Here at the Bwog, we're fans of the underdog, the little guy, you know, the little train that could so to speak. So when it comes to consumerism, corporations and all that jazz, we support locally-owned independent businesses. As detailed in the current issue of The Blue and White, Morningside Heights unfortunately has succumbed to the fetters of the chain gang in recent years.

But today, November 22nd is America Unchained Day, a holiday celebrating locally-owned businesses that have remained free from corporate conquest. No holiday, however, can be properly celebrated without an obligatory sale. You've heard of Memorial Day sales, you've heard of Independence Day sales, you've heard of Labor Day sales, but today Book Culture brings you something new - an America Unchained Day Sale! From now until 8 PM, Book Culture, is hosting a special one day sale and book event: 10% off everything in the store, excluding text books and periodicals!

The sale offers an excellent way to get started on your holiday shopping and at the same to make the most of your money. And the best part is this is conscientious consumerism: you'll be supporting (and injecting potentially millions more dollars) into the local economy. Tis the season, after all.

Don't forget, you can also embrace the spirit of the holiday at other locally owned Morningside Heights establishments, like Janoff's, Mondel's Chocolate and if you're feeling particularly charitable, the Morningside Bookshop.

Iceland's President keeps his politics cool, and then in a snowy flourish, he was gone.

Radio Perfecto came and went... and now it's time for something completely different.

Columbia's Capital Campaign gets a boost.

Battle of the Editorials: It's Kwame vs. Ariel!

Battle of the Books: It's Barnes & Noble vs. Book Culture!

After Saturday's Flag Day and Sunday's Father's Day, our glorious three-day holiday trifecta continues as Bwog would like to take the opportunity to wish everyone a very merry Bloomsday, a special day reserved for celebrating the events of a book we most likely have not read.

Every year, on June 16th, bibliophiles commemorate James Joyce's Ulysses, which follows protagonist Leopold Bloom as he wanders around Dublin on that same date in 1904.

Local James Joyce retailer Book Culture features nothing on its calendar indicating any Bloomsday reading, but Symphony Space, on Broadway and 95th, will be holding a performance of the Ithaca Episode and Molly Bloom's soliloquy tonight at 7 PM. Also starting at that same time and going until 4 AM, 99.5 WBAI will be broadcasting its annual Radio Bloomsday, which features readings from Ulysses and Joyce's other works, and stars apparent Joyceans Alec Baldwin and Anne Meara, among others.

If you know of any other Joyce-centric activities, use the comment thread and we'll update the post.

Book Culture (or "Labyrinth" for the stubborn) has joined The Internets in the form of a new-ish blog, aptly titled Book Culture. The blog features genuinely informative posts about upcoming readings in the area, Q&As with visiting authors and tips for purchasing textbooks—though one disgruntled student explained that the best tip on buying coursebooks from Book Culture is not buying coursebooks from Book Culture. Photos of empty shelves, the storefront's Gothic exterior, and their new sign constitute a fair number of posts too, but of course a blog wouldn't be a blog without some geeky self-indulgence.