Zombies Rise In Popularity

Ever since Night of The Living Dead zombies have been pretty popular and their number of fans have only grown over the years but I have to say, this Florida "bath salt zombie" guy has single handedly taken it to a new level.  I heard on the radio yesterday that there was a ridiculous increase in zombie apocalypse related websites that started just days after the Florida attack. I wish I could remember the exact number they threw out but you can see for yourself on just about any social network.  Multiple websites report the word zombie trending just about everyday since the event and for a price you can get some Zombie Garden Gnomes on Amazon.com, but you better hurry, there are only two left.  Amazon sales aren't the only thing going up right now, ammunition manufacturer Hornady has been selling their Z-Max "zombie bullets" for a while but they have just recently started a large advertise campaign. 

While I can't say for sure they are trying to capitalize on recent increase in zombie awareness I have a pretty good assumption and I can't say I blame them.  Company spokesman, Everett Deger told WWJ Newsradio 850 that while the bullets are real, they're only meant to be used on targets and not on people.  He also stated that they are Hornady's most successful product.  But wait, there's more....product manufactures aren't the only one capitalizing on the situation. The South Florida Business Journal reports that the site of the infamous "Miami Zombie" will become the latest addition to the Miami Crime Coach Tour from HistoryMiami.

  http://www.bizjournals.com/southflorida/news/2012/05/31/where-theres-zombie-gore-theres.html
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2012/06/07/zombie-bullets-in-high-demand-following-flesh-eating-attacks/

Hollywood zombies Vs The actual possibility

For years Hollywood has been portraying zombies as corpses that have been brought back to life and for the most part people are expecting that's what the zombie apocalypse will be. Perhaps we are looking in the wrong place.  The thought of dead bodies rising from the ground and corpses walking around seems a little far fetched to me but maybe there is another cause of zombie-like behavior.  Take Toxoplasmosis for instance.  This particular infection is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Normally it only infects rats and causes them to act in a manner that would lead to death, usually by cats, which is how their life cycle is completed. This parasite has also been known to inhabit pigs and cows and the CDC has reported that "More than 60 million men, women and children in the U.S. carry the Toxoplasma parasite".  If this parasite can make rats act strangely than who is to say it couldn't effect humans? Dr. E. Fyller Torrey at the Stanely Research Institute made a connection between this parasite and and schizophrenia.  

Toxoplasmosis isn't only thing that can alter behavior.  Take for instance the epidemic in Uganda they call the "nodding disease".  It usually only effects children between 5 and 15.  This disease is very debilitating. It causes seizures and most of the children effected wander around aimlessly. Most have to be tied down to keep them from just wandering off. The CDC has no known cure but they believe it is transmitted by a parasite from the black fly.  While this disease is serious and nothing to joke about it can make you wonder. How long is it until an epidemic that can effect humans enough to act "zombie-like" spreads across the country with no known cure?

Times are a changin....

By now I'm sure everyone has heard of the incident in florida with the naked man chewing on another guys face.  If not then you probably heard of the New Jersey man that cut out his own intestines and threw them at a police officer. Weather or not you believe zombies could exist or not, you have to agree these are not normal times. I personally think we haven't seen anything yet and it will only get worse. The situation in Florida is unique for several reasons. The guy was not just chewing on the other guys face, he was actually swallowing pieces of flesh. Also he was shot 6 times and he continued his facial feast without pause. I don't care what you're on or how much adrenaline is pumping, if you get shot once you're going to stop doing what you're doing and at least have a look around. The oddest thing I think is how fast they blamed this on "cocaine psychosis" and then again to bath salts. Truth is they have no clue or they are covering something up. Toxicology takes weeks and sometimes months to get results.  Perhaps you already knew about this and it's not surprise to you, but did you know there were 10 other strange events that happened in Florida this month alone?

5/16: McArthur High School HazMat Situation: Students, Teachers Decontaminated After Breaking Out In Rash 

5/19: No confirmation on chemical at Fort Lauderdale International Airport 

5/21: Police: Man bites woman in Westchester

5/23: I-285 reopens after hazmat incident 

5/23: Man Bites Cousin's Nose Off 

5/24: Second Broward school reports mystery rash 

5/25: Hazmat Called After Kids Exposed To Pesticide On Bus: Hazmat, EMS Respond To Lake County, FL School 

5/25: 'Disoriented' passenger subdued on flight in Miami 

5/26: Naked Man Allegedly Eating Victim's Face Shot And Killed By Miami Police 

5/26: Florida Doctor Spits Blood at Highway Patrolmen After DUI Arrest 

5/27: Georgia contractor bites Lowe's employees, resists arrest 

These are just in Florida, I could go on and on about the other strange happening around the US.  Are they all related to impending zombie apocalypse?...Perhaps, but one things for certain, times are changing.  If you haven't started your preparations already, then you may be too late.