The upcoming major content patch, Call of the Crusade, will bring a host of new features for World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King.
The Argent Tournament Expands: With the help of Azeroth’s heroes, the Argent Crusade will finish the Argent Coliseum WoW power leveling just in time to call for all brave citizens to prepare for battle with the Lich King. New dailies, rewards, and more will be available at the Argent Tournament grounds to lure adventurers into the coliseum.
Crusaders' Coliseum: In order to prepare for a siege on Icecrown Citadel, players will be called by the Argent Crusade to test their mettle in the coliseum. 5-player, 10-player, and 25-player challenges wait inside. Which is different from the before World of warcraft power leveling mode.
New Battleground: Isle of Conquest, a new large-scale siege Battleground, will be open. The Horde and Alliance will battle head-to-head for control of strategic resources to lay siege to the keeps of their opponents.
New Arena Season: Season 7 will officially start, paving the way for all-new items and challenges.

NEW YORK - Retail shares opened higher Friday while Columbia Sportswear Co. and Deckers Outdoor Corp. both declined after their outlooks fell short of Wall Street expectations. The S&P Retail Index rose 0.6% to 331.17. Columbia Sportswear shares declined 9.2%. Deckers, which sells Ugg boots, fell 3.8%.

 

 

Descriptions

The main suspect is a white girl, aged between 20 and 25 years of age. She had black shoulder length hair, which appears to have been dyed. She’s about 5ft 6in tall, wearing jeans and Ugg boots.

She was also wearing a distinctive cream coloured hooded cardigan, which was received from the scene.

The other woman was wearing a khaki coloured jacket, short skirt and black tights and boots. She is also believed to be a smoker.

NEW YORK - Retail shares opened higher Friday while Columbia Sportswear Co. and Deckers Outdoor Corp. both declined after their outlooks fell short of Wall Street expectations. The S&P Retail Index rose 0.6% to 331.17. Columbia Sportswear shares declined 9.2%. Deckers, which sells Ugg boots, fell 3.8%.

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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.

 

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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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 .

 

OK people. I told you last year that UGGs were awful and ugly and not to be worn with shorts and/or skirts. But did you listen? NO. For some reason, people are still wearing Ugg boots and strutting around like they're wearing Christian Louboutins. May I remind you that you aren't and you probably bought your Uggs not because they are comfy and easy to wear, but because everyone and their sorority sister has them. Let's try to be a little unique people.

 

 

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.

 

"THIS is Australian," says the salesgirl. "See here on the label? It says 'Designed in Australia'."

 

She is holding a leather handbag and letting me see only the top half of the label. The bottom half is obscured by her red-nail-polished thumbnail.

 

I look at her. Her thumb moves.

 

"Made in China,'' says the label.

 

She laughs. I can't tell if it's a guilty or an embarrassed laugh.

 

"All our stuff's made in Australia, to an extent,'' she says. "I mean, most of it's made in China - but we're a wholly Australian company.

 

"It's all designed here.''

 

We're in Pitt St Mall in Sydney at 2.45pm and I'm conducting a little experiment: If I wanted to spend my $900 stimulus payment locally, could I find Australian-made goods worth buying?

 

Will I end up with nine pairs of ugg boots? I hate uggs.

 

In every shop, I ask if there are any Australian-made goods.

 

On every occasion I'm greeted with some degree of awkward throat-clearing or defensiveness.

 

"Oh, yeah, I know what you're saying,'' says one saleswoman. "I like to spend my money here too.''

 

Staff tell me there's no Australian content in Hype, Witchery, Nine West, Esprit, Just Jeans, Oroton, Emporio and Strandbags. At Surf Dive 'n' Ski, they're selling green-and-gold thongs bearing the names Surfers Paradise, Bondi, Cottesloe, Maroubra.

 

All made in Brazil.

 

How about the flower stall?

 

"Ah, these ones are Singapore orchids - from Thailand,'' says the florist, holding up flowers so blue they're almost neon.

 

Laughing with an apologetic air, she adds: "Some of the others are from Africa.''

 

In the 19 stores I visit, only seven have any Australian-made content - that's 36 per cent. Only one, Jurlique, is all-Australian.

