I Can't Live Without ....

RiderOnTheStorm

What would you have to have in the Z Apoc? What cant you live without? Not talking about tools / weapons / etc. But rather, what luxury / indulgence / sanity-saving item would you go back for, or endeavor to re-make in the months after the Panic?
Would it be a recliner sofa?
Your guitar?
Your collection of Charlie Chaplin movies on DVD to while away the hours?
A signed copy of WWZ to remind you of better times?

Is music , comedy, memories etc just as important as guns, fuel & water-purification?

I think mine would be my laptop. I can play movies & music, keep notes / log etc, and run it on a solar panel. Maybe some day hook it up to a projector and make a private movie theater (just to remind me of what we once had).

ScumLord

I've already cut myself off from popular media, the bunker only gets high speed internet now. So I wont miss any of that, I have a collection of downloaded stuff but I went through a big clean out of downloaded stuff that's also on Netflix. I can't watch the same thing twice anyway.

The plan is to keep my PC running so there's little bar consumables that I'll miss out on.

Tzar Chasm

The canteen in college.

The thing i would miss most is the ability to roll off a bus, get a coffee and rasher in a roll for €2 and chill with the lads in the smoking section.

I'm sure i could replace most of these things, but the whole package is what i would miss

ScumLord

Jaysus, I forgot coffee. I'll go to war for a cup of coffee.

degrassinoel

crate of Barry's tea for me so, and a cow, ...and a spoon.

Fuzzytrooper

I wonder if the zombies will go after cows? Gotta have fresh milk for the tae!

ScumLord

Zombies will probably go after anything that moves. It seems unlikely to me they would have the metal capacity to tell the difference between a human and a cow. They'll get mauled by cattle though. I think zombie attacking cattle could turn the cattle into pretty dangerous beasts. If they lose all trust in humans walking through the countryside could be very dangerous.

SmileyPaul

I'd really miss transport. The ability to move great distances quickly.

Yeah, we'll have cars and buses and diesel and petrol up the ying yang for a while, probably a long while.

But then everything is going to really REALLY slow down.

It'll go back to being a great adventure to get to the next town over.

cycling and horses will be the best way to get around but we'll all miss cars :P

sabhail

I'd miss Internet radio, TV , etc...books too probably given that you'd probably be restricted in moving and journeys to get new books wouldn't be too likely.

As a glasses wearer I'd say I'd really miss access to replacement glasses.... tho that would solve my lack of b

degrassinoel

sabhail wrote: »

I'd miss Internet radio, TV , etc...books too probably given that you'd probably be restricted in moving and journeys to get new books wouldn't be too likely.

As a glasses wearer I'd say I'd really miss access to replacement glasses.... tho that would solve my lack of b

ha, reminds me of that classic twilight zone episode Nice

ScumLord

SmileyPaul wrote: »

I'd really miss transport. The ability to move great distances quickly.

Yeah, we'll have cars and buses and diesel and petrol up the ying yang for a while, probably a long while.

But then everything is going to really REALLY slow down.

It'll go back to being a great adventure to get to the next town over.

cycling and horses will be the best way to get around but we'll all miss cars :P

Ya, roads will probably start to decay pretty quickly, without cars traveling on them grass will start ripping them apart within months. I'd say you'll still be able to travel them in cars you just won't be able to go to fast.

You could make your cars last longer by making them more economical on fuel. Rather than going down the traditional road of turning your car into an armoured tank, you could strip it down so it weighs much less, giving much better economy of fuel and the parts of the car should last longer having to push less weight around.

There's been roads in Ireland for thousands of years though, so I don't think they'll disapear. If towns in the east get wiped out due to proximity to Dublin those roads might disapear, although many of the massive infrastructure in Dublin will probably be there for hundreds of years, those concrete over passes for example are pretty permanent fixtures that nature will have trouble breaking down.

Whitewinged

I think alot of things that we dont think of as luxeries, we will realise are luxeries.

A hot bath would be one for me. Also if i was living outdoors at times and it was raining, just not being able to get dry would be horrible.

