In poor rural reservations, people often share shoes with family members. That can be dangerous for diabetics. When their shoes are too tight, the ill can suffer ulcers and even amputation. "Sam is the first one who recognized the need for the shoes," said Stapp, a member of the Comanche tribe whose mother also died of diabetes.
He met McCracken a few years ago, just when the doctor was modifying shoes for his patients. Teaming up, they developed a mission: Don't let Indian kids go through the same pain of losing their moms.
McCracken followed up by hitting the pavement. He visited Indian communities in Oregon, Montana and Florida and scanned 200 people's feet at 70 tribes. The data showed that Indians' average toe size is bigger than other Americans', especially with women, who require a toe box four sizes wider than for traditional Nike women's shoes.
After two years of research and lab work, Air Native landed. McCracken is so sure of the sneaker's solidity, he said, "If my mom would have had access to this shoe, or have been encouraged to do physical activities, she might still be here."
11 comments:
Writerfella here --
But that was not the purpose of the research done on Native feet. The assumption that Native Americans' feet EXACTLY are the same as the feet of Earth's other races of mankind was what was disproved by that research. Thus, the shoes became responsive to characteristics of feet that were not present in other races of mankind. There are larger assumptions, therefore, that become inescapable which suggest that Native Americans are NOT part and parcel to the rest of mankind...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
What wasn't the purpose of the research done on Native feet? As usual, your writing is unclear.
You wrote, "The assumption that Native Americans' feet EXACTLY are the same as the feet of Earth's other races of mankind was what was disproved by that research." Or if you could write more succinctly, "The research disproved the assumption that Native and non-Native feet are the same."
That was basically my point when I wrote, "A survey of 200 people's feet seems to belie the claim that Native feet aren't different on average." So thanks for agreeing with me, even if you didn't realize it.
I think it is part of Russ' argument that Natives are not merely of a different race (and, of course, remember that race is really a silly social non-scientific concept), but are actually of a separate species. This of course would open the door to racists on both sides.
Writerfella here --
But NOT another species, or even a sub-species (such as the Australian Abos), instead in fact a separate but equal race of humans who derived from Tautavel Man, an offshoot coming directly from H. Erectus who is said to have crossed the Bering Strait land bridge perhaps 200,000 years ago. The researches and anthropological digs in central California done by Robert S. B. Leakey ate themain indicators. Simultaneous evolution in separate parts of the world long has been known and accorded by science and scientists, naturally held askance and as controversial by other scientific authorities who wish to claim that the New World once was populated by Europeans or even other Asians BEFORE the rise of those who came to be called the Native Americans. That the disproven Mitochondrial DNA link ostensibly rendering all of mankind as interrelated throws Kennwick Man and other links into limbo seemingly makes no difference to such adherents...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
Needless to say, Russ's speculation about "Tautavel Man," a subspecies of Homo erectus, is totally unsubstantiated. As usual. As far as I know, no one named Leakey has done excavations in California or found anything that casts doubt upon the origin of Native Americans.
Here are the facts on Tautavel Man:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbevillian
A community of about 100 individuals discovered over the years in the ongoing excavations of the cave by a team of the Centre Européen de Recherches Préhistoriques de Tautavel under the direction of Henry de Lumley. Excavations began in 1964, the first mandible came to light in 1969, and the first "Tautavel Man" in 1971, though in fact many subsequent Tautavel men and women appeared. The date range is a fairly secure 690,000-300,000 years ago by many methods. The prevailing view is that the fossils are intermediary to the Neanderthals.
Russ's fantasies are apparently based on the following story. Note that it's about a single brow that resembles Tautavel Man, not an actual set of Tautavel Man bones or skeletons. This is less evidence than Erich Van Daniken has for most of his wild theories.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4188/is_20041003/ai_n11480094
For decades, Federico Solorzano has gathered old bones from the shores of Mexico's largest lake--bones he found and bones he was brought, bones of beasts and bones of men.
The longtime teacher of anthropology and paleontology was sifting through his collection one day when he noticed some that didn't seem to fit: a mineral-darkened piece of brow ridge bone and a bit of jaw that didn't match any modern skulls.
But Solorzano found a perfect fit when he placed the brow against a model of the Old World's Tautavel Man--member of a species, Homo erectus, that many believe was an ancestor of modern Homo sapiens.
The catch: Homo erectus is believed to have died out 100,000 to 200,000 years ago--tens of thousands of years before men are believed to have reached the Americas.
And archaeologists have never found a trace of Homo erectus in the Americas.
"Most people sort of just shook their heads and have been baffled by it," said Robson Bonnichsen, director of the Center for the Study of the First Americans at Texas A&M University.
Writerfella here --
Just because Rob never heard of Robert E. S. B. Leakey, the son of the Leakeys who found and studied Australopithecus afarensis and four other early hominids in Africa, then R. E. S. B. Leakey DOES NOT EXIST! Wow, then Rob must believe that the Flintstones are more accurate human paleontological representatives than are the scientifically accorded ancestors of EuroMan researched by the most famous REAL family of anthropologists that this world ever has known. Next, Rob's going to tell us that Homer Simpson is the true forebear of modern humanity!
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
As usual, your reading comprehension is poor, Russ. I didn't say I hadn't heard of Leakey. I said I hadn't heard of anyone named Leakey doing excavations in California or finding anything that cast doubt upon the origin of Native Americans.
Until you provide evidence of such excavations, this claim remains your fantasy and nothing more. So go ahead and provide the evidence. Or admit you can't.
Writerfella here --
Google Richard E. S. B. Leakey (and writerfella admits to getting the name wrong until he looked in his own records for thefirst time since the 1980s -- apologies!) and there the records will be! Those are not fantasies, nor lies, nor fabrications, as a science fiction writer always strives to getting his science as exact as he can. writerfella did not write such science but merely was guided by it...
All Best
Russ Bates
'writerfella'
You can't even remember whether you're talking about Robert or Richard Leakey. Pathetic.
I Googled Leakey before I wrote the following: As far as I know, no one named Leakey has done excavations in California or found anything that casts doubt upon the origin of Native Americans. I didn't find anything.
Which I why I then wrote the following: Until you provide evidence of such excavations, this claim remains your fantasy and nothing more. So go ahead and provide the evidence. Or admit you can't.
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