text: Editing (section) Child's Play (episode) 0 CLICK HERE TO LOG IN OR CREATE AN ACCOUNT == Summary == === Teaser === [[File:First Annual Voyager Science Fair.jpg|thumb|left|The Science Fair.]] Aboard the {{USS|Voyager}}, an auspicious event is unfolding: the First [[Annual Voyager Science Fair|Annual ''Voyager'' Science Fair]]. Organized by [[Seven of Nine]], it showcases the scientific skills of the five children currently aboard ''Voyager'': [[Naomi Wildman]], and four [[Borg]] children, recently picked up and under Seven's care: [[Mezoti]] a [[Norcadian]] girl, twin [[Wysanti]] boys [[Rebi]] and [[Azan]], and [[Icheb]], a [[Brunali]] in his late teens. ({{VOY|Collective}}) Crewmembers, including {{Captain}} [[Kathryn Janeway]], [[Commander]] [[Chakotay]], and [[Lieutenant]] [[B'Elanna Torres]], view the projects with interest. A proud Seven takes them to each one; from the twins, cloned [[potato]]es (having been convinced to not clone Naomi); from Mezoti, a [[Teirenian ant]] colony. (Captain Janeway cannot help but be amused by her choice: an insect colony of drones and a queen, contained within a transparent cube); from Naomi, a model of her father's [[homeworld]], [[Ktaris]], complete with a simulation of the stormy weather of the region known as the [[Arpasian Range]]. But the most impressive project comes from Icheb; a [[gravimetric]] [[sensor]] array, which can actually be used with ''Voyager''{{'}}s sensors to detect [[wormhole]]s, which could shorten ''Voyager''{{'}}s journey home. Seven informs Janeway that the [[engineering]] principles Icheb used are quite sound. While Chakotay and Torres continue speaking to Icheb, interested in possibly incorporating the device into ''Voyager''{{'}}s sensor array, Janeway takes Seven aside and comments on his demonstrated genius-level aptitude. Seven proudly informs her about his wish to be permanently posted in astrometrics, out of his professed love of [[astrophysics]]. However Janeway sadly gives her some painful news: they have found his parents and are heading for the [[Brunali homeworld]] to return him to them. Seven's face falls a mile. "''That's good news,''" she responds, her voice catching. === Act One === Seven enters astrometrics and finds Icheb working there. With no admonishment in her tone, she tells him he is over his scheduled time. Besides, she continues, very hesitantly, she has something to discuss with him. But his reaction makes it impossible for her to tell him; with a wondrous look in his eyes, he expounds on the wonder and excitement he feels studying the cosmos there, on the lab's huge [[viewscreen]]; as a drone, he never wondered what was outside the [[Borg cube|cube]] he was on; but in the lab, he feels like he can see the whole [[Milky Way Galaxy|galaxy]]. He shows her how he even increased the ship's long-range sensors' resolution, so that they can pick up previously out-of-range phenomena, such as a [[nebula]] called the [[Orpisay Nebula]]. So when he finally asks her what she wants to discuss with him, all she can do is gulp anxiously and respond that he should [[regeneration|regenerate]]. Captain Janeway is in her [[quarters]], reading a book. Seven goes to see her and asks for collected Brunali [[species]] data so she can prepare Icheb. Janeway asks how he took the news, but quickly realizes Seven has not told him. Seven tries to explain why not by saying that it will be hard for him, used as he is to life aboard ''Voyager''. Seven admits that she does not know how to break it to him. Janeway suggests that Seven expands upon what she's already begun by helping him to cope as a individual gives him the benefit of her own experiences and encouraging him to be resilient in the face of obstacles. In her [[cargo bay]] 2 [[Borg alcove]]s, which she shares with the Borg children, Seven finds Icheb again working, this time at one of the bay's consoles. She steels herself and tells him. His reaction is a chain: shock and confusion, followed by dismay, and finally, anger. His anger is amplified when she informs him about the nature of Brunali's [[agrarian society]]: limited technology; no [[warp-capable]] spacecraft (most of their ships were destroyed by the [[Borg]]). Icheb asks how he'll continue his astrophysics studies. The only answer Seven can give is that she does not know. He falls silent, and goes to his alcove. She calls his name plaintively, but he simply hits her with another saturnine glare, and goes into regeneration. ''Voyager'' arrives at the Brunali homeworld. Seven is present on the [[bridge]], helping to take scan data of the planet's surface. The [[planet]] is [[class M]], usually the mark of a very idyllic world. But there is a huge problem: a Borg [[transwarp conduit]] less than a [[light year]] away, which Seven detects. This explains Ensign [[Harry Kim]]'s scan data of the population distribution: only scattered settlements, each with less than 10,000 people. This region of [[space]] is a Borg thoroughfare; the Brunali people live in constant, extreme danger. Captain Janeway takes note of all of this. She orders [[Tuvok]] to continuously scan for any Borg activity; with that conduit there, they may need to run like hell at very short notice. She then orders [[Tom Paris]] to put the ship into [[orbit]] around the planet, and has Seven go and fetch Icheb. Icheb is in the [[sickbay]]. He complains of an upset stomach. [[The Doctor]] examines him with his [[medical tricorder]] but finds nothing wrong. He correctly deduces the problem as a case of "[[butterfly|butterflies]]". Icheb does not understand. The Doctor explains to him what it means, and muses that his parents are feeling the same way. Icheb adamantly tells him that parents are irrelevant to him: Seven sees about his education and he, The Doctor, cares for his [[medicine|medical needs]]. The Doctor advises him that his parents can nurture him in ways the crew cannot, such as telling him about his people's [[culture]] and [[history]], fostering his cultural identity as a Brunali, an important part of his development. Icheb does not accept this, pointing out that he, The Doctor, had no parents, yet he has adapted to serve a vital function of the crew and ''Voyager''. The Doctor counters that that is different; he has his programming to fall back on. "''And how would your programming respond, if you were asked to live with strangers?''" Icheb asks him pointedly. He is saved from responding by Seven's entrance. Time to go. The Doctor assures him all will be fine. He unwillingly follows Seven to one of the [[transporter]] rooms. [[File:BrunaliWorldSurface.jpg|thumb|The Brunali homeworld]] Seven, Icheb, Tuvok, and Captain Janeway beam down to the surface. The view is both breathtaking and foreboding; on the horizon is the ruin of an apparently technologically advanced city. Before them is a vast, deep canyon, as if the ground, and whatever was on it, had been literally scooped up and away. The group walks up to a Brunali man and woman. Janeway introduces herself and Seven. The man and woman introduce themselves as Icheb's parents, [[Leucon]] and [[Yifay]]. Leucon and Yifay try to break the ice with Icheb, radiating genuine gladness at having him back. But he rejects their advances, glaring at them hostilely. He tells Janeway, in no uncertain terms, that he wants to return to ''Voyager''. Janeway looks crestfallen; Leucon and Yifay look hurt. Seven looks relieved. === Act Two === Janeway, Seven and Icheb's parents meet in ''Voyager''{{'}}s [[briefing room]]. Janeway explains that the purpose of the meeting is to discuss how to make Icheb's transition less traumatic for him. They sit. Seven, however, begins to interrogate the two Brunali on their ability to care for Icheb in terms of his medical needs, education and safety. She continues to do so despite Janeway's disapproval but persists, even going so far as to tell the two Brunali that they should leave their planet; Icheb could never be safe living with them so close to a Borg conduit. Janeway angrily orders her to leave and wait for her in her [[Captain's ready room|ready room]]. After she has gone, Janeway apologizes and invites them to stay aboard ''Voyager'' for a while, to give Icheb a chance to get to know them in surroundings he is comfortable in. This may help him warm up to them, she suggests. They agree. Janeway marches into her ready room and begins rebuking Seven for her behavior. Seven angrily insists that Leucon and Yifay will not be able to properly care for him, especially in terms of his safety. To leave him there, she maintains, is to practically hand him back to the Borg. They should not remain on that planet, she insists. Janeway retorts that the planet is their home. "''It's not worth protecting!''" Seven insists. "''Who are you to decide that?''" Janeway asks coldly. Seven believes that anyone who's willing to put their own goals over the safety of their children is irresponsible. Janeway pointedly asks if Seven is speaking about Icheb's parents or [[Magnus Hansen|her]] [[Erin Hansen|own]]. "''Both!''" Seven retorts, after a few seconds' pause. Janeway backs down a little, knowing this isn't something Seven would easily admit. Seven admits her lack of objectivity, but insists that she is ''not'' prepared to return Icheb to his parents if they prove to be as careless as her own. Janeway understands this and gently makes a suggestion: they will leave it up to Icheb. If he decides to stay on ''Voyager'', then she, Janeway, will deal with it where his parents are concerned. Seven gratefully agrees. In Cargo Bay 2, Icheb works at a console while Naomi plays ''[[kadis-kot]]'' with Azan and Rebi. Mezoti rides around them and Icheb on a bike. She peppers Icheb with questions: Is he going to go with his parents? If he leaves, who will help her and the others with their science projects? Azan and Rebi note that they don't remember their parents, as Naomi also states that she's never had a chance to meet her father. Finally, an exasperated Icheb threatens to ship them all to the Borg in a container if they do not drop the subject. Mezoti makes a face at him. His eyes twinkle and the corners of his mouth turn up. But as soon as Seven enters, the smile vanishes, replaced by a frown. Seven crisply informs him that he is having dinner with his parents. Icheb flatly responds that he will not. "''Your attendance is ''not'' optional,''" Seven responds, in an "''end of story''" tone. She exits the cargo bay, turns and waits for him to follow. Stone-faced, he does. [[Neelix]] has allowed Yifay to use his kitchen to prepare the meal. Seven and Icheb arrive in the mess hall to find Neelix bringing out the plates. Yifay and Leucon sit, waiting. Seven stiffly tells Icheb to enjoy the meal, not meaning a word of it. She steps back out of their space, to Neelix's side. Icheb refuses to eat, or even sit. Finally, though he decides to sit and take a bite, after Leucon plaintively tells him how hard his mother worked to prepare it. It is ''[[poma]]'', Icheb's favorite food when he was younger. Upon taking a bite, his eyes light up and he tries and fails to stifle a surprised smile; he enjoys the taste immensely. Leucon and Yifay look very relieved and pleased. Neelix stands watching them, smiling appreciatively, Seven watches as well, but with a look of disappointment. Neelix comments that it is good to see a family together again. Seven says nothing. As she turns to leave, Neelix looks at her with concern, then turns his attention back to Icheb and his parents. === Act Three === [[File:Brunali genetic resequencer.jpg|thumb|left|Leucon shows Icheb around the Brunali settlement.]] In the Brunali settlement, Leucon walks with Icheb, showing him around. They are in a greenhouse. Around them, people work industriously. The Borg did not leave them with much, Leucon tells him, but they have used the little that they have. They built everything Icheb has seen with their own hands, their homes and their agro-facilities. Icheb is immediately drawn to an unusual-looking device. Leucon informs him that it is a [[genetic resequencer]], used to [[genetics|genetically]] alter crop plants so that they thrive in certain environments that would normally kill them. Icheb is impressed. Leucon assures him that though their way of life may seem primitive now, that will change. Icheb, remembering his astrophysics studies, asks about space travel. "''Someday,''" Leucon responds, "''We'll have ships that rival ''Voyager''. But we need the dedication of young people like you to help us.''" Two young men, one named [[Yivel]], call to Icheb and invite him to play a Brunali game called ''[[pala]]''; Icheb apparently was very adept at it when he was younger, before his assimilation. He responds that he does not remember how to play, but Yivel assures him it will come back. Seven then beams down near them and informs Icheb it is time to return. He tells her he is staying the night. She objects, saying that that there is no unit there for him to regenerate. Leucon responds that they may as well install one now, as they will have to eventually. Seven responds that Icheb hasn't decided to remain permanently but respects his decision to stay overnight at least. She relents and invites Leucon back to the ship to prepare a unit. In Cargo Bay 2, Seven gives Leucon a portable regeneration unit she has created. Leucon accepts it, offering her his and Yifay's thanks for taking care of their son. Seven inquires as to how the Borg got him. He sadly tells her: Since the Borg first attacked, they have been careful to hide any new technology, so that passing Borg cubes would pass the planet straight. But this time, they were not as careful as they should have been. They had created a new fertilization array. He told Icheb about it, and promised to take him to see it the next day, But Icheb could not wait; he went by himself. Then the Borg attacked; apparently they had detected the technology and considered it worthy to [[assimilation|assimilate]]. They took Icheb and everyone else in the area. Seven advises him not to blame himself, well aware of Icheb's impatience, which, she comments, she herself has had to deal with. Leucon laughs quietly. Much tension vanishes between them. That night, Icheb sits at his parents' front porch with them. Leucon points out various [[constellation]]s to him, while Yifay has her arm around him maternally. Leucon admits that sitting there looking up at the [[star]]s cannot take ''Voyager''{{'}}s place, but Icheb responds that "''it is nice''". He is beginning