Posts Tagged ‘survival’
37 items.
Usually when I talk about surviving a zombie apocalypse, I don’t talk technology. But great strides are being made to make electricity more portable and renewable and I wanted to highlight some of these items to help you tech geeks out there get your fix.
{1}
BioLight Camp Stove. We all need to eat. And with the dead on your haunches you won’t have all the time in the world to make a fancy meal. Lucky you have this baby. Using only 1.6 ounces of twigs, you can boil a liter of water in 5 min. That orange thing on the side? A generator that’s charged by the burning of the fire. Cell phones won’t work, but satellites may still give you GPS. BioLight
{2}
HomeStove. Same idea. Same makers. Larger size. Need to cook for a group? This baby uses less fuel, keeps your fire non-visible, reduces the smoke you make, and charges your cell phone to play Bejeweled. Win! BioLite
{3}
Solar Mobile Generator. So let’s just say you need to power something larger than your iPod. Use this to Jump start a car, run some lamps, or even get a refrigerator back in working order. I want 5 of these. The same company makes a portable wind generator and other goodies! Global Energy Solutions
Are you handy and have $350? Make one yourself! Will it be just as good as the one above? Maybe not, but for the tinkerer on a budget, this is a great option! If you’re really good you can build a small army of these things for $1000.
If you have something you would like me to talk about in a post, email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com, or leave comments in the comment section below. Don’t forget to check out our Facebook, and Google + pages for more zombie goodness. As always be safe and I’ll see you Friday for Zombie Current Events!
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
{1} http://www.pcmag.com/slideshow/story/304089/walking-dead-tech-for-surviving-a-zombie-apocalypse/5
{2} http://www.biolitestove.com/homestove/overview/
{3} http://askmilton.com/ges1/?p=179
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Ah Thanksgiving. A time for family and friends to sit down and enjoy a great meal together. Time to reflect on the blessings one has had over the last year and hope that the future will be just as, if not brighter. Time for me to stuff my gut so full I’ll wish I had never been born. Then complain how fat I am. Just being honest.
As you are carving into the plump juicy turkey (note to self, never write blog hungry again…) let’s just say the zombies attack. Despite all your preparations, they were all done at your house, not your Aunt Sue’s house. There was no warning, there was no time, and you didn’t even get to get any of that turkey or stuffing. Ok I lied, you stole some stuffing while it was still in the kitchen, but hey now that the zombies are here, you’re really glad you did.
Doesn’t this look delicious? No turkey for you until you kill that undead young man! {1}
What are you going to do? Well, first thing I would do is grab the table cloth, and cover the turkey. If I make it out alive, I’ll want to eat it and I’m not sure that zombie goop goes well with breast meat. Now that your dinner is safe, it’s time to turn your attention to the walkers that are trying to eat Uncle Henry. Time to do some zombie killing, Thanksgiving style.
So if you have been reading my melee blogs all year, you will kind of already know what I have to say. You chairs can be used as weapons and shields. Your knives can be utilized as well. Have a kiddy table? It never has any of the food on it, so use this to protect you as well. Your goal should be do two things. 1. Get to a safer area to hide the less able and to arm yourselves, and 2. Take out all immediate threats so you can board up the home.
We have already gone over how to use kitchen knives, pans, and chairs, but let’s talk about some of the other things you might find at the table or in the kitchen to protect yourself.
Pots: You’re not going to be able to kill a zed with a pot more than likely, but you can make it easier to deal with them. Turn it over on it’s head and shove the cranium inside. At worst, you won’t get bitten, at best it may disorient the zombie enough to get it out of the house or at least stop it from attacking you for the time being.
Lamps: Bash those buggers over the head. If you’re lucky and get a floor lamp, try to get the base off of it, and you can use the body as a spear. If not, do your best to break those skulls with the lamp. You could also take the cords and try to restrain the arms and or legs of the zombie. Arms are more of a threat because getting scratched by a zombie could be just as deadly as getting bit. The disease and bacteria those things could have under their fingernails could make you really sick. So take the arms out of the equation first if you can.
