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Why I love Molotov cocktails

May 3, 2012 in Apocalypse World

Source: Iimages.wikia.com/criminalminds

As your resident zombie expert, I’ve gained a lot of knowledge about annihilating the undead. Everyone has their preferred methods, whether it’s with a shotgun, AK-47, grenade, liquid nitrogen or my personal favorite, the machete. While it’s all good to shoot ‘em up in sci-fi films or fantasy and adventure books, you’re going to have to make the most of what you’re working with in a post apocalypse world—and that means save the ammo and don’t get close enough to a zombie to wave your machete in their face.

To fully prepare ourselves for zombies, we’re going to have look further than post apocalyptic books and movies. We’ll need to get in the best physical shape possible, learn important skills like hand-to-hand combat, gun safety and machete wielding, and develop our resourcefulness. Since we have no idea how much ammunition we’ll need once the apocalypse hits, we’ve got to develop methods for zombie killing that require the least amount of supplies. I therefore propose the perfect weapon for obliterating undesirables—The MOLOTOV COCKTAIL.

The Molotov Cocktail, aka the petrol bomb, is the perfect way to get incendiary on some zombie a$%. It’s like a poor man’s grenade—they’re cheap, effective and anyone can make them. I’m not sure why they’re not featured more prominently in post apocalyptic books and films, because they actually provide stunning visual imagery. Just imagine yourself running from a horde of flesh-eating creatures that are lusting after your brains—and with a few quick moves, you’ve set the entire group ablaze. It’s like the perfect opening for a series of urban fantasy books. Ahh… bliss.

This simple, handheld device is made from a glass bottle filled with a flammable liquid like gasoline, kerosene, alcohol or any other napalm-like mixture. A makeshift wick is formed from a fuel soaked rag that’s held in place by the bottle’s stopper. When it’s time for deployment, the wick is ignited and flung at the target. When the bottle smashes, the flammable substance ignites and becomes a raging fireball. In urban fantasy books and movies, we see Molotov Cocktails takes out entire mobs, but in a real post apocalypse world, it’s best to not count your zombie killings until you see them burn.

I’ve read in a few fantasy and adventure books that other flammable liquids can be used, such as wood alcohol or turpentine mixed with a thickening agent like tar, sugar, blood, laundry detergent or dish soap to create a cloud of thick smoke. It’s probably best to stick to the time-tested formulas above, but in case of emergency those are some viable options to try.

by eden

Why I love urban fantasy and post apocalyptic books

April 20, 2012 in Urban Fantasy

Source: Freegreatpicture.com

I never got into vampires and wizardry—give me some urban fantasy books and I’m good. Take me to an apocalypse world and let me go along for the ride with the protagonist as she navigates the trifles created by society. Maybe it’s because I’m a Pearl, or because my world is post apocalyptic. Or maybe it’s just because I relate to their situation, even if takes place in a world that’s completely unfamiliar to me.

Clearly, I’m not the only one. The days of Twilight are over—it’s all about dystopian and post apocalyptic books like Save the Pearls right now. Yes, I couldn’t wait to see The Hunger Games after I devoured the trilogy. It was so cool to watch Katniss, obviously because I could relate to her plight living in that horrific totalitarian state, but it was more than that—I could see how she handled her situation and apply some of what she did towards dealing with my own life. I could identify with what she was going through and see how she handled it, knowingly and, at times, unknowingly.

While young adult books are super popular right now, especially those set in a dystopian or apocalypse world, I recently found out that this subgenre has a history that goes back forever. In the past month, I read George Orwell’s 1984, Aldous Huxley’s A Brave New World and Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. I told myself I was doing this as research for the Save the Pearls project, but I think I was looking for something else—maybe answers for why the world is the way it is or ways to deal with my current situation. Tick, tick, tock… it’s only a matter of months before my personal romantic apocalypse hits.

I think that even if I lived in the Old World, I’d still love post apocalyptic books. I feel like the chaos and harsh rules are similar to what it feels like being a teenager. You have to grow up so fast in my world, so I feel like I’m already middle-aged at 18 (technically, I almost am). But I remember feeling like I didn’t need rules and was smart enough to do whatever I wanted.

