Friday, June 13, 2008

Excuse me, but did you lose any zombies?

Are you ready to hear something truly stupid? We have just learned of the existence of a new social media web site dedicated to gathering definitive proof that zombies exist. Its creators tell us that zombie videos, photos, reenactments and other submissions will be used to create a community-generated documentary to educate the public about the reality of zombies and a potential, if not imminent, zombie apocalypse.

"It's time for the world to wake up to a harsh reality - zombies are real. This site was created as a tool for individuals to post worldwide evidence of zombie attacks and outbreaks," says Skot Leach of Lost Zombies. "The content gathered by Lost Zombies members will be used to create the definitive documentary on zombies, which will help educate and inform the general public about this very real danger."

Individuals who wish to share their evidence can become members of Lost Zombies by creating a free account. Members can also chat, comment on other users' evidence and discuss zombie outbreaks (http://www.lostzombies.com/) from around the world.

Users can share information by adding submissions to an outbreak or creating an outbreak if one has not been previously reported. By creating or adding content to an outbreak, users are not only potentially saving lives, but contributing to the movement dedicated to revealing zombies as fact, not fiction. All content submissions to Lost Zombies must be zombie-related.

Since its launch only a few weeks ago, Lost Zombies members have reported outbreaks in places such as New York City, Memphis, Atlanta, Northern California and Northern Wisconsin. Sightings have also been reported in locations around the world, including London, Copenhagen and Toronto.

We are tempted to suggest that those who have seen lost zombies are enjoying the benefits of altered perception, perhaps with the help of hallucinogenic substances. Not that peyote, ayahuasca, amanita muscaria mushrooms, salvia or the like are a requirement for entering an altered state. Shamans and others are able to go into trances where they experience other dimensions by chanting, drumming and dancing, for example. Still, I think today's zombie spotters are more likely to have been licking a bufo alvarius toad than sitting in a sweat lodge and drumming for hours.