Curio Cabinet: OK, your aunt will just have to get over her priceless porcelain elephant collection. Dump this on a zed to hopefully take him out. If not at least knock him down and then curb stomp em. The second thing this could do for you is create a barrier between you and the zed which will hopefully trip them up.
Anything heavy: Your electricity isn’t going to last long anyway, which will render that Keurig machine useless. Put it back into use by bashing in a zombie skull. Bread Boxes, spice racks, wine bottles, anything that could potentially knock someone out should be used to get to safety or at least better weapons. Get creative, and don’t be afraid to break stuff. Your aunt couldn’t use it if you hadn’t protected her from the zombies in the first place.
If it wasn’t for the caption, I would have sworn these were the people on Thanksgiving morning fighting over the last turkey at Food Lion. {2}
With some quick thinking you can get yourself to some good weapons like crowbars, baseball bats, or even guns. Just be sure silencers are used so you don’t attract more zed to you.
Once you have eliminated the zombies from the house, reinforce every possible entrance way to prevent them from getting back in. Then eat your meal in awkward silence. That turkey will be just as good cold, but set the gravy to the side. Nothing’s worse than cold gravy.
If you have any ideas for future melee weapon blogs or you just want to share your opinion on today’s blog, you can email or post in the comments below. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
{1} http://www.kidzone.ws/animals/turkey.htm
{2} http://article.wn.com/view/2011/11/17/Queens_Thanksgiving_Zombie_Walk_set_to_invade_streets_of_Ast/
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It’s time for me to be a hypocrite again. I often write these blogs later in the day or at night well past one in the morning so who am I to tell you about the importance of sleep? Well like it or not, that’s what this post is going to be about. If you want to survive I cannot stress enough about how getting the proper amount of rest is going to be imperative for you. You’re going to feel like it’s not safe to sleep. You may be too scared to sleep. Your sleep may be riddled with nightmares of zombies. But regardless, next to drinking water, it’s the single best thing you can do for your body.
First let’s look at what’s going to happen to you if you don’t get enough rest. Sleep deprivation is a dangerous thing. In fact it can be so dangerous it can be compared to being intoxicated. During a situation where you life depends on your accuracy and clear judgment you don’t want to be drunk, or sleep deprived. So what will happen to your body? There is a long list of bad things that can happen to you, so I’ll keep the list shorter by just looking at the short term effects that will affect your survival situation.
Sleep deprivation causes a lot more problems than being tired. Educate yourself on good sleep habits now so you stay alive in the future. {1}
- Aching Muscles: This is not only uncomfortable, but it’s distracting as well. If your on watch and your distracted with aches and pains, you may miss something that is super important.
- Confusion, Memory Lapses of Loss: Been there done that. It get’s hard to concentrate. I’ve walked into rooms and forgot why I went there in the first place. I’ve made hour long drives and didn’t recall any of the trip. Important information could be passed to you and you could forget it. And you never want to get confused if you get into a fire fight. That won’t turn out well for anyone.
- Depression: Some people never get depressed in their lives. They are lucky. Depression is a soul crushing state to be in. You start feeling bad about yourself, your situation, and the people around you. Then you start doubting your abilities, or the abilities of your team mates. You lose a love for life. And if you combine these feelings with a bad situation, well zombies are only one way to die in an apocalypse.
- Hallucinations: Again, been there and done that too. You can start hearing things. I once was driving and could have sworn I heard kids playing in the back seat of the car. You can also start seeing things that aren’t there. You don’t want to hallucinate your teammates are zombies.
- Hand Tremors: Do I even need to state why this is bad? It will affect your aim, lot like the confusion, muscle aches and depression weren’t bad enough to break your concentration.
- Headaches: This is along the same lines as the aching muscles.
- Malaise: This is a feeling of general discomfort or uneasiness. Very distracting.
- Increased Stress Hormone Levels: Don’t you think you’ll be under enough stress as it is? Increasing that stress will not do you any good.
- Irritability: I don’t know if this is a byproduct of everything else, but some people get this with no other symptoms at all. Grouchy people are bad for moral.