 

A shop named Glue has an Australian-made Backstage dress for $119.99.

 

Portmans has a healthy stack of local clothes and at Soul Pattinson pharmacy, there's Le Tan, Sukin skin care and Nude by Nature makeup.

 

At Sussan, everything's made in Asia except the nail polish and the lip gloss.

 

Then I get to Borders and it seems a gleaming ray of hope.

 

Of 28 books on the new-release shelves by the door, only five are printed overseas.

 

It's an array of Australian-made words. Even the latest books by British authors Jeffrey Archer and Alexander McCall Smith are printed here. I'm delighted to discover such a beacon of localism, right here in the American chain store that locals love to revile.

 

Borders can't be that bad, if even the foreign books are Australian-made, can it?

 

But that situation exists only because of protectionism: a long-enduring ban on the parallel importing of books, which the Government is now considering axing because it keeps prices artificially high.

 

So in this little shopping strip we have a perfect encapsulation of the Australian economy.

 

There's a bit of manufacturing, a bit of protectionism, a fair amount of free trade - and an awful lot of embarrassment.

 

"We used to make it here but it's just too expensive now,'' one young salesman informs me. "It's all Australian ideas, though.''

 

And that's the crux. It's just the reality of our modern economy, right? Australia is no longer really about making things. Manufacturing is 9.2 per cent of our gross domestic product. Mining is 10 per cent.

 

Agriculture is 2.6 per cent.

 

We're a services-dominated nation: retail, finance, law, tourism, education, transport, construction, hospitality.

 

The Pitt St shop girls are the economy, even when selling Singapore orchids from Thailand.

 

So why all the bashfulness?

 

Well, here's one reason: The shop girls know as well as I do that it's very hard to be sure about the conditions in those Chinese factories or Thai hot-houses. Are they as good as in Australian factories?

 

Do the workers get holidays? Are they paid fairly?

 

AussieBum underwear founder Sean Ashby is still horrified to recall the time he visited a Chinese manufacturer who wanted his business.

 

The showcase factory was clean, brightly lit and staffed by apple-cheeked employees taking regular tea-breaks.

 

Then he saw the real factory out the back: dirty, dark and stacked with bunk-beds.

 

That's one of the reasons it's cheaper to manufacture offshore. That's why Ashby keeps his production in Sydney.

 

And that should be the issue that concerns us. I don't care if products are made in Bangladesh or Bankstown as long as they're made by people treated decently.

 

We can't make everything here, or stand alone against the tide of globalisation. Protectionism won't protect us forever.

 

But we can be inquisitive about what we're importing. We can look beyond the embarrassment and think about how things are made.

 

We can read labels and ask questions in shops.

 

I haven't spent my $900 handout yet. Turns out half the ugg boots are made in China anyway. What a relief.

 

From all parts of America, the Obama pilgrims have been on the move to witness his inauguration on Wednesday.

 

And like all pilgrimages, it's not without its hardship.

 

Clutching their feel-good optimism from warmer climes, they have been jetting and bussing in to face the sober reality of frigid Washington.

 

On a night flight from LAX, passengers let rip with a roar as the plane left humid Los Angeles twinkling behind them.

 

But travellers have been weighed down with mundane matters, not just considering the impact of the weather but the demands of security which has seen a number of everyday items banned.

 

The need to remember to leave the backpack, umbrella and thermos at home is just the start. Travellers are also considering questions such as can we get by without the kid's stroller? Maybe Ugg boots were a better option than the leathers? How hellish will the Metro journey from Virginia or Philadelphia be? Does a choice have to be made between seeing Obama's swearing in and getting a good spot to view the subsequent parade?

 

AdvertisementJudging by the evidence on the ground, Ugg boots are the footwear of choice for a lot of Obama's army.

 

For a large number of inauguration-goers, it's less a mission than a field trip. Teachers, with apparently hawk-like peripheral vision, are a regular sight in DC herding school kids. Their commands seem to consist of "Stop!", "Wait until we all get there", "We're not going that way" and "what did I tell you..."

