text:
A week passed. Things didn't get better.
During that time, Jensen and Jared managed to set up their cameras in the Earth Embassy - which netted them a great deal of boring and remarkably unhelpful footage -, identify and subsequently disregard a large number of possible suspects - which left Jensen heartily sick of small talk and Jared wary of the girl in Accounting who had given Jensen her number -, collect a small forest's worth of legally and not-so-legally acquired documentation - which didn't accomplish anything besides taking up Jared's time and making his back hurt from hunching in front of the computer-, and generally irritate two very suspicious police detectives - which, while hilarious, wasn't especially productive.
They settled into a pattern of sorts. Jensen went to work and learned all sorts of things he already knew about being a translator. Jared alternated between tooling around with vaguely illegal stuff on the computer and walking around the Station being blatantly conspicuous. The days ticked down and the Treaty Signing drew closer and they had no more to work with than they had when they'd left Earth. Nothing they did seemed to make a difference.
They weren't lucky enough to have a clue fall out of the sky, either. It was frustrating.
Which is why, eight days before the Treaty Signing, Jared decided to hell with routine and went to the Embassy to take Jensen out for lunch and maybe get a midday blowjob to take his mind off the suck that was this mission.
He didn't see Tom or Mike on the walk over to the Embassy, though he'd more or less expected that. They didn't show up on all of his excursions anyway and, for once, it wasn't exactly hard to tell where he was going. Knowing them, Tom was as reluctant to overstep his limits by throwing his weight around in the Embassy as Mike was to be more interested in having a long lunch break than watching Jared eat hamburgers with his boyfriend.
Figuring that Jensen would be at his desk at this time of day, Jared flashed his ID at the Embassy's security scanner and headed up to the third floor where they stored all the translators, minute takers and clerks when they weren't using them. He took his time getting there, even though he could have made the trip blindfolded by this point, and was careful only to take routes that his official clearance level would have allowed.
As he rounded the corner towards Jensen's bullpen, Jared caught sight of Jensen standing at the end of the hallway, laughing and joking with Misha. Without really thinking about it, Jared pulled back and waited, listening in on their conversation.
Or, well, listening to them talk, at least, since that definitely wasn't English coming out of their mouths. He thought it might have been Sod, but he couldn't pick up enough words to know for sure. Jensen and Misha were swapping words back and forth like natives, the harsh, guttural syllables sounding almost natural coming from their mouths.
Jensen's face was animated as he talked and he was gesturing with his hands the way he always did when he got really into the conversation. Misha was responding with equal enthusiasm, a sneaky sort of amusement curling his lips as often as not. Jared watched them for a long moment, marveling at their casual display of linguistic skill and this hitherto unseen element of Jensen's life.
And then Misha said something that made Jensen throw back his head and laugh, a full, carefree sound that made Jared's pulse jump and something cold settle in the pit of his stomach. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd made Jensen laugh like that.
Just then, Jensen glanced over and Jared became belatedly aware of the way he was lurking awkwardly by the wall. Embarrassed, he straightened and started forward again, watching as Jensen waved goodbye to Misha and jogged over to meet him.
"Sam!" he said, sounding pleased. "What are you doing here?" The subtle quirk of his eyebrow added an extra dimension to the question: anything turn up?
"Got bored," Jared said, with a shrug that meant still no, sorry. "Figured I'd drag you off to lunch. You feel like playing hooky?"
Jensen winced. "I was just making plans with Misha to try out the Qwilian place round the corner, actually." Jared felt his expression falter and Jensen's tone went cautious when he added, "You could come with?"
Jared plastered on a smile. "That's okay. Still not a fan of Doctor Who foreign."
Jensen had the grace to look apologetic. "Yeah, sorry. You want me to cancel?"
"And deprive you of your Misha time?" Jared asked, and he didn't need the sudden narrowing of Jensen's eyes to know it had come out considerably more acerbic than teasing. "You know what?" he said abruptly. "I'm not that hungry after all. Sorry to interrupt; I'll see you later."
He spun on his heel and stalked away, nearly as frustrated with himself as he was with Jensen. Behind him, he heard the sound of footsteps and a woman asking Jensen if everything was okay. Jensen gave whoever it was a bullshit answer and then asked if she knew where Misha was.
Jared gritted his teeth and walked faster.
Five minutes later found him slumped against the side of the Embassy, hands fisted at his sides, head tipped back against the bricks and eyes shut. He kept his breathing ruthlessly even, trying to slow the angry rattle of his pulse.
"You know," Jensen's voice said at his side, sudden and unexpected. "Despite what your porn might tell you, jealousy isn't really all that sexy."
Jared's head snapped down. "I'm not je-" he started, but trailed off when he caught sight of the flat expression on Jensen's face.
"Sam." Jensen's tone was hard. "Cut the crap."
Jared deflated. "It's not that simple."
"Try me."
"I'm not jealous," he said again and raised a hand to ward off Jensen's inevitable derisive snort. "Or I'm not just jealous. I just... god, Dean, sometimes I feel like I don't even know you."
Jensen flinched.
"Not-" Jared huffed out a breath. "Don't take it like that, Dean, c'mon."
"You wanna explain how I should take it then?" Jensen asked tightly. "Because this is starting to sound like a 'we can still be friends' talk."
"That's not what I mean. It's just-" Jared shrugged helplessly. "Misha makes you laugh."
"I can start laughing at you right now, if it'd make you feel better," Jensen said, flat and dangerous.
Jared didn't bother rising to the bait. "Really laugh, Dean. Like it doesn't matter who's listening and what you might give away. And he can talk to you in more languages than I'll ever know in my life. God," he breathed, almost a laugh if only it hadn't been so bitter. "The most contact I've ever had with aliens was waiting in line next to one at a yapparq shop the other day and here you are speaking their languages like you were born doing it. I can't even begin to understand half the stuff you know, and it just made me so frustrated to see him getting it so easily. I know things are... different up here, but I just..." He sighed, fumbling for words and coming up short. "I just."
Jensen was silent for a moment and Jared wasn't sure he wanted to decipher the mix of emotions scrawled across his face.
Finally, Jensen cleared his throat. "This is... new for both of us," he said, obviously choosing his words carefully. "We're going to have to get used to it. But this isn't the time to talk."
"I... you're right. Sorry." Jared took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair, gathering his self-control. "You go back and have lunch. I'll grab something on my way back to the hotel."
Jensen glanced at him. "You sure?"
"Yeah." He offered Jensen a sheepish smile. "I'm probably not the best company right now anyway."
Jensen watched him for a moment longer before nodding. "Another day," he said. Then his mouth quirked. "Of course now you owe me make up sex."
"You sure you don't want something else? I was thinking dinner."
"Make up sex."
Jared nodded soberly. "A convincing argument. You win."
The hint of a real smile flickered on Jensen's face. "Well okay then." He glanced back at the Embassy. "I have to go back to work. I'll see you this afternoon?"
"You bet." Jared stepped forward to drop a quick kiss on Jensen's lips. "Sorry again."
"Don't worry about it," Jensen said, kissing him back. Jared wondered how long they were going to get away with ignoring this. "Now go find something productive to do."
"Yes dear," Jared said, and waited until Jensen had given him the finger and started for the Embassy before turning his own feet to the hotel. He probably had some boring and remarkably unhelpful security footage to watch anyway.
Three days later, they finally caught a break.
They'd been carrying on pretty much as usual since Jared's hissy fit at the Embassy and Jensen, for one, was all too happy to ignore the faint cracks that spidered between them if you tilted your head too far in the wrong direction. This wasn't exactly the optimal time for them to sit around and talk about their feelings. And it wasn't Jensen's problem if Jared was an insecure bitch.
It was Saturday, which meant a half day of work for Jensen. Jared had stopped coming to meet him after work so Jensen headed back to the hotel alone under the artificial mid-afternoon heat. He surprised himself by wishing it was the real sun shining above him.
Jared pounced on him the minute he walked in the door. "Dean!" he exclaimed, with a manic sort of enthusiasm Jensen hadn't seen since they'd left Earth. "You're back!"
"Someone's excited," Jensen observed, shutting the door behind him like this was normal behaviour for either of them right now. "Also, that shirt is hideous. Do you need me to take you out for walkies?"
Jared beamed at him and his grin was almost brighter that the monstrosity he was trying to pass off as a shirt. "Yes, actually. We're going to Arbour Park."
"I am so tempted to make another dog joke here, you have no idea."
"I appreciate your self-control. Now go find something touristy to wear before I do it for you."
"God forbid." Jensen headed over to the closet, pulling off his tie as he went. "You want to tell me why we're going on a nature trip?"
Jared's tone was absolutely gleeful as he answered, "Because I found us a lead."
Jensen jerked up sharply. "You did?"
Jared nodded, looking terribly pleased with himself. "I hacked into the Federation's judicial files database this morning-"
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah," Jared said easily, as though that wasn't ten kinds of impressive and twenty kinds of illegal.
"How did you-" Jensen paused. "Wait, no. I don't want to know. Ignore that. Carry on."
Jared grinned. "Anyway. I hacked into the database and found a list of all the Barrier Station citzens known or suspected to be involved with the IEM."
"So, what?" Jensen tugged on a clean shirt that was considerably less garish than Jared's. "That's a pretty thin lead and I don't know if we've got time to run them all down."
"I know, but get this: nearly all the arrests took place in or around Arbour Park."
"You think they're using it as a base?"
"Sort of. I mean, it's not exactly a good location for running a full-scale op, but if they're using it as a regular meeting place..."
"Their secret clubhouse is probably somewhere nearby," Jensen concluded.
Jared nodded. "Could be worth checking out. It's not like we've got much better to do, anyway."
"True. We doing this now?"
Jared shrugged. "Unless you want to paint your nails first."
"I can kill you in eight different ways without using my hands, smartass."
"So you don't have to worry about screwing up your manicure?"
Jensen gave him the finger. "Any chance I can convince you to put on a different shirt?"