When it comes to urban fantasy novels, it’s the same thing. I like that not everything is made up or imaginary—it’s the perfect mix of some fantastic parts but some based in reality. They kind of give me hope… at least when there’s a hopeful ending.

Most of all, I think I love these books because they’re exciting.  Just like in most young adult books, we get to watch the character’s journey, as they become a different better version of themselves.

Home sweet zombie-defense-station

April 13, 2012 in Urban Fantasy

Source: Netfreestuff.co.uk

Let’s say you wake up smack dab in the middle of a post apocalypse world. There’s a catastrophic rising of the undead, criminally insane or terrorists in full effect, and they’re lusting after tasty human, American blood—like yours. Or worse yet, you’re a Pearl and missed your mating deadline—sneaky Uni-Gov reps are stationed outside your home, waiting for the right moment to nab you, just like the peeps at the Save the Pearls headquarters warned you about. Either way, the state of the nation is right out of a zombie film or one of those urban fantasy books you’ve read. Let’s hope you were smart and safeguarded your home in advance.

Now’s the time—with a little thought and some creativity, you can protect your home with class and style. Your goal is to create a defense station slash arsenal that is completely impenetrable, while stocked with enough supplies to keep you alive for months. If you get ahead of the game, you may even be able to stockpile enough in-house entertainment to keep you sane—like a stash of video games, DVDs and young adult fantasy novels. Obviously, only a rare few will have the time and resources for that luxury.

Location, location, location. Your home’s locale is of primary importance. The urban fantasy is over—you want to build your home in the most remote area possible, like on a mountain, deep in the woods or in the desert. Ideally, it will be compound style, a la Dennis Hopper’s famous abode or the infamous Neverland ranch, with a lot less whimsy, of course. In a post apocalypse world, zombies and the undead tend to focus on areas with large human populations, so living in an area with few neighbors decreases your appeal and improves your chances of survival.

Fencing. No, I’m not referring to archery, I’m talking narly fences that the undead will not be able to climb or break through. Your fence should be too high for an agile Uni-Gov rep to leap over and with a surface too smooth to gain traction on and scale.

It’s a material world. Build your walls and doors out of concrete or metal. While your house will look like it belongs in the setting of one of your favorite post apocalyptic books, it will be a fortress that no one will want to take the time and effort to permeate. There’s something to the old adage, “Looks aren’t everything.”

Windows. What windows? This is no young adult fantasy novel you’re living in, you’re in the most real-life manifestation of Darwinism ever imagined. At the most, you’ll build a tower at the highest point of your house, with a tiny window that allows you to see who or what is heading in your direction—and enough of an opening that you have room to shoot or hurl a Molotov cocktail at who or whatever is trying to infiltrate your safety zone.

Potable water. In the event of a zombie outbreak, you’ll need your own potable water supply. The water treatment plant could be overtaken with undead, so it’s best to build a well on your property and develop some sort of filtration system. Keep your in-house supply stocked at all time in case the Uni-Gov is sneaking around outside your grounds, ready to pounce. The less you go in and out of your house, the better. Stay inside and catch up on reading those urban fantasy novels you stockpiled.

Powering up. Now is the time to go green. As you’ve probably read in many post apocalyptic books, the environment could be totally destroyed—but the sun always survives. Install solar panels immediately. It’s also imperative that you have a generator and plenty of fuel to keep it powered up.

Put these guidelines into effect and you’ll be able to keep the undesirables out, whether there’s a horrific zombie takeover, terrorist attack or in case the Save the Pearls campaign fails. How’s that for giving shelter an entirely new meaning?

 

Prepping for a real or romantic apocalypse—the safe house

April 12, 2012 in Urban Fantasy

As we move through 2012 and the masses obsess over a zombie takeover, the end of the world or a romantic apocalypse, recommendations and schools of thought are basically erupting out of the woodwork. There are zombie survival panels, shows like Doomsday Preppers, and in essence, even we have succumbed with our creation of the Save the Pearls movement.

Source: zombiesandtoys.blogspot.com

While fans of Zombieland, The Walking Dead and post apocalyptic books dream of surviving a zombie apocalypse, it seems like many manufacturers are getting savvy and taking advantage of the vast marketing opportunities. Everyone has an idea of the best place to go, the best weapons to stockpile, and how to best slay a zombie. Yet in the meantime, why not take a cue from Doomsday Preppers and use the time we have now to prepare for the supposed END?