 

For the record, the items that are banned along the parade route are: Firearms, ammunition, explosives, aerosols, packages, coolers, thermos flasks, backpacks, big bags, laser pointers, animals other than help dogs and bicycles.

 

 

Banned on the Capitol grounds in addition to those prohibited items are: Umbrellas, alcohol, strollers, all signs and posters.

 

The biggest suspense about the inauguration is whether the "H" word will get an airing.

 

Today, during a rehearsal outside the Capitol, the ground announcer referred to Barack Obama's initial rather than his full name.

 

There are those of the Voldemort school of thought who believe Obama is: "He who must not have his middle name named".

 

Representative Steve King of Iowa, a Republican, found Obama's earlier decision to allow "Hussein" to be used as "bizarre" and a "double standard", Politico reported. "Is that reserved just for him, not his critics?"

 

Politico said that King had previously told AP that the middle name was among the reasons Islamic terrorists would rejoice at Obama's election. King also predicted that al Qaeda would be "dancing in the streets" if Obama were elected.

 

Obama's victory and inauguration means a great deal to many African Americans.

 

A California woman, Tamela, was taking her husband and two toddlers to the event. She helped get out the vote for him - the first work she had done for a political candidate.

 

Then there was a guy spotted in McDonalds in Los Angeles. Scraps of meat and bun were slowly hardening on his plate, forgotten about as he was glued to a Larry King programme on Obama's train trip on Saturday. He pointed it out to a passing mate and the two exchanged congratulatory fist bumps with pride in Obama's achievement lighting their faces.

 

Obama is having something of a Diana affect on stately DC.

 

The man's pictures are everywhere, a radio station has renamed itself Obama FM. The Newseum drew a lot of visitors today to a showcase of special sections and front pages on Obama in US newspapers.

 

At more than $100, they're not cheap but they've become a must have -- especially for teenage girls. What many Ugg lovers don't realize though is, according to one podiatrist, the flat, shear ling lined boots are actually bad for your feet.

 

"They keep your feet warm in the winter and summer. You don't have to wear socks with them, that's the main reason I bought them," said Crystal resident Angie Peterson.

 

"They're comfortable," said Minneapolis resident Amanda Weinkauf.

 

They're a major fashion trend that hasn't gone out of style yet in Minnesota.

 

"I think they're ugly," said Weinkauf.

 

That doesn't stop thousands of women and girls from wearing and loving the Ugg boots.

 

"Very comfortable, they feel like pillows on your feet," said Peterson.

 

However, podiatrists warn the shear ling boots are actually hard on your feet.

 

"The biggest problem with them is the fact that they have no support. They're completely flat on the bottom," podiatrist Dr. Kari Prescott.

 

Doctors say that lack of arch support can lead to foot and leg problems.

 

"If you don't have external support, all the muscles in your legs, really from the knee down, can become achy, sore. Some people refer to that as shin splints," said Prescott.

 

A foot condition called plantar fasciitis, or heel spurs, may also happen. Slipping in an arch support can help.

 

"This provides some curvature and it's not ideal," said Prescott.

 

And even forewarned about potential problems, Uggs wearers still love their boots.

 

"No, I'd probably still wear them," said Peterson.

 

"I'd still wear them," said Weinkauf.

 

"It's always fashion over practicality, isn't it?" said Prescott.

 

Ugg Australia said they've been in business for 30 years and haven't had complaints about their classic flat shear ling Uggboots hurting feet. They say the boot sells so well because it is comfortable.

 

As for arch support, Ugg Australia said they have 140 styles coming out for fall '09 and many of those do have arch supports in them. They said they also are adding outer support and added comfort features to the classic cheap Ugg boot.

 

Doctors say flat shear ling boots can actually be harder on feet than high heels because they're worn for longer periods of time. And it appears Uggs are recession proof because they remain a top seller.

 

It's a weird feeling getting privileged access to an event you have no personal connection with.

 

In the case of the inauguration, I couldn't help but feel a bit of a fraud - a stray ink spot on a parchment of history.

