Undead Air

Undead Air #11: The ZomBcon Files

2011-11-12T17:12:00.003-06:00

Special Thanks to ZomBcon and their staff
This Episode Has Been Deemed Not Safe For Work

* Intro

*Disclaimer

* NSFW Warning

* Song: The Mutilators " I F**ked a Zombie"

* Promo: Zombie Grrrlz

* Interview: David Emge

* Interview: Eugene Clark

* Promo: Zombie Research Society

* Interview: John Amplas and Michael Gornick

* Interview: Day of the Dead Cast Members
Lori Cardille, Jarlath Conroy, Antone Dileo

* Promo: Necronomicast

* ZomBmart Featured Product: "Avery Nolan: Private Dick of the Dead" by Tony Faville

* Mikey's Movie Review: "Rammbock: Berlin Undead" - Trailer

* Promo: Undead in the Head

*Interview: Judith O'Dea

* Promo: Mail Order Zombie

* Interview: Bill Moseley

* Interview: Sid Haig

* Outro

* Contact Info
Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/Undead_Air_nov2011_ZomBcon.mp3

Email:
omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #10 : You Get One Wish on a Dead Man's Pole

2011-10-19T22:28:00.006-05:00

Special Thanks to:
Lincoln Zombie Fest and Dr San Guinary's Spook a Rama
for allowing us to record on location at their events.

* Intro

* Disclaimer

* Interview: Dan Iske from The Dead Hour

* Promo: Zombie Grrlz

* Interview: Dick Starr

* Promo: Necronomicast

* Interview: JD McGhoul aka Pat Kilbane

* Promo: Mail Order Zombie

* Interview: Dean Jones

* Voicemail

* Promo: Zombie Research Society

*Mikey's Movie Review: Zombie Dearest

* Promo: Undead in the Head

* Interview: Mike Christopher

* Interview: Kyra Schon
check out Kyra's awesome artwork at http://www.etsy.com/shop/StoneHouseArts

* Contact Information

Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/undead_air_oct_11.mp3

Email:
omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #9: Contagion Outbreak

2011-08-29T22:46:00.008-05:00

Portions of this show were recorded live at Contagion:Outbreak in Omaha, NE

* Intro

* Disclaimer

* Song : "Fight 'Em Till You Can't" by Anthrax

* Promo: Mail Order Zombie

* Interview: Joe Schreiber

* Promo: Zombie Grrlz

* Undead Arcade Game Review: Raging Dead

*Promo: We're Alive

* Interview: Matt Mogk

* Promo: Zombie Research Society

* Promo: Contagion:Outbreak

*Mikey's Movie Review: Zombie Honeymoon

* Promo: Undead in the Head

* Interview: Billy Tackett

* Promo: The Takeover

* Interview: The Zombies of The Walking Dead
Joe Giles, Sonya Thompson, and Melissa Cowan

Special Thanks to The Necronomicast for providing this audio clip

* Contact Information

Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/Undead_Air_aug_2011.mp3

Email:
omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #8: I Saw Your Mommy and Your Mommy's Undead

2011-05-26T17:01:00.006-05:00

* Intro

* Disclaimer

* Song : "Zombies Ate Her Brain" by The Creepshow

* Mikey's Rant: "Honor and Respect"

* Promo: Necronomicast

* Undead Arcade Game Review: "Ghoul Escape"

* Promo: Zombie Research Society

* Zom B Mart Product Review: "That's Not Your Mommy Anymore" by Matt Mogk

* Promo: Mail Order Zombie

* Mikey's Movie Review: "Special Dead"

* Promo: Contagion:Outbreak

* Zombies in the News

* Outro

* Contact Information

Direct Download:
http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/Undead_Air_may2011.mp3

Email:
omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #7: A Right to Blood

2011-03-30T07:11:00.007-05:00

* Intro

* Disclaimer

* Song : "Zombies" by Cosmos Harvester

* Mikey's Movie Review: Homecoming

* Promo: Necronomicast

* Ammo Advice by Barry Dunne

* Promo: Mail Order Zombie

* Rant from the President of the Omaha Chapter of the Zombie Research Society

* Zom B Mart Product Review: ZSAT by Casey Bassett

* Promo: Zombie Research Society

* Zombies in the News

* Outro

* Contact Information

Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/undeadair_March_2011.mp3

Email:

omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #6: Unarmed and Dangerous

2011-02-03T18:43:00.006-06:00

Intro
Disclaimer
Song: "Zombies On My Lawn" by The Volume Brothers
Mikey's Movie Review: Zombie Campout
Zom B Mart Product Review: Night of the Living Dead:by Joe Kane
Promo: Mail Order Zombie
100 Word Tip: Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Promo: Zombie Research Society
Rant from the President of the Omaha Chapter of the Zombie Research Society
Promo: Dead Mech- Kindle
Zombies in the News
Promo: We're Alive
Outro
Contact Info

Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/Undead_Air_feb2011.mp3

Email:

omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #5: The ZomBcon Files

2010-11-13T09:20:00.007-06:00

Intro
Disclaimer
Interview: Billy Tackett
Interview: Scott Reiniger
Promo: Mail Order Zombie
Interview: Danny Hicks
Interview: ZomBcon Founder Ryan Reiter
Interview: ZRS Founder Matt Mogk
Chicks Rule with Bunny Graves
Promo: Fried Green Zombies
Mikey's Movie Review: Zombiez
Zombies 4 Zombies Presents- The 2 Minute Zombie by David P. Murphy
Zom B Mart Product Review with Lisa B: Zombie Flesh Jerky
Interview: Nate "Rock" Quarry
Interview: The Code Z Crew
Wrap Up
Contact Info

Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/Undead_Air_nov10_zombcon_wrap_up.mp3

Email:

omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #4: Dieners, Shooting Galleries, and Strip Clubs

2010-10-26T22:48:00.007-05:00

Intro

Disclaimer

Song: "Undead Happy Trees" by Tom Smith
Promo: Mail Order Zombie
100 Word Tip: Shopping Cart Crowd Control
Chick's Rule-with Bunny Graves: Mur Lafferty - "The Takeover"
Promo: Zombinc
Zombies in the News
Mikey's Movie of the Month: "DIE-ner (get it?)"
Zom-B-Mart Product Review with Lisa B: "Oh No Zombies!" board game
Promo: "We're Alive"
The Rant from the President of the Omaha Chapter of the Zombie Research Society
Promo: Zombie Research Society

Wrap Up

Contact Info

Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/Undead_Air_Oct10.mp3

Email:

omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

Undead Air #3: Red Hot Zombie Love

2010-09-24T12:56:00.007-05:00

Intro
Disclaimer
Outline
Dedication: RIP Zellie Blake
Song: "Zombie Love Affair" by Johnny O and the Jerks
Movie Review: George A. Romero's "Survival of the Dead"
Trailer: Dead Mech
The Rant from the President of the Omaha Chapter of the Zombie Research Society
Trailer: Lakewood Memorial
100 Word Tip: "When the Police Arrive"
Promo: Zombie Research Society
Zombie News
What We Learned Today
Contact Info

Direct Download:

http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/Undead_Air_3_final.mp3

Email:

omaha@zombieresearch.org

Voicemail:
402-957-2717

Twitter:
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

100 Word Zombie Tips #19 "Pinch Weapons #1 'The Sweat Sock Morning Star.'"

2010-07-23T06:00:00.012-05:00

There will be no countdown when the zombies attack. The world will be safe, then it will not be. Unprepared? Unarmed? Did you wear clean socks?

In a pinch, you can use your socks and a heavy object to build a makeshift morning star.

Put one sock inside the other, doubling the fabrics thickness.
Insert a heavy, solid object (or multiple solid objects) into the socks.
Tie it off below the attacking mass.

Swing this weapon in a downward arc (Not sideways! Centripetal force will bring it towards you if you miss.) The weight and speed should fracture a skull.

100 Word Zombie Tips #18 "Rationing Physically"

2010-07-22T12:56:00.002-05:00

The average person requires roughly eighteen-hundred calories daily. During an extended outbreak rations may be scarce. To be sure you have enough food to survive an outbreak with minimal exposure from scavenging, you’ll need to keep physical activity to a minimum.

Avoid pacing or other nervous activities.
Carry everything you need, not everything you want. The more you carry, the more rations you’ll require.
Don’t burn more calories retrieving food than the food is worth callorically. Walking a mile for water chestnuts could result in a net loss of calories.
A half hour of sex: One-hundred and fifty calories. Sorry.

