Zombies and You

In 1968, George A. Romero burst on to the scene with a groundbreaking movie. Night of the Living Dead, the first of what would span a whole genre of stories across books, television and cinema, was released to the public; it was met with horror, disgust and intrigue. Drawing inspiration from the novel I Am Legend, George A. Romero's movie would go on to earn between 12 and 15 million dollars over a ten year period. Night of the Living Dead was translated in to 25 languages and released across most of the world, provoking fascination and repulsion.

When we examine the current state of the zombie or undead genre, there is some exciting and innovative ideas present. Films such as Zombieland and 28 Days Later take the undead genre to new and interesting heights. Most recently, cable television network AMC, has forged the latest addition to zombie lore with The Walking Dead, adapted from the graphic novel of the same name.

As a fan of zombie movies and stories, I face much ridicule. I get looks of surprise, disgust and even questioning of my sanity when I mention my penchant for tales of the undead. If we examine the stories themselves, there are some interesting themes involved. George A. Romero tackled the many ideologies prevalent in the 1960s; racism, feminism, faltering of the nuclear family and conformity to mainstream culture.

The zombie genre illustrates philosophical ideas of human extinction. If somehow, humans were no longer the apex organism in our ecological system, it would reap mayhem, mass hysteria and outrage. To say the least, walking corpses would produce chaos and panic.

Zombies themselves are reflections of our need to belong. In the 1960s, being part of the homogeneous society afforded a person access to good jobs, homes and family life. The undead represented a perversion of that ideal. Moreover, their constant consumption (of human flesh) can be commentary on people's constant rate of consumption of material goods and unrelenting quest for more money. Zombie lore states that zombies do not consume resources such as oxygen or food, nor have emotions or feelings of any kind. Their only goal is to seek out living humans and eat them. This lack of emotion and constant consumption is again a reflection of materialism of the 1960s.

In every story about an undead plague, society crumbles and is realigned. Skills such as hunting, building and survivalism become more important than being able to balance a checkbook, use a computer or sell a script for a movie. Max Brooks, author of World War Z, depicts this to a degree when comparing immigrant families and their knack to make things last by repairing broken items and limiting consumption due to the lack of resources. Max Brooks wants to highlight that a "throw away" society such as ours, the skills and definitions of success are vastly warped. In general, people are very worried about being competitive in the material sense: Drive a BMW, live in a posh neighborhood, go on vacations in the Caribbean and also make $100K or more per year. This is what society has defined as being successful. In a hypothetical disaster, such as a zombie apocalypse, all of those things are null and irrelevant.

Being a celebrity seems to have overtaken the need to do something worthwhile in one's life.

Don't get me wrong; I enjoy movies, music and entertainment, but beyond that, I do not care about the lives of celebrities. They do their job and get paid (too much) for it. Our celebrity centric culture works very much to our detriment. How does this relate to zombies? It just might be that worshipping an actor or celebrity makes you a zombie, constantly consuming their content without regard.

The zombie genre is a warning against over-consumption, materialism and general hive mind behavior. It is important to not only have some individuality, but more importantly, it is important to be mindful of our exhaustion of both natural and man-made resources.

Further reading for fun and education:

The Zombie Survival Guide

Zombie Squad

Zombiepedia

Living in the South...

I never thought I would be living in the southern United States. Having only lived two years outside of the state of Michigan, I was completely accustomed to four seasons, cool weather during football games, a summer weekend on Mackinac Island and eating at a Coney Island restaurant after a night at the bar.

I moved to Fort Lauderdale, Florida to begin a master's program in public health. South Florida is arguably not truly "The South", as its population is a composite of people from all around the US and the world. There is also a notable difference between "SoFlo" and the rest of Florida. Life seems to be at a faster pace than in other parts. Perhaps this is because of the transplantation of many former New Yorkers to the warmer shores of South Florida; maybe it's due to some hidden societal race that a Michigander like me, will never understand.

Between the cities of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, I would choose Fort Lauderdale nine times out of ten. Why? My gut instinct tells me that Fort Lauderdale is more about the South Florida experience: beaches, babes, warm nights and just letting your worries melt away. Miami, at times, feels as if it was trying its hardest to replicate New York City's fast paced, posh and individualistic fight for life. Instead of focusing and embracing the nexus of Cuban, South American, Haitian and US culture, Miami seems to be focusing on consumerism, materialism and superficiality. Maybe there is some hidden corner of Miami that embraces the opposite and truly incorporates culture and what I would imagine, the quintessential experience of South Florida. If it exists, I haven't found it yet.

