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The Walking Dead: Compendium One

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MTM Limited Edition Zombie Ammo Can (Black and Green)

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TEASER CLIPS Walking Dead': Preview the ‘Resurrection’ That Awaits the Survivors at the Prison (Exclusive Video)

 

The Walking Dead Season 3 Ep 1 Rick - H 2012

 

Gene Page/AMC
“The Walking Dead’s” Andrew Lincoln

The Ricktatorship has its work cut out come season three of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Following the eventful second-season finale that saw Hershel’s farm go up in flames and Rick and company hit the road in search of a new home, the not-so-merry band of survivors will have to prepare for a massive battle if they plan to set up shop at the prison.

STORY: ‘The Walking Dead’ Season 3 Trailer, Premiere Date and More

Hershel (Scott Wilson), now out of the relative safety of the farm, is in for quite a rude awakening, noting that “Christ promised a resurrection in mind … I just thought he had something different in mind.”

Showrunner Glen Mazzara recently told THR that this season, everyone — including Hershel and his daughter Beth — will feel a need to be a “valuable part of the team” and contribute. “If I don’t get this done, if I don’t kill that walker, that walker may kill someone else,” he said. “So everybody bonds together for the good of the group. They all have each other’s backs.”

STORY: ‘The Walking Dead’ Cast, EPs Spill on Season 3, Shocking 100th Issue

“The pace seems very different this year and I think it’s just a lot more suspenseful, it’s lot more intense than it was last year,” he added.

Check out the clip below, exclusive to The Hollywood Reporter, to see what awaits Rick (Andrew Lincoln), Hershel and the group at the prison.

10 SECOND TEASER CLIPS

When season 1 of The Walking Dead came to a close, fans were left unsure of where the series was headed. After heavily deviating from the comic book’s canon, the producers of the show made it very apparent they were on their own track.

With season 3, however, fans know the show is working towards some really exciting territory, and are about to experience storylines that more closely mirror Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel. Characters like Michonne and the Governor – fan favorites we’d been hoping would get thrown in the mix – are now being brought to life, and figuring heavily into this forthcoming season.

To help get fans prepared for the show’s return this October, a new TV spot has been released. While it’s extremely light on…well, anything, it does tease a suspenseful season 3 for Rick Grimes. In it, Rick appears to be scoping out an enclosed space, perhaps in an abandoned house, and what he finds cannot possibly be good:

The Walking Dead Season 3 - Rick

We know that after establishing his role as leader of the group (Ricktatorship?) in the season 2 finale, Grimes and his band of survivors will be making their way to the prison – a key location in the comics – but how they will get there is unclear. And then, once they discover the seemingly abandoned prison, it’s going to be interesting to see what the group discovers inside its walls.

Obviously, as has been shown in a few set photos from The Walking Dead season 3, there will be zombies, but how some of the series’ new characters will come into play – including those that were created specifically for the show – hasn’t been detailed. It’s already been teased that a major character will not survive season 3, but as we learned last season, there’s never just one death.

Along with the introduction of Michonne and the Governor, season 3 will also reintroduce audiences to the character of Merle Dixon, whom last we saw in some pretty dire straits. Towards the tail end of season 2, some hints were delivered that suggested Merle was alive; since then, the casting of Michael Rooker and a new magazine cover confirm it.

Michael Rooker in The Walking Dead

There are plenty of surprises in store for viewers of The Walking Dead season 3; however, this time there also are a few expected places the series appears to be headed towards. Those looking to know more can anticipate additional details, and more TV spots, as we near the season’s premiere.

The Walking Dead begins season 3 on October 14th at 9pm on AMC.

AND MAN SHALL FALL! West Nile cases rising; 66 dead

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(CNN) — Sixty-six people have died from West Nile virus infections this year, and the number of human cases has grown to 1,590, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday.

That’s the highest case count through the last week of August since the virus was first detected in the United States in 1999.

Nearly half of all the infections have occurred in Texas, where officials said later Wednesday that 894 cases have been reported along with 34 deaths.

“Those numbers are going to go up,” said Dr. David Lakey, commissioner for the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Lakey said it looks like 2012 will be the worst year so far when it comes to West Nile virus cases. In 2003, Texas reported 40 deaths because of the virus, and health officials believe they will surpass that number this year.

All lower 48 states are now reporting West Nile activity, and 43 states have reported at least one person infected with the virus.

Fast facts on West Nile virus

More than 70% of all West Nile virus cases in the United States are found in six states: Texas, South Dakota, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Louisiana and Michigan, according to the CDC.

While the CDC said these are the highest number of cases reported by the last week in August since the disease was first recorded in 1999, it’s not the highest number the country has seen. In 2003, the United States had 9,862 reported cases of West Nile virus, and in 2002 there were more than 4,100 cases and 284 fatalities.