100 Word Zombie Tips #17 "Alive Inside"

2010-07-21T06:00:00.003-05:00

We believe that a permanent zombie apocalypse is unlikely. Due to the amount of training and firepower possessed by the military, police, and militias of the world, the cavalry IS coming eventually. When they do, how do you safely notify them.

The simplest way is to write “Alive inside,” on or near the highest traffic area; with the number of alive listed. If looters or other dangerous individuals are an issue, double the number of people, and add “, armed, be careful.”

Also, if you have access to a flag, display it upside down; it’s an international sign of distress.

Source: Police officer.

100 Word Zombie Tips #16 "How to Make Sandbags"

2010-07-20T06:00:00.003-05:00

Barricades made of debris and plywood should keep out zombies, but they will provide little or no bullet resistance. Dangerous survivors, desperate looters, even stray bullets may go right through your defenses and injure someone in your group. The solution? Homemade sand bags.

Gather pillow cases, garbage bags, or shirts tied off at the neck and arms.
Fill them with dirt, sand, flower, sugar, cornstarch, potting soil from indoor plants. Anything that behaves like sand will work like sand.
Tie off the open ends, and stack them as needed to provide an interior bunker, fall back location, or makeshift wall.

100 Word Zombie Tips #15 "When the Police Arrive"

2010-07-19T06:00:00.001-05:00

Regardless of the state of society, when a police officer arrives on the scene, you MUST defer to them. The reason? If they feel threatened, they might shoot you.

Listen to any instructions you’re given and follow them without hesitation. There will be time to explain once the officer feels safe.

Keep your hands in view. Don’t reach into pockets, even for identification, until asked. You may be asked to turn away from the officer.

Tell the officer about any concealed weapons you are carrying. For visible or carried weapons, the officer will instruct you how to deal with these.

Source: Police Officer (Verified by second officer.)

100 Word Zombie Tips #14 "How to Siphon Fuel"

2010-07-18T18:22:00.001-05:00

by Dave Terry

To travel during a complete societal breakdown like a zombie apocalypse, you’ll need gas. Without power, pumps will not function. You’ll need to syphon fuel from abandoned vehicles.

(Some newer models have a screen, so look for a older vehicle.)

1) Feed a rubber hose approximately a half inch wide and five feet long into the open gas tank; twist as you push to manage any curves.

2) When you’re halfway in, blow and listen for bubbles.

3) If you hear bubbles, give one hard suck to get the gas flowing, then push the hose into the gas can. Gravity will take over.

Hole Up and Die

2010-07-13T07:45:00.002-05:00

Intro
Disclaimer
Outline
Trailer: One Eighteen Season 3
RE: Your Brains Jonathan Coulton
Mac Versus Zombies by Will Ross, Mikey Taylor, and Justin Lowmaster
Movie Review: Severed: Forest of the Dead
NPR Versus the Zombies by Will Ross
100 Word Tip: "How to Temporarily Set a Broken Limb"
The Rant from the President of the Omaha Chapter of the Zombie Research Society
What We Learned Today
Contact Info

Direct Download: http://traffic.libsyn.com/undeadair/undeadair_2.mp3

omaha@zombieresearch.org
voice mail 402-957-2717
http://twitter.com/undeadairshow

Our cover art was graciously donated by Ben Hummel.

100 Word Zombie Tips #13 "How to TEMPORARILY Set a Broken Limb"

2010-07-06T23:17:00.001-05:00

It's important to reestablish alignment of the extremity (arm or leg,) not just for bones, but to decrease the chance of a neurovascular injury from the break moving around.

First, find something stiff to support the break. This could be a board, a rifle; anything that will hold the break in as near a correct position as possible.
Next, teather your support to the injured limb tightly, but not so tightly that you cut off circulation. Make sure you tether above and below, but not directly on the break.
Finally, seek medical attention immediately from the closest source available.

Source: Dr. M.B.

100 Word Zombie Tips #12 "How to Properly Fire a Rifle at a Zombie's Head"

2010-07-04T01:58:00.002-05:00

Long range is the best time to utilize firearms. Being able to take careful aim will eliminate ammo loss from “spray and pray.” Here are a few tips to make head-shots easier.

1) Keep the rifle against your shoulder, but don’t force it.

2) If possible, rest the forestock on something stationary; if not don’t make your grip too firm.

3) Align your front and rear sights carefully.

4) Inhale, then squeeze the trigger slowly at the end of your exhale. The weapon should surprise you when it fires.

