The Universe's Mixer

Dear Editor,

I have heard many people crying out against what Mayor Jack Heart says when he talks about the vigilantes of this fair city, decrying his words as blaspheme, saying that he's wrong, saying that he's foolish to think that those caped and necowled crusaders are only there to make our lives safer and easier, but I'm here to tell you that they're wrong.

As somebody who has lived in a world where these people exist in nature, I can tell you whole-heartedly that these people are insane. They put on costumes and run amok, claiming to be a boon to society, when all they're really doing is putting innocent people into hospitals, wrecking havoc on innocent cities, not caring about what happens to bystanders, causing hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage in their wake. And for what? To bring down a small handful of petty criminals?

The likes of Batman, Superman, Black Canary, Robin, Green Arrow and their fellows take the law into their own hand. We have a police force for this reason, everyone from beat cops to the FBI - or CBI as it were, here - people who are trained to make sure that our streets are clean of the scum. Vigilantes say they're working in the name of the People, all the while breaking laws themselves.

Is a life saved still a life if your neck was broken as you were being saved?

I, for one, call for an immediate unmasking of these foolish people! Make them face the reality of what they've done without their pretty costumes to hide their shame!

Sincerely,

Joe K. Earsworthy

Is the Mayor in Bed with the Justice League?
by Lois Lane

(below the headline is a picture of Jack and Zatanna kissing in the street)

Recently, Mayor Heart has spotted around town with a certain fishnet-sporting mystic who just happens to be a member of the Justice League. Previously, the mayor has been outspoken about his views in opposition of the Justice League operating in our fair City. With this latest development, one might wonder if the mayor is starting to change his tune? While it's possible that the mayor has been attempting to form some sort of allegiance or peace treaty with the League, the hero in question is not the official leader of the League. Moreover, sources say that he appears to have spent at least one entire night in her company.

The above picture also suggests a very different kind of allegiance between the mayor and Ms. Zatanna Zatara, the league's resident spellcaster.

So where does this leave the mayor's official position regarding the Justice League and other similar heroes? A spokesperson for the mayor declined a comment on this article. However, according to Ted Earley, who is in charge of finance for the City, it would seem that those in the Mayor's office may not agree with the official position on costumed heroes as well. According to Ted: "His position is his alone... I can't even say for sure that his official statement on the matter matches what he really believes."

Ted also goes on to say that "I think the superheroes do good. I was personally saved by Batman just recently. I don't think that they would hurt anybody on purpose, and from what I read about the King Kong thing, they made sure to have people on hand to help any bystanders who did get hurt."

It would seem that there might be a change of heart (no pun intended) in the works for the mayor and, one would hope, for City legislation regarding superheroes.

(Headline backdated to the day after the press conference)

City Answers Questions
by Lois Lane

The human embodiment of the City took the stage yesterday at a press conference in which all of us were promised answers to our questions regarding the City. While each attendee was only allowed to ask one question per person, there were several people who attended and were able to answer questions. Some believe that the answers given just led to more questions and more mysteries, while others polled after the conference stated that they would rather not have known some of the more disturbing questions.

When asked what there was to gain in bringing people in from other worlds, the City responded with "I need you. Each of you is special in your way. I need what you have. You don't feel it, and I don't touch you directly, but having you means having you in my arsenal. Combined, you help me defend myself." While it wasn’t explained exactly how the City draws protection from us, a follow-up question regarding what we’re helping the City to protect itself against, he explained that there are other beings like himself. "There aren't many left, but as I am sure you are aware of the theory of Survival of the Fittest, the remaining are strong. We have spent thousands and thousands of years in constant battle. To be the last one. It is random when we encounter one another, but when it happens, there is a fight. None of you has been aware of when it happens, so far I have defeated all I have come across. If I were to fail, we would all die."

Another question that was posed involved the people who are sent back to their worlds. The City explained: "Sometimes, they can't stay. Who and what they are upsets the balance. Sometimes, they become of no use any longer, they are used up, but not by me. By themselves. If they don't go back, they would wither." This would again raise questions about how exactly the City is using us all to protect himself and whether or not he’s drawing upon our life force to do so.

