Spotlight

As "going green" becomes a more fashionable trend, chances are you'll be buying a gift for at least one green-minded friend this holiday season. Speakeasy is here to help.

Don't know what to get the political junkie in your life? Don't worry, Speakeasy is here to save the day with 10 can't-miss gifts that will show the news addict in your life that you love them more than Eliot Spitzer loves hookers.

So, the holidays are upon us, and you still have no idea what to get for the tech geek in your life. Speakeasy is here to help!

The holidays are a fashionista’s excuse to be given that special item she’s been eyeing since its premiere, usually in time for fall, winter or even spring season. Don't be surprised if those items are often a bit too pricey for a fashionista’s budget -- and probably beyond your budget, too. 

The Ohio University Board of Trustees voted on Oct. 3, 2008, to change the academic calendar to semesters in the fall of 2012, but many still don’t know why or how this change will take place.

There's news, there is dumb news, and then there is CNN.

After a long and exciting election season, the polls finally came to a close on Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in Athens. As they have for so many months, the citizens waited with bated breath to see the results. Speakeasy’s Multimedia Staff is proud to bring you a collection of images and graphics they produced on Election Day and throughout the rest of the election season.

Ever dream of being buried in a box of daisies? What about a coffin adorned by a beloved sports team? A box of peas? For those dying to make their final statement, CreativeCoffins.com takes the edge off the inevitable.

From the history of its mental asylum to the accounts of Ohio University hauntings, Athens has gained a reputation for the paranormal. Speakeasy took a look at some of Athens’ spookiest stories to attempt to uncover some truth in the legends.

A local entrepreneur has designed a specialized major through Ohio University that is allowing her to study how to make organic tea.

What’s better than a chili contest held in a backyard? A contest where the judges are a rap artist, a local icon and the city mayor. That’s What’s Up! Chili Cook-Off financially benefited The Action Committee, and it sent community members home with happy ears and full bellies.

Dance is a craze that has once again taken America by storm. Shows like “Dancing with the Stars,” “So You Think You Can Dance?” and “America’s Best Dance Crew” have a wide audience and have caused Americans to search for dance moves of their own. So it is only fitting that Athens has a dance craze of its own in the form of contra dancing.

Athens’ attitude towards veganism appears friendly due to the frequency and longevity of Vegan Cooking nights. These invitations toward communal consumption may suffice weekly, but they leave one hungry for more afterward. Contrary to popular belief, vegan diets do not revolve around tofu and beans.

“I wish my life were a movie.” Movie night after movie night, people sit and think about how they want a drama or a glamorous situation to get entangled in and take them to a world beyond what they know.

For 10 years, Ohio University students have studied history, journalism and foreign language in Leipzig, Germany, but the Ohio Leipzig European Center is taking a different approach to this year’s program to commemorate the University of Leipzig’s 600th anniversary.

In 2007, when Sam Pepple came across a green map of Columbus demarcating its sustainable-minded businesses, he realized that Athens still lacked one and reacted the way any enthusiastic and environmentally minded cartographer would: he got to work.

I probably rose a few hours earlier than many hard partiers that morning, but even then I was still late for my date with international culture.

It’s that time of year again. The leaves are beginning to fall, midterms are creeping up and leases for next year are already being signed. Don’t fret, though. There is still time to find a great place to live.

It has been 36 years since political activists held the first Community Festival in a street near The Ohio State University. Comfest has grown considerably over the years but still sticks to its green roots by promoting programs like Pedal Instead.

Self-diagnosis. Not a good thing to do, in the medical sense of the term. In fact, with problems of validity on places like the Internet, it can be down-right fatal.

As the streetlights at the intersection of Washington and Court Street changed colors overhead, performances of various cultures played on the stage at the International Street Fair on Saturday, May 17.

Experiencing the International Fair on Court Street this past Saturday was like taking a curious step out of Ohio University’s campus and entering another world, rich with tradition and history.

I was eating in Jefferson dining hall, much like I do every day, when my friends and I got on the topic of “you are what you eat.”

