the variable may be wordpress? since the table in a php file displays perfectly:
http://factualfiction.com/marsartists/wp-content/themes/twentytwelve-child/footer_test.php
...but when cut and pasted into the footer.php file of a twentytwelve-child theme it becomes mixed up?
http://marsartists.factualfiction.com (bottom of page)
complete loss as to what is causing this...sorry...
thanks for the help!