University of Florida Preps for Zombie Invasion

Nothing like being prepared for an army of flesh-eaters.

Forget swine flu: The University of Florida's latest plan of attack concerns the off chance its employees become flesh-eating zombies.

A plan to deal with a campus zombie attack was posted among disaster preparation exercises on the university's e-Learning Web site before being removed late Thursday afternoon.

The plan included medical information on "zombieism" and a form allowing UF employees to explain why they killed infected co-workers, such as those workers making "references to wanting to eat brains."

"Obviously it was meant to be humorous," Doug Johnson, manager of UF's e-Learning Support Services and author of the plan, said Thursday before it was removed.

He said the plan was meant to reduce stress in the office as well as inspire thinking about how to handle a campus closure. With swine flu raising the possibility of such a scenario, he said, the office is making plans including holding a test run by operating its e-Learning services from off campus.

After word of the zombie plan broke Thursday morning, it received national media attention before it was ordered pulled later in the day. No disciplinary action will be taken against Johnson because he wrote the plan on his own time, UF spokesman Steve Orlando said.

Johnson said he has insomnia and that the idea for the plan came to him as he lay awake around 1 a.m. He said he wrote until about 4 a.m., mining Wikipedia for zombie information and using knowledge culled from his own reading of the novel "World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War" and previous viewing of movies such as the zombie comedy "Shaun of the Dead."

Zombies are a longtime horror-movie staple that have exploded into a pop culture phenomenon, from the Jane Austen parody "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" to the new movie "Zombieland." The UF zombie plan included footnotes referring to previous zombie movies such as "Night of the Living Dead" and "28 Days Later" as documentaries.

The six-page document listed "tentative action items" such as equipping offices with easily barricaded doors and giving employees weapons to defend themselves.

"Some employees may prefer weapons such as chain saws, baseball bats and explosives that have been shown to be effective against zombies," the plan said. "Given the stress on staff to be anticipated during a zombie outbreak, employees should be given the flexibility to choose their own weaponry thereby diminishing anxiety."

Heh: Tennessee Coach Lane Kiffin Accuses Florida of Cheating, Offers Groveling Apology

You think the Tennessee-Florida rivalry has been nasty the past couple of decades? Well, it's now gone nuclear.

What is it about former USC assistant Coach Lane Kiffin that produces venom-spewing press conferences and/or tersly worded released statements?

Raiders' owner Al Davis fired Kiffin last fall and held a rare -- and very bizarre -- press conference afterward to rip the young coach, Davis calling Kiffin a "Flat-out Li-ah" (Liar).

Kiffin recovered by getting named head coach at the University of Tennessee, in the cutthroat Southeastern Conference, where on Thursday he found out what happens when you accuse Florida's coach of of evil doing.

That's right, Kiffin accused Florida Coach Urban Meyer of violating recruiting rules in pursuit of receiver Nu'Keese Richardson. WVLT -TV out of Knoxville reported Kiffin told a group of fans at post-recruiting breakfast that Meyer called Richardson during the player's recent visit to Tennessee. Richardson ended up signing with Tennessee.

Kiffin told the crowd: "I love the fact that Urban had to cheat and still didn't get him."

Needless to say, them's fightin' words. Naturally, this hasn't gone over well in Gainesville, where the Vols play in September. How vicious a beatdown is that going to be?

UF released the following statement from athletic director Jeremy Foley: "There was no rule violation and we have confirmed this with the Southeastern Conference. It is obvious that Coach Kiffin doesn’t know that there is not a rule precluding phone contact with a prospect during an official visit on another campus during a contact period. His allegations are inappropriate, out of line and, most importantly, totally false. It is completely unfair to Urban Meyer, our coaching staff, our football program and our institution. The appropriate action at this time in my opinion is for Coach Kiffin to make a public apology.

His comments not only slandered our coach, but he violated SEC rules by publicly criticizing another coach and institution."

On cue, Golden Boy apologizes and gets a reprimand.

Tennessee coach Lane Kiffin apologized Thursday for remarks he made about Florida coach Urban Meyer, where he alleged the Gators coach violated recruiting rules in pursuing wide receiver prospect Nu'Keese Richardson.

Florida demanded an apology and the SEC publicly reprimanded Kiffin on Thursday.