 

While a couple of million Americans snuggled up in the Mall and thousands more thought themselves lucky to be allowed to squeeze into standing sections further down Capitol's hill, the media pack, including quite a few foreigners, had a perfect view of all the famous political leaders from seats a few dozen metres away.

 

The only section closer contained a number of ordinary folk but in their midst were people with names like Beyonce, Samuel Jackson, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Don King.

 

Getting to that media seat involved being exposed to both hyper and lax organisation.

 

First an email accreditation had to be swapped for an actual ticket at a Senate building. I couldn't go through the security at one entrance because it wasn't done for visitors to do so. I went through another and then was left to wander down a few corridors to find the room I was supposed to get to. I then went out a different entrance but that was fine.

 

AdvertisementToday I had to find the green security gate at a Senate building - as opposed to blue, silver and orange gates for other ticket-holders. But while there was a sign showing the way for those colours, green was missing and inquiries brought blank looks from security guards. After finding the right gate and passing through a security check, fellow ticket holders and myself had to wander around a few more corridors without direction until we found another security check.

 

We were then allowed onto the west front of the Capitol but were told to keep our tickets visible. Ushers were placed about every 5m. We were passed on to one usher who checked our tickets, then sent to the next one who checked them again and so-on. After passing through four groups of ushers we finally made it to the media section. And yet once there the seating numbers on the tickets were not enforced. I didn't see numbers on the seats. We were also told to keep the tickets handy because they would checked - but they weren't.

 

The event itself was interesting for what was emphasised and what wasn't.

 

Although the dignitaries were dressed for the occasion, there was no dress code for the people. The official information guide recommended only dressing appropriately for the weather. This meant that for the inauguration of the President of the United States, most people turned up in jackets, jeans and trainers or <a href="http://www.inugg.com/">Ugg boots</a>.

 

Military/security groups are honoured and their appearance emphasised. Deference to anyone in a uniform is virtually automatic and good manners are flourished at every opportunity.

 

The downtown areas in daytime have been largely food and alcohol-free zones. There's been a few hotdog/snack bars in the Mall but mostly punters have had to hunt down decent food and drink a few blocks away. Today was especially trying. A lot of people got up before dawn to get to where they wanted to be and many had been dissuaded from taking bags with supplies of any sort. They had to sit or stand through paralysing chill for three hours before anything interesting happened.buy <a href="http://www.inugg.com/">cheap ugg boots</a> .

 

On Tuesday we secured our place in the World Cup Final by beating the West Indies by 146 runs. It will be the first time we have been in a World Cup Final since 1993 and is a massive achievement for all the girls.

For me this meant an unrelenting list of interview requests which is phenomenal and showed that all the hundreds of people I have contacted over the past four years have been taking notice and are cottoning on to how good these players are.

First up were rights holders Sky Sports followed by Sky Sports News and then Sky News. We also fitted in BBC, various national newspapers as well as the Loughborough Echo, the Leicestershire Mercury and other regional press. I’m always keen to continue to provide for the regional press as they cover us year in, year out, so it’s great to reward them when things are going well.

By 9.30pm the interviews were just about finished and England had just woken up. Cue 52 more interview requests for the players. This was brilliant even if it did mean a 2am finish for me - a 20-hour day no less! We have managed to fulfil every single one of those requests so hopefully the players and the game are now getting the profile they deserve.

Over the past few days I have had so many messages of good luck to pass onto the squad which has been just brilliant. It’s great to see that people back home are taking an interest and really getting behind us before Sunday. Lots of my friends (who know I’m here, but don’t really follow the cricket) have heard the scores and are emailing, texting and Facebooking me to let me know and wish us well, which is awesome. Even my Dad, who’s in Siberia, has been keeping up to date with how it’s all going and has been sending pep talks via text! All greatly received!

On Wednesday night after training we had a team meeting and Clare Connor and I gave a brief media session to the players in preparation for what could be the biggest week of their lives.

This was made slightly amusing by the fact that Caroline Atkins and I had swapped clothes for the evening as people keep getting us mixed up! I think I’ve got the better end of the deal there - an opening international bat vs a media manager?! While I dressed Shaggy, as she’s affectionately known, in a lovely joules skirt with a white vest top, cardi and white flip-flops, she dressed me in her baggy jeans, a salmon pink polo shirt (salmon is not my colour!) and my running trainers! Needless to say she got the best straw in the clothing stakes!