"Nope," Jared said cheerfully. He looped an arm round Jensen's shoulders and reeled him in close. "Come on. Let's go sightseeing."
Jared's arm fell from Jensen's shoulders as they left the hotel and Jensen decided not to miss the familiar warmth.
It was immediately clear that Jared's many afternoons spent leading Mike and Tom on a merry goose-chase had given him a thorough understanding of the ins and outs of the Barrier Station. The extent of Jensen's knowledge about Arbour Park was that it was somewhere in the middle sectors - five, maybe? - so he was all too happy to let Jared lead the way. Jared did so with gusto; he tracked from one street to the next with the easy familiarity of a local, pointing out the different sights and restaurants they passed and nattering on about nothing at all.
Jensen did his best to be subtle about letting Jared do the navigating; he'd been faking his way around unfamiliar colonies for years, so he was pretty good at it.
Unfortunately, he'd underestimated just how observant Jared could be. And how much of a sneaky bastard he was.
"Whoops," said Jared, and Jensen slowed as Jared stopped to crouch down in the middle of the road. "Shoe's untied. You go on ahead, Dean; I'll catch up."
Jensen glanced around. There was a four way intersection up ahead and an inter-sector port on their left.
"I hate you," he told Jared.
Jared came up grinning. "You don't know where you are, do you?"
"Still hating you."
"Unbelievable." Jared's voice dropped to a whisper. "I thought you grew up here."
"Not... here, exactly," Jensen evaded.
Jared waited.
"I grew up in the science block," Jensen admitted quietly. "I've never spent much time in this part of the Station."
"This part being...?"
"Most of it?"
"Huh," said Jared. "That was informative yet vague. Well done."
Jensen had to grin at that. "Yeah well, vague's kind of in the job description. It's a wonder we've ever had an honest conversation about anything."
"We've had an honest conversation?" Jared gestured towards the right turn with a flourish. "This way, my lady."
"Just lead the way, jackass."
Arbour Park turned out to be in sector six. Jared steered them round a corner and Jensen found himself facing a wall of green: trees and grass and plants arranged into a neat square right in the middle of the sector. The trees were tall but looked to be in no danger of bumping into the base of sector seven. Jensen wondered briefly whether they were pruned regularly or if life in the artificial environment had stunted their growth.
"Impressive," Jensen said.
Jared grabbed his arm. "Come on. There are some paths we can take."
As Jared dragged him closer, Jensen realized that there were a decent number of other people wandering around in the park: adults strolling under the trees, children playing in a plastic playground to the left, a group of young Veyili tossing something that looked vaguely like a Frisbee back and forth across the open grass.
Jared steered them towards the closest footpath and, as soon as they passed under the tree line, pulled out a digital camera and turned it on the façades of the surrounding buildings.
Jensen barely resisted the urge to throttle him. "Jesus Sam, what the hell are you doing?"
Jared blinked at him over the top of the camera. "I would have thought it was pretty obvious."
Jensen counted slowly backwards from ten. "You do know what it means when I tell you that we're supposed to be undercover, right?" he hissed.
The amusement in Jared's eyes could not have been more inappropriate. "I should have packed a picnic lunch?"
Without a convenient wall to bang his head against, Jensen settled for a heartfelt groan. "What the hell did I ever do to deserve your retarded ass?"
"Something pretty awesome, obviously. Chill out Dean," Jared said, showing a lack of concern that was absolutely staggering. And not a little bit scary. "Tourists take pictures all the time. I've got everything under control."
"Amazingly enough, that doesn't make me feel any better."
"That's because you're a pessimist. Now hold my hand, bitch. We're going for a stroll."
They wandered at a leisurely pace around the park, Jared snapping pictures in his stupid Hawaiian shirt while Jensen held his hand and felt like an utter tool.
"Christ aren't we domestic," he muttered. "All we need is an adopted alien baby to complete the look."
Jared snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. We're going to have a baby with your pretty green eyes and my hair."
Jensen rolled his eyes. "First off, no one wants hair like yours. Second, I'm not splice cloning a kid with you, idiot."
Jared gave an overdone sigh. "This is why I can never have nice things."
"Bitch, I am your nice things. Seen anything suspicious yet?"
"Aside from the two teenagers getting it on in that bush over there, not really. Some of these buildings might be worth checking out, but it'd be a stretch."
Jensen blew out a frustrated breath. "Great."
They finished on their first circuit of the park and started again. They hadn't gone far when Jared chuckled ruefully, stride hitching.
Jensen glanced at him. "What?"
"Don't look now," Jared said, which Jensen thought was one of the more redundant statements in human history. "But we've got company. Again."
A glance over Jensen's shoulder showed Tom and Mike skulking unsubtly after them about thirty feet back. They somehow managed to look like even bigger tools than he and Jared did, which made Jensen feel better.
"Well," said Jensen. "That's going to make this harder."
Jared shrugged. "So we'll stick to surveillance today. We can always come back later."
Jensen fought the urge to growl. "We're kind of running out of 'laters', Sam. And this nature walk has already been enough of a bust that we might as w-" He cut himself off abruptly, attention snagging on a face he recognized.
Jared caught the change in him immediately. "What's up?"
"The guy in the brown shirt," Jensen nodded towards him without turning away. "He was on your list of IEM supporters."
The man in question was cutting across the neatly trimmed grass, moving like he had somewhere better to be, and Jensen tensed.
Jared's fingers tightened on his warningly. "Hey. We can't just go after him in broad daylight. Especially with Thomson and Thompson on our tails."
"Then we need to distract them." Jensen looked at Jared speculatively. "How's your acting?"
"It's fine." Jared eyed him warily. "What are you planning?"
"A distraction. You got your signal jammer on you?"
"Of cour-"
"Turn it on. Last thing we need is someone calling the paramedics. Oh, and gimme your camera."
"...I'm not going to like this, am I?" Jared asked as he handed over the camera and slid the blinking jammer into his pocket.
"Probably not," Jensen said, and sucked in a deep breath.
"Help!" he screamed, loud and panicked. "My husband's having a fit!"
"Oh, you are not serious."
"Help!" Jensen yelled again as a crowd started to gather. "Someone, please!"
The look Jared threw at him was murderous. "I hate you," he said, then started twitching and choking, eyes rolling back in his head until the whites were showing. He hit the floor like his strings had snapped and Jensen let his shouts peter off as he melted back into the sudden surge of concerned bodies crowding in around Jared.
He saw Mike and Tom shove their way through the crowd to Jared's side as people started reaching for their cell phones and allowed himself a single, satisfied smirk before slipping away and vanishing into the trees.
His target's back disappeared through a gap in the trees several paces ahead and Jensen followed after him at a careful distance. The man led him out of the park, across the road and down a narrow alley next to what looked like an old factory building. Jensen had to roll his eyes at the cliché of it all.
He waited until his target had ducked into a door about halfway down the alley before vaulting onto the conveniently placed fire escape snaking up the side of the building. The metal clanged with the impact and Jensen wasted no time in climbing up to a door on what was probably the third floor. The lock on the door folded in about ten seconds, and the complete waste of effort that was the pressure sensor on the top of the door made him want to cry with how easy these guys were making it for him.
He slipped through the door and found himself in a warehouse, standing on a high, narrow catwalk that bracketed the wall. The cavernous space below him looked to be mostly empty, save for several large crates stacked to one side. A metal staircase on his left slinked down to the first floor and, to the right, he could see a door that looked as though they'd once been a foreman's office. Jensen edged carefully towards the railing, being careful to keep low and out of sight.
There was a score of people scattered across the first floor, all talking amongst themselves with the easy camaraderie of long acquaintance and shared ideals. The echo of their voices rattling off the ceiling made it next to impossible to hear what they were actually saying.
Jensen lifted Jared's camera and started taking photos. A handful of men stood at a drafting table almost directly below him, pouring over charts and plans that Jensen could only vaguely make out. A pair of scrawny teenagers were wrestling with a wide swath of white fabric on the far side of the room and Jensen took pictures of that as well, hoping that Jared would be able to enhance the images enough to let them know what it was they were messing with. The rest of the people in the room were preoccupied with stacking boxes and eating lunch, most of them at the same time. Jensen wanted a look in those crates, but he figured the office would be a better place to start. He could come back for these idiots later.
The catwalk shivered under his feet as he made his way towards the office, but Jensen was far too good at what he did for that to pose any sort of challenge. His steps were swift and silent, no creak of metal betraying his presence.
The lock on the office door was perfunctory at best and Jensen let himself in quickly, pulling the door shut behind him.
The man working at the desk glanced up with a startled jerk. "Who the hell are y-ngh!"
Jensen's fist caught him in the solar plexus and the guy doubled over with a choked groan. A second blow to the back of the neck had him crumpling into his chair, out for the count. Jensen took a minute to roll both him and the chair out of the way but didn't bother finding something to tie him up with. Jensen was going to be long gone by the time he woke up.
The man's computer was already turned on, a spreadsheet and a half-finished game of Solitaire open on the screen. Jensen had to smirk at that. He stepped up to the desk and fumbled in his pocket for the data stick Jared had given him after their trip to Jeff's house. Jensen didn't have the first idea how the thing worked, but it didn't much matter since the program on it started copying the computer's hard-drive as soon as he plugged it in. It was a hell of a lot easier than stealing a room's worth of paper files, that was for sure.
Jensen wandered idly around the room while the data stick did its thing, taking in the Independent Earth Movement flag hanging above the desk, the spill of cheaply printed fliers across the floor and the colossal disaster against the far wall that someone was apparently trying to pass off as a filing system. He shook his head. Some people just had no idea how to run a subversive, anti-government organization.
When the copy was complete, Jensen disconnected the stick and wiped his prints off the keyboard. A final quick look around the room ensured that, with the exception of the unconscious guy in the corner, things were exactly the way he'd found them, so Jensen slipped out as quietly as he'd come.
The general bustle of the main floor hadn't changed much during his sojourn in the office; Jensen counted another three people helping shift the boxes on the far side and the debate around the drafting table seemed to have degenerated into wild gesticulations and slurs on peoples' mothers.
