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Home » Archives » February 2009

Are UGGs Bad for You?

February 28, 2009

The minute it gets cold outside…the rubber hits the road.

The popular UGG is everywhere.

Mary Schallenhammer has several pair of UGG boots.

She says she loves them and admits she likes wearing what’s “in.”

“Of course you have to have all different lengths,” she said. “Yeah it’s part of what we are into right now.”

But Mary also loves high heels…

Philadelphia podiatrist Edward Chairman says that passion for fashion led to Mary’s surgery for bunions and hammertoes.

He says women looking for relief by pouring their dogs into a pair of UGG boots are in for a surprise.

They put their feet into UGGs soft roomy they’re happy campers,” said Dr. Chairman.

Women, I bet you have a pair of UGG boots in your closet right now.

Well guess what…a local foot doctor says they could be bad for your feet.

So what’s the problem?

“After a few hours they start feeling tired, their feet are tired they’re aching and they don’t know why. The reason it’s aching is because there is zero support in the arch area,” said Chairman.

Dr. Chairman says that lack of support flattens the arch and puts stress on the foot.

He says even women with healthy feet complain of pain if they wear their UGGs too long.  

The company says UGG Australia has been around for 30 years and has not received a complaint about arch support or comfort.

They say the back of the heel or heel counter offers substantial support and the sheepskin insoles are comfortable.”

They also warn of numerous UGG knockoffs that don’t offer the same features.

And don’t think Dr. Chairman wants you to toss your UGG boots aside.

“Absolutely not! I think they’re wonderful, you should wear them but wear orthotics in them,” Chairman said.

Orthotics are shoe inserts that help align the foot.

He says put them in your UGG and problem solved.

“It’s as if someone is helping you lift your foot while you walk,” Chairman says.

You can either buy expensive custom orthotics or ready-made cheaper ones you can find in any drugstore.


Posted by jack1688 at 8:39 am | permalink | Add comment

Ugg boots should not be worn in extremely damp

ugg boots should not be worn in extremely damp or muddy conditions (so you probably shouldn’t plan any snow-trekking or off-road hiking in your UGG boots). Even though ugg boots are designed to keep out dampness, sheepskin does absorb moisture and mud more readily than leather. By keeping your UGG boots out of mud and water, you’re ensuring the longevity of your ugg boots so you can wear them year after year.

Since you’ll likely be wearing your ugg boot almost every day, it’s good to know that UGG boots and shoes will match just about anything! For women, pairing your UGG boots with skinny jeans tucked into them is the ultimate cold-weather style. Also, wear your ugg boot with a knee-length skirt (or higher/lower depending on your preference) and either tights or bare legs for a casually chic look that goes from day to night in a breeze. For men, uggboots and shoes look great with your normal style of jeans and can easily be matched up with anything from a t-shirt to a button-down top or a sweater. With so many colors to choose from, you’re sure to find a pair of ugg boot that will look great no matter what your style is. But don’t worry about only being able to wear them in the winter - with sheepskin’s temperature control, you’ll be able to show off your ugg boot any time of the year!

Posted by jack1688 at 8:30 am | permalink | Add comment

When Times Are Tough, The Cobbler Grows Busy

February 26, 2009

It strikes fear into the hearts of most business owners, but the recession does not scare Nancy MacMullen, the Island cobbler.

Nancy MacMullen.A look around her Oak Bluffs workshop will tell you why: always cluttered, it is overrun these days with queued shoes.

Ms. MacMullen, 56, is operating a two-week waiting list before she even gets a look at your footwear. Same goes for jackets, luggage sets, golf bags, deck chairs and die cups.

People are fixing things rather than buying new stuff,” she said, perusing the frayed zigzag stitching on a child’s Ugg boots. “Yeah, business is going well.”

Ms. MacMullen provides a broad rage of services at The Cobbler Shop — its motto: saving your soles one shoe at a time — which are very tricky even for the most dedicated penny-pincher to accomplish with do-it-yourself skills.

You can’t repair shoes yourself unless you use duct tape,” she said. “And something like a zipper, or a new slide, people just don’t have that lying around. I’ve got all the tools. I have the cement and the thing that fits inside the shoe and clamps it down.”

Looks like many islanders are wearing only socks.Mannequins are dotted around the workshop, next to Singer sewing machines, laces, chisels and thread spools. On one workbench is a pair of glossy black patent leather boots which Ms. MacMullen is trying with little success to de-shine. She works with Landis industrial lock and chain stitching machines and uses a curved stitch for parts, since she can no longer get someone to come and repair the old-fashioned equipment.

They want me to take off the head and send it down to New York. Yeah, right,” she said.