When the players all saw me there was a deathly silence as they were all too polite to say anything, until one of them started laughing and then they all did with huge sighs of relief that it wasn’t real. This is no slight whatsoever on Shaggy’s clothes as everyone kept telling me - they just look a lot better on her! Caroline, on the other hand, got a lot of compliments and even managed to get served at the bar first that evening!

The win over the West Indies and the fact that India had beaten Australia meant that our game against the hosts on Thursday had no relevance on our place in the final. However, we wanted to win. After winning the toss and batting we were all out for 161 and they knocked off the runs in 34 overs. This was so disappointing but, as Lottie keeps saying, we’re in a World Cup Final so we have regrouped and are now looking ahead to the most important game on Sunday.

Despite the loss, the good luck messages still roll in and everyone is still very much behind us which means so much to everyone here.

Today was a rare day off and after my 1am finish this morning I managed a lie-in until 8am. After a quick visit to the gym I started my first round of interviews with Isa Guha and the BBC. That was swiftly followed by Katherine Brunt with various journalists and then I returned to my computer to reply to the emails that had come in overnight.

Whilst here I am still trying to keep up to speed with things back home like our PR and media plans for this year’s Friends Provident Trophy, the ICC World Twenty20, and anything else that needs doing.

Anya and I then headed out to George Street to find some ugg boots. Mine were for myself and my boyfriend’s sister while Annie’s were for her sister and her brother’s girlfriend.

We eventually found a shop that sold original uggs after traipsing round hundreds of shops, much to Annie’s annoyance! We rewarded ourselves with pizza for lunch and then a quick stop back to the hotel to catch up on a few more emails and phone calls. This afternoon we headed down to the Aquarium at Darling Harbour following a recommendation after bumping into my colleague Gill Harris in Circular Quay earlier!

It was then a quick dinner before returning to the hotel to do an hour’s worth of interviews with Lottie. Another late night with training tomorrow and then the pre-final press conference and photo shoot at the SCG with Lottie again.

She’s going to be extremely busy over the next few days!

Following a big night out on the town, Rachel Bilson was spotted taking care of her day’s errands with a trip to her local Los Angeles grocery store on Tuesday (December 16).

 

Bundled up in a black hoodie, colorful wool beanie cap and gray Ugg boots, the “Jumper” cutie followed the grocery run up by taking her pet pooch over to her mom’s house for a quick visit.

 

As previously reported by Gossip Girls, Rachel spent last night playing host at the D&G flagship boutique opening on Robertson Blvd.

 

Benefiting The Art of Elysium, the high-profile event drew out stars including Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton, the Madden brothers and Lauren Conrad, among others.

 

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Students were treated to a “Freaky Friday” moment Monday night in the Marvin Center Amphitheater when the Political Satire LLC hosted a laugh-a-minute mock debate.

Brand Kroeger ’09, chairman of the College Republicans, and Cory Struble ’09, president of the College Democrats, squared off in an uproarious debate where they posed as a member of the opposing political party much to the amusement of attendees, who largely were members of each student org.

Michael Komo ’11, president of the LLC, posed as Anderson “Silver Fox” Cooper, and Jen Goldstein ’11, an LLC member, was Campbell “No Bias, No BLEEP” Brown. The pair moderated the speedy debate.

The Political Satire LLC is a living and learning cohort residing in Guthridge Hall, and began last year as an LLC in Thurston Hall. Goldstein said the group meets once a week to watch programs like “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report,” but they also hold one or two events a month (sometimes a charitable event).

Kroeger, as a Democrat, entered draped in a LGBTQ rainbow flag, wearing aviators with a bright green suit, a bright pink shirt, and Uggs. With a flamboyant attitude and exuberant responses, Kroeger kept the audience in stitches with his sexually explicit puns and egging on his opponent.