I will concede that Miami's cuisine is superior to that of Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale's culinary offerings are nothing to scoff at, but the quantity and diversity of Miami cannot be denied and should be savored. Ignoring cuban sandwiches, West African influenced barbecue, Caribbean spices would be just that: Ignorant.

What would I consider a true southern experience? Only one city could come to mind: Savannah, Georgia.

I arrived there on hot and humid day. Perfect weather to experience a coastal southern city, the city that General Sherman burned his way to in his campaign to march to the sea during the American Civil War. Also, it used as the setting for the John Berendt non-fiction novel, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Life is a bit slower, as the humidity and heat are numbing. Despite that fact, I quite like Savannah, Georgia. The people, who have mostly moved on from their prejudices of a far by gone era, embrace their "Southern Heritage" and leave the impression of maintaining one of the few remaining bastions of politeness. And who could deny that ever-present southern accent; endearing, charming and soothing, especially coming from a beautiful southern belle.

I am not, however, in Savannah, Georgia. Fort Lauderdale has treated me very well thus far and I would not trade this experience. The people here know they are not living the true southern experience and are not attempting to replicate the experience that another city would offer. They have embraced the laid back, fun in the sun attitude that I expected. I look forward to discovering new places and hidden alcoves of existence in this captivating city.

But right now, I think I'm going to hit the beach...

The future is now....soon.

Hopefully someone picks up this concept and runs with it. I would love to see this become a reality (and I don't mean in terms of the iPad).

Mag+ from Bonnier on Vimeo.

Live your life....

Got it from here.

All the things in the universe...

The Scale of the Universe

I love stuff like this. Reminds me of the IMAX movie narrated by Morgan Freeman.

One of the most annoying things. Ever.

Refined Rage: Aston Martin

Aston Martin is my favorite car company.

A piece of art. Sex on wheels.

Power, elegance, beauty, speed. All of these words describe an Aston Martin, but none are enough to fully grasp what Aston Martin is.

You may look at it and say, "Meh. Just another car."

I say, "You need to get your eyes and pulse checked, because you must be blind and dead.

Click here for pictures.

Tread softly because you tread on my dreams...

Once in a while, a film comes along that not only helps redefine cinema, but it also asks some very deep and interesting philosophical questions. Inception, a film by Christopher Nolan, may not necessarily redefine cinema in literal terms, but Mr. Nolan has ushered in an age where the imagination is the only obstacle standing in our way in terms of film making.

With a very tight script, deliberate directing, mature acting and a flair for challenging our perception, Inception has allowed us to question our interpretation of reality, the meaning of dreams and even suggest that we challenge the established order. What I really like about this film is that it does not allow the audience to become complacent; it forces them to think about the characters, the plot and all the plot devices.

This movie is an onion; there are many layers and each layer becomes more and more vivid. Each layer also contains a different setting and this is where Nolan really shines, even if it is inadvertent. The level of detail in lighting and set production really solidifies the film and I would venture to say, even makes you care about the characters and the goal they are trying to achieve. From a rain swept cityscape, to a retro-modern hotel, a frigid snow bunker and a urban prison, the settings are a refined detail that really captured me.

The soundtrack is truly a masterpiece. Composed by Hans Zimmer, it uses many different musicians as inspiration. The music is quintessential to the many moods of the film and give the scenes that extra spark of life. Watch the trailer to hear what I'm talking about. The score gives the sense meandering at a chaotic pace, but at the same time, it has purpose at a higher, big picture level. You could even say that the score is a character in of itself.

On a final note, essentially, this movie is a heist film. Yes, you read that correctly. But instead of stealing an object of great worth, this movie is about the most valuable thing we as people cherish: our minds and ideas. One concept I am really appreciating about Christopher Nolan, his brother (writer) and wife (a producer) is that they are able to take real life situations and events and incorporate them into a movie that may not be related to real life at first glance. The Dark Knight, released two years ago, showcased contemplations on terrorism, chaos, escalation of a situation and questions whether we have the right to do something illegal to serve the common good. Inception does much of the same by questioning the practices of corporations that strive to maintain an edge in their niche market. In this case, it is two energy moguls attempting to gain higher market shares. But all of that is in the background. Inception questions our perspective of reality and how our minds are really only limited by ourselves. To top it all off, the film further questions our impact on people and how we must take care of what kind of influence we have over others, especially if that influence come from a place of power.

I urge you to see this movie, in IMAX, if you can . It is very much worth your money. Leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it.

SWAN DIVE!!

Make your own Old Spice Man voicemail message.

This voicemail is now diamonds!