As long as people have shoes on their feet (something this reporter’s father, who grew up during the London Blitz, regularly tells him wasn’t always so), Ms. MacMullen will have a viable business.

But in her experience the Vineyard is a particularly target-rich environment for several more reasons.

Heel to toe, and when she is done they’re just like new, without breaking the bank.“Cobblestones and bricks are my friend,” she said. “New Yorkers aren’t walking on Edgartown streets, getting the leathers all scraped. In New York city they have these places that say, ‘Instant shoe repair.’ They just take off the stiletto and pop a new one in,” she said. “Plus, you can’t go to Wal-mart here and buy something new. And then, of course, people have their favorites.”

Over by one of the four stitching machines she picks up a worn-out leather boat shoe with several patches on the sole.

This shoe is perfectly good, it just needs to be restitched. They have been in four times. People wear their shoes to death, they’re flopping off,” she said.

Then of course, they don’t make shoes like they used to.

They’re cutting costs with the materials. More lightweight manufacturing,” Ms. MacMullen said. “I think these designers make shoes for carpeted offices in office buildings.”

Tools of the cobbler’s trade.But she admits that business hasn’t always been this good.

When Ms. MacMullen took over the shop in 1981 and later moved the business from downtown Oak Bluffs to its present workshop, she was hurt by a decline in the use of leather shoes.

It used to be slow months in the winter,” she said, which is why she decided to expand her business to include clothing and other repair work.

Now she says there are reliable cycles to her business, cycles that mirror somewhat the rhythms of a resort Island in New England.

It gets really busy in the fall, with people pulling out their shoes after summer. Christmas is hectic, then in January people get their suitcases ready,” she said.

Ms. MacMullen closed last week for a trip to Boston, and the workload waiting for her on her return was formidable.

It’s hard for me to catch up,” she said, noting that she hasn’t even gotten through all the messages on her machine.

Then she added with a smile: “People have to be patient.”

Posted by jack1688 at 8:41 am | permalink | Add comment

Caring for Your UGG Boots

You probably spent quite a bit of money on your ugg boots, so it’s important you take care of them properly to ensure they last for a long time. No one wants to run around in a pair of boots that look dirty and ratty, so here are a few things you can do to make sure your UGG boots keep that brand new look for as long as possible.

Start by making sure you take advantage of the ugg Water & Oil Repellent that came with your boots (sometimes called the UGG Protector spray). Pre-treat your boots before you start wearing them. Doing so will help to waterproof the exterior and will protect the sheepskin from light weather (rain and snow) or oils. You still shouldn’t wear your boots out in a blizzard, but they’ll be protected from natural wear and tear.

Do NOT wash your ugg boot. If you should find they’ve been stained you should attempt to spot treat them before you do anything else. You may need to scrub the entire boot if spot treatments do not work, but this is not something you should do on a regular basis.

If you do decide to wash your uggboots you’ll need to start by dipping them in cold water. You’ll then use a brush to gently scrub the exterior and then rinse the boots again. Always use COLD water. Warm water will cause the wool to shrink more than usual.

Make sure you stuff your boots with paper towels or newspapers and place them in a warm area to dry. Never put your boots in front of a direct heat source (like your heating vent) or in direct sunlight as this type of heat will cause excess shrinkage as well.

Treat your UGGs kindly and they’ll last for a lifetime. Use the UGG cleaning and repellant solutions as often as necessary to ensure you’re safe from the elements. Otherwise, have fun!

Posted by jack1688 at 8:37 am | permalink | Add comment

Sarah Jessica Parker: Bundled Up in the Big Apple

February 24, 2009

Braving the cold winter weather, Sarah Jessica Parker was spotted out in New York City earlier today (February 6).

Dressed for the chilliness, the actress bundled up to stay warm in a knitted hat, navy blue parka, jeans, and some cozy UGG boots as she exited her Big Apple abode.

In related news, New Line Cinema spokeswoman, Candice McDonough, has confirmed that SJP’s “Sex and the City” will have a sequel – due out in summer 2010.

The movie will again include her three co-stars, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis and Cynthia Nixon, along with writer-director Michael Patrick King.

Talking about the movie, King is keeping fans guessing, stating, “I’m very excited to work with these amazing actresses again and would love to give everyone more information about this sequel..but I’m busy with my ‘Sex’ life.”

Posted by jack1688 at 9:07 am | permalink | Add comment

Ugg boots destroy cold weather fashion

The chill of winter weather has made its presence known to the University’s campus and many a student has obtained some sort of sickness.

But one winter problem that plagues the college campus is not biological at all. It is material in nature and a visual nuisance in need of extermination: the Ugg boots.

