December 1, 2016 by The Post

POST PICKS

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1, 2016

‘POST’ READERS VOTE ON MOST NOTEWORTHY PEOPLE AND PLACES P6

MAKEUP AS AN ART FORM P20

ATHENS’ EVENTS OVER BREAK P22

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Emma Ockerman MANAGING EDITOR Elizabeth Backo DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR Seth Archer ASSISTANT MANAGING EDITOR Hayley Harding

EDITORIAL

NEWS EDITORS Kaitlin Coward, William T. Perkins SPORTS EDITOR Charlie Hatch CULTURE EDITORS Alex Darus, Sean Wolfe OPINION EDITOR Kaitlyn McGarvey COPY CHIEF Rachel Danner

ART

ART DIRECTOR Abby Day DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY Alex Driehaus GRAPHICS DIRECTOR Chance Brinkman-Sull SPECIAL PROJECTS DESIGNER Matt Ryan

DIGITAL

DIGITAL PRODUCTION EDITOR Hannah Debenham SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR Hannah Wintucky BLOGS EDITOR Jeremy Hill SENIOR MULTIMEDIA PRODUCER Patrick Connolly BUSINESS MANAGER Matthew Barnett

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FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

Reflecting on semester of change; looking to future of ‘The Post’

here is not usually much time to reflect on a semester well-done — or utterly botched, depending on which stressed-out student you ask — ahead of finals week and the clamor of the holiday season, but I’d like to take a swing at it. About a year ago, The Post’s executive editors were excitedly planning for an announcement that we thought could shake the traditional college media model, while ensuring the newspaper’s century-old legacy remained intact. In January — after a Fall Semester of intense research — we announced that The Post would cut print to once a week and redesign and launch a new website. EMMA OCKERMAN / Of course, we had known that fact for months. I spent much of last winter break EDITOR-IN-CHIEF flipping through old issues of The Post, researching media business models and so on — general freaking-out stuff. The love our staff felt for The Post was so strong that it weighed on the shoulders of the executive editors and those planning the bold move. We could not let them down. Even more so, we could not let our readers down. Through long days spent in Alden Library’s microfilms (a wonderful resource, by the way), it became increasingly obvious that The Post reflected a watchdog, a messenger, an advocate and a source of entertainment decade after decade for Ohio University students and Athens’ residents. We had to ask ourselves if changing our printing format and website would upset that tradition. With that in mind, we made it to the first issue of this academic year ready for change, and eager for constructive criticism. Our editors now pass out The Post twice weekly, and spend hours planning those print editions. We also devote the majority of our day to the platform we realized our readers found most useful: our website, particularly viewed on a mobile device. Since, I have not questioned our decision to transition, though I still wonder if our staff is finding the best way to reach its readers. I look around our newsroom and see journalists and staff members whom I care for deeply, and I’m sure many of them are wondering the same thing. One semester later, have we been successful in maintaining The Post’s mission? Perhaps it’s my nasty habit of questioning everything, or our staff’s laborious tradition of caring too much, but I want to spend these next few weeks away from school thinking of ways to improve. Next semester, we’ll change again, I’m sure — just in smaller ways. Emma Ockerman is a senior studying journalism and editor-in-chief of The Post. Want to talk to her? Tweet her at @eockerman or email her at eo300813@ohio.edu.

Cover design by Matt Ryan

Happy Holidays! From ‘The Post’ Staff

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 3

AMPLIFIED OBSERVATIONS

Traveling back and forth from home improves by listening to songs about tours LUKE FURMAN is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University

There is a bounty of great songs about the woes of touring, and they improve any tedious road trip from school to home or vice versa Ohio is a big state, bigger than Switzerland or Denmark in area. Seasonal drives to the far reaches — or out of the state — challenge drivers to stay focused and not pass out from interstate boredom, interior heating and droning tires. Despite a car being full of gregarious and talkative people, any drive more than three hours creates moments of collective malaise. John Denver songs change from sing-alongs to lullabies as miles of listless rock fades and median strips line the way to the far-off destination. Quite unsurprisingly, the weary emotions cycled through long drives are similar to the auras of song written about the subject of touring. Many songs have tried their best to summarize the experience

of being on tour, all with given perils and longings. In his warm, dreamy tune “Homeward Bound,” Paul Simon describes the monotony of touring from town to town, happy to finally be going home. He painted a carefree picture in the line, “everyday’s an endless stream of cigarettes and magazines” in contrast to his internal discomfort and longing for the comfort of his home. In more recent years, Natural Child’s “Let The Good Times Roll” reprised the elation of ending a tour and going home. The rocker Kurt Vile makes the morbid comparison between touring and Lord of the Flies in his 2011 song, “On Tour.” In a sense, road trips can become a Lord of the Flies scenario with everyone showing his or her true colors because of the hunger and building discontent. Hopefully, the road trip doesn’t end the same as the book. Probably the most well-known touring song, “The Load Out” by Jackson Browne also details the ennui that the down time and repetitiveness of touring brings. Unlike Vile’s personal account, Browne takes mostly the perspective of his roadies, and roadies in general. It’s basically a roadie national anthem. “Let the roadies take the stage,” Browne exclaims and lists duties like folding chairs

and packing up his piano last so he can continue to play it. And no list of touring songs would be complete without mentioning Bob Seger’s classic rock radio mainstay, “Turn the Page.” Apparently, Metallica felt a similar sentiment when the band covered it in 1998 on its cover album Garage Inc. In fact, any band who has toured can relate to “Turn the Page”, because people who don’t play a single instrument can lock onto its meaning. It’s about the feelings, not the specifics. And driving from Athens to Pittsburgh or Cleveland or Erie sure feels a lot like these songs. Perhaps the road is their natural place. Regardless of what’s playing through the speakers, with enough sleep and the right mindset, interstate drives might not come with terrible consequences. It’s all about embracing the enjoyment along with the monotony. The two things are hardly different when you think about it. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnists do not reflect those of The Post. What instrument would you like to learn? Let Luke know by tweeting him @LukeFurmanLog or emailing him at lf491413@ohio.edu.

STREETVIEW

“What is your favorite family tradition for the holidays?”

“Thanksgiving night, we always have a family game night at my house. We always stay up until like three in the morning and just play games together.” Jacob Pugh, freshman studying integrated social studies

4 / DEC. 1, 2016

“Putting up my Christmas tree. Me and my mom usually do it together.” Mallory Nicodemus, senior studying French education

“Every year, we have my grandma and mom cook dinner together. My uncle and I make oyster casserole together, and that’s fun, but I don’t even like it that much.” Mitchell Rees, freshman studying music production

“One of things my mom and I do for New Year’s is go to a local theater. They always do a holiday show. People sing and dance and do musical theater stuff.”

“Every New Year’s, my dad and I have green eggs and ham ... like the Dr. Seuss book.” Blake Hale, freshman studying English

Jessica Long, freshman studying art history -photographs by Blake Nissen

CLASSIFIEDS

NEWS BRIEFS

Controversial speaker coming to campus; 11 apply for OU president JONNY PALERMO FOR THE POST Some of the biggest headlines from Fall Semester’s final week of news included Ohio’s appearance in the MAC Championship game and a conservative speaker’s appearance on campus. Here is more information from the top stories of the week. BOBCATS TO BATTLE BRONCOS FOR MAC TITLE

The Ohio football team will travel to Detroit to compete in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game at 7 p.m. on Friday. The Bobcats will take on the MAC West division champions, the Western Michigan Broncos. This is the first time Ohio has appeared in the MAC Championship since 2011, when the Bobcats were defeated by Northern Illinois. Ohio hasn’t won the MAC outright since 1968. 11 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED FOR PRESIDENT

OU has received 11 applications for the soon-to-be vacant position of university president. None of the applicants are currently serving as the pres-

“It is expected that a successful candidate will be chosen by March 2017 and will assume the presidency no later than the summer of 2017.” - Dan Pittman OU spokesman ident of any other institute of higher education. However, a majority of applicants are nonwhite. Private interviews with selected candidates are expected to be held in Dublin in early December, and final candidates may undergo further selection criteria. OU Spokesman Dan Pittman said the presidential search is still on schedule, and a candidate is expected to be chosen in the spring. “It is expected that a successful candidate will be chosen by March 2017 and will assume the presidency no later than the summer of 2017,” he said in an email. MILO YIANNOPOULOS TO SPEAK ON CAMPUS

Conservative commentator Milo Yiannopoulos will speak at 7 p.m. on Friday in Nelson Commons as part of a tour around various college campuses.