Solved Mysteries

The Times of India, among other news outlets, reports that scientists working at the Universities of Sheffield and Warwick have discovered that the chicken DID come before the egg. Read the article for more info.

Times of India - Chicken before the Egg

EDIT: The argument against the findings made by renowned scientist and thinker PZ Meyers: Article

Made some more changes. I gotta stop doing this.


Something to distract you:

fuckyeahmashups

And then, there's this...

When the music died

Pretty much every pop song ever written. Pachelbel and those 4 Pop chords can go die in a fire.

You're the best around...

Congrats to Spain on winning the World Cup. Netherlands, great run. Can't wait to see the team you field in 2014.

Check here for the recast of the final match and other matches you may have missed.

To me, the tournament was one of the best. It was in a country that deserved to have an event of this caliber. Situations like this, however, are appalling and just plain ridiculous.

Overall, I've really enjoyed this tournament. Next up, Summer Olympics - London 2012!

Material Girl

Legit or fame seeking?

I would like to think she is being genuine, but it's hard to tell these days.

Rain drops keep falling on my head - Part II

After a much anticipated wait (not really), I am going to complete my contemplation on religion, the lack of religion and what religion really means. I do not claim to be a theologian, but rather a interested observer of how religion affects our current world. The following argument is unstructured and up for debate.

To me, religion is something that belongs in the last millenium. I think it has done more harm than good, has created more controversy than any other topic and stands in the way of progress. I am okay with people having a personal stake in religious activities, but as for social commentary and decisions, that should be left to the unbiased.

Before anyone jumps up and says, "Hey, religion has done a lot of people good. It provides the desperate with hope, etc," let me point out that before mass organized religion, people got along just fine. I look to Native Americans as an example. Yes, they did make war with each other, but nothing compared to devastation that later religions have wrought. Peace with the Earth and all of its inhabitants is what the early Natives believed in.

As for atheism, or the disbelief of a deity that is all encompassing and ever watchful, we see the same kind of fanaticism that religious zealots practice. This kind of "militant" atheism is in reaction to the extremism found in Abrahamic religions. This also sends the wrong message: That belief in a supreme deity is wrong and using fanaticism against fanaticism is the answer.

My position on religion is that of not having the belief in a supreme deity, until proven wrong. I would rather have my "faith" in science and logic, making the concession that the existence of god(s) is unknown and not definable. I also deplore the ritualistic nature of religion. The spread of a religious message seems more important than living piously or doing charitable works, as evidenced by the wealth of The Vatican, Hindu temples and tax breaks given to organized religious groups.

Another gripe I find ridiculous is the pitched battle between church and state. To govern properly, a federal government should be secular beyond any doubt. Those working for the government should keep their religiosity to themselves. Presenting any religious backed argument has no place in a political forum, if the government wants to remain unbiased. The religious may claim that religion in the government is a reflection of the general population, but what about the non-religious? Do they not deserve a voice. Classic case of the minority needing protection from the majority.

I do not mean to cause controversy or condemnation by anyone that is religious. I do mean to cause reasonable debate about religion, righting wrongs and possibly introducing the idea that questioning religious belief and authority is the right of anyone and should not be met with threats of violence by the religious.

Happy weekend!

Changes

Made some design changes to this blog. Hope you like it!

In a galaxy far far away.....

A Google search video I made:

Go here to make your own.

Bad

Whoa!!! I've been a bad Karthik and not posting. Sorry reader(s)!

Some quick updates:

I've moved to southern Florida (Davie/Ft. Lauderdale) to complete a master of public health at Nova Southeastern University. Great place to be and I'm really embracing the SoFlo lifestyle.

Other than being a poor graduate student, I'm trying to find a job as a polysomnographer (sleep medicine) but so far no luck. I think that will change soon.

I'm not a fan of Miami so far. Seems to me like it's just one huge bar town. I should make a more detailed visit when I get some free time.

I'm getting my life organized and trying to make this academic effort much more efficient and fruitful than previous attempts.

Wish me luck.

I shaved my head a while back, and people were divided 50/50 on whether they liked it or not. Well, I let my hair grow out again and I will have to keep it short for the time being. Apparently, going cue-ball is not acceptable at my age.

Hair

Let's face it. I'm going bald.

I'm thinning on top and developing a nice baldish spot on the back of my head. I'd guesstimate that I've lost about 10-15% of the hair on top of my head; my hair is thinning evenly.

I'm thinking about just shaving it all and going "cue ball". Any suggestions? Support? Bald jokes?

Here's to embracing bald.

Off the beaten path...