This sickness begins when the Georgia temperature starts flirting with the 50s. And at the turn of the millennium, someone, the Antichrist perhaps, decided to bring the Ugg boot to Hollywood.

From there, madness spread.

I’m more perplexed by the “fashion” status of the Ugg boot than I am Scientology. Honestly.

A few years back, the disease hit Georgia and spread more fiercely than kudzu. These horrible boot/suede/fur fusion footings have become a mainstay, it seems, on the University campus.

But I ask you today to quarantine the afflicted parties and cleanse the campus of these God-forsaken shoes.

Originally invented to warm the feet and calves of the Australian surfer, the Uggboots is composed of a soft sheepskin suede outer and a shearling lining. Its roominess and lightweight design are very popular comfort features.

And I understand how nice a lightweight and warm shoe must be for winter weather. But God, they are so ugly. Find something else. Please!

Ladies, I know they may be comfortable, but you must stop. As soothing as they must be to the soles, they are far more unattractive.

If you just don’t care how you look or you’re not trying to attract the opposite sex, then wear them out. But Valentine’s Day is coming up, and if you aim to have someone to share it with, I would donate or burn whatever Uggs you have.

I have yet to meet a fellow male who has even thought about saying, “Ya know, I kinda like ‘em.” It just won’t happen. More power to the Australians for their sheepskin ingenuity, but leave it for the Aussies and the swimmers, and only them.

I admit, I’ve seen a few outfits that incorporate Uggs and actually work.

But in my time here, I can count those instances on one hand. What’s more, you girls can’t arrange a decent outfit to go to class in! Sweatpants, leggings, or the bare leg are not appropriate parings for your Ugg-ly outfit.

And the Uggs and exercise shorts ensemble? Honestly? Do you own a mirror? Is it full length? And for those of you who reach for your Uggs when it’s 75 out, I have no advice for you because you’re simply too far gone.

Now, technically, the Ugg is a unisex shoe. So to you ladies and you few brave gentlemen, please wear your horrid shoes with caution. Or better yet, don’t wear them at all.

I need to love life and find confidence in my generation. You girls are making me doubt our future as a society.

So, please, keep the campus out of attire agony and opt for a better boot.

Posted by jack1688 at 9:03 am | permalink | Add comment

Four inch heels and liquor, fall down quicker

February 22, 2009

The recent sorority and fraternity rush seasons have led to a marked escalation in social events, which inevitably leads to a dramatic increase in the number of dressed up girls heading in the direction of Zimple street. We, the onlookers who have chosen not to be involved in Greek life, have been privy to the gaggles of girls leaving for their themed formals, rainbow parties or what have you.

Don’t get me wrong, this happens all year long, but it has been more noticeable as of late. Whether it be cowgirls, mermaids or wooly mammoths, there seems to be one thing that most have in common - the total lack of ability to walk in high-heeled shoes.

There is something very important to realize here: If you wear Rainbows, Havaianas or Ugg boots every single day of your life, and you think that you can slip on your $20 pair of stilettos and survive an entire night of drunken revelry, well, then you are totally, sadly, devastatingly wrong.

How do I know that you are incapable of walking in shoes that aren’t as flat as your chest (circa 1996)? Well, there are a few telltale signs: Your upper body weight is pitched forward at a precarious angle; your eyes are roving maniacally on the ground to watch for any upcoming hazards; you seem unable to straighten your legs all the way and are making movements similar to that of a burglar pussyfooting around a sleeping house.

Now let’s assume that somehow you’ve made it to your destination in one piece. What’s next? Drinks and dancing, of course. Here’s where another crucial factor comes into play: Things aren’t going to get any easier after you’ve had a few drinks. The general consensus among inexperienced heel wearers seems to be that if you get drunk, you will forget how much those shoes hurt you and the night will go perfectly. Sorry to burst your bubble: You’re wrong!

Drunkenly dancing and flailing around in your $20 heels will result in the development of agonizing blisters. Even if by some miracle of baby Jesus you manage to survive the night, you will have hell to pay for the next two weeks.

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Posted by jack1688 at 8:37 am | permalink | Add comment

UGGs Will Make You Say Ugh

Thought UGGs were comfy? Turns out a pair of UGG boots can be as bad for your feet as a pair of torturous stilettos. And they don’t even elongate your legs or look cute! Dr. Ed Chairman, a Philadelphia podiatrist, said the popular boots lack foot or ankle supports, which turns UGG-wearers into pain-havers. If treated early, the pain can be resolved with an orthotic, but if the UGG-lover waits too long to seek treatment, surgery could be required. Wouldn’t it be easier to ditch ‘em altogether?

