It's the END!

Happy Holidays Wastelanders

Deep inside the concrete bunker, post apocalypse Christmas
We lick our wounds to kill the hunger, post apocalypse Christmas
Post apocalypse Christmas, post apocalypse Christmas
Post apocalypse Christmas

Apocalyptic Red Riding Hood

As seen on Robots. Think that perhaps Red needs a weapon of some sort. No intelligent lady would make any sort journey in an apocalyptic world unarmed .... even to Granny's house.

It's a good time for apocalyptic music

that is all.

Please to enjoy the musical stylings of Kettle Cadaver as well as a fairly awesome video.

Free Apocalyptic Books (ten)

Some of these I know are only free until midnight tonight so jump on them ... get 'em while they're hot.

1. Eaters by Michelle DePaepe

2. The Last Mailman: Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Zombies by Kevin J. Burke

3. Winds of Change by Jason Brannon

4. Autobiography of a Werewolf Hunter by Brian P. Easton

5. Desperate Times by Nicholas Antinozzi, Sue McInnis and Steve Peterson

Art Mann does Wasteland Weekend

First, yes, yes I am too stupid to figure out how to transfer a show I recorded with a DVR into a format that can be shared on youtube and so I was lame and filmed the TV with my S3. It came out pretty well but the last two parts were at night and that was less then good so I didn't use them.

Second, it would seem that in order to get on Art Mann's show you needed to A) show him your boobs or B) give him some beer. I was lucky and had some beer. You'll notice me about about a minute or so into the second segment.

Oh and yes King that is you near the start of the third section exiting the shitter behind the Mohawked fella. Cheers!

Meanwhile at the Grocery Store

Today after a particularly bad day of subbing I took myself to the local store to get me a six pack of some liquid memory eraser. On the way to find some 'cheapest beer I'll drink' I stumbled on this:

It's a Budweiser product. They appear to be making a sad attempt at an entry to the microbrew market. However the artwork on the case does just happen to be pretty damned fantastic. It's a shame though that that's the best thing about this beer ... and an even bigger shame that I'll end up buying a six pack. I am just a little intrigued by the 'chili and spice'. Oh well.

Musical Interlude the 26th

My buddy Megaton turned me onto this band. He's not so into the metal ... but I'm not scared.

These guys are called Hellcrawler you can find their entire album 'Wastelands' here.

Dwelling among the debris of the whore capital of Western Slovenia, Hellcrawler are a bunch of cynical wasteland denizens who found unsavory panacea in the symbiosis of punk violence, stoner rock atmosphere and heavy riffage. Their soundtrack to the demise of humankind is a motorized assault of old school death metal and d-beat which reflects their major source of inspiration, the decaying aesthetic of post apocalyptic and grindhouse cinematography. Beginning in 2010, the outfit saw their first release, Wastelands, in 2011 on Hollow Earth Records. 

Here's Devastation:



all old world nations
witnessed the doom of modern times
all corporations have led the world
to its demise

Wasteland Weekend Scrapbook.

These are some (ok most) of the photos I took in the wasteland. Enjoy!

Here is my silhouette ... still feeling a little dorky about the costume.

On the way into the Wasteland this was the first themed vehicle I saw. I knew I was close when I this rolling down the highway.

The Interceptor as viewed from just inside the Gates.

They are ALL the Knight Rider!

Pulse Jet powered go-kart! FUCK YEAH! The event staff wouldn't allow him to drive it though. They said it wasn't to theme. Funny that there was a buggy in Mad Max that had a jet goddamned engine as it's source of momentum. I have a sneaking suspicion that the staff thought A. that it was incredibly loud (it was)and B. that it was incredibly unsafe/deadly (I'm thinking it prolly was).

Pulse Jet from another angle.

No Wasteland it complete without a library.

The crew of crazy bastards from across the street. They sounded Norwegian (I think.) I think that our costumes were of the same mind

Dancer from the Smash Bot camp. Photo taken for educational purposes ... that is mostly to prove ladies do wander the waste as well.

Me full kit. I made almost everything I'm wearing. The chain mail hand sewn pants ... the works.

My tribe 'The Scavengers Cooperative'. From left to right: David, Vault, King of the Wastes and, me; your humble blogger. Quite the crew huh?

Dancer from before shakin what her momma gave her.

A sweet ass themed mower ... green ground effects by night.

A crew that put me and my mad costuming skills to shame.

TOE CUTTER! No need for further descriptions ... dude behind him is right on. Mr. Cutter was shit-faced-hammered by the way.

My crazy-as-fuck bartender for an evening of debauchery. Taken from in front of the bar at the Atomic Cafe. And yes that is assless chaps and a spiked codpiece he's sporting. (Note the Evan Williams bottle in the sculpture and the Smirnoff ... both came from me.)

