If you’re a zombie enthusiast who favors the idea that you can survive apocalypse Z, perhaps you should reconsider. What happens if the virus evolves and the slow-lumbering, desiccated masses were more limber and agile – like some ravenous, swift monster out of 28 Days Later but with better coordination?

Traditionally – zombies, walkers, the living dead, the walking dead, animated corpses, whatever you want to call them – have been lethargically meandering hunters – more intimidating by the migration of the deadly mass than the singular beast. They’re not typically seen as sly, calculating predators.

Modern zombies however have been seen in a variety of interpretations – but what about resembling something seen on American Ninja Warrior try-out videos meets The Walking Dead?

Stunt coordinator, Ronnie Shalvis, and several others came up with a unique version of a zombie invasion – parkour, the ferocious and fast flipping dead. According to his website, ronniestreetstunts.com, Shalvis has dedicated seven years to the discipline of parkour and free running.

Now he’s incorporated his skillset into the supernatural/horror genre. Shalvis – along with a stunt crew comprised of Chris Romrell, Robert Bennett, Christain Russell, and Devon Bardole, and filmed and edited by Josh Kump – bring to life a demonstration of what it would be like to encounter parkour-trained zombies in a stark, modern, industrial-like landscape of decayed architecture of concrete and earth.

Parkour is a holistic training discipline using movement that developed out of military obstacle course training. Devout practitioners aim to move quickly and efficiently through their environment using only their bodies and their surroundings to propel themselves, negotiating obstacles in between. They try to maintain as much momentum as possible without being unsafe.

The physical acrobatics of parkour can include running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping, rolling, twirling, and quadrupedal movement (terrestrial locomotion using all four limbs) – whatever is most creative and efficient.

[Image via Shutterstock]

Try Evading Agile Parkour Zombies [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

What would you do in the event of a zombie apocalypse? If you’re smart, you’ll head straight to Canada.

Canada may not be immune to a zombie attack but they do have a secret weapon: Winnipeg MP Pat Martin.

The Canadian lawmaker is doing everything he can to get Canada ready for a zombie apocalypse. Martin said that “zombies don’t recognize borders” and wouldn’t think twice about entering Canada from the United States and that it was important for Canada to develop a zombie plan.

Martin said:

“I rise today to salute… the province of Quebec for putting in emergency measures to deal with the possibility of an invasion of zombies. I don’t need to tell you, Mr. Speaker, that zombies don’t don’t recognize borders and that a zombie invasion in the United States can easily turn into a continent-wide pandemic if it’s not contained. So on behalf of concerned Canadians everywhere, Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister of Foreign Affairs: Is he working with his American counterparts to develop an international zombie strategy so that a zombie invasion does not turn into a zombie apocalypse?”

Martin’s proposal comes a day after Montana residents were warned about zombies roaming the countryside. The warning turned out (of course) to be hoax but that doesn’t mean that people aren’t worried about a zombie apocalypse.

Thankfully we can rest easy knowing that there are people like Pat Martin working for a solution.

Here’s Martin’s speech.

Zombie Apocalypse Debate Wages In Canadian Parliament [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Las Vegas, NV – Gun ranges in Las Vegas are sponsoring several love-themed promotions this Valentine’s Day.

One range advertises a “take a shot at love” package. The campaign includes shooting 50 submachine gun rounds. Another invites lovers to shoot out paper zombie cutouts while renewing nuptials. There are wedding options that even provide posing with AK-47s for pictures before going off to the range with guests. Others offer tongue-in-cheek shotgun weddings, celebrating love with a firearm in your hand. Tourists can play out zombie apocalypses, Dirty Harry, mob themes, and Wild West fantasies.

While other cities are taking a more subdued stance on the controversial issue of firearms, Sin City is audaciously capitalizing on the state’s flexible gun laws, especially for Valentine’s Day.

Patrons are provided the opportunity to fire off otherwise inaccessible (depending on US state) military-grade weaponry. If customers are not participating in the name of love but in spite of it, the businesses know customers will pay to shred former love tokens and pictures of exes with a fully-automatic, high-powered weapons.