- Temper Tantrums in Children: This should be adults too. They get irritable and stressed and temper tantrums start to happen. Nothing worse than when you’re trying to sneak past some zombies and a kid starts throwing a fit. You won’t last long.
- Yawning: Wait you wanted to be quite? Well there goes that plan. Not to mention this is contagious.
So you get it. Going without sleep is bad. So what do you do about it? Zombies don’t sleep and they aren’t going to stop just because you want to take a nap. Well if your by yourself, my suggestion is to get up high. In trees are good places to sleep. Not on the tree branches, that would be dangerous. I’m talking more of a hammock. And not those backyard death traps ether. I’m talking like the hammock displayed below. The only problem I foresee with this model is the entrance is at the bottom of the hammock, and if your hanging it high enough for a zombie not to get you, it’s going to be difficult to get in and out of. You may have to find a top entrance one, which there will be plenty of on the market. These things are water proof, and have storage for your gear as well. In case you get stuck somewhere, you will be glad to have one of these. Plus did you see how quickly you can pack that thing? Try doing that with a tent!
Of course things dramatically improve when you have a group of people. You should assign someone to keep watch. Make sure however that the watch is getting switched out periodically so your watchmen have a chance to sleep too. Ideally you will want to find a secure location but remember no place is ever truly safe, only safer. A large place like a prison or a school will require multiple guards and might be a bad idea if your team is less in numbers.
The rules for sleeping are going to be the same rules you should be following now. 6-9 hours of sleep. Sleep on a regular schedule. Sleep at night. Keep your bed limited to only sleeping and maybe sexual activity. Limit the amount of light you’re exposed to. All of these things will keep your sleep effective and produce more restful sleep.
Finally, if you have trouble sleeping now, see a doctor. There won’t be anyone to ask questions too after things get bad. Get your sleeping habits right now, while you have the time to adjust. And if you have a medical condition that would prevent you from getting restful sleep (such as sleep apnea) a doctor will be able to tell you how to avoid the issue or make it better.
If you have any more tips please feel free to add them in a comment below. If you have a survival subject you would like to see on the website, or maybe there is one I have done and you want to see revisited, email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Source
{1} http://profile.cheezburger.com/justamber/Favorites/14?showFullSizeFavs=True
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Over ½ of Americans are on prescription drugs. That’s a lot of people. Once the zombies come, these people may have to learn to do without. Production of medications will stop. Your local Walgreens will get ransacked, and then you will have no pills left. Basically you will be SOL. Or will you?
Let’s look at what we are dealing with. Yes the supply of medication will be stopped, but what medication are people taking? The most prescribed long term medications are the ones that lower cholesterol and reduce the threat of heart disease. You also got at the top of the list the meds that keep diabetes in check, and your anti-depressants (or as I like to call them, happy pills). There are a lot of others, but we are only going to focus on the top at this time.
I would like to say at this point anyone with a heart problem or diabetes is SOL, but this may not be the case. Realistically, once the zombies come it will be survival of the fittest. This is not your average diabetic. Also the majority of Americans taking medication for heart issues will be senior citizens. Again, not a prime example of a zombie survivor. That realization may be harsh, but at the same time we must be realistic.
Have you ever broken open one of those plastic pills with the little balls inside them? Yea, that’s a mess… {1}
On the plus side what does that mean for those who do take medications like these but are otherwise healthy? More for you. While supplies last that is. Eventually, medications will start to get old and become less effective. Although there is a debate as to the effectiveness of certain medication after its expiration date, the general consensus is that it may do more harm than good to use an expired medicine. If you regularly take insulin shots to control diabetes the outlook is even grimmer. Many of these medicines require refrigeration to extend their shelf life. Without power you will be looking at a major loss of medication not due to looting, but due to spoil.
If we lived in a perfect society, these medications would be easy to find after everything went to crap. You could still go down to your local pharmacy, jump behind the counter and only take what you need. Unfortunately in the real world we have other problems. Many medications are abused by those looking for a thrill and therefore will be sought after so people can spend their last days high as a kite. This takes it away from someone who might really need it. This will come more into play with psychiatric drugs such as the ones used for depression.