Jensen knew that he couldn't reasonably stay much longer; the jammer would keep people's phones from ringing anything but busy, but eventually someone would wise up and go take a port to the hospital. Not to mention the fact that Jared was probably going to kill him. But that didn't mean he wanted to leave without at least checking out those crates.
He considered and discarded several options before finally settling on the most expedient. Tucking Jared's camera safely away, Jensen dug in his wallet for the fake BBI badge he kept in there and pulled his gun out of his waistband. Then he squared his shoulders, settled himself into the mindset of a dangerous, badge-toting, pompously confident son of a bitch and struck out towards the stairs.
The sound of his boots on the metal stairs cut sharply through the ambient noise and Jensen watched twin ripples of surprise and hostility spread through the room as they realized he wasn't one of theirs.
He reached the bottom of the stairs and gave a little wave. "Afternoon, folks."
One of the men stepped forward. "Who the fuck are you?"
Jensen flashed his badge. "Barrier Bureau of Investigation," he answered and watched faces pale. He made a show of looking around. "Nice digs you got here. Very 1920s rum-runner."
"What do you want?" asked a kid who was seventeen if she was a day. Her chin raised defiantly. "We haven't done anything wrong."
Jensen's answering chuckle was darkly amused. "Sweetheart," he said, condescension thick in his tone. "If you think that's going to work on me you're sorely mistaken."
"You've got nothing on us!" someone shouted.
"Wrong again, sunshine." Jensen paused thoughtfully. "Or is it some other group of gutless yahoos planning a protest at next week's Treaty Signing with the T'laxian empire?"
That earned him a handful of fearful flinches and another round of barely concealed animosity.
Jensen smiled at them. It was a singularly unpleasant expression. "That's what I thought."
A man who was as wide as a dumpster and just as attractive glared at him. "We have a right to oppose t-"
"I've already read the pamphlet," Jensen interrupted him. "And I've got no desire to be bored to death a second time. You folks ready to be reasonable about this?"
The first man stepped in again, open menace on his face. "Why should we? We could kill you right here and there's nothing you or anyone else could do to stop us."
A rumble of agreement went through the crowd, though it didn't sound particularly enthusiastic. Protesters were always afraid of getting their hands dirty.
Jensen sighed. "Do we really have to do this? I'm kind of on a time limit, here."
The guy, obviously one of the ring leaders, took another step forward. The rest of them started to converge, drawing into a loose circle around him. Several men followed their boss' lead, cracking their knuckles in preparation for a fight.
Jensen sighed again. "I guess if it'll make you happy." He flicked the safety on his gun and slid it back into his jeans. He spread his hands and flashed the guy a smile. "Be my guest."
There was a beat of startled silence, then a longer beat of clear indecision before the guy found the courage to take Jensen at his word. He plowed forward, massive hands balled into fists, and swung at Jensen with all his strength. Jensen side-stepped without changing expression, then pivoted and slammed a fist into the guy's gut hard enough to send him crumpling to the floor, doubled over at the waist.
The guy choked on a groan, limbs curling in, and Jensen straightened with a smile.
"Anyone else?" he asked the stunned mass of them. "You can come all at once if you like - speed things up and all that. You too if you like, ladies; I'm an equal opportunity kind of guy."
Some of them charged immediately and several more joined in fits and starts until Jensen had a full-scale brawl on his hands. Their moves were rash and untried and Jensen countered everything they had to throw at him with laughable ease. As far as de-stressors went, it was pretty awesome.
The handful of people still standing when his last opponent hit the floor all looked like they weren't sure whether they wanted to beg for mercy, piss themselves or run screaming into the night. Some looked like they were contemplating doing all three.
Jensen straightened, brushed a light scattering of dust off his sleeve and smiled at them. "Now then. Who wants to tell me what you did with the plans Jeff Morgan gave you?"
The air was full of the sounds of people arguing about who was going to try to get through to the hospital when Jensen got back to the park. He pushed his way through the crowd in a panic, breath gasping out like he'd been running a marathon.
"Sam!" he cried, falling to his knees beside Jared's still thrashing body. Jensen so owed him a massage with a happy ending when they got back to the hotel. "I've got your medicine, it's right here. Hold on, it's going to be okay."
He pushed a chalky mint he'd found in his pocket between Jared's lips. Jared swallowed convulsively and Jensen murmured comforting nonsense as Jared's twitches gradually ceased.
"Oh, Sam," Jensen said, tears in his voice as Jared let his eyes focus, blinking owlishly up at him. "Can you hear me, baby?"
Jared raised a hand, tremors still running through it, and Jensen grasped it tightly. "Thank god you're okay."
A ragged cheer rose up from the crowd and they all stepped back to give them space. Jensen helped Jared carefully to his feet, one arm wrapped around Jared's waist and the other holding Jared's arm in place around his shoulders. There followed an inevitable round of crowd control that Jensen mostly left to Jared, several minutes of weary thanks and medical psychobabble and we really should be getting home and no, they didn't need an escort to the hospital, and yes, he'd be just fine after some rest, thank you.
Mike and Tom lingered as the crowd dispersed and Jensen noted with amusement that there were teeth marks on Tom's hand. Apparently someone had kindly tried to keep Jared from swallowing his tongue.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Mike asked and Jared offered him a wan smile.
"Yeah. Nothing to be worried about - happens all the time."
"Really," said Tom. "Isn't that dangerous in your line of work?"
"Eh, I'm only an accountant," Jared shrugged. He swiped his sweaty bangs out of his eyes. "Worst I've ever done is bash my knee on the side of the desk."
Tom looked murderous. Obviously the whole biting incident hadn't done much to temper his dislike of Jared.
"I just wish I'd remembered to bring his medicine with us when we went out this afternoon," Jensen said, just enough self-recrimination in his voice to sell it. "It's been so long since he's had an attack, I forgot all about it."
Jared patted his hand. "S'not your fault, Dean. We'll just have to be more careful." He sighed, sounding completely wiped out. "And I think I need to go home and pass out now, if that's okay with you."
Jensen relied on Jared's cues to get them out of the park and headed towards to the closest inter-sector port. Tom and Mike dogged their steps the entire way so Jensen ended up spending most of the walk making up bullshit about Jared's condition.
"Well here's our ride," Jensen said, when they finally reached the port. It didn't go anywhere near their hotel, but it was worth the extra walk to lose their hangers-on. He turned a smile on Mike and Tom. "Thanks for the escort gentlemen. We can manage from here."
"De-" Mike started, but Jensen had already manhandled Jared into the port and turned back with a sunny smile.
"Seriously, thanks again," he said, then he stepped through after Jared.
Jared was waiting for him when he rematerialized on the next sector, irritation and grudging approval warring for command of his face.
"Hey," Jensen said. "You were pretty good."
"Gee thanks," Jared said flatly. "I don't even want to know where you got the idea for that, do I?"
"Probably not." Jensen glanced around and confirmed that he had essentially no idea where he was. "Right, well I'm lost." He gestured grandly. "After you, Columbus."
They made the trip in mostly-comfortable silence and Jensen couldn't help but think that this was getting to be the norm these days. He used the time to collect his thoughts, mentally preparing what he was going to say to Jared.
Which turned out to be a good thing, because Jared rounded on him as soon as they entered their suite, his arms crossed and his expression back to irritated. "Talk."
"The IEM's got a warehouse about five minutes past the west end of the park," Jensen reported. "Open storage on the main floor, office on the upper, three main points of access. Here." He pulled the data stick and camera out of his pocket and offered them to Jared. "I took pictures of the work they were doing in the main room and copied the computer in the office. Maybe you'll find something."
"Okay." Jared took both and set them aside without turning away from Jensen. "What else? There's no way it took you that long to do a little bit of espionage."
Jensen winced. "Yeah, sorry about that. I took a couple extra minutes to check out the crates they were hauling in."
Jensen shrugged helplessly. "And they're full of pamphlets and picket signs. No sign of firearms."
Jared's brow furrowed. "The documents Morgan didn't actually steal?"
"Nada. Unless their top guys are keeping things really hush hush, which would be impressive considering what a cock-up the rest of the organization is, they don't have them. Those guys didn't have a clue what I was talking about."
Jared gave him a confused look. "You talked to them?"
"Yeah, and trust me, they were telling the truth." Jensen raked a frustrated hand through his hair, fingers snagging in the gel. "None of them had the balls or the intelligence to lie to the BBI."
A muscle in Jared's cheek twitched. "You impersonated a BBI agent?"
Jensen paused. "Is that a problem?"
"Yes! What if you'd been caught? Or hurt?"
"Oh," Jensen shrugged. "It was fine. They were only like thirty of them. Hardly broke a sweat."
Jared looked like he wanted to throttle him. "You- you seriously..."
Jensen raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I've ever seen you at a loss for words before."
"God dammit, Dean!" Jared exploded, loud and angry. "I can't believe you! You can't just go off like that!"
Jensen bristled. "And why not?"
"Because you're supposed to be my fucking partner! We should be making these decisions together!"
"Well, I didn't need your help!" Jensen shot back, the not-quite anger that had been simmering between them for the last few days rising hard and fast. He shoved his way into Jared's personal space with a snarl. "I've been doing this job since I was seventeen; I think I know what I can fucking well handle!"
"That doesn't mean you can get yourself into situations that might put us and the mission in jeopardy!"
"I had it under control! Fuck!" Jensen cursed, breaking away to pace the carpet. "Shit like this is why I work alone."
Jared stalked after him and crowded him up against the wall. "Well you're just gonna have to learn how to deal with it," he growled, making use of his height and build in a way he very rarely did. "Because you're stuck with me whether you like it or not."
Refusing to be intimidated, Jensen stood his ground and bared his teeth. "Are you talking as my partner or my boyfriend? Because I was under the impression that you were more worried about me cheating on you than the fucking mission!"