to appreciate their life, and is coming to a decision. The next morning, on ''Voyager'', he makes his known decision to Seven: he will stay with his parents. Seven listens, with a deep breath. She sadly leaves to inform the Captain. [[File:IchebLeaves.jpg|thumb|Icheb leaves ''Voyager''.]] Janeway and Seven escort Icheb to one of the ship's transporter rooms. Icheb enters with a bag. Seven gives him a case containing [[PADD]]s with astrophysical data as well as a high-resolution [[telescope]]. "''It's a poor substitute for astrometric sensors,''" she comments. He assures her he will use it every day. Janeway, with a motherly smile, wishes him good luck. He responds in kind, voicing his hope that they succeed in getting back [[Earth|home]]. He steps on the transporter. Janeway gives the order to the transporter operator and he disappears in the beam. Saddened, Seven watches the empty platform for a moment, and then leaves. Janeway sadly watches her go. === Act Four === In Cargo Bay 2, the three remaining Borg children and Seven are installed in their alcoves, regenerating. But Mezoti is having a hard time of it. She fidgets, trying to keep her eyes closed and relax, but finally gives up. She opens her eyes and steps out of her alcove, ignoring the computer's warning that regeneration is incomplete. She goes to Seven's alcove and wakes her. "''I can't regenerate,''" she tells her sadly. Seven asks her the reason, though she knows it well. She misses Icheb, she responds. Seven tells her she does as well, but they will adapt. She gently instructs her to return to her alcove and goes to it with her. Mezoti steps back onto the platform and turns around, but before she goes into the [[regeneration cycle]], she asks Seven a question: What if the Borg try to re-assimilate Icheb? Seven responds that that is unlikely as the Brunali have little resources or technology that would interest the Borg. "''But what if he is on a ship?''" she presses. Seven responds that this is unlikely. Mezoti tells her he was on a ship the last time, but Seven says she is mistaken; he was on the planet's surface when he was taken. But Mezoti insists this is not so, and in Borg fashion recites: "''A class-one transport was detected in [[Borg spatial designations|grid 649]]; one [[lifeform]]; species: Brunali.''" She then goes into regeneration. Seven stares at her, alarms sounding loudly in her mind. Seven is in astrometrics, intently looking at Borg logs. Captain Janeway enters, disheveled, carrying a cup of [[coffee]], looking sleepy and ''very'' annoyed. She growls to Seven that this had better be important to bring her here at 0300. Seven assures her that it is, and explains the Borg script to her: [[tactical]] data from the cube on which the children were found. Mezoti is right: Icheb was indeed alone aboard an unarmed transport vessel when the Borg took him. Janeway does not see the point of this. She irritably asks Seven why she is telling her this at 0300 hours. Seven explains that Leucon had told her that Icheb had been assimilated on the planet's surface. Janeway suggests the possibility that she heard him wrong, but she responds that he was very clear. Janeway then suggests that the data is corrupted, having come from a cube that was destroyed by a pathogen that infected and killed all the drones aboard. ({{VOY|Collective}}) Seven admits to that possibility. But she has found another inconsistency in Leucon's story: he had told her that Icheb was taken four years prior, but the logs indicate that the Borg attacked the Brunali homeworld three times in the past ten years, none of which was four years prior. Janeway asks what these inconsistencies prove. Seven responds that it proves Leucon was lying. She proposes that they return and demand an explanation. Janeway sympathetically tells her that Icheb chose to stay with his parents; she has to let go of him. Seven admits to having "''emotional difficulty adapting to separation from Icheb.''" But, she insists, if there is the slightest possibility that Icheb is in danger, she ''has'' to do what she can to protect him; if she does not, then she is no better than her own parents. Janeway regards her. Few times has she ever seen this earnest a look on the former drone's face. It is clear that she will take a [[shuttle]] and go back alone if that is the only option she has. Janeway is moved. She agrees to go back. On the Brunali homeworld, Leucon and Yifay are having an intense argument in their house. Leucon stalks around the room agitatedly. "''Couldn't we at least wait a few days?''" he asks. Yifay is resolute; the longer they wait, the harder it will be. Leucon attempts to raise more objections: they do not need to do this; he is bright and hardworking, he could help them in "''other ways.''" Yifay does not budge; it is what he was born for, she insists. "''I don't want to lose him again.''" Leucon tells her, in obvious pain. But Yifay reminds him of what he taught her; they all have to make sacrifices. [[File:IchebBetrayalByParents.jpg|thumb|left|Icheb is sedated by his parents.]] Icheb enters. Yifay does not look at him; she tells him to sit down as she goes to a corner; there is something they need to talk about. He sits expectantly. She turns to face him. She tells him how very important he is to them. He responds that he knows this. She produces a [[hypospray]]-like device. "''What you don't know is why,''" she tells him with a pained, but determined look. He looks back at her uncomprehendingly. As she advances on him, she tells him it will not hurt if he holds still, and tells Leucon to hold him down. Leucon reluctantly does so. Icheb struggles futilely: what are his parents doing to him? "''No!''" he cries weakly as Yifay presses the device to his neck. He slumps over unconscious. His parents regard him. Yifay tells Leucon to "''prepare the launch.''" === Act Five === ''Voyager'' arrives back at the Brunali homeworld. Captain Janeway orders Ensign Kim to hail Leucon and Yifay. Leucon appears on the viewscreen. He tells Janeway that they were not expecting to see them again. Yifay joins him. Their body language screams that they are hiding something. Janeway tells them they want to ask them "''a few questions.''" "''Questions?''" Yifay asks guardedly. "''Regarding Icheb and the circumstances of his assimilation,''" Seven explains. The couple stonewalls, responding that they have already discussed that and owe them no explanations. Janeway, still diplomatic, but her anger clear, asks to speak to Icheb. They respond that he is not there. "''Where is he?''" Seven asks. They respond that that is none of their concern. Janeway orders Tuvok to [[scan]] for him. He reports that he is not in the settlement. Seven does a scan and reports a Brunali transport ship, heading for the Borg transwarp conduit. Chakotay checks it on the command console. But what he sees confuses him; the ship is 9 million kilometers away and appears to be doing [[warp factor|warp 9.8]], which is obviously untrue. At the conn console, Ensign Paris checks it as well, and reports that it is only looking that way; it is emitting a false [[warp signature]], strong enough to penetrate [[subspace]]. This confuses everyone until Seven provides the explanation: it is bait, to attract the Borg. "''Icheb is on that vessel, isn't he?''" Janeway asks his parents. The diplomat is gone, leaving only the anger. Yifay defiantly responds that Icheb is fighting for his people. Seven asks the question the entire bridge crew gets in mind from that statement: Alone, on an unarmed transport? They respond that they are using the only weapon they have against the Borg, not having powerful starships like ''Voyager'' at their disposal: their [[genetic]] expertise. Janeway suddenly understands the situation: Icheb's not bait but being used as a weapon. ''The first cube that captured him was infected by a pathogen. Icheb was the [[carrier]], wasn't he?''" she asks them accusingly, rising from her [[Command chair|seat]] and walking toward the [[viewscreen]]. Their response confirms it; Leucon angrily explains that every time they begin to rebuild, to make progress, the Borg come and take it away. Janeway's face twists in disgust. She immediately orders Paris to head for the [[transport]]. "''You have no right to interfere!''" Leucon shouts. "''We're trying to save our civilization!''" Yifay pipes in. Janeway glares at them icily. Seven accusingly tells them that they are trying to do so by depriving Icheb of his future. "''If we don't stop the Borg, the Brunali ''have'' no future!''" Yifay responds desperately. Leucon tries one last tactic to attempt to get them to back off. He warns Janeway that a Borg ship will emerge from the conduit at any minute. "''You'll be destroyed…!''" he urges. Janeway sharply responds that they will take their chances and orders the transmission cut. The last view of Leucon and Yifay is one of desperation and pleading. Janeway strides back to her seat and orders [[red alert]] and [[battle stations]]. ''Voyager'' heads for the transport at maximum [[impulse drive|impulse]]. Ensign Kim reports that Icheb is indeed on it, unconscious. Janeway orders Icheb transported off, directly to the sickbay, but Seven reports that there is too much interference. Tuvok alerts that the interference is from the conduit; a Borg ship will emerge from in less than forty seconds. Janeway orders [[auxiliary power]] to the transporters to boost them, but Seven reports that they are still out of range. Janeway orders Paris to close the distance. ''Voyager'' draws closer to the transport as a point of bright green light, the light of transwarp space appears in front of it; the conduit is beginning to open. Tuvok reports that they have twenty seconds left. Janeway orders Paris to get closer, quickly. He does. Seven reports transporter lock on Icheb. She beams him to the sickbay as Tuvok counts the remaining seconds down to one. Janeway begins to order Paris to clear them out of there at maximum warp. [[File:Borg sphere tractoring Voyager.jpg|thumb|A Borg sphere seizes ''Voyager'' and the Brunali transport.]] But her words are cut off as the ship is violently shaken. A [[Borg sphere]] is seen, emerged from the conduit; it has seized both ships in a [[tractor beam]]. It pulls them toward a huge opening on its surface. Janeway orders Tuvok to target its tractor beam generator. He does so with the [[phaser]]s. She orders him to fire. He does so, but there is no effect; the phaser beams harmlessly strike the sphere's [[deflector shield]]s. The [[Borg Collective]] hails them with its usual chilling, soulless, multi-track resonant intonation: ''We are the Borg. You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile''. "''Perhaps not''", Seven retorts. Seven has an idea: transport a [[photon torpedo]] aboard the now-empty transport and detonate it just as the transport enters the sphere. Tuvok advises that that will happen in twenty seconds, but ''Voyager'' will be in the midst of the blast range 3 seconds later. Janeway orders Paris to engage full reverse thrusters to buy them a few more seconds, and orders Seven to perform the transport. Seven does it. She counts [[File:VoyagerWarpEscape.jpg|thumb|left|''Voyager'' goes to warp to escape the explosion that damages the Borg sphere.]]down the detonation, as Paris' use of the thrusters turns the ship around, facing away from the sphere. Janeway orders him to engage the warp drive on her mark. Chakotay orders all hands to brace for impact. The countdown ends and the torpedo blows, engulfing the sphere's opening in a massive explosion. The tractor beam is disabled and ''Voyager'' lurches free. The shock wave hits them, knocking everyone off their stations and causing sparks to fly. "''Now, Mr. Paris!''" Janeway orders. Paris scrambles to the conn console and takes ''Voyager'' into warp, escaping the explosion. Tuvok reports that the Borg sphere is heavily damaged and is not pursuing them. ''Voyager'' proceeds on course for the [[Alpha Quadrant]]. Icheb lies unconscious in the sickbay. The Doctor scans him, as Janeway and Seven watch. He finishes and somberly reports the results to them: he does indeed have the pathogen, but his parents did not infect him with it; he produces it himself, having been genetically engineered from birth to do so. They look at him, shocked. Janeway tells Seven that he is going to need help coming to terms with this; Seven is the best person to provide it. "''Captain…''" Seven begins nervously, not knowing where and how to start. Janeway advises her to use her maternal instincts once more. Icheb is in astrometrics, working as usual. But this time he is not studying astronomical phenomena; he has his genome and that of an ordinary Brunali male on the viewscreen, comparing them. Seven enters. He shows her the difference, pointing out the changes his parents made to his genome to cause his body to produce the pathogen. He calls it ingenious. Seven angrily calls it barbaric. Icheb disagrees, stating they were trying to defend themselves and preserve their species. [[File:IchebHisDecision.jpg|thumb|His decison]] "''I know how difficult it is to acknowledge your parents' faults,''" she responds. "''But what they did was wrong. You don't have to forgive them.''" Icheb responds by wondering if his parents will forgive ''him'', for not destroying that sphere. Seven advises him that the point is about ''choice''; ''his'' choice, as an individual, which his parents denied him. "''In the future you may choose to fight the Borg,''" she tells him. But, she stresses, it will be ''his'' choice; he is now an individual and has the right to determine his own destiny. She then tells him it is time for him to regenerate. "''And if I wish to continue studying?''" he asks. She smiles slightly and responds that it is his decision. She leaves him, walking to the door, but she turns back just before she exits and regards him proudly. Loading editor Insert: – … ° à é ö ¼ ½ ¾ ← → ↑ ↓ • † ‡ Sign your name: – ~~~~ Wiki markup: [[Category:]] {{w|}} {{wikipedia|}} {{real world}} {{image paramount}} {{IMDb-link|type=name|page=|name=}} {{TOS|}} {{TAS|}} {{TNG|}} {{DS9|}} {{VOY|}} {{ENT|}} {{DIS|}} {{PIC|}} {{ST|}} {{film|}} {{incite}} #redirect [[]] {{USS|}} {{USSr|}} <sup></sup> <sub></sub> <gallery> File: File: File: </gallery> {{dis||}} {{DEFAULTSORT:}} This field is a spam trap. DO NOT fill it in! Retrieved from "https://memory-alpha.fandom.com/wiki/Child%27s_Play_(episode)" Edit summary Preview Mobile Desktop Show changes


