Zombie Proof

Confilt Theory Componet 2

2011-12-13T06:25:00.000-08:00

The Theory of Co-Dependency

There is no positive without negative. The idea of plus cannot be sustained without the conception of minus. This governing province drives conflict all over the globe. It is active in the transport of material across the semi-preamble membranes. If there is peace, there must be war. If there is tranquility, there must be devastation. Equilibrium is the desired outcome.

Conflict Theory Componet 1

2011-12-13T05:43:00.000-08:00

The Law of Emo-Exchange

For every moment of happiness, of any given length and intensity, there is an equally sad moment. For every pleasure there is pain. For every triumph, tragedy. Planet Earth functions in a state of constant conflict-higher concentrations moving to low across semi-permeable membranes.

Life after Death

2011-11-30T05:33:00.001-08:00

A couple weeks ago on The Walking Dead, Lorie, Rick’s wife, attempted to abort her weeks old fetus by taking a large dose of the morning after pill. Moments after swallowing the pills she forces herself to vomit, attempting to save the fetus but she remains undecided about whether or not to keep the child.

It is only after a long conversation with her husband Rick that she decides to keep the child. Her arguments for abortion are strong: every time the baby screams it endangers the lives of everyone in the group, it will require extra care and resources that are already scarce, and (I think this is her most compelling argument) the child will only know how to survive. She says fear and pain but she means that the kid will basically grow up to be an animal; a being concerned only with staying alive. It will experience no real joy, or childhood, no warm safe bed, or constant assurance of sustenance, it will know only pain and fear.

I could not think of a logical argument against her. Rick himself makes a very ethos argument based largely on empty promises to keep all of them safe, not matter the cost or the odds against him.

A colleague of mine The Mass Media’s opinions editor did point out one good reason to keep the kid, the continuation of the human race. That notion makes some sense but I remain unconvinced. It would take a whole group of people willing to care for the child, maybe a family of seven out in Kansas somewhere, if they all tried their hardest it would still take a minimum of five years before the kid was anything more that a burden.

Faith is a conceivable justification. But it would take an unshakable, fanatical conviction.

I'm still pulling for you Dale

2011-11-21T06:04:00.001-08:00

Fans of the graphic novel series, “The Walking Dead”, were no doubt upset by the events of last Sunday’s broadcast of the television adaptation of the series, and with good reason. Shane should be dead, should have been dead in like the first episode. Andrea is supposed to end up with Dale.

As a fan of the series I was perturbed by this development, after all old guys need love too, why does Shane get all the play in camp? I hope that the producers and, Robert Kirkman the creator of the series, are setting Shane up for a dramatic season finale style death.

In defense of that scene where Andrea grabs hold of Shane’s junk in the car, and then they get too it. It must have been an incredible turn on to go from feeling powerless against the snarling walkers, to being able to drop them at a glance. In a situation like that the sudden feeling of power, and the ability to cause destruction, in a sense death, with such efficiency must have been a tremendous rush.

Decisions, decisions

2011-11-10T07:22:00.001-08:00

Has anyone been watching the new season of the walking dead? IN a recent episode two survivors, Shane and Otis, are fleeing a horde of zombies. Shane is injured Otis is fat and exhausted. They are both low on ammo; their death seems assured.

Both men have a choice to make. Otis made up his mind not to leave Shane behind. He was determined that both, or neither of them, would survive.

Shane chooses to survive, with or without, and as it turns out at the expense of Otis. Shane fires his last remaining bullet into Otis knee, leaving him as live bait for the pursuing horde. Shane is able to limp away as the horde descends on the helpless Otis.

People who have seen the show know that I am leaving out key details, which would complicate the discussion so much that it would not be worth having. I am doing this purposely, for two reasons. I do not want to have to recap the entire season, and parts of last season. Two I want to simply the discussion and make it about personal survival, not a greater good question.

So what would you do if you were in their place? Would you be noble like Otis? Decided that if you were going to live the other guy would have to live too? Or would you be realistic like Shane, and save your own skin when it came right down too it?

From a logical standpoint it is hard to argue with Shane decision. You have to keep in mind that the person your surviving with is practically a stranger to you, just some guy you got tangled up in a big mess with. Also survival of the fittest. It could be that the slower Otis wasn’t so much choosing cooperation over self-sustenance. He may have been depending on Shane to get him through, perhaps if he had thought of it first Otis would have shot Shane in the knee. What I mean is Otis’s decision to” stick together” may have been born out of nothing other than fear, and an inability to fend for himself, not a moral imperative.

