Fashion- Designer bags, a sign of

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Change is still dominant for Rams and Ewes, both in the workplace and their private lives. This is also a good time to look at a possible relocation if that has been one of your goals.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Doing things for others is what you do well. But donʼt forget that Bovines thrive on the arts, so make some time for yourself to indulge your passion for music and artistic expressions.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) While the Romantic Twin considers where to go for his or her upcoming vacation, the Practical Twin will start making travel plans now to take advantage of some great bargains.

CANCER (June 21 to

SALOME’S STARS

July 22) Your sensitive nature helps you deal with a diffi cult emotional situation. Be patient and continue to show your sincere support wherever (and for whomever) it is needed.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) Youʼre making progress as you move through some unfamiliar territory. And while there might be a misstep or two along the way, overall youʼre heading in the right direction. Good luck.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Some good news arrives -- and just in time to remind you that youʼre making progress. Perhaps things arenʼt moving as quickly as youʼd prefer, but theyʼre moving nevertheless.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) This is a good week to step back and assess the facts that have recently emerged to see where they can be used to your advantage. Also, donʼt hesitate to make changes where necessary.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) You should begin to experience some support from those who now agree with your point of view. This should help counter the remaining objections from die-hard skeptics.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Donʼt let your aim be defl ected by trivial matters as you try to resolve a confusing situation. Take time to fi nd and thoroughly assess the facts before making any decision.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) The possibility of moving to another location has come up. But before you dismiss it as unworkable, itʼs worth checking out just in case it does have some merit after all.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) New relationships -- personal or work-related -- show mixed signals. Best to assume nothing. Let things play themselves out until you have something substantive to work with.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your ability to make needed changes without causing too much, if any, negative ripple effect comes in handy when dealing with a sensitive matter either on the job or in the family.

(c) 2005 King Features Synd., Inc.

ANSWER TO CROSSWORD WILL APPEAR IN NEXT WEEK’S FULL EFFECT

TRIVIA TEST

By Fifi Rodriguez

1. TELEVISION: On TVʼs “M*A*S*H,” what was Radar OʼReillyʼs job?

2. ENTERTAINERS: What was the fi rst name of the actor/father of Lynn and Vanessa Redgrave?

3. SCIENCE: To what do Kirchhoffʼs Laws apply?

4. GEOGRAPHY: Vilnius is the capital of what country?

5. LITERATURE: Who wrote the classic “Little House on the Prairie”?

6. MUSIC: The composer Tchaikovsky died and songwriter Cole Porter was born in what year?

7. HISTORY: Who was elected governor of Louisiana in 1928?

8. MOVIES: Who directed the 1951 movie “Strangers on a Train”?

9. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What do you call a group of hens?

10. MONEY: What is the basic monetary unit in Egypt?

Answers 1. Company clerk, 2. Michael, 3. Electrical circuits, 4. Lithuania 5. Laura Ingalls Wilder, 6. 1893, 7. Huey Long, 8. Alfred Hitchcock, 9. A brood, 10. Piaster

STYLE SCOUT Designer bags, a sign of status

BY KELLY HICKMAN

Daily Titan Columnist

I have a bag. It s small, cute and made of genuine leather with the letters LV plastered everywhere.

Its interior has a red velvety texture and after three years it still smells brand new.

My Louis Vuitton bag used to go with me everywhere. I'd bring it to school, work, shopping ventures and usually to nocturnal outings with friends. Louis and I were inseparable.

Like a crazy woman every night I'd tuck it into its original box emblazoned with its name on the exterior only to take it out the next morning. Temporarily psychotic, maybe.

In late 2003 it seemed almost everyone was seen carrying a designer bag, whether it was Louis, Dooney & Bourke, Coach, Gucci or Prada. It was all the rage.

As I walked through the halls of school I would look at others bags and wonder, Is it real?

I remember being asked several times if my bag was real to which I would answer yes. And that's what makes me wonder. Why do we live in a society where we're labeled by the labels we wear?

Why does having a designer bag give a person a sense of status appeal? Only the person who is carrying the bag knows if it s real and how much it costs.

I have a friend who spent over a grand, (yes, a thousand dollars) on a Balenciaga bag. She spends so much money on designer bags that in fact, the people at Bloomingdale's call her once they've received new bags they know she'd love.

Apparently you don't have to be Jennifer Lopez to get house calls from lavish department stores.

But I also have friends who are just as happy with their cheap imitation bags that look surprisingly close to the real thing. Another friend two years ago went on a trip with her family to China where she came back with an imitation Louis.

She recalled going into the marketplace with vendors asking, Do you want a real or fake one?

Obviously, all of what they' re offering is fake, but she happily paid for the fake.

