I'm not a hippie, I just dress like one...

Well, it's warm outside, which means mad anthony can break out his favorite footware.

Oh yeah!

I know, here I am, an upstanding, gainfully employed, registered Republican, who owns a pair of Birkenstocks. I have to admit, as much as I dislike protesting hippies, they do have good taste in footwear.

They are comfortable. My feet, much like the rest of me, are both wide and short, and it's difficult to find sandles that feel good - but these do. Even if they are made out of synthetic leather, this way we save the lives of all those wild cattle that are hunted to make leather...

I know that some, like the manolo, consider the Birkenstock ugly. But despite Manolo's claims, I don't know of any shoe that feels more comfortable.

But there is a time for Birkenstocks and a time for other shoes. The Birkenstocks get worn around the house, shopping (although most of the time I go from work/exersize to shopping), ect - not to work or church or fancy resturants or other places where they aren't appropriate.

I have to say, despite the fact that hippies don't seem to know the first thing about capitalism, they have figured it out without knowing what they are doing - make and sell products that people really want. And that's why Mad Anthony will shop at Trader Joe's (although I always wonder if I would be beaten with fresh organic baguettes if I let on that I voted for Bush), wear Birkenstocks, and eat Ben and Jerry's if it's on sale. I might not like the politics associated with the products, but I love the products.