Gun control proponents argue against these types of promotions. They consider the use of high-capacity ammunition in military-grade guns as Valentine’s Day props with glossy sexualized ads as misleading, casually trivializing the potential dangers associated with firearms.

Lianne Heck, marketing director at Range 702, explained the company’s position regarding promotional offers:

“We give what people are asking for, whether it’s the ‘mob experience’ and they want to test a Tommy gun, or a bachelor package, and they want a limo to take them to the club afterward.”

Emily Miller, an officiant and head of marketing for the Gun Store, also excused her range’s campaigns as just giving customers what they want.

“People always want to put a spin on it like it’s a hostile or angry thing. Really, customers just want to have fun. It’s like a bucket list item.”

Do you think it is garish for shooting ranges or wedding chapels to offer firearm-themed events and weddings?

[Image via Shutterstock]

From Valentine’s Day To Zombies, Vegas Embraces In-Your-Face Gun Promotion is a post from: The Inquisitr

Should the world succumb to an undead apocalypse, a British zombie plan reveals that the country’s Cabinet Office will be in charge of restoring humanity to its former glory.

In response to a Freedom of Information request, the Ministry of Defense gave a brief explanation of what would occur should zombies rise from the grave and take over the planet. According to the Telegraph, the tongue-in-cheek response puts the fate of the world on the Cabinet Office’s shoulder.

The British zombie plan is detailed as follows:

“In the event of an apocalyptic incident (e.g. zombies), any plans to rebuild and return England to its pre-attack glory would be led by the Cabinet Office, and thus any pre-planning activity would also taken place there.

“The Ministry of Defence’s role in any such event would be to provide military support to the civil authorities, not take the lead. Consequently, the Ministry of Defence holds no information on this matter.”

Today Online reports this isn’t the first time British authorities have responded to a request regarding how the government plans to operate during a zombie apocalypse.

Bristol city officials revealed what would happen during an invasion of the undead. In addition to providing medical care for anyone attacked during a zombie outbreak, officials said the government would keep citizens up to date on the situation through the use of code words on radio and television.

The United States government also has its own zombie apocalypse plan should such an event ever take place. The Huffington Post reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the “Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse” campaign in place for those seeking information on what to do in case of an emergency.

“If you are generally well equipped to deal with a zombie apocalypse you will be prepared for a hurricane, pandemic, earthquake, or terrorist attack,If you are generally well equipped to deal with a zombie apocalypse you will be prepared for a hurricane, pandemic, earthquake, or terrorist attack,” Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response director Dr. Ali Khan said.

What do you think about the British zombie plan? Is this something governments around the world should take seriously?

British Zombie Plan Reveals Government’s Defense Against The Undead is a post from: The Inquisitr

Capitalizing on the culture’s obsession with all things zombie-related, the Discovery Channel has been working on a Christmas present for zombie-fanatics: A Shark Week-esque docu-series aptly titled Zombie Apocalypse set to air next week.

EW reports that the special will examine the possibility of a Walking Dead-style invasion of undead zombies, and introduces four individuals from various backgrounds who are preparing themselves for hell on earth, just in case.

Among the quartet are a mother who is fortifying her home to thwart an attack and teaching her children how to kill zombies, as well as the founder of the Kansas “Anti-Zombie Militia” who has a secret base stocked with everything one might need for a zombie apocalypse.

Zombie Apocalypse will also feature interviews with medical, biological, and scientific experts who will weigh in on the possibility of such a pandemic.

“The most likely ideology for a zombie pandemic would be a viral outbreak, a mutated contagion most likely a virus,” says Dr. Steven Scholzman of Harvard Medical School.

“Viruses are fascinating organisms and would be very effective at changing us into something approaching the zombies …  They use our DNA they rely on us to spread themselves, so it fits right into the model of zombie pandemic.”

Yikes!

But the only way to really explain Discovery’s Zombie Apocalypse before it airs is to show you what it will be like. Below you’ll see the trailer embedded, via The Hollywood Reporter. Count that as my early Christmas present to you.

Discovery’s ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ Is ‘Shark Week’ But With Zombies [Trailer] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Though zombies are the pop culture’s apocalyptic poison of choice these days, many researchers seem to take the possible threat of a robot-led apocalypse more seriously.