Just like everything in life, for truly successful survival, one must be prepared. Instead of burying your nose in fantasy and adventure books, take this time to put those key skills you learned in girl scouts or boy scouts to use. From what I’ve garnered from all these “survival” guides, the most important thing, across apocalypse causes, is to secure a location where you will be safe and protected—in other words, a safe house.

As you should know from watching zombie films and reading post apocalyptic books, the last thing you want in the case of THE END is to be on the run. Those with a place to go have a significantly greater chance of surviving, as opposed to those on the streets, left to scavenge for food, exposed to the elements, and fend off the undead, terrorists or the Uni-Gov.

The necessity for a safe house is such a well-known concept that there have actually been Zombie Apocalypse Safe House competitions for several years now. Teams of architects who clearly have a penchant for fantasy and adventure books and films strive to create the ultimate safety zone. In Warsaw, Poland, a team of engineers created their aptly named Safe House, a building that turns into an impregnable concrete cube at the touch of a few buttons. Versions have been constructed across the entire gamut of possibilities— from compact extending shells that can be carried on your back complete with potable water systems to entire fortified neighborhoods complete with electrified lawns and zip lines.

Anyone harboring apocalyptic thoughts should take a look at some of these fascinating monstrosities designed to keep threats away. These disaster-proof, self-supporting designs boast everything from independent ecosystems, solar panels and greenhouses to rainwater collectors, built-in weapons arsenals and canals.

Whether you choose to turn your house or basement into your safe house, or team up with your entire community to create an ominous bunker, either way, if you want to survive a terrorist, zombie or romantic apocalypse, you better start working on your zone.

 

Obsessed with zombie films and post apocalyptic books

April 5, 2012 in Urban Fantasy

It seems like every decade we re-popularize the trend in zombies movies and post apocalyptic books. There’s something people seem to love about the end of the world and watching zombies roam deserted cities, searching for brains and wreaking havoc along the way. They annihilate most of the human race, destroy civilizations and cause a romantic apocalypse everywhere they turn. And we love them.

What is it about ugly creatures and the end of the world that has us so fascinated? The popularity of post apocalyptic books dates back hundreds of years, based on scenarios that include aliens, natural disasters, and of course, zombies or demons. Once the film industry began, it was a no-brainer—no pun intended—that movies of the genre would enjoy success. Even in present day, as outrageous as it may seem to rational members of society, urban fantasy books and films based on zombie apocalypses and takeovers are bestsellers and box office winners. Just look at Zombieland, Shaun of the Dead and Dawn of the Dead, as well as one of television’s most popular series, The Walking Dead. There’s no denying it—zombies have a corner on the market. The same goes for dystopian novels; The Hunger Games and Revealing Eden (Save the Pearls Part One) are two perfect examples.

Maybe it’s the fact that people enjoy the idea of a little guiltless killing—if a member of the undead is trying to eat you and your loved ones, what other choice do you have? Or if the idea of an apocalypse world is like a land of urban fantasy books to you, where you can run free through deserted stores, looting and pilfering as you go, then perhaps these books and movies give your imagination an outlet to play in.

Another reason for the popularity of post apocalyptic books and the zombie film could be that people enjoy watching or reading about characters facing horrific circumstances and seeing their transformation. A once mousy introvert or big geek could become a zombie assassin, slaughtering the undead with utter nonchalance and newfound skill. It’s a fascinating character arc, isn’t it?

Maybe, just maybe, these art forms offer their audiences a sense of hope. They grow attached to their main characters and get to watch them fall in love, and in some cases, avoid the romantic apocalypse, living happily ever after in a dystopian society.

I have a theory that fans tend to experience a catharsis of contemplating simpler “life” forms—or undead forms. An apocalypse world filled with zombies is simpler and more succinct. When there are violent undead creatures chasing after you, lusting after your brains and causing destruction everywhere, it makes you realize that your real life is just not as bad as you originally thought. Zombies are ultimately driven by the same things we are—a will to survive. When you strip us of all our material possessions and good looks, obliterate our resources and motivate us by destroying life as we know it, we could very well be walking in a zombie’s shoes. So that’s my idea—zombie films and post apocalyptic books remind us to stay present and make the most of our lives. Therapy in an undead form!