Posted by jack1688 at 8:33 am | permalink | Add comment

Kate Middleton: man-pleaser

February 16, 2009

We all know it is wrong — however tempting — to speculate on whether Kate Middleton is the right woman for Prince William. How can any of us guess how they are as a couple when all we have to go on is photographs? Clearly it’s unfair to have misgivings about the heir to the throne’s girlfriend when she is the very model of appropriateness — and the fact that we do makes us feel a bit guilty. Which is why Kate’s comments, at a recent polo match, have come as a huge relief. What Kate said, to the writer Kathy Lette, is: “I have to pay attention to every second. I’ll be discussing the game in minute detail later on.” And there you have it. The throwaway line that sums up the problem we knew existed, but couldn’t quite put our finger on: KM is a professional man-pleaser.

It’s obvious now the cat is out of the bag — the carefully chosen outfits (a little flattering, a little demure, never an Ugg boots or man-scaring bit of fashion in sight). The diligent study of the prince’s hobbies (remember the shooting lessons), including careful observation of the nuances of polo, although she is allergic to horses. The girlie part-time job that evaporated altogether because Kate needs to be ready to leap into an Issa dress at a moment’s notice and scurry to HRH’s side.

All this would be fine, were it not for the fact that Prince William is surely a bloke looking for a woman to live up to (Laura Linney in John Adams, only younger and good at skiing). And it’s no good for any of us subjects to have a wannabe royal clone in the royal family whose idea of ringing the changes is wearing Spanish riding boots instead of Hunters. We want bright and feisty, a fresh perspective, a sense of humour. Instead, in KM, we have the girl that Country Casuals might hire for its pastel cashmere campaign. A young woman on a mission, who takes her responsibilities too seriously and who has undoubtedly contributed to making William seem ever so slightly short on surprises.

This explains why some of us have been mysteriously despondent since Chelsy and Harry’s break-up. Honestly, I am going to miss Chelsy. That cheeky gap-toothed laugh. Those incongruous blonde locks and bling striding out in the driving Leeds rain. I don’t care if she’s orange. At least she has a personality and sex appeal and her own life and — most important — she was never in any doubt about who was pleasing who in that relationship. Harry had to stay on his toes, and when he fell short of her standards (when he failed to meet her off a flight and left her beating off paparazzi, for example), she let him have it. You wouldn’t catch Chelsy getting shooting lessons to impress her man on the range — she didn’t need to.

Harry may be sad now, but at least he knows he had a girlfriend who cared about him, not playing the good princess. Can William really say the same?

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Posted by jack1688 at 10:33 am | permalink | Add comment

GOOD OLD DAYS:A business model that survives time

Driving by the worn, wood-paneled Old West-style facade of the Grant Boys gun, outdoor supply and clothing shop on Newport Boulevard, it’s hard to imagine that the family-owned business — which has become a Costa Mesa icon — has not gone away by now.

When Edward “Buddy” Grant came down from Los Angeles to start the business 60 years ago, Costa Mesa was a one-horse town with less than 4,000 people — far from the upper-middle class suburb of more than 100,000 that it is today. The business started as Grant’s War Surplus in 1949, selling a motley assortment of goods that the military would get rid of at rock-bottom prices (World War II had just ended and there was a lot of excess stuff).

The original store has very little in common with what the store sells today,” recalls Mike Grant, Buddy’s oldest son, in a short retrospective he recently started to write. “People would buy surplus parachutes to cover their cars. We would cut the lines off them and sell them as nylon rope. We sold a lot of paint, garden hose, work boots, but no Levi’s.”

It’s precisely the store’s ability to change with the times, while staying solidly grounded in its identity, that has allowed the business to survive and prosper in a market filled with chain camping and outdoor sports stores. Over the years, the Grant family has capitalized on countless opportunities.

Buddy didn’t care for guns or hunting at all, according to Randy Garell, who took over the store in the ’70s with his wife, Alexa, Buddy’s daughter. Before opening the Grant Boys, Buddy had a ladies dress shop in Los Angeles in the 1930s.

Since then, the store has gone through countless phases. In the early 1950s, men working on the construction of the 5 Freeway and Disneyland all wore jeans and Georgia steel-toed boots, so Grant’s started carrying them and business boomed. At one point the shop was among the top 10 Levi’s dealers in the country, according to Mike.

Then in the early ’60s, when surf culture blew up in the area, Grant’s started carrying Hang Ten T-shirts, which, in the height of their popularity, were often plucked straight off the delivery truck before they ever made it into the store.

We carved out a niche business for ourselves, and we can turn on a dime,” Randy said.