HOLY SHIT I FOUND HIM!

Another themed vehicle

And another

Pigface and his woman (dancer in background)

JUST WALK AWAY.

Best. Bakini. Ever.

Free Apocalyptic Books (nine)

These are free. Perhaps for hours, perhaps weeks. Jump now if you want 'em.

1) Mutt (The Rittenhouse Saga) by Evan Fuller

2) Their Journey by Varian Morn

3) Target: Earth by Cheryl L. Cholley

4)   Wool by Hugh Howey (get this one right now!)

Musical Interlude the 25th (Wasteland Weekend Edition)

For this interlude I give you the band, All Hail The Crimson King (or, AHTCK). Watched these guys live a few days ago at Wasteland Weekend. Some might say that my camera was just a little jerky but I challenge anyone to hold a cell phone steady while holding a fucking chainsaw bat in their other hand.

Highlights included go-go dancers performing on stage, a midsong zombie attack, the lead vocalist Tim lamenting about the difficulty of singing when your helmet falls over your eyes so you're blind and also when said lead vocalist proposed to his girl friend on stage within the insanity.

One of the highlights of the whole weekend was bringing a gallon of Dinty Moore Wasteland Stout to their camp and sitting shooting the shit.

With no further ado I give you AHTCK

Free Apocalyptic Books (Nine)

Same drill, these are free but for how long is anyone's guess.

1) Alone, at the very End of the World by Damien Joseph

2) Cry Havoc by William Todd Rose

Just two this time ... next week aught to be better ... perhaps.

Ravaged

Ok I'm not a gamer. Don't own any sort of game system. But. This game trailer looks out of fucking control. I may need to either beg my gamer buddy to get it or buy it for him myself. It's more fun to watch someone who IS a gamer play than it is to play.

Anyhow I give you Ravaged. Love all the ruins and desolation in the background. LOVE IT!

Today's Vocabulary Lesson

That is all.

Free Apocalyptic Books (Eight)

These are free for now. Scarf  'em up while you can. I'm not sure how long they will remain so.

1)  The Norecomb Women by D E Austin

2) The Post-Apocalyptic Cookbook by Donna Johnson and TW Brown

3)  River Dawn by Stephen Graff

Wasteland Pants

Bought the fabric, heavy duty unbleached muslin I guess. Then bought a jeans pattern from clothing store. With a bit of help from my mother in law, I cut the pattern out and have been hand stitching them with dark thread so the stitching (and my work) would stand out. I'm mostly done with them now. Only the long outside seams and then inseams left (for the most part). After that all that will remain is dirty them up.

Here they are now:

Musical Interlude the Twenty Fourth

So this is the end of the story,
Everything we had, everything we did,
Is buried in dust,
And this dust is all that's left of us.

An Odd Sign for a rehab establishment

At first I thought it was a sign for a church but on further examination I figured it was a drug rehabilitation center. I think anyhow. I don't care enough to call the number. I did however care enough to get a picture of it to share with everyone.

Their tagline aught to be "Nuke Your Addictions". Am  I right or what?

Fear's Wasteland Spam Chili

4 cans Spam
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 tsp cumin
4 T chili powder
Corn flour
1/2 cup peanut oil
4 red onions
6 cloves minced garlic
6 jalapeno peppers
4 cans tomato paste (6 oz size)
4 cans diced tomatoes
2 pints Dinty Moore Stout
1 quart chicken stock
2 T cocoa powder
1/2 cup double strength coffee (from a toddy)
6 cans black beans
_____________________________________________________________
Cut Spam into 1/2 inch cubes. Season Spam with salt pepper, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp cumin and 2 T chili powder. Coat spam with corn flour. Heat pot add 1/2 peanut oil. Brown the spam and allow to caramelize on all sides. Remove spam to a bowl and repeat with any remaining meat.

Add onions and garlic and saute for 5 minutes add jalapenos and cook 2 more minutes. Add vegetables to the Spam in the bowl.

Use some of the chicken broth to deglaze the pot then add the rest of the stock and beer. Add tomato paste to the pot. Next add remaining cinnamon, cumin and chili powder to the pot. Next add cocoa powder and coffee and whisk until smooth. Add can of tomatoes, the cans of black beans, Spam and vegetable mix and cook over low heatuntil boiling. Stir occasionally.
 
Serve out of the bleached skulls of your foes. 

Weekly free E-books (eight)

Once more these are free as of today. No idea how long long they will remain free. Hop to it if you want 'em.

1) H10N1 by M. R. Cornelius (yes I've posted this one before but the author has reposted it as free. Posting it again because it was just that good. Get it and get it now.)

