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 Read more…

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!

As of the time of this post, Columbia’s band of guerilla videographers has garnered 83,641 views of its prank on Columbia’s studious studentry over at YouTube, launching it to 65th place on the site’s weekly ratings. Pretty good for a piece with no poorly drawn cartoon characters speaking in Japanese!

Bwog would submit, however, that this one–with only 6,426 views–is the funniest of what Prangstgrüp has to offer.

Update: The internet has a way of making things availible. Ivygate, a myopic but well-written new blog, has unearthed Prangstgrup’s NYU Tour episode, as requested.