“Zombie walks” — people made up like the zombies in George Romero movies — seem to be this summer’s flashmob fad. The San Diego Union Tribune ran a story:

(Photo by Yvette De La Garza)

“Just because they are using mobile phone technology to interconnect in a totally frivolous way doesn’t mean they can’t adopt it for something more serious,” said Howard Rheingold, a Stanford University professor who wrote “Smart Mobs: The Next Social Revolution.”

“If you are smart enough to use these tools to organize a zombie walk, when the occasion arises, you can use the same tools for economic, political or cultural organization.”

San Diego zombie walker Kirsten Perrin offers another take.

“It seems to me that everyone in the world right now is so stressed,” said the 26-year-old make-up artist, who plans to walk tomorrow with her 5-year-old son. “We grow up so fast, mentally and physically. Getting together like this is good for your mind, body and soul, which is funny since that’s the part zombies don’t have.”