Many campus organizations are actively preparing for the free event. David Parkhill, president of the OU College Republicans, said 500 tickets have been reserved, even though Nelson Commons only has a capacity of about 300. “It will be interesting to see what the turnout will be,” Parkhill said. “Worst case scenario, (people) stand in line and don’t get in, which would be a bummer.” Sam Miller, president of the OU College Democrats, said the group will join a counter-event organized by the Multicultural Action Coalition. “It’s going to be an event where different groups talk about diversity,” Miller said. “We’ll have people from the LGBT Center, Black Student Union, (the) Women’s Center — pretty much a showcase.”

@HEEEEERES_JONNY JP351014@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 5

S P E C I A L S E C TI O N

POST PI CKS OHIO UNIVERSITY AND ATHENS ARE RICH WITH UNIQUE CHARACTERS

AND LANDMARKS: ARTISTS, DREAMERS, RESEARCHERS, INNOVATORS, ORGANIZERS, BUSINESSES AND MORE. IT WOULD BE A HEFTY TASK TO INTRODUCE THEM ALL. SO, ‘THE POST’ ASKED READERS TO VOTE IN AN ONLINE SURVEY FOR THOSE PLACES AND PEOPLE THAT TRULY MAKE LIVING IN ATHENS WONDERFUL. THOSE VOTES RESULTED IN ELEVEN STORIES WORTH SHARING, AND THE FIRST-EVER EDITION OF ‘POST PICKS.’

FOR HIS FASCINATING RESEARCH

Lawrence Witmer Anatomy professor

KAITLIN COWARD / NEWS EDITOR When Lawrence Witmer gives tours of his lab, he occasionally gets to walk a child through his daily routine. As he describes the dinosaur fossils and animals he works with in the Life Sciences Building, he often sees a child’s eyes light up, just like his did when he was young. “I’ll routinely have a kid that comes into the lab and I’m showing them things in the lab, and their eyes are wide and they have all kinds of answers because they read books and saw TV shows,” he said. “I was that kid, and I basically am living the dream I had as a little kid. I basically get to do the things that I wanted to do when I was 6.” Witmer, an anatomy professor who has worked in Ohio University’s Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine since 1995, teaches in the medical school but also focuses on research, both anatomical and paleontological. Before that, he worked at the New York College of Osteopathic Medicine for three years. “I was one of those kids that loved dinosaurs and learned everything about them,” he said. “I’ve been in schools — one side or the other — for a very long time now, and so the interest in dinosaurs quickly blossomed into animals in general.” Witmer’s office in the Life Sciences Building is filled with books about dinosaurs and all kinds of living creatures. It also houses multiple guitars — he has more than two dozen between his office and home — hanging from the walls near a handful of skulls and other fossils. He considered becoming a musician, but he knew doing so would require a lot of luck. In the end, academia seemed more practical. Witmer, who is originally from a suburb of Rochester, New York, describes himself as a creative person, something people might not always associate with science. He spends most of his time conducting research in labs or teaching, especially on his favorite project: the Visible Interactive Dinosaur project funded by the National Science Foundation. For that project, he and a team of researchers use

< Professor Lawrence Witmer poses for a portrait in the Witmer Lab. (PATRICK CONNOLLY FOR THE POST)

computer programs to digitally construct the anatomy of extinct species. It is a more creative project than people would think, he said. “The idea ... is to, in a sense, restore the biology of dinosaurs,” he said. “We do it in a computer environment. We can clothe (dinosaurs) with the soft tissues that time has stripped away.” The project is just one part of Witmer’s daily schedule. When he gets to work in the morning, he turns on his computer and plays guitar until his computer is loaded and ready to go. He checks his email before heading to the lab to work on whatever fossil or specimen is part of his current project. Right now, it’s a 55 million-yearold bird from Wyoming called Anhinga. Though some people picture him as an

“

I basically get to do the things that I wanted to do when I was 6.” - Lawrence Witmer, anatomy professor

Indiana Jones-type figure traversing the desert, he said his time in that part of the field has mostly passed, and most of his travel now involves visiting museums. Instead, he works primarily from his office with people all across the globe, recently with those in Japan,Mongolia and Australia, on a variety of projects but said his most

important collaborators are in Athens. Though he spends much of his week — usually all seven days — in the lab, Witmer said he also enjoys spending time with his family and collecting items, such as old family photos or Transformers, in his down time. His true passion, however, is his research — all the nuances it offers and the opportunities he has. “I will actually go inside the exhibit. I will go behind the scenes,” Witmer said. “These are things that other people dream of doing, and I get paid to do those things. I not only found what I’m passionate about in life (but) I get to do it, which is not true for everyone.”

@KCOWARD02 KC769413@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 7

Kendra Lutes, a senior studying communication studies, poses for a portrait outside of Konneker Alumni Center, where she works as part of Student Alumni Board. Lutes was voted “most representative of the Bobcat Family.” (EMILY MATTHEWS / PHOTO EDITOR) FOR REPRESENTING THE ‘BOBCAT FAMILY’

Kendra Lutes Senior

ABBEY MARSHALL / FOR THE POST Kendra Lutes only applied to one college her senior year of high school: Ohio University. Lutes is a member of Student Alumni Board and president of the philanthropic dance marathon BobcaThon. “I am so surprised and excited,” Lutes said. “It’s natural for me to have a lot of excitement for people who know and love OU.” Lutes, a senior studying communication studies, is originally from Cleveland and began her freshman year in 2013. She applied for SAB her freshman year and was accepted and inducted in the fall. Her sophomore year, she became SAB’s vice president of philanthropy and accepted a job as an intern for the Alumni Association. As part of her position as vice president of philanthropy, she wanted to start a dance marathon. She discovered a group already working on BobcaThon and invited them to team up with SAB for the annual fundraiser to benefit the Ronald McDonald House of Central Ohio. The 8 / DEC. 1, 2016

year-long fundraiser culminates in a 12-hour dance marathon in February. Lutes served as the president of SAB her junior year. This year, she is taking charge of BobcaThon as the project’s president. “My favorite memories have been both of the dance marathons,” Lutes said. “They’re so exhausting, but it’s such a beautiful day.” Throughout her time at OU, Lutes has changed her major three times. She began her freshman year in media arts, switched to business and ultimately decided on communication studies. “You have the chance to explore things,” Lutes said. “When I first came in, I thought I had to do video production because that’s what I did in high school. … I found some mentors on campus to guide me through that decision and identify my skills.” One of her mentors is Katrina Heilmeier, the advisor of BobcaThon and SAB when Lutes served as president as well as Lutes’ boss in the Alumni Association. “Kendra has had a really unique experience where she’s been able to see lots of different sides of the university,” Heilmeier said. “When she was (SAB) president, Kendra worked with our Board of Directors, and she also worked with alumni. She really saw that your four years are just the beginning of your Bobcat journey.”

Heilmeier has known Lutes since her freshman year. “My first impression of Kendra is that she is extremely competent. She is responsible and dedicated,” she said. “Being able to see her grow, develop and blossom into the leader she is now has been personally rewarding to me.” Emily Schumacher, a senior studying restaurant, hotel, and tourism, is a friend of Lutes’, and the two met through SAB. “Kendra is one of the most involved people I’ve ever met,” Schumacher said. “Her love for OU is so apparent. You can tell through her work and events that’s she’s pulled off flawlessly.” Lutes applied to OU’s graduate school in hopes of pursuing higher education in student affairs, and her ultimate goal is to work at a university. “She would be a great in student affairs,” Schumacher said. “She really gets how to mentor people … She truly wants to spread happiness.” Although Lutes is sad she is graduating soon, she knows her journey as a Bobcat is far from over. “I love the Bobcat Family,” Lutes said. “As much as it’s corny to say, it’s accurate.”