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Sandusky's bid for new trial going to court in Pa.
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Jerry Sandusky's challenge to his child molestation conviction goes before a state appeals court on Tuesday, as the former Penn State assistant football coach seeks to overturn a sentence that could keep him behind bars for life.
Pennsylvania's Superior Court will decide whether prosecutors made an improper reference to the fact that Sandusky did not testify, whether jury instructions were mishandled and whether the defense should have been given more time before trial to digest a large volume of investigative material.
The court is meeting in Wilkes-Barre, part of efforts to make its proceedings accessible to a wider public.
Sandusky, who spent decades working under football coach Joe Paterno, was convicted in July 2012 of 45 counts of sexual abuse of 10 boys, including eight victims who testified against him. Judge John Cleland subsequently declared him a sexually violent predator and sentenced him to 30 to 60 years in state prison.
Sandusky is seeking a new trial. His appeals attorney, Norris Gelman, said this week that Sandusky, who is largely isolated from the prison population, will not be in the courtroom.
Gelman argued in an appellate brief that Cleland should have issued an instruction to jurors that addressed the length of time it took his victims to report their abuse, which for four of them was more than 11 years.
He noted that Cleland told the lawyers he believed it was not unusual for victims of child abuse to delay reporting it.
The attorney general's office, in its appeals brief, said it was clear to jurors that the defense was arguing that the abuse never occurred, and arguing that the victims were making up stories in hopes of cashing in. Penn State has since settled some of their claims for undisclosed sums.
"The record demonstrates that the victims had clear reasons for not disclosing the abuse by Sandusky: not only were they ashamed of the acts of abuse," the AG's office wrote, "but Sandusky gave them gifts, including access to the PSU football program, and was a prominent figure who was more likely to be believed than they were."
Gelman also focused on a reference, by prosecutor Joe McGettigan, to an NBC television interview Sandusky gave shortly after his arrest. McGettigan told jurors that Sandusky "had wonderful opportunities to speak out and make his case."
The prosecutor told jurors that he "only heard him on TV."
Gelman argued that was among several references to Sandusky not testifying. Failure to take the stand in one's own defense is not supposed to be used against a defendant.
The attorney general's office said McGettigan's comments were confined to the TV interview and did not refer to Sandusky not taking the stand in his own defense. Prosecutors argued the comments "constituted fair response to defense counsel's argument relating to the interview."
Sandusky's lawyers "went into trial 'blind' as to much of the material" from prosecutors, estimated to be about 9,000 pages, Gelman said. Sandusky's lawyers were turned down in several requests for a delay, and Cleland shepherded the case from arrest to trial in just over seven months.
In a post-sentencing hearing, defense attorney Joe Amendola told Cleland that he had still not come across any document that would have altered his approach at trial. But Gelman said more time would have allowed Amendola to better incorporate the material into a defense strategy.
Prosecutors said that the defense had months to prepare for trial once Sandusky was charged, and that Sandusky and Amendola knew in 2008 there had been a report of sexual assault.

