Woosh! Before finally bidding farewell the most awkwardly named decade ever, please allow a moment to reflect on the madness that was these past few months. Starting tomorrow, the overwhelmingly talented, lovely and British (expect some ‘u’s in words where you don’t usually see them) Claire Sabel, CC’13, will be your Bwog Editor. Claire will reign over this website with tag-queen, Yiddish-master and exactly who we are talking about when we say Bwog is actually a person, Carolyn Ruvkun, and reporting/Internet/headline Emperor David Hu, who will ensure not only that this website exists everyday but also that, in the words of Jay-Z, the best of our todays are the worst of our tomorrows. A promise to you: the world has not seen a triumvirate this capable since Octavius, Marc Antony, and that other one.

Thank you, always, for reading, for commenting, and for tipping. We are always here for you, Columbia-galaxy, and thank you for being there for us. Editing Bwog this year has been an honor, a privilege, and a delight.

Love,
Eliza

The semester began with technological innovations, most importantly our own, but also MTA’s. The rest of the neighborhood remained fairly recognizable. Commencement was sweaty and on video. ’14ers were more prepared for their new lives than ever before – equipped with our definitive guide to safe sex and a healthy (“These will not be the best years of your lives”) dose of cynicism. Nor was NSOP’s theme the least of the mysteries.

The rest of September saw celebs Rufus and JGL, equally coveted Wi-Fi, the launch of BwogWeather (DVD box set coming soon!) and the announcement of pre-professional degrees. We thought that petty crime, and the undercover arrest at the bookstore would be the only notable entries in the annals of Morningside Misdemeanors, and that the Zenawi protest would be the major news of the semester–ha! Also we realized that we live in a jungle. Meanwhile the Vag chronicles continued. Read more…

Butler Bingo—amirite??!

Columbia makes four (six if you include two counts of James Franco) of The Times‘ 110 Things New Yorkers Talked About in 2010. Averaged (kinda), this makes us the 71st most talked about thing, up there with 4Loko, and the fact that ‘BFF’ is now in the dictionary. Here are our rather sordid claims to fame:

50. Columbia Business School has to remind its first-year students to brush their teeth and use deodorant before a job interview.

67. The valedictorian of this year’s graduating [GS] class at Columbia University plagiarized part of his speech from a YouTube video posted by the comedian Patton Oswalt.

75. Five Columbia University students are arrested on charges of selling an array of drugs at several fraternity houses and other campus residences.

92. A Columbia University professor is accused of having a consensual incestuous affair with his 24-year-old daughter. Columbia is having quite the year.

Does this put us on equal footing with NYU?

On Monday, New York Magazine published a six-page piece on Harrison David, one of the five Columbia undergrads arrested in Operation Ivy League. Both David and Miron Sarzynski, the dealer who lived downtown, were interviewed, as well as many anonymous sources alleged to be clients, friends, and classmates of the students. Some important lingering issues were addressed:

Gravity of the arrests: “David and the four other students who were arrested weren’t running an organized drug ring so much as catering to various niches of the marketplace, police say, in a loosely coordinated way.”

The ‘drug ring’: “Like Macy’s and Gimbels in Miracle on 34th Street, the five friends would allegedly send customers to one another now and then—but if this was a cartel, it was extremely low-key (no one has been charged with conspiracy). “It wasn’t like people were saying, ‘If you want this drug, go to this guy,’” says one customer. “You had to know in order to know.””

The NYPD’s methods: “The busts weren’t without glitches—they got Klein’s room at Psi-U wrong, because he’d traded rooms with someone on his floor. For a moment, frat brothers have been heard saying, the wrong man had an NYPD gun pointed in his face.”

Undercover cops: “The police sent an undercover officer to try to make some buys—a young-looking guy with long dirty-blond hair who went by the name of John. Friends of the accused students don’t seem to remember John. He apparently wasn’t posing as a student and didn’t attend classes or have friends at the school.” Read more…

Crazy snow of apocalyptic proportions (“thundersnow“?) hit New York yesterday. Assuming your family is already getting on your nerves, here are a few glimpses of Columbiana to help you forget the hell of finals and idealize school again. Bwog woke to the sound of sleds scraping along the sidewalk. Hot cocoa in hand, we’re heading to the Hill.

Night photo by Patrick Stahl, others by DH

We hope your Christmas morning isn’t like this. Sleep late, be happy, eat Chinese food (we are!), etc. It’s been a long semester.

That is all.

About 5’10, dark smoldering eyes, and dimples that would make Zac Efron feel inadequate.
Last seen receding into the distance through a hazy mist of heartbreak.
If found can you please return him to the John Jay dorms,
I will be waiting with open arms.
There will be a reward.

On December 7th, 2010, five Columbia students were arrested for allegedly dealing marijuana, LSD, cocaine, Adderall and ecstasy. Four of the five students arrested were members of fraternities. They were arrested after allegedly selling drugs to an undercover cop. This is a story you now know well.

