First of all, it is important that you save yourself from the infected, dead or living, whatever is the outcome of the virus.  In many cases, animals are immune to the blood and airborne diseases of man.  But diseases and viruses of this nature can affect every living thing, so it is best to assume the worst.

The main fear of an outbreak, apart from infection itself, would be starvation and the possibility that the infected, in their need to feed, will eat you or your pets.  There are many dangers with going back to your home.  In many cases, this is like putting the last nail into your coffin.  This can be especially dangerous if you live in a highly populated area or community living areas, such as high rise apartment buildings or condos.  Also, since your doors and windows may be open or destroyed, there is no guarantee that your pets will even be there.  This is not to say that this is a lost cause, but it will unfortunately not be a top priority.

There are some things that you may be able to do that wouldn’t completely impact your current life.  It is suggested, as is in earthquake preparedness programs, that you keep a box or bag of supplies – some water, canned food, and extra medication.  For outbreak issues, you may even want to keep a spare car key in the bag as well.  It is unlikely that you will be interrupted in your sleep by a zombie unless you are a very heavy sleeper, so you may have a few precious minutes before you have to split.  If you have pets, you will want to keep some extra canned and/or dry food and water for them as well as any medications.  As a cat owner knows, it can be difficult to get a cat into its carrying case to go to the vet so it stands true that it’ll be equally or more difficult to get the cat(s) into the case in an event of an outbreak emergency.  Hopefully, the dead have not yet invaded your home and you can find the cats easily.  If you have the time to put them in their cases, do it.  If not, you can put them into pillowcases, as you are instructed to in the event of a home fire.  Keep in mind, this would be a temporary solution and the cats will NOT be happy.

While there is no real answer for this horrific question, but as is the case for any disaster, all we can do is prepare for the worst and hope for the best.  A solution will vary between outbreak situations.  My best advice is to be creative and try to think outside of the box.  That thinking will not only save your pets lives but will come in handy and save someone else’s or even your own life.  Educate yourself and be prepared!

To begin, we will start with a quick overview of being “prepared.” I am not referring to something as complex as your earthquake kit in your house that consists of two gallons of potable water, a first aid kit, two flash lights with batteries, emergency blankets, a pocket knife, and so on. I am talking about two things that are the most basic instruments of your survival in any given situation: mind and body.

Let us start with the latter: the body. And to begin that portion, a few quotes on the body:

1. “Our own physical body possesses a wisdom which we who inhabit the body lack.  We give it orders which make no sense.”  -Henry Miller
2. “Every man is the builder of a Temple called his ‘body,’ nor can he get off by hammering marble instead.” -Henry David Thoreau
3. “To keep the body in good health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” – Buddha
4. “Man is an intelligence in servitude to his organs.” – Aldous Huxley
5. “If the body be feeble, the mind will not be strong.” – Thomas Jefferson

The body is the reason that all animals survive regardless of whether they possess conscious thought or bare instinct. One might make an argument that instinct is a part of the subconscious which, in turn, relates to the mind. I disagree. If someone surprises you, you do not think, “I think I’ll engage some fast-twitch fibers, jerk around, and see what I can see.” No, you swing around (some people arms first) as a self-defense mechanism. It is because of this and other items that will be brought to bare that I state the following, “Your body is the most basic need for any sort of survival and thus must be honed for such occurrences.”

When a zombie infestation occurs the first line of defense is your own immune system. Yes, the cause of the infestation and the way in which the pandemic expands will ultimately be your rise or fall, but when that virus, bacteria, or parasite first hits your body your leukocytes, phagocytes, and lymphocytes will react the same way as they would with any other sort of malevolent microorganism. This being said, your first step to preparing for the impending infestation is to start eating better. Fast food will ultimately not be your downfall and one diet or the next will not prove better than another. Your goal is simple: Eat more fruit and vegetables, particularly citrus and dark fruits/vegetables. Everyone knows the uses of vitamin C and the darker the fruit/vegetable the more antioxidants are present. Antioxidants help destroy “free radicals” which lead to various ailments (cancer being the big one). Other than that you know what you should and should not be eating.

