Dog bones, catnip and fish food aren't the only ways to say thank you to your pets.The second annual Blessing of the Animals, starting at 5:15 p.m. today at the Robert Carr Chapel, will give students, faculty and staff the opportunity to do something special for their pets, said the Rev. Angela Kaufman, minister to the university.

The service will include songs, prayers, a message, snacks - for humans and pets - and blessings performed by campus ministers.

Former German ambassador to the United Nations said focusing on the spread of weapons of mass destruction, terrorism and democracy will help steady an unstable relationship between the United States and Europe Monday night.Hans Arnold, former U.N. ambassador, was invited by the modern language and political science programs.

Jeffrey Todd, associate professor of French and German said this was an opportunity for TCU to act on its mission statement.

The creator and artistic director of LINES Ballet in San Francisco will conclude his visit as the dance department's Green Honors Chair with a public question-and-answer session titled "Conversations on Dance" at 7 p.m. tonight.Alonzo King, choreographer, is the first Green Honors Chair the dance department has had since Miguel Mancillas visited in 2004.

Elizabeth Gillaspy, assistant professor of ballet, said King was chosen as the department's Green Chair because he is moving the art of ballet forward in a contemporary way and is articulate about his work.

Campus Crusade for Christ will be charged for the cost of cleaning up its chalk displays that advertised last week's AFTERdark ministry series, but the amount of the fine was not available Monday, TCU officials said. Most semesters, students see colorful displays of sidewalk-chalk advertisements for organizations and events happening on campus. According to the student handbook, chalking, putting flyers on trees or on sidewalks are all against university policy.

The TCU Police Department will not pursue a case in which a female student said she had been sexually assaulted Saturday morning, said the TCU Police chief.An investigation will not be conducted because the victim did not press charges, said Steve McGee, TCU Police chief.

The incident, which occurred outside the Worth Hills area, involved the student voluntarily getting into a vehicle after talking with two men in a sport utility vehicle. The two men are described as being Hispanic, one of whom has a tattoo on his chest.

Orange juice, a breakfast sandwich and a banana at The Main - $4.63. A modest-sized BLT at Sub Connection - $4.64.

Beef ravioli, baked apples from the Chef's Table and a bottle of Ozarka at The Main - $7.42.

The total for the day - $16.69.

Somewhere off in the distance, I can almost hear sociologist Karl Marx laughing about the benefits of communism. Sure, Soviet-issued meals taste like a mix of concrete and broken dreams, but, gosh darn it, they're free.

The men's and women's cross country teams continued to show signs of improvement Saturday at the 70th Annual Cowboy Jamboree in Stillwater, Okla., as they prepare for the NCAA National Championship meet.Over a hilly course, freshman Festus Kigen and junior Matt Manly paced the men's team to a sixth-place finish, while senior Calandra Stewart and freshman Carlene Mayfield guided the women's team to third place.

The newest Horned Frog team will make its debut Saturday.After three weeks of practice and conditioning, the varsity women's equestrian team will travel to Waco for a head-to-head competition against Baylor, its first competition as a Division 1-A team, said head coach Gary Reynolds.

"This is the most hard-working group of women athletes I've ever seen," Reynolds said. "I would've bet half this team wouldn't have been here the second week after what we did to them the first week at practice."

Faculty members voted 46-8 in favor of the plus/minus grading system yesterday in an assembly open to all faculty.The Faculty Senate has already voted on the issue twice; however, this was the first time...

So you just finished a test, and could really use for a cold beer or smooth margarita, but where can you go for the best happy hour in town? Let's break it down by the day.On Mondays, The Flying Saucer Draught Emporium seems to be the best bet as far as atmosphere and price are concerned.

The Flying Saucer offers a variety of domestic and premium beers on draft for $2.50 all night long.

Along with beer, they also have a full-fledged menu for those who might be hungry after that grueling test.

"It's Perfectly Normal," a book on sex education, was the most-banned book of last year, and also happens to be sitting on a shelf at TCU's library.So are "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn," "Catcher in the Rye" and "What My Mother Doesn't Know," which are all books on the 2005 list of the most frequently challenged books.

For 25 years, Banned Books Week has been nationally recognized during the last week of September.