subset: commoncrawl


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Strength in Diversity
Hispanics constitute the largest ethnic minority group in the United States. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, following a surge in population growth of 58 percent between 1990 and 2000, Hispanics now comprise 12.5 percent of the nation's total population. More than one in eight people in the United States are of Hispanic origin. And by all indications, these numbers will continue to grow. From 2000 to 2001, Hispanics accounted for more than half the country's population growth. Roughly 1.7 million Hispanics either immigrated to or were born in the United States in that year alone, helping that demographic's workforce to swell to nearly 15 million. The growth rate of the Hispanic workforce is four times that of the non-Hispanic workforce. And in the landscape industry alone, Hispanics represent more than one-fifth of the entire workforce, according to the American Immigration Law Foundation.
"This new labor force is replacing a workforce that is aging out," says Bill Herrera Beardall, assistant director of facility operations for grounds management and fleet services at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, N.C.). "They are doing the jobs that the older population won't do any more — can't do any more."
And while the labor force of Hispanics continues to grow, so does the need for grounds maintenance workers. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS), employment of grounds maintenance workers is expected to grow faster than average for all occupations through the year 2010, in response to increasing demand for groundskeeping and related services. Expected growth in the construction of commercial and industrial buildings, shopping malls, homes, highways and recreational facilities should contribute to demand for these workers. The upkeep and renovation of existing landscaping and grounds are constant sources of demand for grounds maintenance workers.
But despite the fact that Hispanics have grown with such momentum in the American workforce, managers have been slow to update their management styles. Management practices that suit non-Hispanic white and other employees do not necessarily work with Hispanic employees — not only because of the language barrier, but also due to cultural differences.
"There are some nuances in the way managers should deal with Hispanics that are, in general, different than Americans," says Beardall, who is half American and half Panamanian (a Latin) and grew up in the Republic of Panama, where he lived for 20 years before coming to the United States. "Hispanics are a very diverse group from 20 different countries. Some of them are educated, some of them aren't; some of them speak English, and some don't. As a manager, you have to adjust for these things if you want to be effective."
Beardall employs 82 people in his department, more than 50 of whom are on the grounds management crew and maintain more than 1,000 acres. They include Americans, Hondurans, Salvadorans, Colombians, Mexicans, Guatemalans, Panamanians, African-Americans and Asians. He attended American schools in the Canal zone, of Panama, but considers Spanish his native language. "It's the language I speak to myself in the mirror," he says. His experience managing Hispanics, as well as his insight into their culture, has earned Beardall a spot on the Governor of North Carolina's Advisory Council for Hispanic and Latino Affairs.
While there are numerous things managers can be doing to better lead their Hispanic workers, Beardall says what it all boils down to is mutual respect. Unfortunately, despite the growing numbers of Hispanic workers and the demonstration of their work ethic and perseverance in America, stereotypes do still exist. Beardall believes that educating managers about Hispanic culture and what motivates them will help dispel the myths upon which the stereotypes are built and expose the path to a better management style.
Early immigrants' motives for uprooting and heading to the United States centered around searching for religious freedom or to escape overbearing governments. Today, however, they come here in search of work. "The No. 1 reason they're coming to the United States now is for work," says Beardall. "But there is still a number of Hispanics who also are fleeing oppressive regimes or police states. Some members of opposing political parties in Latin America have long memories. But mainly, these are people who are looking for a better way of life. Lots of them are bringing their families with them now. Whereas, in the past it was mainly men coming over and sending money home to their families, it is now a matter of them bringing their families over once they have their papers in order. They are establishing roots here."
Beardall says it's critical for managers to learn what Hispanics value if they want to learn what motivates them. "They value education, family unity, a good work ethic and religious faith. If an employer understands this, it will aid in a more productive workforce." Managers should also work to teach Hispanics about American culture. Beardall says proudly that in the five years he's been with NC State, the university has made enormous strides to incorporate its Hispanic workers into American culture. The result: "We've presented service recognitions awards to Hispanics who have been here for five years, 10 years even. It shows they are loyal and have found a home."
Stereotypes focused on ethnic groups are prevalent even in this era of political correctness. For Hispanics, the stereotypes group them and label them all as undependable and illegal residents of the United States. And while there are estimates that report as many as eight million illegal Hispanic workers in the United States, there are another estimated seven million Hispanic workers who have their papers in order and are bona fide members of the U.S. workforce.
"The truth is that most of these people do have legal papers," says Beardall. "Managers are responsible for hiring a legal workforce. They'll have a yearly turnover if their employees are not legal, because their worker will disappear when the Feds come in and say Social Security numbers don't match up. And there are ways to reduce your chances of that happening." (See "Legal Aid," at left.)
Another big misunderstanding regarding the legal/illegal worker issue is that people think Hispanics are working in the United States and not paying taxes. But, according to Beardall, even the illegal Hispanic workers are paying taxes. "Even under a false Social Security number, the money is still going to the government," he says. And they're forking over quite a large amount of money to the U.S. government in sales tax, because while they do send money home, they also spend money here. And their buying power is substantial: $223 billion in 1990, expected to grow to $926 billion by 2007. This is 176 percent higher than the buying power of African Americans and 287 percent more than Asians in the United States, according to Beardall.
As for other stereotypes surrounding Hispanics, Beardall believes that part of the process of eliminating them is addressing them.
Stereotype: Hispanic laborers from different countries and cultures won't get along with each other.
"It's been our experience that they get along well," says Beardall. "They may prefer their homeboys when hanging out in the lunchroom, but crews are pretty mixed of their own doing." It's more an issue of being a hard worker and not a complainer, he adds. "It's no different than with (American) Northerners and Southerners."
Stereotype: If your business means seasonal work, Hispanics won't come back after winter.
"My guys do," Beardall says. "If you've treated them right and paid them on time, they'll be back. I have four men who go home every year for Christmas and they always come back. I tell them to call me to make sure I have enough work, and they do." If you're worried about losing a worker due to a season market, Beardall suggests offering a small pay raise to show your appreciation for their loyalty. "Take them to lunch every once in a while. It's just a good management practice to build relationships, not just for Hispanics."
Stereotype: Hispanic workers are always late to work and want to leave early.
"Managers should expect all workers to be on time with no exceptions," says Beardall. "It's true that for events other than work, Hispanics aren't as conscientious of time as Americans. If I have to be at an event at 11 a.m., but I'm talking with you and it's important to you or to me, I will stay and talk as long as it takes. The present is more important to us," he says. "But when it comes to work, we know we must be aware of what time it is."
Yes, we're in the United States and yes, our native language here is English. But if you're of the "You're-in-the-United-States-now-and-you'd-better-know-how-to-speak-English-or-I'm-not-going-to-hire-you" mentality, then you're going to lose out on a number of qualified workers, especially in the green industry. The truth is, many Hispanic workers — even those who have been here for years — don't know how to speak English. This could be due to the fact that English is a hard language to learn and some Hispanics can't read and write their own language, much less ours. But it's mainly because they don't have to learn English to function in the United States. The 2000 census shows Hispanics are more geographically concentrated than other groups, tending to gravitate to cities with a known Latino population. Local businesses adapt to the language needs of the city's residents, and English become less of a necessity, according to EC&M magazine's June 2003 article, "Lost in the Translation."
As a manager, it's your responsibility to ensure that all your workers are completely trained. This means translating safety material into Spanish because language is the biggest obstacle in creating a safe workplace for Hispanics (see "Safety in Spanish," page 21). Many of the countries from which Hispanics come don't have the safety measures we have here in the United States, and managers have to acclimate them.
"We translate everything we have and print it in Spanish," says Beardall, "but it's also important to have hands-on training and video training that offers demonstration because many Hispanics from underdeveloped countries can't read or write Spanish." So illustrations and pictures are an important part of safety warnings and training. "If you don't want people to get hurt, train them and show them what to do. It's a sign that you care."
And you're not a bad manager for wanting your Hispanic employees to learn English. But you should supplement what they learn by learning some Spanish phrases yourself.
"Unfortunately, because many Hispanics don't have a lot of education, it's going to be difficult to learn another language," Beardall says. "But the ESL (English as a Second Language) classes are really good for them." Beardall recommends that employers encourage their Hispanic workers to learn English and about the American culture by rewarding them with leadership positions when they do. "Let them know that they have to be able to communicate if they want these positions, and these positions will mean more money. They nearly all want to move up and make more money," he says. And keep in mind that just because some Hispanics have little formal education, it in no way is an indication of their intelligence. "Remember that many Hispanics are from rural areas that require them to be very creative and inventive. They are problem solvers and hard workers."
Beardall encourages anyone who manages Hispanics to learn some Spanish — at the very least some phrases to help them communicate with workers. "Americans learning some Spanish is very appreciated by Hispanics," he says. "Just the simple courtesy of telling them good morning in their own language will go a long way."
Sometimes the biggest obstacle in blending Hispanics into your workforce isn't the difference in language and has nothing to do with your management style or understanding of their culture. Sometimes it's simply a matter of old-fashioned resentment from Americans. Americans who see Hispanics as a segment of the population who came to "steal" jobs. Americans who believe that just because Hispanics are speaking Spanish, they're talking about them. Americans who have become jaded to the appeal of America and its opportunities for all people. But, unlike Spanish or English, you can't teach compassion.
"Unfortunately, this isn't an issue that will fall into place just because you want it to," says Beardall. "Many times, your other workers will follow your lead and if you treat Hispanic workers fairly and don't show preferential treatment, they will, too. The bigger issue is getting your American workforce to understand that their Hispanic counterparts are trying to learn English because they want to be understood. They are making every effort to make their lives comfortable and learn all they can."
Beardall believes this is less of a problem than it used to be, as evidenced by the increasing number of Hispanic supervisors in the workforce (see "Reader Poll," page 10). Chances for supervisory positions have increased because perceptions have changed, he says. "Managers and co-workers are realizing that Hispanics have good work ethics and can be good leaders. It's smart to put them into leadership positions because this can motivate other Hispanic workers. It sends the message that if you work hard in this country, you can better yourself and your position."
Beardall says he is proud to be part of an industry that has made positive strides in bridging, understanding and respecting the many cultures that are working together. "I think this industry has done a good job of recognizing that Hispanics of any country are proud of who they are, proud of their history. They strive to challenge themselves and to rise among their peers."
Statistical research for this article was compiled by Erin Chapman, editorial assistant.
While workplace fatalities for Anglo and African Americans have steadily declined in recent years, the opposite is true for Hispanics. Deaths among that demographic rose from 815 in 2000 to 891 in 2001, the most recent years for which the Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) has figures.
Alarmed by that trend, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently began to investigate workplace fatalities more closely to see how often language was a factor. The resultant data shows that, for example, 61 percent of workplace deaths in Dallas in 2001 involved workers with a limited understanding of English. In response to the rising fatality rate among Hispanic workers, OSHA established the Hispanic Outreach Taskforce in late 2001 to address the issue and provide greater access to safety information for Spanish-speaking workers.
OSHA has also begun to translate all of its safety literature into Spanish, including "All About OSHA" and "OSHA to Serve You." It has even created a Spanish version of its Web site. However, John Miles, a regional administrator of OSHA, admits that while this is an important gesture by OSHA, it may not be as effective as intended. Because while Hispanic immigrants may be able to speak their native language, that doesn't mean they can read it. He also acknowledges that very few of the workers for whom the information on the Web site is intended have access to computers or the Internet. Plus, literacy rates are notoriously low in Mexico, meaning that safety manuals written in Spanish aren't always effective. "You can't always just take an OSHA document and translate it from English to Spanish," Miles says. "Some of these workers that come up from Mexico really don't understand Spanish very well, either. Many are only reading at a second-grade level."
Source: "Lost in the Translation," by Matthew Halverson, Electrical, Construction & Maintenance magazine, June 2003.
While employers can't be held liable for unknowingly hiring an illegal immigrant, the turnaround involved with hiring anyone who doesn't have legal papers can hurt your business. "When it's revealed that these guys don't have the right papers, they will disappear," says Bill Beardall, assistant director of facility operations for grounds management and fleet services at North Carolina State University (Raleigh, N.C.). "And you're left needing to hire new workers, which usually means training new workers." You can avoid the hassle of being left short-handed by knowing what to look for and not turning a blind eye when you're hiring — no matter how desperate you are to increase your workforce.
Labor laws require that every person who applies for a job with your company fill out an I-9 form and present you two forms of identification (usually a valid Social Security card and driver's license). Sounds simple enough, but it's not. Especially considering that these forms of identification can be purchased on the street . And while it can take more than a year for the Social Security Administration (SSA) and IRS to contact you about fraudulent papers, your undocumented worker will eventually be uncovered. By being more proactive, you can protect yourself against potentially hiring these workers. Beardall suggests contacting your local Social Security office, the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) or the IRS for advice in spotting fake papers. "There are certain flags that can tip you off when you know what to look for," says Beardall. For example, the letter "A" in names on false Social Security cards has a small pennant at the end of it, a dead give-away of a fake, according to Beardall. But what if there is no "A" in the name or you don't feel comfortable trying to decipher a fake? "Be up-front with those applying for work. Tell them they have to have 'good' papers and that you can spot fakes. Tell them that if their papers are not official, there are certain steps an employer is required to take," says Beardall. "The ones with false papers will not come back or will tell you they will come back tomorrow and you'll never see them again." Because even if Hispanics are in the United States under the H-2B or H-1B visa program that allows employers to apply for workers based on seasonal need, they are still required to have a Social Security card, says Beardall.
Unemployment rates have received top billing in thousands of newspapers and on news programs across the United States since September 11, when the U.S. economy started to spiral downward, dragging the job market with it. And while unemployment has taken its toll on U.S. workers across the board, it has hit minorities especially hard, resulting in the highest unemployment rate in nearly six years for Hispanic workers. Unemployment rates for Hispanics in the United States went from an all-time low of 5.7 percent in 2000 to 8.2 percent in May 2003, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor. Even in states such as Florida where Hispanics have, in the past, been unaffected by occasional dips in unemployment, they are now facing a job market where they are competing against more non-Hispanic whites for jobs. The result: the Hispanic unemployment rate continues to grow even as the overall number of unemployed drops. And even though the economy is showing the first signs of life in a few years, it's anyone's guess as to when it will be fully revitalized.
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When I blogged about the launch of Firefox 1.0 five years ago, I knew it was a big day that we would look back at in the future. However, I would be lying if I said back then that I knew what kind of impact Firefox would have on the web as a whole.
Five years ago, you couldn't choose what type of computer of device you wanted to use to browse the web because all websites were designed to work with IE on Windows. Something as basic as surfing from your mobile device — we take this for granted today — was completely out of the question. Microsoft was in full control of the Internet and your web experience.
This all changed when Firefox was released on November 9th 2004. Finally, web developers could design web sites according to standards instead of designing them to work for IE. Finally, users could experience web sites the way they were meant to be. Finally, the web was accessible to everyone.
In a nutshell, Firefox is the reason why we can surf the web using our iPhones, Linux netbooks, or OpenSolaris PCs.
Firefox set the web free.