2 The Survivors: Book One (Life After War) by Angela White, Kim Fillmore and Lanae Morris

3)  On the Road: Book Two (Life After War) by Angela White 

4) We Are Elephants by Kevin Hilliker

5) Blood Skies (Book 1) by Steven Montano and Syd Gill

6) One by One by Phil Tucker

 

When Life Imitates Fiction

In 1974 James Herbert published a rather nifty piece of fiction wherein rats, after millions of years of survival under the heel of humanity, relegated to living only at the whim of man, rise and begin to systematically attack and prey on us.

He followed it with The Lair in 1979. In this one the rats are sorting into caste systems and are licking their collective chops remembering the glory days of running amok and feeding on man.

1984 saw the release of Domain. This one is an end of the world story. Man wages the final war and while they are distracted rats emerge for the sewers and wreak havoc.

He rounded out the saga with The City. A graphic novel that tells the story of man's defeat. They are now scavenging in the ruins the rats are now the ones that allow man's existence to continue.


Now, while James Herbert was writing this terrifying series of books about how rats begin to get more aggressive and unafraid of man, a scientist deep in Siberia was conducting research about how our ancestors may have domesticated animals. He uses rats in these experiments. Apparently he separates the rats into two groups: one sweet and snuggly and the other evil and demented. According to the article the nice group, upon seeing people, walk to the bars of their cage and push their nose through and enjoy a good pat on the nose and scratch under the chin. The evil group, called 'hyper-aggressive' hurl themselves at the bars shrieking, wanting to escape to tear you limb from limb.


Some interesting quotes from said article:


“Imagine the most evil supervillain and the nicest, sweetest cartoon animal, and that’s what these two strains of rat are like,” said Tecumseh Fitch, an animal behavior expert at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. 

and

When the aggressive rats have to be moved, Mr. Albert places two cages side by side with the doors open and lets the rats change cages by themselves. He is taking care that they do not escape to the sewers of Leipzig, he said.


Yes that's right. He specifily mentioned the care he was taking so as to keep the rats out of sewers. This leads me to wonder if he has indeed read the books by James Herbert. I'll wager he has.

The full article can found at this link: Nice Rats, Nasty Rats: Maybe It’s All in the Genes

The 12 Beers of the Apocalypse

I am at a loss as to how I could have possibly not heard about this. It's not only the very wheel in my wheelhouse, but is a somewhat local item as well. I speak about the 12 Beers of the Apocalypse from Elysian Brewing. In a celebration of the end of the world, as predicted by the Mayan calendar, Elysian Brewing is releasing a beer a month. Each one is to get its own release party at the brewery in Seatle complete with apocalyptic entertainment and stamps in a Survival Guide. 12 stamps (means you have attended each one of the release parties) grants a super special prize at the brewery's specular world-ending party to be thrown December 20th where the final beer will unleashed. As I am just now hearing about it I will be unable to get rewarded at and participate fully in the shindiggory.

With all the talk of the end of the world, Elysian Brewing & Fantagraphics are celebrating the demise of existence with a series of 12 beers.  Each beer will arrive on the 21st of each month.   The label artwork is done by Charles Burns, based on his book – “Black Hole.”

January : NIBIRU

NIBIRU, named for the mysterious planet X supposedly on a collision course toward earth. Nibiru is a Belgian style tripel flavored with an infusion of yerba mate. Combining the yeasty esters of Belgian yeast and the compelling tea-like flavors of the South American herb mixture, with German Northern Brewer, Czech Saaz and American Amarillo hops round out the uniqueness of this first beer of the Apocalypse. 7.6% ABV

February: RAPTURE

This 7.65% ABV ale has 1 lb. of heather tips per barrel.  The brew’s malts used are pale, Munich, and Patagonia Especial and the hops are Magnum and Northwest Glacier. Heather Ale. A sensual brew to take your mind off the coming apocalypse.

March: FALLOUT

A pale ale with cardamom. Add a little spice to what's left of your life.

April:  Peste Chocolate Chili Ale

 

Peste Chocolate Chili Ale will plague you with the rich flavors of cocoa, chilies, and cinnamon in a beer of 7.5% ABV. A blend of Peruvian cocoa, Ceylon cinnamon, and chipotle, guajillo, pasilla, and cayenne peppers make this beer a unique distraction from the approaching end of the world as we know it. Brewed with Pale, Munich, C-77 Crystal, and Chocolate malts with roasted flaked barley, and nominally bittered with Magnum, this is the fourth of our 12 Beers of the Apocalypse heralding the winding down of the Mayan calendar. Infectiously good -- pass it on.

May: Ruin Rosemary Agave IPA

Brewed with agave nectar and lemon peel. There may be nothing left but you and this beer.