"Fucker." Jared's face was thunder dark and threatening. "That is not what I meant and you know it."
Jensen jabbed Jared in the chest, nearly a shove. "No, actually, I don't know it! We never finished that conversation, remember?"
"And that's my fault?"
"Yes, because you fucking started it! If you were that sure I was gonna run off with the first person who dared to fucking smile at me, why didn't you just chain me up in the backyard with the damn dogs?"
Jared's lip curled. "Well maybe I should, if you're going to go fucking off and getting yourself in trouble as soon as my back's turned!"
"That is fucking it." Jensen shoved Jared hard enough to send him stumbling and felt his own fuse burning shorter at the angry snap of fire in Jared's eyes. "You might be a big deal on Earth, kiddo, but you are not my babysitter and you're sure as fuck not my boss. This is my turf and you don't get a fucking say in what I do."
"Oh no? That mean you're planning on following my lead when we go back to Earth, you fucking hypocrite?"
"Who said I was planning to go back?" Jensen demanded, one part truth and three parts anger. Jared sucked in a breath and Jensen pressed his advantage, aiming to wound. "Or did you actually think I'd give up my whole life for you? Follow you back to Earth like some love struck idiot?"
Jared's eyes blazed with hurt and fury and, for one heartstopping moment, Jensen was sure that he was going to up and leave, just like that.
Jared advanced instead, jaw tightening at the way Jensen dropped immediately into a defensive stance. "You're a frigging jerk, you know that? Are you honestly telling me you'd - god Jens-"
A knock sounded abruptly at the door and they both froze.
Jensen relaxed with a will. "You want-"
"It's fine," Jared interrupted. He took a breath and all traces of anger melted off his face. His friendly smile was firmly in place when he pulled open the door.
"Hi," he said, to whomever was standing in the hall. "I'm fine thanks, and you?"
A glimpse through the gap between Jared's side and the doorjamb revealed a flash of a dark blue uniform and Jensen had to hope that the hotel hadn't received complaints about them. The walls up here ought to be fairly soundproof, but they hadn't exactly been shouting quietly.
Luckily, the lack of concern or apology in Jared's body language suggested that they'd dodged that bullet. Jared chatted easily with the person in the hall for a few minutes, then reached out his hand for something flat and thin. A quick hand in his pocket produced enough change for a tip and Jared said a warm thank you before shutting the door and thunking his head against it.
"Sam?" Jensen asked cautiously.
Jared's answer was a hollow sound that couldn't quite be called a chuckle. "Letter," he said, holding out the envelope. "For Dean Winchester."
Jensen frowned. He reached out a hand and Jared passed over the letter without turning to look at him. Their fingers brushed briefly and Jensen could tell they were both resisting the urge to flinch.
Ignoring the anger still burning hot in his veins, Jensen backed towards the bed and tore into the envelope. There were two tickets and a piece of folded note paper inside. He skimmed the letter without really reading it; he already knew what it was going to say. Some perverse part of him wanted to laugh at the timing.
"What is it?" Jared asked, and Jensen looked up to find Jared standing right in front him, his otherwise calm exterior betrayed by the edge of flint in his eyes.
"Tickets," Jensen said, waving them in Jared's direction. "For the science block." He heard a tinge of helpless hysteria creeping into his voice as he added, "So I hope you meant it when you said you wanted to meet my family."
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I started this quilt 2 years ago, it gets worked on in stages.
I pieced the background, machine appliqued the swans, lilies & cat tails, machine embroidered the wisteria.
The cat tails are a yarn that I couched to give dimension.
The swans, lily pads were fused and machine stitched.
The lilies were individual petals that were thread painted, with the center highlighted with yellow.
The fabric used for the wisteria was
I have been quilting since I was a young girl, along with needlepoint and all forms of embroidery.
I also tole paint.
I have been married to my sweetheart for 34 years' have 2 children and 1 grandson. They are the purpose of my life!
My Grandmother, Aunt & Mother taught me to embroider and quilt. I grew up on a dairy farm outside of Buffalo, NY, and during the long winters we would sit in the parlour and work on Baptism bibs for our church.. We
created in EQ, patternn is available for download on page 2.

subset: commoncrawl


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With decades of engineering, design, robotics, and business experience, we're no one-trick pony.
Team LEads
Engineering team
Nate Pitzer (Team Lead)
David Chan
Philip Hahn
Rahul Iyer
Lauren D'Souza (Team Lead)
Andrew Boyer
Arthi Manivasakam
Derek Cole
Erika Gustafson
Arjun Junghare (Team Lead)
Anna Lawrence
Henry Sikorski
Ivan Pistsov
Thomas Kelly
John Walker Moosbrugger Ran Tao
Shannon Case
BOard of Advisors
Satbir Singh | Assistant Teaching Professor, Mechanical Engineering, CMU
Dr. Satbir Singh joined the department as a Research Staff in February 2010, after spending three years as a Researcher at General Motors Research and Development.
Dr. Singh's teaching and research activities focus on analytical, experimental, and numerical methods in thermo-fluids. His teaching and educational goals are to help students build a strong foundation in basic concepts, and equip them with state-of-the-art engineering tools that are used to solve real-world problems. His research goal is to develop accurate computer models for simulations of turbulent flows. He works closely with CMU's Center for Atmospheric Particle Studies (CAPS) to perform research in the area of efficiency and environmental impact of energy conversion technologies.
Former Members
Keegan Dsouza
Ruolan Xia
Prem Solanki
Prathamesh Desai
Akash Mehta
Mike Hill
Sidharth Sahoo
Himanshu Rasam
Anchit Sood
Derek Gregg
Laine Guttman
Richard Stavert
Anshuman Kumar
Vishal Jain
Karthik Chandrashekaraiah
Shishir Gupta
Ishit Shah
Varun Deshpande
Siddharth Alampally
Rick Shanor
Hannah Tomio
Suyash Bhatt
Akash Sonthalia
Vikas Sonthalia


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Light & Heavy Duty Towing, Roadside & Repair
AMS Towing and its partner company Automotive Maintenance Specialist provides complete auto and heavy truck transportation services throughout Utah and neighboring states. With a huge fleet of light and heavy duty towing trucks, auto and heavy truck roadside service vehicles manned by certified, trained and experienced towing operators, call AMS Towing knowing you're partnering with the best Utah Towing provider. With locations throughout the Wasatch Front, AMS Towing is the best prepared company to provide heavy towing, heavy road service, cargo services and heavy truck repair in Utah. Their team is strategically stationed to provide the fastest response for heavy duty truck towing, recovery and roadside services throughout Northern Utah and the surrounding states.


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Nelson Tethers Puzzle Agent
Graham Annable and Telltale Games's Nelson Tethers Puzzle Agent was one of those magical projects that seemed to come out of nowhere, and was an absolute delight to work on every step of the way.
Because production overlapped with Sam & Max: The Devil's Playhouse, I shared composition duties with Nick Mastrioanni and Rich Vreeland (Disasterpeace); you couldn't ask for a better team of collaborators.
Here are two of the cues that I wrote for the game: the main titles theme (+ some puzzle loops), and the finale environment in the old eraser factory.
If I had to describe the music to this game I'd say it's 25% Twin Peaks, 25% The Shining, 25% Silent Hill, and 25% some unknowable, dark, mind horror. I love it.


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|Doña Teresa in better times (artwork/photo by Frida Larios and Tyler Orsburn)
Only two days ago around this hour I had just come back from a trip to Chiquimula, Guatemala, to the vet. It was only sort of a coincidence that we took Doña Teresa, a lady from a small village near Copán with us to see an orthodontic surgeon because of the nasty infection a pulled tooth had left her. Little did we know that the situation was so grave that there was no option left: we had to leave Teresa behind for emergency surgery, if not she would surely die soon…
That left me and my friend Argi baffled and overwhelmed, to say the least, but also very preoccupied. The whole treatment was calculated to cost about $4,000 and where the hell would we get that kind of money from?
But since it was either taking Teresa back with us and let her die a painful death or leave her behind and have her have her surgery… As I said, there was no choice…
So there we went, back to Copán, in the back of the pick-up truck with our rather subdued dogs on our laps. The conversation went something like this:
"Did we do the right thing?"
"Of course we did, we had no choice."
"But how are we going to pay for the operation???"
"No idea, but we'll find a way."
"Are you sure???"
"No, but we'll find a way."
"Okay, we'll find a way. Any ideas?"
"No, not yet."
Neither of us slept very well that night ($4,000 hospital bills kept popping up in my dreams) but probably not half as bad as Doña Teresa whom we had left without even a pair of clean underwear. But as dawn arrived, we continued our quest. Argi went to work early in the morning and learned that Teresa's son and daughter-in-law had already left for Chiquimula. That was a good thing, at least she wouldn't be alone when she'd wake up after her surgery. Argi spent the rest of the morning talking to doctors to find out ways to cut down costs, for example by bringing Teresa back to Copán, even though the specialist in Chiquimula would like to keep her there for at least ten days. But at $50 a day, plus medication and no money, well… how??? The local doctors as well as the surgeon agreed finally that we could bring her home after three nights in the hospital and that we could give her intravenous antibiotics here in Copán, which turns out to much cheaper in Honduras anyway. So far, all well. Teresa was doing reasonably well, although in a lot of pain and with a face swollen up about three times the size it was before she went into surgery.
I spent my morning writing my blog post and writing emails. Argi and I agreed to get together in the afternoon to synchronize our posts and start asking for money wherever we could, because so far the operation had gone well, but it was on our shoulders to somehow pay for it all. We were both on the edge and extremely nervous but especially Argi was hit very hard. She sounded awfully depressed when I talked to her several times on the phone, so I offered, the least I could do, to make her a nice dinner.
When we got together yesterday afternoon we were still $4,000 in the red, but had our petitions ready. We both posted them on Facebook and through emails and sat down for dinner.
Now, let me tell you, I don't believe in witchcraft and I am a 100% sure that Teresa's horrible worms are the result of a nasty fly and an infection, not of any sort of black magic. But still, I can't stop believe in miracles.