RiderOnTheStorm

Whitewinged wrote: »

...A hot bath would be one for me...

oh, good one! Yea, amazing how in all the post-apoc films how dirty everyone is ... it must smell to high heaven (and thats not the Z's, its the survivors!)

Roads would be a big loss. Just loosing the ability to get up and go, and cover decent mileage in a day. I saw a documentary a while back, about what would happen to cities / roads if humans were taken out of equation. It seems that nature takes over very quickly. They estimate that in 50 years you would not be able to tell that a motorway ever existed!

Whitewinged

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

oh, good one! Yea, amazing how in all the post-apoc films how dirty everyone is ... it must smell to high heaven (and thats not the Z's, its the survivors!)

Roads would be a big loss. Just loosing the ability to get up and go, and cover decent mileage in a day. I saw a documentary a while back, about what would happen to cities / roads if humans were taken out of equation. It seems that nature takes over very quickly. They estimate that in 50 years you would not be able to tell that a motorway ever existed!

I dont think they look that dirty in movies though. Some of them have highlights in their hair with no roots!

Thats mad, only 50 years! Nature is just quick to take back over

Micky Dolenz

Music. MP3 player and solar charger a must. If that fails I know a couple of hundred songs I could hum to myself.

Whitewinged

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Music. MP3 player and solar charger a must. If that fails I know a couple of hundred songs I could hum to myself.

I love music but i really think i would be too afraid to play it in case it attracted zombies or if using earphones that i couldnt hear things behind me.

Kromdar

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

oh, good one! Yea, amazing how in all the post-apoc films how dirty everyone is ... it must smell to high heaven (and thats not the Z's, its the survivors!)

Baby wipes would be a premium. I could imagine looting baby wipes and deodorant at a pharmacy along with the usual first aid/medications.

It would be like one of those classic movie scenes where the scavengers hand over the loot, then produce a luxury item they nabbed and everyone cheers up!

RiderOnTheStorm

Micky Dolenz wrote: »

Music. MP3 player and solar charger a must.

Just thinking of that scene in Gemini Man when Charlton Heston is in his fortified apartment, playing music on a record player (go google it, kids) and drinking brandy from a big glass, while the Z's are outside and his floodlights are keeping them back ...... ah, heaven!

Tzar Chasm

Wasnt tha Omega man.

brianregan09

things i can't live without.......hate to be boring but food

RiderOnTheStorm

Tzar Chasm wrote: »

Wasnt tha Omega man.

....oops, yup, it was Omega Man ..... :-) Damn film gave me the willies for months (...years...) Saw it again recently (searched for it after I Am Legend came out) and it wasnt as bad as I remember .... but still bad enough!!

ToniTuddle

My hairdryer.

Not for drying hair....it's my only form of heat. Who needs an electric blanket when you have a hairdryer. :cool:

It's alright for The Walking Dead folks they get blasted everyday with glorious sun but being stuck in Ireland with no instant heat....god that would be the most depressing thing. Aside from well, people dying all around you.

Whitewinged

Just before Christmas there, my electricity went out because of bad weather and the light from candles was really crap. I could still barely see and I don't have bad night vision or anything. So false light I would miss at night.

ToniTuddle

Think of how much you'd injure yourself too with no electricity. I bang into walls and doors plenty times at night and I've lived in this house most of my life so should know the damn layout by now. Imagine what injuries you'd get looking for supplies in other peoples houses with no lights!

ScumLord

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

oh, good one! Yea, amazing how in all the post-apoc films how dirty everyone is ... it must smell to high heaven (and thats not the Z's, its the survivors!)

I try to look up making soap every so often to try and get the ingredients to stick in my head. It shouldn't be too hard to make from scratch here, fat and some white ash from burning timber are your main ingredients. Throw some coal tar into the mix and you've got an antibacterial soap. You'll smell like diesel though. Which could be a good way of tricking people into believing you've got access to a lot of fuel.

When it comes to cold and wet there's actually a perfect material running around our fields. Unprocessed wool yarn is actually waterproof. Modern wool has all the natural oils taken out of it, but the real stuff is pretty incredible, you could dunk it in water and it wouldn't retain any water at all.

