Spotted in Lerner: Matthew Fox used to sell meal plans and dining dollars. Quoth his visage: "You may want me to get LOST on Class Day, but I can't get enough of the Ferris Booth Lunch Special! Sign up online for your plan today!"

We're not sure how many people present on Class Day could possibly be interested (or eligible) for meals or dining dollars, but we can't help but applaud Housing & Dining for keeping up on its campus gossip.

Yes, we know that October 4th was almost two weeks ago and most of you are sick of it, but there's still a bit of news trickling in that we thought we'd share.

Item # 1: We reported earlier that several protesters had been sent letters enumerating the charges against them, and they met with administrators today regarding their punishment. Bwog is not at liberty to report any more details at this time. The Columbia Protesters Defense Committee, however, has been busy, posting flyers all over campus this afternoon to generate support. They might need it: Professor Rodolfo de la Garza, in a forum tonight on immigration, blasted the protesters for trying to get themselves off the hook. "There's a sense in which if you participate in a demonstration, good for you. But don't say, Columbia, you can't punish me," he said, pointing emphatically. "We're too old to give freebies. We pay our way."

Item # 2: Today literary theorist Stanley Fish, in his New York Times blog, called Gilchrist's speech a "piece of entertainment," calling out "Chris Kulawick" for intentionally provoking a response (well Chris, at least this won't show up on Google). Apparently it's persuaded some people. In the days following the protest, Claudio Lomnitz, head of the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race, circulated a letter within the department in support of the protesters, but said in the same forum that he has reconsidered since reading Professor Fish's blog.

Item # 3: Footage of Karina Garcia v. Jim Gilchrist on Democracy Now has been YouTubed. Okay, that's not really news, but two items does not a Daily Minute make!

- LBD

Bwog doesn't quite know what to say about this sign, encountered unexpectedly in a stairwell to a bus platform. Fragments here, full advertisement after the jump.

We know who Walid Shoebat is. We know who Baruch Goldstein is. And heck, we even know who Chris Kulawik is.

But who's V47? Bwog commandeth: reveal thyself!

Bwog typically refrains from posting about events unless we're nepostically promoting our own, but those Klever Klaritin Kids proved themselves worthy. Take your minds off deepening polarization in the academic environment for an hour and indulge in sketch comedy!

If you happened to be watching Fox News this morning at 8:15 AM--because that's how Bwog likes to wake up--you might have seen a group of students with big signs behind the cameras. And if you looked closely enough, you would have seen a couple of Columbia faces: Dems member Nathan Morgante, CC '09, and Josh Bolotsky, CC '07 and this year's president of the College Democrats of New York. These kids, along with several others from Fordham and St. John's college, got up early to protest Chris Wallace's treatment of Bill Clinton on the most recent edition of Fox News Sunday, which sent blogs buzzing and progressives taking victory laps on behalf of their dear leader.

Careful to appear unthreatening, the Dems shuffled up to their post, stood quietly for a few minutes, and shuffled away. No cries of "Where's the third plane?"or "Faux News!" Just a good clean way to start the day.

From flyers posted in EC elevators:

Dear Residents of East Campus,

In preparation for the new school year, we recently shampooed the carpets throughout your building. Unfortunately due to the excessive humidity this week, some carpets still haven't dried properly. To rectify the situation we will be raising the temperature of the A/C units to approximately 70 degrees.

We are asking for your assistance by keeping your units on for the next few days. The weather forecast is for cool temperatures (65 - 75 degrees), so we expect this change to have little impact on resident comfort....

Sincerely,

Housing Services

UPDATE: Facilities workers were spotted shampooing EC floors this morning, seemingly giving the lie to the notion that the carpets "still haven't dried properly," and instead suggesting, "It's September and we decided not to shampoo the floors until all the Columbia students moved in, cause we make sense like that." Developing...

This is an old bulletin board in East Campus.


If this note is to be believed, the policy is still in effect.



("WTF happened to no parties? If you give us a hard time this year, we will have your legs broken.")

Striding across College Walk, Bwog correspondent Gautam Hans sighted the Blood Drive Van and made this keen observation:

"Although the Red Cross and other blood donation agencies are famous for not allowing men who've had anal sex with other men to donate (due to FDA regulations), some staff member was either being sly or not thinking when putting a sign on the front of the van reading "PLEASE ENTER THROUGH THE BACK DOOR." Looks like the van itself is less picky than the organization that runs it."

Entirely independently, tipster Peter Mende-Siedlecki sent us this news of sexual subliminal messaging. It's everywhere!

Overseas Bwog correspondent Nick Frisch found this gem of a translation in People's Square, Shanghai, China.

Quoth the adventurer: "Want to make a lot of money in China? Forget econ; just major in English."

Flyer found in John Jay and Broadway this evening. We kid you not:

Update: The fridge has an icemaker.

The LLC: always a treasure trove of crazy shit.

First, Bwog ran across boxes begging for the anonymous return of John Jay plates, silverware, and salt and pepper shakers, like those boxes at summer camp where counselors told you to put your drugs when no one was looking, no questions asked. I mean, we all do it.

Then, Bwog noticed a little note scrawled on the corner of a poster calling out an ethnic slur. Surely, the best forum for fighting racism and intolerance in all its forms.

Finally, there is a couch in Hartley's fast elevator. Said a Bwog tipster at 3:30 AM: "I'm sitting on it right now...The absurd part is that I get wireless internet here, sitting inside this thick-walled metal box, and not in my room."

Taped to SGO doors in Lerner:

Jester
No distr.
today - magazines
did not come
Tomorrow?

Bwog was hoping that
Jester would arrive today
But it will survive

Can't wait? Check out the new issue online!

Today at about 9:15 AM, the fire alarm in Hamilton went off for the second time in as many days. Students who had just arrived at class left their lessons, filed out the doors, waited around sleepily for about 5 minutes, and then went back inside when they realized the coast was clear.

Apparently, the building was not actually on fire. Which, while good news for the university overall, seems hard to believe when put in the context of Columbia's new policy of no false alarms. Ever.

Bwog cannot help but feel that the University Administration has lied to us with this new ad campaign. Still, for the record, we have no problem with false fire alarms in academic buildings during pleasant Spring days. It's those early Friday morning bell tests in residence halls that really need to be done away with.

Ever wonder how Saussure would interpret the Flex party's campaign posters? Sam Cohen, the Blue and White's official semiotician, has the answer.

First off, what is semiotics?
Semiotics is the study of symbols and signs. This includes both written/textual symbols, as in words, as well as things like traffic signs and cultural icons, basically everything that attempts to communicate information. The goal of semiotics is to describe what makes a sign a sign, how it conveys its information and what steps are taken to understand it.

What are your qualifications as the B&W's official semiotician?
In high school, I took a class in semiotics

So looking at this poster from the Flex party, what message does it convey to you?
Reinforcing one's message is very important and Flex decides to beat us over the head with theirs. The icon of strength is supported by the signifier "STRONG" referring to the same referant (to mix Saussure and Pierce in an exciting new brand of semiotics!). The message is simple and powerful, vote for us, or we'll beat the crap out of you, we're strong.