Best Photoshop work in history by "D.Sion.G"

It’s a good morning for our pal Mr. Bo: he’s just been appointed the Chairman of the New York Fed Board of Directors, movin’ on up from the title he currently holds, Deputy Chair. We know you’ll be awful busy, but we hope you still have time to chuckle at us when we sneak kegs into EC!

And according to HuffPo College’s Twitter, PrezBo has a good nickname. They’re calling for other College president nicknames. Forget JSex, pick MiMoo!

Congratulations, Lee. Hey, if you’re not too busy today, can you just give us a Tweet or two?

College Days have officially begun, with the Opening Ceremony wrapping up a few minutes ago. There were treats to be had by all: two speakers, two a capella performances, and a lovely selection of croutons for snacks. Hopefully everyone waiting in line got a t-shirt–when Bwog was there, there were two separate lines from the bottom of the steps to the little steps below them. The definite highlight was Dean Moody-Adams’ pragmatic speech: “These may not be the best days of your life, but they may be close.”

A capella group Notes and Keys

With special guests Nuts 4 Nuts and (for the first time ever) Dean Moody-Adams, Sarah Camiscoli reports that this year’s Tree Lighting was a peaceful moment amidst a time of chaos for students who could make the time to attend.

Once the a cappella Christmas carols were over and the high quality chocolate chip cookies were gone, Associate Dean Roosevelt Montás took the podium to ask the Columbia community to “take our eyes off immediate occupations” to just ponder “where we are on the surface of the planet.”  The attempt to speak over the still ruckus hot cocoa line was gallant, and Montás’ speech was golden. The man referred to tree lighting as a great “act of illumination,” gave a shout out to President Obama, and concluded with an excerpt on the passage of time from out very own To the Lighthouse. What better way to welcome Dean Moody-Adams than with a good old fashioned LitHum lecture?

In the excitement of her big premiere, Dean Moody-Adams focused on the “common theme” and “delightfully human process” of welcoming light during the holiday season.  She emphasized the importance of cultural diversity and the struggle between “truth and ignorance” inside the “majestic gates” of Columbia. To combat ignorance and bad stuff generally, Moody-Adams asked students to ponder how best to welcome the light of knowledge into our community, and even suggested that we all reflect on a “divine presence” year round.  With her heartwarming tone Moody-Adams roused the sugar-high crowd to count down to the illumination of a symbol of tradition, unity, and knowledge.  Students snapped photos of this year’s big spark and went along their merry way.  Although Nuts 4 Nuts may have distracted us slightly from our deep meditations, the lighting was, as always, an enjoyable respite from the weighty winding down of first semester.

Yes, tonight is a night unlike all other nights — it’s the Tree Lighting and Yule Log Ceremonies!  A school event blissfully bereft of refrains of “Roar, Lions, Roar!”, it will feature a capella performances, a chance to see Dean Moody Adams in the flesh, and free hot chocolate and apple cider aplenty.  Moody-Adams has a tough act to follow: with that British accent of his, Dean Quigley was practically Father Christmas himself.  If nothing else, come see how MMA matches up.

Bwog imagines what the trees will look like.

Know what you’re going to be for Halloween? Neither do we. With three days to go, it’s time to give in and get serious—you’re not going to buck gender normativity this year, pal. But all is not lost, with this list of easy-to-find, last minute costumes. Hustle over to Ricky’s (you know you’ve always wanted to see the inside) or a friend’s well-stocked closet so you don’t feel like a fool come Friday

Grad student: She works nights to pay for her Ph.D., but that doesn’t mean she can’t have a little fun.  The “Slutty Barista” ($29.99) is at Ricky’s.





Columbia’s Shrinking Endowment: Find a large friend and wear his clothes. A variation on the traditional “Shrinking Woman” costume.



The Regretful Carman Resident: Doodle on yourself with permanent marker.  Look forlorn, and repeat: “No, guys! I was napping, not passed out!”

Read more…

On Monday night, CC Dean Michele Moody-Adams decided to mix up the traditional dean-student mixer by offering dinner and a movie. Official pizza correspondent Mahrah Taufique attended:

Michele Moody-Adams – professor, writer, philosopher and now Dean of Columbia College and Vice President for Undergraduate Education – is doing her best to be far more approachable than her lengthy title would suggest. The “dinner” part of the evening was set in Lerner Piano Lounge and consisted of mountains of Famous Famiglia pizza and soda. Perhaps a little more unexpected was the sight of Dean Moody-Adams sitting of the floor of Lerner Piano Lounge eating cold pizza, drinking diet coke and chatting with the 40 or so students who had signed up for the event. For half an hour she made her way around the room, spending enough time with people for them to introduce themselves, tell her about their involvement on campus or ask her questions about herself, the Deanship or the film screening.