This is where this blog is about to get controversial. I understand that there are medical conditions out there that are so bad that only by using medication can the person function. I get that, and this is not directed to those people. But for most conditions of the top reasons for medicating, you can find alternatives to medication to help control the condition. If your diabetes is caused by obesity, the everyday rigor of running from zombies may help you not only lose weight but get your diabetes in check. Also by controlling your diet and eating on a schedule it can help normalize blood sugar levels.
Alternative medicine may be your only option after the supplies run out. Ask your doctor now about what you can do later. {2}
If you have high cholesterol, regular exercise and a good diet is one of the top recommendations to bringing that down. Other heart conditions are harder to control without medication, but ask your doctor now if there are other treatments (herbal remedies, specific exercises, ect.) that you could use.
From personal experience I can also tell you that mild depression can be controllable without medication. Again, a good diet, exercise, social interaction and sunlight are great ways to pick yourself up when you feel a little blue. The social interaction and at times the diet may be difficult during an apocalypse, but you’ll get plenty of exercise if you don’t want to be eaten.
But let’s just say you need your pills… where do you go? Many local pharmacies will be wiped clean, leaving you with slim pickings when it comes to medication. Depending on where you live, you may have better luck. Small towns will probably have less looters, but again, let’s not rely on that being your only option. Next of course you have your hospitals. I have a good feeling that if you can get to a hospital’s pharmacy, you will hit pay dirt. It will be very well stocked and will be guarded up to the end. Problem with this is everyone and their mother will be coming there in the beginning hoping doctors will have an answer. Hospitals will be teaming with the undead and survival there will be highly unlikely.
Where else can you go? Veterinarians have supplies of medication intended for animals. If you have a good knowledge on medications you may be able to try there to find something that you need. It won’t be what the doctor ordered, but it may keep you living (by the way, this also goes for things like sterilization supplies, bandages, ect.). Next, you can try going door to door. Looting houses may be a good way to gather the meds you need especially if you know who else may suffer from your condition. It’s slightly less risky than a hospital, but keep your guard up. You never know if the previous occupants are still inside. My last recommendation is to find out where the doctors and pharmacies in your area get their shipments from. If you can intercept an undelivered shipment, that could pay off. Check out the various stops the trucks make. Look along the travel routes and detours for a missing truck. If you have to, go all the way to the processing plant. They would have shipments that were ready to be sent but never made it to the loading docks.
If you need medication after the zombies come, good luck. If you don’t, please don’t be a dick and take it away from those who really need it. Thanks.
If you have a recommendation for a blog post you would like to see me tackle, please send me an email at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
{1} http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/2011/jun/24/combined-side-effects-medicine
{2} http://artsyswag.com/alternative-medicine/
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For this Melee review, I thought I would talk a weapon not many people think of. Who has ever thought about using an extension cord as a weapon?
There are so many reasons why this idea is full of win. 1st of all, an extension cord is strong. It would take a lot of strength to bust an extension cord. Tying the cord as a lasso would certainly give you an advantage of being able to more effectively using this weapon. Although this would be non lethal, it could save your life.
Now you will thank your crazy Unkle for never throwing away any extension cord. Ever. {1}
Another thing that I wanted to point out about the extension cord is that they usually have some sort of heft to them. This way it would be easier to throw a line out at a distance with greater accuracy. This would be useful in situations requiring quick set up of traps.
Another less conventional way an extension cord could be used as a weapon is when it’s used as a whip. It would take some practice, but using one of the plug ends as an impact point for the whip could cause devastating effects if used efficiently. This would need loads of practice in order to get it right, but hey if you want to survive, it’s suggested you learn how to utilize this skill. An alternative to this, if you have electricity available, is to fray one end of the extension cord so that the wires are exposed. If you then plug it into the wall, you have a make shift electric whip. Just be careful not to hurt your friends or yourself. On that note, you can just use it as a tazer at that point as well.
