Why all the zombies?

A zombie is a person who died but can still walk and talk and maybe perform dastardly deeds for an evil master.  I have seen zombies in movies and they are usually grey in color and seem somewhat low on energy although they don't seem to ever need rest.  When you walk around my town (technically a small city), you can catch sight of zombies.  Most look like teen-agers but many are in their 30's, 40's or older.  You might not think spring, with its emerging green leaves and flowers and bird song would be a time to see zombies but around here it is.  In the movies, zombies seem to operate at night but around here, they are more likely to be seen in the morning.   Our zombies don't hurt or haunt people and you can get them to smile if you ask, "What place are you in now?"

This is the 41st consecutive year that the college FM station and a group lead by Oz, the leader of the organizers, has overseen the world's largest trivia contest, usually held on the third weekend in April.  The questions can be heard on local radio, tv and over the internet.  The contest runs without interruption for 54 straight hours and many players attempt to reach zombiehood by staying awake and functioning for the whole time.  Most need to get at least some sleep.  One doesn't want to risk being incoherent or being unable to answer questions such as

"The float xxx in the 121st Parade of Roses featured snow-boarding dogs.  What was the breed of those dogs?"

If you know or remember "bulldogs", you added points to your team's score.

The zombies we have met seem to bounce back full and completely after a night or two of sleep.