Monday, April 21, 2008

The History of Ugg Boots

from Australia's Official Dictionary: The Macquarie Concise Dictionary - ug boot / Australian 100% merino sheepskin lined boot. Also called ugh boot , ugg boot.

Did you know that Australian Sheepskin Ug boots have always been called Ug, Ugh or Ugg boots and have been made in Australia for almost 200 years? "We always called them Uggs, Smith says, "long before it was a trademarked brand." Brian Smith, Founder UGG Holdings, Inc. Los Angeles Magazine October 1st, 2001

The Ug Boot Story

The original Ug Boot. "Ug," (also spelled "Ugg" and "Ugh" in Australian dictionaries) is not a brand name but an age old generic term for this style of Australian-made sheepskin boot. In Aussie slang, the Ug name is short for "ugly." In terms of comfort, however, the Ug Boot is a thing of beauty. The softness of the Australian Merino sheepskin produces a boot with a snug, cozy, form-fitting feel thats more like a sock than a shoe, yet its rugged enough for outdoor wear. The fleece lining has the astonishing property of providing year-round comfort. In cold weather, the plush fleece provides an insulating layer of warmth by trapping your body heat, much like goose down does. But in the heat of summer, the natural fibers of the fleece actually cool your feet by wicking away perspiration.

Growing Up in Ugs

By the 1970s, in Perth, the largest city on Australias West Coast, Ug boots were being manufactured by several small companies in the area. Perth has much the same climate as Southern California and is also a haven for surfers, whom Aussies call "surfies." And it was the community of surfies at the great surfing beaches at Margaret River near Perth who first adopted Ug Boots as their footwear of choice and made them a symbol of the Aussie surfing lifestyle.

Ug Fever Spreads

from the beaches of Western Australia, Ugs were soon seen on the feet of East Coast surfers from Brisbane to Sydney. And it wasnt long before some of these surfers -- the ones who traded their surfboards for skis in the winter -- found that their Ug Boots were just as at home in the ski resort areas of the Snowy Mountains as they were on the warm sands of Sydneys Bondi Beach.

It was Aussie surfers, traveling the world in search of the perfect wave, who first introduced their mates in Southern California to the pleasures of the Ug Boot. Ugs soon became a cult fashion among those L.A. surfers who could depend on a buddy down under" to send them a pair of boots.

Ug Essentials

Today the Ug "secret" is out. Youll find these versatile boots to be in fashion on beaches from San Diego to Santa Cruz and in ski resorts from Tahoe to Vail. And today, you dont have to "know someone" in Australia who will send you a pair, since there are now a number of companies importing boots of this type. But, if you want the genuine article, you do have to know what youre looking for because, no matter how they spell it -- Ug, Ugg or Ugh -- there are several importers with look-alike products that fall short of being the real thing.

If you want genuine Ug Boots -- well-made boots with all the qualities that made the original so desirable -- youll want to make sure that.....

The boots are made from 100% Australian Merino Sheepskin. This will ensure your purchase is made of the finest Sheepskin hide avaliable.

Please Note:

Beware of very cheap imitations... quite a few boots on the market are made of cow suede with sawn on sheepskin inner fleece off cuts.... Don't take the chance and purchase these boots.... the external cow suede does not breath like 100% sheepskin does and will leave you with a smelly sweaty boot... But I must say these boots do look like the real thing but just don't cut the mustard when compared to authentic ugg boots.

Article submitted by: 30 Below - Authentic Australian Ugg Boots

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Back Massage Techniques

Back Massage is one of the best ways through which you can relive yourself from back pain.You can use various back massage techniques for benefits, such as relaxation, increased body awareness, better blood circulation and improved lymphatic drainage for release of toxins.

Selecting a right back massage technique is important for receiving maximum benefits. Typically, during the back massage, a masseur uses massage oil to decrease friction created on the skin and to prevent the pulling of skin hair.

According to the back massage techniques propogated by the experts, less the quantity of oil applied, the greater is the friction and deeper will be the pressure. Use light stroking movements throughout your massage to move from one area to another, to soothe an area of localized deep tissue or to make a transition to another stroke.

Step By Step Guide for Back Massage

Mentioned below are few steps, which detail back massage techniques for relieving back pain.

The person receiving the massage for back pain should lie down on his/her belly on a firm, comfortable surface, such as a floor mat or firm bed. Make sure that you the whole back of the massage receiver is comfortably within reach. Stand by the side of the person and place one hand on the lower back and teh other between the shoulder blades, over the heart.

Warm up the back by applying thumb pressure along both sides of the spine simultaneously: start from the lower back and knead gently with your thumbs up to the neck area. This will also promote relaxation.

Use a smooth, delicate stroke, called "effleurage", to apply massage oil. In one long stroke, slide your palms down either side of the spine to the pelvis; scoop out around the hips and back up the sides to the shoulders. Maintain contact with the back. Move your hands over the back to start a new area. Continue up both sides of the neck to the base of the head.

Starting at the spine, slide your palms in opposite directions outward to the sides of the back, starting with the lower back area, and moving up to the shoulders.

Knead the fleshy muscular areas at the top of the shoulders, the mid-back area and the buttocks to loosen any tight muscles and fascia, which is a connective tissue.

Paul Osborne is the executive editor of http://backpain-resources-online.com & http://lowerbackpainrelief.org Both sites offer a host of information, tips and advice for lower back pain relief.

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