Still the weight of the decision, to kill someone else to save yourself. Shane makes the decision quickly and with only a hint of remorse. Does that make him a stronger survivor or a potential threat to the rest of humanity?

I think that in this case it is hard to say you would not have done what Shane did, but if everyone starts putting themselves of everyone else; if we all become amoral, backstabbers, than humanity does not stand any chance of surviving the zombie outbreak.

Weapon of Choice

2011-10-21T06:34:00.001-07:00

Choosing the right weapon to defend your-self from the living dead is crucial and difficult. A firearm might seem like the obvious choice, but guns require a certain level of skill and training to operate and maintain. Not to mention the difficulty of finding ammunition. Even for skilled marksmen, a human head is a small target on an unpredictably shuffling and stumbling body. The report of the firearm is likely to attract more zombies. But as far as I’m concerned the jury is still out on whether zombies can hear, or if they are driven to human flesh by the powers of satan.

Still if you know how to operate it, and you have one on hand, a gun is not a bad option. If I had my choice it would be a simple 22. Bolt action rifle. A rifle is going to give you superior range and accuracy over a handgun or shotgun. 22. Is likely to be the most abundant type of ammunition. That caliber is sufficient for hunting small game, the most abundant kind of game in an apocalypse. They fact that it is not an automatic weapon will help you make every shot count, and stay calm and calculating while facing down a horde of brain thirsty monsters. Employing proper breathing technique coupled with the rhythmic action of pulling the bolt back and pushing it forward will help keep your blood pressure low, your hear rate down.

As for a melee weapon ideally the weapon should be, light weight, durable, re-useable, it should have good range, and it should be a multi purpose tool. My top two picks are the crowbar and axe. The crowbar is good because it is a solid piece of metal with skull shattering capabilities. Depending on the level of decomposition I’d guess it provides a two maybe three hit kill, not bad when you consider a baseball bat provides and 10 to 15 hit kill. (See The Walking Dead for evidence, I believe the show accurately depicts how difficult it is to shatter a human skull.) A crowbar is also good to have because of its intended use, to pry things open.

A crowbar gets you close to the splatter zone though, and zombification through fluid transference is an oft over looked threat. If a zombie’s face splatters all over your face infected blood could get in your eyes, nose, and mouth. This is a bit of an aside but, goggles maybe a bandana, those hospital mask things, anything practical you can think of should be employed to keep your facial orifices, or any open wounds protected from zombie fluids.

An appropriately sized axe is great because it is a one to two hit kill. The axe has to be small though, six to eight pounds, the kind of axe you only find at a real neighborhood hardware store. I happen to own one perhaps I’ll post a picture of what I mean. Anyway it gets you further out of the range of the splatter zone, and gives you a great tool for breaking and entering. Also you may appear more threatening to would be robbers with an axe on your shoulder.

AMC

2011-10-16T09:32:00.000-07:00

Premier of the new season of the Walking Dead tonight at 9pm. Marathon of the first season on before that starting at 2pm.

Only the Strong Survive

2011-10-07T16:12:00.000-07:00

Only The Strong Survive.

In the world of the zombie apocalypse society will have crumbled and for a long time humans will live as the rest of the animals do. In the zombie apocalypse the survival of the fittest rule will apply to the human race with all the cruelty, and finality that applies in the natural world; only the strong will survive. This is my list of the people mostly likely to survive the first months of the devastation; they will be your biggest competitors for resources and in some instances the biggest threat to your immediate safety.

Military Elites: Members of armed forces that have received special training. For example, Army Rangers, Navy Seals, Marine Snipers. These individuals have received training that has prepared them for hardships like, lack of food, water, and sleep. Their training has made them physically stronger than the average person. They are experts in hand-to-hand combat, and are familiar with a variety of firearms. They have been taught to make a lot out of little. They are resourceful and used to thinking for themselves and acting alone. Being cold, dirty, hungry, alone, and in the dark is something they have already become very use too.

The Homeless: People who have been living on the streets in and out of shelters for 5 years or more. Excluding the population that would die off do to lack of medication or illegal drugs these people too are already very accustomed to the challenges of living outside with no electricity no running water, no place to wash clothes and no guarantee of food or personal security.