Let us assume that you are one of the small percentage of the population that survives the initial outbreak whether it be due to innate immunity, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, your ability to outrun all zombies or the fact that you wear full-plate mail wherever you go and thus are quite proficient at not getting bit by anything short of Carzilla. Your next physical test will be that of endurance and strength. If you currently go to the gym or work out in any regards you are already a step above the rest because anyone can outrun the zombies of old for little while, but it is he that runs fastest/longest that survives. Also take into account that now there are more than just your classic zombie. Can you out run or strong-arm a rage virus zombie or even just a simple zombie that retains all of its physical characteristics? I will concede the point that by no means should you ever stand face-to-face with a zombie if you have the option, but people get cornered and if you can not throw a zombie off of you then you will get bitten. Once again, we are going to avoid complexity here and give you a general sense of what will help you most to prepare.

First and foremost is running (or other assorted cardio). Running is preferred because what will you be doing when the undead are shuffling after you? Hopefully that sense of urgency will kick in and you will not be walking. Cardio is also the item that will burn the most fat (if you seem to be particularly endowed), which, in turn, leads to you being able to run faster than that other portly survivor in your colony. Secondly, are four exercises that will, for the most part, cover the rest of your body (or at least that portion deemed most needed): the pull-up, the chin-up, the leg lift, and the push-up. Combined these exercises will work your upper body and abs, thus making you a more efficient zombie slayer/survivor/refugee. The proper ways for which to do these activities can be located online at www.menshealth.com or a multitude of other websites.

The final item that plays into your physical health that many people tend to forsake is that of ample sleep. While it is true that one must always been on alert in a zombie-infested world it is also true that a lack of sleep affects one’s reaction time, cognitive thinking, and overall performance. That being said, if you have the luxury of a rotating guard you should use it so that everyone can get a complete eight hours (or whatever is needed for them within reason) worth of sleep. If this amenity is not present then other options may have to suffice such as tree seats, roof tops, or any other completely secure area. Granted, depending on the infestation and zombie type none of these options may be available. The uncertainty of rage virus zombies and adaptive zombies present too many intangible issues that can not all be accounted for.

With the base of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs fulfilled we come to the next instrument in your survival: the mind. If the infestation consists of the standard classic zombie, then the odds of you surviving with physical traits alone is quite high and a strong mind pushes you up even higher on the food chain. It is the situation in which the rage virus is prevalent that the mind truly begins to shine for suddenly you are not only equal to the zombie, but in most cases the zombie’s physical prowess exceeds your own. What is one to do?

The three forms of thought process that will help the most are problem-solving, improvisation, and critical thinking (in no particular order). Let’s look at a situation: Buff McLargehuge’s colony is running through the Sepulveda pass in Los Angeles, zombies in tow, when he notices Getty Center Dr. Remembering that the Getty Center has only one access point he leads his group up the roadway (critical thinking). The tram at the Getty Center is on a track and the only way up the Center itself (critical thinking continue). When they get to the top of the tramway they have put a safe distance in between them and zombies…for now. How can they fortify themselves (problem solving)? Buff and his company decide that they need to block the tramway somehow (problem solving). They do not really have any sort of material, so they quickly muscle the tram off of the track and make it into a large obstruction (improvisation). As you can clearly see, missing any of the three components may have set the situation askew, but do to the fact that Buff possessed all three a less than desirable situation was avoided.