We had just sat down for dinner (nice steamed tilapia and pasta with mustard leaves) taking our first bite when: Pling!
My computer. Facebook message. A pledge for a $50 donation!
Pling! Argi's laptop. A $100 donation in Paypal!
Pling! Mine again. Another donation!
It went on and on. Friends started sharing our links and the whole thing went viral. When I went to bed around 10pm we had already raised about $700. That was 700 times more than with what we had started the day…
Sometimes these things take a spurt and then die a quick death. But oh, no, not Teresa's case. Today I spent the whole day answering emails to people I've never met in my life but who were willing to help Teresa out. I went to the bank to pick up donations through Western Union and from friends in town and did one Paypal tranfser after the other. I just met Argi this afternoon and we were besides ourselves, piling up cash. So far we have raised about $2,000!!!! After talking to the doctor, we have now narrowed down the bills to $2,600, not including the medications Teresa will need, plus the after care. But in the end, we think around $3,000 will do, which is at least a $1,000 less than we originally thought.
We're still not there yet, but already soooo much further than we ever imagined being only 24 hours ago. Tomorrow we'll bring Teresa back home. Her family is already preparing the house, cleaning it and making it as adequate as possible for a recovering patient.
This adventure isn't over yet, but we're getting there. I can't thank people enough for their generosity, trust and faith.
To be continued…
(Donations can be made through Paypal connected to my email adress: carinsteen at yahoo.com )
(Donations can be made through Paypal connected to my email adress: carinsteen at yahoo.com )


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Home >> Course Descriptions >> College of Business Administration
Oil and Gas Accounting Colloquium
Three semester hours.
This course is designed to further professional development with classroom instruction. Various cases will be provided for students to apply oil and gas accounting in a real life setting. Guest speakers will be invited to discuss oil and gas accounting from practitioners' point of view and answer related questions students may have. Guest speakers also present students a chance for students to network and pursue opportunities for internships and full-time positions. Focused on the application side of oil and gas accounting, this course is to further prepare students for a career in accounting and other related fields of the oil and gas industry. In this course, students will be able to apply their knowledge of the oil and gas industry and oil and gas accounting to analyze current issues ad solve real problems. Prerequisite: BA 3330 and ACC 3310 with a grade of "C" or better..
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How to Texture Drywall
by: Dale Cox
Drywall textures are created using several different methods. The most common of these are spray-on finishes like knockdown, orange peel, and popcorn. These are usually done on new construction by professional crews using special equipment. For instance, popcorn is applied with a hopper that stirs and mixes the finish as it is blown onto the wall or ceiling surface. Knockdown and orange peel are applied in basically the same way with professional grade machines that spray the finish onto large areas. In some cases, as with knockdown, a joint knife is used to flatten the texturing material and create the finished effect.
A second type of drywall texture that can be done on a smaller scale is texturing paint. These include sand and stucco coatings commonly used on ceilings more than walls. The coating is applied using a brush and then manipulated to create a pattern in the finish. Another technique for applying a textured finish, that can be done on large or small areas, involves the use of joint compound to create a rough surface rather than the normally smooth finish associated with drywall.
Applying Drywall Textures
Realistically there are only two texturing techniques possible on a small scale at home: paint textures and joint compound techniques including knockdown. Apply textured paints over a primer to ensure a good bond with no flashing in the finish coat. These coatings are not meant to go over bare surfaces and will pull away as you try to brush or roll them on.
Apply the coating using a brush to cover a small area at a time, then combed, rolled or brush the surface to create a design in the finish. These coating can also be applied using a specially made roller with nylon loops braided into the nap. As it rolls back and forth, the roller loops pull the surface of the coating away to leave random peaks in the finish. It can be difficult to get textured paint to cover with this method, so brushing on and then rolling with the loops can be easier, though more steps are involved. In any case, these coatings will resist sticking and require a very full roller and repeated back and forth strokes to get good coverage. This can make doing an entire wall or ceiling difficult.
Applying Joint Compound Textures
Drywall textures involving joint compound, or mud, can be done using a number of different tools such as a trowel, a brush or a broom to create a design in the finish. The basic process is the same, apply a coat of joint compound over a surface and while it's wet, press a tool into the mud to leave a decorative finish. Ceilings are usually where you'll find a finish like this but walls may also be decorated with texturing.
One common joint compound texturing technique involves the use of a masonry trowel pressed flat against the surface and then pulled straight off to pull peaks in the mud, leaving a stippled appearance. The peaks can be small and delicate or they can be coarse and thick. The thickness of the mud coat will determine the size of the peaks.
A variation of the trowel method involves turning the tool while it is in contact with the surface. Turn the trowel 360° to leave circles in the finish or turn 180° to create arches in the finish. This can be done in an ordered pattern of straight lines or the design may be random across the surface.
Another way to do a finish like this involves the use of a nylon broom or brush to slap the wet mud. Use a broom with soft, floppy bristles that will yield when it comes in contact with the surface. Apply mud to the entire surface first and then go over it with the broom.
Also try a large, soft sponge like a sea sponge to create swirls and stippling, or a wallpaper brush with short, stiff nylon bristles to comb a texture into the wet mud. This can be done in straight lines or randomly with circles or arches.
Matching a Drywall Texture
When it comes to drywall textures there's a hugh number of finishes out there. Because these are applied using several different techniques and materials, with different tools, the resulting finishes can be hard to match when doing repairs and harder to blend at the edges. The best that can be done in most cases is to simulate the finish over the repair and live with an obvious border around the edges.
Matching Spray-Ons
The hardest finishes to match seamlessly are popcorn and orange peel. Because these are specially made coatings, applied using specialized sprayers, they are virtually impossible to simulate exactly for an invisible repair. You can buy small amounts of these finishes in a spray can and use it to apply the finish over the repaired area. Work from the center out and spray lightly at the border to try and blend the new and old texture.
Matching Knockdown
Knockdown, while originally applied with a sprayer, is easier to simulate and blend than popcorn and orange peel. Because knockdown texturing is just watered-down ready-mixed joint compound, spattered randomly across the wall, it is much easier to simulate with standard drywall tools.
Mix joint compound with water at about a 10 to 1 ratio to get a thin mud that pours but is not so runny that it slides right off a joint knife. Use a scrub brush with soft, short bristles and dip it into the wet mud. Hold the brush upside down and pull you thumb over the bristles quickly to splatter the surface with a random covering. Use a little mud to get small spatter and a thick load to get large spatter.
While the mud is wet, lightly drag a joint knife (about 6 inches or more) over the spatters to flatten them. You may want to practice this technique on a scrap of cardboard to match the existing finish before moving to the repair.
Matching Textured Paint
Use the same type of textured paint as the original finish. Recreate the finish on small wall repairs using a brush to apply a thick coat over the patch. Then hold a looped roller by hand and tap the surface of the paint to pull it up in peaks that match the existing finish, working from the center out. Wet the roller nap with paint first to avoid pulling too much off. If a 9 inch roller is too big to work on small repairs, cut the roller down to a size that will work.
Matching Joint Compound
To recreate an existing joint compound texture, first examine the finish and determine how it was created originally considering the methods described above. Use ready-mixed compound straight from the bucket and practice this method on a piece of scrap drywall or cardboard. Start with about ¼in. coat of mud and vary it as needed to get the right thickness for your finish.
When you're ready, move to the wall or ceiling. Make sure to apply the mud thick enough to saturated the surface. If there are dry spots on the wall, the mud will pull right back off when you try to apply the finish. If necessary, use a spray bottle to mist the surface with water first before applying the mud. Start from the center of the repair and work out to the surrounding finish. Try to blend the new and old finishes together around the perimeter using a light touch.
Removing a Drywall Texture
Removing an existing textured finish may or may not be possible, depending on the material used to create it. In addition, if it's been painted it will complicate the job further. Joint compound finishes can sometimes be removed using the spray and scrape method described below. In other cases, it may be possible to scrape the finish off with a joint knife. For instance, if the mud was applied over a primed or painted surface, it may pop off with minimal effort.
Test this possibility by using a thin putty knife to chip an opening in the surface and see if the blade will slip under and pop the finish off. If it begins to come free, use a wider blade to remove larger sheets. Usually, if the putty knife test works to begin peeling the finish, it's a good bet it will all come off this way. If the finish becomes difficult to remove in places use a chisel blade joint knife and hammer to force it off. A razor-blade scraper may also improve results. These may cause minor damage to the surface but that can be easily repaired with a little joint compound.
Skim Coating Over Texturing
If a joint compound texture was applied over bare drywall, it will not usually come off easily and a putty knife will not work to remove it. In these cases, the finish can be chipped, sanded, and then skim coated. This is a very dusty and difficult way to remove a textured finish and most people choose either to live with what they have or install a new drywall ceiling over it instead.
If you choose to chip and sand, use a chisel blade joint knife to remove the bulk of the texture first and then use a belt or rotary sander to smooth it out as much as possible and minimize the need to fill in with new joint compound. Remove sanding dust with a shop-vac and wipe the surface with a damp rag or sponge. Prime with a flat latex paint to ensure a good bond with the new mud and then skim coated with several applications of joint compound. Expect to do 5 or more coats, sanding in between to build up a smooth finished ceiling.
About Wet Scraping Popcorn Texture
Popcorn texture can sometimes be removed using a wet scraping method. Before proceeding, check to see if your popcorn ceiling contains asbestos. This may be true if it was apply before 1980, at which time asbestos began to be phased out as a material for manufacturing popcorn texture. If your ceiling contains asbestos, you are prohibited in the US from hiring anyone other than a certified asbestos abatement contractor to do the job for you. This doesn't necessarily mean you can't do it yourself. You are allowed, but you must use caution if you choose the diy approach and check your local regulation for the laws concerning asbestos removal in your area.