As November rapidly approaches, the pressure to pick a side and defend it knowledgeably can be overwhelming, especially for students who have only had a few years to adapt to the “enthusiastic” environment of politics.

As Ohio University students work their way through another spring quarter, the time comes for those of age to get drunk and make memories they probably will not remember.

The arrival of spring in Athens means that dogs will soon be invading College Green with their owners in tow. Lynn Kneile of the Athens County Humane Society has some advice for students considering buying a dog.

“No great genius has ever existed without some touch of madness.” At least that is what Aristotle said. If this is true, then Ohio University’s Master of Fine Arts playwrights can claim a method for their “Madness.”

Amid class assignments, exams, club meetings and social events, some students may forget the goal of a college education: obtaining a career.

Strolling by the Game Research and Immersive Design Lab on a weekday afternoon, one will notice something a little off. The students raiding the area are shorter, louder and well, not college kids at all – they are high school students.

On a typical Saturday night, the drunkards of Athens seem to thrive in a lawless land. With underage students shamelessly sneaking into bars and flaunting fake IDs, one has to wonder if there’s anyone out there actually patrolling the town.

During Lent, the Catholic population of Athens turns away from meat and embraces fish on Fridays. When Catholics stop eating meat for part of the year, local eateries take notice.

Rod Stewart set the scene, playing in the background as excited students braved the snow and shuffled into the Baker Center ballroom last Thursday. Porn star Ron Jeremy and Pastor Craig Gross, founder of xxxChurch.com, had come to debate the morality of porn. The room buzzed with excitement; ready for some dirty words and a lesson in 'right' and 'wrong'.

Speakeasy's photo slideshow of the total lunar eclipse.

Students may be able to cross a few items off their lists of things to do before they die after taking the Recreation 111: Winter Activities course. After all, not many people can say they have spent a night in an igloo.

Once in a while a college class comes along that is truly different from the rest. Here at Ohio University that class is scuba, where students can learn to breathe underwater and swim with the fishes.

In one particular class taught at Ohio University, students are earning college credit for getting strikes.

Every morning on the week before Halloween, I donned a bandanna before leaving my dorm and prayed not to die on the way to class.

Students culminate their years at Ohio University with a degree and experiences with friends and organizations that offer important lessons to apply in the real world.

At Dance or Die, Athens’ most colorful dance party, the concept is pretty simple: you dance — or you die. Many people go, most people dance and some people question the changing music to which they dance.

Ohio University is said to be one of the most haunted colleges in America. Senior Tom Ogilvie fully embraces this fact, and on Halloween night he will be leading a tour featuring some of the most haunted spots on campus.

“Get out and stay out.” That was the theme of this year’s OUT Week, dubbed a "success" from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender community (LGBT).

Gay. Pussy. Wimp. All are words that some people use in a derogatory way to describe male cheerleaders, yet the Bobcat cheerleaders know the opposite is true.

The advent of a new Capture the Flag club at Ohio University gives everyone a chance to do something truly epic using only a flag and some wit.

When gambling laws that limited online activity took effect in 2006, many decreased their use. However, some students see no need to “fold” when it comes to their online gambling hobbies.

Sophomore Libby Wiita thought her date was going really well until she found out that dating this guy would require finding a babysitter.

Skydiving is on everyone's "100 Things to Do Before I Die" list. What's interesting, however, is that for such a seemingly bold endeavor, jumping out of a plane at 13,500 feet is easier than one would think.

What is Athens, Ohio? To many it may seem to be just a college town; however, this is a place where every rolling hill, rutted brick path, and unfamiliar face has a story—a story central to the culture of Athens.

The 2004 constitutional amendment in Ohio defines marriage between a man and a woman; yet the issue still remains undecided in several states. Avid opinions here at Ohio University are expressed on both sides of the issue.

The Sound at Ohio University is music to the ears of audiophiles who have a taste for mix CDs. The relatively new student organization is one whose main purpose is to share music through the art of compiling mixes.

