DETENTION Saturday

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

ETA: Mun jst got horrible news and will be AFK for a bit. I'm sure you can tell this is a pretty loose detention. Just don't blow anything up. I'll be back later to release you. I'm back. Play this funny for me, ok? I need cheered up.

Visitors are welcome during LUNCH only.


The Danger Room has been programmed to resemble the press briefing room at the White House. On each chair is the student's name on an etched brass plaque. Make sure you only sit in the chair with your name on it.

At the ends of each rows are thick folders rubber banded to a large stack of books. Behind the lectern is a white pull down screen covering the seal of the United States of America.

CJ stands at the lectern, wearing her glasses. She looks up as the students enter the room and checks their name off the list.

Honor System, Gang. If YOU know you have detention, please serve it. Not all the teachers submitted information, or else there were late additions. Thanks.

demon_belthazor
joan_not_jane
kimberly_shaw
mparker16-
jayne_serenity
nightsmoonchild
teen_twin
2ls_in_oneill
chosenslayer_
psycho_jackass
future_visions
veronicamars1
egyptianlove
jayne_serenity
alchemy_4_arson
futurebucs_star
valentine_tart
sogothcally



Ok. It's Saturday. It's detention. I'm supposed to mention about your wicked, wicked ways...yeah, not going to do that. Work harder. Quit screwing around. In some misguided attempt to keep you all sane and alive I signed up for this gig, so let's make the best of a bad situation, and make CJ happy, ok? [She smiles]

All right gang, this is going to be as painless or as painful as you choose for it to be. I want you in groups of not more than four. You each have a different stack of information. These are reports that are sent to the government so we can decide what to give money to. We had an intern, Winnie, and she's read them all and briefed me on them.

Your detention, since most of you are here for not doing your homework, is to consolidate the information, come up with a coherant presentation, and then get up here and present your findings to the rest of us. If you do it well, single moms and garbagemen get to keep on making a living. If not, you damage the environment, poison the masses, and generally create hell on Earth and destroy our noble Democracy as we know it.

But first, we're going to watch a couple films to help orient you to politics as I know and love them.

[Walks to the back, flips off the lights, and starts an old fashioned reel projector. Footage of the Kennedy-Nixon debates flashes on the screen at the front of the room and the lights dim so they can watch.]

I will post sub threads for different detention activities through the day.

Comments

Presentation 2

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Group 2, you're on.

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[demonbelthazor]

Belthazor looked over at Beka. "Let's just get this over with. You need to warm up?"

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka stood, stretching. "Probably should. Keep it low and easy? Lots of stuff and people in here to get in the way."

Taking a quick look at Buffy and Phoebe, she grinned. "Don't worry. He won't hurt me. Much.."

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[demonbelthazor]

Belthazor cocked his head to the back of the room. "Some space back there. Should be fine. And don't worry, they'll be very low power. Wouldn't want to hurt you."

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Do you guys need anything special? Props or a different room? I think I can work the control panel for in here.

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Um. Hmm. Some clear space would probably be good. That way I can dodge without tripping?"

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

[She walks over and fiddles with a panel and eventually makes the stage 5 times bigger]

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

"Great! Thanks, CJ. That should be perfect."

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka blew Bel a kiss. "So sweet. Thanks. Later you can turn it up though. I could use a good workout. Especially if Angelus is still busy."

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[demonbelthazor]

Belthazor stepped on on the stage and conjured a fireball. "Ready?"

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka smirked as she stepped up onto the stage. "Yeah, baby. Bring it."

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[demonbelthazor]

Belthazor scowled and threw the fireball at Beka.

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! Belthazor! Explain to me how this relates to your research?!?

Re: Presentation 2 - Working Out the Kinks

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka grinned, ducking. When the fireball missed, she had to suppress the urge to stick her tongue out. She waggled her hand to signal 'Again'.

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[demonbelthazor]

Phoebe steps up and reads:

"Nearly 300 species of mussels inhabit freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes in the United States. This is the richest diversity of mussels found in the world and an extraordinary natural heritage that needs protection. Because of the lustrous, pearl-like interior of the shells, some of these pearly mussels have important commercial value in the cultured pearl and jewelry industry. Our pearly mussels are of unique ecological value as natural biological filters, food for fish and wildlife, and indicators of good water quality."

Buffy then reads:

"The abundance and variety of mussels have declined sharply in this century. At the turn of the century, the shallow, swift-flowing shoal areas of many of the streams and rivers within the Ohio River basin were filled with millions of living mussels. Today, many of these areas harbor only remnant populations of mussels. Dam construction, siltation, water pollution, mining and industrial wastes, and the introduction of exotic shellfish seriously threaten their continued existence. At present, 30 mussel species are presumed extinct, 57 species are federally endangered or threatened, and nearly 70 species are species of concern nationwide. No other widespread animal group in North America has been jeopardized to this extent."