Struble, as a Republican, entered accompanied by his “pro-life, trophy wife” Cindy, played by CD Membership Director Jessi Gordon ’11. With a tweed coat and waving an American flag, he spoke in a southern-esque accent, and brought along several props including an actual trophy for his wife, who he demanded was not allowed to speak.

Throughout the Lightning Round of fast answers, the Crossfire section where Kroeger and Struble could question each other, and the Q&A with the audience, the laughs were nonstop, as punch lines were continuously met with raucous laughter.

Below are some of the more notable remarks from each individual. As Komo reminded those gathered at the beginning of the event, all comments were made in jest as the two are actually good friends, so the audience was asked to not “get offended, and leave with a smile.”

“Democrat” Kroeger said:

· his favorite senator was Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) because his “moonlight drives around the vineyard are to die for.”

· his favorite state was Florida because it’s the “you-know-what of America.”

· former Vice-President Dick Cheney actually was not a bad guy because “Dick shot a guy in the face…that’s pretty badass.”

· Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was his “second favorite lesbian.”

· President Barack Obama’s first 100 days have been successful because Sasha and Malia’s swing set was slipped into the stimulus bill, and Michelle planted a new garden.

· the government has to stand up for polar bears and unicorn ponies before former vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin hunts them too.

· Struble was racist even against penguins, and they are black and white.

“Republican” Struble said:

· his favorite senator was former Sen. Larry Craig (R-ID) because he had a “wide stance on the issues.”

· his ideal evening would include a “hot night of abstinence” with his trophy wife.

· Ronald Reagan was his “ideological savior.”

· his most-hated country was Massachusetts because it’s the only place where “same-sex marriage is mandatory,” but hunting is illegal.

· even fetuses have a right to bear arms because “life begins at conception.”

· every child under 5 years old, including fetuses, should be given an Uzi gun.

· he was against DC voting rights because they are between a man and a woman. If DC earns voting rights then the government will have to let animals vote, then the animals will want to adopt too.

· his foreign policy objective was to “invade more countries and make some theme parks.”

The comedic pair even had each other cracking up during a night when questions like “What would you do for a Klondike bar?” received over-the-top responses.

Goldstein said she was happy with the success of the event, and was able to pull off a “school-wide event” rather than just for the LLC. She added that the Political Satire LLC plans to make the debate an annual event.

WASHINGTON — With 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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A man without a woman is like a pistol without a hammer, wrote Victor Hugo. But a romantic comedy without a female lead, well, that’s just a fine bromance and now Hollywood business as usual, as most recently demonstrated by “I Love You, Man,” a fitfully funny comedy that owes much to Judd Apatow, the king of such sublimated man-on-man affairs. Though Mr. Apatow isn’t officially credited, his DNA is all over this bromance, which stars Paul Rudd as a wuss who mans up by befriending a guy’s guy (Jason Segel) whose masculinity is so secure he wears Ugg boots and shorts to walk his wee dog.

 

Though he shares the soft-body profile of the typical Apatow hero — a gentle belly swell, the suggestion of an A-cup — Mr. Segel has butched up somewhat to play Sydney Fife, a surprising object of platonic affection for Peter Klaven (Mr. Rudd). The last time Mr. Segel appeared on the big screen was in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” in which he played the feminized hero, a man who cries over his broken heart.

 

In that film he’s so coded female that his new (female) love interest jokes, “I can see your vagina” when he balks at jumping off a cliff into the ocean. Here, though, it’s Mr. Segel who plays gender police and deploys the requisite gyno-joke by affectionately telling Peter to take his tampon out, guy-speak for chill.

 

On Tuesday we secured our place in the World Cup Final by beating the West Indies by 146 runs. It will be the first time we have been in a World Cup Final since 1993 and is a massive achievement for all the girls.

 

For me this meant an unrelenting list of interview requests which is phenomenal and showed that all the hundreds of people I have contacted over the past four years have been taking notice and are cottoning on to how good these players are.

 

First up were rights holders Sky Sports followed by Sky Sports News and then Sky News. We also fitted in BBC, various national newspapers as well as the Loughborough Echo, the Leicestershire Mercury and other regional press. I’m always keen to continue to provide for the regional press as they cover us year in, year out, so it’s great to reward them when things are going well.