On May 5, 2007, the SCALE exhibit opened at the Kennedy Art Museum. It is the culmination of three years of planning and over a year of work for 100 or more people. The man behind the exhibit? Associate professor John Sabraw.

The death penalty in America has been contested since the foundation of the justice system and the allocation of punishment for crimes. Students at Ohio University weighed in on this dramatic debate, reflecting the deeper tensions across the nation.

Subleasing an apartment or house over the summer can save homeward-bound college students almost $2500, not to mention providing a sigh of relief on the other end for someone frantically looking for a temporary residence.

The shootings at Virginia Tech have re-ignited the gun control debate, especially among universities and their police, faculty and students. This article, however, examines Ohio University students' opinions about gun control before the VA Tech shootings occurred.

Performing a drag act may seem simple: dress up, slap on some makeup, and lip-sync to a few songs--nothing, say, beyond the abilities of Britney Spears or Ashlee Simpson; but, as I learned, there's a lot more to this burlesque than one would expect.

Read about Aaron's King counterpart's experience.

There are certain firsts in every girl’s life that she looks forward to with excitement, high hopes, and maybe even a little hesitation. These are the hallmark moments she knows she will look back on fondly when she’s gray and wrinkly. Undoubtedly, these key moments include her first day of school, her first kiss, her first high school formal and her first drag show.

Read about Brittany's Queen counterpart's experience.

The English Department’s Creative Writing Program put on the 22nd annual Spring Literary Festival at Baker University Center May 9-11 and was open and free to the public.

An April 18 ruling by the Supreme Court, which upheld a law banning late-term abortions is considered a victory by pro-life supporters; however, the divided 5-4 ruling suggests the abortion debate continues to fume, even on Ohio University's campus.

The passage of the four-year anniversary of the fall of Baghdad prompted many politicians on Capital Hill to once again reevaluate the US’s occupation in Iraq. Here on campus students express their opinions through artwork, demonstrations and partisan activism.

An interview with Leo DeLuca, an AmeriCorps*VISTA with ReUse Industries and the drummer for Southeast Engine, about Southeast Engine's involvement in the upcoming Earth Week solar jam.

Smoking cigars and dancing atop a pile of charcoal, Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) combined irony and street theater on Friday to protest Chase bank’s investment in coal-fired power plants.

OU’s All-Campus Radio Network held a grand opening at Baker Center Saturday to show its new studios to alumni and to dedicate them to ACRN founder Archie Greer.

Although OU students are enjoying the warm weather, it’s doubtful that discussions of political controversies dominate the conversation. However, the following five articles will explore the topics of war in Iraq, abortion, gun control, the death penalty and gay marriage.

Catchy folk rock melodies and smooth vocals hit your ears when Athens-based band Southeast Engine takes the stage, but band members’ humor and quirky personalities make for just as much entertainment offstage as well.

As concerns over global warming grow, climate change is becoming the most prominent issue on the public agenda. Here in Athens, this is no exception. Ohio University will feature global warming as the theme of its upcoming Earth Week.

President Roderick J. McDavis held an open forum April 4 in Bromley Hall with students to discuss various topics of students’ concerns.

Classic rock music pounding through the loudspeakers, neon animal print tights in every color imaginable, dancing, strip teases and elegant moves in the water all helped to transform the Aquatic Center into the site of a spectacular synchronized swim show this past weekend.

Calling all Ohio University students! Do you wish to learn more about Italian culture? This weekend in Columbus, adults and children of all ages are coming together to celebrate the 27th annual Italian Festival, “Simply Italian.”

A surprising lack of pawpaws and a slow-paced, friendly atmosphere marked the 8th Annual Ohio Pawpaw Festival, held Saturday and Sunday near Albany at Lake Snowden.

Gangrene is a serious disease that makes every mother worry, but the Gang Green cheering section at Ohio University's hockey games isn't just worrying mothers; it's bringing fear to every opposing hockey team that enters Bird Arena.