We aren’t due to see the Sun again til Friday, so hang on to this picture of the last of it from earlier this evening.

Image via Wikimedia.

Right now! Go find the CU Dems in front of Low to low-cate some free hot chocolate.

And in case you were wondering about the ruckus in Butler 209 last night, it was all part of the Dems flyering campaign. Moral of the story: You’ll never get real work done in 209.

Unless you were stuck all day in some windowless room in Pupin—in which case Bwog is sorry—you can’t have missed the torrential winds and elemental forces that struck campus today. It was raining sideways! Or whatever else your grandma says when it rains a lot.

But anyways, it was all worth it since Michael Rady CC ’13 snapped a shot of this beautiful rainbow over Low. Perfect!

Earlier today, correspondent Carolyn Ruvkun attended a Flash Mob, run by three students from the “arts incubators cluster” of the School of the Arts. Instructed to bring a book and download the “Listen to Low” podcast, this bwogger gathered in front of Butler with about fifty other people. Flash Mob participants then marched inside Low Library, sat at some tables underneath the dome and read rebelliously. For the “low down” on the project, check out the website.

During those ten minutes, we apparently “reclaimed Low as a library.” One leader of the project clarifies, “We wanted to reawaken the space as a library. It came out of an interest in the history of Low—something a lot of Columbia students don’t know about.”

2010 marks the 75^th anniversary of Low no longer functioning as a library. According to the curious Columbia myth, Low Library was sinking from the overwhelming weight of books. As a result, they were moved to Butler using enormous slides. You can find photos of the dramatic transfer in Butler Library.

The whole project was more of a sound installation than the rowdy Improv Everywhere performance you usually expect from a flash mob. While at first listen the podcast just seems like white noise, the recording includes sounds of loudly turned pages, actual libraries, and the fabled 1960s protests.

Another artist explains, “We were interested in how books sound like water and fire, and the idea of a building being submerged by books. What does that mean about erasure and destruction?” Frankly, I have no clue. But, for what it’s worth, when the podcast ended, I was more aware of the sounds around me—the echoing footsteps, the rippling book pages and a couple’s impromptu round of “Happy Birthday,” which the leaders insist wasn’t planned.

More photos after the jump.

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The flash mob to take back Low is happening at 1pm! Apparently this is what you have to do:

“1) DOWNLOAD our free podcast by visiting http://tiny.cc/listentolow and following the link to the iTunes store.

2) INVITE at least 10 of your friends who you think would also enjoy taking part in this unique event.

3) ARRIVE at our secret meeting place in front of Butler Library at 1:00pm on Thursday April 8th with the following – ipod/mp3 player with the podcast ready to play – headphones – a book of your choosing in hand

4) AWAIT a sign for when to press play and help reclaim Low Library!”

Photo via Wikimedia

Happy listening!

Braving a long line, cold rain, and French grammar, Bwog’s Ambassador to France Contessa Gayles reports from President Sarkozy’s speech today:

After waiting in a line that stretched from the main entrance of Low Memorial Library down onto rainy College Walk, members of the Columbia community joined the scores of press to hear Nicolas Sarkozy, President of the French Republic, speak at the World Leaders Forum at Columbia University.

After acknowledging the event co-sponsors and First Lady Carla Bruni, President Bollinger applauded President Sarkozy’s oratory skill and fearless outspokenness while expressing his views on major contemporary issues including economic recovery, climate change, the war in Afghanistan and a rise in censorship at a time when open communication is most necessary. Bollinger expressed his pride in the strength of both Columbia University’s and the United States’ relationships with France.

President Sarkozy then stepped up and proceeded to deliver his charismatic and unscripted speech entirely in French. While there were translating headset devices sat on every seat, most were not used, as the majority of the audience was Francophone. Sarkozy opened by echoing Bollinger’s pride in the strong alliance between the United States and France, expressing the importance of open communication between the U.S. and Europe while working together to solve the global crises.

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If you happened to take your eyes off your iPhone as you were trotting down College Walk this evening, you may have noticed an ominous orange glow emanating from Low:

Fear not — Low has not become a factory for Fear and Strange Smoke (at least, not any more than usual). It’s the annual Alexander Hamilton Dinner. Read more about this year’s honoree, Conrad H. Lung ’72, here.

Some of your classmates have already started sitting on the steps, willing to sit there bored, for hours and hours, just to watch Obamacain on the Jumbotron, which your student leaders fought for so valiantly.