Have your popcorn tested by a lab to see if it contains asbestos. If it does, follow the guidelines and procedures at this link for help with removing popcorn asbestos yourself. You will have to block off the room involved and cover every square inch of wall and floor space with thick plastic to contain the asbestos. Wet scraping is the only accepted procedure for asbestos removal. If you are not able to wet the popcorn because it has been painted, you will not be able to remove it because any release of the asbestos by dry scraping is prohibited by government regulations.
Removing Non-Asbestos Popcorn Ceiling
If your ceiling doesn't contain asbestos you can simply spray it with a soapy water solution and scrape off the resulting goo. First remove as much furniture, etc. as possible from the room and cover all floors and other vulnerable surfaces with plastic drop cloths. Use a compression sprayer and warm to hot, soapy water to soak the popcorn. Add the water to the sprayer first and then squirt in about a tablespoon of dishwashing liquid. Close the sprayer and shake it up a little to mix in the soap.
Work on a small, manageable area at a time spraying repeatedly with the water to soak the finish. When it's good and wet, use a joint knife to scrape the popcorn off and deposit it into a plastic bag. It may be difficult to get the goo off the blade so try using a second joint knife to scrape it off the first and into a bucket or other receptacle.
When it has all been removed from one section, wipe the surface with a clean, wet rag or sponge. Rinse the rag frequently to remove all the remaining residue while it's still wet, before moving on to a new section.
How to Paint Drywall Texture
If you want to paint a whole textured wall or ceiling, you can with a little care and preparation. First get a quality roller with a long nap of ¾inch or more. Thin your paint slightly to make it easier to push into all the nooks and crannies of the finish. If the texturing is subtle, you may not have to thin at all. If it's very thick however, you will want to thin the paint a bit and maybe do two coats to get good coverage.
Cut in and then roll pressing lightly with the roller to avoid breaking peaks in the mud or pulling the material off as much as possible. Go over the same space repeatedly with the roller, or use the brush to try and fill all the little crevices in the finish. You will most likely miss some spots, watch for this and touch up the missed spots with a brush or use the roller at an angle to press paint into the gaps.
Painting Popcorn Ceiling
If you're painting a popcorn ceiling, expect a good amount of it to come off in the wet roller. Allow the roller to fill with the particles as you roll and they will redistribute over the ceiling as you work. This works well to create a shell of paint that will contain the popcorn when it has dried. This is an advantage when your popcorn ceiling material contains asbestos because the coating will help contain any dust.
The loose bits will also get in the roller tray, just allow this to happen and fill the roller as usual. Keeping it well loaded as you work will minimize the particles that come off on the roller. When you're done painting the ceiling and you need the remainder to be free of debris, pass it through a strainer or old nylon pantyhose to clean it up.
Touch Up on Textured Finishes
If you have the original paint you're all set, if not, see this link for help matching existing colors. Touch up on small repair patches using a soft brush to gently apply the paint, watch for missed spots in creases and at the edges. Let the paint dry and go back to catch any missed spots or do an entire second coat over the whole repair if you can still see the patching compound.


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As part of his record-setting nationwide haul of $151 million in September alone, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama collected more than $30,000 from SouthCoast residents.
As part of his record-setting nationwide haul of $151 million in private contributions in September alone, Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama collected more than $30,000 from SouthCoast residents.
His opponent, Republican nominee John McCain, received $726 from the area.
And he has to send it all back.
Back in the summer, the candidates had to decide where to accept public money for their campaigns or try to raise as much as they could in individual donations. They couldn�t do both.
Sen. McCain decided to take the $84.1 million in public financing, but that locked in his spending at that amount, prohibiting him from soliciting or accepting private contributions from the time of his party�s convention though Election Day.
�If someone sends him a check, he�s got to send it back,� said Doug Roscoe, associate professor of political science at UMass Dartmouth.
Click here to see how much local residents contributed to presidential campaigns, dating back to January 2007
Sen. Obama originally said he would accept public financing, but then changed his mind, allowing him to spend as much as he can collect.
And he�s been collecting a bundle. His $151 million in contributions in September � that�s $5 million a day � is the most ever raised by any candidate in a single month, and he�s doing it in a fashion unprecedented in American politics.
�His percentage of fundraising from small donations is remarkable,� Dr. Roscoe said, with almost half of his $579 million in individual contributions coming in donations of $200 or less.
With his message of change, Sen. Obama is reaching out through e-mail and Internet solicitations to people who have never before contributed to political campaigns.
�This is something brand new for me,� said John Walters, a laboratory equipment salesman from Lakeville who gave $50 to the Obama campaign. �I�ve never contributed before.�
So why now?
�It�s probably because this is the most urgent election in my lifetime � I�m 57. Since the Trickster (Richard Nixon) in the �60s and �70s, the GOP has done a tremendous amount of damage to this country and we need to make a change.�
Sen. Obama�s message �resonates very strongly with individuals,� Dr. Roscoe said. �If you look at donating as an expressive act, he activates the sense that there is a higher purpose, that he stands for something bigger than us, and that we can be a part of it.�
Dorothy Burrill, a Marion resident who described herself as �semi-retired and almost 70,� has made at least two $25 donations.
�Every time I get a little money in, whether it�s from a small pension, Social Security or from a teaching job, I try to send a piece of it to Obama,� she said.
�I believe in his philosophy and what he stands for incredibly,� Ms. Burrill said. �He�s a transformational figure. He�s got a lot of intelligence and dignity and I believe he�ll raise our stature internationally.�
Owen Murray, a Dartmouth retiree, agreed.
�I haven�t contributed (to political candidates) in a while. I was an active supporter of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, as was my father. There are a lot of similarities between them as candidates with a new vision of where we should be going as a country. I think it�s important for a leader to be able to bring people together.�
Mr. Murray, who said he has �probably given about $200 but in amounts of $25 or less,� said he appreciated the ease of giving in small increments over the Internet
�I�m retired and I don�t have a large income, so it makes sense to contribute in small amounts,� he said. �And the use of the Internet makes it easier. You don�t have to go looking for your checkbook. You just have to make a few clicks and then pay it the next month.�
Brock Cordeiro, state Republican committeeman from Dartmouth and Bristol County coordinator for the McCain campaign, said many Republicans would have liked the opportunity to continue contributing to their man.
�I think there�s some frustration out there,� he said. �Most people I know are small donors and they�re saying, �I�d like to donate $50 but I can�t,� or, �I thought I could donate my $50, but I can�t.� �
In this election cycle, which began on Jan. 1, 2007, Sen. Obama has collected $132,368 from individuals in SouthCoast. That�s more than twice the amount SouthCoasters donated to Sen. McCain � $62,854 � in the same time period.
The Republican picked up most of that cash after it became clear he was going to win his party�s nomination, getting almost $40,000 after March 1. Previously, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney had collected the lion�s share of Republican contributions � $48,514 � around SouthCoast.
At that point, Sen. Obama was still embroiled in primary campaigns against Hillary Clinton, and SouthCoast Democrats were still pouring money into her campaign. All told, Sen. Clinton collected $48,844 from SouthCoast, with $14,320 of that coming after March 1.
While Sen. Obama has a wide lead in fundraising and Sen. McCain, by accepting public funding, is limited in what he can spend, the gap in overall campaign spending isn�t as wide as it might seem.
While Sen. McCain can�t accept individual contributions, the Republican National Committee can spend on his behalf, as the Democratic National Committee can for Sen. Obama.
In addition, the candidates� joint-fundraising committees, also known as �victory committees,� can spend whatever they can raise.
Taking those factors into account, the nonpartisan Campaign Finance Institute, which tracks money in politics, concluded that the Obama campaign would have a 3-to-2 advantage in available funds over the McCain campaign.
Without a substantial overhaul of the system, Sen. Obama�s fundraising success likely has doomed the future of public financing of presidential campaigns.
�This is the first time a candidate has skipped the general election,� Dr. Roscoe said, although most candidates have not accepted public financing for the primaries. Because of the amount of cash Sen. Obama has been able to generate, �I think, in 2012, you�re probably going to see both candidates opt out of it.�
The UMass Dartmouth professor said that Sen. McCain, in agreeing to accept public financing, probably miscalculated. �It was probably based on his guess of what he thought he could actually raise.�
While the primary purpose of public funding is �to remove the influence of private donors and to minimize corruption or the temptations of corruption,� Dr. Roscoe said the system never has been completely embraced by the public. �People see it as a giveaway to to people who don�t really need it.�
The money for public funding of campaigns comes from a check-off on income tax forms that asks the taxpayer if he or she wants to donate $3 to the fund. That doesn�t provide enough money to adequately fund the system, Dr. Roscoe argued.
�If campaigns were funded more robustly, say from the general fund rather than from the check-off, that�s a good investment in democracy.�
�It�s really not that much money. If you take all the spending in the congressional and presidential races in 2004, all spending by the candidates, political parties and interest groups comes to $2.6 billion. That sounds like a lot of money, but it�s our democracy. That spending helps us learn about the candidates and make better choices.�
Contact Steve DeCosta at firstname.lastname@example.com


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Friday November 16, 2018
5 minutes
Universal Soldiers
Andrea Warner
Thank god she was playing that night on the stereo. I needed someone familiar who wasn't going to steal the room any more than it had been stolen. I feel fine saying that now. I let it happen. She played and I cried and I closed my eyes and saw beautiful pulsing humans dancing in the trunk of a timeless tree. They swayed. I inhaled them. I asked if it was her voice that was hitting that chord in me or if it was an instrument reaching a note I couldn't understand. Nobody knew what I meant but I knew it was her. She's the one who invented that sound. That saving sound. I thought if I had been in a room without its parts removed it would have been obvious to everyone. I wondered if I could close my eyes and stay there all night until I fell asleep. Nobody thought I would be able to do that either.


