One Year Later: War on the Horizon, Lockdown 2.0 Coming?

Hey there, The Zombie Hunter here. I hope you've been good. Last post was nearly a year ago. 

I've been busy all 2022-2023 joining matches, training, and making tons of ammo for the sport.  We even made it to the World Shoot last year in Thailand! Dreams do come true. 

We have been healthy because our preps & intel paid off for us. I won't gloat, some didn't make it out of 2022. 

The Pandemic is waning. There's still the Wuhan question that nobody wants to answer. There's war with china on the horizon. Ukraine is in the offensive. Africa is in turmoil. 

Near-Term Trouble: 

1. Invasion of Taiwan

The biggest threat comes from china. If they push through with invading Taiwan, the USA and her allies will be dragged into the deadliest conflict since World War 2. Thankfully the Allies seem to be cooperating a lot better in the past two years. There was a real danger that our country would have wound up a chinese vassal 3 years ago. That catastrophe has been averted with the actions of our new Defense Secretary. 

Pro-china fake news has also drastically decreased this year compared to the deluge we experienced for 6 whole years. 

I still think that china's invasion and its silk road scam were greatly hampered by the Wuhan Outbreak. If the pandemic didn't happen, their nefarious plans would have become far more successful. It seems like their timetable was delayed by several years. I won't call it a silver lining as too many had died to their laboratory-leaked virus. 

2. Covid Lockdown 2.0 & the American Powderkeg 

As the next US presidential election approaches, all kinds of shenanigans could happen. We had aliens in our headlines. There were chinese spy ballons. A real humanitarian crisis in Hawaii, typhoons, and floods.

Next up is a rumored Second Lockdown and Mask Mandate. People are sick of it. That's a ticking bomb right there. 

I feel really bad for America, and I want her to overcome this whole mess. The left-leaning populace is too worked up to listen to reason. Trump supporters aren't either. 

The good news is the unprecedented rise of African & Asian-American conservatives. This gives me hope that they can bring both sides to the middle again because it has increased discourse in the past year. Not quite 2021 retarded anymore. 

Anti-gun legislation is also being fought and at every turn. The Firearms Policy Coalition and the Gun Owners of America have landed a string of victories this year. Things are looking up. God save Judge Benitez. He can turn things around once and for all. 

3. Ukraine Stands, Africa in Turmoil 

As of this writing it seems like the russians are about to be on their heels again as Ukrainian forces are approaching Crimea.

Meanwhile in Africa, a wave of coups have erupted. Wagner is the usual suspect and it might pull Western resources and aid away from Ukraine if things continue to spiral out of control. There is a noticeable uptick in pro-russian vlogger sites from Africa on youtube and facebook.

 

4. Morocco suffered a terrible earthquake. Please be sympathetic to their plight. 

5. The Rohingya people have spent several years now resisting genocide by their government. As usual the russians and chinese are bankrolling the military dictatorship and are complicit in the countless deaths and suffering. if there is yet another case for an American Second Amendment, this is it. 

It is immensely frustrating that their plight is never given enough attention. Unspeakable suffering and evil is being inflicted on ordinary people and nobody seems to care. 

What now? 

• Stay healthy, exercise, visit your doctor more. Brush up on your First-Aid and emergency care.

• Stabilize your finances. Build up your savings right now and spread your portfolio so you won't get wiped out.

• I would not take a risk while a crisis in Taiwan looms. I'd advise stocking up on your essentials so you won't get into a fight over TP like we all did three years ago. 

• Look after your tribe, your family needs your unique perspective. People who aren't into preparedness have blind-spots where we can make a difference. 

I hate to say it but our skills are starting to become useful.  

As always 

STAY VIGILANT

Happy Halloween 2022! 🎃 🧟‍♂️🧟‍♀️ 👻

We love Ed & Ein from Cowboy Bebop

We just got back from our first Halloween in two years! 

There were hundreds of kids roaming around our neighborhood having a wonderful time. The weather was nice & cool. Candy, chocolates, and cool drinks were being passed around. 

Lots of Anya & Yor Forgers, Nezukos, some Genshin kids, Spider-Men, Ghosts, Tarkovs, and a couple of zombies to boot. Cosplay is a big deal over here. 