@ABBEYMARSHALL AM877915@OHIO.EDU

FOR BEING A CONSTANT PRESENCE IN ALDEN

Robert Whealey Retired history professor JULIA FAIR / FOR THE POST For Robert Whealey, history is everything. That phrase is sprawled across a faded pin, fastened to his loose suspenders decorated with the stars and stripes of the U.S. flag. Whealey can be found in Alden Library researching history among Ohio University students. After spending 37 years at OU as a history professor, Whealey said he felt his work wasn’t finished as a historian. Now, he spends his days in Alden working on books, book reviews, articles and research for his public access talk show about current events. The program is recorded Tuesday and then airs six days a week, Whealey said. So far, as a retired professor, Whealey has published two books, as well as about 40 articles, he said. “If I had been working at Ohio University for 37 years, why would I want to move to another place?” Whealey said. Whealey spends most of his time on the second floor, Kelly Broughton, assistant dean for Research and Education Services, said. Anyone who spends time on that floor knows Whealey, she added. “(He’s) a retired professor who is still very active in wanting to better understand what’s happening in our world,” she said. Before Whealey started his career at OU, he had his first teaching job at the University of Maine. His love of history came before that, when he decided to specialize in history during his senior year of college at the University of Delaware. “I went and got my master’s right away, but was interrupted for two years in the Army,” Whealey said. Whealey was drafted for the Korean War, which began in 1950 when he was 20. Now, Whealey spends Monday through Friday in Alden from about 10:30 a.m. until about 5 or 6 p.m., he said. Whealey works among students and lives among them, as well. He and his wife live on Oak Street, right near Mill Street for Mill Fest every year, he said. When Whealey was younger, he would walk from Oak Street to Alden Library. But now, at age 86, he has his wife drive him to the library — she also packs him a sandwich for lunch every day. Whealey can’t get behind the wheel himself due to glaucoma, an eye condition that damages the optic nerve and limits vision. When Whealey is in the library, he said he interacts with the students, but it’s often accidental. “If you come by, I’ll talk to you,” he said. Whealey went on to say he likes to encourage students who want to pursue a degree in history. When he comes to Alden to work, he’s motivated by his hope to make a difference in the profession. “There are two kinds of historians. Some historians are basically high school teachers, they’re just working to get to retirement,” he said. “There are other kinds of historians who think that research and publishing books are making an impact on the profession.”

Robert Whealey, a retired historian who frequents the library, poses for a portrait at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd. (EMMA HOWELLS / PHOTO EDITOR)

@FAIR3JULIA JF311013@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 9

FOR BEING ATHENS’ FRIENDLY FACE

Tim Buck Server at Union Street Diner

WILLIAM T. PERKINS / NEWS EDITOR Sometimes, Tim Buck likes to listen to sad songs. Old blues. Maybe it balances out his cheery personality, he said. The Monday after Thanksgiving, during the 25-minute drive from his house to work at Union Street Diner, he was listening to “My Bucket’s Got a Hole in It” by Hank Williams. The night before, his 2002 Dodge Ram got a flat tire, so he was riding on his spare. The 27-year-old has been trying to write some songs of his own. “Kind of about being positive, I suppose,” he said. “I don’t want to sound too hippy-ish, but just like love and positivity and stuff like that.” Sometimes, on his way to the diner, he’ll have a moment of inspiration. He’ll turn the music down and focus in on the words and the tune coming to him. Sometimes, it’s like he is a conduit for the music. Keith Richards said something like that — or maybe it was Paul Simon. He hasn’t finished writing a song yet. The drive is longer than it used to be. He and his girlfriend used to live in town with his grandma. When his grandma died last December, they moved to a 26-acre property off of U.S. 56 in Starr Township so his girlfriend could keep horses. The deal was that they would build the barn for the horses first, and then they would build his music room. He loves music. He’s still learning to love horses. He’s been working the morning shift at Union Street Diner since the spring. It’s quieter than the late shift used to be. On the late shift, he gained a reputation among the late-night student crowd for his friendliness. “Tim Buck needs a raise!” some of them used to shout when they came in. He likes the morning shift too. Sometimes he needs to wait for people to get some coffee and food in them before they open up. He just wants to do whatever he can to start their day off right. But there have been too many changes. In April, just before he switched to the morning shift, his mom died. She had a growth on her colon removed, but after her surgery, her health got worse. The day she died, he brought his guitar 10 / DEC. 1, 2016

> Tim Buck, who works as a waiter at Union Street Diner, poses for a portrait inside the diner. (PATRICK CONNOLLY / FOR THE POST)

into the hospital room and family members sang songs to her, like they used to do during their big Memorial Day bonfires. She always used to like “Wagon Wheel” by Old Crow Medicine Show. “What do you want to hear?” they would ask her. “Rock me, mama!” So they played “Rock me, mama” by her bedside. Then they played “I’ll Fly Away,” an old hymn with the lyrics “When I die, hallelujah, by and by, I’ll fly away.” Tim Buck believed that. His dad kept saying “This is just her container.” That is how he dealt with it. She was cremated, so for her memorial service, the family gathered on her farm in Shade and played songs. He played “Last Night I Dreamed of Heaven,” by Hank Williams. When he came back to work about three weeks later, things had changed, but he kept a smile on. After working there for four years, the people at Union Street Diner have become a second family. And besides, he was stronger now. He used to get bad stage fright before singing or playing songs in front of strangers. But that day by his mom’s bedside — no performance would ever be harder than that. Someday, he wants to give guitar lessons, or pursue music therapy. Of course, a part of him would love to be a rock star too, but he wants to stay near Athens. For now, he’s happy bringing a smile to people’s faces at the diner. Back in high school, when he worked at Wendy’s on Court Street, one of his coworkers always said, “If you’re not smiling, you’re crying.” He believes that. Even when his Dodge Ram has a flat and his bucket’s got a hole in it.

@WTPERKINS WP198712@OHIO.EDU

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FOR GOING FAR AFTER GRADUATION

Alex Sheen 2007 Alumnus

MEGAN HENRY / ASST. NEWS EDITOR Alex Sheen always wanted to start his own company. The Ohio University alumnus took that chance and founded the business “because I said I would” after his father died of small cell lung cancer on Sept. 4, 2012. “For me, I was just trying to honor my dad,” Sheen said. “As it sort of grew into something that helped other people, I felt the sense of duty to continue it so I quit my job.” Previously, Sheen worked at Hyland Software, an independent enterprise content management vendor. He graduated from OU in 2007 with a bachelor’s degree in marketing, and grew up in Powell after being born in Toledo. < Ohio University alumnus Alex Sheen speaks about his “because I said I would” movement on April 13 in Baker Theater. (HANNAH SCHROEDER / FILE)

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“When it comes to my pursuit of my degree in business, my whole intent was to be an entrepreneur,” Sheen said. “because I said I would” is a social movement and nonprofit trying to better humanity, and it creates promise cards to help people keep their word. They have distributed more than 5.46 million promise cards to more than 153 different countries. There are multiple ways to use promise cards including trading them, posting it to social media and doing a different promise each week. “A lot of people don’t keep their promises anymore,” Sheen said. “That has a huge impact on society. When we don’t keep our promises, the world starts to head in the wrong direction.” The first promise card was introduced at his father’s funeral when Sheen gave his father’s eulogy. He centered his speech around how his father treated promises. Sheen also gives speeches across the country about the importance of keeping promises. He has remained involved with his alma mater and was the keynote speaker during International Week in April. He hopes to start an Athens chapter of “because I said I would” at some point. One of his favorite memories of OU was eating breakfast at Nelson Dining Hall. “Some nights we would stay up all the way through, and the omelet bar would open,” Sheen said. “So we would go and stuff our faces.” During his time at OU, he played attack on OU’s lacrosse team. “I really enjoyed playing all four years,” Sheen said. He also served as the secretary of the Collegiate Entrepreneur's Organization. One day, he hopes to be OU’s commencement speaker. “There would be nothing more of a honor for me than to speak at commencement,” Sheen said. Sheen was on the list of potential Spring Commencement speakers, but HSN President Bill Brand was picked to speak at commencement. “Anytime I talk to anybody at OU, regardless of what they are position-wise or just a student, I have to mention that I really want to do that,” Sheen said.

