Zombie: Dark Rum, Light Rum, Cherry Brandy, Orange juice, Lemon juice

Welcome once again fellow survivors,

Alcohol consummtion is already a danger and will only become more of one after the fall of society as we know it. Drinking alcohol is a very common drug used in times of stress and pain. Many people will turn to the bottle once the world starts to fall apart but this is a mistake for many reasons.

The dangers of being drunk are obvious and only a part of the problems drinking presents. It seems almost pointless to point out how not being sober is a bad idea when facing a zombie outbreak. Your wits and training need to be on your side: lack of coordination and loss of clear thinking are like loading the guns for the firing squad. If in need of an example, go to a bar and watch a drunk person try to fight.

If you do find yourself drunk when an outbreak first occurs the most important thing is to not panic but also to not think you are imagining it -even if you are, better safe then undead.- The priority needs to be to get yourself away from any dangers and find a place you can take the time to sober up. Try to think as clearly as you can. If someone is coming toward you, remember, if they can speak they are human, if they can't speak and immediately try to "hug" or grab you they are probably a zombie, run. Do not try to fight, if you have to just try to push zombies off of yourself. Do this by throwing your weight around and using momentum and simple but random movements, flail and make yourself hard to grab but remember the point is to escape. Get away and then keep going until you know you are in a safe enough are to sober up.

Even though getting drunk is such an obvious danger many people will fall to the temptation to drown the pain and sorrow, to try to forget, or even to purposefully put themselves in danger. This is completely self destructive behavior and such a risk must be avoided for a number of reasons besides the most obvious one.
The long term effects of alcohol dependance are complex and awful. Any sort of dependance is a sure path to destruction; be it dependance to drugs, sex, people, booze or anything else. Alcohol is a powerful depressant and easy to get addicted to. When keeping spirits high and finding reasons to live will become a part of life, alcohol can be a major obsticle.

Let's also not over look the fact that alcohol is a poison and a high calorie one at that. The long term effects of over consumtion on the body are harsh and can have negative effects on keeping a body that is fit and able to engage in zombat on a regular basis.

Long term drinking is not the only danger, binge drinking of alcohol, or drinking a large amount in a single night, presents its own set of risks. Some of which relate to the aspect of alcohol being a poison, and taking too much of it resulting in alcohol poisoning. Symptoms of poisoning include:

• Absent reflexes
• Slurred speech
• No withdrawal from painful stimuli (for instance from pinching)
• Confusion
• Difficulty awakening the person
• Erratic behavior
• Seizures
• Feeling very ill including long, drawn-out vomiting
• Slow, shallow, or irregular breathing
• Blue-tinged skin or pale skin
• Inability to make eye contact or sustain a conversation
• Unconsciousness (passing out)

These symptoms are very similar to the normal symptoms of simply being drunk. Note that this is because being drunk is infact simply the earliest warnings that the body is being poisoned. These effects are significantly more dangerous if mixed with narcotics, pain medication, sedatives and anti-seriuze medication.
Should someone be suffering from alcohol poisoning you should do what you can for them, this includes drinking water, a lot of water. Also trying to keep the person awake and alert. Watch from changes in breathing patterns, if breathing slows to less then eight breaths per minute consider CPR or at least assisted breathing. Lay the person on the side so vomit or the tongue do not cause choking. Do not for any reason give the person cafeine or salt, both of these will further dehydrate the body and fight against the goal.
If at all possible try to get the person to urinate regularily and to take in vitamins, even in the form of supplements. This is not ideal but neither is letting oneself get to the point of alcohol poisoning.

Now the normal means of simply watching the person until medical treatment arrives does not apply because medical treatment will not be coming. Survivors are their own doctors. This is why training in medical fields will make a survivor very valuable. But each survivor must also keep themself safe; do not risk yourself in order to stay with someone who may cause further issues or may fall into a coma or worse. If the person does manage to pull through, then steps must be taken to ensure the event does not happen a second time. That the survivor realizes the importance of staying away from alcohol once the dead walk.

The best use for alcohol will be one somewhat unexpected. Not for fuel or molotov cocktales as one might assume. Though that is a good use for them, fire can be dangerous and will not kill zombies quickly but will kill them (burning up the brain) and can spread to kill a great number of them if they are close together.
There are many variations of the molotov cocktail. The classic is a glass bottle filled with gasoline. A rag is placed in the neck of the bottle. The rag is lit on fire and the bottle is thrown. This method is extremely dangerous! The best way to make it safer is to take a tampon that is soaked in gas and place it on the side of the bottle neck. Then, tie a rubber band around the tampon. Make sure the bottle has a cap on it. Light the tampon and throw hard because the bottle must break! Note that origanally the bottles had gasoline in them. Alcohol will suffice as gasoline will become very valuable as fuel. The effects are not as grand but very cheap and easy.