When asked where exactly we were located in space, the City explained that it is always moving and never staying in one place. For those who haven’t been outside the walls, the City seems to be an island floating in space and one would assume that we’re always moving through space. Whether or not the City is on some sort of orbit or the movement is random is up for debate, but it would seem that we’re moving more quickly than, say, the planet Earth rotates around the Sun.

When the questioning turned to the things that the City does to us-such as bringing in a living King Kong and setting it loose on downtown, he claimed that he doesn’t abuse us and that "I give you things. I do things because I think you will like them. I admit, it hasn't always gone so well. But I want to keep your lives exciting." On a related note, according to the City, "The streets move in synch with my thoughts." He claimed that the streets being still were a result of him not being connected with them at the moment and he claimed that it was doing great harm for the streets to be still. While there’s no evidence or further explanation to support or refute this claim, it’s hard to deny that it’s a lot easier to get to appointments on time when the streets stay in one place.


The City also claimed that he does things for us because, “I like you to be happy. I like to give you things so that your lives are easier. Not having to deal with garbage and rotting food, or hunger, or worrying about buying something you might need or want, those are things I can do to help with your lives being easier. I know there are many other things that go on that aren't easy, but if you don't have to think of the little things, it means you can put more effort into the more important things." While wanting our happiness doesn’t seem to coincide with shanghaiing some of us from our worlds, it does seem that he genuinely takes an interest in us. What sort of important things he wants us to put effort into is certainly up for debate.

When asked about the storm, the City claimed that it wasn’t his storm and “if I'd known it was going to happen, I would have stopped it." He seemed genuinely angry at whomever did cause the storm. There aren’t many known beings in the City with the power to do something like that, so who might have caused it is at this point unclear.

From one of the questions asked at the press conference, it would appear that a few of the people who had met Thomas before the conference didn’t quite believe what he was and understandably so. One young woman even blurted out “you weren’t high?” From the answer given, it would seem that the City is unaware of any sorts of drugs that might cause an altered state of consciousness. Given the fact that the streets move with his thoughts, this reporter finds a small relief in that revelation.

In spite of the promise to answer all questions, there was one question left unanswered. When asked how he came to be in that specific body, the City got very agitated and began to shout, ordering the audience not to ask him that question again.

The City Calls a Press Conference
by Lois Lane

Today Mayor Heart announced that Thomas, the embodiment of the City has called a press conference. The conference is open to all residents of the City with the promise that "all of your questions will be answered."

Whether this means that the City plans to explain why he's brought so many of us here or not isn't clear, but it would seem that now is the time and place to ask any questions you may have.

The press conference will be held on Monday, April 23rd in the City Center. It's sure to be crowded so get there early!

The City Walks Among Us
by Lois Lane

There is a man named Thomas roaming the City streets that claims to be the embodiment of the City itself, stuck in a human body. Whether he is telling the truth or not is still under investigation, but he did seem to be privvy to information about some of the City's residents that makes this reporter wonder if there's any truth to his claims.

When asked about his thoughts on the City coming to a stop, the man stated that "It is an abomination. This is not how it should be. This is wrong. The person responsible for this will pay, believe me. They will pay." From the sounds of things, a third party may have been involved in the standstill for the City. If that's the case, I think we may see a very unhappy City whenever the streets do start to move again. There are also investigations into what sort of person might be powerful enough to make the City stop moving.

The man claiming to be the City declined to answer any questions on why he would bring so many people from different worlds, but this reporter plans to keep looking for answers to that ever-important question.

It did sound as though the City cares about its people and wants very badly to start taking care of them again. To those that have been anxious in light of this slow-down, take heart. If this Thomas is the City, he does care and is trying to get things back to normal.

Have you noticed the world has changed? As if overnight things are suddenly different? The way the streets stay as they are, the way the food just isn't in the cupboards as before, the way your clothes are still in a pile on the floor dirty?

If you haven't, what rock have you been under the past few days! If you have, then you are in the thick of it with the rest of us. It seems lately that the City isn't acting as it should. It isn't looking after us anymore. Did we upset it? Where has it gone? Did it just get tired of us? How will we look after ourselves?