These three aforementioned skills obviously have their merits in non-crunch time situations so working them regularly is a benefit. For problem solving I recommend daily mental exercise offered by sudoku, crosswords, and other puzzle games that are printed in the newspaper or on those daily tear-away calendars. These will challenge you on a daily basis with ever increasing levels of difficulty. Improvisation is both an easy and hard process to work at the same time. The easy part to it is that fact that you can at any given point in time think about where you are and what you would do. The difficulty, of course, comes in the execution of your plan and the outcome of it. That being said, working it in conjunction with critical thinking is the best way to work both. If you and a friend talk through random scenarios as you walk through your local Target or Chuck E. Cheese you can analyze, criticize and rethink your strategy for each situation. I do realize that training the mental is much harder than that of the physical, but it is just as essential.

Through training the aforementioned areas you will have many of the “intangibles” needed to survive longer than those around you. Sure, being “Omega Man” is not a happy way to live, but someone has to be #1 right?

They are also philanthropists; using their unique abilities to train and inform others how to survive a zombie outbreak, they raise money for victims of natural disasters around the world. They have found a way to use their knowledge of zombie lore to instruct people on survival techniques that can be applied in the event of a natural disaster such as earthquakes, floods, tornadoes, etc.

Here is an excerpt from their website describing their current efforts:

In June, river levees throughout the Midwest were breeched due to heavy precipitation which has caused severe flooding in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, Minnesota and Wisconsin. The impact of the damages are still coming in as the flooding continues to destroy communities. To make matters worse, most of these floods came only a few days after a series of tornadoes tore through some of these same areas, including some Mid-Atlantic States.

Our national disaster response charities are tapped out due the overwhelming need for relief aid. Some charities, such as the Red Cross , are reporting that they are now seeking loans to support its network of experienced workers and volunteers, due to their funds being depleted. They need your help more than ever.

With almost 600 card carrying members to date, Zombie Squad has developed 4 Chapters, 3 in the US and one in Canada. They conduct seminars and survival training as well as hosting their annual Zombie Con, a 5 day camping trip with other members.

An annual membership fee of $15 gets you your official card as well has several other benefits. Please check out their website at www.zombiehunters.org for more information, and tell them Zombie Watch Network sent you!

When fighting the undead, the old maxim about the best defense does not apply. Given the single-minded drive of the animate corpse, coupled with its resiliency to conventional attacks and the efficacy of its vector transmission, going on the offensive against them is usually not the wisest course, especially if it involves melee of any kind. Close contact with the undead often leads to a predictable result: the recruitment of the living into the ranks of the enemy via a scratch or bite. Even at range, the risks of contamination are prohibitive: a single shot from a high-powered rifle can draw the flesh-eating bastards from hundreds of yards around, eventually leading to a close-combat scenario despite the best of intentions to avoid one. The best defense is to avoid detection altogether, the best chance for survival is to avoid any close encounters of the undead kind.

Engaging in combat with the walking dead is best left to trained specialists with military-grade weaponry and advanced tactical resources. However, when an outbreak occurs, such special forces may not be available, or may not respond quickly enough to isolate the infestation. Indeed, owing to insufficient response time, a zombie outbreak may grow to such proportions that specialized forces will end up being stretched too thinly to deal with the situation, or may be destroyed or driven off.

Consequently, you may have to provide for your own defense. Help from the military or police may not be coming. Perhaps you will find yourself trapped by a zombie swarm. Perhaps a loved one is threatened and you must act to save them. Then again, you may find yourself taking part in a civilian clean-and-sweep operation to remove an undead infestation. With adequate resources and preparation, engaging in combat with the enemy of all-life is always preferable to surrender.

This article assumes you are a not a specially trained undead hunter, nor that you have access to military-grade hardware, but are rather one of the many normal citizens who will come in close contact with animate corpses in the event of an outbreak. Lacking specialized training and equipment, there are some general principles which you would do well to follow when the time comes to fight the living dead. Incorporating these principles into your planning and activities in a zombie-infested world will vastly enhance the odds of your survival and of those who you gather close to you when the world as we know it has ended. Consider this a layman’s guide to undead combat.