For the most dangerous tazer ever made, strip the wires as if you were repairing a broke cord. then, just leave them exposed, and watch sparks fly. {2}
I mentioned traps earlier and thought it might be a good idea to give you some ideas on what kind of traps could be set up using an extension cord. First you could run the cord across a hall way about 1 foot off the ground. Assuming zombie still shuffled instead of took a full stride, this would trip any and all zombies that came across it. Another trap would be using it Home Alone style where Kevin ties heavy objects like paint cans to one end of a rope and the other end to the ceiling. You then sing the heavy object at the zombie, hopefully damaging it enough to knock it down or cause trama to the skull. Although this option is more of a one shot deal, it is an option where otherwise there might not have been one.
Looking at other alternative uses for an extension cord you could see why this would be a valuable tool to pick up if you see it. Not only can you run it from a generator to your living area to provide you some power, but if you can do something with a rope, you can probably do it with an extension cord as well. Using it to pitch a tent, or drag something behind you, or even as a make shift tourniquet. Is it recommended for any of these uses? Most certainly not, but in a pinch, it will do.
So would I venture the opinion to replace a rope in my bag for an extension cord? No way. A rope will still be much better at what it is assigned to do than extension cord would be. But this new look at a common every day item may make you double thin before passing op on an opportunity that would just be laying around otherwise.
If you have any ideas for future melee weapon blogs or you just want to share your opinion on today’s blog, you can email or post in the comments below. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
{1} http://www.utk.edu/tntoday/2012/04/04/ehs-extension-cord-safety/
{2} http://electrical-systems-lighting.knoji.com/how-to-repair-an-extension-or-power-cord/
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Even if you don’t watch wrestling we have all seen a tables, ladders, and chairs match. At one point or another you have been flipping through the TV channels and maybe just caught a glimpse of some dude in spandex cold cocking another dude in even less spandex with a ladder. In those shows, highly trained professionals are performing stunts. The ladders may still hurt, but rest assured that they are aluminum ladders of the lightest weight making it easier to carry, or toss around.
In the real world most people who have a ladder for household use will use a ladder like this. You don’t need anything heavy duty to get yourself into the attic or to change a light bulb. In fact most people probably don’t own a ladder at all. At most maybe a stepstool. But let’s just say theoretically you had to use one of those ladders to defend your life, from zombies.
In one of my favorite stories in the Dead Future Anthology, The Game, our hero of the comic uses a ladder to fend off some zombies on a roof. After everyone else has used the ladder to get across to the other building, the hero decides that he’s not going to make it across anyway. So he picks up the ladder and swings it around. Finally he uses it as a barrier between him and the zombies to ram into a group of them, hoping to knock them off the side of the building maybe.
I’m going to say this wasn’t a bad idea as a last resort. But I feel he did have time to get to the next building, and then by removing the ladder he would have been safe for a while longer. So let’s explore some of the ways you could use a ladder as a melee weapon/tool for survival.
First as a tool for survival. One of the easiest ways to protect yourself from zombies is to get to higher ground. Zombies can’t climb (at least not the Romero or Max Brooks zombie). So one way of setting up a defensive position in a house is to take out the stairs, and just use a ladder to get to the 2nd story. As the zombies reach the ladder, you can knock it down, and all of a sudden you are safe. You can also use a ladder to span gaps. Like between two buildings. If you do this make sure the ladder is stable and secure before attempting to climb over it. Once your party is safely on the other side, pick it up and use it to get across to the next house.
For a weapon this painter’s ladder is probably not the best choice. It’s got too many bells and whistles to be able to easily swing it around.
Ladders are also great because they can be used for a variety of other things. Make shift battering rams if you need to bust down a door or window, a make shift shelf for storing things, a car rack if you can bolt it on top of a car, or a make shift plow when tied to the front of a truck. That’s right if utilized with a little creativity, your simple ladder can be multifunctional for you and a great tool for survival. I would not however carry it around if I was going on foot however as it is big, bulky, and can get heavy after carried for a while.
But in the urban life, that ladder will come in handy, and just as much so if you need to stop a few zombies. To turn this tool into a weapon would be easy as long as you have the strength to wield it. Now we are not talking skull crushing weapon. At best this should be used as a diversionary tactic. Knock a few down and keep on running. So let’s look at some methods of doing that.