5) Reload, if necessary.

6) Assess the situation and fire again.

Source: Sean Roberts (Bootcamp) Personal Experience: ROTC

100 Word Zombie Tips #11 "If You INSIST on Using a Katana."

2010-07-03T05:53:00.001-05:00

First, don’t. It’s a dangerous weapon in untrained hands and it’s likely to be a display model. However, if it’s all you have:

1) If you stab and get stuck, give it a quarter twist while pulling out to release the vacuum.

2) Aim for the neck. It has fewer bones to get your blade caught in.

3) Control distance. The katana is a medium range weapon. It is useless in close quarters.

4) Prepare for breakage. Your katana will break. Don’t be surprised. Wear protection if possible to minimize damage.

Just remember, this weapon is not intended for zombies.

100 Word Zombie Tips #10 "Motorcycles"

2010-07-02T06:54:00.004-05:00

by Brad Zipprich

Sometimes preparation can mean the difference between life and death. You have your bag of goodies, your weapons and you managed to stay alive. But now the mass exodus of people trying to escape the city has left the highway a parking lot. Thousands died as the recently reanimated swarmed the traffic jam that panic created.

Your chances of getting a car or truck through are slim.

Luckily you took a motorcycle riding course. Perfectly suited for getting through the abandoned vehicles a motorcycle is your best bet. In addition, they're great on gas mileage and also very easily hidden.

100 Word Zombie Tips #9 "Be Aware of Your Surroundings"

2010-07-01T01:53:00.004-05:00

by Brad Zipprich

Asking "how do I get out of here" during an emergency is never a good thing.

It’s one of those things that most people take for granted. You could be anywhere when trouble strikes. If you don't know where you're going, you won't get there.

Reanimated dead just knocked down the front door. A crazy person set’s their cubicle ablaze. The Girl Scouts are headed your way selling more cookies. The point is, you have to escape the building.

Pay attention to exits. Browse building maps if posted. During emergency evacuations, a dead end is exactly that.

100 Word Zombie Tips #8 “‘Man Can’t Stand, He Can’t Fight’”

2010-06-19T08:59:00.002-05:00

by Brad Zipprich

So there you are, being chased by an animated corpse.

Much to your dismay, you find out that shooting them in the head does not actually put them down. Despite all the movies you’ve watched, head-shots don’t appear to work!

Should you still attack the head? Well, if you attack the head, the body may keep coming at you (one chicken lived eighteen months without his head, for example.)

Take out the legs. Without legs, it will be slower and not nearly as mobile. This isn’t a fail safe plan, but it will buy you some time, if nothing else.

by Brad ZB

Source: Internet Research: Experience

(Editors Note- We'd like to thank Brad for submitting today's 100 Word Tip. If you're interested in submitting or suggesting a tip, submit or suggest to Omaha AT zombieresearch DOT org. We like Brad's thinking for two reasons. 1) Many times we forget how much of the brain is superfluous to movement; many people are brain damaged through injury and continue to live. 2) Brad's tip illustrates one of our key principals; when the zombies outbreak happens, you will not know the rules for sure.)

The Katana

2010-06-18T01:04:00.976-05:00

Mikey Taylor, President of the Omaha Chapter of the ZRS caught up with up with Lyle L., a Katana and Swordsmanship instructor, to ask him about this weapon.

It’s a weapon we hold in high regard; just not as a tool for fighting zombies.

(A katana. Notice the blood groove or "fuller" on the left. This allows the blade to be lighter and thinner by reducing stress from leverage, and can help release the vacuum caused when a flat blade enters flesh. Many modern weapons have now incorporated a fuller. If your katana doesn't have one, you're already one step behind.)

Mikey:
How many years of sword training do you you have? This would include any katana training.

Lyle:
Eleven years not including all styles. If you include all styles, seventeen years.

Mikey:
Is that the total number of years you’ve been holding a sword; being familiar with the basic operation.

Lyle:
Total years holding a sword would be... well, almost eighteen years.

What was your sword question?

(A katana and its saya (scabbard.) When kept in the saya unmaintained the blade loses combat readiness. To be combat ready, a katana must be properly oiled, powdered and polished to maintain the blade and prevent corrosion or mold from forming. To use against zombies properly for the duration of an outbreak, a number of non-essential items would need to be carried in quantity.)