 

By 9.30pm the interviews were just about finished and England had just woken up. Cue 52 more interview requests for the players. This was brilliant even if it did mean a 2am finish for me - a 20-hour day no less! We have managed to fulfil every single one of those requests so hopefully the players and the game are now getting the profile they deserve.

 

Over the past few days I have had so many messages of good luck to pass onto the squad which has been just brilliant. It’s great to see that people back home are taking an interest and really getting behind us before Sunday. Lots of my friends (who know I’m here, but don’t really follow the cricket) have heard the scores and are emailing, texting and Facebooking me to let me know and wish us well, which is awesome. Even my Dad, who’s in Siberia, has been keeping up to date with how it’s all going and has been sending pep talks via text! All greatly received!

 

On Wednesday night after training we had a team meeting and Clare Connor and I gave a brief media session to the players in preparation for what could be the biggest week of their lives.

 

This was made slightly amusing by the fact that Caroline Atkins and I had swapped clothes for the evening as people keep getting us mixed up! I think I’ve got the better end of the deal there - an opening international bat vs a media manager?! While I dressed Shaggy, as she’s affectionately known, in a lovely joules skirt with a white vest top, cardi and white flip-flops, she dressed me in her baggy jeans, a salmon pink polo shirt (salmon is not my colour!) and my running trainers! Needless to say she got the best straw in the clothing stakes!

 

When the players all saw me there was a deathly silence as they were all too polite to say anything, until one of them started laughing and then they all did with huge sighs of relief that it wasn’t real. This is no slight whatsoever on Shaggy’s clothes as everyone kept telling me - they just look a lot better on her! Caroline, on the other hand, got a lot of compliments and even managed to get served at the bar first that evening!

 

The win over the West Indies and the fact that India had beaten Australia meant that our game against the hosts on Thursday had no relevance on our place in the final. However, we wanted to win. After winning the toss and batting we were all out for 161 and they knocked off the runs in 34 overs. This was so disappointing but, as Lottie keeps saying, we’re in a World Cup Final so we have regrouped and are now looking ahead to the most important game on Sunday.

 

Despite the loss, the good luck messages still roll in and everyone is still very much behind us which means so much to everyone here.

 

Today was a rare day off and after my 1am finish this morning I managed a lie-in until 8am. After a quick visit to the gym I started my first round of interviews with Isa Guha and the BBC. That was swiftly followed by Katherine Brunt with various journalists and then I returned to my computer to reply to the emails that had come in overnight.

 

Whilst here I am still trying to keep up to speed with things back home like our PR and media plans for this year’s Friends Provident Trophy, the ICC World Twenty20, and anything else that needs doing.

 

Anya and I then headed out to George Street to find some Ugg boots. Mine were for myself and my boyfriend’s sister while Annie’s were for her sister and her brother’s girlfriend.

 

We eventually found a shop that sold original Uggs after traipsing round hundreds of shops, much to Annie’s annoyance! We rewarded ourselves with pizza for lunch and then a quick stop back to the hotel to catch up on a few more emails and phone calls. This afternoon we headed down to the Aquarium at Darling Harbour following a recommendation after bumping into my colleague Gill Harris in Circular Quay earlier!

 

It was then a quick dinner before returning to the hotel to do an hour’s worth of interviews with Lottie. Another late night with training tomorrow and then the pre-final press conference and photo shoot at the SCG with Lottie again.

 

She’s going to be extremely busy over the next few days!

 

HOORAY FOR panic and pleasure and sweet palpitations! Oh, but it did the heart good to feel the heart flutter and skip a beat and almost stop, before the triumphant roar of those brave enough to look made it race again and nearly burst with joy.

 

At long last – a chance to celebrate.

 

Good news, for once. Great news. News to put a smile on your face, and make you sing and cheer and do silly dances.

 

The sort of headline news that has nothing to do with budgets and pay cuts, unemployment figures and politicians’ expenses.

 

The blessed relief of sporting distraction.

 

It didn’t matter if you never set eyes upon an oval ball or knotted an old school tie. Whether you are into rugby, soccer, Gaelic, bog-snorkelling or tiddlywinks – it didn’t matter.