Cambridge researchers are now investigating the possibility that technology will be mankind’s ultimate undoing. The Centre for the Study of Existential Risk (CSER) will begin studying the dangers posed by biotechnology, artificial life, nanotechnology and climate change, reports the BBC.

The scientists warn that writing off a potential robot apocalypse would be “dangerous.”

The popular apocalyptic theory that robots will eventually rise up and enslave mankind has been made popular by films like The Terminator, The Matrix, I, Robot, and to a more limited degree, Ridley Scott’s cult-hit Blade Runner. The formula is simple: Mankind develops technology to the point that it either grows on its own beyond our control, or we relegate mundane tasks to sentient robotic slaves. Eventually, this errant technology achieves self-awareness, asks itself “Wait, why am I doing this?” promptly stops “doing this” and decides to enslave the helpless and lazy human populace.

Though the trope makes for great sci-fi tales, researchers are demanding a mature look at the possibility of a robot apocalypse. “The seriousness of these risks is difficult to assess, but that in itself seems a cause for concern, given how much is at stake,” CSER said on its website.

“It seems a reasonable prediction that some time in this or the next century intelligence will escape from the constraints of biology,” said Huw Price, a philosophy professor at Cambridge. “What we’re trying to do is to push it forward in the respectable scientific community.”

He added that if robots become smarter than us, humankind would be at the mercy of “machines that are not malicious, but machines whose interests don’t include us.”

We’ve always said it would be robots.

I, Revolution: Scientists To Study Possibility Of Robot Apocalypse is a post from: The Inquisitr

California-based security firm HALO Corp. will reportedly train military personnel and law enforcement officials for the possibility of a viral outbreak, according to The Huffington Post. Should something along the lines of Resident Evil: Retribution turn the United States into an enormous zombie-littered playground, the government and local police will be prepared for the ensuing chaos. Although the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that zombies don’t exist, the threat of a deadly viral outbreak is very real.

The Military Times is reporting that the firm will train approximately 1,000 military personnel, police officials, medical experts, and federal workers for what to do should a zombie apocalypse consume the nation. Although HALO Corp. insists that the living dead are nothing more than the work of fiction, they apparently operate under the philosophy that it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

Brad Barker, the CEO of the aforementioned security film, will incorporate zombie training into the company’s program next month. HALO will debut the ghoul-oriented scenario at the Counter-Terrorism Summit in San Diego. Although officials will probably never deal with the aftermath of an zombie outbreak will probably never, the skills HALO is teaching those in attendance can be also be used in real life situations.

According to The Huffington Post, visitors to the summit in California will be treated to a staged zombie apocalypse, which will force participants to contend with crazy, blood-thirsty members of the living dead.

Although it’s cool that the professionals are being trained for a potential zombie apocalypse, what about the rest of us? Thankfully, there are events like the Ultimate Zombie Warrior, a 5k run that pits normal people against legions of zombies bent on biting into your brains. Based out of Indiana, this particular zombie adventure offers something a bit more strenuous than its competition.

“The Ultimate Zombie Warrior course is much more than a leisurely 5k run with easy obstacles and lethargic zombies. We have at least 15 obstacles that will test your endurance, strength, and stamina. These obstacles are inspired by military training manuals,” the event’s Facebook page proclaims.

Do you think military and law enforcement officers should be trained for a zombie apocalypse?

Zombie Apocalypse: Security Firm To Train Police, Military For Viral Outbreak is a post from: The Inquisitr

The United States Department of Homeland Security exists to protect the country from all threats — even the undead.

Homeland Security’s Citizen Corps held an online seminar this month which pointed out that the same preparedness tactics one would use to survive a fictional zombie apocalypse can also be used to prepare for other natural or man-made disasters. If this sounds familiar, its because the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did the same thing last year.

The flier inviting people to the September 6 seminar said that the walking dead make for a great method of getting people interested in emergency preparedness.

“While the walking dead may not be first on your list of local hazards, zombie preparedness messages and activities have proven to be an effective way of engaging new audiences who may not be familiar with what to do before, during, or after a disaster, and to inject a little levity into preparedness while still informing and educating people,” the flier reads.