Mikey:
We have a couple, actually. The first is about the difficulty an inexperienced person might have trying to remove a blade from a body (due to the vacuum that's created.)

Lyle:
Well according to the fella that did a bit of stabbing in Vietnam, it requires roughly ten times the energy to withdraw the blade as it does to insert it.

He said that he would put his foot on the body and pull the bayonet out.

(Bayonets, various styles. A bayonet is a stabbing tool or knife attached to a rifle with a "bayonet lug." Some models are attached permanently. Many modern bayonets now have a fuller at the top to reduce weight. It should reduce vacuum.)

Lyle:
I would think twisting the blade would create some air between the flesh and the body as you pull out. You planning on stabbing someone?

Mikey:
Nope, doing research regarding using a blade against zombies for the Omaha Chapter of the Zombie Research Society. I'm trying to change people's minds about any untrained person using a katana in combat.

The katana is everyone's fantasy weapon in zombie combat. I'm trying to discourage its use in untrained hands.

Would it be hard for an untrained person to break a blade?

Lyle:
Well I can tell you from experience that anyone can cut using a sword. But (and this is a big but,) without proper training they will not be effective more than once in a combat situation. The angle of the blade; the grip; the stance; how you project the cut, and more. They all need to be near-perfect.

When in battle, even the most skilled swordsmen in Japan would break or at the very least damage their blades. Contrary to popular belief when two metal objects meet damage will be done.

Not to mention an inexperienced person making a fatal error and injuring themselves.

During World War II there were a high number of Japanese solders that were injured by swords.

American soldiers didn't carry swords. The officers were wounding themselves because they were not trained in the sword. This was due to the samurai being outlawed and the Imperial Japanese army was then made up of regular folks. These regular folks had no formal sword training.

(A shin gunto katana, the type used by Japanese NCO's in World War II. This is a "type 95;" this or a "type 98" would have been used, (though officers were issued a "type 94" of higher quality.) These katana were created in the 1930's to replace the kyo gunto, a sword with a grip similar to a modern military dress sword; the style was considered "too western.")

Mikey:
How about improper cuts hitting bone?

Lyle:

An improper cut hitting bone will at the very least get your sword stuck in the bone. Then you no longer have your weapon. It will also at the very least be bent, if not broken.

The other thing to keep in mind; most of the swords used by untrained persons are probably wall hangers. These would likely break and they’d stab themselves in the process of cutting. The type of metal and how the sword is made; whether it is forged, folded, or just stamped out is a monumental difference.

(How your stamped katana will behave in combat.)

Mikey:
Here's a question from my research team. “In a situation where you were surrounded by a dozen humanoids at close range who don't respond to pain, must be destroyed by beheading or the destruction of the brain, and have no fear: would you use the katana?”

Lyle:
If it was all I had I would have no choice. It would depend on how quickly they could move. A very skilled swordsman wouldn't have any problem with just a dozen. If he could control the maai well enough, I would think...but then, it also depends on terrain and surroundings.

(Editors note: Maai is a very difficult to concept to explain to a non-swordsman. It can mean numerous things like distance between two opponents, and/or how quickly one can cross that distance. It can also mean independently or jointly: the rhythm of the attack, or the angle. For the purposes of this interview, consider maai to mean “tactical positioning" for simplification.)

I mean Zatoichi wouldn't have a problem... and he's blind.

But unfortunately he’s a fictional character.

And if an individual is facing twelve combatants, that individual will need a great deal of stamina. They would need to be in excellent shape... better than excellent, I think

Mikey:
(Laughs) So in other words, it can be done by the best of the best, but even by them there might be a better choice of weapon in this situation?

(Modern martial artists practicing Kenjutsu, "way of the sword." To use a effectively use the katana in a zombie outbreak, you'd need to be training like this for multiple hours every day. This is in addition to time spent maintaining the weapon. The martial artists in this photo are using bokken, a wooden version of a katana we do endorse.)

Lyle:

Best of the best requires decades of tedious training, and I don't know of anyone that can put that kind of training in at this point (and I train a fair amount myself!)

In close quarters, the wakizashi and tanto, as well as other shorter range weapons could be used; even clubs that could crush the skull.