@MEGANKHENRY MH573113@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 11

DJ B-Funk uses a turntable at an event Nov 29. (BAXTER TURAIN / FOR THE POST) FOR KEEPING IT FRESH

Brandon “DJ B-Funk” Thompson Local DJ

ALEXIS EICHELBERGER FOR THE POST

Brandon “DJ B-Funk” Thompson has been providing music to Athens residents and Ohio University students for his entire life. Now, he has been chosen as “best local musician” by The Post’s readers. Thompson grew up in Athens before attending OU for both undergraduate and graduate school. He received his undergraduate degree in philosophy and his graduate degree in political science. He got his start deejaying when he was a junior in high school when he broke out a PlayStation One and a five-disk CD player to play for a high school dance. “I really hated the music the high school was booking, so I told them I would (deejay) for free and do a better job,” he said. “Then I just kind of built from there.” Now, Thompson deejays fulltime at events including weddings, proms, festivals and other parties. He provides different options for DJ packages that can cost about $600 to $700, according to his website. He chose the stage name “DJ B-Funk” as a short, easy and recognizable play on his actual name. “Every artist has to have (a) name and I went through a few others before that were really bad,” he said. “Coming up with my name was probably one of the more difficult things I came up with.” Thompson has become a visible figure at many high-profile Athens events. He has performed at the Halloween Block Party for the past six years, and this year, he produced the Lokoween stage at the party before giving the final performance of the night. He also 12 / DEC. 1, 2016

performed at 9Fest in 2012. His favorite Athens venue to play, he said, is The Union, Bar and Grill, 18 W. Union St. Prior to the fire that damaged the long-standing bar in 2014, Thompson played monthly shows there. Thompson plays several genres of music at his gigs, including hiphop and pop depending on the kind of venue. His main loves, he said, are EDM genres like house and dubstep. ”I just play dance music that gets people grooving,” he said. Thompson said with so many people in the business deejaying, it is nice to hear he stands out from the crowd to some. “I just do my thing and if people like it, then great,” he said. “It’s easy to get lost in the mix, but it’s nice to know I’m rising above.” Evan Amerio, a fifth-year senior studying audio production, also deejays at local events including the Halloween Block Party. He met Thompson about four years ago

I just do my thing and if people like it, then great. It’s easy to get lost in the mix, but it’s nice to know I’m rising above.”

when he first came to Athens. Amerio said Thompson is set apart from other DJs in the area due to his ability to choose music based on what a crowd seems to prefer. “He mixes a lot of genres together, not just electronic music,” he said. “He’s very good at finding out what the crowd likes to listen

to and making them rowdy.” Amerio credits his own rise as a local DJ in part to Thompson. “(Thompson) got me into (deejaying) in front of a crowd more,” he said. “I never would’ve been able to do Halloween without him.”

@ADEICHELBERGER AE595714@OHIO.EDU

FOR SERVING WITH PURPOSE

Chris Dodd

Bartender and manager at The Union Bar & Grill ALEX MCCANN FOR THE POST

In a dimly-lit bar booth, Chris Dodd sips his vodka tonic with lime. He spilled a little bit on himself and apologizes. When asked if any regular customers are present, Dodd says, “I know everybody in here.” Dodd is a bartender and manager at The Union Bar & Grill, 18 W. Union St, and, according to the readers of The Post, the best bartender in Athens. It is unsurprising that Athens residents selected him — Dodd is deeply ingrained in Athens, which he called “a little liberal oasis in Ohio.” He fell in love with the community 10 years ago, when he enrolled at Ohio University. Since he first came to Athens, Dodd has worked at a number of popular Athens businesses, including The Union, where he has worked for more than five years. Dodd was a barista at Donkey Coffee and Espresso from 2010 until earlier this year. He has also worked on and off at Haffa’s Records. Each job has a different atmosphere to it, Dodd said. Dodd described his job at Haffa’s as “hangout time” where he was able to focus on music, a stark contrast to working at Donkey Coffee. “Donkey is … very fast-paced, to the point where I don’t really get to com-

Chris Dodd, a bartender and manager at The Union Bar & Grill, poses for a portrait outside of the bar. (LIAM DAVIS / FOR THE POST)

municate with everybody as much as I wanted to,” Dodd said. “You get to know regulars there, but it’s always these brief interactions.” The brevity of those interactions is contrasted by bartending at The Union, Dodd said. “While The Union can get busy, there’s a lot more space and time to create meaningful relationships with people,” he said. One of the people that Dodd has gotten to know best is Andrew Lampela. Lampela, a regular at The Union for more than 20 years, is one of the owners of Haffa’s and has known Dodd for about six years. “He’s one of the best weirdos,” Lampela said of Dodd. For Dodd and other employees at The Union, the relationships they have formed were both strained and strengthened after the massive fire that severely damaged several businesses, including The Union, in November 2014.

“It was pretty crazy,” Dodd said. “It was a very surreal experience, I think, for all of us.” Dodd said he awoke the morning after the fire, unaware of what happened, to a cascade of text messages. “I had trouble getting out of bed for about three hours,” he said. “It made me nauseous.” Dodd said he feared for the relationships and memories he had built at The Union. “I was afraid for a second,” he said. “Because of what this bar encapsulates for me, it was like I was losing all of that.” Dodd was also initially worried about how he would make ends meet — until a GoFundMe page in support of the affected employees raised over $12,000 in 24 hours. The GoFundMe eventually raised an amount just shy of $50,000. “That was an amazing, beautiful thing,” Dodd said. “I’m very grateful for that. That allowed me to pay my rent.” Even without The Union, Dodd continued to bartend, working at both To-

ny’s Tavern and Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery. Dodd said he was eager to continue working in the people-centered business he enjoys so much, but is much happier now that The Union has reopened. “I enjoy the social environment that The Union provides,” he said. “I feel like it’s a safe space.” Dodd is modest about having been named best bartender in Athens. “I totally wasn’t expecting it,” he said. “I’m very flattered … it’s cool, it’s awesome.” Lampela chuckled upon learning that his friend had been named best bartender. “He spends more time telling you about the guitar riff playing than getting your drink,” he said. Lampela soon proposed a toast: “To the best bartender in town — To Dodd.”

@ALEXMCCANN21 AM622914@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 13

FOR ALWAYS SUPPORTING HIS TEAM

Clay Johnson Junior

CHARLIE HATCH SPORTS EDITOR There are two sides to Clay Johnson. One side is a junior studying accounting and sports management, the other is an Ohio athletics fanatic. “That’s just a different Clay,” he said. Whether he has two identities or not, Johnson is unarguably the biggest Bobcat fan at Ohio University. Columbus-born, both of his parents and many of his family graduated from Ohio. So naturally, he grew up a fan of the Bobcats. Disliking Ohio State for as long as he can remember, he went to his first Ohio football and basketball games in 2005 or 2006 — he can’t remember which — but became obsessed. When it came time to apply for college, an application was sent to only one school. “It was just a perfect fit,” he said. Johnson has fit in well. These days, he can be seen in the first rows of both Peden Stadium and The Convo, but he’s not a member of the O-Zone, the university’s official student section. He said he doesn’t want to be held responsible. Instead, over time he’s developed a fandom of his own. He first met football coach Frank Solich in 2008 at a basketball game and met him again last season at The Convo. “We aren’t as grateful as we should be with Frank,” he said. Becoming a fan in Solich’s first season at Ohio, Johnson said he feels appreciative for watching the football program’s resurgence. He joked his parents only saw five wins combined when they were enrolled at Ohio. Johnson said he shed a tear when Ohio beat Utah State 24-23 in the 2011 Idaho Potato Bowl. It was Ohio’s first-ever bowl win. He also wrote a letter to the NCAA in regard to last year’s Minnesota game, where kicker Josiah Yazdani was controversially given a delay of game penalty in the final seconds. He never sent the letter. As for the basketball program, he’s watched a revolving door of coaches revamp the program, only to move on to bigger, more recognizable schools. 14 / DEC. 1, 2016