The other use however is currency. Many raiders and bandits and other survivors will be willing to see past the dangers alcohol represents and will want to feel the numbness and escape. They will see alcohol as a drug, and its value will rise as such. Many current drugs need to be processed, some of these processes take time and effort that will be lost for a long time after the fall. Many of those who partake in drugs regularily will also fall out of the ranks of the survivors because of both being high and with drawls. Alcohol will be a great currency because other people will want to consume it while its value to the smart survivor will be little more then fuel for fires.

Be smart, may the infection never reach you, and those close to you have the resolve to do what is needed should you be so unfortunate,

Mike D.

Morale and interaction

Hello follow survivors, this post will cover a number of topics regarding morale so strap in and put your thinking caps on.

First we start by mentioning games, which serve a number of purposes after the fall. The number one reason for games is to occupy your mind. The long term effects of boredom can be devastating.

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=bored--find-something-to-live-for

This article is one of many that can be found  describing the effects of boredom. The most interesting thing mentioned here is this, "This heightened appreciation of self and immediate surroundings also lies at the heart of mindfulness." Now when could one be bored during the zombie apocalypse one might think. After all you will appreciate your surroundings a lot more. But boredom also has to do with growing tired of repetitive tasks, lack of entertainment and a number of other things which will still effect a person even when the undead have taken the world.

In an ideal situation you will be bored a lot. If you’ve done your job and are in a safe location your contact with the undead should be at a minimum leaving a lot of time in your hands. There are many ways to use this time. Here are a few: Building/setting/checking traps, Farming/gardening, Caring for animals, Prepping food, Searching for supplies, Training/practicing, Exercise.

These are just a few of the ways to pass the time and they should all be done regularly but you will still manage to find time in which your mind needs to refresh. These tasks are quite mundane and after doing them for even a short period anyone will begin to grow tired of them. One way to refresh the mind can be in the form of talking with other survivors but that brings about its own problems. Social interaction in the post-apocalypse can be strange and foreign. After all many of the things we talk about everyday will seem very minor compared to the daily fight for your life. You will also find that you are forced to be with people by circumstance who you may never have interacted with in our world.

But these are not as large of obstacles as you may think. You can still talk about the past as you would talk about it now. The main difference is to be aware that it is in fact the past and your new life doesn’t have to be horrible but may seem as such when compared to the past. For this reason I would still suggest staying away from the topic unless all survivors involved are fully settled and accepting of the new life they lead.

Some things to think about your new life are: no longer having to pay insurance, no more bosses or managers, not having to pay for anything really, learning new things like the barter system, fewer hate crimes, new social order, no traffic laws, never having to pay for parking. The list of things better about the apocalypse are almost numberless though they appear small. It will be in this time that the people who can appreciate the small things in life will serve a better chance of making it in the long run. It is so easy to lose hope in our world as it is, once most of the world is dead hope and happiness will be hard to find but rest assured it is there! Being able to find the joy in the small things will help you stay in high spirits which is one of the most important parts of surviving any battle, any military mind, sports fan, soldier or player can tell you that most of the battle is in the mind, if morale is low chances of winning drop to zero but if morale is high every movement and task seems easier. This fact is so true it even affects our relationships and chances of success when dating or doing daily tasks like laundry and cooking: which will still exist after the fall.

So as long as people are able to live in the current world and not lose hope then talking about the past can be both therapeutic and entertaining. Another caution though is to let go of judgments passed on past lives. It is good to know a person’s skill set from before but their “social rank” no longer applies. A homeless person will have a completely different skill set then a lawyer and it will not matter how much money either one has after the fall. Each person must be judged solely on their merits. Not on how much of the idea of money they possess.

To understand this, understand that money is only an idea. Money is the idea that the whole world agrees how much wealth a person has. If the whole world decides that money is no longer worth anything then those people who are rich and powerful suddenly lose all status. In the end knowledge and training, skills and materials will become what is truly of worth and value: money will be an idea without a purpose or meaning therefore no longer giving those who have it power.