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Fertilizer Demand: Use efficiency to Have Major Impact on Global Fertilizer Markets
20 Jun, 2013, 14:00 BST
LONDON, June 20, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --
Changes in fertilizer use efficiency are likely to become one of the main drivers of future fertilizer demand. They will impact the global fertilizer supply and demand balance, leading to a shift in the geography of key consuming countries and regions. This is one of the major findings of Integer and LMC's latest fertilizer study Global Fertilizer Demand: The Long-term Outlook.
"Nitrogen, Phosphate and Potash fertilizer application is characterised by notable under and over application, of nutrients, neither of which is sustainable in the long term", says Oliver Hatfield, Director of fertilizer at Integer. "A move towards more efficient fertilizer use will mean an adjustment of application rates and will lead to a redistribution of fertilizer demand geographically."
On the one hand there are currently several countries which strongly over apply nutrients. Nitrogen (N) is particularly over applied. China's N application rate is an average of 169 kg/ha compared to 89 kg/ha in EU27. The difference can partly be explained by differences in crop mix, but the biggest factor is application efficiency. We find a similar picture in India, Pakistan and Indonesia, which all tend to over apply. Subsidies can explain this over application in some cases.
On the other hand, Latin America, sub-Saharan Africa and Russia, are strongly under applying fertilizer. Russia for instance applies an average of just 33 kg/ha N fertilizer. "Over time these disparities are likely to be corrected as the need to reduce waste and negative environmental impact become more influential where there is over-application, and a need to raise crop yields heightens in countries under applying" says Oliver Hatfield.
Use efficiency will also influence the balance between the nutrients. Whereas N represented much of the growth in fertilizer demand over the past two decades, we forecast that N demand will represent only about one fifth of global total fertilizer demand change between 2010 and 2030.
Phosphate (P) and Potash (K) demand on the other hand will account for an increasing share of total fertilizer demand growth to 2030. P is equally over applied in some regions such as India and China and application growth in these regions is likely to moderate. This will be balanced by a significant rise in P demand in Latin America. Increase in K demand represents the biggest change. K is under applied across most regions and is projected to rise by more than double the growth rate of N over the period 2010 to 2030.
About Integer Research
Integer Research is a specialist provider of research, data, analysis and consultancy services for the global fertilizer industry.
For more information on Integer's Global Fertilizer Demand: The Long-term Outlook and its findings please contact Ali Asaadi on +44-20-7503-1265 or firstname.lastname@example.com
SOURCE Integer Research Ltd


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SUNY Canton Receives Nearly $600,000 NSF Grant for ScholarshipsFriday, July 30th, 2010
Over the next four years, SUNY Canton will receive a $596,160 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to be used for scholarships given to engineering technology students.
Dr. Lawretta Ononye, associate professor of physics, serves as the principal investigator and director of SUNY Canton's project proposal. She is assisted by colleague Dr. Stephen Frempong, professor of electrical engineering technology and co-principal investigator of the proposal, as well as JoAnne Fassinger, the College's grants coordinator.
"This is a monumental accomplishment for us as we continue to do everything we can to make college an option for all students, irrespective of their economic circumstance," said SUNY Canton President Joseph L. Kennedy. "I thank the efforts of Dr. Ononye, Dr. Frempong and JoAnne for working as hard as they did over the last few years to make this a reality for SUNY Canton and our future students."
SUNY Canton's project, entitled "Scholarships for Engineering Technology," will be funded through the NSF Scholarship for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (S-STEM) project. It will provide scholarships for 18 full-time students who have demonstrated superior academic performance but face economic hardships. An annual award of $7,200 for up to four years will help support the scholars through their degree completion at the College.
The scholarships will be awarded to students in pursuit of a bachelor's degree or enrolled in a two-year associate degree program with plans of earning their four-year degree.
"A grant of this magnitude is an extraordinary achievement for SUNY Canton and brings us to a new level of grantsmanship," said Fassinger, who noted that the NSF award is a first for the College. "Grants from the National Science Foundation are considered to be among the most prestigious and competitive in higher education. It is truly a sign of SUNY Canton's tremendous growth in all areas."
Programs at the College affected by the S-STEM project include electrical engineering technology, mechanical engineering technology, civil engineering technology, engineering science and alternative and renewable energy.
"I'm very excited that the countless hours and energy we put into the proposal has paid off," Ononye said. "This award will encourage all students to consider engineering, science and technology, including underrepresented groups and women."
Frempong emphasized the S-STEM project is of great significance to SUNY Canton and its Canino School of Engineering Technology. "It has both intellectual merit and broader impact," he stated. "The funding will help with new support programs, including a mentoring program, STEM seminar, and a tutoring center. We will have the resources to develop a summer program to boost scholars' physics and mathematics backgrounds. It will also allow us to offer field trips to local businesses and into industry.
"It will enhance the ongoing efforts at SUNY Canton by promoting retention and building a community of scholars," Frempong added. "It will assist in the placement of students in the workforce or graduate school."
According to NSF's website, the S-STEM program "makes grants to institutions of higher education to support scholarships for academically talented, financially needy students, enabling them to enter the workforce following completion of an associate; baccalaureate; or graduate-level degree in science and engineering disciplines."
Institutions receiving awards are responsible for selecting scholarship recipients, reporting demographic information about student scholars, and managing the S-STEM project on campus.
For more information about SUNY Canton's S-STEM project, visit: http://www.canton.edu/nsfsstem/.
Media inquiries should be directed to Gregory Kie, Media Relations Coordinator, or call 315/386-7528.


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A Detroit science fiction and fantasy convention is auctioning off the chance to play a game of Dungeons & Dragons with eight prolific authors.
Immortal ConFusion has posted the opportunity to play Dungeons & Dragons with Pat Rothfuss, Peter V. Brett, Diana Rowland, Jim C. Hines, Mary Robinette Kowal, and Sam Sykes on eBay. Authors Myke Cole and Saladin Ahmed will take on the role of Dungeon Masters. The game, which will take place on the morning of January 19 at the convention center in Detroit, will be filmed and edited for release on YouTube.
All proceeds raised from the auction will go to Worldbuilders, a charity founded by Rothfuss, in support of Heifer International, which aims to fight world hunger and poverty through sustainable aid.
The eBay auction page specifies that "books, dice and other supplies will be provided, but you are welcome to bring your own."
At the time of writing, there had been some 21 bids on the game, currently valued at more than $500. The auction ends on December 22. You can watch last year's game of Dungeons & Dragons on YouTube.
Other Worldbuilder auctions include the sale of the right to have a name of your choice used in Book Three of Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle. The current highest bid on that listing is $2,650 (£1,629) with less than a day to go. Rothfuss explains: "What will happen is you'll win a chance to propose a name for book three. If the name you're proposing sounds great to me, then huzzah. If not, the two of us will talk it over."
This story originally appeared on Wired UK.