Something has gone horribly wrong, and we must find out what it is. The City Police need to get to the bottom of this. Or, if that Mayor will let them, that group of so called vigilantes need to find out why things are just so very wrong. Either way, someone needs to fix this, and fix it now.

Missing Dinner on Perry St

----

It's the end of days!

The world is coming to an end. First there was a snow storm. Then there was the horrendous rain storm. Now, nothing moves, and we have to go to the market for our food. The world as we know it is coming to an end.

We must right whatever wrong we've committed, or probably those [...] other people have committed. We have to ask for forgiveness.

The world will be over soon!

No more chances at Basset and Lewis Aves

----

The extreme reaction to the change in the City is just that, extreme. We have been through many difficulties over the past generations, and we will endure many more. We know that we have survived such things as large lizards and primates. We have experienced devastating weather conditions and lived. We have seen the rise and fall of queens and mayors. We will see our way through this latest issue. This is our chance to show that we do not need an easy life, and we can better ourselves through this adversity. This like all the other difficulties in the past will make us stronger, and we should embrace it.

This latest development will make us better people. We can take the opportunity as we have before to share and grow. We can become a better and brighter community. So, look at this as yet another chance to live to the best of our abilities.

Survivor on Washington Dr.

OOC: Feel free to have your characters post their own editorials here.

To the Bat in my Belfry: I know you're not the one. And you smell so pretty.

ZOO ESCAPEE! KEEPERS NOT ENTIRELY WORRIED.

A Great Russian Africanized Dire Tundra Wolf has escaped The City Zoo today. But given the creature's incredible size, the zookeepers aren't very concerned about how long it will stay loose. This particular wolf was granted the world record in height and weight, standing six foot tall at the shoulder and weighing just a little over thousand pounds. Those that we spoke with are very confident that the wolf will be noticed quite soon, and sheer panic will increase the number of police calls to capture it.

Why such a stance taken? Why not seek the beast out to stop whatever rampage that it might go on before it even gets a chance? 'Well,' say the keepers 'it's not as if it can sneak up on anybody, is it? We figure that somebody's going to run into it, and run. If they're smart, they'll hide in something smaller than it. That should be a pretty obvious route.'

A pretty obvious route to take, indeed. Remember in your scramble to escape, find a small space to fit yourself into, and if you can't remember to do that? As far as we know, the wolf cannot climb. Up seems like a reasonable route to take to save yourselves from being snackfood.

'Besides,' says one zoo management official 'he hasn't hurt anybody before. He's been in that zoo a really long time, and we've never had a problem with him before. It wasn't his fault he got out. Somebody left the cage door open.'

And where did this creature get such a long name? According to scientists, it has features resembling many breeds of wolf, yet none of them in entirety. It stopped at six classifications because the paperwork was getting a bit tedious.

SNOW, MORE SNOW, AND SOME PRECIPITATION
Special Story By Windy Weatherton

Hello citizens of The City. You can't actually see me as I write this, which is a crying shame for you, but I assure you all that I am in my normal Windy glory. I've come to you via print today to tell you a little bit about our weather conditions. Because that's what I do, inform you on the weather.

We've got a standing foot and a half of snow right now. Record falls, considering that we've never experienced snow in this place before, and guess what! It just keeps falling! We see no end to the snow any time in the near future. Or even the remotely far future. Our weather satellites tell us that there's going to be snow for a good long while, and it's not going to melt at all, either. Just snow. Lots of snow. White, fluffy, powdery snow.

Now here are some interesting little facts for all of you out there that might not understand snow or know what it is:

Snow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds. The process of this precipitation is called snowfall.

Since snow is composed of small ice particles, it is a granular material. It has an open and therefore soft structure, unless packed by external pressure.