The more people to talk with the more there will be to talk about and more opinions to bounce ideas off of and topics to talk about. This however can also be a downfall of many groups. So many opinions and especially too many leaders in a group will lead to group separations or worse, groups staying together and eventually destroy themselves. Never be afraid to split ways with the people you are with. This will in fact increase your chances of survival as you will have multiple groups with good relations too each other and you can potentially  get help from if you are ever in need and manage to find them. Smaller groups are also easier to hide from hordes or belligerent raiders.

As you discover these other survivors who you never would have known otherwise you will be able to share completely different viewpoints and experiences. Don’t be afraid of this. Learn to accept each person’s opinion as valid and every idea as a possibility. But also beware of people who will try to use you and give nothing back or who lack moral fiber. In the final days any person will be welcome from the loneliness but every person becomes a potential enemy just as much as a potential ally.

If you yourself are a leader you should find people who will follow you and have skills you can use examples might include: soldiers, firefighters, sports players, construction workers, mechanics, handy men, Scout leaders, cooks, drivers, hospital staff, university teachers, technicians, entertainers.

If you are a follower you will need to search for a leader who will keep you alive. You are likely to find leaders among the following groups: police, criminals, hospital staff, writers. Leaders are hard to find, they can be found in any group as any person can be a strong leader, they are often the people who in the real world stick up for themselves and the people around them. They are the people who rock the boat OR make the boat run smoothly. Leader are not the type of people you want following you but they can make very valuable allies and if you are not a leader or an extremely talented survival expert, your best chances of survival are finding a leader to join with and having skills that leader can use.

Being alone is another option but requires a great deal of skill, combat ability and luck. Everyone will have to spend times alone and in these times the weak will die and the true survivors will be left to fight on. But the time alone can be minimized by finding a good leader or being a good leader.

Having people around also offers the ability to play more complex games. As I mentioned, games can be a valuable asset in fighting off morale, fear and in being prepared. There are many zombie games available which keep the player in the mindset of surviving and thriving in a world covered by undead. Obviously these games are not completely representative of the true apocalypse but they can offer suggestions, ideas and allows the players to play test scenarios which may come up in the real world.

Films are also a good source of preparation. The opportunity to watch films may not come up often as time passes after the fall, nor should time be wasted in front of a television BUT nothing will boost morale quicker than a movie night after a long time away from them. And many zombie movies offer different view points on the undead. Views which you can either confirm or deny based on your real life experiences. A film may also provide ideas or tips on defending against the undead or destroying the undead. It may bring up things you never thought to ask yourself about. This is especially important before the apocalypse, to be prepared for as many potential situations as possible. It is not yet known how the virus spreads except via liquid transfer with an infected. Thus the many outbreaks around the world are unexplained as to how they first come about. Many films offer suggestions on how the virus transfers besides direct contact and thus provide ideas of things to avoid or protect yourself against.

I hope this article helped with suggestions about morale and its importance. Also giving some brief insight into interaction with other survivors.

Until next time, may the infection never reach you, and those close to you have the resolve to do what is needed should you be so unfortunate,
Mike D.

Survival Packs

I recently discovered a site which offers pre-made survival packs. I think this is a great idea. For anyone who is too lazy to put a pack together themself, which means they are too lazy to survive very long anyway. Below I've included a list of the contents of each of these packs. Each includes a base price and then has additional upgrades.

Ankle-biter
$184

• Pack ($40)
• Handbook
• Knife ($4)
• Emergency Blanket ($5) 
• Lighter ($1)
• 9m Black Duct Tape ($3) 
• First Aid Kit ($15)
• Water Purification Tabs ($15) 
• 1 Roll Electric Tape ($4)
• Tissues ($2)
• Hand Sanitizers ($5) 
• Whistle ($1)
• Keychain Light ($1) 
• 1 Pair Latex Gloves ($2)
• Travel Toothbrush & Toothpaste ($5) 
• 25 ft. Paracord ($40)
• 3 Meal Replacement Bars ($9) 
• Baseball bat ($20)
• Flask ($15)

The total for this came out to $152, just shy of the price charged. Including the upgrades is about the same price. I am not aware of what is in one of these "Handbooks" they include. I would say all of this is useful equipment to have but it it not "zombie" exclusive equipment. I recommend having all of these items in your survival kit for your party.