Source: Thedeadfuture.com

Nostradamus— Urban fantasy at its best

March 28, 2012 in Urban Fantasy

Perhaps it’s the current preoccupation with young adult books, maybe it’s the end of the Mayan calendar hoopla, or we can chalk it up to all the hype surrounding planetary alignments, magnetic pole shifts and birds dropping out of the sky. No matter the cause, people can’t seem to ignore the rumors and misconceptions about 2012. Meanwhile, Pearls keep disappearing and it’s hard to keep people focused on the real question at hand—how to save the pearls.

Proponents of urban fantasy would have us believe that it all stems from the predictions of Nostradamus.  Best known for his book Les Propheties (“The Prophecies”), written in 1555, Nostradamus was a French apothecary and reputed seer who moved out of medicine and into the occult after a trip to Italy. He wrote his first annual almanac in 1550 and gained notoriety amongst the rich and noble, who flocked to him for horoscopes and psychic advice. Unlike true astrologers, Nostradamus had clients supply him with their birth charts—it’s recorded that when he tried to calculate them himself, there were many errors. Sounds like these almanacs were more like their own brand of fantasy and adventure stories of that time.

Les Propheties was Nostradamus’ written project consisting of one thousand mainly French quatrains—these make up the mostly undated prophecies that made him famous. Undated prophecies sound like quite an anomaly to me, which is why I chalk them up to nothing more than urban fantasy and fiction. The publication of this book attracted a following that credits him with predicting many major world events—again, if they’re without dates, it would be like one of us predicting an earthquake in California. We know it may happen, but exactly when is difficult for us to divine. Les Propheties received a mixed reaction when it was published—some people thought Nostradamus was insane, a phony or a servant of evil, while many of the prominent and elite thought the book contained spiritually inspired prophecies.

Feeling threatened by religious fanatics, Nostradamus created a method of hiding his meaning through the use of “Virgilianized” syntax, word games and a mixture of other languages including Latin, Italian, Greek and Provençal. Since the quatrains were written in Middle French, this led to many problems in the translations, resulting in vagueries, metaphors and allusion. Some are so vague that you can conclude they make absolutely no sense, or that they provide justification for any event. Many academic sources maintain that the associations made between world events and his predictions are the result of these mistranslations or misinterpretations.

An example of a glaring inaccuracy is Nostradamus famously predicted prosperity for King Henry II of France just two years before his death in a jousting accident. He might as well have written a fantasy and adventure novel depicting a long life for the king.

Those who believe in the prophecy of 2012 usually fail to identify the quatrain where this prediction is made. In fact, his followers tend to look for matches to events in his quatrains after the events occur. They may as well focus on fantasy and adventure novels, as Nostradamus never directly mentions December 21, 2012.

If after researching Nostradamus, you still want to believe the hype about his prediction of an apocalyptic event in 2012, then you’ll need to ignore the fact that his quatrains extend well beyond 2012—as in all the way to 3790. Clearly, if all of those predictions are correct, then the world cannot possibly end this year.

My suggestion? Go back to reading young adult books in your free time and focus your attention on ways to save the pearls.

Source: Mayanpredictions.net

 

by eden

Urban fantasy and balancing acts

March 22, 2012 in Urban Fantasy

Today and the days surrounding are supposedly very powerful—in fact, the perfect time to bring every urban fantasy to life.  They say the days around the spring equinox are the best time to make a list of your goals and focus on making them come true—if that’s the case, then you know I’m focusing on how to save the Pearls and locking down my fantasy romance already!

Planetary Numerologist, John Davis, also the Director of Coptic Fellowship International and President of Spiritual Unity of Nations, wrote that March 21, 2012 is the most important date he has ever analyzed. As it’s exactly nine months before this year’s winter solstice on December 21, whatever seed we plant on and around March 21 will supposedly come true by December 21. That would work out perfectly for me, since we all know that my 18th birthday is right before that. So if I can cement my fantasy romance and mate with Jamal, I will survive my fate.