I will revisit the idea of religion in a later post, but I just wanted to share this article. It is an open letter to conservatives. If you are conservative or sympathetic to the Republican Party of the U.S., this isn't against you, but rather an insightful article on some of the hypocrisy and blatant hate that has been allowed to fester within the party itself.

Here is where you can find the original article. I would post it on this blog itself, but there are a lot of referenced materials.

Again, not an attack on the party or it's members, just an article I thought was pertinent to our current times.

Rain drops keep falling on my head - Part I

In light of recent events that have happened in my life, I have been contemplating religion, the meaning of life and how so many acts, both good and bad, are done in the name of religion.

The question that always seems provocative: Which is more important, what you do in this life or whether you reach heaven? For many, I assume the belief in an afterlife is essential for this question.

My personal belief (hey, it's MY blog, so I get to express my belief) is that whether you reach the afterlife is irrelevant. I think the idea of a soul and it reaching heaven or hell is based solely on the idea of people wanting to immortal(ized) and not erased from the history books. Therefore, what you do in life is most important. After that, isn't enough that you lived a good life and the people you survive remember you?

Since I'm working on two papers and a lab report, I'll have to revisit this topic later.

What if God is one of us?

Interesting article about an atheistic message on SMART buses in Detroit.

Article: Click this.

I love college

Last night was lots of fun. I made a trip to East Lansing because I was on break from my post-bachelor classes at OU. Initially, I thought I had made a mistake in coming; I came alone and everyone was very busy with school work or had gone home. I guess that's what happens when you make impromptu plans. Around 11 pm, I met up with two friends, who had gone to a SMB event, and proceeded to have an excellent evening of liquor and music.

During my alone time, I had a chance to reflect on how busy my week had been. I had finished two exams, read way too many pages from text books and written too many pages that I probably won't read again. You could say I took the time to stop and smell the roses.

During that time alone, I was texting my cousins. I find it very refreshing to listen to the thoughts and impressions of a young mind. They are not diluted and set in their ways, like some adults are. It's usually at this point in time that I wish I had siblings, but my cousins would do and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Another interesting notion I discovered: People don't like to see other people alone. Not that they are willing to do anything about it, but mostly it disturbs them when they see other people enjoying a night out on their own. I was enjoying the sights and sounds of East Lansing alone last night and I felt that people were trying to figure out if I was just anti-social or if I just didn't have any friends. I have come to a point in my life where I don't NEED people around to have a good time, although it is always welcome. As you all might know, I had some trouble with not having a girlfriend. I understand now that people have trouble with being alone and it's because we are a social species. It is a learned behavior from our early ancestors and it would ensure safety in work toward the common defense of the group as a whole.

All in all, excellent evening and I look forward to another tonight!

Shoot to Thrill

Invictus - William Ernest Henley

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate;
I am the captain of my soul.

Rock down to Electric Ave.

Xbox Live = Crack

I recently got Modern Warfare 2 and also found a way to use my MacBook as a wireless network bridge. In other words, I connected by Xbox 360 to my MacBook to play on line instead of buying a $99 wireless adapter. Little did I know that this would turn into a slight addiction. I mean, I've played online before, but never like this. Sometimes, I find myself day dreaming about various kills I had made or how to attack different maps during multiplayer matches. I figure this is what World of Warcraft players went through: hours and hours of immersive play. It is so immersive, that it could dominate you life.

When I first started out, I would play for a few hours at a time. Simply, I was a pathetic human being that was good at killing other people's characters online! Now, I scaled back and only play about a half hour per day because I have other stuff to do (like school, eating, sleeping, etc.).

Xbox Live is hilarious. Some kids in the 10-14 range are just comedic gold. For instance, during a match, in which I had made 20 kills, one kid kept coming back to where I was sniping, and I kept shooting him. After my team had won the match, he accused me of cheating. After he flung a few insults my way, I was finished listening to his asinine words and quipped, "Hey kid, go cry to Mommy. Oh and tell her to buy some condoms before she comes over to my house tonight." What was intended to stop this kid from being a whiny loser (hence forth known as Whiny) turned into comedic gold and caused the people waiting in the match lobby, to erupt in laughter and further taunting of Whiny. Whiny then proceeded to swear some more and left the lobby.

I guess this is why video games have ratings on them. Whiny, I hope you grow up soon. At the least, I hope you hit puberty soon so we can try to take you seriously next time.

SNOW DAY!!! My first since high school! If you have a snow day, leave a comment on what you're doing!

So, happy new year!!!


Sorry,

I've been very busy with school and grad school applications. Updates will be coming sem-regularly (2-3 times per week) instead of month to month!

Check back for more updates in a few days!