Loners: Anyone without a family or friends to speak of. Perhaps separated from them during the initial outbreak, perhaps estranged from them for some other reason, whatever the case those without mouths to feed, children to look after, grandparents to worry about, friends to feel sympathy for will be much better off than those who have friends and family to constantly fret over. It is easier to feed one person than 4.

Psychopaths: Conning and manipulating behaviors. No sense of remorse or guilt a very shallow emotional affect - they display emotions they don't really feel. A lack of empathy for others. They are parasitic - they live off of others. These charter tics unfettered by the constraints of what we now know as society will allow these people to be widely successful. Professor Robert Hare, of the University of British Columbia, estimates that one in 100 people in North America are psychopaths. During the apocalypse this ratio will change drastically. Perhaps 8 out of ten people will be psychopaths. They will be the most successful because they have the advantage of not giving a shit about anyone else. Not is a decisive way like many normal people will have to come to decide. These people do not even know what it means to care about another person. In theory the most successful group of people in the apocalypse will be militarily trained psychopaths.

THE WALKING DEAD SEASON PREIMERE

2011-09-30T17:28:00.000-07:00

The new season of AMC's the Walking Dead premieres Sunday October 19th at 9pm.

The show is based on a graphic novel series by the same name. It is written by Robert Kirkman. It is fantastic story about a group of mixed matched survivors struggle to survive. The comic is graphic and some people live and die within a few pages, there is also a surprising amount of sexual content. It is not pornographic but people get it on a lot. The main character Rick was a cop before the zombies rose. His sense of duty and the fact that he has a son , and a pregnant wife force him to confront a bleak future. His desperate attempt to secure a future for his family is an epic tale. The show is not bad either.

Short Term Survival

2011-09-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

Surviving a zombie apocalpyse will require careful short term planning. Surviors should focus on day to day survival. They should count each day that passes as a victory for mankind. If you can survive a day and have reasonable expection of being able to live for another day you can keep your morale up and keep hope alive. If you focus on the bigger picture, all the things that will never happen again in your life time, if you focus on the death and evil that will undoublty surrond you it will be easy to get discouraged and give up hope. Count each day lived as a win and do your best to have a plan of attack for the next day: how your going to get water, shelter, where are you going to go in search of these things. Stay focused and rember no location is safe, only safer.

Transportation Part 2

2011-09-28T07:20:00.000-07:00

Let me clarify what I mean by zombies: slow, "Dawn of the Dead"-style zombies. I think we can all agree that in a world where fast zombies can climb fences, we are all pretty much fucked.

Slow but numerous zombies. They are grotesque in appearance, and occasionally you are forced to dispatch one that you recognize--perhaps someone you loved. Once they find your hiding spot, they will relentlessly try to force themselves in. Their incessant moaning will both gnaw at your nerves and attract more zombies. They never get tired, they do not feel pain, they do not know fear.

A simple ten-speed mountain bike, properly outfitted with a basket, will enable you to move quickly and quietly through areas that may be impassable by car. The human body is the engine of the mountain bike, and it needs fuel like a combustion engine. The human body is much more fuel efficient than a car, and a bike could be thought of as the most "fuel-efficient" vehicle. A decent ten-speed will allow you to climb hills much easier than on foot. The gear system of a good mountain bike enables a rider to move as quickly as a situation calls for while using as little energy as possible. The baskets allow you to carry your supplies without having to physically carry them.

Another advantage of the mountain bike is that it can be pushed over rough terrain. This enables the rider to evade the undead or would-be robbers, because he or she is able to go where they can't. A bike can be lifted over a wall or a fence and can be shoved through thick brush. Riding a bike gives you more options; there are more passages from place to place than just the main roads.

Mechanical issues that arise when traveling by car are complex. A multitude of things can go wrong with an internal combustion engine at any given time, and any one of them could leave a would-be survivor completely stranded. The biggest mechanical problem a survivor on a bike would face is a flat tire. You can ride a bike that does not have breaks or that has a faulty gear system. A car is a more complex machine than a ten-speed mountain bike and, therefore, far more likely to break down.

In a world where resources are scarce, fuel will become the most scarce. It would be far better to be independent of petrol and still be able to transport a suitable amount of supplies. Also, you don't want to have too much stuff. If would-be robbers see a car filled with supplies, they will likely do whatever they can think of to get at it.

