Story by Maribel Z K

Thrivalists, clear your calendars for July 7-8 weekend and brush up on your Walking Dead by catching the series marathon PLUS previews for Season 3. Oh, and a special version of Season 1, Episode 1 true to the comic book.

Press release:

The Walking Dead has announced that they will air the first glimpse of season 3 over the weekend of July 7th and 8th. The following press release was made public as well:

New York – May 31, 2012 – AMC announced today “The Walking Dead” Season 3 Preview Weekend on Saturday, July 7 and Sunday, July 8 beginning at 11:30am each day. Airing just one week before Comic-Con, the two-day programming event will feature a marathon of all 19 episodes from the series’ critically acclaimed first two seasons, culminating with a “Talking Dead” live primetime special on Sunday, July 8 at 9pm. The one-time-only airing of “Talking Dead,” hosted by Chris Hardwick (Nerdist), will be followed by the world television premiere of the black and white version of “The Walking Dead” pilot episode at 10pm. The special version of the series’ first episode was created specifically for fans of The Walking Dead, as it holds true to the original black and white comic book, written by Robert Kirkman.

Throughout “The Walking Dead” Marathon, Hardwick will introduce each episode from the set of season three in Atlanta, giving viewers a glimpse of the new sets. Along with several cast members and producers, he will set up the storyline from each episode, and discuss the classic moments and unique characters featured. In addition, every episode with be wrapped with exclusive character and scene-specific content from the first two seasons, including behind-the-scenes footage and sit-down interviews with the cast.

In the hour-long “Talking Dead” event, shot live in Los Angeles, Hardwick will give fans a first look at “The Walking Dead” Season 3, including a scene from the new season, and brand new video interviews with the cast, a tour of the new set and a sneak peek at the props and wardrobes featured in Season 3. Hardwick will also sit down with in-studio guests including the show’s executive producers and other celebrity fans. Viewers will get information on the show’s presence at this year’s Comic-Con, including a look at the construction of “The Walking Dead” booth, updates on AMC’s “The Walking Dead” Social Game, and other show-related news and topics.

At one point during the live show, Hardwick will reveal a special code to viewers, which they can use to enter “The Walking Dead” Watch to Win Sweepstakes, at http://www.amcdead.com/. The winner will receive a trip to Atlanta and a “stagger on” role as a zombie on the hit show.

The on-air event will be complemented by activities online at amctv.com, where fans can find more exclusive behind-the-scenes videos and participate in Fan Favorite polls, which cover such topics as Fan Favorite Weapon, Fan Favorite Walker, Fan Favorite Walker Kill and Fan Favorite Survivor. The Poll winners will be announced by Hardwick during the “Talking Dead” live event Sunday night.

“The Walking Dead” reigns as the most watched drama series on basic cable for Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. The series has garnered an Emmy® Award for Outstanding Prosthetic Make-up and a Golden Globe® Award nomination for Best Television Series – Drama, among other accolades. Critics have heralded the series as “the most suspenseful show on any network” (Boston Herald) and “the greatest thriller ever produced for television” (Entertainment Weekly). The series tells the story of the months and years that follow after a zombie apocalypse. It follows a group of survivors, led by police officer Rick Grimes, who travel in search of a safe and secure home.

Story by Ray Dawg

During a brief rest from their intense, groundbreaking research, two members of our team contemplate the pros and cons of the coming Zombie Apocalypse:

Story by Maribel Z K

It’s important to know your enemy. The good thing is zombies are more or less built like their living version — us. In other words, they are built like us and hence have similar “structural weaknesses”. Since they don’t react to pain and bleeding doesn’t bother or injure them, it’s a good idea to break their structure and limit or stop their movement if you can’t go for their brains. Following on a earlier video by John that discusses the ideal traits of an anti-zombie martial art, I talk about the concept of “structural incapacitation.” The Internet is replete with self defense videos with a lot of jargon that is basically Greek to the average human. This video discusses the basics of human structure and two targets that an unarmed person can use with little strength or training to take down a zombie or aggressive human and get away safely.

Continue reading “Zombies are Us: Basic Targets for Structural Incapacitation (video)” »

Story by Maribel Z K

Brains, brains, brains. That’s all people like to talk about! But what are your other options, what if you’re shorter, not as strong, lower to the ground, have a crappy weapon or no weapon? We gave this some thought and ranked these based on the ease of “execution” (effectiveness) and repetition (reliability – flub proof). Consider these!