June: Wasteland Elderflower Saison

Our Apocalyptic Adventures are hitting the half-way point this month. Join us on 6.21.12 as we turn Elysian Capitol Hill into a Wasteland. On Thursday, June 21st from 5-8pm come toast the release of the sixth of our 12 Beers of the Apocalypse: Wasteland Elderflower Saison.  It’s the perfect nuclear winter summer seasonal.

As I write this I am enjoying a growler of Ruin IPA. It is strongly hopped with a good malty backbone. It avoids being overly sweet and has no hint of caramel to the finish even taking into account its alcohol content. I only wish that I had heard about this sooner. I am however in time to make it to at least one release party at the brewery. I recommend you get them while you can still find them.

Ruin is indeed a fantastic IPA. When Wastelander sang "Armageddon at last is here, break out the guns and beer" this was almost certainly what they would have consumed. 

Doomsday Pie: The Flavor of The Day

Finally a site that combs through all the twitter posts and filters out specific words and phrases then automatically graphs them into a pie chart. Each day and in real time. I give you Doomsday Pie.

Wastelander's Epoch by Algarothsyum

Once more I found a band that who can produce a album that is front to back apocalypse. This venture into the End is just a little different though. The artist behind the music is a guy I'd call a friend. I've shared the ups and the downs and have been along for the ride as he decided what he'd like the final sound of his album to feel like.

I've been meaning to post this up for quite some time now but I've either been too lazy or perhaps just to busy with *cough*class work *cough*.

Be that as it may, I give you the sounds of Algarothsyum. Give it a listen. The track I like best is 'Nuclear Funeral' but your mileage may vary. If you feel so inclined you can pick up the whole she-bang on his bandcamp page for the low low price of just seven bucks. A bargain at twice the price.

You can also track him down on facebook. But if you'd like the ultimate and get a live chat with the man himself you can often find him hanging out in post apocalyptic chat room under the handle Vhyle. Stop by and say howdy won't you?

Musical Interlude the Twenty Third

And the world is drawn into your hands
And the world is etched upon your heart
And the world so hard to understand
Is the world you can't live without
And I knew the silence of the world

Last Family on Earth

Psssst. Hey you. Yeah you. Want a chance to win a spot for you and your family member in a state of the art underground shelter? Well here's your chance:

SPIKE TV IS GIVING YOU THE CHANCE TO WIN AN UNDERGROUND SHELTER FOR YOUR FAMILY

Are you a survivor? Are you prepared?

Nuclear war, terrorism, pole shifting, killer comets and tsunamis all have the potential to cause national or worldwide disaster. Some people think the Mayan Calendar predicts the end of the world on December 21, 2012.

If you've always wanted to secure lifetime access to a well-protected, underground shelter for you and your immediate family in case of a global emergency, then this is your chance.

SPIKE TV and Vivos Shelters (www.terravivos.com) are seeking a handful of lucky people to compete on a new TV show for the chance to own shares in a state-of-the-art, community underground shelter for up to 6 family members.

Producers are looking for outgoing, competitive PAIRS of immediate family members (husband and wife, father and son, siblings...) to represent their family household on national television in a series of fun and exciting challenges. This is your opportunity to PROVE that you have what it takes to join a community of people who can survive global disaster!

APPLY TODAY!
Send an email to LastFamilyCasting@gmail.com with the following:
1. Your name and the name of at least one family member who could be your teammate
2. Your phone numbers
3. Your city/state (same household or neighborhood preferred)
4. Recent photos of each of you
5. A brief explanation of why you want to win this show AND what skills you and your family can offer a community of survivors.

Deadline to apply is JUNE 20, 2012! Producers are waiting to hear from you!

* To compete on the show, you must be a legal U.S. resident and at least 18 years of age. (Note: Family members of any age are eligible for a place in the shelter. Conditions and restrictions for shelter co-ownership apply.) For more information, visit www.pilgrimstudios.com/casting/LastFamilyOnEarth

Musical Interlude The Twenty Second

We are the foul infestation
We are resilient
Soon as I bite my children live on, living as death incarnate
We where conceived as a plague
A cataclysmic device

Weekly Free Apocalyptic Books (seven)

These are free. But for an undetermined length of time. Get 'em while they're hot.

1) One by One by Phil Tucker

2) Nothing But Flowers: Tales of Post-Apocalyptic Love (Literary Mix Tapes) by Jodi Cleghorn

3) The World Behind The Window by Karsten Krepinsky, Ingo Krepinsky and Karin Dufner

Burn Down the Sky by James Jaros

Wicca raped the minds of men and women alike, bludgening them with psychosis, shattering halucinations too wrenching to endure. No one counted the victims, no one could, but billions were said to have slain themselves. Off bridges, towers, with acid cocktails and tire irons, mass incineration and poison chambers. A holocaust of willing horrors, of mad oaths for ending life. Waves of suicide so thick they'd left cities roasting with mouldering flesh, the reeky heat of rot and waste rising from the streets choking with corpses and the creatures that scavenged them - raptors, ravens and vultures that darkened skylines and shadowed the dead, and rats and cats and carrion dogs grown huge as hogs.