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Were you part of the Queer Azadi March (QAM) last year and want to take part again this year? Or will this be your first time? Well, now its almost time! In less than 10 days for the second QAM which will take place on Sunday 16th August !
All police permissions are in. The march will take place from 3 to 6 pm. Like last year we will start from August Kranti Maidan at Gowalia Tank, from where Gandhi gave his call for the British to Quit India, and we will march through Nana Chowk to Opera House and to Girgaum Chowpatty – but where last year's march ended there, many organisers felt this was too short for all the enthusiasm, so we sought and were granted permissions to march back to August Kranti Maidan via Hughes Rd – Westside – Gamdevi Police St. Final confirmed route will be posted.
Plans for the march are in full swing! Thanks to the efforts of groups like Humsafar there will be an exceptional level of participation from community organisations. And thanks to the success of last year's march, and the enthusiasm created by the Delhi High Court verdict, a lot of people are coming for the march from other parts of India and even abroad. Celebrities like Celina Jaitley and Milind Soman will probably be there. Its going to be a blast!
But while we hope everyone has fun, there is also a serious reason for marching. We have won a big victory in the Delhi High Court, but it is being fiercely challenged in the Supreme Court. We need to call with all our effort on the honourable judges of the Supreme Court and the government to respect the verdict of the Delhi High Court and to let freedom stand for the queer community across India. Last year's march was to call for azaadi, this year's march is for it to stay.
See you at the march!


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Just saw this new music video posted on Vimeo, shot with the Canon 7D. Took me back to another time when the Salvia Bros. and Mike the Mailman shot this video of The Black Keys with 2 Canon HV20's and a Canon HF10:
And if you've been a looong time reader of this blog, you'll remember the multiple levels of hell it was to post this video due to early adoption of Canon's new (at the time) tapeless camera. Over time the DSLR revolution overtook the popularity of the HV20 + 35mm adapter movement, for good reason. And that's not to say there aren't new levels of post production hell to be traversed working with h.264 footage from the 7D, 5D, etc. But is that really an excuse considering the price and results?
If I were starting all over today, was heading to film school full time, what have you, my ideal toolset would be a 17″ MacBook Pro with FCS3 & Adobe CS5 Production Premium, a Canon 7D with the kit lens, and a Lacie Rugged drive. Not to mention the bank account to pay for it all, plus a smattering of lenses, shoulder mounts, monitors, plug-ins, etc.
proactively • daydreaming • peter
Disclosure, to comply with the FTC's new rules
None of the manufacturers listed above are paying Peter Salvia to write this article and, so far, none have sent him any samples or demonstration items. Peter is a B&H Sales Affiliate and receives a commission from items linked to B&H and purchased through this site. Oh yeah, and he's an Apple Certified Trainer so you can derive his bias for yourself.


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Here, in Spain, we have a ridiculous amount of holidays and long-weekends (puentes). This is especially true for people who work in schools, but still, it's extremely different from my old schedule in the US – in a good way! For our last one from February 28th – March 2nd we decided to take advantage of the free time to jump over to Prague.
It turned out to be a very economical trip. We purchased the flights and hotel several months ago in November. It only cost about 300 euros per person for a direct flight and two nights in a 4-star hotel with an awesome breakfast included. The food in Prague was surprisingly cheap. During the trip, 1 euro equaled 27.35 Czech Korunas. It did make things a bit interesting if the dinner bill was 600 Korunas. It felt like we were spending a lot of money.
From the airport you can choose to take either bus 100 to Zličín at the end of the yellow line or bus 119 to Dejvická at the end of the green line. Our hotel was on the yellow line, but it was faster to go to the green line (Dejvická) and then switch over to the yellow line at Můstek.
Don't make the mistake I made of trying to pay for tickets with a 500CZK bill. If you buy the ticket from the bus drivers it will be about 40CZK per ticket. You use the same ticket from the bus on the metro. The tickets are timed. You can buy a ticket for 30 mins, 90 mins, 24 hours, 72 hours, or a full month. We did a lot of walking during the trip and only bought a ticket to travel to and from the airport.
To be honest, I can't imagine riding the metro very often during a trip to Prague unless you are visiting areas far from the center. There is so much to see!
Staroměstské náměstí (Old Town Square)
This square is, not surprisingly, full of tourists and tourist shops. Some of the most spectacular buildings are here, such as, the Kostel Matky Boží před Týnem (The Church of Our Lady Before Tyn). I had never seen anything like this huge, gothic church in real-life before.
You can find an astronomical clock in the same area which is supposed to be one of the oldest astronomical clocks in the world. I won't give it away, but you should watch it chime on the hour. If you go to the top of the tower you can see some good views of the city and important buildings are labeled.
You can find many food stalls in this square, but we found an outdoor market on the other side of Karlův most (Charles Bridge) which we liked more. When you cross, just go down the stairs on the left side of the bridge. There was a row of about 20 tents with greater variety of food and we were in luck because a band was performing live music. Some of the best food we found was white sausages and dumplings with pork and saurkraut. I was freezing so I drank mostly sickeningly-sweet hot wine instead of beer. We saw everyone in line for some type of cinnamon and sugar bread so, of course, we followed suit.
The Charles Bridge is the creepiest bridge I have ever seen (read: I thought it was awesome). There are many baroque statues lining the span of the bridge and gives it an eerie vibe. Crossing the bridge was worth it for the food and sights like these:
Now that we were on the other side of the bridge, we made our way to Pražský hrad (Prague castle). It's absolutely huge and the surrounding area is made of multiple palaces, cathedrals, and gardens. You can find some great views from the top of the hill.
The John Lennon wall is a short walk away. There was a crowd of younger people adding to the existing layers of graffitti.
Josefov (Jewish Quarter)
I loved the architecture in the Jewish Quarter and it was interesting to see all of the places about Frank Kafka.
We had seen an episode of "Madrileños por el Mundo" in Prague where they visited a restuarant, Výtopna, where the beer is brought to you by model trains. We ate there the first night. The food was decent, but the service was very slow. It was amusing to see the trains in action.
Slivovitz was probably the most difficult thing I tried in Prague. I don't know how or why, but my dad drank this clear, plum brandy as a special treat certain times of the year. For me, it was very difficult to down, but at least it warmed me up…including my entire esophagus.