Continue reading “Top 7 Other Targets for Self Defense During the Zombie Apocalypse” »

Story by Maribel Z K

You shouldn’t carry tons of items in your bug-out / grab-n-go bag but that doesn’t mean you don’t need to organize them. In this video, I go over common household items that may have ended up in your trash that could be re-used or re-purposed as part of your zombie survival or prepper gear.

You don’t really need to spend a lot of money or time to compile basic survival gear. After all, the whole idea of survival gear is survival which means using whatever is available to meet your basic needs. You don’t have “tactical” needs, you need food, water, shelter, health and security/shelter. If there’s one skill you need to have, above all else, it’s improvisation (no, you don’t need to be Wayne Brady on Whose Line is it Anyway?, though I admit that would be highly entertaining).

To improvise = to invent, compose, or perform with little or no preparation. (Yes, I’m saying to prepare, you need to be able to invent/perform with little to no preparation – silly English language).

Learn more details from our youtube video below, and don’t forget to like our Facebook page.

A homework assignment:

Put a box next to your recycling and/or garbage can and label it “Survival items”. Then next time you’re about to throw out something, think about its possible uses in a survival scenario. Also, is it light, is it sturdy, water resistant, fire resistant, transparent, metallic, ergonomic, versatile? These are all good things. If they meet several of these characteristics, you should probably save it, at least until you come across something better. Other than a good sturdy knife (see our videos on various cutlery and John’s recent video on bug-out bag/grab-n-go bag necessities), food and certain medical supplies, you should be able get basic survival items from your everyday household  throw-aways. Happy viewing!

Story by John Moore

One of our Twitter Followers asked us the folowing question: “What are the top 10 items for your zombie apocalypse bugout bag?”

Great question. However, rather than just give you a list of 10 things, I wanted to go a little in depth to background for prepping a bugout bag. I also differentiate between a bugout bag and a grab and go bag.

I stress that everybody’s bag is going to be different, and depend on the environment they live in. However, survival needs aren’t going to vary that much since we are all physiologically similar.

To live through the ZPOC (zombie apocalypse), you’re going to have to address the following survival concerns:

1. Protection from exposure and the elements – exposure to temperatures just a little outside what you’re used to can kill you in hours.

2. Water – dehydration and sickness from drinking impure water can kill you in a few days.

3. Food – you can go a few weeks without food, but your physical and mental capacity will be severely impaired.

Additionally, your first aid and security needs are unpredictable, but when you need them – acute.

Generally weight and space are your enemies – think compact, light, and multi-use items. Fire is your friend, and has many survival uses – besides being able to ignite a zombie or two. You need a fire kit. A good fixed blade knife and some paracord need to be a part of your kit.

Watch the video below to get the rest of my suggestions, and don’t forget to like our Facebook page.

Continue reading “How To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse Questions: The Bugout Bag” »

Story by John Moore

After the zombie apocalypse, you might worry that a compromised grid or disabled supply line might mean no bacon. Bite your tongue! Real zombie thrivalists (TM) stock a supply!

Yoder’s Canned Bacon is the way to go for your survival food storage needs. A long shelf life combined with a healthy supply of high-protein, high calorie food is a ZA survivor’s dream come true.

I review a can of bacon in the video below and tell you why, amongst other things, it’s a great winter survival food. Also, you can use the grease that it’s packed with to cook other things. Guess what? It tastes awesome!

I also reveal the best way to get it out of the can.

Continue reading “Yoders Canned Bacon – Zombie Apocalypse Prepper Review” »

Story by John Moore

Let’s face it, the economy sucks right now. But you shouldn’t let that stop you from prepping for the impending zombie apocalypse.

This video shows you how to start getting ready for the Z-SHTF or TEOTWAWKI (the end of the world as we know it).

Over the weekend I stopped by a dollar-store to check out what prep supplies you could get on the cheap. Just a short list includes:

Continue reading “Dollar Store Prepping – Zombie Prep Network Style” »

Story by Ray Dawg

Time to Get Totally Pumped!