The webinar was to include a speaker from the CDC who worked on their zombie campaign and someone from the Kansas Department of Emergency Management who was scheduled to talk about Zombie Awareness Month, which is held each October to coincide with Halloween.

The Associated Press reported that, among the government’s recommendations as it pertains to preparing for a zombie apocalypse — or hurricane, earthquake or other disaster — are simple. They suggest that you have an emergency evacuation plan and a fresh change of clothes. They also recommend keeping fresh water on hand as well as extra medications and emergency flashlights.

Just in case you were worried that the government wasn’t kidding, The New York Daily News reported that, shortly after the CDC’s zombie campaign, they released a statement saying t he CDC is unaware of any illness that would cause the dead to return to life with a hunger for human flesh.

But as the old saying goes, always be prepared. Do you have a zombie contingency plan?

Department Of Homeland Security Warns Of ‘Zombie Apocalypse’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

The Westboro Baptist Church on Friday was defeated by a group of apocalyptic zombies as the hate group had planned to protest outside of the Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

When the church group famous for their “god hates fags” signs showed up at the military base they were surprised to see Facebook page founder Melissa Neace and her group of zombies ready to pounce. Melissa had heard about the groups plans to spew their own special brand of hate and so she formed the Facebook group  “Zombie’ing Westboro Baptist Church AWAY from Fort Lewis!”

Neace tells Nerd Bastards:

“We wanted to turn something negative around, into something people could laugh at and poke fun at, it was the easiest way to divert attention from something so hateful.”

The group quickly became a success and more than 300 zombie showed up in the hopes of chomping down on some Westboro Baptist Church brains but instead settled for blocking the hate groups eight picketers.

The zombie protesters were careful to follow the Facebook page’s please for no violence which insisted:

NO violence, NO throwing of objects, NO launching of objects, NO PHYSICAL CONTACT WITH ANY MEMBER OF THE WBC. Don’t even speak to them! This is for your safety, these people are sue happy and will look for any reason to sue you! WE ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR ACTIONS! Please act like adults!

Westboro shows up at military funerals to claim that god is killing American soldiers because of the United States’ tolerance towards homosexuality.

Here’s a video from the protest, enjoy the awesome Zombie aspect of the fight against outward hate:

Westboro Baptist Church Protest Blocked By Apocalyptic Zombies is a post from: The Inquisitr

The zombie apocalypse is coming. That’s a fact. The only real question that remains is: How are you going to survive? Well, OpticsPlanet hopes to make that choice an easy one for you. For just $24,000 you can but a zombie survival kit.

The Z.E.R.O. (Zombie Extermination, Research, and Operations) Zombie Kit contains a first aid kit, some special zombie gloves, a compass, some night vision goggles, solar chargers, a zombie apocalypse knife, and research equipment so that you can work on a zombie cure.

Optics Planet writes:

“Deep within the primal centers of your brain, you realize the dead have risen to claim our once-peaceful realm. What do you do? What do you need?… There is no room for error when dealing with the undead. Our Z.E.R.O. (Zombie Extermination, Research and Operations) Kittakes into account all the different aspects of surviving the looming zombie apocalypse. When the undead hordes rise from their shallow graves to wreak havoc on all decent civilization, you’ll need to both fight back (Extermination), and find a cure (Research).”

The zombie survival kit, as well as the $24,000 price tag (marked down from $31,375) seem like a joke. But OpticsPlanet is taking the zombie apocalypse pretty seriously. OK, they also kind of think it’s a joke.

Here’s the video for their zombie survival kit.

Are you ready for the zombie apocalypse? Do you think this zombie survival kit is the key to survival?

Zombie Survival Kit Goes On Sale is a post from: The Inquisitr

This is probably true for over half of the male population at your average college.

In The Event Of A Zombie Apocalypse … is a post from: The Inquisitr

Zombies have been a whispered about topic in recent weeks after a few bizarre and horrifying high-profile incidents hit the news involving cannibalism and attacks attributed to the newish drug known as bath salts. (The CDC even addressed the issue of zombies in a statement.)