Transportation

2011-09-27T06:21:00.000-07:00

This will be a long rant about why the bicycle is the most zombie proof mode of transportation. I have carefully considered many other options and will weigh there pros and cons against those of the bicycle. I am hoping to generate argument and imaginative discussion. It is only through careful forethought that we can truly be prepared to survive.

Zombie barricades are failing all around you. It's time to grab your G.O.O.D. (Get Out Of Dodge) bag and head for a more defensible location. The dead are piled up pretty high around you. If you are going to get out you are going to have to do it quick. So let us consider the options.

Option one, the family four door. It is a fairly dependable vehicle and provides shelter from the elements. It allows you to carry a lot of supplies and survivors. In a situation where the dead are closing in the family car may seem like the fastest way out of a bad situation.

The car maybe the first choice of many would be survivors, but they may find themselves out of the frying pan and in the fire. For one thing most people over estimate their driving ability. Recklessly speeding away from hordes of undead could result in a nasty car accident. Worse still, the roads may be so clogged with abandoned cars as to make your escape impossible or slow your progress so much that you might as well walk.

Major road ways are likely to have been rendered impassable within the first weeks of the infestation. As people desperately try to flee from major cities highways become congested with traffic, and then with the walking dead.

Obviously fuel is a major issue as well. Petrol will likely dry up within 6 months of the outbreak; it's not as if you can just go to your locale gas station and fuel up. Any large quantities of fuel will likely be controlled by the most ruthless and well armed gang in town. Those stockpiles will soon be rendered useless as ethanol breaks down overtime. E 10 ethanol breaks down in a mere 3 months.

Arts on the Point

2011-09-20T10:36:00.001-07:00

Arts On the Point

The Steelworker

Tall and foreboding the twelve-foot figure stands strong against the elements. His stern expression and blue collar profession embodies the hard working nature of the UMB student body.

He is the Steelworker. His large spoon is actually a ladle used for pouring liquefied metal. What is often misinterpreted as menstrual blood between his legs is actually meant to represent the red-hot fluid metal that a steelworker works with. Luis Jimenez is the artist responsible for creating the piece.

Professor Paul Tucker was responsible for the statues acquisition. He explained how The Steelworker found his way to UMB.

“The Steelworker was originally designed for the city of buffalo put it never made it there, creative differences between city planners an Jimenez left the statue up for grabs. It found a home at the University of Texas. When they began reconstruction they decided they did not want the figure. I was put in contact with Jimenez by an art critic for the New York Times Michael Brenson and we acquired the piece for the campus.”

Jimenez was born in 1940 and died in 2006. He strove to create multilayer pieces that could be understood by the general populous as well as analyzed and appreciated by scholars. In a quote pulled from noteablebiographies.com Jimenez states “My working class roots have a lot to do with it (how his work is interpreted) I want to create a popular art that ordinary people can relate to as well as people who have degrees in art.”

The Steelworker hits that mark. Anyone who faces a daily grind of work, school, manual labor, strenuous effort for nominal reward, can look up at the Steelworkers grimace and feel akin to him.

Most of Jimenez pieces begin as small clay models. After refining and planning the final product the up scaling begins. Fiberglass molds and steel frames are what support the larger than life final products. Another example of this up scaling can be seen on campus in Jimenez’s Los Gatos. Jimenez is also an extremely talented painter and has several books of work.

From original concept to full blown figure the Steelworker underwent some very interesting changes, he was originally a black shirtless man standing on top of a cauldron. In a book of his work Jimenez explained the resigns.

“I started getting comments from the community that it was harder to identify with this man because he was dress in the way they did the 20’s not in the more contemporary fashion with al the protective gear. I decided to change him from a black man to a more racially ambiguous man because I learned that African Americans where hired in steel mills when the regular workers had gone on strike, there was still some tension over that, that I did not wish to excite. I changed his yellow helmet to a red one after meeting with a man who had worked in the mills. He explained that a yellow helmet indicated that he was a maintenance man, if I was making a guy who main job was working with hot metal his helmet would have to be red. It doesn’t mean much to most people, but it means a lot if you’re a steelworker.”

Tragically Jimenez died at the age of 67. While moving another of his giant pieces –Vaquero a mustang riding cowboy- one of they three sections fell on and crushed him. But his working class inspired spirit lives on in the Steelworker and multiple other larger than life pieces.