Even in the last decade, Alexa saw the Ugg boots craze coming. The store stocked up in 2000 and this past December, the shop sold one pair of the fur-lined, leather shoes every 12 minutes. Exceedingly popular in ladies fashion, the boots are not exactly what you would expect to find in a store specializing in guns and hunting equipment, yet they have become a staple of the company’s business.

The average Newport Beach housewife is not ordinarily going to walk into what she thinks is a gun store,” Randy said, but now they are part of Grants’ demographic.

Randy says gun sales have also increased because of fears brought about by the Y2K scare, the crashing economy and the election of President Obama, who some gun enthusiasts fear will crack down on the industry.

Business is better than ever,” Alexa said.

Even as the store morphs to meet the demands of an ever-changing population, it retains its homely character. Randy and Alexa have worked there since they were teenagers, and they’re not the only ones who have stuck with the store for decades.

Jack Carver, who joined the staff in his teens emptying garbage cans more than 40 years ago, is now in charge of buying the store’s guns and hunting and fishing equipment.

So while the Grant Boys might look odd among square-framed strip malls and impeccably clean mega chains of Costa Mesa, it wouldn’t be too much of a stretch to imagine the store still being around 60 years from now, with its hokey Western-themed building that will be just as out of place as it was the day it went up.

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Posted by jack1688 at 10:31 am | permalink | Add comment

What about those Uggs?

February 13, 2009

NEW YORK It’s probably safe to retire - or at least put to rest for a long winter snooze - your skinny-leg pants. Once the first signs of spring start to stir, the favored silhouette will be loose.

“Wide pants - if you invested in the dramatic floppy-leg pant that just skims the ankle, you are in luck. These are still a big trend,” said Avril Graham, executive fashion editor at Harper’s Bazaar.

That’s the thing about fashion: Almost every look comes back, even if it’s slightly tweaked.

Take Uggs, for example. Constance White, eBay style director, said the cozy, furry boot is already a must-have item again for many women - and it’s a trend driven by consumers.

“The fashion gods forgive me: I will not throw out a pair of Ugg boots. . . . They dipped - came off the radar and weren’t ‘it’ anymore - but they’ve had the huge rise in popularity again, White said.

Some other likely top (and not) looks of 2009:

·  Sandy neutrals and tropical colors are likely to make a splash, but there might be a changing of the guard for regal purple, which has reigned for a few years. Painterly prints had a shorter run, but Graham said they too are on their way out. “Best to look for sweet florals,” she advised.

·  Safari styles, whether they’re vintage Yves Saint Laurent or new Banana Republic, are enjoying a high point on their arc of popularity. That’s good news, said Graham, because it’s an easy look for most women to wear.

·  The 1980s continue to inspire and haunt fashion, but if you ever wore harem pants and highlighter colors the first time, you might consider giving only a wink to the decade with a bangle bracelet or fluorescent accessories.

·  A low-platform heel is a shoe that takes you through every season and most occasions, said eBay’s White. Extreme platforms can get tossed, but hold on to all your peep-toe shoes, she advised. The popular gladiator-style sandal will triumph again this summer, but it’ll be even more aggressive looking with higher heels.

·  The big-statement necklace popular last year is still a trend, but it’s one you can cut back on. “If you’ve accumulated three or four, part with two of them,” White said. “Instead hold on to any bracelets - cuffs or stacking bracelets, especially. They’re fresher, new and they’re going to be hot right through spring and summer.”

·  Logos are out and subtlety is in. “It’s not the right time for flash,” Graham said. Cheap ugg boots .


Posted by jack1688 at 9:21 am | permalink | Add comment

Student hurt during bad weather

In spite of hourly checks last week of the campus status information page as well as my eden mail for a possible note from my professor, I realized there was, in fact, class. I decided, in spite of my better judgment, to head out to my 7:40 p.m. “Sociology of Deviant Behavior” class in Murray 221. I had my trusty snow boots with the all-terrain grip soles and I thought nothing could possibly happen in the two blocks between my close apartment and Murray. The University had surely cleared the paths.

Maybe when I get there, it’ll be canceled. I just can’t imagine the University not canceling class in this weather, as there is more than 6 inches of fresh snow.” These were the thoughts in my head as I crossed George Street and headed toward Murray across Vorhees Quad. The ground was deceptively slick, as the earlier snow had frozen to a sheet of ice topped by seemingly innocent fresh powder. As I rounded the corner after passing Scott Hall I slipped for the first time, a victim of the slight downgrade. Mostly just embarrassed, I thanked the good Samaritans who had stopped to check that I was OK and brushed myself off.