> Clay Johnson poses for a portrait in front of Peden Stadium. (MATT STARKEY / FOR THE POST)

Johnson loves men’s basketball coach Saul Phillips, too, although he’s a little biased. Johnson said Phillips is his favorite person in the entire world. Against Arkansas-Pine Bluff in 2014, Johnson was picked as the “sixth man,” a student who sits on the bench for pregame introductions, then gets introduced with the team. Johnson recalls the moment distinctly. Phillips looked down the bench at him and said, “Why the hell are you here?” It was the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving. Johnson was one of the only students there. He lives with the assistant sports editor of The Post, Andrew Gillis. Johnson’s game day attire is the same as an Ohio athlete as well. When the athletic department has held previous equipment sales, Johnson has splurged and added Ohio gear to his wardrobe. At basketball games, he can be seen wearing a No. 5 jersey (for former player D.J. Cooper) or an old Reggie Keely jersey. For football games he wears a green No. 96 jersey with “K. Smith” sewn on the back. “It makes me look like a kicker,” Johnson said. This week is especially important for Ohio’s biggest fan. The women’s basketball teams is undefeated, while the men’s team is 4-1. On Friday, the football team will play No. 17 Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference Championship Game. Johnson, who said he has to study for finals, won’t be able to go. “I’ll stay in and not be a happy camper,” he said about the game. “I’ll need to be by myself.” As for upcoming games and dates, the future is unclear. He does have two certainties, though. If he does get married eventually, he worries his future wife will be afraid to go to basketball games with him, citing his extreme fandom. “MAC basketball refs are the worst people in the world,” he said. The other certainty will occur, but only if he’s financially comfortable. “The OU Athletic Department is praying I’m making a lot of money,” he claimed. “Because if so, I’ll be donating it right back.”

@CHARLIEHATCH_ GH181212@OHIO.EDU

Local artists and vendors Handcrafted goods, raffle, free admission Friday, Dec. 2nd 3-8pm Saturday, Dec. 3rd 10-5pm

8000 Dairy Lane Athens, OH 45701 740-592-4981 www.dairybarn.org

FOR THEIR LOVE

Erin Taggart and Nicole Rhoads Juniors

GEORGIA DAVIS STAFF REPORTER

Erin Taggart described her relationship to Nicole Rhoads as a roller coaster — not because of the ups and downs, but how fun it is to ride. “It’s not up down — it’s just, you wait forever … And then you finally get on the ride and you’re like, ‘Whoa. this is awesome,’ ” Taggart said. “It’s fun.” Taggart, a junior studying social work, and Rhoads, a junior studying strategic communication, have had to adjust while dating in college, but their almost two-year relationship has withstood any difficulties they may have experienced. The couple met their freshman year of college when they lived in the same residence hall. “My roommate finally made me leave my dorm and go meet people in my hall … and we went over to her room first,” Taggart said. Before they were a couple, Rhoads said they used to watch American Horror Story every Wednesday in their dorm, but that was not what brought them together. A “really long conversation” in early December of their freshman year brought the two closer, Rhoads said. “I let her in and all that stuff,” Rhoads said. Taggart said she was interested in Rhoads “from the get-go,” but the two did not start dating until January 2015. Their first date, they said, consisted of eating at Buffalo Wild Wings, playing Cards Against Humanity and a snowball fight, but both agree that was not their best date. While on a trip in Georgia, the couple ate a seafood platter, went to the beach and flew kites, which they both said was their favorite day. “We like to do adventures — new places, new foods,” Rhoads said. “We like to explore Hocking Hills and stuff.” During their sophomore year, Taggart and Rhoads lived together in the residence halls, which Taggart called “an

^ Juniors Erin Taggart, left, and Nicole Rhoads pose for a portrait on College Green. Taggart and Rhoads met while living in James Hall and have been dating for almost two years. (CARL FONTICELLA / PHOTO EDITOR)

adjustment” that both of them had to get used to, and said living with a significant other “is not for everybody.” “We’re both super busy in Fall Semester. It’s kind of hard because we have completely opposite schedules and we’re just running around constantly,” she said. “So it’s like time to go to bed and like, ‘Oh, hey. How was your day. It’s like 11:30,’ and I’m finally talking to her. That makes it hard.” Taggart and Rhoads said they had to get used to each other’s personalities and living styles. Taggart, who is an only child, said she likes her quiet time so she can relax. Rhoads, on the other hand, is one of three children, so she is used to being around people all of the time, Rhoads said. Rhoads is more of the optimist, Taggart said, and Taggart is Rhoads’s “level head,” Rhoads said. They balance each other out, “besides the whole gender thing,” Rhoads said. “I think we balance each other out. It’s kind of like a yin and yang type of deal,” Taggart said. Taggart believes it is really hard to maintain a relationship in college because people are always changing. “I mean, we’re constantly changing in college and it’s hard to keep up with sometimes,” she said. “And I think if you’re not maturing at the same rate, it’s really hard to maintain something. It’s been a journey to say the least.” Though it is hard to maintain a steady relationship in college, Rhoads thinks that is why people admire their relationship. “A lot of people, I think, admire the fact that it has been this long,” Rhoads said. “There are days we don’t like each other, but that doesn’t mean we don’t love each other.”

@GEORGIADEE35 GD497415@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 15

FOR ADORING FOOD

Kim Jordan Business Instructor LUKE TORRANCE FOR THE POST Kim Jordan says if she’s being honest, she does not really like cooking. But the kind of food she likes — Japanese, Indian, Mediterranean — can't be made in a microwave. So she had to learn how to cook. "I was an only child, and my parents weren't home often, so I had lots of Hamburger Helper," she said. "I developed a taste for foods that weren't easy to make, and you couldn't eat unless you learned to make it." Growing up in a military family and being married to a psychiatrist in the Navy led Jordan to experience many different cuisines. She lived in Spain and the Middle East for several years and recently in Japan for five. When she moved to Athens in 2012 with her family, she brought those cuisines with her and shared them with others. Jordan said she prefers the food culture in Athens to larger cities. "We don't necessarily have standout chefs here," she said. "But we do have standout food." Jordan said that what she cooks is often based on what is in season, and she will cook certain dishes only at certain times of the year. Earlier this week, Jordan prepared what she calls a cold-weather dish: anman, a type of street food popular in Japan. It is based on the Chinese dish baozi, but Jordan said she prefers the Japanese version because it is "lighter." "There's a reason they sit around and take pictures of what they eat," Jordan said of the cuisine in Japan. "They're a food culture." The anman are little balls of dough with a filling, which in her recipe included pork, locally grown Shiitake mushrooms and Chinese oyster sauce. After 20 minutes or so in a bamboo steamer, they're served with soy sauce and a dab of wasabi. When Jordan first arrived with her family in Japan, she did not have a job or know many people. Kamakura, the town where she lived, did not have many English speakers. But it did have an abundance of fresh food. "People would come to (Kamakura's) farmers market from Tokyo," Jordan said. During her time there, she ended up taking classes under Aki Nansai. Nansai 16 / DEC. 1, 2016

> Kim Jordan, adjunct lecturer at Ohio University, poses for a portrait in her home. (EMMA HOWELLS / PHOTO EDITOR)

“

Everybody can just like the food. The experience of (trying something) and going ‘Yum’ — that’s universal.”

had traveled the world and put a Japanese spin on dishes from around the world. Jordan helped Nansai put together a book of recipes arranged by month, so fresh ingredients could be used. Jordan said the classes were often demanding. "In Japan, they never stop learning," she said. "Even those who have been working in a field for 40, 50 years will say 'I can't teach you. I haven't mastered it.' " When she came to Athens, she taught cooking classes for a year, often focusing on Japanese dishes. But Jordan, who is also a professor at Ohio University's College of Business, stopped the classes because running them became too demanding. Now she writes a blog where she often discusses cooking and arranges parties with her neighbors, during which they cook dishes like ramen noodles. Jordan said it makes her feel like Tom Sawyer, getting her friends to cook. "I'll organize people, and they'll all be 'painting the fence,’ " she said with a laugh. "And then I'm happy because I get to eat ramen." Jordan said those experiences — cooking with others, sharing food with others — have helped her connect with people from countries around the world. "What's amazing about food is it takes away all the social ranking around it," she said. "Everybody can just like the food. The experience of (trying something) and going 'Yum' — that's universal."