GENERAL PRINCIPLES:

ARM YOURSELF
TRAIN FOR COMBAT
CHOOSE YOUR GROUND
DESTROY THE HEAD
PLAY IT SAFE
NEVER GO IT ALONE

1. ARM YOURSELF

The time is at hand for action – the zombies are quickly beating down the door and you’ve elected yourself to stand rear guard while your friends use an escape route to get away. Or you are out foraging in an area you initially took to be free of infestation, but within seconds a swarm is developing all around you and fighting your way free is the only way out. Perhaps you are searching a room that appeared vacant, but suddenly a zombie has burst in and blocks the only escape route. Are you ready to defend yourself, or will you waste valuable time looking about for an improvised weapon that might not be sufficient to extricate yourself?
Always be prepared for combat. Don’t rely on fate to provide a weapon when teeth are bared. Fighting hand-to-hand or with an improvised weapon against flesh-eating ghouls is a swift route to undeath. Assemble a suitable array of weaponry both for ranged and melee combat. Ensure that your weapons are in working order and well-maintained, and that any required ammunition is plentiful.
The nature of the weaponry you choose to wield will depend on your locale and resources. It is beyond the scope of this article to provide a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of different weapons systems; however, some general suggestions follow. If possible, obtain a rifle with a reliable scope for ranged combat. Good options for the rifle include a night-vision scope and a silencer. For medium to short-range, include a pistol that utilizes 9 mm ammunition or larger, an automatic being preferable to a revolver. Good options for the pistol include large-capacity clips and a silencer. Consider adding a shotgun to your personal arsenal, but only as a backup or assault weapon, for they produce a high volume of noise sure to attract nearby undead. Finally, include at least one melee weapon as a backup for unexpected close encounters or when ammunition runs dry – either a bludgeoning weapon (such as a lead pipe or medieval mace) for crushing an undead skull or a high-quality slashing weapon (such as a katana or machete) for decapitating them.
Have your combat gear ready for use and within easy reach at all times, for the flesh-eaters have the uncanny ability to pop up when you least expect them. This applies even in a secure location when the expectation of an encounter is minimal – having a weapon within reach rather than across the room can make the difference between life and death..

2. TRAIN FOR COMBAT

You have the best gear available, but how do you use it? Do you know how to use that new gun, or will you fail to hit your target? Will you be undead food because you forgot to click off the safety on your pistol in a crucial moment?
Know how to use your weapons. As much as time and circumstances allow, practice with them. Become comfortable with the weight and swing of your mace, sword or other melee weapon. Rehearse reloading your guns over and over until it becomes natural. Know the positions of the safety switches for each of your guns and train yourself to switch the safeties off at the commencement of any combat. Perform some target practice if time and circumstances permit, though by no means do so at the expense of drawing nearby undead to you. If target practice is not permitted, at least rehearse sighting in and dry-firing with your guns to become familiar with the motions.
You should also consider group training so you can function well as a team. Everyone you are with should know his or her place during combat or when it is threatened. During travel, one member of your team might be responsible for rear guard, ensuring the backtrail is safe as an escape route, while another person might be trained to walk point and other members be responsible for watching to left and right. During combat, some team members may be expected to dispatch zombies that get too close with pistols and melee weapons, thus providing cover for others to focus on methodical head shots with rifles, while still others keep watch on escape routes to ensure the group does not get trapped and cut off. The size of your group, its resources and the proficiencies of its members will determine how best to train for encounters.
No matter the quality of your weapons or the size of your group, you will become a banquet for a zombie swarm if you don’t know how to use them.