Another 20 feet or so down the central path that leads right up to Murray Hall, I was feeling good. Slippery, yes, but I was walking slowly and carefully. All of a sudden, the uneven pavement got me again. Boom! Busted my butt again… this time less gracefully, and I landed rather hard on my left wrist. One of the same good Samaritans asked, “Where are you going? Do you need help?” I assured him I would be fine to make it to Murray — which I was, as it was only about ten feet away.

Finally reaching the inside of the building, I shook off the cold and realized, holy mother of God, my wrist hurt! Looking down, I noticed my wrist was about the size of a baseball and rather lumpy. Having come this far, I walked upstairs and told my professor that I was afraid I had hurt myself and would like to go get checked out. He, very graciously, let me leave class. I crossed the quad without incident this time, noticing that the University had finally decided to do something about the snow; there was a pickup truck plowing the walk. No salt, just plow. I then walked to the hospital in a great deal of pain.

It is now two hours later and I have just arrived home from Robert Wood Johnson ER, where the nice orthopedic doctors took my x-rays and were kind enough to diagnose me with a fractured wrist — all because the University was too cavalier with their weather preparations. Who needs salt when you can plow? Sand? Pfft! We laugh at your amateur desire for traction. I cannot fathom that I am the only person who had an issue with this Wednesday, given the predilection of the female student body for fashionable yet wholly unsafe Ugg boots.

So thank you, Rutgers. I got a whole slew of new experiences today. I fell trying to go to class. I became an ER patient. I broke my first bone! Just thought I’d share how much your preparation meant to me!

I can only hope that there was some sort of grave mistake that prevented the quad from being salted and safe for passing.buy ugg boot .

Posted by jack1688 at 9:19 am | permalink | Add comment

Huntsville’s Monday crime report

February 11, 2009

 Police who stopped a vehicle at University and Meadow drives confiscated a bag of marijuana and a .45-caliber Taurus handgun.
• A Remington .12-gauge shotgun and Ugg boots valued at $250 were stolen from a Chevrolet Sierra parked outside Shogun Japanese Steak & Sushi, 3991 University Drive.
• A convenience store customer in the 5000 block of N. Memorial Parkway tried to pass a counterfeit $50 bill.
• Three bowling machines valued at $4,500 were stolen from a business at 2000 Country Club Ave.
• Police confiscated a bag of marijuana and a partially smoked marijuana cigarette from a vehicle outside a Sparkman Drive business.
• One of two drivers involved in a wreck at Jordan and Shields roads left the scene. The accident damaged the bumper of a Ford Ranger driven by a 16-year-old boy. The report says the other driver may have been drinking.
• A 1995 Lexus was stolen outside a Pulaski Pike convenience store.
• A purse was stolen from a vehicle in a Jordan Lane parking lot; police later recovered it, along with $47.29.
• A 1995 Ford valued at $7,000 was stolen from an Argyle Road home.
• Someone was cited for misdemeanor marijuana possession after police found a bag of pot and a partly-smoked marijuana cigarette on Meridian Street.
• Police investigated the death of a 76-year-old black female at a home at 503 Eastbrook Drive.
• During a stop at Garvin Road and Green Hill Drive, officers searched a vehicle and found eight rocks of crack cocaine and a set of scales. The owner was charged with felony cocaine possession.
• Two Sony digital cameras, $50 and miscellaneous clothes were stolen from a home in the 500 block of Bob Wade Lane.
• Police who stopped a pickup truck at Alabama 53 and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard confiscated a Cobra .380-caliber handgun, seven .380-caliber bullets and 26 bullets for a 9mm handgun. The driver was charged with carrying a pistol without a permit.
• A 40-year-old black male was reported missing from his home on Forsythe Drive.

Posted by jack1688 at 9:06 am | permalink | Add comment

The Ugg Boots

Dry the ugg boots

Stuff your boots with recycled paper towels to allow your uggboots to keep their shape, and leave them to dry in a clean, warm place.

How Not to Dry Sheepskin Boots

Avoid direct heat sources like a fireplace, radiator, or blazing sun here, which can cause the sheepskin to pucker or crack.

How to Deodorize ugg boot

Now, what if you got a bad case of the ol‘ smelly dogs? Well, there’s hope here, too. Once your ugg boot are dry, sprinkling a couple tablespoons of baking soda inside then giving them a shake and letting them sit, should kill any funky odors overnight. Be sure to gently brush the outsides of your cheap ugg boots with a suede brush to restore the pile, and you’re good to go. So just stay on top of ‘em from here on out, and these boots can last you nearly a lifetime.

