"This is the true story of seven strangers picked to live in a house and have their lives taped." This is "The Real World." But this definition of the notoriously feared chapter of our lives only works for those seven people. What is the real world for the rest of us? Because, aside from potluck dorm assignments, it is unlikely that any of us will live with strangers, let alone have our encounters filmed.

The first home swimming and diving competition of 2007 gave the H20 Frogs confidence with the conference meet just six weeks away, the head coach said."This was a great win for our guys," head coach Richard Sybesma said. "Last season, Utah defeated us in the dual meet and conference meet, so this was a huge upset for us."

Last season the Utes swept the H20 Frogs men's team on two occasions, but this time around, TCU won 15 of 16 events.

An educator and author of 15 books will lecture to an audience of local school administrators and teachers about her ideas on improving education today and Wednesday.Nel Noddings, this year's school of education Green Honors Chair, is a Professor of Education at Stanford University.

During her visit, Noddings will give two lectures, the first of which will be on her book, "Happiness and Education." The lecture will focus on great thinkers of the past and their ideas on happiness, Noddings said.

A star emerged from TCU's Oscar E. Monnig Meteorite Gallery when the director of the gallery appeared on the pilot episode of a new science TV show. Teresa Moss, director of the Monnig Meteorite Gallery, appeared on the first episode of "Wired Science," a PBS series that debuted nationally Jan. 3.

"Wired Science" is "a new show about science, technology, adventure and innovation," according to a PBS press release.

Moss appeared in the "Meteorite Hunters" segment of the show.

Administrators say a hare-brained scheme attributed to a TCU alumnus to break into the university's database never had a chance.Newspapers and web publications reported in December that Todd Shriber, a 2000 TCU graduate, attempted to have his grade point average changed. Shriber was fired from his position as communications director for Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg after he informed his boss about the articles detailing his plan, Rehberg's chief of staff said.

Vandals were busy smashing windows around the TCU area over winter break, causing more than $13,700 worth of damage to both TCU and local properties.Nothing was reported stolen after unknown suspects broke a radio-TV-film department truck's windows with a pipe at about 3:30 a.m. Dec. 28, causing an estimated $10,000 worth of damage, TCU Police Sgt. Kelly Ham said.

Damage to the windows of a bus-stop shelter in the parking lot north of the football stadium amounted to about $1,300, said Hollis Dyer, superintendent of maintenance.

A student committee begins raising money today for a national Martin Luther King Jr. memorial to be in Washington, D.C., said the committee's adviser.Deanne Chandler, the program coordinator for Inclusiveness and Intercultural Services, launched the committee and will take the first steps by selling "Build the Dream" wristbands at all Martin Luther King Jr. Day events planned at TCU.

The memorial will be built between the Lincoln and Jefferson memorials, according to the Martin Luther King Jr. National Memorial Foundation Web site.

Over the last several weeks, two controversies have exposed the ugly, hidden reality in much of American society. Michael Richards' comedy club rant exposed racism against blacks and the film satire "Borat" exposed anti-Semitism. While it is easy to castigate Richards' judgment or the fools in Borat, it is not so easy to recognize that the heart of the nation is still haunted by its racial past.