3. CHOOSE YOUR GROUND

A large swarm of brain-devourers is kicking in the doors and windows of your formerly secure location – do you stand your ground or use an escape route to find a better position? While on foraging patrol, you encounter a small band of zombies near to your base camp. Do you open fire, avoid them completely, or attempt to draw them away from your camp before unloading on them?
Knowing where to fight is just as important as when to fight. In fact, the two go hand-in-hand. The question you should always ask yourself at the beginning of any undead encounter is: should we (a) avoid this fight, (b) fight them here or (c) displace to a new location and fight them there? Whenever possible, choose the ground you fight on to maximize your own survival and minimize the chances of victory for the enemy.
Military units refer to the relocation of troops on the battlefield to attain a strategic advantage as displacements. Be ready at all times, whether on patrol or in a secure location, to displace to a new location. For previously-scouted locales or your home base, have combat zones predetermined that use the terrain to your advantage. Examples of favorable terrain include higher ground, choke points that restrict access, and barricades that prevent a mass charge of zombies into your ranks. Such favorable areas should always have at least one escape route guarded and ready for use in a withdrawal. If on the move and combat is either desirable or inevitable, quickly locate the most advantageous terrain and occupy it, but be ready to displace to a new location should a withdrawel be necessary. Another option is to choose a hit-and-run tactic with constant displacements. This is ideal when attempting to draw off a swarm from the main group of your people, allowing them to escape, or necessary when overwhelmed by a superior force that will not allow for any emplacement.
Don’t let the living dead choose the site of combat. Being trapped and surrounded is a sure prelude to being devoured.

4. AIM FOR THE HEAD

This one is a no-brainer, forgive the pun. The single tried-and-true method of destroying an animate corpse is to destroy the brain through a concentrated assault on the head. The brain must be destroyed, period. This can be accomplished a number of ways, but shooting them in the head or bashing it in with a bludgeoning instrument works best. Decapitation also works, but only to a point: the zombie will be incapacitated, but the head will still be animate and could still conceivably be a threat.
When shooting at the head, bear in mind it is a relatively small and usually a moving target. The most accurate weapon for this purpose is the rifle with scope, and since the rifle also ennables a shot from much longer ranges than the pistol or shotgun, is the weapon of choice against the walking dead. Don’t make the mistake of allowing them to get closer so you can get a better shot – missing at close range might be the last thing you do.

Damaging a zombie’s body provides no benefit save possible incapacitation should, for example, a leg be blown off. Hampering the undead in this fashion is all well and good but of less value than their permanent eradication, so should usually be avoided. However, incapacitating a large group all at once can be valuable during a withdrawal or if you wish to avoid close combat entirely. A well-thrown grenade might serve to blow off some undead legs, for example, or a shotgun blast knock a few off their feet.

5. PLAY IT SAFE

How the hell do you play it safe, you may be wondering, with flesh-eating ghouls all around? Simple – the safe bet is the smart bet. The object is to minimize risk and therefore maximize survivability, and doing so means thinking of the safety of you and your group first before engaging in any actions. Choosing your ground wisely, as discussed previously, is one very crucial example.
There are numerous blunders to be avoided when fighting, or when trying to avoid a fight, with the undead. Most stem from either ignorance, blatant stupidity, overzealousness, shot nerves or a combination thereof. Any single mistake made on the field of battle might prove fatal, so it’s important to play it safe and use common sense. Some good examples follow.
Zombies are attracted to noise, any noise, so the less you make the better. Every time you or anyone traveling with you makes a substantial amount of noise, it is the same as sending up a flare. Unloading on a single zombie with an unsilenced firearm will bring any within hearing converging on your location. You might dispatch one assailant only to have a dozen or more surrounding you within minutes. This is counterproductive to say the least. Use a silenced firearm, a crossbow or melee weapon as opposed to an unsilenced firearm unless advertising your location is of no consequence or you have no other alternative.
Always assume there are more zombies around than you can currently observe. They could literally be lurking anywhere, often enough staying still and quiet. Always factor this into your plans and have an escape route ready should more than you can handle appear. Nothing puts a damper on a successful episode of travel so much as moving through an area you thought relatively clear that suddenly pukes up zombies to surround you. It is this factor that makes passing through urban areas very dangerous.
Finally, don’t be a hero. If you are overwhelmed, don’t make a foolish stand or try to fight them hand-to-hand. You can impress the pretty blonde traveling with you some other way. Get the hell out of there. The least of your worries is a bruised ego when fighting the undead.