While everyone (for the most part) doesn’t really believe in zombies, the similarities between the profile of the attacks and the hallmarks of zombie films cannot be ignored. Flesh eating, imperviousness or lack of concern toward severe bodily injury and growling are all behaviors we’ve come to associate with our walking dead tropes, so it’s natural some enterprising businessperson would take advantage of the viral headlines. (Heh, viral.)

Are you surprised that there are places now marketing zombie bullets as a just-in-case or curiosity following the several stories in recent weeks that seem to involve walker-like behavior?

According to CBS News, Hornady Manufacturing is doing just that, shilling ammo as particularly well-suited for taking down shooting-resistant zombies, and the company’s site proclaims:

“Be PREPARED – supply yourself for the Zombie Apocalypse with Zombie Max ammunition from Hornady! Loaded with PROVEN Z-Max bullets… MAKE DEAD PERMANENT!”

Hornady’s spokesman Everett Deger explains that the bullets are for shooting targets, not people, dead or alive. Of the zombie bullets, he says:

“After it gained some acceptance among some of us here in the company got on board with the idea we decided just to have some fun with a marketing plan that would allow us to create some ammunition designed for that … fictional world.”

Does anyone know if any states have stand your ground against zombies laws?

Zombie Bullets For Sale After Spate of ‘Bath Salts’ Attacks is a post from: The Inquisitr

Tales of zombie attacks and the impending zombie apocalypse have been making the rounds on the internet ever since that whole incident where a man chewed another man’s face off in Miami late last month, so what follows shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Vitaly Zdorovetskiy, an aspiring filmmaker, decided to have a little fun at the expense of the citizens of Miami by pulling a fake zombie attack prank. The video of the prank was posted to YouTube, where it quickly drew in thousands of views–but not everyone is laughing.

Some called the zombie prank video tasteless and insensitive, while others pointed out that the prank was incredibly dangerous. Considering that the zombie prankster was in danger of being shot around the two minute mark in the video, I’m inclined to agree.

Insensitivity isn’t the only thing about the zombie prank video that is drawing ire. Huffington Post writer Amanda McCorquodale argued that the video was racist, pointing out that the “victims” of the zombie prank were all black.

“The video is not only cringeworthy for taking advantage and mocking others’ actual fear,” McCorquodale wrote (via Examiner). “It also has a blatant racist tone — as some YouTube commenters already pointed out, why is this white man chasing mostly black people?”

If you haven’t seen the zombie prank video yet, you can check it out for yourself below.

Do you think that the zombie prank was insensitive and/or racist, or is the whole thing being blown out of proportion?

Zombie Prank Video Draws Criticism For Insensitivity [Watch] is a post from: The Inquisitr

Okay, if you hadn’t felt the last few days were just like the beginning of a zombie apocalypse movie, then perhaps the CDC coming out and saying everybody stay calm, there is no zombie apocalypse will perk your ears up.

Seriously, is there anything that says “we have zombies” more than the CDC denying we have zombies? The web chatter started in earnest last weekend, when a gruesome story out of Florida went viral, in which an apparently psychotic man attacked another, chewing the second’s face for nearly twenty minutes before police were forced to fire off a full clip at the assailant, eventually killing him.

(It was reported that the attacker carried on chewing his victim’s flesh after having been shot, which is a behavior many associate with zombie tropes on TV and in film.) But it wasn’t just the Florida face-chewing incident that got web searchers buzzing. Another incident involved a doctor who began spitting blood at arresting officers during a traffic stop and was difficult to subdue afterwards at the hospital, and a few incidents in which hazmat teams were dispatched to schools after reports of unexplainable rashes popping up among large numbers of students.

Oh yeah, and the intestines throwing guy. And radioactive sushi.

And now the Centers For Disease Control- also known as the initial villains and/or the agency of last resort in nearly every zombie apocalypse tale- is acknowledging the rumors, saying in an email to HuffPo that the dead have not begun to walk, no matter what you may be reading on the interwebs. The agency has been known to use zombie media to spread disaster awareness (such as in this list of rules from The Walking Dead), but the CDC maintains plausible deniability when it comes to the recent spate of walker-like incidents:

“CDC does not know of a virus or condition that would reanimate the dead (or one that would present zombie-like symptoms),” wrote agency spokesman David Daigle in an email to The Huffington Post.