Whitewinged

ScumLord wrote: »

I try to look up making soap every so often to try and get the ingredients to stick in my head. It shouldn't be too hard to make from scratch here, fat and some white ash from burning timber are your main ingredients. Throw some coal tar into the mix and you've got an antibacterial soap. You'll smell like diesel though. Which could be a good way of tricking people into believing you've got access to a lot of fuel.
l.

What about tooth decay? Back to the old string and door trick? reminds me of that movie "Cast Away".

ToniTuddle

ScumLord wrote: »

I try to look up making soap every so often to try and get the ingredients to stick in my head. It shouldn't be too hard to make from scratch here, fat and some white ash from burning timber are your main ingredients. Throw some coal tar into the mix and you've got an antibacterial soap. You'll smell like diesel though. Which could be a good way of tricking people into believing you've got access to a lot of fuel.

When it comes to cold and wet there's actually a perfect material running around our fields. Unprocessed wool yarn is actually waterproof. Modern wool has all the natural oils taken out of it, but the real stuff is pretty incredible, you could dunk it in water and it wouldn't retain any water at all.

Why would you want to trick people into believing you have fuel? Wouldn't they just attempt to rob you or are you trying to rob them or something completely different?

ScumLord

Whitewinged wrote: »

What about tooth decay? Back to the old string and door trick? reminds me of that movie "Cast Away".

I think there are certain trees that make good toothbrushes. You take a sapling and fray one end and use that to brush your teeth. Old Native American trick.

ToniTuddle wrote: »

Why would you want to trick people into believing you have fuel? Wouldn't they just attempt to rob you or are you trying to rob them or something completely different?

But you have nothing for them to actually rob, other than a misshapen bar of soap. Although if you can produce soap you'll probably be a valuable asset.

You could get people to a meeting point for trade and as long as they're not on the double cross like you, you can simply ambush them and take all their stuff. Probably have to murder them too so they don't come looking for revenge.

Tzar Chasm

Z_Day_Threat_Assesment ()
{

ambush==scumlord;

update.add(ambush);
{
ListOfPotentialAllies (update)
if
{
ListOfPotentialAllies = ambush;

ListOfPotentialAllies.remove (update);

ListOfShady****ers.add (update);
}
Else
System.println ("all good in the hood Bud");
}
}

ToniTuddle

ScumLord wrote: »

I think there are certain trees that make good toothbrushes. You take a sapling and fray one end and use that to brush your teeth. Old Native American trick.

But you have nothing for them to actually rob, other than a misshapen bar of soap. Although if you can produce soap you'll probably be a valuable asset.

You could get people to a meeting point for trade and as long as they're not on the double cross like you, you can simply ambush them and take all their stuff. Probably have to murder them too so they don't come looking for revenge.

Well murder will be committed by everyone at some point so might as well be for getting supplies. But if they are half decent/have skills of some sort might be worth joining up.

Tzar Chasm

I dunno, i reckon there will be a point where everyone has to Kill, however where tha falls between;
Accidental killing
Self defence
Justifiable homicide
Manslaughter
Premeditated Murder
Genocide

Will vary for most people.

ScumLord

Most killings will probably be caused by men fighting each other. I don't buy this lone wolf thing at all. People will be living in small groups, probably borderline tribal. Small towns will survive. So there will probably be groups of men either attacking or defending other groups.

Murder will probably become the default punishment for a lot of crimes. Exile comes with it's own set of dangers.

If you look at the vikings they were mostly groups of about 30 men and they became an unstoppable force in a Europe with very little central governance. As long as people are in small groups of a hundred or less they're extremely vulnerable to attack from just about anybody. It won't take long for people to have that realisation.

RiderOnTheStorm

ScumLord wrote: »

...People will be living in small groups, probably borderline tribal. Small towns will survive. So there will probably be groups of men either attacking or defending other groups....

+1

I can see a few people holding up by themselves, trying to go it alone. But they will die off quickly. One mistake could become fatal, eg twist an ankle, eat wrong berries, run out of fuel, etc Any of these are easy to overcome in current society, and will be easy to weather if in a group. But when you are on your own, and cant hunt or defend or evade, then you will die. Small groups will pop up (survivors from same town, merging of loners who realise safety is in numbers, etc) and they can carry the sick until they get better, or divide the work / defenses / hunting-gathering etc.