6. NEVER GO IT ALONE

Unless you have eyes in the back of your head, never need to sleep and never miss your shot, be sure to have someone around to watch your back at all times. A small group of people, suitably armed and determined, stands a far greater chance of survival than one person on their own. A mistake is probably fatal when fighting the undead alone, yet a group of people can compensate for each other’s mistakes.
An undead hunter with specialized training and exhaustive experience may do well on his own against the living dead. The average citizen will fail miserably. So before you join combat, make certain you have people at your side. If entering a new area or room, have someone with you just in case. Never never never go it alone.

Engaging in combat with the living dead is not about winning, it’s about survival. These general principles, if applied consistently and correctly, will ensure just that.

Long live humanity!

The point that I am trying to get across is that the guides you will see pop up in the near future by your’s truly is the subjective approach of a twenty-five (twenty-six in July) year old Dungeon-&-Dragons-campaigning-Magic: The Gathering-card-flopping-video-game-playing-life-time-camping-Man vs. Wild/Survivor Man/Alaska Experiment-watching-pensive-over-analyzing Eagle Scout with some influence from conversations with friends he trusts in such events. By this descriptor, you may have already dismissed me as a “zombie survival hack.” More power to you if you already have a plan and that is the case, but please feel free to offer an apology when my colony picks you up or to accept my apologies when my colony comes to you professing the mishaps of my strategy.

As you read my guide and my opinions on certain things I present please keep in mind that my philosophy, regardless of the age I am when zombies arrive, is to be in it for the long haul. I am sure that there will be some survivors out there that are only in it for their own survival and to the same extent probably some elderly folks who just want to live out their days with no care of thinking past then. When I pass, I want the colony I am in to thrive and hopefully be part of the eradication of the problem. This is my legacy… (As lame as it was that sounded like it was the Hollywood movie thing to say).

We will forgive her in this film but in the second film, Resident Evil: Apocalypse, she chooses something a bit more practical but it’s a strange mix of clothing. Not sure why the need for the fishnet top and the odd pants with the one leg cut off.

In the third installment, Resident Evil : Extinction , Milla’s outfit makes a little bit more sense except for the thigh hi’s that are secured to her shorts by a garter belt attachment. She also starts the film out with a long trenchcoat cut to make motorcycle riding easier. It’s plain to see that the coat is more aimed towards horseback riding and it seems silly that one would ride a motorcycle with strips of fabric flailing in the wind behind you. They are likely to get caught in the wheel…even if it’s not likely, why take the chance? There is already so much more going against you.

My other target is STARS agent, Jill Valentine. In the film Resident Evil: Apocalypse , she comes home, sees the news about strange happenings, and the first thing she puts on is a mini skirt and a tube top. While I can’t disagree that it looks fantastic on her, is that really practical fighting gear? Would you wear that to a hostage negotiation? Would you wear that for any sort of law enforcement function other than undercover for the Vice Squad? NO. She did have the sense to wear some kick-ass boots, but the rest of the outfit really needed some more thought.

Staying on the subject of Resident Evil , Ada Wong from the video game Resident Evil 4 (available for the GameCube, PS2, and the Wii) is my next target. Again, a beautiful and able woman, fighting hordes of mind-contolled undead, wearing a long, red, high-cut evening gown. Again, she looks fantastic in the outfit, but can one seriously take on men and women with pitchforks, machetes, and even chainsaws wearing this outfit?

