Cardio Striptease helps people to take it all off

Daily Bruin (U. California-Los Angeles)

At the Crunch Gym on Sunset Boulevard, the health conscious shed pounds as they shed clothes in a class called Cardio Striptease. Every Wednesday, an average-sized dance studio becomes host to a capacity crowd of 50 people who don't mind sliding across the floor or up and down poles. Sometimes feather boas are involved. Other times it's chairs. This is definitely not your average aerobics class. ``Cardio Striptease is a combination of aerobics, dance techniques and stripping,'' said instructor Jeffrey Costa during a telephone interview. ``It's a very body conscious class. The stripping, of course, is what gets everyone's attention.'' Although open to anyone at least 18 years old, about 80 percent of the participants end up being female. There are also less noticeable participants on the other side of the studio windowpane.

Protests hit Abercrombie & Fitch stores nationwide

Daily Trojan (U. Southern California)

A controversial line of Abercrombie & Fitch clothing bearing stereotypical slogans and images of Asian-Americans has incited a public outcry from Asian-American communities on college campuses across America. Depicting caricatures with slanted eyes, conical hats and taglines such as ``Wong Brothers Laundry Service - Two Wongs Can Make It White,'' the shirts have met with protest by Asian-American student organizations at schools from San Francisco to Boston, even after the retailer pulled the questionable line from stores. Most Asian-American students polled were not offended by the shirts. Asian-American groups, however, have banded together to protest Abercrombie's shirts. The National Asian-American Students Conference originally had planned a National Student Day of Action but expanded it to a week and planned rallies in response to the shirts.

U. Illinois supporters rally on Hash Wednesday

Daily Illini (U. Illinois)

American Civil Liberties Union members rallied for marijuana's legalization Wednesday at the fifth annual Hash Wednesday celebration held at the University of Illinois. Organizers argued that it doesn't make sense for people to be in jail for using marijuana because it causes fewer problems and has a less violent effect on people than alcohol. Speakers at the rally included 15th District Congressional candidate Carl Estabrook and representatives of the Women's Health Task Force and Amnesty International. Hash Wednesday focused on the importance of the Bill of Rights and pointed out that sometimes exceptions are made to the Bill of Rights. For example, one organizer said, even though citizens have a right to property, police often search them if they think they are in possession of drugs.