Weekly Free Apocalyptic Books (six)

These are all free for now. But hop to it ... they could vanish at any time.

1)  From the Fire by Kent David Kelly

2 Unnatural Disasters by Daniel Pyle, Scott Nicholson, William Meikle and Robert J. Duperre

3) The American Book of the Dead by Henry Baum

4) Breakers by Edward W. Robertson

I can't get away from it

I seem to stumble on books that have an apocalyptic theme everywhere I look (even when what I was looking for was an 'ordinary' book). Now just take what happened Friday. Perfect example. I was back in a classroom that I had subbed in several months ago ... last year maybe even. Anyhow, on that day I had left the book I was reading behind. To compensate for this I dug through the class library and found a book that looked 'sort' of interesting. It was The Eyes of Kid Midas by Neal Shusterman. It was decent. A kid's book and not apocalyptic. I read about a chapter of it and was interested. I was going to 'borrow' it and finish it at my leisure but then left it there on the desk. Upon returning (once more having forgotten to bring something to read) I found it again waiting for me. I picked it up and continued. At at the end of the day it 'fell' into my open backpack and went home with me.

At first glance the book has a couple of well worn and trusted themes. The first one is simple bullying. Our hero Kevin is a mere wisp of a boy and as such is the object of torment from the school bully Bertram. The other is wish fulfillment. At a camping trip Keven and the rest of the class (Bertram included) hear a very convincing campfire story about magic at the top of a mountain at the exact instant the sun rises at the equinox. So Kevin convinces his best buddy to make the climb with him. He finds, at the top of this mountain, a pair of glasses that will grant him his every wish. Even those that break the laws of the natural world.

This is where the books takes a drastic turn to the apocalypse. The Aborigines of Australia believe in Dream Time. They believe that our dreams have just as much impact on the world as our waking lives do. They believe that the end will come when the world of waking and the world of dreams mix to such an extent that the difference is unnoticeable. When that happens nothing will make sense any longer and as such the world will be over. This is bound to be the case when you give a bullied middle school geek glasses that will grant his every whim. His wishes bring about a world that no longer makes any sense and in doing so risks the end for everyone. When he stops with the wishing he's the last person on earth.

Before they had climbed the mountain, Josh had always prided himself on never giving in to fear - but now it seemed he was afraid of everything; shadows, noises - and worst of all, he was afraid of that awful feeling that he would have when he woke up , of not really waking up at all - of waking up in what Mr. Kirkpatrick had called "The Dream Time"

Reminded me of an old Twilight Zone episode called 'Wordplay' where the a man is desperately attempting to learn all the names of the products that his company sells. In attempting to learn all the new names he forgets the meanings of all the words that he's known his entire life. This man enters both The Twilight Zone and Dream Time.

Weekly Free Apocalyptic Books (five)

These are all free for now. But hop to it ... they could vanish at any time.  Some real doozies too by the look of it. Also a couple of zombtastic ones this go 'round. It is May of the Dead after all.

1)  Post-Apocalyptic Nomadic Warriors (A Duck & Cover Adventure) by Benjamin Wallace

 

2) Zomblog by TW Brown

3) Hooray for Xollywood: Episode 1, Super Sexy Zombie Love Machine by C.E. Wheeler

4) Death Throes by Ian Woodhead

Weekly Free Apocalyptic Books (four)

You know the drill: these are free for the scarfing ... but for an undetermined length of time.

1) Hard Roads by Terry McDonald

2) The Negatives: Selections of Strange Violence by Michael C. Thompson

... very slim pickins indeed. Better luck next week though.  Enjoy!

Call Me Human by Sergei Marysh in Review

This book is written in diary form. It reads as almost a deathbed confession. From the very beginning the reader is aware that the narrator that the is dieing, slowly, painfully and with more than a couple regrets. The majority of the book is written in retrospect. It's the story of dieing man relating the events that led him to that state.

From the first couple of lines of text, the reader is acutely aware that the narrator has suffered a zombie bite and that what they are holding is in fact the last will and testament of a man who will soon be shuffling around and seeking human flesh.

This volume is in fact his second diary, the first one having been destroyed. In this one he focuses more on the human aspect of the apocalypse. Man's inhumanity to his fellow man is the primary focus of this volume. He says since any potential reader (and he doesn't envision there being any who'd bother) has experienced the same basic events as he has, considering that they are both survivors, he doesn't need to describe the events of the zombpocalpse. He chooses a narrow focus on the human element. At times it's very brutal. Humans treat themselves worse than they treat the undead.