While it is abundantly clear that  Zombie Armageddon will certainly happen, it is apparently not clear to everyone that it will also be totally awesome. I’m here to help. Reducing stress is essential to your health and wellness. What good does it do to worry about things you can’t control? In this article, I’ll lay out some of the highlights of the impending Z.A., so that you can sleep well at night, secure in the knowledge that when the world as we know it is overrun with flesh-eating undead hordes, we are going to have the time of our lives!

Awesome Fact #1: There will be absolute lawlessness.

Law and order might sound nice, but let’s face it: It’s boring. Our social structure will experience an abrupt reboot, and the survivors will be given a blank, (albeit dangerous and cannibalistic), slate to work with. “No Smoking” areas? Gone. No turn on red? How about Turn Wherever the Hell You Want! Consider these gems:

Everywhere will be “dog friendly”
Dress codes: non-existent.
No more lines at the DMV.
Everyone will be licensed to carry by default. No matter how you feel about guns now, trust me, you’ll like them when the ZSHTF.
Last Call is at never o’clock.

Awesome Fact #2: You can wear any kind of hat you want.

We all have a hat that we purchased on a whim, that we’re too afraid to actually wear for fear of being ridiculed. Well, like everything else, fashion sense is getting a fresh start in Year One, Anno Zomini! No longer does that bowler derby need to languish in sheepish obscurity deep in the confines of your closet. You can wear a top hat, fedora, cowboy hat, fez, or Kaiser helmet for all anyone cares. No one’s going to judge. You know why? Because of…

Awesome Fact #3: No more hipsters.

Honestly, this is mostly an article of faith for me, I’m not precisely sure how it’s going to happen. Partly because hipsters can’t really move quickly under any circumstance, partly because fixed gear bikes are hard to ride uphill…and there’s a good chance many of them will get bitten deliberately to be ironic. There is the slim chance that some will blend in with the Zombie hordes with their torn, filthy clothing, vacant expressions and a habit of wandering slowly in groups. This is evolution, folks, it’s a gradual process.

Awesome Fact #4: Everyone’s inner badass will be unleashed.

Droning away at a soul-sucking 9 to 5 every day does nothing to inspire achievement. It only keeps you slavishly devoted to an endless list of menial tasks done to appease uninteresting people who drive bland automobiles. Unless you’re Richard Branson, you need a good fire lit under your ass once in a while to reach your full potential.  The sense of urgency created by the constant threat of being torn limb from limb will make a Tony Robbins seminar seem like doing bong hits in your Mom’s basement at age 30.

Awesome Fact #5: Prejudices will be greatly diminished.

I’m not so delusional as to believe that bigotry will disappear magically overnight, I’m still amazed at the tenacity with which some people will cling to their petty prejudices. Like roaches, these vermin will likely survive any calamity, it’s just in their nature. Being an optimist however, I believe that many prejudices are rooted in a simple lack of understanding from having led a sheltered life.

Once the zombie hordes are roaming the land looking for their next meal, the differences we notice between us now are going to pale in comparison to the differences between us and them. Any skin color is going to be just fine, so long as it’s not gray and rotting. When the ZSHTF, we’re all gonna be on the same team, like it or not. If you don’t want to be around other people because of their race, religion, or what they do with their genitals, fine.  Have fun fighting off the flesh-eaters all by your special little self.  It’ll just make me feel better about caving your squishy green head in after you’ve been cornered and turned by the hordes.

Awesome Fact #6: Pottery Barn is Having a Sale!

(So is everyone else, if you get my drift.)

Awesome Fact #7 : No More Junk Mail.

Or spam, or Mafia Wars, or Farmville, or sales calls, or status updates about your friend’s workout. In general, useless or unsolicited information will be gone. Anyone who tries to bring it back will be thrown to the horde, smothered in bacon fat.

Awesome Fact #8: No More Justin Bieber.

If, by some act of Satan, he does survive, I think an outdoor concert is in order. Just Biebs himself. In an open field. Tied to a post. You see where I’m going with this…

Awesome Fact #9: Thursdays are Vegan Potluck Night.

(My girlfriend made me promise to include this item. Don’t worry, I’m not holding anyone to this. In fact, I’m pretty sure being vegan will no longer be an option at that point, but I have to stay in her good graces for now, so bear with me.)

Awesome Fact #10:  (wait for it…)

Chuck Norris is on our side.