Our Hero is making some appearances by the church, probably to enjoy the nice weather and the sparrows and pigeons that hang out there.

Jeff Chou sent in the following picture of H-dad perched on a lamp by the chapel.

AND Hawkmadinejad made his YouTube debut via an accidental filming by Xavier Estevez! He's even got his own tab tag! Video and note from Estavez after the jump.

Too much to sift through on YouTube? Life's hard. Bwog's here to help.

There's nothing as bad as being in Butler on a Saturday night. But, instead of wasting your study break tonight on another disappointing episode of SNL, Bwog suggests checking out Sarah Dooley's (BC '11) delightful YouTube series, AndSarah.

Sarah's face may be familiar to you, but her acting and writing will surprise you. In each of the series' three episodes, Sarah offers clever and carefully crafted portraits of the life and times of college freshman. Her character is a caricature of herself, awkwardly idiosyncratic and simultaneously accessible to all undergraduates.

Her self-conscious fidgets and sputters are well-timed and reinforce her ridiculous, and often poignant, blunders. Although it takes a couple of minutes to get used to Sarah's mannerisms in the first episode, it's impossible to resist her lessons in people watching on College Walk and lunching alone in Hewitt.

While Bwog is trying to avoid posting YouTube video after YouTube video about CCSC—well, no we're not—we couldn't resist this gem from the LE:MON boys.

Plus, it gives us a chance to tease the upcoming Bwog Political Personals™ feature, coming in the next few days. Potential "Kristens" take note.

It's raining. You're not going outside. Good thing we've got a bunch of videos shot on the campus in sunlight.

1. You never thought you'd see a homemade Radiohead video shot in John Jay. Well, OK, maybe you did:

What WAS that last night?

Now you know.

Incidentally, Bwog loves videos. If you have original footage of Columbia life, send it on in.

YouTube can be a goldmine when you're bored enough.

Remember Reni Laine? Frontiers of science girl? The blonde wasp?

Well she ended up on Gawker again, this time for some suspicious "Webby" awards. The occasion's not important, but you know what is? Her nipple!

While some would be mortified, Reni seems to take it in stride...

UPDATE 10:37 EST: Stop complaining the first picture shows too little nipple (you dirty dirty people), here's more scandal, enjoy.

As Columbia student groups discover technology, we give you the best of their efforts.

It's a whole new world for the Dems, reenergized after their elections last month. According to new president Josh Lipsky, next year the group will be putting on three to five events per week, as well as creating dozens of new "umbrella groups" on issues from gay marriage to civil liberties. As part of its hip new image, the new administration has put together a promotional video for its arm wrestling contest next Thursday, featuring the other President Flaxman rocking a tight superhero shirt. "If we, as activists, have to act ridiculous to get people to care about Iraq, then that's what we'll do," declares Elvis-costumed Public Affairs director Jonathan Backer.

Um, good luck kids.

On a more serious note, Asian American Alliance's incoming president Calvin Sun (who's going to be busy next year--he's also Michelle Diamond's replacement as CC '08's Vice President) alerted us to two short videos he directed on eating disorders among Asian Americans. With quickly cut together interviews of AAA members, they're an interesting window on body image problems specific to that group, although the abstract photomontage at the end was a bit much. Part one here, part two here.

What? You're not already sick of the amateur parodies of SNL's "Special Christmas Box" that have been pollinating YouTube for months? You want to see law students pretend they have an iota of creativity by donning fake beards and Orthodox Jewish outfits to present you with boxes full of...Bagels with Lox? That's the theme of the featured hit for this year's Law Revue (get it?), "A Special Finals Care Package" (keep them coming...)

For those who haven't caught on, the Revue is a sort of V-Show equivalent bred among the huddled masses yearning to breathe free in Jerome Greene's claustrophobic library (Bwog enjoys waving to them enroute to EC, hoping to get some response). This year's title (referencing said library, and indicating writers who just can't seem to pun enough): "Arthur Diamonds are Forever".

-CJS

Akon has two new singles out and three still on the charts. Bwog music critic Bryan Mochizuki asks what, exactly, he's giving us.

I wrote a much longer piece for this week on Akon, Einstein, populism, and "Smack That." But it topped out at like 1,754 words, which I think is around 1,752 more than anyone else cares about the topic. Here's the gist: if you're passing up on Akon because you can't stand "Smack That" or "I Wanna Fuck You," understand that's not really Akon. It's an imbecilic, over-sexed distillation that's entirely contrary to his true nature. The only similarity is that both Akon and Bizarro are catchy as fuck—fine for filling MTV troughs, but there's not much to them besides the catchiness.