(A tanto. Note the full tang (the blade extends into the handle.) Most commercially made weapons are not full tang. If your sword is not full tang, don't use it in combat at all. If the blade breaks free of the handle, it will follow the laws of physics and move with the force that's damaged it. In other words, it will move towards you face. The small spike most commercial display weapons use to attach the blade to the hilt will move in the opposite direction, into your hands.)

Mikey:

A clarification from the research team: “Like the kanabo?”

Lyle:

Not familiar with that one. (Editor’s Note: an image is Wikied and sent.)

Well for multiple attackers I’m not so sure about it. It looks heavy and awkward. If you swing and miss you are very open. Like the sword, it takes some training too.

(A statue of an Oni (demon or troll of Japanese folklore) with a kanabo. A kanabo is a large club made of metal or wood covered in metal spikes. A ball bat is smaller and more practical. Regarding missing; don't apply so much force that a miss will take your weapon away from you. Cracking a skull requires less force than you'd think; there are multiple accounts of bar-fight skull fractures from beer bottles.)

Lyle:
The jutte would be very good though. Japanese police used them for protection against swords and were great for cracking skulls. The metal fan would be good too.

(A jutte (or jitte.) A weapon from Edo period Japan. Note the single pronged tine which could arrest the movement of a sword blade (Whether they could or would attempt to "catch" a sword swing consistently seems to be a topic of heated debate.))

Mikey:

Now considering that statement regarding the decades of training, what are the chances of someone who's done a year of Kendo or Iaido being successful? (In your opinion of course.)

Lyle:

Well, like anything else it depends on the individual, the instructor, and their mentality. I think the odds are not good for the average person. Anything is possible, but not always probable.

But if you can control maai, then yes.

In short, the one being attacked would have to have the "no fear" attitude that the attackers have in order to overcome the fear and adrenaline dump they are sure to receive.

("Kendoka" practice the martial sport of Kendo. Kendoka shout a "kiai" (battle cry) when attacking to show their fighting spirit. Like the Confederate "rebel yell," this shouting also controls fear by focusing the body's fight or flight towards fight. (If you have time to prepare for combat,) the Kote (gloves) of the armor will protect your hands and wrists from bites and are non slip. The rest of the armor is impractical for zombie combat: the Men (helmet) defends the neck and face at the expense of nearly all peripheral vision, and the Do (chest protector) seriously impedes agility.)

(Editor's note: as someone who played Kendo for a very short time, I feel confident in saying that this is a good sport for conditioning your arms to handle extended melee combat with zombies. A good club's training sessions will leave your arms feeling like jelly.)

Mikey:
So, the last question from the research department: “Would it be fair to say, in your expert opinion, that this is not an ideal weapon for even the well trained in this particular situation, and almost certain suicide in the hands of the barely trained or unfamiliar?”

Lyle:
I would agree with that statement. Well trained is good, but one would really need to be an expert in my opinion.

And the barely trained or unfamiliar would be lunch for their attacker.

(This is you with your store bought katana right around the time you decided we were right.)

Courage and grit will go a long way in a confrontation though.

Mikey:
Amen to that. Thank you for your time .

(In a zombie attack, could you draw your (well-maintained, correctly forged, full tang with fuller) katana from its saya, control your maai and fear, use near-perfect technique every swing, and avoid getting stuck in bones or a vacuum? If not, this is not the weapon for you.)

Our Final Opinion on the Katana Zombie Outbreak Weapon:
(based on this interview and the subsequent research)

1) The katana, while beautiful and deadly, is a poor melee weapon for killing zombies. Its proper use in combat requires a level of training, technique and stamina that it's unlikely the vast majority of its zombie savvy proponents have; it requires more physical ability and training to use in extended zombie combat than most people are even capable of achieving.

2) It requires too high a level of quality and design. To be combat ready it must (at a minimum) be full tang, folded or forged, and have a fuller. Any katana you scavenge or own is unlikely to meet these specifications and therefore will be as dangerous to you as it is to them.

3) It requires too much maintenance. Unless you plan to carry all the necessary supplies to maintain it, and have a blacksmith in your group and access to a forge for repairs, a single encounter may destroy its combat readinesses. Even if you can properly maintain the weapon, that time can be better spent during a zombie outbreak.

4) It will not reliably and consistently penetrate bone in non-expert hands. To kill a zombie as we currently understand them you must destroy the brain or separate it from the body. This means you will be encountering bone every time you kill a zombie. One mistake in technique and your katana will become stuck or break.