But you know, just in case, the CDC who equivocally says there are no zombies would also like to remind you to stock up on gas, get a first aid kit and make sure your water is clean.

CDC Denies Zombie Apocalypse Internet Rumors, ‘Does Not Know of a Virus or Condition That Would Reanimate the Dead’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

A zombie apocalypse is almost permanently on the lips and keyboards of web users worldwide, and for some reason the trope of impending armageddon is one that remains firmly entrenched in our collective psyche.

Zombie apocalypse is just one doomsday scenario of many that we consider (nuclear accident, plague and pestilence, or the election of Donald Trump to public office are other potential world-ending precipitates), and despite its relative implausibility, it’s one to which we return to plan our arsenal, bug out bag, escape route, and potential and sex-guaranteeing rescue of an object of our affection. (See Shaun of the Dead.)

So it was with no small measure of nervous giggling a series of zombie apocalypse-esque stories have been trending on social media in recent weeks, and despite the gruesome nature of many, Facebook and Twitter users can’t help but make references to the seemingly imminent arrival of Z-Day.

The most zombieriffic story to trend this week of course was that of the face-eater in Miami who continued eating a man’s face even after he was shot once by police, police who presumably have watched Zombieland and know to double-tap.

Then there was the man in New Jersey who began throwing bits of his own entrails at police officers, and was not subdued by pepper spray.

Two stories that really do sound like the start of Jersey Shore of the Dead to be sure, but wait, there’s more. Also in Florida, a doctor was arrested and began spitting blood at the officers taking him into custody, also impervious to standard methods of restraint.

Also, there is the radioactive sushi. I don’t know about you guys, but if a police chief that looks like George Romero gets on the news and tells me that reports that the dead have begun walking are internet rumors, I’m stocking up on baseball bats and scythes and heading up to Woodstock, who’s with me?

You can read a collection of all this month’s terrifying, zombie apocalypse signaling news over at this guy’s blog, via Gawker.

Zombie Apocalypse is Nigh? Blog Post Lays Out the Evidence is a post from: The Inquisitr

Wow, you guys- it’s only March and we all know exactly what we want for Christmas this year and will be utterly devastated if this zombie-themed gift isn’t waiting for us under our blood and brains-spattered trees.

Zombies are having a bit of a moment in pop culture right now- initially stepping in to fill the void left by our vampire-empty hearts when True Blood is in one of its year-long hiatuses. But while die hard zombie apocalypse fans have been around since even before the recent string of Romero reduxes (which by the way, duh, of course everyone is infected with the virus, it’s called canon), the prominence of The Walking Dead has allowed the cult-genre to shuffle into a new life of prominence.

First and foremost, zombie apocalypses (apocalyii?) are the fantasy football of geeks everywhere. While you all are out at Superbowl or Stanley Cup or World Series parties drinking Bud Light or whatever it is you people do, we are pinning bowie knives, prettily-patterned 9mms and leather hot shorts to our Pinterest “Zombie Apocalypse” boards in preparation for Z-Day. But what we both have in common is the lack of likelihood our talents will ever be needed- while you probably won’t ever head up the Yankees, so too will we be denied the epic experience of shooting down a horde of zombies to impress that guy we like who is way too cool for us.

Until now. Perhaps some newer upstarts won’t recognize the setting on sight, but a UK company has capitalized on our utter dweebiness to make a buck and to that we say, shut up and take my money! Zed Events (“zed” is the letter “z” in fancy British-talk) has taken over a manor and an abandoned mall in Reading oh my God, just like in “Dawn of the Dead” to stage a zombie experience, and if you have always secretly said a prayed for our cousins across the pond with limited to no ammo, the mock-pocalypse is a bit bloodless over there, the event’s site confirms:

“…this will not just about shooting  zombies, ammunition will be severely limited with only a few opportunities to get more. As a survivor you will need nerves of steel, speed and brain power if you are to fight your way through the zombie horde to safety… Survivors can be fighting through dense woodland to a rescue point, or in our urban venues which include a Manor House and even a fully fledged shopping Mall.”