There were even some wonderful people giving away free pork barbecue on a stick, popcorn, and ice cream to everyone! 

Some whole areas were preparing more than a few house parties for the little ones. 

From a survivor's point of view, seeing carefree and happy children is the greatest reward and defiance against a pandemic finally on its heels.

 

*****

What have we been up to? 

PANDEMIC IN RETROSPECT

The worst seems to be over. The virus has been far less lethal with each passing month since Omicron first appeared. We are still on-guard. We dine indoors now with absolute confidence. Its been two years now and none of us have gotten the bug. 

The hardest part was keeping our seniors mentally healthy and free from the awful fake news spreading over social media. 

I am extremely lucky and grateful for it. Some very close friends had suffered great losses to their families. 

What worked for us? Outdoor gatherings were the best. We avoided close-in gatherings and large amusement parks. Hospitals from 2020 to late 2021 were to be avoided. Staying healthy by eating well and home exercise were our MVPs. 

I even managed to finish a few of the games in my Steam library that had gone unplayed for years. Mental health is 🔑. 

PRACTICAL SHOOTING

We have been intensifying our practical shooting training all year. I can't believe we've been going non-stop since January. 

We even got to shoot and win some awards at the USPSA 2021 Oregon State Championship in Bend and hang out at the Route 66 Shooting Sports Park in San Bernardino, CA in 2022. 

There is an ongoing crisis for reloading components, particularly with the cost and supply of primers. They cost more than 3x than what they did in early 2020! 

The US ammo shortage is the primary culprit but I am very sure that a few big players in the country are also hoarding them and exacerbating the situation for their own benefit. Vile scumbags. 

OUR FIRST DRONE: THE DJI MINI 2 

We bought it when the drone was newly released in December 2020. Just in time for the pandemic lockdown. 

Having a drone opens up a new dimension of options for survival. For one thing, it fits in my go-bag very easily. Being able to fly over anything and do so unobserved is a dream come true. Its also incredibly easy to fly. 

There were a few instances of house fires near our residence in the past two years. We launched little Dronie upon hearing the sound of fire truck sirens and got a lot of useful intel. 

For reconnaissance, nothing beats having a pocket sized aircraft. This is one of the very best things a survivalist can add to their kit. 

Its versatility is off the charts. Go get one already. 

CRYE JPC, BATTLE BELT, QORE ICEPLATE, Etc.

I've refined the loadout of my plate carrier and battle belt. The now-venerable Crye JPC is still the gold standard and I have not made significant changes to its configuration even after rolling in the dirt with it for several occasions this year. 

We had a few live-fire sessions at our new range and I am very happy with its overall weight distribution. 

Even in full kit I am almost as nimble as I need to be. The Qore Performance Iceplate served me well in the hot sun. I didn't freeze it but I was noticeably cooler even if the water turned lukewarm in less than an hour. I think it still prevents overheating even with regular water. 

We have been using locally-made smoke grenades and I am satisfied with their performance. Having one or two of them on your kit can definitely come in handy. Stay tuned for a full review! 

VANQUEST IBEX 26

This is one of my best scores of the year. I purchased this at the closeout section of Forged Philippines at 50% off. The value of this backpack even at full price is out of this world. 

The hallmark of modern backpack is ease of accessibility. 

The Ibex is a clamshell-style opener. I can't count how many times Ive quickly grabbed my gear in mere seconds. I marvel at this feature every single time. Its got side compartments and loops galore without looking too tactical. 

The internal compartment is roomy and Vanquest has modular cubes that you may attach nearly anywhere inside by hook & loop or molle to suit any mission. 

It has a plastic insert to hold its ergonomics together. Combined with the kidney strap, this feels half as heavy on your back. 

I use this primarily to hold my go-gear, or as an assault pack. Things that will sustain me for 3-4 days while Im off doing something very important. 

Did I say that this thing was built tough? I mean its also Mordor-and-back durable. 1k Cordura in structural places, and 500 for the rest. 

More details to follow. 

NEW FIREARMS

Buying a gun in the Philippines is a very deliberate and un-spontaneous event, thanks to our onerous gun laws. That being said, we have acquired a second 9mm 1911 to compliment my daughter's competition gear. She now has two of them and I think its a brilliant firearm. 

