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Post by Lankylurkr on May 20, 2011 16:42:52 GMT
So, I would like to take a moment to talk about that ever present threat: Zombies. Just recently, the CDC posted on their blog about what to do in a zombie apocalypse. Granted, it is a clever marketing ploy to increase awareness about disaster preparedness, I felt that it did a big disservice to surviving a zombie apocalypse. According to the CDC, you should have Water (1 gallon per person per day) Food (stock up on non-perishable items that you eat regularly) Medications (this includes prescription and non-prescription meds) Tools and Supplies (utility knife, duct tape, battery powered radio, etc.) Sanitation and Hygiene (household bleach, soap, towels, etc.) Clothing and Bedding (a change of clothes for each family member and blankets) Important documents (copies of your driver’s license, passport, and birth certificate to name a few) First Aid supplies (although you’re a goner if a zombie bites you, you can use these supplies to treat basic cuts and lacerations that you might get during a tornado or hurricane)
Now this is just a partial list of things that you need, but what about the things the CDC failed to address?
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 20, 2011 17:11:30 GMT
Pick a meeting place for your family to regroup in case zombies invade your home…or your town evacuates because of a hurricane. Pick one place right outside your home for sudden emergencies and one place outside of your neighborhood in case you are unable to return home right away. This is quoted directly from the CDC for their Zombie Apocalypse preparedness webpage. This will only work if you have enough advanced preparedness. For an Earthquake or house fire, meeting outside is an extremely smart move. If zombies attack, this will almost assuredly guarantee you'll be eaten and shortly join the ranks of the walking dead. For most, they will not realize the zombie apocalypse has happened until it is too late. Usually while a member of the family is being attacked, or has attacked another family member. So, standing around your mailbox? Not wise.
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 20, 2011 22:39:36 GMT
A good zombie survival kit is not like a traditional survival kit. Traditional survival kits are counting on the fact that rescue services and or military personnel will be by within 24 - 72 hours to rescue you. As we've all seen from most zombie movies, infection happens quickly, and spreads faster than most viruses. Natural disasters move as quickly as an outbreak, but they tend to be centralized to certain areas. Therefore, in order to survive the apocalypse, you must be ready to move at a moment's notice. Forget your high tech toys, forget your books. all they're going to do is bog you down. Speed is a necessity in this instance -if you're slow, you're dead. Don't worry about money, or jewels, or your Hank Aaron rookie card. This new world out there is not based on monetary wealth, it's about mere survival. At a bare minimum, you're going to need a good, sturdy backpack. Fill it with non-perishable foods, a can opener, bottled water, a camping shovel, a flashlight with fresh batteries and a change of clothes. A lot of people will say "Bring a firearm!" Unless you know how to use a firearm properly, do not use one. Zombie physiology does not allow for standard "kill shots". Only head shots will guarantee that a zombie stays down. If you're not familiar with handguns, you're just going to end up wasting ammo, injuring yourself, or another member of your party. Rifles, machine guns, bang-makers, etc. are even slower, more prone to issues of jamming, and almost useless in close quarters. Swords, knives and the like are usually not recommended due to the requirement (especially with knives) of getting dangerously close to the zombie in order to be effective. I've seen many people who say that they'll carry a katana for close quarter combat. I do recommend a well balanced sword for backup, but if not careful, the blade can easily get stuck in rotting flesh, thereby disarming you and making you an easy target. My personal preference, and weapon of choice, is an Easton aluminum baseball bat. They're light, easy to use, and can crush a zombie skull with one swing. The best part is that it doesn't get stuck.
