Shoes are appearing : Melbourne Indymedia

EXHIBIT A - Location: near the shops

On a little walk to my local shops I was surprised and excited to see a pair of shoes hanging from the wires. It immediately reminded me of some ideas about throwing shoes in the air as a form of political protest.

It's described I believe as a symbolic statement, of the people, against our government sending troops to Iraq and Afghanistan. A statement, from the people, who are not happy about the selling of telstra, chopping down old growth forests, and building toxic waste dumps, burning fossil fuels. You name it, opposition to everything. Perhaps some clarification will follow this article in the comments.

So anyway, I thought of all that when I saw them and thought, huh, so thats where that guy lives. Ha ha, not really, but I wanted to get a shot of them dangling away up there.

One pair of shoes is just a bit of a coincidence I know, but look what we have here now! Another pair of shoes.

I was very excited about this. Is throwing you shoes in the air going to become a ritualistic form of dissent now in Australia? Perhaps the only one left? Will our government be forced to declare the throwing your shoes in the air an act of terrorism? A friend of mine, and shoe wearer, says he doesn't think so because it's, well, just a bit too funny to cause any terror.

Then again, I thought things like preventive detention was some kind of cartoon government crazy idea once.

Be on the look out for any shoes that may appear, and make sure they don't go unreported and discussed in a peaceful civil discourse.

I haven't looked at Melbourne Indymedia for some years, but I've just done a search on "shoes" and Simon has been advocating throwing shoes on powerlines to show disagreement with sending more troops to Iraq.

Have a look at the link.

I'll be throwing my shoes very soon...here is a poem I found:

The boot in this sculpture
is not large and soft
or cast in bronze
or on some overlarge hero
of a war memorial.

This work is conceptual in nature.
It is political in content.
It is a sign of those
who died in Iraq,
a war to secure our standard of living,
despite what the soundbites say.

There is a pair of boots
for each soldier killed to date.
They are lined up as if soldiers at roll call.
They stand at attention,
most drooping like dead flowers.

Just a regular boot.
One that you or I might wear.

Richard Smyth

Yes -- but, who is putting them up there -- Neocons? Jooos? Space Aliens? The CIA?

All of the above?

Indy Media readers want to know

I support the war in Iraq and was throwing shoes over powerlines before some of you drew breath.

Don't you dare 'claim' this as some form of protest that takes credit for activities some people are doing anyway.

Otherwise, I'll start promoting dropping ciggy butts on the ground as an anti-Socialism, pro-warfare statement. See my point?

Come up with your own ideas, and preferably those which are original.

I'll believe it when I see them dangling at fed sqr

Is due, They are all my own shoes. I take responcibility

I admit I did it.

But please do not mention my name otherwise Asio will be round to my houseand confiscate my shoe boxes and remove my shoe laces.

So far the demonstration has attracted the free-to -every-driveway -advertorial - non thinking mans -press who seem to think that drug merchants have invaded the eastern suburbs, which is a great cover for those who oppose the emerging fascist police state that this country risks fast becoming.

They bought it upon themselves, I'd say.
The only other way I thought of making my dissent clear was by blowing up something, then I'd have to demonsterate against myself so things could get pointless.

I see Nazi moron has joined the demo, oovey! good on ya!, so its time to put a label on it which clearly advertises intent.

We should do something to keep the riff raff from thinking this demonstration is for anyone in the nation as its for everyone.

JOB Vacancy ( a first for indy)

Wanted.

Artists of any and all suburbs.

Please design black cut-outs measuring no more than 400mm2

you can fit them with fairy lights if you want to.

of any design featuring bombs, tanks or military aircraft. You decide

Join two together and throw.

Each application will be accessed for its individual merits,

please provide photo evidence pasted onto this thread and the Indy judges will award prizes as and when applicantion volumes require it.

Visual art display two

Collect dolls and amputate the limbs, add blood red paint to show what happens to the real victims of war.

Drive the point home by only useing white baby limbs the public art should make people look up and take notice.

THe difference in skin tone makes the visual look so unrealistic,

I'm not just being racist to brown asian or black plastic dolls.

Wait for the paint to dry

Join two and throw.

Again photographic evidence is required, remember this is a grass root tupperware movement.

Decorating the wires makes more sense than chopping down trees for Jesus.

But if you are not into it, that’s ok, there is something else you and your mates can do.

Ground based visual arts.

Go to the park, or nature strip, roundabout or public garden.

Take your shovel and a suitable grave stone.( a goods pallet cut and covered makes a lovely memorial)

Introducing, stage two, non violent campaign

Mock graves for the parklands

A FITTING RESTING PLACE
for any democracy,

For those who want a down to earth visual memorial, a gathering place, a focus to reflect, have a weep, join hands and remember what has been lost because our government is lying to us again.

Please create your own memorial for democracy.