The tale isn't all downward spiral though. There are a couple rays of hope. Seems that being bitten is not an automatic death sentence. Our hero runs into no less then two people ... one who is unproven but one who is confirmed. There a human who is immune to the bites of zombies. That simple nugget is enough to keep the reader on the edge. Is this a deathbed confession or will there be a last minute reprieve when our hero realizes he is not in fact undergoing the transformation?

It's well worth the time you'll spend to learn the answer to that question. Trust me.

Blackened

Weekly Free Apocalyptic Books (three)

You know the drill: these are free for the scarfing ... but for an undetermined length of time.

1) Extinction Point by Paul Jones

2) Lycandroids, SuperSoldiers and the Freedom War: The Saga of the Post-Apocalyptic Freedom Wars by Robert Miles and Leslie Mitts

3) The Road to Nowhere by Lee Argus

4) The Breeding by Derek Clendening

Enjoy.

 

Battle Royale: The Ballad of Noriko Nakagawa

or a decent song by Depeche Mode ... whatever.

Bikini Bottom Apocalypse

You know that time you thought of something crazy? You thought the no one had possibly thought it before.

 Well here I am sitting and watching some cartoons. I think 'apocalyptic spongebob' no way has anyone thought of that. So I google it. Yup. It's been thought of and there's pics to prove it.

The episode I was watching was 'Glove World' by the way. Also love the ruins of the Krusty Krab in the background (or the implied ruins anyhow.

Fallout History 101

Class is in session.

Last Minute Types

For most of us prepping is not something we even think about. Perhaps WON'T think about till TSHTF. Well no worries. The fine folks over at Map of the Dead have done all the heavy lifting for you. Yes even you ... you
 know who you are. They tell you where to find all the loot you've neglected to horde and even the places to avoid. How nice is that?

Looks as though my part of the will be fairly safe .... for now.

Shock Top Belgium White

This is a Belgium White style beer that is brewed by Anheuser-Busch. I'll say right up front I don't care for many beers that aren't India Pale Ales ... the more hops involved the better. But for whatever reason the makers of this beer have decided on an apocalyptic advertisement campaign. I can can get behind the idea of a great commercial and a website devoted to said ad campaign ... I will however most likely not drink the beer.

The beer may suck but the commercial? ... Pure gold.

Weekly Free Apocalyptic Books (two)

You know the drill: these are free for the scarfing ... but for an undetermined length of time.

Last week's offering wasn't so bad. Virus was quite enjoyable and H10N1 is showing real potential so far. I can only hope this week's are at least as good.

1) Tsunami Blue (The Tsunami Blue Series) by Gayle Ann Williams

2) The Survivors: Book One (Life After War) by Angela White and Daryn Malof

3) Wanted by Jason Halstead

4) The Last Man by James Bailey

5) Dust by Allison M. Dickson

Enjoy.

Introducing ...

the official candy of ExitofHumanity. Toxic Waste Candy!

Hunger Games and Pop Culture

Exhibit A: The original trailer for The Five-Year Engagement



Exhibit B: The new tv spot for The Five-Year Engagement:



I'm Pocahontas vs I'm Katniss. I rest my case.

... and now a random nattering

The events of the past few days have not only saddened me they have truly had a profound impact on students, teachers and individuals who strive to make the world just a little more accepting of those who have special needs. Hank I'd go to the mass in your honor but I'd feel like a hypocrite if I did.

Ironically when I think about the accident I have a song that plays in my mind. Indeed we have No Control.



Bad Religion - No Control

Culture was the seed of proliferation but it's gotten melded
Into an inharmonic whole, to an inharmonic whole.
Consciousness has plagued us and we cannot shake it
Though we think we're in control, though we think we're in control.
Questions that besiege us in life are testament of our helplessness.

There's no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end.

When we all disintegrate it will all happen again, yeah.
Time is so rock solid in the minds of the hordes but they can't
Explain why it should slip away, explain why it should slip away.
History and future are the comforts of our curiosity but here we are
Rooted in the present day, rooted in the present day
Questions that besiege us in life are testament of our helplessness.

There's no vestige of a beginning, no prospect of an end.

When we all disintegrate it will all happen again, yeah.
If you came to conquer, you'll be king for a day,
But you too will deteriorate and quickly fade away.
And believe these words you hear when you think your path is clear...
We have no control. We have no control.
We have no control, we do not understand.
You have no control, you are not in command.
You have no control. We have no control.
No control. No control. You have no control.

Miniature Post-Apocalyptic World by Artist Lori Nix

These are all doll house size it seems. Apocalyptic doll houses ... who'da thunk it huh? The survivalist cactus in the first scene is quite interesting. View the entire set here.