"At an energetic breakfast with some of our donors and alumni I made a statement that was solely meant to excite the crowd," Kiffin said in a statement.

"If I offended anyone at the University of Florida, including Mr. Foley and Urban Meyer, I sincerely apologize. That was not my intention."

As a special added bonus, Kiffin also took a swipe at Alabama Coach Nick Saban. Good careeer move. The Vols also visit the Crimson Tide this year. Expect another bloodbath.

One writer wonders if Kiffin is nuts.

Some of Kiffin's tactics rate as good ol' fashioned hardball – take the hiring of Thompson, for example. But it crosses a line when you accuse an opponent publicly of cheating without the facts to back it up.

I would imagine that all over the SEC today, rivals are triple-checking each Tennessee recruit for any signs of funny business. I would also imagine that will go on for as long as Lane Kiffin coaches there.

And since the Vols don't figure to have full cupboard of talent for a while, he may soon discover what street justice looks like in the SEC.

It won't be pretty.

Tase Him, Bro

One would think after the infamous Don't Tase Me, Bro incident at the University of Florida, the police would be a bit more prepared to handle human oddities like this freak who came on stage to greet former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales.

In his first appearance at a university since resigning in August, former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales was met at UF on Monday with a mixture of cheers, boos and scattered interruptions by protesters, two of whom were arrested.

Gonzales, who resigned from his position after a controversial tenure, spoke to more than 800 people at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.

During his prepared speech, Gonzales largely avoided discussing the controversies he faced in office, including his dismissal of nine U.S. attorneys.

Instead, he focused on encouraging students to consider a career in public service while describing his own experiences in that field.

About 15 minutes into his speech, two UF students, Richard Gutierrez and Kevin Hachey, climbed onto the stage wearing orange jumpsuits and black hoods on their heads.

University Police Department officers scrambled onto the stage to remove them.

Matthew Cox, an employee of the Phillips Center, wrestled with one protester on the far side of stage, grabbing his legs and pulling him down.

The other stood directly next to Gonzales, who calmly avoided looking in his direction.

As police took the protester away, Gonzales glanced in his direction before attempting to continue his speech while he waited for the raucous crowd to settle down after a few minutes.

A few more protesters climbed onto the stage.

Meanwhile, even more protesters stood up, removed shirts or jackets revealing yellow T-shirts that read "SHAME," and stood with their backs toward Gonzales.

Apparently, it's no longer possible for these childish liberals to act like civilized adults.

Certainly, college administrators make little effort to promote civility.

Their loss.

H/T: Ringo.

Here's video.



Naturally, the kids on the left are lapping it up.

UPDATE: Gateway Pundit links. Thanks!

UPDATE II: More from Allahpundit and Michelle Malkin.

Petty Libs Deny Jeb Bush Honorary Degree

These people really are pathetic.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) - University of Florida President Bernie Machen said Friday he was "tremendously disappointed" with the school's Faculty Senate vote to deny former Gov. Jeb Bush an honorary degree.

The Senate voted 38-28 Thursday against giving the honorary degree to Bush, who left office in January.

"Jeb Bush has been a great friend of the University of Florida," said Machen, adding that the Senate's action is "unheard of."

Some faculty expressed concern about Bush's record in higher education.

"I really don't feel this is a person who has been a supporter of UF," Kathleen Price, associate dean of library and technology at the school's Levin College of Law, told The Gainesville Sun after the vote.

Bush's approval of three new medical schools during his tenure has diluted resources, Price told the newspaper.

Bush has also been criticized for his "One Florida" proposal, an initiative that ended race-based admissions programs at state universities.

Machen maintains, however, that Bush has benefited the university, such as by providing the funding to attract nationally recognized faculty.

I bet if his name was Clinton, Gore or Carter, they wouldn't have any problem. But since his name is Bush, well, we can't have any of that.

University officials said they could not recall any precedent for the Senate rejecting the nominees put forth by the Faculty Senate's Honorary Degrees, Distinguished Alumnus Awards and Memorials Committee. The committee determines whether nominees deserve consideration according to standards that include "eminent distinction in scholarship or high distinction in public service."

"The committee endorsed him," Machen said. "It is unheard of that a faculty committee would look at candidates, make recommendations and then (those candidates) be overturned by the Senate."

More at Power Line.