Exactly thirty-seven years earlier, on December 7, 1973, five Columbia students were arrested for allegedly dealing cocaine and marijuana. All five of the students arrested were members of two fraternities: Beta Theta Pi and Delta Phi. They were arrested after allegedly selling drugs to an undercover cop. This is a story you may not have heard before. Bwog heard the story from an alum who was a freshman in 1973, and found the Crimson article which confirmed the details.

The harsh Rockefeller drug laws, which had gone into effect just months before the 1973 arrest, maintained a “one strike and you’re out rule” for drug dealing. All five students spent time in infamously brutal Sing Sing Correctional Facility in Ossining, New York. Bwog is still digging up all the details we can find on this, but—good gravy!—history repeats itself we guess.

Update, 12/24: Here’s a Times article from December 21, 1973, on the two students arrested for dealing cocaine. Both students were on the wrestling team and members of Beta. The students—because there aren’t enough coincidences in this case—were unrelated and named Sean O’Neill and Robert O’Neill. They sold four ounces of cocaine to an undercover cop who posed as a student and moved into the Beta house. The other three students were Richard Becker, a senior charged with selling four pounds of marijuana to the undercover agent, Nicolas Delancie who was the President of Delta Phi and sold 15 ounces of marijuana, and Roman Luis, a sophomore charged with selling marijuana and cocaine.

Halp! More numbers! Some fun facts about this year’s crop of CC/SEAS Early Decision applicants:

And a word from Jessica Marinaccio, Dean of Undergrad Admissions and Decider of the Fates:

“The largest number of Early Decision candidates in our history applied to Columbia College and Columbia Engineering this year, resulting in an 8% overall increase in applications. This is the first cohort who applied to Columbia using The Common Application and Columbia Supplement, and we were thrilled to provide even greater access to students from a variety of backgrounds. From towns of 600 people in the Midwest to large cities in the Middle East; from students who are the first in their families to go to college to students who will be the third generation in their families to attend Columbia; from students who grew up blocks from Columbia’s campus to students who have never been to New York City before – students are joining us from every corner of the world and from every ethnic, religious, and socioeconomic background. We eagerly anticipate the dynamic contributions they will make in our classrooms, on our playing fields, in our science and engineering labs and on the Columbia and global stages, and we look forward to reviewing the Regular Decision applications of students seeking to join them in Columbia’s Class of 2015.”

Some statistics for the Class of 2014 here.

Bwog asked some of our favorite people what they want for Christmas (“Happy Holidays is what terrorists say”).

• Sir Mike of Carman Hall: “Life.”
• Elizabeth from the Hartley Hospitality Desk wants a semester in Istanbul.
• Amy from HamDel wants “maybe flowers,” and asked Bwog what we want for the holidays.
• Zak of BwogWeather wants to go to Canada this summer with Pat and Jasmine, for my parents to condone me devoting my time in Hong Kong to becoming a deadly assassin and martial arts expert, 4 new pairs of boxers and matching socks, and the rest of my time at Columbia to be as fuckin’ sweet as this last semester.
• Pat of BwogWeather wants everyone at Columbia to know how special they are. I love hearing how people are making a difference at our school and in the world … it really is amazing to see such talented people brought together in one place. Sure we can joke about hating school, but I really love seeing people in action. Everyone here is so enthusiastic and so passionate about what they do. I really hope everyone realizes this and doesn’t stress about finals.
• Gareth Williams said, “Well, nothing. I already have everything I want,” as he smiled and shrugged with his hands in his overcoat pockets.
• Karen the Librarian: “Same thing I want every day–for more undergraduates to come let us show them how we can make their lives easier!”
• Benny, Hewitt grillmaster would like your [our Bwogger's] love. And a nice sweater.
• Gerry Visco: “Huh…nothing. Well, actually for people to stop saying shit about me on the internet. I already get enough of that. Or maybe some clothes. Or if you have a crazy costume, drop it off.”

You’re almost over the finals hump, so revel in Christmas cheer! Below, an eclectic assortment of dorms decked out for the holidays. Want your own decorations on Bwog? Send us a pic: tips@bwog.com. If Charlie Brown taught us anything, it’s that no Christmas tree is too modest. We’ll be your Linus and love it anyway.
Bwog is also holding its first baked creations contest. We know you guys have serious baking expertise, so show off your skillz!

A video by J-schooler, David Alexander, on a Morningside Heights Christmas Tree Night Guard:

A tipster spotted this remarkably eloquent note in McBain, addressed, “To the wookie on floor 8.” Jeez.

I am posting this note as a gentle warning that your shower etiquette is sub-par. Few people actually enjoy communal living, and I think, given your behavior it’s not hard to imagin [sic] why I’m sure by now it has been made clear to you that no one is happy with going into the shower to discover your hair all over the walls, floor, and drain. Here, I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt because you are a Columbia student and could not possibly be that lazy or inconsiderate of others, and assume that you, too, have an aversion to your hair. While I can empathize, I maintain that it is your hair and, thus, your responsibility to clean. If you are unable to get yourself to clean it, here are some helpful suggestions that might fix the problem:

1) Get a brush, brush your hair before you shower.
2) Look into Locks of Love, shaved heads on women aren’t so bad and they’d appreciate your hair more than you seem to.
3) Stop using the showers.