Weekly Free Apocalyptic Books (One)

I'll make an attempt to list new free apocalyptic books once a week. You'll need to jump on these soon too. No telling how long they will remain free for the scarfin'.

1) The Killing Moon by Rod Glenn

2) Caretaker by Richard P. Clem

3) H10N1 by Marsha Cornelius

4) The Virus (The Zero Chronicles) by Aimee Rayne

5) The Apocalypse Blog (Book 0: Before the End) by Melanie Edmonds

6) A Land of Ash by David McAfee, Daniel Arenson, John Fitch V and David Dalglish
Enjoy.

Call Me Human by Sergei Marysh

'In his [Alex] opinion, they [those who were in Alex's squad] could have avoided such high casualty numbers, had they once and for all agreed on their leaders. I suggested that such fatal disagreement was quite understandable: the fighters had come from different areas of the country, they didn't know each other; they trusted no one; their mutual suspicions and fears were further aggravated by the mental disorders that every survivor seemed to suffer from.'

Of The Guilded Earlobe and Top 10 Lists

About a week ago Bob Reiss over at The Guilded Earlobe asked me for my recommendation for an 'end of the world by pandemic' book for an upcoming top ten list. This was his list (and post):

This week on "Welcome to the Apocalypse" we are dealing with one of my favorite Post Apocalyptic subcategories, Plagues and Pandemics. This is in honor of the release for the first time of Stephen King’s The Stand in Unabridged Audiobook Format.

"That stuff is lying around, just waiting to be picked up." The Stand

Apocalyptic Plagues are one of the most feared and most realistic potential apocalypses. Not just potential, The Black Death is estimated to have killed 45 – 50% of the European population in the 14th Century. One of the things that set Plague tales apart is that it kills off humanity, but unlike nuclear war and ecological disasters, it leaves the planet pretty well untouched. Once the plague has run its course, the survivors are left to pick up the pieces. There is no nuclear winter, or Zombie’s chasing you. The greatest threat you will face is yourself, and your fellow survivors.

The following is a list of my favorite Post Apocalyptic Plague novels. It was a hard list to make, and I was adding, cutting and revising up until I posted this list. I attempted to pick not just my favorite novels dealing with Plagues and Pandemics, but good examples of the genre. There are some that I cut, because they were far future, well past the time where the plague was an issue, or that had plagues as an issue but wasn’t the focus of the novel. All in all, I am happy with this list.



The Stand by Stephen King

The Stand is my favorite all time novel, and really the catalyst for my love of Apocalyptic fiction. I have read it in full six times, and have a well worn paperback version of it next to my bed where I will occasionally reread some of my favorite parts. It is the story of Captain Trips, a military made Superflu that wipes out 99.4% of the population. King’s tale is full off memorable characters, and contains a classic good vs. evil plot.



Earth Abides by George R. Stewart

Earth Abides tells the story of Isherwood Williams, one of the last survivors of a plague that devastates humanity. Much of the novel is focused on nature taking back the earth, with plants tearing apart roads and domesticated animals going wild. In some ways, it’s the story of civilization in reverse, starting with modern man, and allowing us to witness its gradual degradation.






Mister Touch by Malcolm Bosse

Not a well known example of the genre, Mister Touch is definitely one of my favorites. Aids has mutated, devastating the population and leaving the survivors with multiple physical ailments, including blindness and respiratory problems. A group from New York City called The Skulls, led by a former Wall Street swindler travels across an Apocalyptic America looking for a climate more suitable to their needs. It’s full of dark humor and an almost poetic use of pop dialogue.



Dark Advent by Brian Hodge

Brian Hodge’s Dark Advent has a similar theme to The Stand, a weaponized plague, good survivors and bad survivors, and an evil antagonist. Yet, it is definitely a darker, tighter novel than The Stand. Hodges created a nightmarish landscape and one really bad dude determined to bring about the end of the world.





The Pesthouse by Jim Crace

Unlike most in this list, The Pesthouse is a far future Apocalypse, taking place an unknown amount of time after a devastating plague. America is now in a new Dark Age. While the Plague was years ago, it is still a factor in the lives of the populace, and any sign of sickness will get a person sent to isolation in a pesthouse. It is a fascinating tale of survival and a road trip through a dark version of a future America.






Emergence by David R. Palmer

Candy is a young girl, yet she is seemingly stronger, smarter and faster than the typical human. After a biological weapon kills off over 99% of the earths population, Candy escapes from the bunker her father has constructed and sets out in search of other survivors. Emergence is stylistically unique, written in a short hand style similar to telegraph type.