First method I like to call The Ram. Because it’s preformed exactly the way one would use a hand held battering ram. Hold the ladder by a few of its rungs pointing the top step towards the zombies. Next either by holding the ladder to your side, or over your head, thrust it at the zombies. You’re aiming for the gut, or the head in order for this to be effective. If you’re strong enough and the ladder is heavy enough, you may be able to crack a skull, or at least by aiming high on the body you may knock the zombie backwards. If you’re aiming for the gut, you’re trying to bend the zombie over so that he has to reorient himself to continue the chase, and he would become an obstacle for the zombies immediately behind him. Regardless if they can feel pain or not, by gut checking him his natural reaction will be to bend at the waist and fall down. This method should only be used on a few zombies. I would say no more than 2-3 at most. You won’t be able to react quick enough to take out more than that, plus swinging that ladder around would tire you out.
This ladder is better, but the ideal ladder would be one that’s light, locks in place, and has circular rungs which will make it easier to pick up.
My next method should only be done in a wide open space and if multiple zombies are coming at you from different sides. I call this one the Whorl Wind. Hold the ladder by the 2 middle rungs perpendicular to the floor. Next tuck your arms into your sides and hold the ladder directly against your chest or stomach. Then as the zombies come towards you, spin in place while still holding the ladder against you. If you time it right, you may be able to knock all of the zombies off their feet. Next drop the ladder and run like hell. Even thought the zombies should be on the ground, they will still be close. You don’t want them grabbing you by the legs and tripping you up. Again this should be done with only a few zombies as you need to be able to have enough momentum to hit all the zombies attacking in one go. Also even if you knock over a bunch of zeds, there are now a bunch of zeds grabbing at your legs. Have fun with that.
Another effective method would be the Cloths Liner. Hold the ladder as described for the Whorl Wind. This time you want all the zombies to be on the same side as you. Next you’re going to run at the zombies holding the ladder between you and them. This method is good when you have a wide group coming at you. That being said, it’s the stupidest one I’ve mentioned. You’re running the wrong direction, directly at the zombies. With nothing but the ladder between you and them, you’re going to get grabbed, scratched and maybe even bitten. This should only be used if you are going to sacrifice yourself for the rest of the group. Hey, at least they can no longer call you selfish right?
Instead of dying, I would prefer the last method. With the ladder collapsed wedge it between two walls in a hall way. This will act as a barrier between you and the zombies, if only for a little while. Some may still sneak through underneath, and it won’t hold them off forever. Hopefully though it will be just enough for you to get to safety, or at least your gun stash. It can only be used in a hallway that’s narrow enough so the halls of your high school will probably not do. Also if the hallway is too narrow, you’ll leave a larger gap for the zombies to get underneath. The more horizontal you can lodge the ladder, the safer you will be.
There your have it folks, the ladder as a zombie weapon. Not the most effective weapon, but the uses of a good ladder can make it worth keeping one around the house. Just be sure to use it safely.
Do you have any other suggestions on how a ladder can be used as a weapon against the undead? Be sure to post below! If you have any ideas for future melee weapon blogs you can email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
All images were found on the Home Depot Web Site.
Everyone knows that to survive the apocalypse, it’s going to require a plethora of skills. Your group will not survive long if you have nothing but snipers on the team right? So we discussed last month a little about the sniper position, this month I would like discuss the scavenger position.
A scavenger is one of the most important jobs in an apocalypse. They will be your main point of contact for the conditions that are ahead of you, almost like a scout. Good communication skills will be required so they can inform the rest of the group about their finds or the danger that lies ahead without confusion.
The scavenger must also have a good eye for things. They must always be on the lookout for items that would make life easier, or even just livable. For instance I may walk by an abandoned stroller without batting an eye. A scavenger may see that same stroller and look into repurposing it to carry groceries, firewood, weapons, you name it. That stroller would work as a basket to carry all kinds of things until you were able to find a wheel barrel or a pull along wagon, or maybe even a silent grocery cart.