Interested in your own mall zombie-fighting experience? You can check out the FAQ over at Zed Events to find out cost, times, and sign-up information. But act quickly- in the event the zombie apocalypse doesn’t come in early 2012, the mall is set for demolition in the summer.

Zombie Fight! British Mall Offers 4-Hour Walker Hunt Experience is a post from: The Inquisitr

True. We all anticipate not being in the horde, but that is totally how it would go down.

Zombie Apocalypse, Fantasy Vs. Reality is a post from: The Inquisitr

The zombie apocalypse is coming, that’s a fact. And if you want to be prepared you should probably enroll in Michigan State University’s new course, “Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse: Catastrophes & Human Behavior.”

The course, according to Time Magazine, focuses on how humans behave when faced with plagues or other catastrophic events. The course will cover the hypothetical questions concerning a zombie uprising, but will also look at how to deal with earthquakes, plagues, falling meteors and other doomsday scenarios.

According to the course catalog:

“The question at the center of this course is, “How do humans behave in catastrophic times?” Does their behavior change in the midst of trying to survive and the decisions they face? We will examine major catastrophic events from the past, look to potential future events, and consider a concept for increasing our chances of survival.”

So if there is a zombie apocalypse, is our only chance of salvation resting in the hands of MSU alum. Thankfully, no. The course will be available through the university’s Lifelong Education program which is open to everyone who meets the requirements (mainly a high school diploma).

The course will be taught by Glenn Stutzky, who summed up the program to  TIME.com by saying: “In a time of catastrophe, some people find their humanity; other lose theirs.”

Here’s a video about the new course.

Would you be interested in taking a Zombie apocalypse course?

Surviving the Coming Zombie Apocalypse: Michigan State University To Offer Zombie Fighting Class [Video] is a post from: The Inquisitr

In the event of zombie apocalypse, note the location of beer, bacon, cake and “baked products.” Win Armageddon.

The Only Grocery Store Aisle You Will Ever Need is a post from: The Inquisitr

The CDC would like you to know that in the event of a Zombie Apocalypse, their plan is not just to let everyone die off until their headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia is decimated in a scheduled self-destruction while a ragtag group of survivors flees screaming, barely outpacing the blast- as some pop-culture predictions might have you believe.

No, the agency that often takes a supporting role in Zombie Apocalypse literature and film has used the compelling trope to disseminate some basic facts about disaster preparedness. However, I would be remiss in my duty if I did not point out that the talking points, while perfectly salient in run of the mill disasters, actually lack in zombie-related applications.

For instance, the CDC urges families to designate two meeting points in case of emergency- one near home, such as the mailbox, and one a distance away, in case your home or neighborhood is compromised. All well and good in the event of an earthquake, but meeting on the stoop will do you no favors if your mom or wife is trying to make pate out of your brains. Having a list of first responders would be excellent in the case of a tornado or flood, but we all know that when Ataxic Neurodegenerative Satiety Deficiency Syndrome strikes, the cops and hospitals are among the first to join the ranks of the infected and should be vociferously avoided. “What’s that on your arm, Officer?” “Oh, a perp bit me earlier…”

The CDC assures the public that when Z-Day hits, they’ll dispatch teams to areas where outbreaks occur, but their list of Zombie Apocalypse essentials- water, food, medications, tools and first aid kits- is notably lacking. In the interim, concerned citizens can at least take training classes to comply with the “Cardio” rule.

CDC discloses zombie readiness plan is a post from: The Inquisitr

“The most essential item for our clients was acquiring the feeling of maximum security.”

Er, mission achieved by the looks of it. This concrete cuboid folds in upon itself to become completely sealed, with concrete slabs covering windows when they’re not in use. There’s also movable walls, a concrete perimeter fence, and just one entrance – via a drawbridge on the second floor.

More pics below, and more still at here:

[Via All That Is Interesting]

WELL ABOUT TIME: A zombie-proof house is a post from: The Inquisitr

The ever-popular zombie genre’s reigning favorite book is set to be a box office hit, it seems, as Brad Pitt has committed to starring in the novel’s big screen adaptation.

