Upstairs on the second story of an old warehouse in Camp Washington the members of Hive13 are meeting to discuss reverse engineering, wireless computer network security and their personal do-it-yourself projects. A good number of the folks in the room arrive with engineering or computer science degrees. Some call them "hackers," but they call themselves "makers."  

This month's midterm elections represented a political windfall for Republicans, and many right-wingers see the victories as a mandate for smaller government and a public rejection of the Obama administration. Still, former State Rep. Tom Brinkman Jr. says, "The best thing that happened for Republicans, from a political position, is that they did not win the Senate." That gives the new Speaker of the House, Rep. John Boehner, "a tremendous amount of power."  

Not that you have to press a kid to get her interested in the larger-than-life art of Rosson Crow, but the Contemporary Art Center Family Saturday extends the fun by helping parents build a Rosson Crow-inspired hat with their children. 'Rosson Crow: Myth of the American Motorcycle' is currently on display at the CAC (44 E. 6th St., Downtown) and pairs neatly with the family art program, 'Shocking Chapeau!'  

Jeffrey Combs hears the same set of questions every time he makes an appearance at a convention like HorrorHound Weekend, the huge annual horror movie convention put together by the folks at Cincinnati-based 'HorrorHound' magazine. He'll be joined by almost the entire central cast of 'Re-Animator' for a 25-year reunion panel discussion at the event, plus Malcolm McDowell of 'A Clockwork Orange' and 'The Exorcist's Linda Blair. "People want me to say that my favorite role is the one that happens to be their favorite role," Combs says.  

Deciding to build sustainable, Earth-friendly communities is more of a practical solution than an ethical goal. America is becoming fatter and older, and the sprawl is too burdensome for our sagging flesh. That biting revelation was made by M. Scott Ball, an architect who addressed the region's city and suburban planners at the Oct. 22 Sustainable Hamilton County conference.  

The name of this famous concerto refers not to Napoleon (Beethoven hated him) but was branded this way by English-speaking publishers to add a regal air to the music. Heroic and tragic, Beethoven's fifth and final piano concerto is conducted by Thomas Dausgaard with Barry Douglas on piano. 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday at Music Hall.  

This haunted riverboat, already a heart-stopping night terror, ramps the excitement down to new depths with the Unrated Captain’s Tour. Intrepid explorers will climb inside the devil's raft with all the lights cut and only a small, weak flashlight as their guide. Survivors of the tour can gather afterwards at the Captain's Ball, a dockside party on the B&B Riverboats River Queen. There will be dancing, a DJ and a cash bar.  

Bud Stross, one of the three owners of The Dent Schoolhouse, plays many roles at his haunt: Killjoy, VIP the Crazed Hillbilly, Jasper the Clown and the title villain, Charlie the Janitor. Charlie lurks in the basement; he’s the one who murdered all the students and faculty. He’s the reason The Dent Schoolhouse is haunted.  

Halloween can be a mixed bag (pun intended) for parents and kids. It’s the one time of the year we not only allow but suggest that our kids knock on random doors and take candy from strangers. At the same time, we’re asking them to be afraid of goblins, monsters and ghosts but not so scared that they won’t sleep on Halloween night.  

The Dark Pumpkin begins in the Director’s Studio, an aging shack in which a sinister French-accented filmmaker advises that you're his newest star. He’s making a horror movie, of course, and a table covered with bloody drills, hooks, chains and knives hints at what's in store when the cameras start rolling.