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Saturday, 30 April 2011
Karate Kick!
new Release 11th May
I show you a card, where I have used one of the new
images from
which are coming on the
11th May.
I`m shure you will love them all :-)
Together Forever
Stamps: Lili of the Valley Together Forever
Papers: MME Lost & Found
Embellishments: Trellis Roses, 20mm roses, 15mm roses, 10mm roses, pearls.
Tools: Crealies Border Die No 12, Magnolia Doo Hickey Swirl
Friday, 29 April 2011
Best Friends
I used Bazzill for the base and all double matting; the DP is from the Julianne paper pack by K&Co. The sweet image was stamped on Cryogen White, colored with Copics, adding a few Waterfall Stickles to the flowers, and cut out with triple Nesties. This little scene makes me feel that all the world's problems are solved now!!!
AND...a little bird just told me that you are going to start seeing some LOTV SNEAKY PEEKIES very soon--the cutest little boys and bears ever!!! Keep your peepers wide open!!
Thanks for dropping by to see what's happening in the LOTV world!! Have a marvelous day!! Hugs from Jacque!
Sneak Peek–New Release BOYS!!!!! 11th May
Thursday, 28 April 2011
Time to have a little fun
Hello my friends, an other boy card. I really love what great sports themed images Lili of the Valley offers. There is something to find for every kid.
Tried to add some texture and interest with hardware, rather than with the typical flower treatment :-)
Stamps: Lili of the Valley
~ Rugby Mad
~ Clear Additions
" Mixed Sentiments"
Get ready for some new super cute boy images that Lili of the Valley is going to release may 11. Stay tuned here on the DT blog as the girls will share their sample cards any day.
You will love the new collection :-)
A New Challenge
Morning Peeps, its Thursday so that means we have a new Challenge posted on the Lili of the Valley Challenge Blog and this week we are celebrating the Royal Wedding with the Theme of "LOVE IS IN THE AIR", so if you fancy the chance of winning a £10 voucher to spend on the Lili of the Valley website then please pop over and join us.
Here is my card for the Challenge using "LOVE GROWS", for more details on the card and ProMarker colours please pop over to my blog here
Have a good day
Hugs Jacqui xx
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
When i grow up…
I was able to make card yesterday – Thought it would be nice to start with some Mothers Day cards.
This image by Lili of the Valley " Mirror, Mirror" along with a boy image – which i can show tomorrow i had picked for a while to make a card with.
The inside of the card is stamped with a sentiment by Stampin up and the corners are from a Lili of the Valley Clear Addition set "Corners Ornate".
Papers are by Prima Marketing "Sweet Fariy"
thank you dear Lili of the Valley friends for your visit, please come back soon
White Wedding
Have a great week, hugs Christine x.
Good Morning All
Good morning hope you have all had a fabulous Easter Break with lots of Choccie and of course lots of time for crafting. I thought I would share with you a card I made for A Spoonful of Sugar Challenge using "Its My Party" image.
This card is quite bright for me, but its good to change your style sometimes, if you would like to see more info on how the card was created please visit my Blog here.
Have a good day and don't forget the Lili of the Valley Challenge this week, the theme is EASTER, a new challenge will be posted on Thursday.
Jacqui xxxx
Wild Orchid Challenge
Hi there, I thought I would share my card I made for this week's Wild Orchid Challenge
A close up of Pom-Pom from Lili of the Valley (still think she's the most cutest lil fairy ever!!)
I coloured her with Copics and Prismacolor pencils:
Hair: E53, E51, E50 and light umber pencil
Skin: E21, E00, E000, R20, R30
Jumper: E42, E41, E40 and warm grey 70% pencil
Skirt: BG11, BG10, BG70, 0 and Jade Green/ black pencil
Grass: YG63, YG61, G20 and olive pencil
Shadow around her: BG000, BG0000
Monday, 25 April 2011
Enjoy Yourself ...
Hi dear all,
today I would like to show you another card of me.
This time I selected the image *Spring Swing* from the last Animals Spring Collection, I really love this sweet bunny :o) I also used the Mixed Circular Sentiments and Words for Tickets from the new clear addition release April 2011.
Sentiment: Mixed Circular Sentiments, Words for Tickets/Lilly of the Valley
Have a wonderful sunny day and thanks for swinging by.
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Wishing you Happiness
Hi dear all,
what do you think about this cute image?? ... it´s called *Lucky Cats* of the last Spring Collection 2011 and I think these little cats are just so sweet :o) I also selected some great papers of the Granola Collection from Basic Grey, thought it fits really well together.
Thanks for swinging by and I wish you all a very Happy Easter and a wonderful time :o)
Thursday, 21 April 2011
Lili of the Valley challenge
Hi there, a quick post to share the card I made for this week's Lili of the Valley challenge. Please do pop across and see the rest of the DT's fab cards. Hope to see you all joining in.
Not much to say on this card except I used my favourite image from the last Lili of the Valley release – Spring Swing. I just totally love this little bunny. I coloured the little daisies on the sentiment and popped a little rhinestone in the centres.
Card Recipe:
Pre-Cut and scored Scallop Concertina card from Which Craft
Stamps: Spring Swing and Clear Additions Happy Circular Sentiments sheet
Paper from my box of scraps.
Embellies: Daffodils, Sweetheart Blossoms and rhinestones from Wild Orchid Crafts
Don't forget to come and Join us
Here is a card from our Guest designer the lovely talented Donalda and there are more stunning cards by the DT on the Challenge Site to give you inspiration.
Wednesday, 20 April 2011
Best Wishes with Dandelion Clock
This little Dandelion Clock girlie is the cutest thing ever!! She can be used for so many occasions and would make anyone happy! She was colored with Copics, adding Prisma Glitter to her wings and Stickles and Doodlebug Fluff to the dandelions. The DP is from the Lilac Avenue Collection by Kaisercraft, the ribbon from Really Reasonable Ribbon, and all of the flowers from Wild Orchid Crafts. The "made with love" angel charm is handmade.
On the inside I have used a lovely sentiment from the Set 10-A5 Verses from the Clear Additions Range cut out with a Magnolia die.
Thank you so much for dropping by to see what's happening in the wonderful Land of Lili of the Valley and we hope you will drop by often!! Until the next time, Jacque sends hugs!!
Monday, 18 April 2011
Step card by Julie
I had the pleasure of meeting the lovely Julie at the Lili of the Valley Stand at Alexandra Palace last weekend. When she got home she e-mailed me to ask if I would mind her having a go at the Side Step Swirl Card I had made, of course I didn't mind thats what our Samples are for to give you inspiration. Anyway Julie has completed her card and sent me the link, Wow Julie it is just perfect, I thought you would all like a chance to see it.
I am sure, like me you are impressed, if you would like to see more details of the card please click here to go to Julie post on her blog.
Thanks again dear for sharing this with us
Hugs Jacqui x
Thursday, 14 April 2011
Bunny Cupcakes
Lili of the Valley Challenge - Birthday
Today is the day!!! A whole bunch of you ever so patient peeps have been waiting for the Lili of the Valley Clear Additions launch on the website – well your wait is over, they are on the website today!! I am sure when you see the range you will agree the wait will have been worth it. They are the most useful stamps I've got and am constantly reaching for them. So go fill ya boots girlies.
Whilst I was here thought I would quickly share my card for this week's Lili of the Valley challenge, which is Birthdays
Stamps: Bunny Balloon and Clear Additions circular sentiments
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Weekly blog candy winner
This weeks blog candy winner is
Congratulations Peggy, please email me to claim your prize
Lili of the Valley Additions Range
A quick Reminder to all those who have been waiting for the new Lili of the Valley Additions Clear Collection of Stamps, they will be for sale on the Website from tomorrow morning.
This collection, as it's name suggests, has been created to complement and add to the normal Lili of the Valley Character stamps, it includes a stunning Ribbon Stamp sheet, Postcards, Labels , Various corners , Tags and more Round Sentiments plus lots m0re, all produced in strong Polymer for easy placement. They have been a hit at all the shows we have taken them to and will be a great "Addition" to everyones stamp collection.
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
Love Grows Mini Canvas
Sunday, 10 April 2011
Lili of the Valley Additions!!
Weekly Blog Candy
Happy Sunday everyone! I'm back with this week's Lili of the Valley candy. This prize is a £10 voucher to spend in the store.
Entry is open until Wednesday 13th April. All we ask is that you put our Ideas to Inspire Blog Banner on your blog in your side bar with a link back to us - then leave your details in Inlinkz below and a winner will be chosen at random next Wednesday.
Good luck!
Thursday, 7 April 2011
LOTV Additions Clear Stamp Range
We have had lots of enquiries about the release of the LOTV Additions Clear Stamp Range on the website, this collection was originally due to be released on 19th April but to ensure delivery before the long Easter Holiday we are bringing the release date forward to 14th April.
If you are planning to visit Alexandra Palace show this weekend they will also be on sale there, if you are visiting please come and say hello to Lisa, Laila, Richard and Jacqui .
And Finally!!! don't forget there is a new challenged posted today on The Lili of the Valley Challenge Blog today the theme is to make a project using Peach and Green.
Have a good day.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Oh so cute ..... blowing bubbles
Birthday Bumps and Sunshine!!!
I just wanted to share a card I made for Papertake Weekly Challenge since LOTV is the sponsor this week. I used Birthday Bumps...Gosh!! These five little bears are having so much fun, it makes me want to be a part of the frivolity!! All of the sweet animals in the New Release are just too, too cute, aren't they?!! I also used one of the darling sentiments from the Dreamy Days Set.
The image was colored with Copics, adding a bit of FlowerSoft to the grass. The floral treatemtn is all from Wild Orchid Crafts: 25mm Open Rose, 15mm Open Roses, and a few 5mm Closed Rosebuds.
Thank you so much for coming by LOTV's Ideas to Inspire Blog and we hope you will drop by often!! Hugs from Jacque!
Monday, 4 April 2011
Lili of the Valley Bunny Style!
Sunday, 3 April 2011
Happy Mothers Day
Today is Mothering Sunday here is the UK and all of us at Lili of the Valley would like to wish all those lovely hardworking Mums in blogland an extra special Day today.
I have a little Step card for you today to showcase lots of Lili of the Valley Stamps
I have used "Together Forever" Image and Sentiment from The Romance Collection and The lovely Ribbon Stamp from The LOTV Additions Range, I have also used LOTV Additions Blossom corner on the image my idea was to give the impression of the wing hanging from a Cherry/Apple Tree, think it looks quite good.
More information and details of how this card was made are on my blog http://jacqui47.blogspot.com .
Thanks for looking
Jacqui x


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A jury is waiting to hear the aggravated murder trial of Bobby L. Cutts Jr. Final jury selection occurred Wednesday afternoon. The 12-person jury includes six men and six women. The six alternates include three men and three women.
A jury is waiting to hear the aggravated murder trial of Bobby L. Cutts Jr. Whether the case remains in Stark County remains to be seen. Final jury selection occurred Wednesday afternoon. The 12-person jury includes six men and six women. The six alternates include three men and three women. Only one of those selected, a female alternate, is black. Cutts, 30, of Plain Township, has pleaded not guilty to charges that he killed Jessie M. Davis, 26, of Lake Township and her unborn daughter in June. Cutts, who is black, and Davis, who was white, had a 2-year-old son together. Testimony is scheduled to begin Monday. The former Canton police officer faces three counts of aggravated murder, two counts of gross abuse of a corpse, aggravated burglary and misdemeanor endangering children. One of the murder charges is tied to the death of Davis; the remaining two involve her unborn child. If convicted of aggravated murder, Cutts faces a possible death sentence. Stark County prosecutors declined to comment on the jury selection. Defense attorney Fernando Mack said the process went according to the judge's plan. Selecting a jury for a death-penalty case is challenging, especially one that has drawn so much media attention, he said. Mack declined to comment on the racial makeup of the jury, saying only that the defense hopes the jurors will be fair and listen to the evidence. Stark County Common Pleas Judge Charles E. Brown Jr. will hold a final hearing Friday to discuss any remaining issues in the case. Mack said he anticipates asking Brown to move the trial out of Stark County. Mack didn't want to reveal all the reasons for seeking a change of venue but said the amount of media attention on the case is a factor. Another issue is the prosecution's request that Repository sports writer Todd Porter testify at trial. Porter was the only reporter to interview Cutts before his arrest. Porter has already turned over an unedited recording of the interview. In court papers, Porter's attorney argues that the information sought is available from other sources and that requiring Porter to testify will have a chilling effect on his ability to find confidential sources in the future. If Porter has to take the stand, the judge should limit the scope of the testimony, according to the motion. Porter is one of 98 potential witnesses. Canton Repository


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News tagged with abstinence
Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure. Most frequently, the term refers to sexual abstinence, or abstention from alcohol or food. The practice can arise from religious prohibitions or practical considerations. Abstinence may also refer to drugs. For example you can abstain from smoking. Abstinence has diverse forms. Commonly it refers to a temporary or partial abstinence from food, as in fasting. In the twelve-step program of Overeaters Anonymous abstinence is the term for refraining from compulsive eating, akin in meaning to sobriety for alcoholics. Because the regimen is intended to be a conscious act, freely chosen to enhance life, abstinence is sometimes distinguished from the psychological mechanism of repression. The latter is an unconscious state, having unhealthy consequences. Freud termed the channeling of sexual energies into other more culturally or socially acceptable activities, "sublimation".
This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA


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[Editor's note: Laurie Toupin and her family are road tripping across America and sharing their experiences in a series of blogs. See the related links menu to the left for past installments.]
"We won! We won!" Jacob, 5, shouted as we pulled into the finish line after completing the "Cars"-themed Radiator Springs Racers ride at Disneyland – easily the most popular attraction in all of our family's road-tripping-through-California adventures combined.
And understandably so. Riders board shiny convertibles and begin cruising the red rocks surrounding Radiator Springs. Then we are prepped for the big race by Luigi and Doc, characters from Disney's "Cars". Suddenly we are screaming through the countryside beside another car.
Disney pays such close attention to detail that even the wait is an attraction. The line for Indiana Jones Adventure meanders through an underground cavern littered with skeletons, booby traps, lost treasure, and statues. The details were so elaborate that we began to think that the walk was the ride until we came upon the jeeps which took us deeper into the cavern. Here, Disney spared no expense.
The ride was so filled with detail, complete with fire, falling mummies and the famous boulder scene, that Maria, 11, demanded that a warning be placed on the ride saying, "Scary! Do not ride until you are 18."
We were all thankful for the character-filled breakfast directly after, so that Minney, Goofy, Chip and Dale, and Tigger could take our minds off of the ride.
Like at Hersheypark in Pennsylvania, we were able to ride both of these popular rides before daytime guests were allowed in. Called the "Early Magic Hour," Guests of the Disney Resort Hotels are allowed into the park at 7 a.m., an hour before other people. Since August is Disney's peak season, we found this to be indispensable for getting on the major attractions.
However, the combination of a midnight closing and a 7 a.m. opening does not promote happy children – no matter how exciting the rides.
After two days, the kids were happy to get back in the RV and sleep. They didn't care where we going, just as long as they didn't have to walk.
Legoland – An Interactive Park
Legoland was a much different experience. This park, geared for children under 12, is smaller, easy to negotiate, and the rides are very interactive. The Sky View, for example, travels all around the park on rails. But it has to be pedaled by the riders to move.
The big draw of Legoland, however, is the Legoland Hotel which opened in June. Lego creations are everywhere, as are Legos for children to use their imaginations to build their own. Floating Lego bricks even lined the beautiful pool.
The hotel consists of three themed floors: knights and dragons, pirates, or adventurers. Kids get their own room complete with bunk beds, a private TV, and a locked treasure chest containing surprises once they crack the code. A warning on the wall reads, "Adults: keep out." The elevator boasts a disco ball and dance music. Here, kids rule.
The Pacific at Last!
After five days of amusement parks, we finally stuck our feet in the Pacific Ocean. It is much colder than we expected! But the white sand beaches of Carlsbad, Calif., are beautiful.
Our beach is surrounded by shear rock cliffs with caves to explore and outcroppings to sit on and watch the waves roll by. I honestly didn't think it looked much different than the New Hampshire portion of the Atlantic, except the sand is whiter.
Colie, 9, commented that it was amazing to think that one could drive 3,000 miles to the other side of the United States. I had to agree.
Now that the excitement of the reaching our destination has passed, I can see signs that the kids are starting to think about home. Jacob is talking about inventing an RV with wings. Colie is talking about her pets. And Maria, 11, is making plans to build a diorama of the Star Wars set she saw at Disney.
We've gone as far west as we possibly could. Tomorrow, we are eastward bound.


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Romney, Ryan, Rock rally in West Chester
Republican candidate makes case to voters in campaign's final days
Republicans Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan made another pitch to area voters at a rally in West Chester with rocker Kid Rock.
The candidates were joined by a lengthy roster of prominent conservatives – including House Speaker John Boehner, Sen. Rob Portman, Sen. Marco Rubio, Gov. Bobby Jindal and former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani – at a campaign event at The Square at Union Centre.
Campaign officials said more than 30,000 supporters reserved spots at the event.
Romney and Ryan each accused President Barack Obama of campaigning as a "post-partisan" moderate, but said he governed as an extremist who did not cross party lines.
"The president promised change, and he hasn't delivered it," Romney said. "I promise change and have a record of achieving it."
Many of the event's speakers, including Ryan, touted Romney's experience as governor of Massachusetts and his success in business.
Supporters said the energy is infectious as Tuesday's election nears.
"I've never seen crowds like these," said Sen. Rob Portman. "I've never seen the kind of enthusiasm and energy that we're seeing at these rallies."
More than 1.3 million Ohioans have already voted, including Portman, who said it took him more than an hour to wait in line at the Hamilton County Board of Elections.
A volunteer for Obama's campaign said the long lines were indicative of the sustained enthusiasm for the president's re-election, and she said Republicans seem desperate as the campaigns wind down.
"Unfortunately, I feel a lot of anger, and it's very disturbing when I'm out there," she said. "People are very angry."
But local Republicans say they're fired up about the issues.
"My best friend came up with the name 'Minivan Moms For Mitt,' and we're just concerned mothers," said supporter Maria Cholak, of Mount Lookout.
She said they're concerned about children, the elderly and the poor, and they believe Romney is more prepared to improve the economy.
Hamilton County could end up deciding the election, which remains tight in the final days.
"As was the case in two out of the last three presidential elections, Ohio could very well determine who the next leader of the free world is," Portman said. "Let's make sure it's Mitt Romney. Don't you agree?"


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Jamie and Bobby Deen included Eli's Cheesecake in their recent visit to Chicago for "Road Tested, their new Food Network Show.
"Road Tested" takes advantage of the growing trend in culinary tourism. The Deens are crisscrossing the nation to find the best craft food producers that are also available to order online after watching the show.
The Deen brothers are the sons of Food Network star, Paula Deen. Paula's food empire started on the family's last $200. She made sandwiches, and the boys delivered them. In those days, young Jamie was just finishing up junior college, and brother Bobby was
finishing high school. Neither went to culinary or business school. Eventually, Paula took charge of two restaurants-The Lady & Sons and Uncle Bubba's Oyster House, as well as being the writer of a handful of cookbooks, and most importantly, star of "Paula's Home Cooking" in which her two sons make frequent appearances.


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August 10, 1988, Section B, Page 8Buy Reprints
Alan Ameche, the Baltimore Colt running back who scored in overtime to defeat the New York Giants in the National Football League's 1958 championship game, died of a heart attack on Monday in Houston after undergoing heart bypass surgery last week. He was 55 years old.
Mr. Ameche, who was being treated by Dr. Michael DeBakey, underwent heart bypass and valve replacement surgery on Friday at Methodist Hospital in the Texas Medical Center. He had a similar operation 10 years ago.
His decisive 1-yard plunge into the end zone after 8 minutes 15 seconds of overtime gave the Colts a 23-17 victory over the Giants in what has often been called the greatest football game ever played. A national television audience and a Yankee Stadium crowd of 64,185 witnessed the game on Dec. 28, 1958. It was the first sudden-death overtime game in N.F.L. championship history. 'Most-Remembered Run'
Baltimore began the winning touchdown drive from its 20-yard line, sparked by the passing of Johnny Unitas, the receiving of Raymond Berry and the running of Ameche, who had scored the Colts' first touchdown on a 2-yard run. On the 80-yard drive, Ameche caught an 8-yard pass from Unitas, ran a draw play for 23 yards to the New York 20-yard line and finally slammed over the middle into the Giants' end zone.
''It was probably the shortest run I ever made and the most remembered,'' he said in later years.
Nicknamed The Horse because of the way coaches said he worked in practice, Mr. Ameche, a native of Kenosha, Wis., starred at the University of Wisconsin, where he set a national record by rushing for 3,212 yards and won the Heisman Trophy as the best college football player of 1954. Touchdown at the Start
As Baltimore's first pick in the 1954 draft, Mr. Ameche signed a contract worth $15,000 a year and galloped 79 yards for a touchdown against the Chicago Bears on his first run from scrimmage as a professional.
In his first season, he led the league in rushing, was voted the rookie of the year and was an All-Pro selection. He was All-Pro for three more years and played in five Pro Bowl games before a severe Achilles' tendon injury ended his career after the 1960 season.
In six pro seasons, Mr. Ameche ran for 4,045 yards and scored 40 touchdowns. He was inducted into the National Football Foundation's College Football Hall of Fame in 1975.
After his retirement, Mr. Ameche and Gino Marchetti, a former Colt teammate, founded a successful chain of East Coast restaurants called Gino's. Mr. Ameche later sold out his interest. Mr. Ameche, who lived in Devon, Pa., is survived by his wife, Yvonne, and six children.


text: Incredible content & effectiveness! Having been a professional cyclist for 12 years, I decided to test some of Vlad's drills on the bike. I used pedal revolutions to measure the effectiveness of various exercises. The results were simply astounding! I crested my usual mountain top in 1/3 of the time..read more >>


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covenant(redirected from covenantor)
Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Legal, Encyclopedia.
Related to covenantor: covenantee
An agreed action to be undertaken (Positive) or not done (Negative). A breach of a covenant is a default.
A provision in an indenture. An indenture sets the terms of a bond; its terms include the coupon rate, the period until maturity, and whether the bond comes with any special features like convertibility or whether it is callable. A covenant within an indenture states what actions the issuer and the bondholder may or may not take in certain situations. Covenants (and indentures generally) exist to reduce the risk to all parties to a bond.
A clause in a loan agreement written to protect the lender's claim by keeping the borrower's financial position approximately the same as it was at the time the loan agreement was made. Essentially, covenants spell out what the borrower may do and must do in order to satisfy the terms of the loan. For example, the borrower may be prohibited from issuing more debt by using certain assets as collateral. Likewise, the borrower may be required to issue reports to bondholders on certain dates. Also called protective covenant, restrictive covenant. See also negative covenant, positive covenant.
Case Study In February 2002 Qwest Communications issued a warning that the company was in danger of violating a bank loan covenant by the end of June. A major slump in the telecom business combined with heavy indebtedness caused concern that the firm's debt would exceed the specified maximum of 3.75 earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization. A month later the company announced that in return for agreeing to use $608 million from a $1.5 billion bond issue to reduce bank debt, the bankers agreed to a concession that raised the covenant maximum to 4.25 until the end of September, and 4.00 during the following six months. The covenant had been included as part of the original bank loan agreement in order to help insure that Qwest could continue to meet its existing obligations before taking on additional debt.
covenanta written agreement by a person to pay a given sum of money to some other person or organization for a specified period of time. Where a covenant arrangement allows a donor relief from income tax on any sums paid over, the covenant provides a tax-efficient means of making financial provision for a relative or charity.
covenanta specific condition in a legal agreement or CONTRACT. For instance, a formal agreement between a COMMERCIAL BANK and a JOINT-STOCK COMPANY to which it is loaning money might contain a covenant stipulating a limit on dividend distributions from profits.
An agreement. For example,one can make a "covenant not to compete"a provision of a business sale,or one can write a restrictive covenant regarding the use of real property into the real estate records,which binds all owners whether it is contained in their specific deed or not.