Each grave stone, I suggest, can have its own focus.

Could be Unions.

Could be representation.

Could be old growth forests.

Could be The River Murray.

Mine has a Brazilians name and a date, with shoot to kill policy written underneath.

Of course the council will desecrate my memorial, while we morn safety from the police on our streets, but not before the message gets out.

Then I'll make another one, its really easy.

Take a pallet cut to1.8mts by 650 wide cover with masonite and paint white.

Paint the text, make it clear simple and short and sweet.

Chose your resting place, peg out a reasonable plot, dig out and turn the sod.

(This can be done by just rolling out a cut sheet of black plastic)

Dig the grave stone into the soil by 200 mm and add flowers.

Council flowers will do.

Thank you for your time.

Ps, as far as I know there are no wires for dangling in fed square.

But wreaths floating down the Yarra has an appeal to it.

But for now Throw shoes.

Threadless.com has a shoe on the wires t-shirt design uploaded for comments on their site.

As I understand the threadless people, submit t-shirt designs on line, then the design is open for comment . Ones with the most positive feedback (votes and comments ) end up being printed and put up for sale.

Get the movement on yer chest,

Did you know?

there's a holden commodore chat site, yes they can write, well sort of, and they are chatting (whilst dragging knuckles) about shoes in the wires.
Strangly enough amongst the other things that petrol heads wonder about while driviing, is why all those shoes get thrown into the wires.

Yeah you guessed it they thought it was drug related also. Until I linked them here.

Go ford!

Adelaide Australia Utility Company Addresses Shoes on Power Lines

October 25, 2005, 12:01 am

Here's an intersting press release from ETSA Utilities of Adelaide, Australia explaining the impact shoes thrown onto power lines have on their business. Apparently, it can lead to power interruptions.

Shoes on power lines present serious risks to the community

Wednesday 28 September 2005

Throwing shoes - or any object - over power lines is a risky and costly activity and should not be undertaken.

ETSA Utilitiesý General Manager Business Relations, Craig Cock, says

"In recent weeks our line crews have had to be deployed to removing shoes which have been thrown onto power lines in the Adelaide metropolitan area.

"Throwing objects at power lines can cause sparks, stress on lines, damage to conductors and cause power interruptions.

"Like graffiti, there is a cost to the community in time and money to investigate and remove the items from the lines."

Mr. Cock said "On occasions we have to turn the power off so that we can remove shoes from the lines, which causes inconvenience to the community.

"Throwing objects onto power lines is not just a silly activity but potentially a dangerous one with serious consequences, including injury and possible electrocution.

"We strongly urge people not to do it.

"We also encourage our customers to report the locations where they notice shoes or any other objects on the power lines, by phoning 13 13 66 and we will dispatch a crew to remove them."

For further information please contact:

Craig Cock
General Manager Business Relations
0403 582 500

EXHIBIT 3N Location: at the end of the lane

Since the originality of throwing your shoes in the air has come into question, we must respectfully use spin in order to dismiss these claims as mere anti-shoe bandwagon jumping propaganda.

A quick google and you will find some urban myths about shoes on power-lines ranging from gang territory, drug dealings and just plain tom foolery. I showed the picture EXHIBIT "one pole town" to a friend of mine, the shoe wearer, and asked him what he reckoned. "Looks like some people sticking it to the man." he said. Just as I thought, and if that is marking 'gang' territory I'd like to see what that gang looks like, ha ha.

To the ignorant the site of shoes up there is confusing, I admit, but to me it also does provoke intrigue. On another level, as one who throws, I can now tell you that an important line is crossed by the throwee. A line between passive and active opposition. A line between apathy and action. Anything is possible once you cross that line. You may find yourself more determined to write that article, to go to that protest rally, or to buy that micro-powered FM transmitter and start a pirate radio station to broadcast interviews with activists and anarchists and make your own subversive shows for your local community...

Sorry, got a bit carried away, ha ha. But you see what I mean? It doesn't matter what anyone else thinks, it can all start with a shoe. So I say, for those about to throw, we salute you!

What we need here is some sort of colour-coding (or brand of shoe?) system - a little like pr's fascist colour-coding - so as the right shoes are identified with the right causes.

And now that we've got some Cock wanting to send out asio shoe removal deployment crews, we will need to defend the shoes. A little known fact re the new HOwarD anti-terror laws is that asio, the CSIRO and the CWA will all have the legal power to pre-emptively remove shoes from the feet of any citizen suspected of shoe-related protest and incarcerate those shoes for up to three weeks without trial or odour eaters.

Just for once, can't we have some sensible shoes up there?

I look forward to seeing some stylish flat soled, black or brown leather business or smart casual shoes up there. Let your freak flag fly!

It's always 'sports shoes'. Why is this so? Fat people giving up the health kick? A revolt against the cult of sport? A protest against exploited Asian laborers?