We are also expecting to receive our first Pistol Caliber Carbine PCC very soon. 

It is her firearm too. A partner if you will to my AR15. Practically the same manual of arms except in 9mm. 

We went with the "buy once cry once" route this time around. 

*****

To our Doctors, Nurses, volunteers and Medical Professionals

The pandemic is fading. Some didn't make it out. I am grateful for the luck we have had for the past two years. 

If there is anything I could take away from this whole experience is that it takes a community to survive big calamities. 

From Taal Volcano's eruption, to Covid-19, and the various environmental calamities that came along, people helping each other is what really carries the day. 

For the doctors, nurses, and medical staff who risked it all to save others. You have my sincerest gratitude. How does one say "thank you" to people who have seen it all? Perhaps we can learn a thing or two from their selflessness. 

Stay Vigilant! 

Monkeypox & More in 2022

s m h 

When I started this blog just over a decade ago, things were considerably tame. What were we fussing about back in 2010?

Often encountered in West Africa, it is now  detected in over 20 countries including Spain, Portual, the United Kingdom, and now its new world host Argentina. 

Full article on The Guardian on the WHO's updates can be found here. 

Google sez: 

The symptoms of monkeypox are similar to those of smallpox. But monkeypox symptoms are typically milder.
...
The early symptoms include:

• fever, which is commonly the first symptom.
• headache.
• muscle aches.
• back ache.
• fatigue.
• chills.
• swollen lymph nodes, also known as lymphadenopathy.

"Treated like smallpox as they are the same class of virus... vaccine cross immunity is possible"

There are no approved or proven treatments according to the CDC but "most people survive without intervention". 

Yay. 

***** 

Meanwhile...

Kyiv stands. Ukraine resists!

Corina virus cases are still rising in Taiwan. 

Significant geopolitical shifts are rapidly taking place across the globe. Keep an eye for it over here in Asia for that matter. 

******

Updates: 

We are buying our first pistol caliber carbine really soon. 9mm is a great round to stockpile. 

I've upgraded to a CZ Shadow 2 with a Holosun ACSS green reticle. I'm shooting Production Optics now!

We've got smoke grenades too! Many other functions...

The venerable Sideout camping backpack has stood up pretty well over the years. 

I've upgraded my 3 day assault pack to a Vanquest Ibex 26. Got it at 40% from Forged Philippines, by Grabthar's Hammer what a savings.  

The modularity and slim profile works wonders for my requirements. I gave my older LA Police Gear 3 Day pack to my cousin. It holds 50L, I'm sure it will serve him well. 

Medical preps are just as important as anything. Make sure to get First Aid training. Every responsible adult should have that. At the very least, teach every family member how to use a tourniquet. 

If the last two years of COVID-19 has taught me anything, its that keeping your hands clean is often more important than a facemask. The mask matters indoors. My family never got the virus. Perhaps the Moderna really did work. Horaay for science. 

This year is going to get a lot busier with our IPSC/USPSA training. Ill be at the shooting range a lot more often. 

Hope you are doing well, dear reader. 

Stay vigilant!

SARS-COV-2 UK Variant Detected in the Philippines

Not trying to be a buzz-kill or anything but...

Stay vigilant!

One Year of the Wuhan Corona Virus

It was detected as early as December 2019. The whole world had been plunged into this mess but a lot have forgotten how it all started. 

I hope that Dr. Li Wenliang would never be forgotten. He's the original whistleblower that was punished for trying to warn people about the virus. 

Kindly look him up. 

People should dig deeper into the origins of the virus and skip the "official" sources as that a particular government has worked night and day to rewrite and shift the blame. 

There are a bunch of video sharing sites that walk the gray line that still have early videos of people inside mainland china who were attempting to get the message out. Reports of mass burial, forced abductions, boarding up of people inside their buildings, and other horrific city-wide human rights violations.

I caught wind of these as early as January but it sure spiraled out of control by March. 

Chris Chappel of the China Uncensored YouTube channel has been relentless in this field.  Go give him a look. He's been at this lonely crusade doe years and I'm glad he and his team have persevered and come such a long way. 

I remember his early years. His videos were mostly a humorous take on government censorship and doublespeak. How life inside the mainland is different from the west in general.

