Barack Obama is one of the more promising presidential candidates to come along in the last few years.He's easy on the eyes, speaks well and claims to be a moderate. He sounds like a shoo-in. However, it's likely there's more hype than substance to this presidential hopeful.

Obama's voting record is very short and, from what we have seen, has been extremely liberal. An independent, liberal, political organization, Americans for Democratic Action, gives Obama a 95 percent liberal rating, which matches Sens. Hillary Clinton and John Kerry.

Where there's smoke, there are fire trucks, police cars, maintenance workers, tennis facility staff and alarm contractors.Members of the Bayard H. Friedman Tennis Center staff saw smoke coming out of an air vent shortly after 10 a.m. Wednesday, said Craig Smith, tennis center director.

The alarm system signaled TCU Police, who dispatched vehicles to the scene and contacted the Fort Worth Fire Department, said DeAnn Jones of the TCU Police Department.

Nearly six months have passed, and the women's tennis team is still without a permanent fixture at the head coaching position, but the players have accepted their interim coach en route to a national rank.Jefferson Hammond took over the women's program in August, following the resignation of Joey Rive, the former head coach of the men's program. Hammond assisted Dave Borelli for two years in the women's program before Borelli moved to the helm of the men's team.

Whether you're new to Cowtown or have lived here since birth, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo will stimulate all your senses and is money well-spent.The Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, celebrating its 111th year, is family-orientated, which makes it a great place for kids and adults to have fun. It also was the first livestock show to feature sheep, llamas and cattle raised, groomed and shown by junior leagues and children who live in the area. This year, more than 24,000 livestock are competing at the show.



Plenty to do at the rodeo

Last Thursday, the U.S. Senate overwhelmingly approved a bill to reform ethics and lobbying legislation in order to ease voters' frustrations with corruption on Capitol Hill.The Democrat-initiated bill, passed 96-2, will force senators to abandon gifts, free travel and other benefits they may receive from lobbyists, according to the Associated Press. The bill will also make senators "more accountable for the pet projects they insert into bills."

At-large members of the Faculty Senate are being phased out over the next three years to create a more proportionate representation among colleges, the Faculty Senate chair said.Chair Suzy Lockwood said Faculty Senate members wanted to make sure the colleges are equally represented. At-large members are elected to represent the entire faculty but are often influenced by their specific college, Lockwood said.

Horses bucking, bulls raging, vicarious thrills. Surprisingly, the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo has never been more entertaining.

The first event of the night was a contest to see which rider could ride the longest and withstand the force of the horse's bucks and kicks. One of the horses ran so close to our gated seats in the front row that flecks of dirt fell on our clothes brought on from the horse's hooves. Afterward, other cowboys would gallop alongside the bucking horse, grip the strap and release the buckle to free the mount.

Hot dogs! Hot dogs! Get your hot dogs!TCU Dining Services is waiting for approval from the university to install a hot dog cart on campus.

About 15 students comprised the Dining Committee that proposed the idea for the cart last semester, said Rick Flores, general manager of Dining Services. If the cart is approved, students will be able to buy hot dogs on campus using their student ID cards.

"It would be an easy way to grab a bite to eat," said Katie McCann, Dining Committee chair.