 

This was a nation responding, admittedly belatedly and in a different fashion, to their Finance Minister’s call to “patriotic duty”. Thanks to the outdoor exploits of a rugby team and the indoor exploits of a boxer, Ireland grabbed the chance to get out there and party.

 

On an exhilarating Saturday that stretched giddily into the early hours of Sunday, we broke through the pervading gloom of the last few months and fell happily into the glorious Green beyond. First, a rugby Grand Slam title after a wait of 61 years, and then, the heroic capture of a boxing world title by a courageous Dub with a great line in patter.

 

Gift. Absolutely gift.

 

We’re not the better of it yet, thank God.

 

Bernard Dunne, who was crowned the WBA World super-bantamweight champion in Dublin after a gutsy display of stamina and self-belief saw him knock out the highly rated title-holder, will be honoured by his native city next week.

 

Yesterday belonged to the rugby players.

 

Coach Declan Kidney’s team, led by captain Brian O’Driscoll, arrived home at lunchtime and were met by a huge, adoring crowd at Dublin airport. It was a foretaste of what was to come.

 

Taoiseach Brian Cowen, who has wisely kept out of the limelight during the celebrations, leaving the players to bask in the glory, called into the Mansion House from Government Buildings, where discussions on the economic crisis are ongoing.

 

The Taoiseach, who loves his sport, stood back and applauded with the rest of the guests as the players entered The Round Room. He met the players and looked on proudly as his youngest daughter Meadhbh had her photo taken with O’Driscoll and Ronan O’Gara.

 

Social Welfare Minister Mary Hanafin, had she been in a line out, would have been penalised for barging as she elbowed her way through the throng to sit beside O’Driscoll and the trophy.

 

If O’Driscoll thought it was tough on the pitch, he didn’t reckon on the determination of Irish female politicians. He was sandwiched by Senator Ger Feeney and Cllr Deirdre Heeney, clinging to the trophy for dear life as the rhyming public servants smiled for the camera.

 

Outside, the crowd waved their green flags and waited for a glimpse of their heroes. Finally, the players emerged from the Mansion House to deafening roars of approval, walking a green carpet and a guard of honour of flagbearers and drummers.

 

Coach Declan Kidney, meanwhile, had a few words with Brian Cowen back inside. Was the Taoiseach asking him the secret of his success? Our IRFU man said that Kidney told his men at half-time that they had been doing everything right, and if they kept that up, the scores would come. “Keep doing what you are doing,” he told them.

 

Not, perhaps, the sort of advice to be giving to Brian Cowen.

 

Jerry Flannery’s mother, Jane, was waiting for the son to appear. “I was at the match — there were the Horans and myself and the Hayes. We stayed seated at the end and I swear to God, all the Welsh in front of us stood up. We couldn’t see a thing. Then we heard the roar. We thought it was the Welsh roaring, at first, then we realised Ireland had won. There were hugs and kisses and jigs all round.” Jerry is one of the many walking wounded on the team. “He has a big, big swollen eye. He needed five stitches,” Jane told us, as her son mounted the steps to the platform.

 

She looked on in delight, a proud Irish mother. “And his hair not even combed.”

 

Brian O’Driscoll’s girlfriend, actress Amy Huberman, held his nine-month-old niece Aoife in her arms. “I had her on my knee during the game and she hadn’t a clue what was happy. Thank God, she was a great distraction. When it was finally over, and I realised we won, I couldn’t stop crying for an hour.” Tommy Bowe sang a verse of The Black Velvet Band. At the first sighting of Brian O’Driscoll, the crowd burst into a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole.” There were high-pitched squeals from the sizable contingent of teenage girls in Ugg boots whenever Ronan O’Gara said or did anything. Then the ticker-tape exploded out of machines at the base of the platform with great gusts of tinselly green. The wind caught the paper and it rained down on the crowd.

 

Sure, it was only a game. Just 80 minutes of diversion. But it was great, and it gladdened the heart and the next few weeks at least will be a little easier and the memories will remain forever. By jingo, isn’t patriotism great?