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Home furnishings Retailers in Katy TX – Home furnishings is some thing vital for your house-needs because it has the operate to make your house curiosity and magnificent. Can you imagine, if there is not home furniture in your house? Of training course,you will complicated to do any pursuits,and your house will messy. In addition to give the wonderful accents in your house, home furniture is seriously practical and valuable in your house. Consequently, there is not excessive if the needs of home furniture are expanding in each and every time. There are readily available so lots of home furniture merchants around you. Fortuitously, for you who stay in Katy TX, because there are readily available so lots of home furniture merchants around you, and this time I'll give you the address and summary, about the Home furnishings Retailers in Katy TX
List of Home furnishings Shop in Katy TX
Home furnishings Queen is found in 829 S Mason Rd, Katy TX 77450. If you want to get a lot more data, you can connect with in the telephone range (281) 377-5898, or look for in the web-site www.furniturequeen.com. The opening hour of this firm for Monday to Friday is at 1100 am- seven.00pm, although for Saturday is at 11.00 am to six.00 pm. don't occur to this retailer on Sunday, because this retailer is shut. There are so lots of individuals who have acquired the home furniture from this firm, and most of them are happy with the end result, because the cost of home furniture is cost-effective and has substantial-top quality product, so that it will also tough.
- When On a Little one Home furnishings
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- Purple Tag Mattress & Home furnishings
This home furniture is found in 20225 Katy Fwy, Katy Forex 77450. The telephone range of this home furniture firm is (281) 579-1411. This home furniture retailer is promoting the specification of Home furnishings and Mattress. There are readily available so lots of mattresses with assortment sorts and cost. there are king, queen, right up until California king mattress. There are so lots of individuals who have acquired the mattress and home furniture in this retailer, and most of them are happy with the top quality of that.
- Aspiration Town Mattress&Furn Home furnishings
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Pet Island. A highly entertaining six-part series broadcast at 7pm on RTÉ1 throughout summer of 2014. The series featured Ireland's most colourful pets and their doting owners. Narrated by Pauline McLynn (Mrs Doyle from Father Ted) this fun series has already had significant international interest. Described by the Sunday Times as 'entertaining yet subtly disturbing'.
Pet Island: the highlights
Pet Island: We got this for Mimi


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The life of a human being is something that should be treasured, valued and respected. Yet we don't see that in today's society when it comes to a tiny preborn baby, a terminally sick individual, an elderly person, or anyone deemed unworthy or unwanted. More often than not, these people are seen as expendable or "better off dead." We must change this twisted mindset.
Judie Brown is president and co-founder of American Life League, the nation's largest grassroots pro-life educational organization. She is a member of the Pontifical Academy for Life in Rome, and has appeared in numerous media, including: 20/20, 60 Minutes, Mother Angelica Live, The O'Reilly Factor, Good Morning America, Today, Oprah, and Larry King Live, The Washington Post and USA Today.
My Articles
January 28, 2015, 10:00 AM EST
January 12, 2015, 10:51 AM EST
Defending Christ in the Eucharist is something that no clergy should be afraid to do. When we receive His most precious body and blood, we must do so reverently and free from mortal sin. This includes all Catholics and anyone who calls himself a Catholic. To receive Our Lord in any other way is sacrilege.
October 10, 2014, 3:39 PM EDT
Some things in life are difficult to understand, but the fact that a baby lives and grows inside his mother is not one of those things. What is difficult to understand is why hundreds of thousands of people have cried out about the life of one dog. Where is the outcry for the thousands of babies killed every day? Where are our priorities?
October 3, 2014, 5:01 PM EDT
In this ever-changing world in which contraception is pushed from many fronts, we find that we must now add the pediatrician's office to the list. Parents, beware. Make it a point to know what goes on when your child talks with his doctor.
September 5, 2014, 4:39 PM EDT
We must watch where we focus our energies. We must always be the voice of the preborn. And we can never allow compromise.
August 14, 2014, 4:15 PM EDT
What has happened to childhood? What has happened to respect for families and their abilities to teach children morality? And why should an institute, let alone a Catholic institute, recommend introducing concepts and material regarding sexuality to very young children? It boggles the mind and sickens the soul. Instead of forcing our children to grow up so fast, we should be encouraging them to enjoy their childhoods and preparing them for a life with Christ.
August 13, 2014, 10:17 AM EDT
It used to be said that it takes a village to raise a child. And it was not only comforting, but the norm, for people other than parents to watch out for children, no matter who they were. Not so the case today, where we see a vile and indecent organization attempting to lure children away from parents and into a life of immorality.
August 12, 2014, 12:26 PM EDT
Atrocities against human beings occur every day worldwide. Often we hear an outcry when an offense is especially egregious, but what could be more egregious than the wanton slaughtering of innocent babies or than the premature death of those who are ill? Let us examine the actions, or the inactions, of our daily lives. Souls are at stake.
August 11, 2014, 11:05 AM EDT
Animals, especially those that are threatened or endangered, deserve our care and protection. But we must not close our eyes to humanity - to life that grows within a woman's womb. Defenseless babies are regularly killed and discarded without much thought or concern. It is time to stop their slaughter.
August 6, 2014, 9:55 AM EDT
Like a small child who tells his parent, "I can do it myself," man has repeatedly pushed God away. We seem to be telling God the same thing, yet it's not just independence we want from Him; it's autonomy and control. We are telling God we have no use for Him any longer. We now see the destruction this causes - in lives, in families, in society. When will it end?
July 1, 2014, 2:36 PM EDT
Judie Brown reacts to yesterday's SCOTUS decision and explains the truth about hormonal contraception - a truth that many do not understand, a truth that many do not want to hear.
June 27, 2014, 4:03 PM EDT
On a daily basis, we see the innocence of children eroded. Television, Internet articles, and social media combine to allow children to enter a world of sexualization at an earlier age---and adults and parents just seem to accept this. Indeed, even some embrace it and welcome it into their schools and their homes. When will we realize the damage we are doing? When will we say enough is enough?
June 3, 2014, 4:43 PM EDT
Catholic clergy must lead their flock, must not turn a blind eye to the tenets of the faith. They must stand up when an injustice is done and show the great power of Our Lord. Is this being done today?
May 23, 2014, 3:25 PM EDT
At American Life League, we spend a great deal of time choosing our words, particularly when we are talking about the most fundamental concerns confronting the culture today. So it was with a great deal of appreciation that I read these words written by our director of outreach, Rey Flores.
May 16, 2014, 3:21 PM EDT
The destruction of the family is one of the greatest disasters of the last century. It has happened subtly, almost silently, and now we are left with the carnage. How will we alter the path that so many seem so willing to travel? Will we raise our voices in protest? If we want to make changes and save lives and souls, we must.
April 25, 2014, 11:13 AM EDT
On Sunday, history will be made as Pope Francis will canonize two new saints----Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II. This significant day is also a day to reflect upon their lives and to remember the contribution they made, not only to the Church, but to the world as well.
April 3, 2014, 4:16 PM EDT
Lent is about halfway through, and we draw nearer to the day when Our Lord gave His life to save us from our sins. Yet our society daily tempts us to draw closer and embrace those sins. In fact, it is doing almost everything in its power to discard morality and God, as evidenced in today's commentary.
March 19, 2014, 2:16 PM EDT
The stories of heroic mothers rarely appear on the nightly news, even when they include prominent figures like Genevieve Shaw Brown, Travel and Lifestyle Editor for ABC News.
February 21, 2014, 3:16 PM EST
On the heels of news that former daytime talk show host Ricki Lake is producing a forthcoming documentary on the dangers of contraception, we find a unique concern. "Lake will act as executive producer alongside director Abby Epstein in a full-length film based on Holly Grigg-Spall's book Sweetening The Pill: Or How We Became Hooked On Hormonal Birth Control."
February 18, 2014, 4:13 PM EST
The medical community touts in vitro fertilization as something great, something amazing. But it omits the fact that this procedure is not victimless. Neither is it moral or ethical. Today's commentary explores the words of Pope John Paul II and the Church and explains what every Catholic should know.


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Written on:
18 July, 2017
How to Burn 900 Calories a Day
If you want to burn 900 calories a day, you need to be very precise with your approach. Not only do you have to make sacrifices at the dinner table, but you also have to become more active. It takes a 3,500-calorie reduction to lose one pound, and you can burn almost 2 pounds a week by creating this deficit.
Reduce your daily intake by 500 calories. Track your calories for one or two days to find out your current intake. Reduce that amount by 500 calories daily; this alone can help you lose a pound per week.
Replace empty-calorie, high-fat foods with foods that have a lower energy density and are higher in nutrients. Stock up on leafy greens, fruits, vegetables, lean beef, chicken breasts, fish, whole grains, beans and low-fat dairy products.
Spread your meals out through the day so you don't feel deprived. Eat five or six small, balanced meals instead of two or three large ones. Consume two or three calorie-free snacks per day, such as celery sticks or cucumbers.
Drink lots of water. Give up the fizzy drinks, sweetened teas, dessert coffees and alcoholic beverages. Water is calorie-free and helps hydrate the body. It also flushes toxins out of your system and fills you up.
Perform cardiovascular activities that burn at least 400 calories a day. According to Harvard Health Publications, running, vigorous cycling and rock climbing can burn approximately 400 calories in just 30 minutes. You can also choose less vigorous activities, such as swimming, brisk walking or stationary rowing, and exercise for one hour or longer.
Consult your physician before starting a new diet or exercise program.
- shironosov/iStock/Getty Images


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Join the FEDERAL VAMPIRE & ZOMBIE AGENCY
Whether it's the DEA, the ATF, or the CIA, the government has many alphabetized avenues to deal with any threat. Whether it's been through stealth or by force, Uncle Sam has always felt he's had the tools to combat any foe... But when the threat are bared fangs, weaponized infection, and immortal bloodlusters -- that's right, we're talking about vampires and zombies -- an old agency has to return from the shadows: FVZA: the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency.
The Agency, based on the cult alternate history web site of the same name, examines a world where the epidemic of the century isn't swine flu or HIV, but vampirism and zombieism. With the first issue of this series being released by Radical Comics on Wednesday, Newsarama sat down with series writer David Hine on the return of Hugo Pecos, the mythology of the FVZA, and his favorite undead attack of all time.