Here are some suggestions for good choices for zombie apocalypse fashion:

First of all, remember that those that may have judged your poor fashion may either be dead or undead. So choosing what to wear should be more about practicality and functionality over fashion. Long pants or cargo pants are suggested, military fatigues are a good place to start. You want the material to be durable yet breathable since you don’t know what type of terrain you will encounter nor can you predict the weather. Thermal pants and tops are also good. For the top, layers are suggested. This is so you can remove layers in case of hot weather as well as put more on if it gets colder or even at nightfall. Layers can be especially helpful in case of an attack. While the regular cotton clothing is not bite proof, multiple layers can help prevent superficial scratches and small bites. You will want something to help protect the neck as it is a vulnerable area to attack. A scarf is good, however, you want to make sure that it is tucked in so that it cannot be grabbed by the undead. A hat is optional but can be lifesaving in cold weather since most of your body’s heat escapes from the head. Any comfortable shoes are suggested. Leather boots can be helpful against ankle biting zombies but the break in time for these kinds of boots can be lengthy and painful. Be sure to wear thicker socks and have plenty of band aids on hand. They can also take a lot of time to lace up, so you may need to sleep in your boots. Jackets are also good, but be careful about longer jackets like trench coats. These can be grabbed by the undead as well as get caught in elevator doors or on debris. The jacket should provide warmth and protection and be lightweight.

As we all know, how we wear our hair and other accessories are another way to express ourselves. Well, again, an outbreak is not the time to worry about whether or not your hair is in style. This is more aimed at women and men who prefer to wear their hair long. As with scarves and jacket belt/ties, these provide attackers with a way to grab you and possibly pull you back. Hair is just one more thing for them to latch on to and it will be far more painful for you. It is suggested to wear your hair tightly tied back – although this is a very temporary situation. In the event of an outbreak, the hair should be cut as short as tolerable. Remember, the shorter the hair, the harder it will be to grab. You can opt to shave the head, I suspect that if you have never done so, it may be too awkward at first and be too distracting to you. Plus, hair will help keep your head warm in the cooler months.

Other accessories, like jewelry, should be minimally worn. Any sort of dangly earrings should NOT be worn. During an attack, it is likely that these can be torn right off your ears and while the attackers won’t be able to drag you, the pain of your ripping earlobe could be just enough of a distraction for a swarm of the undead to overtake you. Necklaces should also be avoided but if you do choose to wear one, it should be tucked under your shirt and not be available to groping ghoul hands. Bracelets should also be avoided. While not necessarily a grabbing tool for the undead, a bracelet can get caught on other things which can slow you down at a moment where speed is crucial. Rings are optional but should be limited to bands rather than large stones. If you should find yourself in hand to hand combat with the infected, the ring could do damage to your attacker but can also potentially do damage to you. As we all know, the most common form of transmission is through an open wound. Receiving an open wound during hand to hand combat could seal your fate to roam the Earth with the undead.

These are just a few tips. You can still add some of your own personality and flair, but this will be about survival of the fittest, not survival of the most fashionable. Depending on the type of outbreak and the type of zombie, it is also recommended to wear neutral colored clothing, something that will easily blend into your surroundings. This is where function will prevail over form.

Introducing, a new game for the Nintendo DS, called Little Red Riding Hood’s Zombie BBQ!

In the game, published by Gammick Entertainment and developed by Enjoy Up, you can choose to play one of two playable characters: Little Red Riding Hood complete with a massive arsenal of firearms or Momotaro, a popular hero of Japanese fairy tales.

From Gammick.com:
Zombie BBQ is a really fun shooter for Nintendo DS™, where you have to move forward by shooting down every living (or dying) creature in your path! Use the great arsenal of weapons at your disposal to do away with the savage hoards of zombies. Shoot, blast, massacre, bombard and burn your enemies to the bone with a simple touch of your stylus on the console screen. Can you save fairy tale land or will you let its creatures live an unhappy-ever-after-life?

Judging from the screenshots below, it looks like a fun little shooter. You can check out more info about story, including the characters and the enemies, on the Zombie BBQ Microsite . The game will be released in Q4 2008, sometime in October.