In more than half the current nationwide cases, West Nile has led to neuroinvasive disease — serious illnesses like meningitis, encephalitis or virus-associated paralysis. About 10% of these cases can be fatal, according to the CDC, and a high proportion of those who survive can be left with longstanding neurological problems.

Older people are more vulnerable to severe illness from West Nile. So far, the median age among those with neuroinvasive disease this year is 58. In Texas, nearly two-thirds of all cases are in people older than 50.

Health officials do not yet know why there are more cases this year than in recent years.

Based on previous experiences with floods and hurricanes, health officials do not believe Hurricane Isaac will have a major impact on this year’s outbreak.

Mosquitoes that spread the virus breed in small nutrient-rich pools of water, such as the water found in old tires, so a large rainfall event or flooding usually washes out those small pools and eliminates breeding sites, said Dr. Lyle Petersen, who heads the CDC’s Division of Vector-Borne Infections.

But after the water recedes, there’s always the possibility that new small pools of water will form.

Petersen urged the public to take proper precautions to prevent getting sick regardless of whether they live in a state with high or low case counts.

To reduce your risk of exposure to mosquitoes and to prevent their breeding sites:

— Drain all standing water from flower pots, old tires, clogged rain gutters, etc., where mosquitoes breed.

— Use an insect repellant that contains DEET, picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus.

— Also wear long sleeves and long pants to protect your skin when you’re outside.

— Stay indoors at dusk and dawn because that’s when mosquitoes are most active.

Doomsday 2012 Fact Sheet

Mayan CalendarThere is widespread and unnecessary fear of doomsday on December 21, 2012. Some people worry about a Maya prophesy of the end of the world, others fear a variety of astronomical threats such as collision with a rogue planet. Opinion polls suggest that one in ten Americans worry about whether they will survive past Dec 21 of this year, and middle-school teachers everywhere report that many of their students are fearful of a coming apocalypse. Following are brief facts that address these doomsday fears.

Mayan Calendar: The Maya calendar, which is made up different cycles of day counts, does not end this year. Rather, one cycle of 144,000 days (394 years) ends and the next cycle begins.

Mayan Prophecy: The ancient Maya did not predict the end of the world or any disaster in December 2012. Such doomsday predictions are a modern hoax.

Planet Nibiru: Nibiru is probably the minor name of a god found in ancient Mesopotamian writing. There is no planet named Nibiru, and the fictional books by economist Zecharia Sitchin about a civilization on this planet are a hoax.

Rogue Planet Headed for Earth. For the past decade there have been reports of a rogue object (Planet X, or Nibiru, or Hercubolus, or even Comet Elenin) that will collide with Earth in December 2012. These claims are not true. If such a threatening world existed, it would be one of the brightest objects in the sky, and astronomers would have been tracking it for years. If it existed, its gravity would be distorting the orbits of planets, especially Mars and Earth. Astronomers know that it does not exist.

Planet Alignments: There is no alignment of planets in Dec 2012. There is an approximate lining up of the Earth and Sun and the center of our Galaxy in late December, but this happens every year. In any case, planet alignments have no effect on the Earth.

Pole Shift: There is nothing strange this year about either the magnetic poles or the rotational poles of the Earth. The magnetic polarity changes every million years or so, but that is not happening now, and it probably takes thousands of years when it does happen. A sudden change in the rotational axis has never happened and is not possible. If there were any change in the Earth’s rotation, it would be instantly apparent by failure of our GPS systems.

Increasing Disasters. Our planet is behaving normally in 2012, although we see more and more news stories about natural disasters. There has been no increase in earthquakes or volcanic eruptions. There has been an increase in extreme weather, including both droughts and floods, which are partly attributable to global warming, but this has nothing to do with a 2012 doomsday.

Solar Outbursts: The Sun’s ongoing 11-year activity cycle is expected to peak in 2013, not 2012. Solar outbursts (flares and CMEs) can damage orbiting satellites but will not hurt us on the surface. The strength of the 2013 solar maximum is predicted to be lower than average, not higher.

Bunker Conspiracy: Accusations of a massive government cover-up are nonsense. No government could hide an incoming planet or silence hundreds of thousands of scientists. Rumors that huge bunkers have been built in the U.S. or elsewhere to shelter the elite are lies. Apparently a few people are building private shelters, but their fear of 2012 is misplaced and they are wasting their money.

Scaring Children: The group most vulnerable to doomsday claims is children. Teachers report that many of their students are frightened and some are even considering suicide. This is the most tragic consequence of the 2012 hoax.

The End of the World: The idea of the sudden end of the world by any cause is absurd. The Earth has been here for more than 4 billion years, and it will be several more billion years before the gradual brightening of the Sun makes our planet unlivable. Meanwhile there is no known astronomical or geological threat that could destroy the Earth.

Cosmophobia: Many young people write to me that they are scared of astronomy. When they read about some new discovery, the first thing they think is that it might hurt them, even if it is happening in a distant galaxy. There is no reason for such fears, which I call cosmophobia (fear of the universe). This rash of concern seems to be the result of too many conspiracy theories and sensational stories featured on the Internet and irresponsible news outlets. Astronomical objects are so distant that they cannot threaten the Earth. Please don’t be afraid of the Sun or the planets or comets or asteroids. The universe is not your enemy.