David Hine: Okay, it goes like this: a few years ago writer Richard Dargan began recording the history of the Federal Vampire and Zombie Agency through the eyes of Hugo Pecos, former director of the agency who is now living in retirement in New Mexico. The site has detailed background on the development of the vampire and zombie viruses and the efforts of the agency to combat them. Apparently they were successful because the agency was shut down in the nineteen-seventies. But Hugo Pecos was convinced the Undead would return and used the web site to keep the people educated and aware.
The movie production company Contrafilm acquired the rights to the property and brought it to Radical to develop into a comic series and Radical came to me to come up with a pitch and then script for the three-issue series launching this week.
It's unusual for a web site to be the origin for this kind of project but it makes a lot of sense. There's such a wealth of background detail on the site that I could easily write a half-dozen series using it as a springboard. The site refers back to vampires from medieval times, through the days of the Wild West, and nineteenth century Paris, up to the Russian use of nuclear weapons to destroy the town of Lazo in 1967 when it was overrun with vampires.
Nrama: In the past five or six years, zombies and vampires have gotten a big resurgence, whether it be 28 Days Later, Underworld, 30 Days of Night, Walking Dead, Marvel Zombies... well, you get the point. Could you tell us a little bit of what FVZA is about, and how you feel it differentiates itself from other supernatural horror stories?
Hine: Clearly that extensive alternative history is unique and continues to develop through the FVZA web site. It gives me a whole reference library to refer back to and makes the concept really solid and convincing. I have approached this project with a view to making the characters and events as realistic as possible. I want to know how it really feels to become a vampire or even more horrifyingly, a zombie. Traditionally a human infected with vampirism seems to automatically become an evil blood-sucking creature of the night and a zombie basically staggers around, moaning pathetically and trying to eat people. In our version of things the characters stay the same people they were before they were infected, so a basically decent human being becomes a basically decent vampire who may desperately resist killing to satisfy his or her bloodlust. There is a very high suicide rate among vampires, though we see that it isn't that easy for a vampire to kill himself.
Similarly our zombies don't become totally mindless walking corpses overnight. They retain most of their memories and personality for a period of time, only gradually losing their mental functions as the brain and body slowly rot. It's a little like rapid onset Alzheimer's. Short-term memory goes, then the personality gradually deteriorates, speech becomes confused, they lose motor skills and all this in a matter of days.
As well as our lead characters, we follow a zombie woman whose maternal instincts survive and we see her trying to continue caring for her zombie children.
Tess and Jules are a teenage couple who were Vamps – a Goth cult who romanticize vampires, wearing black clothes, getting fang implants and even sucking one another's blood. When they are infected and become genuine vampires they discover the reality is unpleasantly sordid. Vampires are impotent, their hair falls out, their flesh withers and their lives revolve around the constant search for fresh blood. Theirs is a tragic story of doomed love – a kind of Undead Romeo and Juliette.
Hine: Landra and Vidal are the grandchildren of Hugo Pecos. Hugo opposed the closing down of the agency. Landra and Vidal lost their parents when they were very young and Hugo brought them up to be aware of the Undead threat. In fact he home-schooled them at his villa in the desert, training them in armed combat and the martial arts, as well as instilling them with an encyclopedic knowledge of the history and science of vampires and zombies. That preparation pays off when there's an outbreak of a new super-strain of the zombie virus, and it turns out vampires are using the virus as a biological weapon. Landra is a natural warrior and jumps at the chance to join the newly reformed FVZA, while her younger brother is more reluctant. He misses having a normal teenage life and he's bitter about the way their grandfather has robbed them of a childhood. Hugo is certainly obsessive but all his worst fears seem to be coming true as the vampire Mandrake sets out his agenda to turn the USA into a Vampire State with vampires taking control as the superior race.
Nrama: Considering that this story is part "alternate history," part black-ops, black-bag undead assassination, how do you prepare for such a wide breadth of possible stories? Did any of your past assignments help ease the way to FVZA? Could you walk us through what sorts of things you looked at to research for this book?
Hine: The web site is always my first port of call to check historical details and the science of how the diseases develop and spread. I've also done a lot of research on vampire mythology. This is something that already interested me. I introduced a race of vampires known as the Vrykolakas in the monthly Spawn comic. Vrykolakas comes from the ancient Greek myths of the Undead, but there are dozens of other variations from all corners of the globe. There are Sampiro and Kuzlak, Nachtzehrer, the Dearg-dul of Ireland. In Bulgaria the Krvoijac can only be killed by being chained to their graves with wild roses. I'd like to get into some of those other mythologies in the future. I already have plans for a second series set in Europe if this first series is a success.
The rest of the research is the nuts-and-bolts stuff of getting the settings and hardware right. If my characters are moving from one place to another I like to know how long it will take them to get there and what kind of terrain they'll be traveling through. I haven't traveled that much in the States but since most of my stories are set in North America I have a big map taped to my studio wall and a stack of travel guides and road maps. The internet is invaluable for visuals of things like the desert around Albuquerque, where Hugo Pecos is based.
Hine: Clearly the vampires are the big threat. They're intellect doesn't suffer from the virus. If anything, their brains become sharper. They may lose their moral compass as time passes and the hunger for blood becomes their over-riding obsession, but that just makes them more single-minded and dangerous. They are strong, they move fast and they are difficult to kill. A stake through the heart doesn't work on our vampires, because their musculature is so highly developed that the muscle system actually works like a secondary heart, pumping blood through the veins even when the heart itself has failed. Incidentally that's not as far-fetched as it sounds. There are cases of mountain villages where life-expectancy is increased partly because the constant walking up steep inclines has developed the skeletal-musculature to an extraordinary extent and does indeed help to keep the blood pumping.
Our zombies, on the other hand, don't have much going for them. They are slow and their intellect rapidly deteriorates with the decay of the brain along with the other organs so you can always outrun a zombie. Their eyesight fails rapidly, hearing is impaired. However they do compensate by having a terrific sense of smell and they can sniff out a living human from several miles. They can also survive massive damage to their nervous system, their spines, even to the brain. There have been cases of zombies having three-quarter of their brain matter blown away and they still kept walking. Like vampires, their blood is pumped by muscular action and the blood itself is so viscous that they won't bleed out no matter how badly wounded. And they have fantastically strong jaws. If they get their teeth into you, they are not going to let go.
Vampires can live indefinitely. One of our vampire characters has been around for over three hundred years. Zombies fall prey to all kinds of degenerative diseases and parasites. They are very lucky to last a year.
Nrama: Of course, you're not alone in this endeavor -- you have artist Roy Martinez and colorists Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo depicting all the violence and gore. What's the back-and-forth been between you guys in terms of collaborating for this story? What do you think are everyone's strengths for this piece?
Hine: Roy is a terrifically talented storyteller. I've worked with him before at Marvel, on the Son of M series. I discovered that he has a particular interest in horror and zombies above all. You could almost say he empathizes with them. Roy's drawing skills are fantastic and once Kinsun Loh and Jerry Choo have added their digital paints the result is heightened realism that a lot of people assume is photo based. In fact it's purely down to Roy's knowledge of the human figure and observation. His pencils are an absolute delight and I couldn't be more pleased with the finishes that Kinsun has done. A lot of digital artist rely on the software without having the genuine drawing skills, but Kinsun and his studio are terrific artists in their own right.
I don't have a lot of first-hand contact with the artists. Roy is in the Philippines and Kinsun in Malaysia. My scripts are very detailed so Roy has most of the information he needs. I see layouts from him and give my feedback before he goes to full pencils. I also give notes on the colors, but really these guys know exactly what they're doing and don't need too much guidance.
Nrama: Something else that's interesting about Radical is the fact that page counts are expanded past the typical 22-pager -- indeed, there's more than 40 pages in the first issue alone. How have you had to change your style to accommodate? Are there any advantages to the expanded format?
Hine: I think that's 44 pages of story for issue #1 and we go up to 48 in Part 3. Issue #1 also has some extras. I think we have a 12-page preview of Rick Remender's The Last Days of American Crime in there too for a price tag of $4.99. When I first pitched this it was planned to have that double-size first issue, then follow with four more 22-page issues, but the new policy was very welcome as far as I'm concerned. I've always found the 22-page comic far too restrictive. If you compare an issue of a comic to an episode of a TV show, one page of comics is pretty much comparable to one minute of screen time. Imagine Sopranos, Dexter, Mad Men or Dollhouse, broadcast as 22-minute shows. The result in comics is either excessively compressed stories, which I sometime find myself compelled to write, or a comic that is over and done in five minutes. Without that extra space there is no way I could have put all that backstory into the first fifteen pages of the first issue. I really wanted to explain the history and set-up of the concept and that wouldn't have been possible with less space. 44 pages gave me time to set the stage and then get into the meat of the story. In subsequent episodes, I've had the space to let scenes breathe and develop. 44 pages seems like the natural length for a monthly comic and I can see other publishers gradually going for longer page counts too. Back in the old days, with pages crammed with dialogue and exposition you could tell a story in less time, but modern comics have brought a cinematic aspect to the page. Widescreen panels and decompressed action scenes need more pages.
Hine: I think probably the outbreak of zombieism at the Woodstock Festival, triggered by an infected Hell's Angel. The FVZA moved in and canceled the festival just as Crosby Still Nash and Young were beginning their set, leading to a riot and the National Guard being called in to restore order. That alone would be worth a one-shot.
Nrama: Rock on. Finally, to wrap things up -- are there any moments you could tease that you are feeling particularly excited about? What would you say to anyone still on the fence for FVZA?
Hine: There are a few scenes that I'm particularly pleased with, especially those dealing with the relationships between the vampire lovers and the way the vampire Yaelis develops. She appears at the end of the first issue and we have a lot of surprises up our sleeves with her.
The there's that zombie mom I mentioned, picking maggots out of her kids' flesh. If you're on the fence that should make you jump one way or the other…