Michael Snyder and Tobin Mitnick, both CC ’10, said that they weren’t sure they were going to hang around until the speech. “I don’t have class,” Snyder shrugged noncommittally, and later admitted that he would “probably hang around.” Mitnick doesn’t expect Obama or McCain to say anything of substance, but said that if there were a debate, he’d like Lee Bollinger’s hair to moderate.

Read more…

The denizens of Low Library have just released the calendar for Columbia’s 2008 edition of the World Leaders Forum, fresh with a snazzy new website chronicling the  Columbia tradition’s past, present and future.  Have a look at their new multimedia section, and you’ll see that this site is no laughing matter.

But the speakers this year?  Bwog is still scratching its head on that one.  While last year’s version sparked considerable hooplah with the invitation of a certain Iranian politician, it seems that this year’s lineup may lack a bit of the sparkle that a certain petty and cruel dictator’s speech last year may have offered. 

That is of course not the case, if you find a spiel by Olafur Ragnar Grimson, President of the world’s oldest democracy (Iceland) scintillating.  If the leader of a small, island nation speaking is not your cup of tea, perhaps you might be interested in a scheduled speech by Primer Minister Anders Fogh Rasumussen of Denmark or President Danilo Türk of Slovenia.  While this year’s World Leaders’ Forum may not dazzle as much as last year’s, there is always the Obamacain spectacle to look forward to this time around.

Howard Dean, head of the Democratic National Committee, was invited by the College Democrats to speak in Low Library yesterday on student activism and the current presidential elections.  The former governor was one awkward “Yeah!” away from what seemed like a sure Democratic nomination and possibly a four year stay at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.  Dean, however, with a gratuitous grunt sealed his fate after the Iowa Caucus in 2004 and saw his White House dreams dashed forever.  

While he opened with a few short remarks on the great organization of the Columbia Dems and College Dems in general, Dean focused his speech on his recent complaint against McCain and the Republican nominee’s alleged shady campaign finances.  Calling McCain a hypocrite that the young people today can see right through, Dean said that they should rename the bill that McCain supposedly violated the “Feingold Bill.”  

Bwog was fortunate enough to get in a few words with the former Vermont Governor before his speech.  See the transcript after the jump. [The interview has been edited for clarity and length—Ed.]

-JJV

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Strike on Low at 12pm. Some profs cancel class to allow students to exercise consciences, won’t be disciplined

“But I’m just not sure If I want to go, It’s quite freezing outside and I do eat lunch at 12″- more idealized concerns about attending addressed here

Steal this edition! anti-war movements –> more war –> more death ahh!!!

And then there’s that whole divestment thing

Alma Mater (translated “nourishing mother”): Columbia’s purpose is “the advancement of the public good and the glory of almighty God”

Note: Eye is M.I.A., ‘poke will be up later. -JDC

After last night’s amazing free-for-all of orgiastic violence and self-righteousness, Bwog tipster Stephanie Shieh decided to look to the sky to see what the God would have us know.

 But, God? What did they ever do!?

A group of 15 student activists have entered Low Library, and are refusing to leave until President Bollinger re-re-commits to sweatshop-free apparel production.

The sit-in comes just hours before a planned talk entitled “Coping with Globalization” featuring NY Times columnist Paul Krugman. We’re guessing Krugman’s coping doesn’t involve hand-painted signs.

Students at 10 universities are planning sit-ins this week. Spring has arrived!

UPDATE 2:40 p.m.

A few minutes in, the mood is jovial. A peanut butter and jelly sandwich (all organic, we can only assume) was just thrown from one side of the circle to the other. Discussion is centering on Weber and the meaning of “blow your wad.”

UPDATE 5:20 p.m.

The siegers (yes, they’re SEEJ’ers) are still camped out in Low. A number of administrators (Colombo, Hogarty, Chaplain Jewel) have dropped by, but the big man himself is still at an event up at the Medical School campus. The legal observer (read: Law School student with neon green hat reading “Legal Observer) continues to monitor the situation for police– well, Columbia Security– brutality. T minus 1:30 until Krugman shows up.

UPDATE 8:00 p.m.

Sit-in over. Brinkley promises a meeting tomorrow between administrators and student activists. He also promised the University would send a representative to a national conference on Sweatshop-free campuses. Let’s all sleep a little easier tonight knowing a great show was put on for the Day on Campus kids.