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Post by Heather on May 21, 2011 3:06:18 GMT
While I'll agree with the aforementioned ideas of standing by mailbox = tasty zombie treats and guns run out of ammo too fast (I prefer an ax), I'd like your thoughts on what I feel the CDC did not address. In the Zombie Apocalypse, we all know the first rule is going to be cardio. Speed = survival. I think the real question is what do we do with our kids? I only have one, and he's older and pretty fast, but what about the toddlers and younger ones? Do we run while wearing a Sungglie, with binkies clipped to our survival packs filled with snacks and diapers? What do you do with a crying, fussy child when you're hiding from a pack of ravenous flesh eaters? But on the other hand, you really can't leave them back at the family meeting place, we've already determined that's a bad idea. So, what's a parent to do?
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 21, 2011 3:39:09 GMT
Well, as much as I hate to say it, a zombie apocalypse breaks down social constructs. Those that protect their children will more than likely die off quickly. I shudder to think about this, but those parents that sacrifice their children will probably last longer, but will be in more anguish. Parenting tip: If you have small children, stay put. Reinforce your abode, enclave or bolt-hole you're in. If you're forced to move, find some form of reliable transportation that can get you to a safe place. If you have extended family, try to join up with them. That way, if you have to venture forth to get supplies, the kiddos will be relatively safe. Truth be told, the survivors of the apocalypse will be individuals with few or no ties to family.
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 21, 2011 4:12:33 GMT
In terms of abodes, enclaves and bolt-holes, this can not be stressed enough. a well defended abode is a safe abode. Don't immediately bolt for high ground. Subterranean locations have their merits as do boats, but as with all locations, they all have strengths and weaknesses.
Houses As the most common form of cover in cities, houses offer many opportunities to survive, or die. For the sake of argument, we'll focus on a one story. Two story houses are deathtraps, due to lack of egress from the second story without the possibility of injury. Windows need to be nailed up. Don't use 2x's. If you have enough warning, or you happen to have them lying around, go with plywood. needs to be at least 3/8". Anything thinner than that will break in no time. If you need to look out the window, drill a small hole in a corner - make it inconspicuous. Better yet, if you can get a closed circuit security system, use it. A perimeter is a necessity. Even if it's just 2x4's nailed in 'x' formations around the house, it will slow down the undead hordes.
Malls, Warehouses, etc If you're like me, you've got a one story mall. No big deal, Day of the Dead covered two story malls just fine. A single story mall can be a great place to hole up. However, securing the location can be a bit trickier, as you have more area to secure as well as more area to be sure has been cleared out. The last thing you need is to have a couple of zombies come creeping out of the woodwork when you're guard is down. Places like Wal-Mart, while on the surface seem like an ideal place to hunker down, you're going to have to deal with a lot of people going after the same thing, and they're not going to want to share. Supermarkets are your best bet. Home Improvement Warehouses are another good place to camp out in. Not only do you have raw materials to secure it, but there's also power equipment, which is always a bonus.
Boats Being in the water may seem like a sure fire thing, but it's actually one of the worst places to stay. Zombies may not be able to swim, but they don't have to worry about drowning. On a boat, if it's swarmed by zombies, you can be sure that if they're on the boat, they're in the water. Short and sweet, you're fucked.
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 21, 2011 5:28:33 GMT
Sooner or later, you're going to have to move from your bunker. Either you've got to get food, supplies (gotta have toilet paper!), or the need to find other survivors. Transportation is going to be necessary. With many different forms of transportation out there, you may think you've got your pick of the litter. So, this time, we're going to take a look at various forms of transportation.
Gasoline powered vehicles
It goes without saying that this is one of the easiest ways to get from point 'a' to point 'b', but there are always drawbacks to gasoline powered vehicles. If you chose to go this route, make sure the vehicle is in great condition. Tires are full, fluids are topped off, windows intact, all parts working properly. Unfortunately, if you're being chased by undead, you're not going to have a lot of time to check these things. In cases like this, the best place is a dealership. Also, this is one of those times where you want a vehicle with a lot of mass or height. Invariably, there's going to come a time where you have to mow down a zombie or two, and an Acura is just not going to do it. If you don't have access to a dealership, head to the "rich" part of town. An Escalade is a great vehicle - not only can you drive in comfort, but zombie gore actually looks good on the sides of it. The downside to stealing a car is that unless you find the keys, you're going to have to figure out a way to hot-wire the vehicle. Newer models don't easily allow for this, so read up on this ahead of time. Gas is also going to be an issue sooner or later. On the road, keep an eye open for gas stations. Make sure you have at least two five gallon gas tanks in the vehicle. Don't forget an Alabama Credit Card ( a length of clear polyethylene about 6' long) as well. Finally, be aware that roads will quickly clog with vehicles that become abandoned and or break down, potentially forcing you to abandon your vehicle. Motorcycles, scooters and the like are decent, but still fall victim to gas shortages.
