MYGADGETLIFE!!!

Monday, 16 July 2012

Zombies: The fun way to exercise is the threat of Death

You know what I don't exercise and I hated my previous job because it used to suck the life force out of me.
I used to get leg cramps even to play golf, how lame is that?. Despite all my complaints of old age and muscle atrophy I still want to be healthy. Its a tall order when most of the time I been given distractions, such as watching show and reading up on the the latest tech stuff.

When you are actually running how long do you last before you get bored? I mean it takes a lot to motivate you to jog or exercise regularly. When you are out there you need your mp3 players that will help to make your run not completely boring. A good old rock and roll tune you can help pace your strides, but even then through out the year on a regular jog that tune or playlist will sound pretty lame.
I hear Steven Fry likes to walk a lot and listen to Audio books, which sounds ideal if I like walk, though out in the middle of the city isn't my ideal choice. Besides Audio books cost quite a bit to regularly buy.

With the rising cost of everything and living standards, I like to think there is a cheap alternative to what is essentially a healthy way to live. Beside the motivation to get up and exercise for health reasons, there is too many factors not to exercise. Distractions of entertainment, the need to work to pay bills and traveling or vehicles that make you feel that doing errands are done much quicker then walking to the shops.

Modern living doesn't help you to be fit its actually the opposite, you come hoe already tired form the work and end up on the couch looking for some comfort food and end up looking like the couch your siting on.

Motivation how ever you look at it cant come from aspirations or hopes, friends might help but the people I know its unlikely to happen. I mention exercise now as its the start of the summer and while we have a reasonably ok weather my mind turns to exercise ( if it was winter I am back to Hibernation mode and probably much on comfort food till spring).

As well as listing reasons why we stop exercise there are plenty of reason why I want to exercise. Beside the usual vain reasons of not looking like Jabba the Hut, or possibility of food related obesity diseases. Technology or trends from the internet have a funny way of helping out the geeks who couldn't careless. I find myself draw into the concept of having a fantasy, the idea of surviving a nightmare brought about by the popularity of Zombies. No one likes to jog for the sake of running anymore, but why jog for those reasons?.

On phone application seems to be heading in the right direction and thats combining an audiobook and game into a cool keep fit program. The concept is that you are a scavenger who is now looking for ways to collect items. The scenario is that you are a in\a town that needs supplies, surrounded by zombies in a apocalyptic nightmare. The audio story that you jog with encourages you to run with some minor chase sequences helps you to vary your daily work out. Hopefully once you collected items you can place then on the map where it is needed and build up a reward system similar to any other game at requires a point system to unlock other missions.
The game allows your songs to play in the background, hopefully in the quite pauses in-between radio messages in the story you can still find time to enjoy your favorite melody. The concept was posted on kick-starter on Friday 9th september, with the goal of raising $12,500 to fund the production. Eleven days later there was over 2,100 backers pledged over $45,000. The original founders of game the Adrian Hon and head writer Naomi alderman, knew it was a good concept and became confident since the appearance in Wried magazine and BoingBoing.

Run for your lives is a 5 kilometer obstacle corse created by Reed street Productions. Participants are running through obstacle course, but unlike any other race runners are meet with zombie roaming the course trying to grab flags from runners flag belts (similar to flag football). Based on the military of survival Evasion resistance and escape. the inaugural race had about 12,000 attendees and was billed as training for when the real Zombie apocalypse comes. Costumes and make up were encouraged for the event, which helped to set the tone.
Reed street productions the creators of run for your lives formed 2011. The initial purpose was to have a small event to help improve the sponsor Warwear. But its popularity grew to stage several events over the United States and even the UK.
Anyone can sign up to be a zombie or a runner for a $25 or can dress themselves. There is usually a party during or after the race with multiple vendors for food and drink. The Red Cross is partnered with Run for your lives and collect part of the proceeds from ticket sales.

