRIED walking in them? Look at the angles on those things. They push your bum out at unnatural degrees closer to our Australopithecus ancestors, and force you to waddle like a duck.

France bans the veil but puts up with our young women crippling themselves permanently. If you are going to dictate what women should or shouldn't wear — which you should not be doing at all — I'd rather see Sarkozy banning Carla Bruni and her sisters from wearing these things in public than telling grown Muslim women they have no say in their own attire.

And, yes, I did buy a pair. Why do you ask?

Will models form trade union? Kershaw, Poly & Pivovarova refuse killer shoes

From Naomi Campbell to Naomi Klein?


Abbey Lee Kersher in sensible shoes


Natasha Poly


"Can't you wait?" Sasha Pivovarova helps Kate Moss with her infirmity. It's what Gucci's for.

It was once sabots chucked into looms, now it's ankle-breaking high heels that's galvanised fashion's top catwalk models into rebelling against their exploiting oppressor and maybe forming the industry's first trade union.

I love Alexander McQueen's designs but embarrassing OTT clobber is one thing. It's surely an act of war to make fashion models take to the catwalk in 12 inch killer heels, what with teetering on sparrow legs and banks of cameras recording your humiliation for posterity.

Three top models — Abbey Lee Kersher, Natasha Poly and Sasha Pivovarova — went into a huddle and refused to risk their twiggy limbs on stilts several inches higher than the Westwoods that did for Naomi Campbell so spectacularly in 1994. Finding strength in unity, they stayed away from McQueen's October show leaving him without his favourite muses. Not surprising as Kershaw had already fainted at an earlier McQueen show when she was trussed up too tightly in one of his creations, and suffered a knee-injury.

Models of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your pain.

Will models form trade union? Kershaw, Poly & Pivovarova refuse killer shoes

From Naomi Campbell to Naomi Klein?


Abbey Lee Kersher in sensible shoes


Natasha Poly


"Can't you wait?" Sasha Pivovarova helps Kate Moss with her infirmity. It's what Gucci's for.

It was once sabots chucked into looms, now it's ankle-breaking high heels that's galvanised fashion's top catwalk models into rebelling against their exploiting oppressor and maybe forming the industry's first trade union.

I love Alexander McQueen's designs but embarrassing OTT clobber is one thing. It's surely an act of war to make fashion models take to the catwalk in 12 inch killer heels, what with teetering on sparrow legs and banks of cameras recording your humiliation for posterity.

Three top models — Abbey Lee Kersher, Natasha Poly and Sasha Pivovarova — went into a huddle and refused to risk their twiggy limbs on stilts several inches higher than the Westwoods that did for Naomi Campbell so spectacularly in 1994. Finding strength in unity, they stayed away from McQueen's October show leaving him without his favourite muses. Not surprising as Kershaw had already fainted at an earlier McQueen show when she was trussed up too tightly in one of his creations, and suffered a knee-injury.

Models of the world unite. You have nothing to lose but your pain.