In my day we used to throw bike chains over the power lines. Aye, them were the days.

Enough of this sillyness.

Record numbers participating in ant war demonstrations that did not attract government attenton.

Sorry marches are forgoten causes.

turning backs got no attention.

informal voting cast no effects

The old growth forests are cleared

the Frankilin is polluted, the mouth of the Murray is closed to further notice.

Have you noticed?

But the shoes are still hanging swinging and reflecting how silly and insignificant I an Australian feel

We are one
we are many
and from all the wires we hang

we are Australians and reduced to being silly in the name of democracy.

Thanks Si

Hi! I'm Joe Beets. Say! What chance does a returning deceased war veteran have for a good job, more sugar, and that free mule you've been dreamin' of?

Think about it. Then, take of your shoes. Now you can see that increased spending opportunities means harder work for everyone, and more of it too!

So join in with millions of your fellow Americans and turn in your shoes.... for industry!

Example of When Dogs Fly's Shoes

behind When Dogs Fly, a group that creates custom shoes to throw over power lines.
You may be wondering, "Those don't look like normal shoes." Correct. Here's the explanation:

No pair is typical. The manufacturing of hand crafted wooden dogs is a selective process. Each edition is created for a special mission. Most are silk-screened on wood for mass tossing, some are stenciled for specific countries. And then there's the rare custom made one-of-a-kinds.

And why do they do it? They explain on their site:

It's all about representing, leaving your mark in the hood. Going beyond those angry tags, standard stencils and corporate stickiers that clutter even the less Popular street corners. In this case, Sky's the limit.

That sounds like a good match for the term, Shoefiti, since they're clearly associating the act of throwing shoes over powerlines with similar activities like graffiti and snipe. However, they see their statements as rising above the more vanedelous acts.

Is it just me... or does throwing the runners that mummy and daddy bought me over a power line... then running home and demanding that they buy me another, more expensive, pair seem like the work of a ....

.... self-centered, wanker, activist, wanna-be, consumed with teenage angst who is just as concerned with Clearasil as Civil Rights?

Or is it cold in here?

Go throw
by Shoefiti Public relations Thursday October 27, 2005 at 12:26 PM

You can throw shoes for any reason its up to you.

The wire is there for an open air polling booth.

Judging by the last minute campaigners handing out leaflets to potential swing voters on election day your reasons for throwing need not be made up until the shoes are swinging.

Then you can have another go for another reason, and do it again if you have another question.

You can throw shoes even if you oppose throwing shoes, shoefiti would like the irony

You may find for $2 the exact shoes you've been wanting were at the op shop so you can swap them for the shoes your wearing and launch them without begging.

Just do it, Nike! Recycle, and turn the wires into an art piece, and get some exercise, that’s what gym shoes were made for after all the wear and tear they need a second use.

Well well hey mama mama
can't afford no shoes
maybe there's a
bundle of rags that I could use

Hey rami mama
can you spare a dime?
If you're really hurtin'
a nickel would be fine

-ZAPPA

In the interests of unwanted objects ending up swaying in the breeze, I urge peoples to never attempt to retreive shoes from up there.

There are many op-shops around that provide quality pre-owned footwear for those in our society who find themselves shoeless.

Use your worn out sneakers only and you will not be accusin' of wasting valuable resources or taking advantages of slave labour in other far away countries.

If you needs replacement footwear may I recommend the 'No Sweats" variety that uses no sweatshop labour or the 'Black Spot' HEMP made sneakers.

This used to happen on Sesame Street

The intellectual status of our current society.

Remember when we had a constitution?

When we had a government that at least pretended to listen and act for the people?

When we had Freedom of speech

A fair rate of pay

A conscience

A chance for everyone to have a say.

Yeah, it all slipped away.

And now we have shoes poised to join our democracy in the bin, or should we put them both to a better use, maybe?.

Intellectually Shoefiti fits the occasion, graffiti for decoration, a non violent demonstration that on the face of it looks about as silly as the population is being treated.

What would you do?

That has not been already tried in vain.

try putting a peace symbol on your shoe soles to get the point across.

Boy Howard will be quaking in his boots.

I always thought shoes on an electric wire were put there by teenagers who want a new pair of shoes.

If I saw shoes with a peace sign on them I would just think they were kids who'd outgrown their hippy phase.

Of course I have also heard that its a sign that drugs are being dealt - stand under the shoes and someone will be along soon. Maybe a peace sign means that they are offering LSD?

"I cried because I had no shoes -- then I met a man with no brains" -- Anonymous

Oh yes all you non-throwers will laugh and scoff. But I know deep down inside of you all, there is a little voice. And that little voice is saying throw.

Throw.

Throw,

THROW HAHAHHAA!

What's wrong with you people? Throwing shoes over powerlines isn't a protest. It's a ghetto pastime. Stop actin like you know. Stupid.