Manual Transportation The other side of the coin is through manual transportation. Be it by walking, biking, skateboarding, etc. You'll be able to get through traffic jams fairly easily, and you don't have to worry about fuel. The downside to this is the fact that it's much slower than driving, and you're more exposed to marauders. The last thing you want to deal with is riding your bike and getting pulled off by a zombie. A note about skateboards: works well within cities, not so good on dirt, sand, rocks, etc. Gets you where you want to go quicker than walking, but it's also noisier. An added benefit is that in a pinch, you can use the board as an impromptu melee weapon.
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Post by Nightshade79 on May 21, 2011 14:52:11 GMT
ok, so now that the basics have been covered...what about cleaning blood off of you? Is this undead virus transferred via bite only or through fluid transfer. I'm only asking 'cause blood does splatter and a good pair of goggles may be needed or a face mask of some kind. Nothing like doing away with a horde then realizing that you inadvertently had your mouth open or got some in your eye and now you too will become one of them. I think washing is very important, yet I think we can all agree that electricity will eventually become an issue. So no washing machines or laundro mats will be helpful, and who has a hand full of quarters anyway? Then there is the moving during the day issue, you are easily seen yet so are they. May be a good idea to have some kind of riot gear when going out to scavenge or when moving from place to place. Lastly I'm thinking some canned heat may be ideal for heating up anything instead of a fire as the amount of smoke will attract attention none the less and with canned heat you only have a small flame to worry about.
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 21, 2011 16:49:45 GMT
Those are good points. It really depends on what sort of zombies we're talking about. If these are "28 Days Later" or "I am Legend" zombies, then yes - fluid transference is a major issue. If these are Romero-esque zombies, I think the threat is a bit lower. However, I would not rule it out all together. With that in mind, I'll discuss personal protection, clothes and making sure you stay warm, post-apocalypse.
Personal Protection Shorts and tank tops may look sporty, but with zombies, it's like holding up a giant sign that says "Hey! Free Buffet!" Denim, leather and canvas are going to be your best bets. Brands you want to look for are Carharts, Levi's, and Harley Davidson. Denim is going to be the cheapest, but also the least likely to prevent infection, while I consider it a toss-up between canvas and leather. Now, when I say cheapest, this is pre-apocalypse. Post-apocalypse, only go with denim if you can't find anything else. Go long sleeve for shirts and jackets. T-shirts are alright to wear, but unless you're in a hermetically sealed chamber, make sure you have something over it, otherwise, that 100% cotton is going to do nothing to protect you. Leather chaps will protect you and make you look stylish, just be aware that your ass will still be hanging out (both literally and figuratively). If you wear them without jeans or pants of some sort, you've really got problems, the least of which would be a zombie taking a bite out of your posterior. If you're lucky enough to get into a military installation or police station, it would be worth it to try and find riot gear. Make sure you use the face guard as well. If you're not near either of these, use a bandanna, particulate mask or vapor mask to guard against particulates that may be emitted from spray. A good pair of safety goggles or glasses will help protect your eyes, and with many styles out there are quite stylish to boot.
