With Valentine's Day nearly upon us, love is in the air - or at least marketers want us to think so. And not everyone is satisfied with the average teddy bear, box of chocolates or display of affection. Some people like to take it to the extreme, ranging from a publicized marriage proposal to attempted murder.As an aspiring psychologist, I'd like to offer a humorous psychoanalysis of the crazed lovers to soothe those who may feel scorned by St. Valentine and to ground those who will be spending the day on cloud nine.

Kids playing soccer in the park, small girls singing their hearts out at beauty pageants and a hopeful mother of three calling into a radio station to win a prize for her children are all manifestations of competition in our world.Our society encourages a little healthy competition to give us something to strive for; however, competition can go from normal to unhealthy when a soccer mom verbally abuses a referee for a bad call, when a pageant princess is chastised by her mother for hitting the wrong pitch or when that mother of three loses her life because of a ridiculous contest.

Provost Nowell Donovan says the university is still in "limbo-land" over whether to allow drilling for natural gas on its property, but a landman representing Four Sevens Resource Co. told members of the...

Chili, basketball, a mechanical bull and the TCU Showgirls will come together Saturday for a new event to benefit the Showgirls.TCU Athletics will be hosting its first chili cook-off, sponsored by Sheriff Blaylock, a food company, on Saturday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. between the women's and men's basketball games, said Jason Byrne, director of marketing.

There will be music, a TCU-themed inflatable obstacle course, a mechanical bull, a slam-dunk show and a performance by the Showgirls, Byrne said.

A new feature at frogjobs.net is changing the way students and employers connect, marking an era of ongoing improvements, said Career Services staff members.Employers attending Wednesday's Career Expo can now search for students they would like to meet ahead of time by logging in to frogjobs.net.

"Employers love it," said Kimshi Hickman, associate director of University Career Services. "I much prefer the employer to make their own match, because they get a closer look and are able to see the match for themselves."

An international lighting design association gave interior design and lighting majors a chance to discuss the practice of lighting design, review resumes and critique work Thursday afternoon in the Design,...

More than 300 ministers and religious leaders from around the U.S. gathered at TCU this week to explore contemporary issues within the religious community.The event, begun in Texas in 1888, was first held at TCU in 1944. Now, Minister's Week is held in cities around the U.S. The Brite Divinity School, the TCU religion department and University Christian Church sponsored the events throughout the week.

Students from all four fine arts departments are presenting an AIDS benefit concert to convey one message: it's here in the United States.Alpha Psi Omega, the theater honor society on campus, has teamed with Chi Tau Epsilon, the dance honor society, to present the TCU Arts Collaboration Benefit Concert benefiting the Tarrant County AIDS Outreach Center.

AIDS can affect anyone, said Marisa Doerfler, a senior theatre major and chairwoman of Alpha Psi Omega.

Skiff staff writer Kimberly Burton had the chance to interview Gaspard Ulliel, the star of "Hannibal Rising." Ulliel plays a teenage Hannibal Lecter in the newest prequel to the Hannibal movies. French actor Ulliel has also starred in the 2004 international film "A Very Long Engagement." This is Ulliel's first major American film.

Q: What was it like stepping into this role?

A: It was scary. Coming after Anthony Hopkins is not an easy thing. It is also frightening, being French. It (the character) is very addictive.