@TORRANTIAL LT688112@OHIO.EDU

FOR BEING AN ATHENS STAPLE

Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery JESSICA HILL FOR THE POST Students from around Ohio may have tasted Jackie O’s beer before coming to the brewery’s home in Athens. Post readers picked Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, 24 W. Union St., as the place Athens couldn’t live without because of its beer, local food and friendly atmosphere. “I feel that we have a very high standard in terms of quality of the product and quality of service,” Bruce Reede, the manager at Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery, said. “I think it’s a very inviting atmosphere for townies and students alike.” Reede said a lot of Jackie O’s popularity comes from the beer they brew and sell. Jackie O’s brews 16 beers on draft and 10 bottled beers, according to its website. Jackie O’s recently expanded its taproom at 25 Campbell St. It upgraded its facility to include a total of 120 barrel tanks rather than the 40 the taproom previously had. The increase allows them to brew and distribute more beer throughout the state, Matthew Spolar, the director of marketing for Jackie O’s, said. “I think that in Ohio, whether you’re talking breweries or sports teams or anything, Ohioans have pride in Ohio,” Spolar said. “As a Bobcat myself, I’m like ‘Ohio for life.’ ‘Bobcats for life.’ ” Jackie O’s sells its products to more than 3,000 different accounts in Ohio, including in cities like Columbus, Cleveland, Toledo, Dayton and Cincinnati, Spolar said. “For the time being, our focus is Ohio,” Spolar said. “We’re from here. We brew here. We’d like to keep it here for now. For the next few years, we’re definitely looking to be an Ohio brewery and grow within the state of Ohio. There’s plenty of growth to be had here.” Jackie O’s arranges beer-tasting dinners around Ohio as a way to meet customers and to spread its beer, Spolar said. On Dec. 7, Jackie O’s will have a meet and greet at the Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland where people can taste Jackie O’s beer. “When the product is good, and the service is good, people talk about it and want to try it out,” Reede said. Spolar said there are some other great breweries in Ohio, such as Thirsty Dog Brewing Co. and Great Lakes Brewing Company. “There’s a lot of great breweries making some great products,” Spolar said.

“It’s awesome to watch the Midwest grow with the brewing industry.” Valerie Larkin, a sophomore studying pre-nursing, has been to Jackie O’s and said it was relaxing and had a “fun atmosphere.” “I went there last summer, and we sat out on the deck, the outside part, and that was really fun,” Larkin said. “We got appetizers and really good food. Really good service as well. The bartenders and waitresses were really nice and friendly.” Although it is not the only restaurant to source locally, Jackie O’s local food also helps get people in the door, Reede said. Jackie O’s offers different burgers, pizzas and sandwiches. They also offer veg-

^ Lead bartender Joshua Novak fills a glass with beer at Jackie O’s Pub and Brewery. (BLAKE NISSEN / FOR THE POST)

etarian dishes, such as hummus wraps and falafel. The brewpub makes the Vegan, a pizza topped with onion, artichoke, red peppers and spinach, along with other vegetarian and vegan pizzas, according to its menu. The pub and brewery tries to act as

sustainable as possible, Spolar said. Half of the grain from the brewery process is taken to its ranch to feed cows that will later become beef for burgers in the restaurant. The other half of the grain goes to bread for the bakery. When people order pizza at Jackie O’s, for example, that’s the grain from the brewery process, Spolar said. “Everything we do comes full circle,” Spolar said. “We try to tie everything together that we can. That comes from our slogan, which is ‘sustainably crafted with purpose.’ ”

@JESS_HILLYEAH JH240314@OHIO.EDU

THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 17

Biological sciences most popular major at OU, also popular at other Ohio MAC universities Journalism, nursing, media arts and studies and psychology are among the other most popular majors at Ohio University MEGAN HENRY ASST. NEWS EDITOR This is the 15th in a weekly series called Bobcats by the Numbers comparing Ohio University to the five other Mid-American Conference universities in Ohio. Ohio University was the only Mid-American Conference school in Ohio with biological sciences as the most popular major for fall 2015. The six MAC universities in Ohio include OU, Miami University, Bowling Green State University, the University of Toledo, Kent State University and the University of Akron. The information for fall 2016 was not available for all six universities. All data is for the universities’ main campuses. OU had 1,100 undergraduate students studying biological sciences at its main campus. Biology was the second most popular major at Akron and third most popular major at Miami. The College of Arts and Sciences at Bowling Green and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics at Toledo had

18 / DEC. 1, 2016

Phillip Craigmile works on cellular segregation on March 30, 2014. Biological sciences was the most popular major on the Athens campus in 2015. (MINGRAN MA / FILE)

the most students at the respective campuses. Both colleges house the biological sciences department. Alexandra Sargent, a first-year graduate student studying environmental studies, said she was not surprised by OU’s top five majors. “I’m happy to hear there’s a lot of hard sciences in there,” Sargent said. She said she was glad that biology was the most popular major. “Having more (students studying) the hard sciences and journalism, I think, is very important,” Sargent said. “People are more and more interested in what kind of news and information is being

put out there.” Nursing — the fifth most popular major at OU — had the highest number of students in that major at Kent State. The College of Nursing had the fifth highest undergraduate enrollment at Toledo, not including undecided students. Maggie Stotts, a junior studying retail merchandising, thought business was going to be one of the top majors. “Nursing doesn’t surprise me,” Stotts said. “I just have a lot of friends who are in nursing.” Psychology was another popular major at the six universities. It was the second most popular major at Miami and the

third most popular major at OU and at Kent State. Quintin Rhoades, a freshman studying media arts and studies, said he was surprised his major ranked so high on the list. He also thought business was going to be one of the top five majors. “I feel like I see more business students,” Rhodes said. “I knew journalism was really big here. I was kind of surprised that biology was the biggest.”

@MEGANKHENRY MH573113@OHIO.EDU

Fake news was prevalent on Facebook during the 2016 presidential election., according to a ‘BuzzFeed’ analysis. (BLAKE NISSEN / PHOTO ILLUSTRATION)

Students, voters grapple with fake political news ABBEY MARSHALL FOR THE POST Toward the end of the election cycle, articles sourced from fake news sites garnered many shares, reactions and comments, sometimes outperforming real news articles. In the final three months of the campaign, 20 articles with titles such as “WikiLeaks CONFIRMS Hillary sold weapons to ISIS” had about 8.7 million shares, reactions and comments on Facebook, while the top 20 real news articles from the New York Times, the Washington Post and other outlets had about 7.4 million engagements, an analysis from BuzzFeed found. Such misinformation on social media feeds has led to debate about fake news and whether limiting it violates First Amendment rights. The evolution of social networking comes with potential problems for the media, Susan Burgess, an Ohio University political science professor, said. “When new technologies are in-

troduced into politics … that changes the ways politics are covered,” Burgess said. “With the rise of news sources outside of traditional newspapers, they’re not professional journalists, there’s the question about if they’ve been trained.” One 38-year-old man, Paul Horner, took credit for President-elect Donald Trump’s victory because of his own fake articles, according to an interview with The Washington Post. Many shared his false articles, including Trump’s campaign manager Kellyanne Conway. One article suggested that protesting Trump could result in a monetary reward. The rise of hoax stories affects the overall attitude toward professional journalists, Mary Puzder, a sophomore studying journalism, said. “It’s super annoying because it discredits other news sources,” she said. “As a journalism major, I’m noticing it more and more.” Oftentimes people will share an article on social media sites without reading it

because of the headline or the tweet framing it, Puzder said. Because of that, she said readers must be ready to fact-check. A recent Stanford study, however, found that 82 percent of middle school- to college-age students cannot differentiate between real and fake news sources. Because of the difficulty some readers face in identifying hoax news sites, Burgess said some people are questioning the obligation of social media sites to regulate fake news. Google said it will not allow websites that post fake news to use its advertising services. Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, announced that his website may begin to identify stories as “false” or automatically detect misinformation. “It’s definitely not the social media site’s fault,” Puzder said. “It’s a maturity and media literacy problem that people need to go into and people can’t blindly trust the news.” Jared Scales, an undecided junior, writes satire for Black Sheep at OU. Satire is a comedic and unrealistic spin on real news. “There’s definitely a problem with fake news because there’s so much being cir-

culated,” Scales said. “We are very clearly writing satire. … We’re looking to make people laugh. The real fake news is not comedic, and it’s trying to pass itself off as something that’s real.” The rise of fake news could potentially lead to debates about legality, Burgess said. “Is there an obligation on social media to fact-check?” she said. “What is the status of social media relative to the first amendment? We’re going to see that in the days ahead.” Puzder suggested people who are worried about consuming fake news should take cautionary steps before deeming a source as credible. “I would say look at the URL of where the source is coming from,” she said. “Look at the intent of the author. Look into if they’re biased. ... You can start making a difference by showing your family and friends credible sources.”

