18 Aug, 2009, Igabod wrote in the 1st comment:
Votes: 0
The BBC just did a story on a scientific research group in Canada (like Canadians really need to waste money to figure this out) that says Zombies could wipe humans off the face of the earth. It's really an amusing story for the sheer fact that scientists actually took this seriously enough to form a research group. Check it out at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natur....
18 Aug, 2009, flumpy wrote in the 2nd comment:
Igabod said:
The BBC just did a story on a scientific research group in Canada (like Canadians really need to waste money to figure this out) that says Zombies could wipe humans off the face of the earth. It's really an amusing story for the sheer fact that scientists actually took this seriously enough to form a research group. Check it out at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/natur....
This is why I keep one ear to the ground at all times..
18 Aug, 2009, Guest wrote in the 3rd comment:
Nice. Canada's tax dollars at work?
18 Aug, 2009, quixadhal wrote in the 4th comment:
The question is… how can *I* get a paying job researching things like this???? :)
18 Aug, 2009, Igabod wrote in the 5th comment:
lol that's a GREAT question
18 Aug, 2009, Igabod wrote in the 6th comment:
And another site related to this study, http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/08/18/...
Oh dear, I can't believe that many professionals are taking this seriously. What on earth are these Canadians thinking?
Oh dear, I can't believe that many professionals are taking this seriously. What on earth are these Canadians thinking?
18 Aug, 2009, Cratylus wrote in the 7th comment:
Samson said:
Nice. Canada's tax dollars at work?
I think the article makes it seem frivolous, but it sounds to me like the zombie thing
is just something they had fun with while working on serious research:
Quote
The scientific paper is published in a book - Infectious Diseases Modelling Research Progress.
18 Aug, 2009, Igabod wrote in the 8th comment:
you could be right, but still seems a bit ridiculous that they would actually publish something like this, especially in these trying economic times (at least I think Canada is having the same problems as the US at this time).
18 Aug, 2009, David Haley wrote in the 9th comment:
Why is it so ridiculous that they would throw a little humor into the middle of an otherwise serious piece of work? Is humor bad now?
18 Aug, 2009, Ssolvarain wrote in the 10th comment:
The Y2k bug was simply the government's way of preparing us for a possible zombie outbreak.
18 Aug, 2009, Davion wrote in the 11th comment:
Ya… you'll be thanking us when 10 years down the road people are all "Oh thank god the Canadians realized we'd be fucked if zombies came! Good thing we prepared! *wields chainsaw arm*"
18 Aug, 2009, Ssolvarain wrote in the 12th comment:
Bruce Campbell is the backup of the human race.
When we're all tattered rags and rotting flesh, it will be an honor to fall before his mighty chainsaw.
Or God will take the day off and irony will prevail, as always, leaving him one of our growing horde of festering necrosis.
When we're all tattered rags and rotting flesh, it will be an honor to fall before his mighty chainsaw.
Or God will take the day off and irony will prevail, as always, leaving him one of our growing horde of festering necrosis.
19 Aug, 2009, Thelgor wrote in the 13th comment:
Not really any different than when World of Warcraft was studied over the "Corrupted Blood" incident:
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/...
http://www.time.com/time/health/article/...
19 Aug, 2009, quixadhal wrote in the 14th comment:
Yeah, nobody offered to pay me to research that one either…. :sad:
19 Aug, 2009, Igabod wrote in the 15th comment:
Don't get me wrong, humor is great, but the fact that they released this story which makes it appear that the entire focus of this study group was zombies is ridiculous. They should have at least made a point of saying that this study was done for fun in the off time of these researchers or whatever the case may be. As it is, it just looks like the Canadians wasted millions of taxpayer dollars on a study they could have gotten preschoolers to do. Sure those of us with a higher capacity for thought realize that this isn't the case, but what about the average schmuck wearing a Redwings jersey or whatever the average Canadian schmuck wears. They aren't likely to understand that just by reading the story.
19 Aug, 2009, Cratylus wrote in the 16th comment:
Igabod said:
Don't get me wrong, humor is great, but the fact that they released this story which makes it appear that the entire focus of this study group was zombies is ridiculous. They should have at least made a point of saying that this study was done for fun in the off time of these researchers or whatever the case may be.
Well that slant would be due to the liberal media. Blame them.
Igabod said:
Sure those of us with a higher capacity for thought
lol
Igabod said:
the average Canadian schmuck
I believe the term is "Canuck"
19 Aug, 2009, Confuto wrote in the 17th comment:
Igabod said:
Don't get me wrong, humor is great, but the fact that they released this story which makes it appear that the entire focus of this study group was zombies is ridiculous.
You can blame the BBC for that. In my opinion, it's actually fairly clear that the study is on mathematical modelling of disease spreading, not on zombies.
Igabod said:
They should have at least made a point of saying that this study was done for fun in the off time of these researchers or whatever the case may be.
I don't think it was done "for the fun of it" or during "off time". In fact, it appears to be a perfectly legitimiate study with a somewhat humerous test case.
Igabod said:
As it is, it just looks like the Canadians wasted millions of taxpayer dollars on a study they could have gotten preschoolers to do.
How do you know how much it cost? I doubt it cost them much more than the salaries of the academics involved, given that the study was a mathematical exercise. Does math cost millions of dollars to research? I don't know, but I doubt it.
Igabod said:
Sure those of us with a higher capacity for thought realize that this isn't the case, but what about the average schmuck wearing a Redwings jersey or whatever the average Canadian schmuck wears. They aren't likely to understand that just by reading the story.
Probably the only legitimate point you've made so far. Sure, studies like this being released may make "the average schmuck" think their tax money is being wasted, but if - as you point out - "those of us with a higher capacity for thought" can identify that the study is actually worthwhile and hence tax money is not being wasted, then how much does it matter? As long as people pay taxes, they will think the government is wasting their tax money. At least if zombies are involved they'll get a chuckle out of it.
EDIT: If anyone's interested, I found the study: http://www.mathstat.uottawa.ca/~rsmith/Z...
19 Aug, 2009, Tyche wrote in the 18th comment:
No need to worry.
I've reported this "fishy" health care info to flag@whitehouse.gov
I've reported this "fishy" health care info to flag@whitehouse.gov
19 Aug, 2009, Guest wrote in the 19th comment:
Millions of dollars to research killing zombies. Clearly I'm looking in the wrong places for work.
19 Aug, 2009, Ssolvarain wrote in the 20th comment:
Confuto said:
In fact, it appears to be a perfectly legitimiate study with a somewhat humerous test case.
An infection model of a disease that can only be spread through a bite and causes the victim to become undead is 101% legitimate. Definitely. Absolutely.
/sarcasm
And I don't think anyone from Canadia would stoop so low as to wear a Redwings jersey. It's a U.S. team :rolleyes:
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