If you don’t amend your behavior by next semester, I will let you know now that notes will not be the end of my efforts to get you to stop. Remember, I am a Columbia student as well, which should suggest to you how clever and creative I might be when pushed. If you’ve taken anything from CC, it cannot possibly be that one should treat others as they would like to be treated. I am prepared to teach you a value of that timeless doctrine.

Bwog has hopped and camped in libraries, but we’ve never actually explored their contents. The Columbia libraries are a treasure trove of exciting history, so with the help of our lovely librarian friends, we’re going to highlight some hidden jewels. In this installment of BiblioBwog, Karen Green, Ancient & Medieval History and Graphic Novels Librarian (what a combo!), tells us about a few of her favorite things. Green was recently selected as a judge for the 2011 Eisner Comic Awards, “the Oscars of of the comics industry.” She’ll also be featured in the upcoming issue of the Blue & White!

Favorite room to camp in:

KG: I would never camp in a room (she said piously) because that is SO INCONSIDERATE. But I think my favorite room is actually 202, because the ceiling is so so so beautiful. When I was a grad student, that room was used for book processing, and no one could see into it except for brief glimpses of the ceiling. It was like Alice, down the rabbit hole, looking longingly into the door of the garden of bright flowers and cool fountains. And now I can see the whole ceiling whenever I like. NICE.

Favorite physical part of the library, apart from the books:

KG: I love the lobby mural. I like a picture one can unpack. I love the Empire State Building and the Hayden Planetarium in the landscape, and that fact that the “masses” are carrying a hammer and a sickle. And that “Columbia” looks like Cher. But the lobby mural is probably tied with the ceiling relief under the chandelier that’s in the Butler Circulation lobby: the Columbia seal flanked by the NYC skyline. Nobody even knew that was there before the renovation, it was hidden beneath so much soot and smoke and dirt. I love looking up at it. I also wrote this little piece for the Butler Blog about the inscription inside the Reference Room, so I’m fond of that, too. I do love decorative flourishes!

Favorite Resources:

KG: The best friend that no one knows enough about yet is LibX, a Firefox plug-in that allows you to search CLIO from anywhere with just the click of a mouse. This can make life so much more effortless, and it makes using resources like Google Scholar more effective, as it can take you more quickly to full text.

Then there’s that Serial Set. So much historical government information to be mined from that, and you have no idea how hard it used to be to use, when you had to learn the right indexes to use in the Reference Room and then figure out how to find the right volume in the stacks. Now, it’s as easy to search as Google. EEBO,”>

But I mostly love databases that offer a lot of searchable texts combined with images of the original artifact. So, something like EEBO, where you can look up “Curiosities and wonders” as a subject term and find things like this. I have that image (right) hanging on the wall of my office. EEBO stands for Early English Books Online, and includes searchable full text of every book published in English before the year 1700. It’s just got RICHES.

Another, similar resource is Medieval Family Life, which has scanned, full color images of letters from 5 medieval English families, along with full transcriptions, annotations, and historical notes. So, for example, this 1440 letter from Agnes Paston to her husband, William:

To my Worshipful Husband William Paston, be this Letter taken.

DEAR Husband, I recommend me to you, &c. Blessed be God I send you good tidings of the coming, and the bringing home, of the Gentlewoman, that ye weeten (know) of
from Reedham, this same night according to appointment, that ye made there for yourself. And as for the first acquaintance between John Paston and the
said Gentlewoman, she made him Gentle cheer in Gentle wise,
and said, he was verily your son; and so I hope there shall need no great Treaty between them. The Parson of Stockton told me, if ye would buy her a Gown,
her mother would give thereto a goodly Fur; the Gown needeth for to be had; and of colour it would be a goodly blew, or else a bright sanguine. I pray you to buy for me two pipes of gold. Your stews do
well. The Holy Trinity have you in governance. Written at Paston in haste the Wednesday next after “Deus
qui errantibus;” for default of a good secretary, &c. Paston, Wednesday

Yours AGNES PASTON. about 1440. 18 H. VI.

We are in this letter acquainted with the first introduction of a young Lady to the Gen-
tleman, intended for her husband, and are informed that she “made hym gentil cher in
gyntyl wise:” but it appears somewhat extraordinary, that being the Heiress of a family of rank and fortune, any intimation should be given to the father of the Lover of pre-
senting her with a Gown, and especially as “the Goune nedyth for to be had.”

How awesome is that??

Things to remember!

Use Carsplit on your way to the airport– you’ll save money and make new best friends.

Write CULPA reviews now that exams are fresh in your mind– you’re helping the next generation! Teamwork! Friendship! Etc.

Keri Blakinger, Cornell ’11 was found with six ounces (roughly $150,000) of heroin on Sunday. She was arrested in Ithaca. Yeesh!