English is an excellent language. It's changeable and flexible, full of slang, obscure words, foreign words and synonyms, all of which make it easier to express extremely precise shades of meaning.But there are areas where English is lacking.

For instance, how do you answer a question asked in the negative?

This can be very important. Answering your girlfriend's "I'm not fat, am I?" with a simple "yes" or "no" could get you in trouble. You might mean "Yes, you're not fat," or "No, you're not fat," but that's not necessarily how she'll take it.

TCU is making the grade with its new proposed system of evaluating student academics.The Academic Excellence Committee of the Faculty Senate is currently working to implement a new grading system as early as Fall 2007. Instead of the existing system consisting of simply A's, B's, C's and so on, pluses and minuses will be thrown into the mix. Though the OK has not yet been given, this new method of grading has already been the catalyst of much controversy around campus.

The Main will begin offering healthier late-night options today, and Frog Bytes now carries organic food in response to student demands, a Sodexho representative said.The Grill in The Main is offering wraps so that students still have healthy options after 8 p.m., said Legia Abato, marketing director for Sodexho.

Alissa Garner, chairwoman of the Dining Services Committee for the Student Government Association, said: "That's something that always comes up, the healthiness of cafeteria food. After a semester of pushing for it, we're finally starting to see some changes."

A new Speaker of the House was named Tuesday for the Student Government Association at the first official House of Student Representatives meeting of the semester. John Campbell, a junior political science major, resigned from the position two weeks ago for personal reasons before ever serving at a meeting, Vice President Jace Thompson said.

Thomas Pressly, a freshman political science major, was elected 18-4 to fill Campbell's position as Speaker of the House after submitting an application and answering questions in front of the House.

The women's team also opened its season with a victory over the University of North Texas, 7-0. The Frogs did not lose a match in either singles or doubles play, and the only set lost during the day came through a tiebreaker. TCU, ranked No. 14 in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's preseason poll, was also selected in December for the 2006 USTA/ITA National Team Indoor Championships. This is the first time the Frogs have been selected for the event, which starts Feb. 2 and lasts until Feb. 5.

"Why do they think this is front-page news?" said one of my classmates about the recent exposure in the Skiff about the drug and alcohol controversy surrounding the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity house. As I overheard this complaint about the article, I thought to myself, "Why not use it as front-page news?" After all, the exposure, however damaging to the fraternity's reputation, is interesting news that exemplifies some of my main ideals about journalism: to provide readers with truthful and valuable information as provided by the First Amendment.