Snow crystals form when tiny supercooled cloud droplets (approx 10μm in diameter) freeze. These droplets are able to remain liquid at temperatures colder than 0°C because, in order to freeze, a few molecules in the liquid droplet need to get together by chance to form an arrangement close to that in an ice lattice; then the droplet freezes around this 'nucleus'. Experiments show that this 'homogeneous' nucleation of cloud droplets only occurs at temperatures colder than -35°C.[1] In warmer clouds an aerosol particle or 'ice nucleus' must be present in (or in contact with) the droplet to act as a nucleus. Our understanding of what particles make efficient ice nuclei is poor - what we do know is they are very rare compared to that cloud condensation nuclei which liquid droplets form on. Clays, desert dust and biological particles may be effective,[2] although to what extent is unclear. Artificial nuclei include silver iodide and dry ice, and these form the basis of cloud seeding.

Once a droplet has frozen, it grows in the supersaturated environment (air saturated with respect to liquid water is always supersaturated with respect to ice) and grows by diffusion of water molecules in the air (vapor) onto the ice crystal surface where they are deposited. Because the droplets are so much more numerous than the ice crystals (because of the relative numbers of ice vs droplet nuclei) the crystals are able to grow to hundreds of micrometers or millimeters in size at the expense of the water droplets (the Wegner-Bergeron-Findeison process). The corresponding depletion of water vapor causes the droplets to evaporate, meaning that the ice crystals effectively grow at the droplets' expense. These large crystals are an efficient source of precipitation, since they fall through the atmosphere due to their mass, and may collide and stick together in clusters (aggregates). These aggregates are snowflakes, and are usually the type of ice particle which falls at the ground. [3] The exact details of the sticking mechanism remains controversial (and probably there are different mechanisms active in different clouds), possibilities include mechanical interlocking, sintering, electrostatic attraction as well as the existence of a 'sticky' liquid-like layer on the crystal surface.

The individual ice crystals often have an hexagonal symmetry. Although the ice is clear, scattering of light by the crystal facets and hollows/imperfections mean that the crystals often appear white in color due to diffuse reflection of all spectrum of light by the small ice particles.

And now, this is Windy Weatherton signing off with my patented smile, enjoy your day.

The Cure Has Been Found!

We at the Voice are proud to announce that the cure has been found. Many have received the cure and are now on their way to a more productive non-zombie lifestyle. Sources say that the cure came from two brilliant minds: Doctors Hannibal Lecter and Simon Tam. While we have yet to confirm this, we have also heard rumors that the these two doctors are also to blame for the outbreak. At the Voice, we are happy that the cure was found.

The Hospital is currently offering the cure; they are warning everyone that there will be some mild discomfort, but the treatment is quick. As of yet, there have been no causalities from the treatment, and the outcome looks promising.

If you know of anyone who needs to be treated, do not attempt to bring them in on your own. Let the authorities handle it. Please call 1-800-DE-ZOMBI. Qualified members of City service will take care of the situation. If you see any groups or know of any existing groups of still untreated zombies, call. The situation will be handled quickly and quietly.

Weather

In a quick note, snowflakes have been spotted. We don't mean the little boys and girls preparing for their winter plays either. Perhaps the usually sunny and bright City will finally get something of a winter wonderland.

Pandemonium in The City!
Ray Mannus

It seems that our fair city's streets have been run over by a mad menace. People are fleeing their homes and filling the streets. What could cause this panic, you ask? A fire sale at the department store? Unfortunately, no. The culprits seem to be the walking dead.

Yes folks, zombies.

This reporter sits in his cubicle at The City Voice, trying to report on what he can, and finding it rather difficult, as I can't seem to get anybody to stand still to talk. We don't know when the outbreak started, and we don't know how. We know only that it has spread quickly.

Recommendations include finding shelter in a secure building, sticking with others, and not talking to anybody who appears to be rotting in any way, or anybody who appears to have bite marks anywhere on their body.

We can't tell you where those safe shelters are, because we don't know. We also don't know why we're writing in this way because 'we' includes me and the printer guy, Joseph. I think it's safe to say that this is the last issue that we're going to attempt to put out for a while.

Collect water, non-perishable foods, guns, axes, swords, bullets, whatever you can. And destroy the head. DESTROY THE HEAD!