@ABBEYMARSHALL AM877915@OHIO.EDU THEPOSTATHENS.COM / 19

Highlighting Confidence Makeup lovers use cosmetics for artistic expression

ALEX DARUS CULTURE EDITOR

Aliyah Baskind began loving makeup as a form of self-empowerment. “I was in a relationship for a really long time with a guy who didn’t like makeup,” Baskind, a junior studying child and family studies, said. “And so I think when we broke up, (wearing makeup) was just kind of like a big ‘f--k you.’ ” According to IBISWorld, an industry market research group, the of the makeup industry is worth more than $60 billion as of 2016 — and it is growing still. Many of those who love makeup view it as a form of self-expression and art, rather than a way to conform to beauty standards. And to others, collecting makeup and spending time applying it is more than just a part of their daily routine, it is a passion. Baskind, who has been applying makeup since she was 13 years old, has a large collection of makeup, especially lip products. “It was just something to study and something to get good at,” she said.

MORE THAN JUST COSMETIC

ILLUSTRATION BY: MARCUS PAVILONIS

20 / DEC 1, 2016

Makeup can be more than just a hobby or routine. Joanna Koefoed, an instructional staff member in the Theater Division of the College of Fine Arts, teaches a theater makeup class at Ohio University every Fall Semester. In that class, she teaches topics ranging from contouring to basic prosthetics. Koefoed started wearing makeup out of “insecurity,” but she now sees it

more as an artistic expression, both in the theater world and in everyday life. “I’ve learned things from teaching the class about how we view people and what we think about different people based on what they look like,” Koefoed said. “And how you can even change people’s perceptions of you based on the makeup (you wear).” For Alex Bertolini, her interest in makeup led her

to her career. She started working as a makeup artist about a year ago, doing makeup for editorial shoots for Thread magazine. Now, in addition to Thread, she works as a freelancer for events such as “date parties,” proms and weddings. “I love working on shoots, and I would love to be working as a makeup artist for ... high-end magazines,” Bertolini, a senior studying retail merchandising and fashion product development, said. Bertolini invests her time in studying new makeup releases and trends, especially after she interned with the company Milk Makeup in New York City last summer. Bertolini charges a client based on the kind of work she is doing. For a student, she will usually

charge a lower price of $5 to $10, whereas for a wedding, she would charge about $30. “I work hard at what I do, and I understand some people that don’t want to pay, but it’s always nice for people just to appreciate the work that I do,” Bertolini said. “I will spend 45 minutes on someone’s face. I’m taking time out of my day. I think any kind of service that a person does should be recognized by being paid.” Abigail Patsiavos, an undecided freshman, has loved makeup for three years and said she “can’t go to the mall without going to Sephora,” a high-end makeup retailer. “It’s therapeutic to me,” she said. “I get so excited when I can sit down and blend my eyeshadow.”

Alex Bertolini does her subject’s makeup in the fourth floor studio in Schoonover Center on Nov. 10. (MATT STARKEY / FOR THE POST)

THE ART OF MAKEUP

AN ONLINE INFLUENCE People who purchase makeup are often persuaded to buy certain products based on what they see on social media sites. According to a report released by Pixability, a video advertising technology company, beauty-related content on YouTube — including tutorials, makeup hauls and product reviews — received more than 5 billion views per month so far in 2016. There has been an increase since 2015, where such videos only received about 1.6 billion views monthly. Trina Gannon, an instructor in retail merchandising and fashion product development, said beauty videos have a “huge impact” on what people decide to buy due to the sense of trust viewers tend to develop with beauty vloggers. “(The vloggers are) filming from their house or their bedroom. The bedroom is a very intimate space,” Gannon said. “It’s almost like subconscious-

ly you realize that’s a very intimate space, and it does kind of open up a different level of … virtual trust.” Beauty vloggers on YouTube post a large variety of content expanding past basic tutorials. They often do “tag” videos, which usually have particular themes such as challenges or types of tutorials. Multiple vloggers usually participate and challenge their peers to create the same videos. One popular YouTube tag is called “YouTube made me buy it,” in which vloggers talk about all of the products they were persuaded to buy because they were recommended in another video. Such videos make a “huge impact on what people decide to buy,” Gannon said. “It’s funny because if you almost think of YouTube makeup videos, you can almost compare them to old infomercials where you have a 30 minute long infomercial about curling irons or something,” Gannon said. “After this half an

hour (of a review) is that people are like, ‘Oh, I may be convinced to try this.’ ” For some people, the idea of spending $45 on a single eyeshadow palette is outrageous, but for beauty-lovers, that is the price to pay for reliability and quality. “I invest money in my makeup because it’s kind of like my life,” Bertolini said. “I’m not just using it on myself — I use it on everyone. I feel like I need to buy high quality products in order for my work to be the best that it can be.” Loran Marsan, a visiting assistant professor of women’s, gender and sexuality studies, said it’s important to recognize whether a person is being influenced by outside forces to spend unwanted time and money to feel insecure. “If you think that’s the case, then try to figure out how to change that,” Marsan said. “If you are just like ‘no, I just really like blue eyeliner. I think it’s cool. I feel like it’s aes-

I think that it can be a really cool way of being able to play. I mean it’s painting on your face, at the end of the day, which I think is really fun.” -Joanna Koefoed, instructional staff member in the Theater Division of CoFA

thetically pleasing. Like it makes me feel like an art piece.’ That’s cool too.” There is often a double-standard with makeup in which women are put down for wearing too much or not enough makeup, Marsan said. While there is a small number of women who can get the “perfectly socially acceptable” amount of makeup, Marsan said women will always be criticized for it. “It creates a weird sort of Catch-22 for women,” Marsan said. “We’re expected to wear makeup. Certain jobs require you to wear makeup. You can be told that you don’t look professional enough if you don’t wear makeup. At the same time on the other end of things, you have … some ... people on the internet, small groups or whoever, complaining that (makeup is) ‘false advertising.’ ” Despite the negative stigma makeup sometimes gets, many people choose to wear it as a form of self

expression. “Every time you do wear makeup, just like every time you pick something to wear in the morning, you’re expressing yourself in public how you want to be expressed,” Gannon said. “You are going out in the best available model of yourself at that particular time.” Viewing makeup as an artistic expression, rather than just viewing it as a cosmetic way to alter a person’s appearance, can change how people view the use of makeup. “I think that there are certain standards in our society that push makeup as a source of covering up who you are and things like that aren’t helpful,” Koefoed said. “But it doesn’t have to be that way. And I think that it can be a really cool way of being able to play. I mean it’s painting on your face, at the end of the day, which I think is really fun.”