Phoebe reads:

"Although mussels have little value as human food, they hold immense ecological value. As a vital link in the food chain, they are a major food item for valuable wildlife such as muskrat, otter, and raccoon. Young mussels are eaten by ducks, herons, and sport fish. As important natural filterers in the riverbed, they improve water quality by straining out suspended particles and pollutants from our rivers. Large mussels can filter several gallons of water in a day, and they help to remove and store contaminants, making the water more fit for human uses. Because of their filtering capacity, mussels are an integral part of the natural purification process in rivers and lakes. They are particularly useful in removing algae and suspended particles from turbid and organically enriched waters near wastewater facilities and in fish farm effluents."

Buffy reads:

"Mussels have great scientific value as indicators of environmental health. They are used by biologists as "biological monitors" to indicate past and present water quality conditions in rivers and lakes. A sudden kill of freshwater mussels is a reliable indicator of toxic contamination in flowing and standing waters. The gradual disappearance of freshwater mussels usually indicates chronic water pollution problems. Moreover, biologists can measure the amount of pollutants found in mussel tissue to determine the type and extent of water pollution in streams and lakes. Biomedical uses of mussels are presently being studied. Evidence from cancer research suggests that some mussels may be resistant to certain types of cancer and that the extraction of cancer-curing drugs from mollusks may be feasible in the future."

Phoebe reads:

"The introduction of exotic (nonnative) aquatic animals from Europe, Asia, and elsewhere in the world into waters in the United States poses a great threat to our native mussels. The zebra mussel is a small shellfish native to Europe that has invaded our Great Lakes and is spreading rapidly throughout the United States. Zebra mussels are voracious feeders and reproduce quickly, outcompeting our native mussels for food and space. They also attach themselves to the shells of our freshwater mussels in such high densities that the native mussels are unable to breathe or feed. Preventing the spread of zebra mussels and stopping the invasion of other exotic animals is essential for the survival of our native mussels."

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[demonbelthazor]

Buffy then adds:

"We have prepared a brief interpretive demonstration of the severity of the situation. Phoebe and I are mussel harvesters. Our livelihood depends on the continued survival of the mussel."

Phoebe: "Buffy, let us go out on the lake and harvest some mussels. We have families to feed."

Buffy: "I hope we can find some today. It's been getting harder and harder to find the mussels we need."

Beka stepped on to the right end of the stage.

Phoebe: "Oh, look! A mussel! We must harvest it!"

Belthazor stepped on to the left end of the stage.

Buffy: "Oh, no! It is the dreaded European zebra mussel! It will destroy our wonderful native mussel! Run, little mussel! Run!"

Belthazor summoned a fireball and threw it at Beka. She dodged out of the way. He conjured another and threw; this she dodged as well.

Phoebe: "You can do it, mussel!"

Taking a few steps across the stage, Belthazor conjured a third fireball. He threw it at Beka.

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

[[OOC! Stop! For the love of everything, this is making me laugh myself to death! ::dies::]]

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

The fireball caught Beka square in the chest. Right between her two, perfect, native mussel breasts.

Tumbling backward, she clapped her hands to her chest, coughing and glaring at Bel for the extra wallop in that fireball for which he would pay, hard, later.

She made her legs tremble, and allowed a small fake, thank you trickle of tears to leak from her eyes. The coughing subsided and her tongue protruded from her mouth as her head lolled to the side.

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica watched the presentation with wide eyes.

She started shaking when the fireballs started appearing. By the time Beka fell to the floor, she was trembling uncontrollably and her face was white as a sheet.

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Veronica...honey, what's wrong? Sweetie?

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[marsheadtilt.livejournal.com]

Veronica can't speak, she shakes her head and her eyes start filling with tears. She cannot comprehend what just happened.

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[prof-cregg.livejournal.com]

Come on, sweetie, lets get out of here. [She takes Veronica's hand and leads her out of the Danger Room] Do you want to talk?

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[demonbelthazor]

Phoebe and Buffy wailed and wrung their hands. "Oh, no!" Phoebe cried. "The mussel has been destroyed!"

Buffy put her hand to her forehead. "Now our families will go hungry! Won't someone help us save the mussels?"

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka rose and took a stage bow, smirking at Bel. "You are so paying for that last one, pal."

Her gaze swept the room for reactions. Especially CJ's, since it wasn't exactly standard detention fare.

Before she could find CJ however she noticed Veronica who looked pale and terrified. "Back in a few, Bel. One of mine needs me."

She jumped down from the stage and headed straight for Veronica. Pretty much nothing could've stopped her.

Re: Presentation 2 - The Presentation

[sogothcally.livejournal.com]

*applauds Beka's fine acting*