You wish it was that easy. {1}
The next skill a scavenger must possess is the skill of being silent. Scavengers will often find theselves in situations were being quiet will save their lives. Weather she is trying to escape a group of zombies that have her pinned, or the scavenger has come across another group of survivors who don’t seem so friendly, being silent will help her to conceal her location and save her life.
Scavengers should also possess great climbing skills. In many situations, the scavenger will want to tackle the problem from in the air. The height would prevent zombies from grabbing them, as well as help conceal themselves if they come across another group of survivors. Who looks to the sky in the an apocalypse where death will come from ground level or below? So it can be a tree, a fire escape, rooftop, ext., just approach all situations from the sky.
One man’s trash… {2}
A great sense of direction will be needed by any scavenger. It does you no good to be able to find a sweet ammo stash, if you don’t know how to get it back to the rest of the group. Many scavengers’ lives will be in danger just for getting lost in the woods or the concrete jungle. A scavenger should always carry a map and a compass just in case.
The last piece of advice I have for any would be scavengers out there would be that patience is key. If your find is swarmed with zombies, just wait. They will move eventually. You may be tempted to trick the zeds into moving along by distracting them but don’t try it. There’s always the smart one that will see past the distraction and locate you. Instead just wait, and you will find your opportunity.
If you have a recommendation for a blog post you would like to see me tackel, please send me an email at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
{1} http://www.crayola.com/free-coloring-pages/print/scavenger-hunt-coloring-page/
{2} http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/scavenge-like-a-professionalea-87869
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Has anyone ever gone to Realitor.com looking for a zombie proof house? I bet we all have. Hey, the best planning starts with the same thing all the realtors say. Location, location, location. If your house is already zombie proof, how far do you need to run? That’s right, you can sit on your fat ass while your friends run to your house. Make sure they get the beer on the way.
But Realitor.com has practically a billion properties on it. Who has that kind of time? Well it looks like it’s your lucky day. Realtors are marketing geniuses and those that help those geniuses decided to put together a list of properties that are on the market that are likely to stand the test of the zombie apocalypse.
Now they picked some obvious places that people would like to spend the end of days at. Islands for one thing. Anyone who has read Max Brook’s Zombie survival guide will know however that just because you’re out at sea, doesn’t mean you are safe. Maybe safer, but zombies don’t need to breath, so if they find a way to float to you, you’re out of luck. Plus the fact that you’re on an island and have nowhere to run makes things bad for you.
Now they got a better idea when they picked this moat based home you see below. Problem is that the zombies can just walk under water to you. Unless that moat is super deep and the edges of the property that touch the water are sheer faced, then there is little worry of them climbing out of the moat to get to you. You can just take the walkway to the front door out, and a secluded fortress you have. On the plus side, if you do get in the shit with the zeds, you could always have a back up boat prepared to take you to main land, so that is why I would choose this over a secluded island any day.
This was in Miami Florida? I guess I will have a reason to go visit my sister after all.
But out of all the properties, there are really only a few I would consider safest against the zombie hoards. Most of the castles rank high on the list. I mean really, they were designed to keep invaders out, so if they do a good job at that, some mindless zeds won’t be a problem. And I have narrowed down the list even further and will share with you my top 2 picks.
Hey baby, can I put my “missile” in your “silo”?…No?… Ok.
First is this Nuclear Missile Silo in Saranac NY. Normally I would not suggest going underground, but this is my one exception to the rule. I like this because on the outside, it looks like nothing special. A nice house maybe, but they are only seeing the icing on the cake. Leave the upstairs abandoned looking. Board up the windows and doors, and retreat to the bunker below. If you hide the entrance well enough, even if a zombie does come snooping, they would never find how to get to you. And even if they did, they would have to get past your entry door. And let’s say they get passed that. Escape into the silo with a entrance door made of three inch concrete and mesh. And you always have the escape hatch above the silo as a second escape rout in case anything went wrong.
“Wingardium Leviosa!” Well damn I was hoping to see a pig fly. Maybe then I could afford a place like this going for 99 million.