5) It becomes awkward at close range. Its length changes from an advantage to a serious disadvantage the moment you fail to control maai. If an Edo era Japanese police officer with a jutte was a match against a samurai through use of proximity and a short range weapon, then a group of zombies will certainly overwhelm you. Zombies advance fearlessly and constantly; losing control of maai just once is enough to put you in mortal danger. Even if you have perfect control of your maai, when used against a group the other zombies will be advancing as you kill. It is not a weapon that can multi-task into a short range weapon like a baseball bat, which can be held short or sideways if needed. It is a weapon designed for a specific range.

6) A katana is a useful weapon against dangerous humans in a zombie outbreak, but still not ideal. For the well-trained, a proper katana may be useful against aggressive looters and other dangerous survivors. They feel pain, and will fear the weapons fearsome reputation. Just remember all the above points.

7) Expertise in swordsmanship can be a useful part of a zombie preparedness strategy. Learning to control maai, and condition your body (especially your arms,) and learning discipline are all useful. The skills gained while learning this weapon can better prepare you for melee combat using a more effective zombie killing weapon. But just like a master of Taekwondo is unlikely to choose a butterfly kick in a bar fight, learn the weapon for pleasure and conditioning, then use those skills with the correct tool for the job.

8) For professional swordsman who want to use a weapon that utilizes their skills, a bokken is a better option. Melee damage is unlikely to make the weapon unusable, and it can easily and quickly apply enough force to fracture a skull. It can be held short or sideways. It requires no maintenance to keep combat ready.

9) As always, if a katana is your only option in a zombie outbreak, use it. Something is always better than nothing. If you have to use it, avoid stabbing if the blade has no fuller, keep out of close range combat, and remember that it is likely to break or become stuck. Remember that you are handling a dangerous (and if improperly built, unsafe) tool, and find a more appropriate weapon as soon as possible.

In summation:

A correctly built and maintained katana, in the hands of a trained swordsman, is a deadly and beautiful tool. It's design changed weaponry forever: many of it's forging techniques and design features were adapted by other culture. The weapon and the martial arts that were designed around it are both gorgeous and viciously effective. The katana is an amazing weapon.

But not for fighting zombies.

(Editors Notes: Due to the fact that Lyle L. and Mikey didn’t realize this was an interview until it was halfway over, the text has been reformatted for grammar, spelling and idea organization.

Follow-up questions were asked at the end for clarifications that have been moved for readability and to avoid redundancy. No text was omitted with the exception of administrative questions and the like.

Consider italics and bold to be emphasis; we believe these are key points.

Photos are Creative Commons, and attributions will be added shortly where required. (Still figuring Blogger's system out.)

Items in parenthesis, unitalicized and marked with "(Editor's note-" are added opinions and explanation. Items in italics and parenthesis next to a photo are notes based on our research and contain supplemental information. Wikipedia and at least one other source was used for research; however, this is an editorial article.

Will Ross,
Editor and Researcher)

100 Word Zombie Tips #7 "No Service?"

2010-06-17T06:38:00.006-05:00

During a zombie outbreak mobile phones may not work; first from over-extended networks, then power grid failure. Don’t abandon them!

Power down; conserve batteries. If you still have electricity, (and are safe) recharge. Mobile phones are useful.

Mobile phone screens are bright. It’s a decent flashlight in a pinch.
There is likely useful information or applications on your mobile. Phones are essentially small computers now.
An alarm function can be fantastic for distraction/bait. Place (or toss) it. Move away quietly. Alarm goes off, zombies investigate. Distracted, you can avoid (or ambush) them.

Remember, common objects may be uncommonly useful.

Source: "Surviving Disaster" on Spyke (#3) Testing: #1, #2

100 Word Zombie Tips #6 "Being a First Responder (When First Responders are not available.)

2010-06-16T01:01:00.002-05:00

In a catastrophic event like a zombie apocalypse, first responders may be unavailable or overwhelmed. If trained first responders are unavailable in a medical crisis, you may need to become one.

When you arrive at a scene, make an assessment. Are bystanders rational or are they argumentative, screaming, or crying? Is the area safe?

The non-rational need to be moved away from the scene; they cause the patient stress, which could put them into shock. Rational bystanders can assist you if needed. Ask them if they have medical or first aid training, and utilize it.

Stay calm; do your best.

Source: Dave Terry, First Responder