Take a pretty archetypal radio jam — Beyonce's "Irreplacable." Hate it or love it, you know (or you think you know) a hell of a lot about Beyonce after just three-and-a-half minutes. "Smack That"? Not really happening. I can't know for sure, but I'm 99% positive that Akon did this on purpose, especially considering the agency that comes with owning his label and being his own go-to songwriter and producer. He knew collaborations with Snoop and Eminem would guarantee him mad sales. And he knew if he made these songs clownish, atypical, and bereft enough, not only would they not reflect badly on the rest of the album, they'd make his typical swagger look extraordinary...

"Don't Matter" - Akon

So now his third single is "Don't Matter," a goofily saccharine "us against the world" ditty that tingles with old-school vibe. On the heels of "I Wanna Fuck You," it sounds like the most sincere shit ever written. The juxtaposition takes it from an "aww" track to "that's fucking ADORABLE and I don't even use that word!" And consequently, the super chintzy video doesn't seem chintzy whatsoever. Akon? More like A-MERLIN son! I'm making bad jokes and it seems entirely ok because I'm listening to "Don't Matter." This song is not that good. But it is.

Lost actress Elizabeth Mitchell dished on the Daily 10 recently about, well, Lost--and why those crazy Columbia kids would have a problem with her buddy Matt speaking at Class Day. Ha ha ha.

Interviewer: They were unhappy that he was picked to speak on class day. Do you think perhaps that it was his advocacy of skinny dipping that might have pushed them over the edge?
Mitchell: Ha! For college students, to not skinny dip? I think it was probably alright there. I think that he was probably fine there. I can't imagine why they wouldn't want him, intelligent, well spoken, sexy.
Interviewer: Very nice guy. I think he's a good-looking guy myself.
Mitchell: There you go, he crosses.

UPDATE, 8:40 PM: Looks like Princeton got another C-list actor for their Class Day--but it's BRADLEY WHITFORD (a.k.a. the best character on The West Wing maybe ever). Bwog might have to be in New Jersey on June 4.

For those of us who spent Thursday night watching Grey's Anatomy instead of CTV's soap opera premiere, The Gates, our strange dream of watching fellow Columbians act like melodramatic fellow Columbians is now realized! Watch the drama unfold in the poor quality tradition of YouTube. (See the links below.) Oh the suspense!

The Gates Pilot Part 1

The Gates Pilot Part 2

The Gates Pilot Part 3

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

Can't get enough of them Republicans: Chris "one day I'll be on them all" Kulawik and protester Monique Dols appeared tonight on Fox's Heartland with John Kasich. The show will air again at 1:00 AM.

A few more news items: None of the protesters Bwog has found has yet been contacted by Public Safety regarding punishment, and we haven't found an administrator that can tell us either. This could mean one of three things:

a. They are craftily plotting to entrap the protesters on their way to class on Monday.

b. Since there's no formal discipline procedure for this kind of thing, they can't figure out what to do.

c. They've decided that, if they ignore the situation, it will all just go away.

The People on the Stage (yeah, you know who they are) will hold a press conference on Monday at 11:00 AM at the Gates with members of the National Lawyers Guild, a group dedicated to progressive advocacy. On Wednesday, at a time and place yet to be determined, a broader spectrum of student groups will hold a town hall about the Minutemen and their choice to protest.

More video and national news coverage after the jump.

- LBD

In which Bwog apprises you of news important and not.

Gore? Over. Clinton? Not a chance. But his highness Jeffrey "I'm a rock star" Sachs? Hell yes! This man doesn't even need to declare a candidacy to run for president--with fans like these, he could end up Commander in Chief by write-in without so much as a wave of his laser pointer. If FDR can do it in a wheelchair, J. Sachs can definitely do it at about 80% of normal male height.

You may think you're hot shit for getting into Columbia, but next year's class will be even more selectively chosen: we're now accepting the Common Application, making Brown the last Ivy holdout. Bwog is sure this has nothing to do with that ninth-place US News and World Report finish. Oh no.

No, this is completely unrelated to Columbia, and yes, Gawker already posted it. But as many people as possible should enjoy the vulgar genius of P. Diddy as possible. Cheers!