@_ALEXDARUS AD019914@OHIO.EDU

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DECK THE GREEN GEORGIA DAVIS / STAFF WRITER Though many students will venture home for winter break, those who stay on campus can participate in holiday festivities in the Athens area to get into the holiday spirit. On the first and third weekends of December, Fossil Rock Raiders Model Train Barn, 14410 Shade Road, will hold its 10th annual Holiday Train Fest. The event is free for all who attend. Ralph Calvert, one of the owners, said there are two floors of model trains, and some of the trains are made on the property. “When I was 12 years old, I got my first train,” he said. “I’ve been into them for 50 plus years.” The collection contains “more trains than you’ve probably ever seen,” Calvert said, and not all of the trains can be viewed in one trip. “The next time you come see it you’ll find more,” he said. The model train barn has a guest book that returning and new visitors can sign and

write comments in. Calvert said it’s “really fun” to read through the comments. People of all ages can appreciate the collection, he added. “I (have) always heard a boy can’t have too many trains,” Calvert said. The Athens Art Guild will host its annual Holiday Shoppe on Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. and 12 p.m., respectively. The Holiday Shoppe will take place at the Athens Community Center, 701 E. State St. More than 40 local artists and craftspeople will have their work on display for patrons to purchase, according to the event’s Facebook page. Kiser’s Barbeque will be on location to sell food to the shoppers. Also taking place on Dec. 10 at 8 p.m. is Winter Breakaway, hosted by The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, 184 Longview Heights Road. Tickets bought in advance are $20 for general admission and $10 for students, and at the door prices are $25 for general admission and $15 for students. The party will feature light appetizers, a silent auction and music from the local

What: Winter Breakaway When: 8 p.m., Dec. 10 Where: The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens, 184 Longview Heights Road Admission: Tickets bought in advance are $20 general admission and $10 for students, tickets at the door are $25 general admission $15 for students

group Mozaïque, “an eclectic, acoustic performance group,” according to the group’s Facebook page. All proceeds will go to the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Athens’ endowment fund. There will also be a cash bar that will serve beer and malt beverages, according to the event’s Facebook page. Those looking to showcase their artistic abilities can participate in the Dairy Barn Arts Center’s, 8000 Dairy Lane, Snowman: A Winter Wine and Canvas event on Dec. 15 at 5:30 p.m. Attendees will learn how to paint “festive and surprisingly easy snowman paintings” while sipping wine, according to the event’s Facebook page. Admission for the event is $25 and those who wish to attend must pre-register by calling the Dairy Barn Arts Center. On New Year’s Eve, Rollerbowl Lanes will host its annual party to celebrate the holiday. The adult party will start at 9 p.m. on Dec. 31. Admission is $25 and includes four hours of bowling, beverages and pizza. There will also be door prizes and 50/50 raffle drawings. Mike Karshner, a manager at Roller-

bowl Lanes, said the facility has held this event for about 12 years, and for the first time there will be a party for children from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. The children’s party is $10 per person. “We’ve had a lot of kids at nighttime and we allow alcohol, which is not a very good atmosphere for kids,” Karshner said. Both parties will include different bowling games — such as Crazy Eights and ninepin no-tap — that people can enter. The winner of the games will win the cash accumulated to participate in the game. Mostly community members come to the New Year’s Eve party, Karshner said, because the most of the students are home for winter break. “There’s not a whole lot to do for New Year’s Eve except go to the bar, and you can bring alcohol to our (adult) party,” he said. “No other place can offer the fun, such as bowling, that we have.”

@GEORGIADEE35 GD497415@OHIO.EDU

What: Snowman: A Winter Wine and Canvas When: 5:30 p.m., Dec. 15 Where: The Dairy Barn Arts Center, 8000 Dairy Lane Admission: $25 per person

What: 2016 Holiday Train Fest When: 11 a.m., Dec. 3 and Dec. 17; 12 p.m., Dec. 4 and Dec. 18 Where: Fossil Rock Raiders Model Train Barn, 14410 Shade Road Admission: Free What: Athens Art Guild Holiday Shoppe When: 10 a.m., Dec. 10 and 12 p.m., Dec. 11 Where: Athens Community Center, E. State St. Admission: Free What: Rollerbowl New Year’s Eve Party When: 9 p.m., Dec. 31 Where: Rollerbowl Lanes, 28 Palmer St. Admission: $25 per person 22 / DEC. 1, 2016

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Attendees at the Holiday Train Fest in 2013 observe model trains on display. (PROVIDED VIA RALPH CALVERT)

What’s happening over break ALEX MCCANN | FOR THE POST

inter break is approaching rapidly, but Athens will not be shutting down when students leave. A wide variety of events will be taking place over the coming month, including the last weekend of the semester. Friday night, alt-right political commentator and journalist Milo Yiannopoulos will speak at Nelson Commons. Although Nelson Commons has a capacity of about 300, more than. 500 free tickets for the event have been reserved, according to a previous Post report. Yiannopoulos, who has been touring college campuses across the country, is originally from England and currently writes for Breitbart, a conservative news website. He made headlines during the summer when he was permanently banned from Twitter after inciting other users to harass actress and comedian Leslie Jones. Friday night is also the fourth annual Cover to Cover. At this musical event, bands cover the music of one band in the style of another. The event’s Facebook page gives the example of “the White Stripes playing LCD Soundsystem.” Cover to Cover will take place at Sudden Death Overtime, 11 Fremont St. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted for the Athens Rock Camp for Girls. Saturday, Dec 10, is Ohio University’s commencement for fall 2016. Jenny Chabot, longtime associate professor of child and family studies in OU’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, will be the commencement speaker, according to a previous Post report. That night, Athens-based burlesque group Moonstruck Burlesque will perform at Casa Nueva Restaurant & Cantina, 6 W. State St. Prior to the sexy silliness of the burlesque performance, Shouts and Whispers, a local rhythm and blues band, will perform at 6 p.m. The following Monday, Dec. 12, Athens-based jazz band Coolville Hotclub will play at Casa Nueva, and Wednesday holds an Afternoon Dance Party with DJ Barticus, a local favorite. Finally, just before Christmas, Wolf Tree Collective will host a Wet Felt Workshop. Wet felt is a hands-on craft where guests can make various items, including felted soaps or stones, a pincushion or toys for children and animals.

What: Milo Yiannopoulos When: 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2 Where: Nelson Commons Admission: Free

What: Shouts and Whispers When: 6 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10 Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: Free

What: Cover to Cover: The Fourth When: 7 p.m., Friday, Dec. 2 Where: Sudden Death Overtime, 11 Fremont St. Admission: Donations accepted for Athens Rock Camp for Girls

What: Adam Torres with Adam Remnant and Caitlin Kraus-Torres When: 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10 Where: Stuart’s Opera House, 52 Public Square, Nelsonville Admission: $12 in advance, $15 at door

What: Athens Uncorked Twoyear Anniversary Party When: 4 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3 Where: Athens Uncorked, 14 Station St. Admission: Free, drinks for sale

What: Moonstruck Burlesque When: 11:00 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10 Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: $8

What: The New Basics Brass Band and The Wet Darlings When: 10 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 3 Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: Free

What: Coolville Hotclub When: 9 p.m., Monday, Dec. 12 Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: Free

What: The Tempo Tantrums Annual Winter Classic When: 6 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 4 Where: Baker Ballroom Admission: $1

What: Afternoon Dance Party with DJ Barticus When: 12 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 14 Where: Casa Nueva, 6 W. State St. Admission: Free

What: Fizzed & Blue Moth When: 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 9 Where: The Union Bar & Grill, 18 W. Union St Admission: Free

What: Lennonfest 2016 When: 9 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 17 Where: The Union Bar & Grill, 18 W. Union St. Admission: $5

What: Woodthrush Bottle Release When: 12 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10 Where: Little Fish Brewing Company, 8675 Armitage Road Admission: Free, drinks for sale What: Fall Commencement When: 2 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 10 Where: The Convo Admission: Free for friends and family of graduates

What: Wet Felting Workshop When: 10 a.m., Thursday, Dec. 22 Where: Wolf Tree Collective, 74 E. State St. Admission: $15 What: Jackie O’s 11th Anniversary Extravaganza When: 11 a.m., Friday, Jan. 6 Where: Jackie O’s Brewpub & Public House, 24 W. Union St.; Jackie O’s Taproom, 25 Campbell St. Admission: Free, food and drink for sale

@ALEXMCCANN21 AM622914@OHIO.EDU

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