Hygiene and Clothes Washing Personal hygiene is always good. While zombies seem to be attracted by various stimuli (movement, sound, visual identification, etc.) it can be assumed that they do not track via smell (I know, you purists out there are going to argue that they can - so this will go double for you folks). Even if zombies can't smell your rank ass, other survivors can. If you smell bad enough, they may just decide that you're going to be the bait on the next excursion. Washing clothes is a similar issue. Clean clothes are always nice, and early on, you should still be able to use washing machines in houses or in laundromats (If you're short on quarters, bust open the coin operated soap dispensers). However, as time drags on and power fails, quarters are spent, and stores empty out of new clothes, the need to venture forth to rivers, lakes and streams becomes more important. Learn how to make 'natural' soaps from animal fats or find soapstone to clean clothes. If you're going to be washing clothes in this fashion, make sure that you go in teams of two or more. The last thing you want is to be washing your delicates and have a zombie show up.
Heat and Warmth So the zombie apocalypse happened in July, but now it's rolling up on September. The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting colder, and you're staying in a supermarket. What are you going to do to keep warm? Well, a few places will have a backup generator that should kick in if the power cuts out. The downside to this is generators run off of gasoline (see previous post about gasoline transportation). If you run out of gasoline, or your store doesn't have a generator, you'll have to start a fire. Ventilation is tantamount to your survival now. If you start a fire and there's no ventilation, you may have survived the zombie hordes, but smoke inhalation will still kill you. If you're in the wild, or having to travel, canned heat is a great alternative, but it only sheds enough warmth to warm half a person. In instances like this, your best bet is to find a small cave or burrow that will help trap the heat and keep you warm for the night.
On a side note, I appreciate people dropping questions. Please keep it up! These are important issues that I didn't really think about right off hand. If you have anything you would like to contribute, please feel free to.
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Post by Nightshade79 on May 21, 2011 20:40:50 GMT
What about water? Now there is plenty of bottled, jugged and even tap now, but what happens when that is gone through? Can you trust the rivers or streams? Lakes? Are we down to buckets on the roof collecting what rain water there is, or going all out and putting up condensation boxes? No one knows how long the zombie years will be so having a good water source is a must. I don't know that I'd trust wells or even lakes as the a fore mentioned lake zombies will kill you. Can you trust fruit that has grown from a tree where a zombie has fallen? Do you eat fruit that has perhaps soaked up zombie blood or not? Of course this is all hypothetical but I have wondered what the consequences would be.
How about the bartering system with other survivors? Is it too much of a bad thing to say that trusting those who are surviving is simply irrational? I'm sure there are those who are surviving by taking what others have so lets just say when the time comes should there be a neutral area or just by pass it all together?
Can zombies climb trees? If the answer is no then why not build a tree house type place and keep safe, as being up high does have its advantages. Of course then if you are found out then getting down is a real bummer and you starve to death unless you have a way to hook up a lawnmower blade to a crank device and start cranking as they are dumb enough to keep walking into the way as others fall.
What about keeping a chicken or two in an aired area of your hide out for eggs and the possibility of chicks for a later meal? They eat grain and fine bits of calcium found in stone etc to lay the eggs. Any other small animals that could be of great use to keep around that are easy to manage and able to give many food stuffs? Anyone against eating a hamster or guinea pig?