Vice
$532

• Pack ($60)
• Handbook
• 2L Bladder w/ Drinking Line & Mouth Piece ($40)
• Headlamp ($35)
• Multi-Tool ($8)
• Emergency Blanket/Bivy ($5)
• Heavy Duty Garbage Bags ($5)
• 3 Pairs Latex Gloves ($2)
• Water Proof Note Pad ($12)
• Ball Point Pen ($1)
• 56g Can of WD40 ($10) 
• 50 ft. Paracord ($50)
• Knife ($4)
• 3M Odor/Dust Mask ($3)
• 50 ml Vodka ($12)
• Water Filter Bottle ($22)
• First Aid kit ($15)
• 3 Lighters ($3)
• Travel Tooth Brush & Toothpaste ($5)
• Can Opener/Bottle Opener ($4)
• Duct Tape ($4)
• Black Vinyl Electrical Tape ($4)
• Spork ($3)
• Hand Sanitizing Wipes ($5)
• 4 Protein Bars ($12)
• 3 Packs of Sport Beans ($12)
• Baseball bat ($20)
• Airhorn ($20)

This kit, if got on your own, comes out to only $376, much less then the price to buy it all packaged together for you in this kit. For zombie survival I think a few of the items in this kit are not required and therefore not worth the extra weight. The airhorn is the first, this will only attract the undead and alert other survivors to your location. Both of which can be a bad thing. The WD40 is also only useful in select cercumstances and it's uses do not change life or death situations.

Headmaster
$684

• Pack ($80)
• Water filter bottle ($22)
• 50 Water Purification tablets ($20)
• 3 lighters ($3)
• First Aid Kit ($15)
• Can Opener/Bottle Opener ($4)
• 3M Particulate Mask ($12)
• Large roll Duct Tape Blk ($8)
• Black Vinyl Electrical Tape ($4)
• Adventure Medical Emergency Blanket/Bivy ($11)
• 56g Can of WD40 ($10)
• 10X25 Compact Binoculars ($10)
• Knife ($4)
• 35 Ball bearings ($60)
• Bar of Soap ($4)
• Collapsable Grappling Hook ($125)
• 100 ft. Green Paracord ($75)
• Large Orange Plastic Garbage Bags ($6)
• Multiscrewdriver ($4)
• Bundle of large 25 Ty-Raps ($3)
• Orange Sharpie Micro ($1)
• Black Sharpie Fine point ($1)
• Note Pad ($1)
• 3 Packs Of Energy Beans ($12)
• Latex Gloves ($2)
• Travel toothbrush & toothpaste ($5)
• Crystal Deoderant ($5)
• 3 blade razor ($2)
• Q-Tips ($3)
• Body/Hand/Face wipes ($6)
• 2L collapsible container ($3)
• Headlamp w/batteries ($35)
• Keychain Flashlight ($1)
• Travel Pouch/Toiletry Kit ($1) 
• Soap Holder ($1)
• 2L Bladder and drinking line ($40)
• Unbreakable Baseball Bat ($45)
• Chainsaw ($160-$700)
• Two Way/Weather Radio ($15)
• Forcible Entry Tool ($15)
• Zombie Tools Machete ($25)
• Gas Mask Kit ($60)
• Zombie Mask ($1)
• 1L Fuel Bottle ($5)
• Bolt Cutters ($220)
• Flask ($15)
• Collapsable Grappling Hook ($125)
• Airhorn ($20)

With all upgrades this pack would be $1305 to put together yourself; without them, $599, almost a hundred dollars less then the suggested price. Now note I took the more expensive price of most of these items, meaning my numbers are maxes, you could put these packs together for much less and over time. Also of note this pack does not seem to include the handbook of which I have no information. This final pack includes a lot of items not useful to fight zombies. First of all is the chainsaw. Chainsaws are the biggest zombie myth ever, followed shortly by shotguns. Big, bulky, gas guzzling, noising, heavy, hard to weild (read dangerous to user), any of these reasons are enough to knock something off the list and the chainsaw has all of them! Zombie mask... need I say more? Gas mask, not needed unless you are in an area where you expect to find broken gas lines or leaking factories/power plants. Most of these other items are household items that would be nice to have at your base of operations but not needed in a zombie survival kit.

Over all I find these kits quite lacking. The Ankle-biter pack is decent and for not a bad price but the Vice pack is very over priced and the Headmaster pack while not over-priced, has many items you will find in any house you loot and will just burden you to carry with you every where.
I commend these fine folks for the effort but knowledge and training are going to keep you much safer then spending hundreds of dollars on these packs.
If you wish to look at the packs or contact the company or even purchase one of the packs here is their website:
http://zombiesurvivalpacks.com/

Be smart, may the infection never reach you, and those close to you have the resolve to do what is needed should you be so unfortunate,
Mike D.