Posted by jack1688 at 9:01 am | permalink | Add comment

Robbie Savage back in shop window as Nigel Clough picks him to face Manchester United

February 9, 2009

Less than three months ago, Robbie Savage was spending time during his loan period at League One side Brighton and Hove Albion mulling over the possibility of a move to Lebanese club Al-Ansar in an attempt to prolong his career.

Fast forward to the present, and the midfielder is back at Derby County, with the opportunity of assisting the club to the Carling Cup final at Old Trafford on Tuesday night, after their astonishing 1-0 win at Pride Park nearly a fortnight ago.

But for the arrival of Nigel Clough as new manager of Derby County two weeks ago, Savage would probably have been shopping for a new pair of UGG boots in Manchester rather than making it into the stadium. As it is, Clough’s arrival has brought Savage back in from the cold, an experience he has likened to being pardoned from enforced exile in Siberia. It has saved him some money in the process, he jokes.

“The gaffer has saved me a lot of dough because I am usually in Manchester shopping, spending my money,” Savage said on Monday. “Under the previous manager I knew no matter how hard I trained I wasn’t going to play.

“I thought I would never play for Derby again and I wouldn’t have if [Paul] Jewell was still the manager – no matter how well I trained.

“I would be going out in the street and people were saying, ‘Who are you playing for now?’ I was made to feel that low on confidence and that bad a player that I was looking an any option possible. I went from Siberia to Beirut.”

What better opportunity for Savage to prove his worth this evening than against the club where he was a trainee, and against former team-mates Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes, who he describes as the “best two Premier League players ever”.

However, while the 34-year-old is restoring his own confidence under Clough, the rest of his team-mates seem to have stalled in their attempts to rebuild their own self-belief.

Their 2-0 defeat at home to Queens Park Rangers on Saturday was their third in a row in the league, and revealed “the deep-rooted” structural flaws that have caused the side to fall to fifth from bottom in the table, leaving their manager to accept his former side would have performed the basics better.

“The lads at Burton were better at doing certain things,” Clough confessed. “No player in the lower leagues would have made those basic mistakes on Saturday. I have been in a state of shock for the last 48 hours.”

Yet while he accepts that his side’s confidence is low, he does believe the fact that they have little pressure or expectations on them to win tonight will only help them.

“We were expected to beat QPR at home, and in the home match here [against United] we weren’t expected to get anything,” he said. “With the way the players are at the moment, that almost suits them. I think they would rather be going to Old Trafford than Blackpool or Barnsley.” Buy cheap ugg boots .


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The art of planning

As a student, you may find yourself spending more time planning than doing anything else. A typical day may involve devising a study timetable; thinking that you really ought to ring your parents; emailing friends about where to go for a night out; writing an essay plan; deciding what to do with the rest of your life; going through the TV schedules; and planning to get out of bed.

One useful way to start is to buy a diary. Creative types worried that planning is for squares might like to buy different coloured pens for different activities. But resist the temptation to buy different diaries for different facets of your life. You will waste too much time trying to decide which bit of your life goes where and remembering where you put the right diary to note it down.

Then you need to think about goals.

If you make these too vague, such as wanting to be rich, or too ambitious, such as wanting to be prime minister, you will need to break them down into smaller, more precise goals, such as getting a part-time job or completing a politics assignment. Visualise yourself achieving the goal and then work backwards, visualising each likely step. Think about problems you might face and how to tackle them. Don’t be tempted to give up in favour of the TV schedules.

The next step is to draw up a to-do list. Actually, you may need several. One should focus on long-term goals - a list of things you need to do before you reach No 10, such as joining a political party, delivering leaflets, getting elected. Another could look at what you need to do that term, such as paying the electricity bill, finding out where the library is and cleaning the bathroom.

Then you should make daily to-do lists. Don’t make the list too detailed because the longer it is, the less likely you are to do it, and the more likely you are to feel a failure, and the bigger the chance of descending into despondent chaos.

Do put the most important things at the top, as you will need to tackle those first. And plan to do the bits first that you really don’t want to do.

Any kind of planning demands a similar approach. When it comes to drawing up a study programme, essay plan or night out, the first thing to do is define what you want to achieve, then think about how you are going to get there, then set yourself precise tasks.

For example: goal - attend night out in pub without spending entire termly budget, trashing new Ugg boots, texting your ex. Route - eat beforehand, avoid drinking spirits, decline offers to dance on tables. Precise task - put on pasta water, delete ex’s number from phone.

Keep reminding yourself of your plans. Don’t worry too much if you find yourself veering off course - it is important to be flexible, and your goals may change as your research, or evening, progresses. But do keep track of your achievements. The problem with planning is that it isn’t half as difficult as carrying out what you’ve planned.