The problem will come when one group decides to take the 'easy' option of taking stuff from another group. There will be killing.... and it will be like the wild-west for a time. Property belongs to whoever can hold on to it. There will be no army / courts / police to ensure the weak have same rights as the strong. I have always maintained that surviving the other survivors (ie 'raiders') will be the big problem. Being prepared will help with the Z's, but the other survivors will be the challenge!

ScumLord

About the only thing I can see slowing that from happening is the fact Irish families are spread out across the country. It's going to be hard to go to war with the next town knowing your sister is living there with her husband and five kids. Many people in small towns travel to the next town and work side by side with people from many towns.

There's a good possibility once the dangers of being infected subside, Iris people could band together into a fairly coherent group. Our island is just to small and isolated for us to fight, we'll be able to produce more than enough food, and a reduced population will take away a lot of the pressure to fight.

A good leader could probably mobilise the Irish people on the threat of foreign invaders possibly showing up seeing the island of Ireland as a safe haven.

Tzar Chasm

<cough>Ahem </cough>

I see a minor flaw in your argument

Allow me to direct your attention North for just one moment.

Do you wish to revise your position regarding comunal spirit amongst neighbours?

ScumLord

Tzar Chasm wrote: »

<cough>Ahem </cough>

I see a minor flaw in your argument

Allow me to direct your attention North for just one moment.

Do you wish to revise your position regarding comunal spirit amongst neighbours?

The worst of that conflict is over, we're all friends now.

There would undoubtedly be warring tribes, the likelihood of getting every Irish person in the republic to agree with each other is low. But this would be a very different situation, the outside world would likely just disappear without a maintained communications system. The UK is likely to be hit pretty hard, they have a large population, mostly urbanised and they're an international transport hub.

What would happen here if an American aircraft carrier showed up on our coast saying Americas basically gone feral? Cities abandoned, population spread out and starving, Trump is president. How would we feel about a couple of thousand US military men looking for a place to call home?

Whitewinged

ScumLord wrote: »

Most killings will probably be caused by men fighting each other. I don't buy this lone wolf thing at all. People will be living in small groups, probably borderline tribal.

I think you would see a good few lone wolf's or very small groups even though there is probably more safety in numbers because within groups there would be alot of conflict, especially at the begining. All you need is one bad egg and it can ruin things for everyone. Alot of corruption would probably go on within groups resulting in people splitting or fleeing or forming a mutiny. Not like tribes because they grow together, share same values and morals. The hierarchy is already set. But in this case it's an extreme change where people's values and morals will have to adapt fast but they will all have different ideas and adapt differently and are thrown together by circumstances.

Did you ever see the movie The Experiment. Although probably a bit exagerated for the movie, it was a real experiment that seemed to get out of hand rather quickly.

RiderOnTheStorm

My town has a population of 1500 (approx). With a possible Zombie 99% fatality rate, that leaves me and 14 others (numbers wont matter if I am not one of the 15!) ..... and I might not get on with the other 14!! Some of those 14 may be very old or young, or ill, and might die quickly. Assume a 50% death within a few months and there will be just 7 of us left. Thats not a lot. Those 7 will form a tight bond, and I imagine we will be very distrustful of survivors in the next town over (shure, they were always weird over there!). It will be easy to see a situation where some of my group are out scavenging for parts / fuel / supplies one day, and come across another group doing the same. Will we share? Sit down and vote to see who needs it most? Like feck... it will be first come first served, and then feuds will develop. I can see barter working, as long as its pre-arranged & mutual, but where a groups survival depends on keeping your supplies, then things will get heated. Add to that, that some people will just be delighted that law & order has gone and just want to do whatever they want because there will be no comeback ..... I think things will be far from communal in a post apoc Ireland.

PucaMama

I'd need a way to charge my ereader. And a way to occasionally hear music/ watch films. But people are getting worried here about other humans attacking. What about the zombies? Won't most of ur neighbours be zombies?

my3cents

Every couple of weeks my beard gets itchy (it grows very fast) and I have to trim it back to about to 3-4mm. If I don't I get really cranky (well more cranky than usual) so I couldn't be without an electric trimmer.

