Thomas Eugene "Tom" Paris, played by Robert Duncan McNeill, is a character in the American science fiction television series Star Trek: Voyager. In that show, which aired on UPN between 1995 and 2001, Paris serves as the chief helmsman and an auxiliary medic aboard the United Federation of Planets starship USS Voyager, which must make its way home after being stranded on the opposite of the Galaxy as Earth with a motley collection of Starfleet and aliens as crew; the character's middle name, "Eugene", is a tribute to Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Tom Paris is the son of Starfleet Admiral Owen Paris and a scion of a family with a long history of illustrious service in Starfleet. Following in his family's tradition, Paris attended Starfleet Academy sometime in the 2350s and majored in astrophysics. A gifted pilot, he earned an assignment to the Academy's honor squadron, his relationship with his father was not a good one. Admiral Paris disapproved of his son's tendency to get into fights and his resulting punishments.

Soon after his graduation from Starfleet Academy, Tom crashed a shuttle he was piloting near Caldik Prime, killing three other Starfleet officers. Afraid he would lose his commission, Paris falsified records that would reveal the cause of the accident as pilot error, his efforts to cover up the error succeeded, but overwhelmed by guilt and regret, he confessed. He was court dishonorably discharged from Starfleet; this caused a major rift between his father. Following his discharge, Paris left San Francisco for Marseille, where he started spending his time drinking and playing pool in Sandrine's, a waterfront bar. There, Chakotay, a former Starfleet officer now serving with the Maquis, recruited him to serve as a mercenary pilot for the Maquis Rebellion against the Federation; this adventure went no better than his earlier stint in Starfleet as Paris was captured by Starfleet while piloting his first mission for the Maquis. Tried and convicted of treason for aiding the Maquis Rebellion, Paris was sentenced to serve time in the Federation penal settlement near Auckland, New Zealand.

Kathryn Janeway, captain of the starship USS Voyager, obtained Paris's temporary release from the penal colony. Janeway, charged with finding and capturing the Maquis ship commanded by Chakotay, offered Paris early parole in exchange for serving as her informant on Chakotay and the Maquis. Janeway and the crew of Voyager, while searching for the Maquis ship, were thrown into the Delta Quadrant by a massive energy wave created by an alien known as the Caretaker. Once there, they located the Maquis ship docked at the Caretaker's array; the survivors of the incident became stranded about 70,000 light-years from Earth. The Maquis ship was destroyed and its crew joined the Federation crew on Voyager; the marooning of Voyager in the Delta Quadrant provided Paris with a new beginning. Janeway gave Paris a field commission as a Starfleet lieutenant and made him chief helmsman of Voyager, he had a rough start, however, as Maquis alike viewed Paris with suspicion. Paris worked hard to earn his crewmates' respect.

During this time, he became best friends with Ensign Harry Kim, a young officer on his first mission who defied his crewmates to befriend Paris. Paris was accepted by the crew and became one of Janeway's valued officers. Paris's duties were not limited to piloting Voyager. On Janeway's orders, he trained as a field medic and assisted the Doctor until the Doctor recruited Kes as his primary assistant. Following Kes's departure Paris once again served regular duty shifts in sickbay. In the episode "Thirty Days", while disobeying direct orders in order to do what he felt was morally right, Paris was reduced to ensign and thrown in Voyager's brig for 30 days. About a year after working diligently at his duties, he regained his former rank; this occurred just before the events of "Unimatrix Zero", during which it is revealed that he is fourth in the chain of command. While serving on Voyager, Paris nurtured a long-hidden talent for holo-programming, devising several programs for the entertainment of his fellow crewmembers.

His most popular programs included a re-creation of Sandrine's bar, an Irish town called Fair Haven, a 1930s-era sci-fi movie serial titled Captain Proton. Paris married Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres, Voyager's half-Klingon/half-Human chief engineer, in 2377, she gave birth to their daughter Miral Paris during the events that led to Voyager's return to the Alpha Quadrant and Earth. Tom Paris at times displayed resentment toward Owen Paris; this situation improved over the course of the journey, due to Janeway's willingness to offer him redemption, to his relationship with B'Elanna Torres. Paris has a deep interest in 20th-century Earth pop culture utilizing such in his holo-programs; the knowledge helped the crew during time-travel incidents. He became good friends with Harry Kim from the start and at times displayed protectiveness in the face of Harry's customary naiveté. In the first episode he rescues the ensign from a manipulative Ferengi; the only member of the crew with whom Paris had a somewhat difficult relationship was Chakotay because of their history in the Maquis.

However, throughout Voyager's seven-year journey home and Chakotay reconciled and became good friends. Paris was a full lieutenant at the beginning of the series a lieutenant junior grade in the first-season episode "Faces"; the writers planned to use the character of Nicolas Locarno as a template for Tom Paris, played by McNeill in the Next Generat

Reinas de Costa Rica is a national beauty pageant in Costa Rica that selects representative to the Miss World pageant since 2007. The Miss Costa Rica pageant stopped sending contestants to the Miss World and Miss International pageants; the last delegate sent by the organization was in 2006. In 2007, the franchise was acquired by the Reinas de Costa Rica organization presided by Alan Aleman; this pageant is unrelated to the Miss Costa Rica Organization. The following women have represented Costa Rica in three of the Big Four major international beauty pageants for women; these are Miss World, Miss International, Miss Earth with the exception of Miss Universe which has its own national franchise in Costa Rica. Color key On occasion, when the candidate does not qualify for either contest, another girl is sent. In 2005, Costa Rica was crowned as Miss Asia Pacific International 2005, she was competed at the Miss World pageant. This is the first time of Costa Rica; as of 2007, Committee Miss Costa Rica has created a separate pageant called "Reinas de Costa Rica" to select its representative for Miss World 2007.

Before joining to Reinas de Costa Rica, the 1st runner-up or Winner of Miss Costa Rica represented her country at the Miss International pageant. On occasion, when the candidate does not qualify for either contest, another girl is sent; as of 2003, Committee Miss Costa Rica has created a separate pageant called "Reinas de Costa Rica" to select its representative for Miss International 2003

Solidago rupestris, the rock goldenrod or riverbank goldenrod, is a North American species of flowering plants in the sunflower family. It is found in the eastern United States, found today in the States of Maryland, Virginia and Tennessee. There are historical records of it growing in Indiana and Pennsylvania as well, but these populations now appear to have been extirpated. Solidago rupestris is a perennial herb up to 150 cm tall, spreading by means of underground rhizomes. Leaves are up to 12 cm long, on the stem of the plant rather than clustered around the base. One plant can produce as many as 900 small yellow flower heads in a showy; the species grows on the banks of rivers. University of Waterloo, Astereae Lab, Solidago rupestris Rock Goldenrod