Now, two years later, I unfortunately don't even use my Louis anymore. The bag doesn't come out of its box. And I must admit spending hundreds of dollars on a bag and not using it anymore, is a waste of money. It s like buying a car and not driving it.

So, I ve come to the realization that there is nothing wrong with wearing a designer fake. If it makes you feel good about yourself, then do it.

I mean, if you can afford it, more power to you, but if the same $700 can be spent on a car payment or college tuition, so be it. Don't get me wrong, I still salivate over designer bags and if the moment arises and I feel like rewarding myself, I might consider purchasing another, but for now I tag along with me a metallic hobo bag that resembles a $400 designer original for which I paid a measly $30.

I don' t care if it looks like a knockoff. I'm just happy that once I eventually get tired of wearing it, I won't have the same guilt I felt when I retired my Louis.

Kelly Hickman is a print journalism major. Catch her column every Thursday in Full Effect.

Shabu offers unique dining

BY NICK COOPER

Daily Titan Staff

From Genghis Kahn in China to Osaka, Japan and now to Orange County, the shabu-shabu or “hot pot” method of cooking is offering more diners a delicious way to enjoy their food.

Shabu-shabu, which literally means “swish, swish,” is a style ofcooking that fi rst came to Orange County in 1997 with the opening of California Shabu-shabu on the corner of Brookhurst St. and Garfi eld St. in Fountain Valley.

Taka Itoyama, the owner of the restaurant (and the owner of the second ever shabu restaurant in Los Angeles County), explained that this was a different concept from the original shabu in Japan, which can run up to $100 a plate.

He said that when he emigrated from Japan 14 years ago, he wanted to make it more affordable and so he offers lunches under $20 and dinners ranging from $15 to $30.

This is an excellent deal when one considers what that money gets.

After walking into Calif. Shabu-shabu, customers take a place at a long bar with pots of boiling water in front of each seat.

The meal is started with an appetizer of Japanese pickles.

Also, two sauces, one for meat and one for vegetables, are placed in front of each person along with a bowl of steamed white rice.

These sauces can be seasoned with Yamasa soy sauce, chili fl akes, green onions, chopped garlic and sweet horseradish.

At Shabu, the customer is given the chance to become the chef, which some fi nd troublesome and others enjoy because they can easily customize their meals.

Next, the customer gets a plate of vegetables which includes cabbage, spinach, carrots, noodles and a choice of meat from beef, chicken, shrimp, mussels, scallops or kobe beef (when it is in season).

All of the food is served raw and the customer then puts the food in the boiling water, swishes it around until it is done (a few seconds for meat, a few minutes for vegetables), seasons it to taste and then enjoys it on the plate of rice.

Shabu-Shabu has an amazingly friendly atmosphere.

First-time customers are guided through their meals either by Itoyama himself, or one of his helpful employees such as like Heidi Herolde. "Itʼs not like a regular restaurant. Everyoneʼs got each otherʼs back and the boss really makes a difference,” Herolde said.

Shabu-Shabuʼs unique experience, tasty and healthy food and exceptiona staff make it a great place to eat!

GABRIEL ALONSO/ Daily Titan

Book sheds new light on college

BY NICK COOPER

Daily Titan Staff

We all have our stories and our hardships while we search to fi nd ourselves. And that is no exception for Edward Zanni, the 17-year-old main character of Marc Acitoʼs debut book, “How I Paid for College: A Novel of Sex, Theft, Friendship, and Musical Theater.”

It is hard to describe the zany antics of “How I Paid for College,” but to put it bluntly it is the fl amboyant ranting of a humor columnist turned author. If you take one defi led Buddha lawn ornament, add in a pinch of clergymen impersonation, a dash of fraud and embezzlement, you will have the ingredients of Acitoʼs novel and the funniest books I have read all year.

Edward is a semi-popular kid in his high school. He has an attractive girlfriend, a loud-mouthed best friend and all the other cliché stuff that high school coming of age stories include. What separates this book from other coming of age stories is the humor and unique attitudinal characters that retain the warm fuzzy feelings that make the reader genuinely care about the fi ctional personalities.

Shortly after his father remarries, Edwardʼs “wicked” stepmother takes control and ruins his plans to go to Julliard. He has no choice but to steal the money from his father in an elaborate scheme involving his many conspiratorial friends. His search for misappropriated funds brings Edward and his friends to impersonate clergy, establish a false scholarship, and nearly blackmail the son of a politician.

Add in the twists and turns of some three way relationships and the nostalgia of some early ʻ80s references and you have “How I Paid for College.” Acitoʼs colorful and wacky writing style is an enjoyment for a quick easy read for the busy college student looking for a fun book to procrastinate over.