While some of us are focusing on creating the kind of world we want to live in, one where Pearls, Coals, Ambers and Tiger’s Eyes all live in peace and harmony, without any class system, others are focused on a different kind of young adult fantasy: balancing eggs. Yes, you read that right. Instead of thinking about peace, respect, love and a planet that is full of resources, the egg balancers are springing out of the woodwork. Apparently, it has something to do with the fact that this is one of the only two days each year where the day and night are exactly the same length.

Tales of urban fantasy state that, during the equinox, the position of the sun and other planets during the equinoxes enable miraculous feats of balance to occur. Hmmm. People are literally spending their time propping up eggs and cleaning up the mess when they don’t stand up on their own. They do this every year, despite the fact that astronomers report that equinoxes have no physical effect on objects or balance. Funnily enough, while the egg balancers come out during this time of year, at the fall equinox, these same people try to balance brooms—I’m gonna guess in honor of witches and Halloween.

I’ve read about the broom standers in a few young adult fantasy books—of course, the premise had to do with wizardry and the occult. I’m not going to lie, I tried it when I was little. The brooms just fell each time, knocking me on the forehead once or twice. I chalked it up to the fact that I was a lowly Pearl with no witchy or supernatural powers, and that the broom standers had to be getting a little help from above—or below. I guess I let all the tales of urban fantasy I’d read spark my imagination into believing. At least I didn’t try the messy egg trick!

I’m older now and not quite so gullible. Not to knock anyone’s else’s choices, but since I’m trying to help save the Pearls and my own life, I’m choosing to make a little list and check it more than twice. Plus, I don’t really want to spend my night cleaning up egg yolks.

Source: .indianasnewscenter.com

 

Apocalypse world tips—how to kill zombies safely and efficiently

March 15, 2012 in Apocalypse World

The Walking Dead has little Miss Eden Newman thinking about an important topic—how to endure and survive all the atrocities and threats of an apocalypse world. While Eden brings up an important potential scenario—what to do if a loved one becomes zombified—it’s probably best to focus on one overall strategy for eliminating the riff raff of the undead, former friend or not. There’s no doubt about it, putting these nasty brain-suckers out of their misery is the right thing to do, and the only way to ensure your own survival.

We’ve all seen lots of science fiction and fantasy films and television shows that depict certain ways of killing the undead—a stake through the heart, bullet in the head, decapitation, etc. Successfully killing one of these undead dudes requires solid planning, as well as preparation for a slew of unexpected problems. While the various techniques portrayed in most fiction are interesting enough and make some sense, no one has yet to actually meet a member of the undead, so we have to plan beyond common speculation.  Until I meet someone who has survived an apocalypse world, I will prepare myself for any type of situation.

While most  fantasy and adventure books and movies portray zombies as slow, uncoordinated creatures, who knows if they really can be outrun? In addition to getting in the best possible shape of my life (how else do you think I keep my adventure romance alive? You guessed it, by keeping that booty in shape), I plan to procure the best in running shoes and buy every type of acceleration device known to man during the next few months.

Even if these guys are slow, getting cornered in a confined space with a bunch of them could be fatal. In order to hang onto your brains, it’s best to be strapped and carry a variety of knives to wield at close range. Let’s hope they don’t get close enough for a little adventure romance with you, but if they do, a knife through the brain is probably your best bet.

If you do have time to shoot, make sure to aim directly for their forehead. We’ve all seen too many science fiction and fantasy films where civilians waste a ton of valuable ammunition shooting in the leg or arms. If you’re in an apocalypse world, ammo is bound to be scarce, so save it for the right shot. With that in mind, make sure to start going to a shooting range now to learn gun safety and hone your skills. The last thing you want to do is waste your bullets or bust a cap on some poor human.

If for some reason, you have no ammo left and you’re forced to engage in a little hand-to-hand combat with a member of the undead, it’s good to have some martial arts and knife-wielding skills. Remember, unlike some fantasy and adventure movie where you have nine lives or a loved one who pops up to save you at all the right times, you’re going to have to be on point at all times. One slip up and you could be reduced to a grunting, brain-craving beast limping down the road in a zombie style crip walk. Not fun and not attractive. Start preparing for an apocalypse world, my little Pearly Pearls!

Spurce: Crimlaw.blogspot.com

 

To kill or not to kill—what if the one you love became a zombie?

