Monday, May 7, 2012

Zombies and such

They're baaaaaack. I remember years ago watching in black and white, movies of Abbott and Costello running from zombies. They somehow got themselves in come situation that they were running from mummies or werewolves or something ugly.  There were movies of the Three Stooges encountering inhumane beings, too.  And, back in the early 60s, I watched a show called Dark Shadows, a vampire soap opera in the afternoons after I got home from school. Now, zombies are back big time and I'm wondering what's all the fuss?  I see new books written on how to survive a zombie attack, for 'they' are coming.


Photo credit: guilanenachez from morguefile.com

 
I have a difficult time understanding this phenomena of zombies. It's not scientifically possible for a person to get up and walk again after they've been decomposing.
Can a virus reinvigorate life back into a brain and make it be half-alive? I don't think so.   When the brain's been deprived of oxygenated blood, brain cells die inside of 10 minutes. So how can a dead person think even with part of their brain kick-started by a virus?

So zombies function on basic reflex and hunger to eat living flesh. I guess that's the zombie virus telling a half-dead brain that it instinctly needs living flesh so the virus can replicate itself, because viruses need a live medium to stay viable. This means zombie brains must somehow get the rest of the zombie body functioning-like the sense of smell and/or sight to locate and go after living flesh to eat.  How do cells of the nervous, olfactory, bone and soft tissue systems all become functional again? Decomposing tissue can't function. How can zombie hearts beat to circulate blood? And whatever the virus is  that attacks zombie brains, it's got to be some powerful agent if it can control muscle coordination for standing, walking or shuffling for seeking out their prey and keeping a half-dead brain functioning.

How can zombies go on an attack or do anything? Or are they supposed to be not all-the-way dead? Nothing can be a little bit dead and a little bit alive.  If you're infected with the zombie virus, by a zombie, does the virus kill your brain and make you go delirious? If zombies have hunger for live flesh, do they go after the brain tissue for their meal or any live tissue? 

Maybe the 'undead' don't need air or blood in their tissues. Maybe all the fuss about zombies is they're looking for someone to take them all-the-way out of their misery. But that can't be either. They don't feel anything. They're just beings without knowing or thinking. Just half-existing to kill and eat to stay half-alive, or half-dead. Whatever. 

If zombies and vampires are back, are the mummies not far behind?

Take a look at this blog.

And here's something about zombie-proofing your house.


FYI-
I'm fascinated that people are so fascinated in zombies. Could it be zombies symbolize that we as a people are becoming so disconnected from caring for each other and the sanctity of life? I also find it a bit disturbing that I've taken time to write on the subject of zombies.

Zombies eat flesh, vampires suck blood, what is it that mummies do?

Saturday, May 5, 2012

People who overcome obstacles

I like to hear about real people who did things in spite of obstacles. For instance, Helen Keller, FDR, Aimee Mullins, and Ray Charles are only four known for the accomplishments they excelled in, but rather paid little to no attention to their personal, physical obstacles they each had.

I've often imagined what it must have been like to not see, or hear.  How different it would be to relate to a world without color or sound, and live in dark silence?

Navigating a hiking path blindfolded


Photo credit: jppi from morguefile.com
 
I went hiking with a friend one time and blindfolded myself to experience how it would be like to navigate the trail without sight. I had a walking stick so I could have something to hold on to and my friend gave instructions to walk straight or turn or step up. It was fatiguing.  Then I've put in ear plugs to experience a few hours without sound. That experience left me numb and unfulfilled. Sounds are very needed for everything. Even small insignificant small sounds tell us information. For instance, when I don't hear birds outside, the  silence indicates something is going on with the weather without having to hear a weather forecast. Without sounds and sight, I wonder if another of my senses would really become more sensitive? Maybe I could become a super food or wine taster. I could gather more info of my world through a heightened sense of touch. What I'd really like to be is a nose. I think that would be very interesting occupation to have. But for now, I enjoy seeing others excel over obstacles and soar.


Dance and soar to your desire


Photo credit: wallyir from morguefile.com

 
Regardless of physical obstacles, the human spirit wants to fly high. This young man, a Little League pitcher, flies over his obstacle,  which happens to be a physical shortcoming to you and I. Rather than letting his physical handicap of having only one arm be an excuse to this young man, and limit the height he wishes to soar, he doesn't. He chooses to make the best of things-he pitched a no-hitter. His parents and family have got to be so thrilled of his accomplishments. That's the sort of spirit we need to all have. Determination, and motivation without hesitation. That shows us there's nothing too high or too wide that a determined spirit can't tackle, persevere, conquer and win.

Obstacles, what obstacles?

Check out this for running/sprinting.
And view this amazing ballet. Read their story below the video.
And check out Clair Lomas, completing the London marathon. in spite of being paralyzed from the waist down.