- An eager crowd awaits the band's entrance

After entering to the usual "Roar Lion Roar," the Columbia University Marching Band noted that, due to the recession, this year's show would be sponsored by the Columbia University Show. "We also thank the Varsity Show," a band member opined, "for lowering expectations for the past 35 years." As the Hillel-distributed stress balls flew in the air over the spectators (one eventually landing in a tuba sousaphone), many were still looking for seats, but the band told them not to worry: "if you can't hear the jokes, there'll be plenty seats open by intermission."

Thus began one of the best Orgo Nights in recent memory, though, in typical marching band fashion, some of the jokes skirted the edge of tastefulness. Surprisingly, the end of the election and the departure did not dampen the band's taste for political humor- the first two segments focused on Ann Coulter (simply described as "fucking crazy" and Fox News respectively (with "Beat It" and "More Than A Feeling" mixed in), and mostly had fun at "Coultergeist's" expense, including asking "If she thinks kindergartners are being taught fisting in kindergarten, what are they being taught in high school?

Loyalty is not something ingrained in students at this spirit-deprived school. Even with all the excitement, we knew deep inside that Barack Obama (CC '83, now some kind of important person) would never speak at Class Day.

After all, what with saving the world, how could he possibly have time to visit his Alma Mater?

As it turned out, our intuition was correct – Obama won't be our Class Day speaker. He'll be the commencement speaker for other schools.

That's right, schools, pluralized. Two days ago, the White House issued a little-noticed press release announcing that Barack Obama would serve as commencement speaker at three colleges: Arizona State, Notre Dame, and the US Naval Academy.

Bwog's analysis would suggest that he'll touch on themes such as "the economy," "the future," and "you unemployable history majors."

The press release promises "more details" at a later date, but we're not holding our breath. We're too bitter.

- Image by Joe Schumacher

Want to sightsee, but worried about finishing that paper on time? Why not visit an alley?

Well, more specifically, the alley where Barack Obama spent his first night in New York, as he mentioned in Dreams from My Father. Arriving at his new apartment only to find no one to let him in, Obama enjoyed the alley's fine hospitality, and in the morning availed himself of the local shower (a.k.a the hydrant).

And it's not hard to access - Gothamist tipped us off yesterday to a Harlem blogger's fine photos of the locale. You can also check out his photos of Obama's various former residences on West 109th, East 94th, and West 114th Streets. Hurry, before they're commercialized!

Despite the cold, Columbians have turned out in force for the inauguration viewing on Low Plaza. If you were hoping to see Obama's speech outside, prepare to stand at the back.

Whether you're in DC, around New York, or on campus, send in your Inauguration Day photos to bwgossip@columbia.edu. For those of you staying in to watch the speech, there are a plethora of options, including C-SPAN and CNN.

Two pieces of (somewhat) Obama-related media: first, one of his first college roommates writes about their time together in the fall of 1981. Phil Boerner '84, who transferred with Obama from Occidental, remembers Obama that, "as a host and roommate, he sometimes did the shopping and cooked the chicken curry." Oh, and Obama may have spent so much time in the library because "our apartment had irregular heat, and we didn't enjoy hanging out there once the weather got cold." The pair also hit up establishments that Columbia students still haunt, including Tom's ("for breakfast"), the Met, and the Central Park jogging loop.

Meanwhile, in the New York Times, author Kevin Baker '80 decides that, because he "came to New York, and to Columbia University, just a few years before Barack Obama arrived in 1981," he should remind us what New York was like in the early 80s. "It was a dirtier city then, more violent, more interesting," he writes, "more accessible to poor, eager young people." Still, "everything seemed like a revelation, right from the first day at Columbia, when my art humanities professor took us to St. John the Divine and explained what a Gothic cathedral was." Some things never change.

Better late than never: one week before his inauguration, an article Barack Obama wrote for the now-defunct campus magazine The Sundial has finally surfaced in full on Politico. The article had first been excerpted in the class notes section of Columbia College's alumni magazine's November/December issue.

Written in the spring of 1983, just months before Obama's graduation, the article lauds two campus groups - Arms Race Alternatives and Students Against Militarism - for their anti-war efforts. Declaring that "the more sensitive among us struggle to extrapolate experiences of war from our everyday experience," Obama compliments the two groups on bringing "the words of that formidable roster on the face of Butler Library, names like Thoreau, Jefferson, and Whitman, to bear on the twisted logic of which we are today a part." Oh, and he quotes Peter Tosh, which Bwog considers nothing less than awesome.

As Politico puts it, "this is not exactly his best work, but it offers a new glimpse of his very conventional campus liberalism of the time." Somehow, though, Bwog doubts this would've changed anyone's vote.

A quick roundup of some of headlines that appeared in our inbox in the past few days:

For all those who have resolved to go to get fit in the new year, there may be no better example of the benefits than Barack Obama - he began his now-famous commitment to fitness as a senior at Columbia.