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 22, 2011 1:20:33 GMT
Water Issues and potential for fruit based outbreaks
In terms of water, Rooftop collection is a good way to go. As for water from rivers and streams, due to the presence of giardia found in most rivers, it's a good idea to boil water anyways. Lakes pose the problem of potential gator-ish issues (you go down to the edge of the lake, bend down, zombie pops out bites your face off). With the prevalence of "green tech" and the popularity of "green electricity", if you were to find a house or building that had solar panels on the roof, your electricity problems would be solved. (I'll go into detail on that later, when I get around to discussing the perfect Real World Location I would try and make it to in case of zombies) As for zombies dying near fruit trees, most zombies are not "leakers". When a victim is first turned, their blood will still flow freely - this is the most dangerous time for moisture based transmission (unless we're talking 28 Days Later, then you have to watch out for spitters). Within 2 - 3 days, necrosis should have set in. With the body unable to move the blood around, or the organs to filter impurities out, the blood will begin to coagulate, turning into a viscous, thick gel like substance that is highly infective. This gel will not soak into dirt easily, often drying out on the ground within a day or two, but physical contact with mucous membranes or eyes will ensure infection. within a week, the gel will have started drying out within the body of the zombie, possibly quicker if they have open wounds or missing limbs. By the end of the first month, a zombie should be "dried out" enough that if they were to be destroyed, there would be little to no possibility of fluid seepage into plants. The exception to this would be areas that get an extensive amount of moisture (i.e. the Mississippi Delta, coastal areas, etc.) A dessicated zombie could be picked up by a river or flooding, and essentially soak long enough to properly "rot", allowing infected tissues, proteins, etc. to leach into the soil. While I would imagine a single zombie would not be able to poison a fruit tree, if enough zombies were to be subsumed into the soil of an orchard, I believe it would be totally possible for fruit gown there to become infected with contagion, which if ingested, could infect the consumer.
Bartering and the new economy
A post-apocalyptic world, money is not going to be real high on the list of things to hang onto (unless you're obsessed with it). Barter would become the means of transference between parties (unless you're into gratuitous violence, but that never works out in the end). The problem with a system of barter is the simple fact of worth. In a barter system, how much does a box of 9mm ammo cost? Is it worth a tank of gas? Two gallons of water? Ultimately, if the human race were to survive, it would eventually work its way back to a standard monetary system, but until that time, it would be next to impossible to determine a straightforward value. The upshot to it all would that once we did get back to a standard monetary system, prices would be much cheaper. As for places of barter (heretofore known as 'markets'), as time went on, I'm sure that survivors would establish barter areas, but in the beginning, it would be more happenstance.
Hazards of Agile Zombies
It has been suggested that zombies can still be as agile in death as they were in life. I am willing to buy this to a point. If we're talking "Rage Zombies" (28 Days Later), yeah, high elevations are not going to save you, as we previously discussed. My feeling on the matter is that as time goes on, Higher places are the best place to be. When zombies first attack, it's best to be on the ground floor, that way, if you must flee, you don't have to worry about negotiating stairs. As time goes on, zombies will invariably slow down, becoming less coordinated, allowing for tree-houses or other above the ground living arrangements to be made. I'll go into more depth with this concept when I discuss zombie physiology.
Livestock, & are pets M'mm, M'mm, Good?
the idea of livestock becomes more viable with time. When zombies first attack, the last thing you want to be doing is having to tend cows or chickens. Pets for that matter should be left behind. Dogs and cats are smart enough to stay away from undead, and most other creatures are either strong enough, fast enough, or small enough that they don't make a very good meal for a zombie. After a few months have passed, and you're sure you have a safe/quarantined area, I think it would be in your best interest to try and raise livestock. Just be aware that if another outbreak occurs or a horde stumbles across your spread, you may need to leave them behind. Small pets, like guinea pigs, hamsters, mice and the like really don't make for (forgive me Alton Brown!) good eats. Mice are small and don't have a whole lot of meat to them, neither do hamsters. Guinea pigs might be able to feed a small child, but 1) what child is going to want to eat their pet, and 2) guinea pigs are a bit gamey. In fact, I would stay away from rodentia as much as possible. It's like eating snow - you end up expending more energy trying to process it than you receive in return. Besides, you want to keep hamsters around so you can strap knives to their backs ad battle it out in cute little hamster death matches.
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 22, 2011 1:21:47 GMT
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Post by Nightshade79 on May 22, 2011 5:03:41 GMT
So can zombies reproduce like in Evil Dead? If so then are we looking at a new breed of flesh eaters that are "living" and more agile?