Good luck to those of you out there who are still aliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii


( fun )

They were posted everywhere, fliers. The newspaper classifieds had a huge ad saying the same thing. There were even little mailings in everyone's mailbox. What were they? What did they say? Who would be so uncaring to kill so many trees? The City, of course, had an idea, just a little test.

The City Community Center is now open!

You can play b-ball with your homies.
You can gab with the gals in the spa.
You can learn to knit, collect stamps, keep yourself busy and not think about killing your cherished loved one.

The City Community Center will be offering the following support groups, more may be added later.

Warriors! Are you worried about your new life in the City? Still feel the blood lust boiling in your veins? Or are all the deaths taking their toll? Come, speak with other people just like you. Don't be ashamed to cry, to share your feelings. Hell, just come to share good war stories; nowhere else in the City will you find people who understand you more than at the Warriors' Support. Who knows, you might even find a job. BYOB.

City Inventors and Brains. The City needs you! That's right. The City needs you. The brilliant minds that are gathered in the City may be able to forge a bright tomorrow for all citizens. Together you will help the world and show exactly how brilliant you really are. Food will be provided.

Ghosts got you glum? Demons dropped you in the dumps? Vampires vivisected your vigor? The Supernatural Survivors' Association is here for you. Even if you haven't experienced something of the supernatural come and meet those who have. Things lurk in the shadows; these people know all about it. Share your experiences and knowledge. What goes bump in the night doesn't have to be such a mystery anymore. Munchies served, but feel free to bring food to share. *Vampires, ghosts, demons, and other supernatural creatures should go to the Spookies R' Us meeting on the fourth floor.*

AA, SA, GA, and other A's have been postponed until further notice.

BODY FOUND, FINALLY IDENTIFIED
Telly Mainstiem

A man found dead a few weeks ago by a young girl in the park has been identified as John Coffey, a man who many knew, and loved. Coffey helped out at the City Hospital, and some said, he had miracle hands. Able to heal those who were even gravely ill with just a gentle touch. Those we interviewed claimed that Coffey wasn't the sort of man to have enemies, that he was widely loved by everybody he came into contact with.

Coffey was found by Marissa Johnson three weeks ago when she was with her family in the park. The coroner stated that he'd been dead a week by the time he was discovered, and that a single gunshot wound to his head was the cause of his death.

With no records of any kind for the man, it took police a full three weeks to discover his identity, and were only able to crack the case when they got a lead about a missing man. They'd been told that this man wandered off a lot, and forgot where he was supposed to be, but if they saw him, they were to guide him back to the hospital. They matched a hospital surveillance camera image to the body they had in the morgue.

Little is known about the man named John Coffey, just that he helped many in The City and was gentle and kind. It is estimated that Coffey was in his mid thirties.

A funeral will be held on Tuesday, July first. All those who knew him are invited to attend.

City Shifts, Mayor Vanishes, People Gone
Marina Hylie

After the most recent large shift of the City, we find ourselves missing a few of the bigger names and most prominent faces that made up this place that we call home. Is it ours to question the why of it? Or should we just be going along with the ride as we have always done?

Never before has so much been taken from us at once. Figures that we considered to be load bearing walls are just completely gone, with no sign. The mayor, Miss White, is nowhere to be found, there isn't any evidence that she was ever in power, aside from what memories we have retained. The police chief, Bigby Wolf, is also missing. Where does that leave our police department?

Superman, Batman, billionaire playboy Bruce Wayne; all gone. Though there are rumors of where Superman might be and those center around the nefarious Joker and Arkham Asylum. Even some of our own reporters have been counted among those that have vanished. Clark Kent and Lois Lane are both gone, as well as Peter Parker who was once a photographer for us, and recently took up position in the forensics department for the police.

Where does that leave the rest of us? Do we have to wait and rebuild? Do we have to push on without these people? Do we anticipate their return?

The City Voice would like to remind the people of this city that we are more than capable of moving on. We have before, and undoubtedly we will have to again. This cannot put a noticeable dent in our lives. This cannot halt the life of the City. We must soldier on.

It has been recommended that if you discover a friend or family member missing that you report it. The City Police would like a clear record of all those who can't be found.