Cut out the sugar cubes: Medical Center researchers have linked blood sugar spikes to memory loss.

Women's basketball star Judie Lomax was named to the Naismith Trophy Early Season watch list, the only player from the Ivy League on the list.

Finally, Bwog salutes former Rhode Island Senator Claiborne Pell, architect of the Pell Grant program, who died yesterday at the age of 90. Pell recieved a master's in history from Columbia in 1946, and Columbia ranks 1st among private universities in percentage of students recieving Pell Grants.

Three pieces of Columbia-related real-world news: first, some dude named Barack Obama has been chosen as TIME Magazine's Person of the Year. The most interesting part of the feature are "previously unpublished photos" of a very cool lookin' Obama, taken while he was at Occidental, a year before arriving at Columbia. One of the photos (at right) has a cigarette that looks enough like a blunt that Matt Drudge has it up on his front page already.

In endowment news, Yale estimates that its endowment has fallen 25% since the end of June, further adding that it expects no growth until fiscal 2011. As a result, Yale will be cutting expenses by slowing salary growth and delaying construction of several new buildings.

Finally, a Columbia University tech start-up has won a national award. Hey, if this is a good time to found a bank, maybe tech start-ups can work as well.

Let's be honest, Columbia: most of you voted for Barack Obama, and many of you would like to see the swearing in of Columbia's first graduate to reach the Oval Office. Sadly, though, the first day of classes falls on the same day (January 20) as the inauguration, leaving you to wonder "why not give us the day - or at least the morning - off?"

The Columbia administration rejects your pathetic attempts at logic. Instead, according to an official PrezBo communiqué, they've decided to use the go-to method for all important university events: "a 'Jumbo Tron' screen will show the inauguration live on Low Library Plaza beginning at approximately 11:00 a.m." The screening will take place "unless there are extremely severe conditions," and hot chocolate and warm cider will be there to keep you (luke)warm.

Of course, this entire post is predicated on the belief that PrezBo's e-mail scribe meant to write "JumboTron," not a gigantic 1982 movie (although it would be interesting to watch the inauguration parade as one big lightbike race). Full e-mail after the jump.

New Public School curriculum will save lives!

New Squash Center will save youth!

New Reading Day will "increase productivity".

New Administration, same politics.

New Coach, nothing else changes...

Bwog has just received word that President-elect Barack Obama has tapped a former Columbian Eric Holder, CC '73 and J.D. '76, to fill the shoes of yet another illustrious Columbia alum Michael Mukasey, CC '63, as the next Attorney General of the United States.

You might remember Holder for his brief stint as acting Attorney General between January 20, 2001 and February 2, 2001 while the Senate delayed its confirmation of the controversial John Ashcroft, or perhaps even better for his more famous position as Deputy Attorney General in the Clinton administration from 1997 to early 2001 where he was at the center of the firestorm surrounding the controversial pardon of financier Mark Rich. You may even have noticed he's a University Trustee.

While Holder remains to be vetted by the Obama administration and confirmed by the Senate, he looks to be the first African-American head of the Justice Department. Bwog sends Mr. Holder its congratulations, and hopes for several more Columbians in the cabinet!

You mean Obama didn't single-handedly end racism and injustice in America?

Michelle...she's elegant, stylish, and intelligent!

007007007007007007007007

More puppies: the change we need!

"But, he's James Franco. It's just not a big deal."

Just leave it on the runway, honey.

Are you kept up at night by financial fears? Yes...but PrezBo is always there for me with his consoling words.

Are you proud to be an American now with an Obama Presidency? Yes...but Obama's Presidency could be as disastrous as the Trojan War was for the Greeks! Wait, who won that war? Better check Sparknotes...

Are you scared to go to 1020 with the crime spree in the area? Yes...but now you just drink some delicious yuletide lager in your room for less than half the price.

Are you happy that your alma mater's military veterans marched in a parade? Yes...but making more vets is a terrible idea!

That Debora Spar. Did we mention she doesn't knit?

Big Goverment Spectator probably wants to raise your taxes too

Obamania grumble grumble movement building tsk tsk

Now you can talk like you ran the NYC marathon too!

In the wake of yesterday's historic election, your President has reached out to CU alums. Ha, oh no, not that President.

PrezBo has just emailed the alumni listserv in celebration of last night's victory. "All of us who have graduated from Columbia have special reason for excitement," he wrote.

Undergrads, of course, have received no such email, as unlike PrezBo and Barack Obama and every member of the alumni listserv, they have not actually graduated and therefore have no "special reason for excitement."

PrezBo directs the alums to the University's official press release about the election. In the brief article, PrezBo also gives a gracious shoutout to McCain, who is "part of the Columbia family," via his daughter, erstwhile blogger Meghan McCain, CC '07.

Full secret alumni-only PrezBo communique after the jump.