At 6:30 p.m., everyone filed into the Roone Arledge Cinema, where she introduced the movie, The Philosopher Kings. The 70-minute documentary exposes wisdom in some of this country’s most prestigious universities: Princeton, Duke, Cornell, Cornish College of the Arts, California Institute of Technology, U.C. Berkeley and University of Florida. The focus, however, is not on brilliant professors or talented students, but on the often ignored and unseen people who work there: the custodians.  Read more…

Dear readers,

As you may know, Columbia’s gotten a few new bigwigs this semester, and for the first time, the administration’s letting us interview them. Yep, next week, we will be interviewing Provost Claude Steele, CC Dean Michelle Moody-Adams, and SEAS Dean Feniosky Pena-Mora.

But rather than entrust the questions to our own journalistic abilities, we’re hoping you can help us out with the questions from you, the readers. This is a chance to ask that one question you’ve been dying to know the answer to, but would rather not attend a tea/fireside chat for. You can either post your questions (anonymously) in the comments section of this post (which will remain in our headline box until we’ve received enough questions), or send them to bwog@columbia.edu. Happy interrogating!

Sincerely,

The Bwog Staff

Bwog is still searching its Cabinet of Cleverness for a new name for the expanded morning news post.  Share your ideas in the comments.

Yesterday the Museum of the City of New York opened a new exhibit celebrating the city’s “ultimate movers and shakers” in the last 400 years.  But where is PrezBo in the list? (Museum of the City of New York)

MMA wants to meet everyone and see everything.  She’s even planning office hours! (Spec)

Everyone’s pointing fingers downtown.  One day before memorial services begin, construction on the Freedom Tower 1 World Trade Center has halted. (NY1)

Apparently there are people who actually read the emailed security alerts.  Advice: don’t let sketchy people follow you into buildings. (Spec)

Dancers took over Sixth Avenue Wednesday night for the VMA rehearsals.  Cabbies were shaking fists but tourists were snapping pics.  Dr. Clarke was nowhere to be seen. (MTV)

Image via Flickr

- An eager crowd awaits the band’s entrance

If you missed Orgo Night, fret not – the show was recorded and will be available tomorrow on CUMB’s blog. Now, the Bwog review:

After entering to the usual “Roar Lion Roar,” the Columbia University Marching Band noted that, due to the recession, this year’s show would be sponsored by the Columbia University Show. “We also thank the Varsity Show,” a band member opined, “for lowering expectations for the past 35 years.” As the Hillel-distributed stress balls flew in the air over the spectators (one eventually landing in a tuba sousaphone), many were still looking for seats, but the band told them not to worry: “if you can’t hear the jokes, there’ll be plenty seats open by intermission.”

Thus began one of the best Orgo Nights in recent memory, though, in typical marching band fashion, some of the jokes skirted the edge of tastefulness. Surprisingly, the end of the election and the departure did not dampen the band’s taste for political humor- the first two segments focused on Ann Coulter (simply described as “fucking crazy” and Fox News respectively (with “Beat It” and “More Than A Feeling” mixed in), and mostly had fun at “Coultergeist’s” expense, including asking “If she thinks kindergartners are being taught fisting in kindergarten, what are they being taught in high school? Read more…

- Via the Cornell Chronicle

An hour ago, Spec was forwarded an email from Dean Kevin Shollenberger announcing that Cornell Vice-Provost for Undergraduate Education Michele Moody-Adams will be the next Dean of the College. Moody-Adams, who will replace the retiring Dean Austin Quigley, will be the first woman to hold the post.

Moody-Adams (whose last name punsters will have a field day with) was also the founder of Cornell’s Program on Ethics and Public Life, where her study included “moral relativism, moral objectivity, and moral psychology.” Perhaps she’ll be able to ethically justify raiding your room.

On more controversial issues, Moody-Adams has not shied away from giving her opinions: just two weeks ago, she joined several other professors in “co-sponsoring” an Islamic Alliance for Justice protest consisting of signs and 1300 flags representing dead Palestinians and Israelis in the recent Gaza conflict. Eight years ago, she told the audience at a teach-in one week after the 9/11 attacks that “vengeance is not the answer,” and suggested a multilateral approach to the response. She should fit right in in Morningside.

UPDATE (1:20 p.m.): President Lee Bollinger has sent out an email announcing the decision, saying “in the breadth of her scholarship and interests, Professor Moody-Adams exemplifies Columbia’s own tradition of great scholarship that is engaged in the public issues of our time.” Full email after the jump.

- JCD Read more…