Survivors by Terry Nation

This is the novelization of the hit 1970’s British television series. Survivors follows a group of plague survivors as the figure out trying to relearn the old was of doing things. It is also the tale of a mother searching for her lost son in an Apocalyptic landscape. Survivors is one of the most detailed and realistic apocalyptic plague novels.




Year Zero by Jeff Long

While full of a lot of religious and scientific subplots, the essence of Year Zero is a plague tale, and a pretty good one at that. It contains one of the most harrowing apocalyptic journeys, across Asia, as the main character tries to return to the United States amidst a global pandemic to find his daughter. There are some strange turns along the way, but overall this is a darn good read.



Oryx and Crake by Margaret Atwood

Oryx and Crake alternated between the present story of Snowman, and Apocalyptic Hermit who must deal with a group of genetically changed humans, and the dystopian past that led to the eventual disaster. It’s often weird,but fascinating. It’s a dark but often humorous look at science and greed run amok.









‘48 by James Herbert

‘48 is a post apocalyptic alternate history where Hitler releases a devastating bioweapon as a final act of hate. It is a non-stop race through a decimated London as an immune American pilot tries to escape from a neo-nazi clan who believes there survival depends on a transfusion of his blood.





That was the list at The Guilded Earlobe. My suggestion was for Dark Advent. This was my smallish review:

The book I’d like for you to use on your list is Dark Advent by Brian Hodges. The cause of the end is a weaponized version of the bubonic plague. Unlike some books its release into the population is not an accident. It is done for the sole purpose of wiping out most of humanity.

This book is most often found in the horror section and I’d bet that most people would pass on it based on the cover alone. Even the author doesn’t know what happened with it. Trust me it’s the cover that makes it a worthwhile item to track down.

As is the case with all plague novels there are survivors. Also some of them are more good and some are not so good. The guy who releases the plague is of course very bad. Also immune. As the book gets rolling, the good clump together and the bad clump together. Most books will focus on the good group. Not Dark Advent. It evil and has a tight focus on the actions of Peter Soloman, plague releaser.

If you wondered what Flagg may have been up to in Vegas while Abigail was doing her thing in Boulder, this book might give a window to it. It’s sort of a Flagcentric version of The Stand.

Now had I known that he was going to include Dark Advent in his top ten list, I'd have gone with something else. Perhaps something less known. I am fairly well read in this topic after all right?

Anyhow I give you my top 6 Plague and Pandemic Novels not featured in the list by The Guilded Earlobe.

The Dying by Leslie Alan Horvitz

In this book some trappers in Alaska find a bunch of bodies frozen in the ice. They figure the bodies have been there since 1918 or so. When a corpse defrosts it spews blood into one of their faces. The Spanish Flu of 1918 is then unleashed on a world that is unprepared for it. Pandemonium ensues.

Summer of the Apocalypse by James Van Pelt

This is a tale told in two voices. One is a younger voice that is all about survival for himself. People are dying all around him. There's panic. He hides with his family in the hills as the world tears itself apart. The other side is him as very old man who has lived and has learned a great deal. In this part he is one of the few people who remember the world as it was. The youngsters dismiss most of his stories as the ramblings of an old man.


Plague 99 by Jean Ure

This is the story of Harry (short for Harriette) and her pal Fran. Harry is an outgoing girl and Fran is more withdrawn. However Fran will go along with most of what Harry wants to do even if it frightens her a bit. At the beginning of the story Harry has convinced Fran to go on a 'primitive' camping trip. For several months they will be without radio or any form of communication. Just before it's time to leave Harry breaks her leg and can't go with. Fran wrestles with the idea of staying behind but Harry eventually goads her into joining the trip anyhow.

While they are all in the countryside a pandemic sweeps the globe and the campers arrive back to an empty city filled with corpses. What outgoing Harry has witnessed has broken her brain.


The Fire-Us trilogy by Jennifer Armstrong and Nancy Butcher

This the story (in three books) of a group of seven children. They are alone, on their own, no adults. They don't remember much from 'The Before Time'. Not even their names. They take care of each other in a way they think is like the parents did. They scavenge, they get by.

One day a young traveler shows up at their door. He wants to take them to see 'The President' and to discover once and for all what happened all those years ago to change their world so drastically.

Blakely's Ark by Ian MacMillan

When a young man's father dies he gives his son his most precious possession, a ticket to the walled plague free city. All he has to do is survive the trip through the tribal neo-primatives in his way. But when he reaches the land of milk and honey will it be everything that he was lead to believe it would be?

Plague by Graham Masterton

This book features a bacillus mutated by toxic wastes. The first outbreak is in Florida but then quickly jumps the quarantine line. The doctors attempt to stay one step ahead of it but the quickly run out of time. As the plague begins to burn out a cure is still being sought. This one is for the treehuggers out there. Sometimes what we do to our environment really does come back to get us.