Those of you who have stepped onto the subway recently might have noticed a new series of advertisements featuring famous quotes from the likes of everyone from Edith Wharton to Galileo. The sponsor of the subway's most intellectual wallpaper? Alma Mater, naturally.

It's unclear what benefits the University is receiving (if any) by having its name plastered next to advertisements for law firms specializing in asbestos malpractice. Though against the backdrop of the sordid history of subway posters (remember The Tudors? The Six Degrees disasters of 2006?), Bwog's actually quite grateful for the quote-ads.

As we reported earlier, last week, a Columbia facilities employee jumped three tracks to save a man who had fallen off the subway platform. (Though apparently, the fallen man had fallen due to drunkenness, and not a stroke.) The facilities worked is Veeramuthu Kalimuthu (known as Kali), and his story has since been picked up by Gawker, WCBS, and the Drudge Report. You can watch WCBS' interview here, by clicking on the "Watercooler" on the right.

Remember how we also reported that he had gone back and jumped over the rails to get back to the other side of the subway? According to WCBS, it was so that he could get back home to his wife and kids. (Aw!)

Kali for class speaker!

Tipster Jason Patinkin relays to Bwog the following story: Apparently a man at the 116th subway stop fainted of what was perceived to be a heart attack or a stroke. The man tumbled off the platform and landed on the uptown track. Subway patrons waiting on the platform began yelling, and one ran upstairs to tell the MTA employees working in the booth on the ground level what had happened.

Suddenly, a Columbia facilities worker—identifiable as such because of the logo on his blue jacket—jumped down from the into the tracks and traversed the third rail and started to hoist the fallen man off the track. With help from those standing on the platform, the unconscious man was lifted up to safety, and the facilities worker sprinted across the tracks to the downtown side, "because he's that awesome." The entire subway platform burst into applause.

"A hero walks in our midst," writes Patinkin.

Bwog overheard some OLs on the uptown 1 headed back from the Met excursion and decided to inquire about NSOP's first big event.

Bwog: Were you guys just at the Met?

Girl OL: Yeah! We left early.

Boy: I'm not even an OL! Or a freshman!

Girl: He's just my friend!

Bwog: So was it fun? Were there a lot of people there?

Girl: There were a lot of people there. The whole first floor of the Met was crowded.

Bwog: Did anything exciting happen?

Girl: We got Gummi Bears.

Boy: And these water bottles. I wasn't supposed to get one. But I did.

Bwog always thought there was something high art about the lurid yellow and blue of MetroCards. In the token booth of the116th st. B/C subway station on Frederick Douglass Blvd., a geometric genius has made numerous tiny sculptures (twin towers, a crucifix, subway cars) all out of the little subway passes. They're super cute.

More photos after the jump.

Bwog is inclined to giggle at the absurdity of this one, but then wants to break down in tears.

A disgruntled man took a chainsaw to a postal worker on the platform of the 110th street subway station this morning. Two chainsaws, actually. The victim told the Associated Press, "He just kept stabbing me and stabbing me and stabbing me."

A suspect has been apprehended for the crime -- he gave himself away when he randomly punched someone in the neighborhood two hours later.

This comes only a few weeks after the random stabbings of four people by a homeless man in or around subway cars and stations.

Update: Spec has an account of the attack which involves arm pumping.

These political statements spotted on a Brooklyn bound A train. These activists should know when to cut their losses. It's a bit too late for the Phillipines.

For the past few days, there has been a crudely constructed fence in the 116th street subway station. Confused onlookers don't know what to make of this barnyard addition to our fair city, and raise their eyebrows in passing. When an amused Bwog politely asked the station attendant why it was there, he seemed annoyed and insulted. Apparently, he's been getting this question a lot. "It's not just a gimmick," he snapped. "It's there for a reason."

The reason? A few tiles in that area of the floor are loose, and the MTA deemed the construction of a wooden corral as the most cost-effective way to keep people from walking on them. Maybe they're out of barricades? Or maybe they just wanted to get back to their country roots—in which case, we're still waiting for our invitation to the hoedown.

Remember coming to Columbia and thinking that you would do fun, exciting things in the city? Right, we don't either. But tonight, there is an opportunity to redeem yourself:

What: A party in the subway!
When: 1 AM tonight (Thursday night/Friday morning)
Where: Downtown Q Platform, 34th Street/Herald Square Station
Theme: EXTREME LOVE (Dress accordingly)

Few things crack Bwog's aloof, cynical shell. This is one of them.

It happens to the best of us. Happily, all of us at Bwog have faith that the 231st street station will find the strength in its heart to get through this difficult time, but only with the support of its MTA family and through learning to respect itself. Once the station regains belief in its own inherent worth, we know that this obstacle will be but a broken track in the subway tunnel of life.