And my top pick would have to be Hogwarts Castle. I’m not joking. This is actually located in Alcona Michigan. What I love about this place is not only is it large enough for you a small army (542 bathrooms), but it’s defensible (a castle duh) and up on rocks that would be impossible for a zombie to climb. Plan your defensive strategies right, and you could never have to leave this place. Room enough for gardening for crops (inside the building or in the courtyard, your choice) and plenty of opportunities to section off portions of the castle in case of a zombie breach.
Take a look at the rest of the listings at www.realtor.com and let me know what home you would choose to make your last stand.
If you have ideas or suggestions for the blog, email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. Just want to add your two cents, comment below. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
All images from http://www.realtor.com/blogs/2012/06/01/penetrate-this-sixteen-fortresses-for-staving-off-the-zombie-apocalypse-photos/
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I completely lost interest in this week’s Zombie Current Events. I will post it Friday. But why did I lose interest? We’ll a friend of mine had a new picture up on her Facebook holding a rifle with a scope, and to tease her a bit I looked up the names of some historic snipers. And then I realized I was doing zombie research while Facebooking. I’m pretty much hopeless at this point.
My point is, I found the number one person in history you would have wanted on your survival team.
You wouldn't have seen him coming. {1}
Simo Häyhä was not only a good sniper, to date he is the best battle tested sniper in history. With 505 recorded kills in battle, this was one bad ass soldier you would never see before you died. Fighting for the Finnish army in the Winter War (1939-1940) his record for killing Soviet soldiers earned him the nick name “White Death.”
You see Simo was a master of a tool of the sniper trade that wasn’t always common practice at the time. He camouflaged himself perfectly for his surroundings. Fighting on the Finland/Soviet border in the dead of winter allowed him to completely cover himself in white, rendering himself invisible to Soviet troops. Something else that may have accounted for his success was his choice in weaponry. The White Guard M/28 “Pystykorva” was a smaller rifle and worked well for him because he had a smaller frame. Also at a time that technology was advancing quickly in the battlefield, he decided to stick with a tried and true iron sight instead of using a telescopic sight. This allowed him to stay concealed better because he didn’t have to lift his head up as much as one with a telescopic sight would.
Simo Häyhä was so feared by the Soviets that they tried most everything they could to get rid of him. With counter snipers, and artillery strikes aimed for the sole purpose of getting rid of this master gunman, the Soviets were unsuccessful in their efforts to dispose of Simo until he was finally shot through the face during battle.
"Look so good if shot in face with exploding bullet you will not!" {3}
In a true show of how completely manly this man was, not even being shot through the face killed the White Death. Reports show that after being unconscious for a week, and after having half of his face removed from the attack, Simo woke up the day that peace was declared on March 13, 1940. With an average of 5 recorded kills a day, Simo could have very well surpassed 540 kills had he gone unscathed.
Simo Häyhä recovered from his injuries and lived a long life of 97 years before passing away in 2002. To this date no other sniper has had as many recorded kills as this man, and defiantly not in such a short time period. His time on the battlefield was only 100 days.
{3}
So what can we learn from this great hero of Finland? First, is always use the weapon that best suits you. Had Häyhä tried to use a larger gun, or more powerful firearm, he might not have been as successful as he was. Second, don’t always rely on technology to make you better. Keep in mind that he accomplished his feats with just using his iron sights. It was the best tool for the conditions he was fighting in, and that’s why he used them.
Next, practice makes perfect. Before the war Häyhä was a farmer and a huntsman. He had lots of practice with his weapon which made him proficient at what he did. And finally, never underestimate the power of a good hiding spot. The combination of his knowledge of his surroundings, the conditions he was fighting in, and his excellent camouflage made him a near perfect threat to the Soviets. Using these same tactics you could hide well from the zombie danger until the coast is clear.
Want to comment on today’s post? Leave a comment below or email me at penguinprince@grimcrew.com. You can also follow Dead Future on Facebook and Google +. You can also follow me on Twitter and Google +.
Till Fate brings our Future…
Penguin Prince
Image Sources
{1} http://www.cracked.com/article_17019_5-real-life-soldiers-who-make-rambo-look-like-pussy.html
{2} & {3} http://www.natemaas.com/2012/03/simo-hayha.html
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