THE WALKING DEAD SEASON 3 SPOILERS

This week’s Entertainment Weekly offers up a sneak peek of season 3 of The Walking Dead. The issue features four different collector covers highlighting season 3 cast members, plus eight pages inside are devoted to the show. There are a couple spoilers revealed in interviews with producers and cast members. Some of the spoilers have been previously revealed elsewhere and some of the spoilers are brand new, but we’ve compiled five of the biggest spoilers below.

5. Lori Grimes Has Self-Hatred – When season 2 ended, Lori Grimes was pregnant and had just learned that her husband Rick Grimes had killed her former lover Shane. Apparently, both issues are going to weigh heavily on Lori, and she will experience a lot of self hatred. Sarah Wayne Callies, who plays Lori Grimes, is quoted as saying, “Lori feels horrible because good people are now putting themselves in danger and taking on her share of the work to protect her. I think it’s impossible to overestimate the amount of self-hatred going on in Lori’s head right now.”

4. Merle Dixon Is A Woodbury Hero – It’s already been revealed that Merle Dixon would be returning for season 3 of The Walking Dead, but EW offers up some details on exactly how Merle will return. Apparently, The Governor will start off a celebration by announcing a good old fashioned pig picking, and Merle will show up carrying a boar on a stick. And the townspeople appreciate the importance of a good hunter, as they chant “Merley! Merley!”

3. Milton Will Be A New Character – There is at least one brand new character being created just for the TV show. Dallas Roberts of The Good Wife and Rubicon will play a character called Miltion, who is a pseudo-scientist. Milton will not be a trained scientist, but he will be studying the behavior of the walkers in an attempt to find a solution to them.

2. Penny Might Show Up – In the comic books, The Governor kept his zombie niece Penny leashed in his apartment, and he fed her human body parts. While The Governor on The Walking Dead TV show will be somewhat different than The Governor in the comic book, producer Glen Mazzara had a very interesting response when EW asked about Penny. Mazarra said, “There are key moments in the comic book that we felt were very important to adapt into the series. I don’t want to give anything away, but our version of the Governor is recognizable to comic book fans.”

1. Other Survivors In The Prison – It turns out that Rick and his group are not alone in the prison, and we’re not just talking about zombies. According to a quote from Glen Mazzara, “The group will come to discover that there are other survivors within that prison.” However, it’s not revealed if the other survivors will be former convicts or an entirely different faction.

PANDEMIC OUTBREak – West Nile virus prompts public health emergency in Dallas County, Texas

A West Nile virus epidemic has prompted a public health emergency in Dallas County, Texas, where the disease has killed nine people, a judge declared Friday.

The virus there infected 175 people, said Patricia Huston of Dallas County Health and Human Services.

Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins declared the emergency in his capacity as director of the county’s Homeland Security and Emergency Management and instructed the department to file a local disaster declaration with the state.

“This declaration will expand our avenues for assistance in our ongoing battle with West Nile virus,” Jenkins said in a statement.

Insecticide spraying by planes will be offered to certain communities hit hard by the virus as long as those local governments request it, Jenkins told reporters.

The aerial spraying would occur from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., when children are inside, Jenkins said.

“The insecticide is safe,” Jenkins said. “The planes are quite sophisticated, and they get the spray to where it needs to go.”

The judge organized an invitation-only work session Friday with county, state and federal officials to discuss a response to the epidemic.

The United States is experiencing its biggest spike in West Nile virus since 2004, with 241 cases of the disease reported nationwide this year so far, including four deaths, health officials said last weekend, before the latest totals.

Of the 42 states that have reported infections in people, birds or mosquitoes, 80% of them have been in Texas, Mississippi and Oklahoma, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement. The CDC listed a breakdown of infections by state.

“It is not clear why we are seeing more activity than in recent years,” said Marc Fischer, a CDC medical epidemiologist. “Regardless of the reasons for the increase, people should be aware of the West Nile virus activity in their area and take action to protect themselves and their family.”

The virus is transmitted through infected mosquitoes.

In the United States, most infections occur between June and September, and peak in August, according to the CDC.

Symptoms include fever, headache, body aches, joint pains, vomiting, diarrhea or rash.

“Less than 1% develop a serious neurologic illness such as encephalitis or meningitis (inflammation of the brain or surrounding tissues),” the CDC said.

Those at greater risk are people older than 50 and those with conditions such as cancer, diabetes and kidney disease, or with organ transplants.

There are no medications to treat West Nile virus or vaccines to prevent infection. People with milder illnesses typically recover on their own, but those more seriously affected may need hospital care.

Health experts say prevention measures include avoiding mosquito bites, using insect repellant and getting rid of insect breeding sites.