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Shop an elevator ride away for inaugural guests staying at Washington hotel

February 5, 2009

WASHINGTONWith all the warnings about traffic restrictions and human congestion surrounding inauguration activities, shoppers could be scared off from venturing out to the stores to buy that new evening bag for a ball or commemorative baby bib to bring back home.

Guests at the St. Regis Hotel, however, have no excuse. A miniature version of a Neiman Marcus department store has been set up in the lobby since Thursday and it will remain open until the last ballgoers have their Manolos shined and their bow ties tied.

And what if you can’t make that perfect bow? Young women in gowns are on hand in the evening to do it for you on your way out the door.

Female party attendees - or those happy to watch festivities on one of the many TVs set up at every turn in the hotel, including the lobby, bar and restaurant - can sidle up to the Eye Bar for eyelash application or a makeup touchup, for free.

“The makeup artist has been very, very busy,” said St. Regis general manager Laura Schofield.

It’s sort of like the Hollywood suites set up for celebrities during awards season - but these people are paying.

There have been brisk sales of cold-weather gear like cashmere scarves and Ugg boots. Schofield predicts commemorative gear will become the focus once Barack Obama takes the oath of office, and Neiman Marcus’ Bonnie Mann, normally the women’s coat and sport shop at the store in Mazza Gallerie, notes that backless bras and hosiery - last-minute ball essentials - are stocked.

She also has sold a fur cape and expects to ring up a draped red Vicky Tiel Couture gown for $4,830. The potential customer had taken it up to her room to try it on.

“When you’re in a hurry to get somewhere and get packed, you’re going to forget something,” Schofield said. “If Neiman Marcus doesn’t have it here, they will hop on the Metro and get it for you from the store.”

This is the first pairing between the retailer and hotel, but Schofield plans to do it again for other big events. The in-hotel shop has also attracted locals who didn’t want to go farther than they had to in this unusually chilly snap of weather, she said.

Saks Fifth Avenue is offering similar in-hotel boutiques in the two Washington Ritz Carlton Hotels and a makeover service at the Fairmont Hotel.

 

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Daughters rule dads with cunning: Phillip Morris

The Colombian novelist Gabriel Garcia Marquez once wrote that, “one does not love one’s children just because they are one’s children but because of the friendship formed while raising them.”

The 81-year-old Nobel Laureate has a wife and two sons. If Marquez had had a daughter, I’m not so sure he would have written such a clinical assessment. A daughter’s love is different from a son’s.

Men often form close friendships with their sons, friendships that in some ways resemble the loving relationship they might have with a family pet or a remote control. The relationship is simple and transparent.

But daughters present a different set of challenges. The father-daughter friendship is more one-sided and complicated. The clever daughter quickly learns to reduce the disparity in age and experience of the father to level the playing field in her favor.

She does this by constantly testing and winning her father’s heart. She hones her conspiracy by becoming a perpetual flirt. From the time she comes to understand the power of the word, “Daddy,” she uses the expression to her advantage and stealthily takes control of the friendship.

She uses the word and all that it implies to constantly reassure her “Daddy” that she loves him and, more importantly, needs him. She uses it when she prepares to spring surprises. She uses it lyrically and softly whenever she wants something.

The most highly skilled and manipulative daughter can magically turn the word into a gentle command.

This sort of “friendship” maneuvering does not work on mothers, unless perfected by a son. Women understand the cunning that courses through a young girl’s veins. Where fathers see innocence, mothers recognize trickery. Mothers are immune to the traps girls set for fathers but are sometimes willing to assist them in their deceit.

I learned this lesson in “friendship” again this past Christmas. This time the lesson came with a boot.

I had never heard of Ugg boots before Friday, Dec. 19. I had seen the boots on women and teenage girls, but I had no idea what they were or how much they cost.

I was mostly struck by the boots’ ugliness and the willingness of some women to wear them in the summertime with shorts or pajamas.

But when I heard Faith’s mother tell her, in no uncertain terms, that there would be no Ugg boot for Christmas, I should have recognized the fix was in.

Faith, who rounds her age up to 10, shot me a glance that was both pensive and authoritative. But she said nothing.

“Your feet are still growing and I will not pay that much for boots. Maybe you’ll get a knock-off brand, if they’re not already sold out,” she continued.

I’m now convinced they were Ugg co-conspirators. The child silently played me like the viola she tucks under her chin whenever she conspires to soften my resistance. Her mother assisted.

The next day, I bought Faith her $160 pair of Uggs.

I knew it represented conspicuous consumption. But I rationalized. It’s winter in Cleveland. She needs these overpriced, ugly boots, I thought.

No, she didn’t.

But that’s what daughters do:

They carefully raise their daddies.

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