Whitewinged

my3cents wrote: »

Every couple of weeks my beard gets itchy (it grows very fast) and I have to trim it back to about to 3-4mm. If I don't I get really cranky (well more cranky than usual) so I couldn't be without an electric trimmer.

I read somewhere recently that they did an experiment and took swabs from men without beards and men with beards and found that the men with beards had less bacteria or whatever so where less susceptable to infection so you might want to leave the beard

Tzar Chasm

Also i have noticed personally that the itching subsidies after another week.

I would recommend a deceny small scissors though as you will need to keep the upper lip trimmed, nothing worse than biting into a sammich and realising you are at risk of ripping your own face off

my3cents

Tzar Chasm wrote: »

Also i have noticed personally that the itching subsidies after another week.

I would recommend a deceny small scissors though as you will need to keep the upper lip trimmed, nothing worse than biting into a sammich and realising you are at risk of ripping your own face off

That is definitely part of the problem, but I also find that over a certain length the old beard gets to feel like a well used air filter, full of dust. Wash it OK but do any work and I'm back to that feeling of a face covered in grot. Kept short and its OK, but like wire wool to cut.

my3cents

Another obvious I can't live without is ANUSOL, if you have to ask you don't need it.

RiderOnTheStorm

.....guess I dont need it ....

ToniTuddle

Oh crap I'd definitely need a supply of Nurofen...for serious amount of years.
Yeah I'd easily kill few folks to get at any supply they had of that.

my3cents

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

.....guess I dont need it ....

So you don't worry about a few wrinkles on your face then

dvae

not so much a luxury or indulgence, but what about medication, anyone ever put any thought into shelf life of life saving meds such antibiotics, statin's, or insulin.
most of these only have a shelf life of 1 - 3 years, and in the case of insulin 1 to 2 years if kept refrigerated.
Perhaps zombie survival is not for people who need meds, and would probably be considered week in a zombie attack anyway.

ScumLord

There are some traditional options for antibiotics. But yeah, most medicine will be gone which will mean most people will likely die slow horrible deaths from infection.

The Vikings used to drink "mead" which apparently has good antibacterial qualities. They would have probably had to deal with cuts and infection a lot.

my3cents

dvae wrote: »

not so much a luxury or indulgence, but what about medication, anyone ever put any thought into shelf life of life saving meds such antibiotics, statin's, or insulin.
most of these only have a shelf life of 1 - 3 years, and in the case of insulin 1 to 2 years if kept refrigerated.
Perhaps zombie survival is not for people who need meds, and would probably be considered week in a zombie attack anyway.

Thought I'd posted a response to this earlier obviously not

Without antihistamines I'm a snotty, sniffy uncomfortable itchy mess so keep at least a 12 month supply. I keep a good stock as much as a cost saving exercise as anything. In the UK I can get generic Cetirizine for around €1.50 for 30 or I can pay €10 for a brand name over here.

If I needed any specific meds I'd certainly try and build up a supply.

Statins would in my mind be a definite indulgence, perhaps a little less food and a bit more activity would reduce their necessity for many people who are currently on them Several relatives should be on them but don't take them as the side effects are too bad (leg cramps).

RiderOnTheStorm

Medicine will be a big issue in post apocalypse world. And unlike many other items (including fuel, food, ammo, etc), it's hard to stockpile beforehand. Largely due to expiry dates and the difficulty in getting it in first place (prescription etc).

For the expiry date issue, in an emergency I will ignore the date and try the drug anyway. IMHO these dates are like those on food. They will last long past the expiry date, and manufacturer just wants you to buy more.
For stockpiling, you need to educate yourself as to what other drug may work. For antibiotics this includes animal penicillin (fish is easier to come by), and some more alternative options. Eg get a herbal medicine book or start growing medicinal plants now. Honey is a great antibacterial salve for skin injuries.

When it all goes south you can be sure the local pharmacy will be equal top of many peoples hit list, along with supermarket and hardware store.