The Coronavirus situation however took Chris on a more serious and urgent tone. Soon, his channel had been targeted from all sorts of pressure. I'm pretty sure he's on their watchlist as the 50 cent troll army has spent some time spamming his comments section for the past year.

Well, he's come up with his own 50 Cent Army to counter the trolls. Look it up here folks.

Volunteers > Conscripts, quality beats quantity, the truth shall not be silenced. 

Yeah well, money talks. And the wumao boss has deep pockets!

For a quick summary of what went down, check out this CNN article.  I have a lot to say about this news agency but it does land the mark from time to time. 

This rabbit hole goes a long way. 

Click here for the full article 

Stay vigilant! 

Philippine Pandemic Lockdown: Day 14

You know those naughty people in every single zombie flick who do nothing but make things worse?

Our politicians display those traits, sure as sure.



Stay vigilant!

World Health Organization Declares Global Pandemic

Full article here

This is our generation's Vietnam.

• Our local authorities are already discussing lockdown, screening, and containment procedures. 
• Scientists at the University of the
  
  Philippines have developed a COVID-19 testing kit that is nearly a sixth of the cost of imported ones. 
• Japan has declared success in containing the spread of the virus. 

• South Korea has also been successful in preventing infections without widespread lockdown. 

• America's president halts all visits from Europe. 

• Italy is under full lockdown. 

• Panick buying in my city has been going on for the past 3 days but not at American meme levels.  

• We are bracing for even more infections. 

Fight the panic. Treat all social media news as suspect. Stay healthy, avoid public gatherings, help other people by not hoarding. Dump your outside clothes as soon as you get home!

Tip your grocery bagger higher than normal. Be good to others. 

Stay vigilant! 

WHO Officially Declares Corona Virus a Global Epidemic

full article here

Buckle up, this isn't a drill.

This started out pretty slow when it was cooking in china since early December, and it quickly spread from one country to another. The past two months has been quite interesting.

• Nearly half of the people I see out there are wearing masks now. Its the new normal.

• It was absolutely nuts in china. Their government is doing everything possible to cover it up.

• Hospitals/concentration camps were constructed, crematoriums working round the clock, breakdown of civil society, people trying to infect others, anger and actual defiance against their tyrannical government, and so much more.

• And then the virus started showing up in Japan and Korea, in record time their infections skyrocketed to over nine thousand.

• Iran and Italy has hundreds of cases, and the numbers are rising. 

• Several cities in the USA has declared a state of emergency but their president is strangely unfazed. The left has also politicized the emergency. This is the same group who wants to open borders and give free healthcare to illegal immigrants. They might be the real zombies...

• Americans have been hoarding TP. Beavis is not pleased. 

• China Uncensored hit a million subscribers last month despite YouTube's demonitization of their videos critical of the chinese government. Chris Chappell: Drinks are on me if you're in town. 
• The virus has also made it to Greenland. If you've been playing Plague Inc. for as long as I have...

**********

My own country has declared a sub level 1 Code Red meaning the first case of person to person infection has happened locally. We have 20 confirmed cases and more than twice that being monitored by the government. I trust the skills of our medical professionals, its the policy governing them that I am doubtful of.

With nearly a million illegal chinese workers staying here I find it highly improbable that official numbers are not higher.

And just 15 minutes ago I read that the World Health Organization has finally declares the Corona Virus a Global Epidemic.

School have been canceled for the time being. That's good, better to overreact than to regret it later.

Panic buying has started right about yesterday. Isopropyl alcohol at the Mercury Drugstores I visited were mostly depleted. There were people at the groceries throughout most of the day as well. You could tell that people are getting spooked. Lazada has been out of N95 masks for weeks now. I was able to get some prior to this mess right after Taal Volcano blew its top, and now stocks are gone.

Our supplies at home are still good. More than two months of food and drinking water are on standby and we're quietly getting more.

**********

That's the vibe right now. Its 3:37 AM. I hope you're safe and healthy. Try to minimize being around large crowds if you could help it. Wash your hands and don't touch your face. Boost your immune system and don't fall for scare tactics because to paraphrase Frank Herbert: fear is the brain-killer!




Stay vigilant!