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Post by Lankylurkr on May 22, 2011 21:56:38 GMT
Zombie Physiology Why Necrophilia is so Gross Zombies are the masters of playing dead. As discussed previously, zombies tend to "dry out" over time. Much like other undead entities, blood does not naturally flow to certain parts of the body by itself (Vampires can force bloodflow for means of seduction; ghosts are incorporeal, mummies are wholly focused on revenge, skeletons don't have any flesh in the first place). Under normal circumstances, zombies don't procreate through standard means (The thought of that is not only wrong, but nauseating on so many levels). Zombies propagate through the consumption of human flesh, thereby transmitting the virus to a new host. The law of diminishing returns, so to speak The way I see it, such movies as House of the Dead, the remake of Dawn of the Dead and (dare I say it) Zombieland, created a more believable zombie, at least the beginning stages of a zombie outbreak. I've always felt that when someone is first infected, the body tries to fight off infection by flooding the body with endorphins and adrenaline. This potent concoction serves to hyper-power the body with strength and speed. As time goes on, and the virus ravages the body, the endorphins wear off, the adrenaline cannot be sustained, and rigor mortis sets in. Therefore, zombies are at their most physically dangerous when they are first infected. As time wears on, zombies become less agile, less powerful, and slower. The downside to time is they become stealthier, they never tire, and they can wait indefinitely, while human survivors have biological needs that must be met. So the dangerousness of a zombie tends to follow a sloping downward graph. Out past a year, the graph would slow even more, but if you were able to last approximately two to three years, the last zombies would eventually collapse and decompose, unable to stay together any longer.
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Post by Lankylurkr on Jun 5, 2011 7:15:25 GMT
So, I finally got around to watching Land of the Dead, and I must say, it wasn't bad. A little pat in spots, but it does bring up some interesting points that I would like to address. Zombie Intelligence While on the surface, this seems to be an oxymoron, it is quite possible for zombies to "think". (This is from Wikipedia, so I need to give credit where due - you can find the full article here. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Living_Dead#IntelligenceRomero's Zombies initially lack full cognitive function and act only on a single drive: the need to seek and consume living flesh. Night of the Living Dead depicted zombies eating animals as well as humans. It should be noted that the zombies have no true physiological need for flesh, nor can their expired digestive organs derive sustenance from it at all. This was discovered by Dr. Logan (aka Frankenstein) during his many experiments on "living" zombie specimens and reported to Sarah in Day of the Dead. The animated dead retain vague impulses derived from former living behavior. For instance, zombies often return to specific locations they frequented when alive (examples from the original Dawn of the Dead, hordes of zombies are compelled to congregate in a shopping mall, and one zombie knows where to find the secret hideout containing its still-living former companions). Lacking immediate victims to hunt, zombies will often fumble through crude motions reminiscent of life activities, often when prompted by a familiar artifact such as a telephone or car. With stimulus, it is possible for some specimens to begin to remember more of the common activities they performed while alive and achieve a basic functioning intelligence. In Day of the Dead, the zombie nicknamed Bub was "educated" into docility by Dr. Logan, learned (or remembered) how to operate a handgun and even developed a childlike affection for its instructor. In Land of the Dead, the zombie known as Big Daddy developed sophisticated cognitive function on his own, felt affection and empathy for his fellow zombies, could teach other zombies how to use objects (including weapons) and devised crude strategies for bypassing the defenses of the living humans who had destroyed many of his fellows. The more intelligent zombies like Bub and Big Daddy retain their hunger for living human flesh, but can put off immediate gratification if doing so offers a chance for more significant reward later. It can be argued that a zombie may preserve itself long enough (past two years) to not only survive, but to thrive in a sense. As exhibited in the movie, zombies tended to recreate the actions of their daily lives, when not chasing after survivors. I don't know if I would go so far as to say that zombies can discern cause and effect to the point that Land of the Dead did, but I think it could be possible (ala Big Daddy) that they could remember certain actions they did while living that could be translated into plausible actions performed by the undead. With that in mind, if zombies were to attack a military installation, we're really screwed. Not only will they eat us, but they'll out-gun us as well.
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