Tuesday was super.

The Glass House rocked, didn't rock.

Elementary schoolers were adorable.

Religion and politics didn't mix.

A Columbia sports team actually won a game...

... even though Coach Joe Jones was splitting his time between the court and his on-the-side puppy transport business. This one is maybe not so obvious.

In which Bwog daily editor Alexandra Muhler examines whether enormous infusions of the administration's money can make a Thursday night on campus enjoyable.

The crowds were thick at Lerner tonight for an event excessively fond of wink-wink references to wink-wink cultural icons (event t-shirts had "Glass House Rocks" on the front and "Best Thursday Ever" on the back). Stepping into the packed building, I fretted over whether the awkwardness of running into half the people I know would be worth campus clubs' booths, snacks, and performances.

A number of the club-dedicated tables and rooms were terrific. Alongside inappropriately sober community service clubs playing videos of starving children in Third World nations were spicier groups like Conversio Virium, which distributed a connect-the-dots worksheet inappropriate for publication on a family-oriented blog. Also notable was the Chinese Student Club's tea-pong room, and the noticeably diminished skill of all its abstemious (2 IDs to drink) players.

Last night, the ESC and their political colleagues assembled for its second formal meeting of the semester. Policy, Glass House Rocks, and mystery were aplenty. Bwogger Tony Gong reports.

The meeting began unremarkably as several representatives of outside groups began to brag about all the things they had done. First up was the CC '09 Class Council, who used the time to present its "Art of Community" campaign, which is a series of projects that aim to "utilize aspects of the vibrant culture present in our community in the form of art, and performance." One initiative involves Columbia students attaching their crayon drawings of "personal images of Columbia" onto Low Steps, fulfilling the important two-pronged objective of community expression and community pollution. I immediately began working on my personal image, which involved PrezBo holding hands with a dinosaur in front of Hamilton Deli.

Directly following that, a student services representative insightfully explained to us that stress was "not a good thing." To remedy student stress, the Student Mental Health Services may be installing an online forum where students reveal secrets for public display, which sounds like it will cause even more stress.

The 2006-07 school year has contained multitudes. In fact, it may just be the most eventful year Columbia's had since... well, the year before. Remember Matthew Fox? The Chung-Diamond "scandal"? "Don't Be a Pussy"? "Epilogue to Our Crime & Punishment: A Petition"? Bwog certainly does, so step into the Wayback machine - you're about to relive nine months of Columbia in a single post.

August

First-years move in. Orientation yields a legendary (to Bwog's mind, at least) week-long burst of posting. Addison Anderson went to a bunch of bars in the name of "journalism." Most literary post: "And now for some disorientation," which reads like early Bret Easton Ellis, if he knew about Koronet's. Orientation week was the best.

September

Facebook went literally insane. Then calmed down somewhat. Harvard abandoned ED; Columbia did not. Columbia Football had as-yet uncrushed high hopes, later crushed. Seth Flaxman declared victory. Best villains: Zuckerberg! Murphy! Ahmadinejad! You know, one of those.

October

Everything was coming up roses for Mark Modesitt. 1968 spirit was invoked by Jim Gilchrist. The fallout was immense - shady disciplinary letters, "news" coverage of all sorts (Jon Stewart, Fox News). Even Bwog had an opinion. But October wasn't all about relevant television coverage of Columbia issues with high production values - we also had "The Gates"!
Best correspondence to Bwog: "Subject: terrorists. your worse then the mooselums who flew the planes into the buildings"

For those of you who rocked Glass House Rocks on Thursday night, perhaps we can admit that, for once, Lerner couldn't have been put to better purpose.

If you were fortunate enough to show up in the earlier half, food was (for the time being) in great abundance — some of the delights included international treats by the Culinary Society, baklava and falafel (corrected) from the Arab Students Organization, and tasty sausage bits from the Polish Club. The 2010 class councils proved to be better than your loaded neighbors on Halloween, transforming the piano lounge into a Willy Wonka room stocked with sweets through the evening.

The place really got moving, however, a bit after 10 PM, when the fashionably late student body began rushing in for the evening's events. Meanwhile, improv and a capella groups provided entertainment throughout the night. Several student organizations took to the sides in carnival style, with various distractions including Dance Dance Revolution, ballroom dancing lessons, and poker tournaments.

The much-anticipated half-time show was a hit as usual, drawing the crowd with a spectrum of campus dance groups performing in a well-executed program that nearly shattered the ramps. When all else simmered down, remaining students dispersed between multiple dance parties and the lower-key amusements (if you can call large-screen Guitar Hero in the cinema low-key). The evening was, of course, complete with its quirky characters. Visitors included our endearingly-named mascot, a constantly reappearing Christmas elf, and the King of Rock'n'Roll himself. Any possible explanation for the elf is greatly appreciated.


Photos and commentary on the madness after the jump.

- MIP

For those of you who rocked Glass House Rocks on Thursday night, perhaps we can admitthat for once, Lerner couldn't have been put to better u se.

If you were fortunate enough to show up in the earlier half, food was (for the time being) in great abundance — some of the delights included international treats by the Culinary Society, baklava and samosas from the Arab Studenst Organization, and tasty sausage bits from the Polish Club. The 2010 class councils proved to be better than your loaded neighbors on Halloween, transforming the piano lounge into a Willy Wonka room stocked with sweets through the evening.

The place really got moving, however, a bit after 10 PM, when the fashionably late student body began rushing in for the evening's events. In the meantime improv and a capella groups provided entertainment throughout the evening. Organizations took to the sides in carnival style, with various distractions including Dance Dance Revolution, ballroom dancing lessons, and poker tournaments.

The much-anticipated half-time show was a hit as usual, drawing the crowd with a spectrum of campus dance groups performing in a well-executed program that nearly shattered the ramps. When all else simmered down, remaining students dispersed between multiple dance parties and the lower-key amusements (if you can call large-screen Guitar Hero in the cinema low-key). The evening was, of course, complete with its quirky characters, with visitors including our endearingly-named mascot, a constantly reappearing Christmas elf, and the King of Rock'n'Roll himself. Bwog greatly appreciates any explanation for the elf.


Photos of the madness after the jump.

- MIP

Glass House Rocks starts in ONE HOUR. Get there soon before the PILES and PILES of FREE FOOD run out...like they did last year. Also make sure to check out ballroom dancing lessons, the Gay Marriage (Dems), Date That Dictator / Hit That Head of State (Model UN), Sex and Chocolate (ALICE! and the PanHellenic Council), and Seth Flaxman in a tuxedo (himself).

Or, if you've got better things to do, get a full report from Bwog when the house stops rocking.