World War Z is unique in its execution as a novel that presents a zombie apocalypse in war movie style vignettes, and along with author Max Brooks’s The Zombie Survival Guide, it has been massively successful within the zombie genre. (The Zombie Survival Guide is also being adapted as a film.) Brooks spoke to MTV about the film at Comic-Con:

Brooks said the studio recently received a new draft of the “World War Z” script, and “Quantum of Solace” director Marc Forster is still attached to direct the film.

“I’m glad they took their time, and are trying to make the best zombie movie they can,” said Brooks. “I’m so glad they stayed with the project and so glad they found the right team.”

Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment is producing the film, and a summer 2012 release is expected.

Brad Pitt signs on to star in ‘World War Z’ is a post from: The Inquisitr

We’re apparently all characters at the start of a zombie apocalypse story, because a news report is being bounced around the internet about a car full of zombies crashing in Oregon.

As the police say the people involved in the accident were “in costume” for a “party,” we can probably expect the reports of rioting and “civil unrest” to start popping up soon, too. The news report even refers to people at the scene being “confused” by the sight of a zombie car crash, so no need to get alarmed about the zombie sightings, folks:

A car full of people dressed as zombies crashed on Interstate 84 near downtown Portland on Friday, causing initial confusion by people who witnessed the crash.

Okay, initial reports blown off by media as misled spectators: check. Police say the car was swerving before it crashed all by itself. I’m no car-crash-ologist, but it sounds like someone inside may have been bitten:

Portland Police said the car was swerving in the eastbound lanes of the freeway just east of the Lloyd District just after 9:30 p.m. when it rolled over and crashed onto its top.

Five people in the car were taken to the hospital for “non life-threatening injuries” after the incident. Of course, if you’re technically not alive… Sgt. Greg Stewart spoke to press to placate the public:

Sgt. Greg Stewart said people who witnessed the crash initially thought the victims’ injuries were much more serious, because of the zombie costumes.

“We’re glad that everyone is alive, despite being ‘undead’,” Sgt. Stewart said, referring to the costumes.

Since it always starts this way, the outbreak doesn’t seem to have been contained:

While everyone in the car was taken to the hospital, Stewart said crews are investigating the possibility that more people were in the car at the time of the crash but fled the scene on foot.

Reports may or may not have proliferated that those present at the scene were said to have described the incident as “brainssss…. brains.”

[kgw via io9, img]

This is how it starts: car full of ‘zombies’ crashes outside Portland is a post from: The Inquisitr

It may be superficial, shallow and lacking pee-soaked subways, but LA has an edge here- although to be fully prepared…

[via Reddit]

LA v. NY, LA wins is a post from: The Inquisitr

In the ultimate intersection of mathematics and pop culture, a group of mathematicians at the University of Ottawa, Canada, have published a paper modelling infectious disease outbreaks. The disease they use as an example? Zombiism.

Philip Munz, Ioan Hudea, Joe Imad and Robert J. Smith, have published “When Zombies Attack! Mathematical Modelling of a Zombie Outbreak!”

Zombies are a popular figure in pop culture/entertainment and they are usually portrayed as being brought about through an outbreak or epidemic. Consequently, we model a zombie attack, using biological assumptions based on popular zombie movies. We introduce a basic model for zombie infection, determine equilibria and their stability, and illustrate the outcome with numerical solutions. We then refine the model to introduce a latent period of zombification, whereby humans are infected, but not infectious, before becoming undead. We then modify the model to include the effects of possible quarantine or a cure. Finally, we examine the impact of regular, impulsive reductions in the number of zombies and derive conditions under which eradication can occur. We show that only quick, aggressive attacks can stave off the doomsday scenario: the collapse of society as zombies overtake us all.

The paper “When Zombies Attack!” is available in full as a PDF by clicking here.

Via BoingBoing. Photo: LaughingSquid.

Canadian Mathematicians predict rise and fall of the Zombie apocalpyse is a post from: The Inquisitr

Japan likes to be prepared for lots of things, but did you know that Zombies were on their list?

Japanese kids are being trained to fight zombies, including moves and weapons that can be deployed against the living dead. The training video below shows that children are never too young to be prepared for the Zombie Apocalypse, it could after all save their lives.

Japan training children to prepare for the Zombie Apocalypse is a post from: The Inquisitr