March 14, 2012 in Apocalypse World

Last night’s brilliant episode of my favorite apocalypse world series, The Walking Dead, really got me thinking. In it, the main character had to shoot the best friend he’d been through thick and thin with in order to survive. While his besty wasn’t yet a zombie, he soon became one and had to be killed twice. This made me start to fantasize, and obviously not in a good way, about what I would do if one of my loved ones actually became a zombie.

If I became a zombie in some apocalypse world scenario, I would definitely want to be off-ed. Becoming a mindless shell wandering the streets, lusting after brains and uttering unintelligible gibberish does not sound very appealing to me—it sounds like straight suffering. While it may be a beautiful thing in a science fiction and fantasy film, it’s just a little too primal for me.

No matter how much you would miss someone, you wouldn’t want them to suffer either. That being said, it would probably be really difficult to have to end a fantasy romance by killing your mate with a shot through the head. You would have to be completely detached from this lackluster, undead version of your former love or best friend. It would be a moment you would definitely remember for the rest of your life.

The most important thing you’d have to keep in mind is that this zombie is no longer a human being, and therefore, not your friend. Unlike some of the best zombie or demon characters in our favorite horror, science fiction and fantasy flicks, these are shells of the people they once were. Once you fully comprehend this, a plan would need to be made and executed, no pun intended.

If we do actually wake up in an apocalypse world populated with brain-craving zombies, or if the Uni-Gov somehow turns all of us Pearls into the undead if we don’t mate by 18, then it seems like the solution is pretty straightforward. You would start by creating the quickest, most efficient way to eradicate the zombie—there is definitely no room for mistakes here. The last thing you want to do is prolong your loved ones’ suffering. From everything I’ve read in young adult books and seen in fantasy and adventure films, the most efficient method seems to be a gunshot through the head. Quick, simple, effective—the perfect combination.

If I actually woke up to Jamal the zombie, I would obviously be devastated. It would not only be the end to my fantasy romance, but my chances for survival would be cut in half at best. Yet I would cast that anxiety aside and do what I needed to do. That stands for everyone else in my life too. They would probably be after my brains anyway, so it would become a matter of my own survival.

Let it be known—if we wake up in an apocalypse world and I’ve become a brainless gut-muncher, you have my permission to kill me.

Source: i.zdnet.com

by eden

Full moon—romantic apocalypse or fodder for adventure romance novels?

March 8, 2012 in Adventure romance tips

The full moon in Virgo is here. While our oh-so-lovely Ethics Officer blogged about whether or not a full moon is a sign of an apocalypse world, I was inspired to blog about the full moon’s so-called effects on love. I’ve read about in everything from adventure romance novels and astrology texts to science fiction and young adult books, but I still don’t know what exactly to believe.

Clearly, the full moon is often used to inspire paranormal and supernatural elements in many young adult books. Think of all the character who turn from humans into werewolves at the sight of a full moon or the psychic phenomena attributed to its presence. It’s also very prevalent in my favorite genre— fantasy romance novels. Characters often have their first kiss in the light of the full moon or realize that they’ve found the one due to the clarity it brings them.

The moon is illuminated partly by direct sunlight, and when it’s “full,” we get to see it in its brightest, fullest state. In a series of amazing adventure romance novels that I recently finished, the protagonist always sees more clearly when there is a full moon. It’s like the truth is illuminated when the moon is full. She achieves the clarity to really hear her inner compass and make decisions about the issues in her life.

In one of my favorite fantasy romance novels, the truth is revealed to the main character when the moon is full. She experiences her first real breakup when the full moon helps reveal her boyfriend’s true character. Luckily, or through serendipity, she also meets the next love of her life during a full moon cycle.

Other young adult books with more of a paranormal romance angle talk about casting spells or invoking spirits during the full moon. It’s thought that magic is most powerful on the night of the full moon, and that spells dealing with otherworldly energies are strongest during this phase. In fact, several occult traditions believe the only time to cast love spells is during the full moon.

Whatever the reality is, all I know is I hope this full moon brings my true love to fruition. I only have a few months left to mate and my relationship with my favorite Coal is kind of a roller coaster. Maybe I’ll cast that love spell… or find my own clarity in its light. I just know I can count on something happening when it’s here.

Source: Freewiccaschool.com

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