I can't say for sure if there will be a real Zombie apocalypse, but there is some fun alternatives to boring old exercise. The zombie trend might be a fad or a permanent ever present danger, it has certainly capture the imagination of may people then any other horror figure. Perhaps it goes back to historic times when man has to survive under the threat of being killed by a wild animal. The fight or flight response can't be used at will in this modern age, but maybe technology will help indulge the user to mimic those feelings.

Of course I like to see a visual game whereby a jogger can see a virtual zombie hoard just meters away from him as he jogs in the park with his augmentative reality goggles. mixed with a point system of building a simulated town with lots of audio encouragement from your earpiece. It certainly beats the true reality of picking a fight at a bar and being chased down the street by a hoard of drunken idiots, who one of them has your SHOE!!!. I pick simulated threat all the time.

Monday, 4 June 2012

ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE' surviving the first wave

For those who seem to be hooked on Zombies and the up and coming zombie apocalypse. It is important to think about survival and all the pitfalls in a apocalyptic situation. Its is actually healthy to think about impending doom because, I had more conversations with people then with any other topic. The Centre of Disease control C.D.C. seem to include this scenario in their online graphic novel, "Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic" Despite the much hype of increased cannibalism in the news.

Get A Kit, Make A Plan, Be Prepared. emergency.cdc.gov

If you are to think about an apocalypse in the real world, it's best to think of a exit strategy and the best way is to think of different situations you can get trapped in.It is important to see films as a good source of inspiration.

I like to think zombies as a slow moving phenomenon (but don't disregard the notion of fast running bio zombies), they are easy to out run from and the combat skills needed to kill are relatively low (unless there is a large crowd). In combat its is necessarily to remove the head or damage the brain inside, enough to stop the zombie from functioning. A large bat or a hammer can to this, it has the added advantage to be relatively quite and will not attract nearby entities. While large guns and pistols can be heard over half a mile away, thus attracting attention in the general area.

In America it is possible to obtain guns and it can provide great comfort for the urban warrior.Though difficult in England, it is most likely to have an armoury at your local police station. This can be tricky as numbers multiply in built up areas. When numbers multiply and the first Zombie wave is upon you, it is important to remain CALM and plan a exit route.

On the premise of a attack it is better to have a pole or something to push away the undead. If possible get to higher ground or try to hide while the first wave passes by. Having found a place to survive temporally, it is equally important to find food and water.
If you are at work, try to open a vending machine. If you are at home it is best to find how much food you have to survive. Most average households have one weeks supply at one time. If you need to stay in one area it is possible to ransack neighbouring houses ( providing they are empty).

On leaving a house, try to sneak away making sure you are not being notice as I am assuming the undead have the intelligence to follow you. Driving a car is important but be aware that roadblocks and obstacles are abundant in the towns and cities. A bicycle might be cheap and quite alternative, which will help if there is a fuel or car shortage. Venturing out to get supplies you need to think about protection and attack strategies. It is best to create a diversion and then sneak then to charge right in .

Tin food and concentrated powder products are probably the best for short term solution. Tins can be thrown in an emergency when cornered, any head trauma from a tin can would disorientate a zombie and possibly buy some time. Pack light when travelling, but also pack for a combat and protection.

I would recommend gloves, shin and elbow pads for your arms knees and legs. A face guard and protective eye ware is recommended at close quarter combat. Long swords (or improvised golf club) are much better for close contact then unarmed combat. and assortment of knives for eye gouging would be a quick solution then beheading the undead. The main strategy is to get away rather then to fight. With a growing number of the undead coming up to surround you it is better to push past the first few then to score big kill points.

In preparation you might want consider a survival kit. I thought about this and there are so many products on the market. Its actually a growing trend for people to consider their top ten Items for a zombie Apocalypse Survival kit. here is my list.

Please be aware that this is a light weight kit ready for transporting on the idea, that being mobile is a better strategy then to stay and survive in a area with a high number of the undead...