Survival
January 15, 2010 9:30 AM Subscribe
Oh... nice... goodbye afternoon.
posted by LakesideOrion at 9:52 AM on January 15, 2010
posted by LakesideOrion at 9:52 AM on January 15, 2010
Awesome! I saw these covers floating around some design blogs a while ago, and I was always curious about the advice contained within. Thanks for posting.
(Also, I never would have thought to drain the oil from a plane immediately after crash-landing in the arctic. That could totally be a sweet scene in an action movie, where the hero has to get the oil before a fire at the nose of the plane crawls back to the tank and incinerates him.)
posted by eggplantplacebo at 9:55 AM on January 15, 2010
(Also, I never would have thought to drain the oil from a plane immediately after crash-landing in the arctic. That could totally be a sweet scene in an action movie, where the hero has to get the oil before a fire at the nose of the plane crawls back to the tank and incinerates him.)
posted by eggplantplacebo at 9:55 AM on January 15, 2010
those are fantastic links. fascinating.
posted by frankbooth at 10:00 AM on January 15, 2010
posted by frankbooth at 10:00 AM on January 15, 2010
nice.
posted by nathancaswell at 10:00 AM on January 15, 2010
posted by nathancaswell at 10:00 AM on January 15, 2010
Reading about cold-weather clothing in the Arctic guide makes me extremely grateful to live in an era of warm, lightweight, breathable, wind- and waterproof synthetics. I have a thin wool shirt that I wear as a second layer, though, when I'm somewhere cold.
posted by rtha at 10:01 AM on January 15, 2010
posted by rtha at 10:01 AM on January 15, 2010
Man-eating shark? As opposed to Woman-eating shark and shark that eats other fish, etc.?
And don't drink the urine (unless you have a parasol and a cherry in a cool glass--then go ahead and drink it)
posted by stormpooper at 10:03 AM on January 15, 2010
And don't drink the urine (unless you have a parasol and a cherry in a cool glass--then go ahead and drink it)
posted by stormpooper at 10:03 AM on January 15, 2010
LEAVE THE NATIVE WOMEN ALONE--unless on official business.
Like getting into their "business". Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
posted by stormpooper at 10:06 AM on January 15, 2010
Like getting into their "business". Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
posted by stormpooper at 10:06 AM on January 15, 2010
I think this is where the "myth of the hat" came from (or a similar 1950's era US army manual). The myth being, a large percentage of body heat is lost through the head, and therefore a hat is very important in cold weather. The truth is, the head looses no more heat than any other exposed part of the body. Maybe even less if you have a full head of hair. This is easily verified using one of those laser beam temperature guns to measure surface skin body temps.
posted by stbalbach at 10:40 AM on January 15, 2010
posted by stbalbach at 10:40 AM on January 15, 2010
I'm not certain why the Arctic book puts so much effort into wood and campcraft. The most flammable tinder one would have in a crash situation in the Arctic would probably be the pamphlet itself. Also, on a quick skim, there's no discussion of compass problems. The rest of it varies from reasonably sensible advice to charmingly outdated.
The sea survival is all charmingly outdated---it's as relevant to modern sea survival techniques and equipment as an 18th century rutter would be. Survival suits, modern rafts, GPS, sat phones and RO-filter water pumps have completely changed the rules since the 50s.
posted by bonehead at 10:53 AM on January 15, 2010
The sea survival is all charmingly outdated---it's as relevant to modern sea survival techniques and equipment as an 18th century rutter would be. Survival suits, modern rafts, GPS, sat phones and RO-filter water pumps have completely changed the rules since the 50s.
posted by bonehead at 10:53 AM on January 15, 2010
Sea Survival, p.9: "Bale out (the dinghy) with the baler..."
I'm still trying to slice the water. Now you want me to bale it? I'll need wider string.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:19 AM on January 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
I'm still trying to slice the water. Now you want me to bale it? I'll need wider string.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:19 AM on January 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
Definitely don't drink your urine. Bear Grylls says you should give yourself an enema with it, instead! Watch him demonstrate [probably nsfw].
(Note: presumes you are stranded in a water-less location with plastic enema tubing.)
posted by ErikaB at 11:23 AM on January 15, 2010
(Note: presumes you are stranded in a water-less location with plastic enema tubing.)
posted by ErikaB at 11:23 AM on January 15, 2010
Bear Grylls says you should give yourself an enema with it, instead.
Saw this. Still trying to process it.
No. Still can't wrap my head around it.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 11:55 AM on January 15, 2010
how about urban survival?
say, in the western hemisphere's poorest nation. after a terrible earthquake. with failed infrastructure and 1,000,000 other people in the same 'boat' as you?
posted by ilovemytoaster at 12:05 PM on January 15, 2010
say, in the western hemisphere's poorest nation. after a terrible earthquake. with failed infrastructure and 1,000,000 other people in the same 'boat' as you?
posted by ilovemytoaster at 12:05 PM on January 15, 2010
I misread this as one of those SAT analogies, you know, "Arctic survival is to desert survival as jungle survival is to sea survival"... Spent a nontrivial amount of time trying to figure out what it was getting at before realizing.
posted by NMcCoy at 12:42 PM on January 15, 2010
posted by NMcCoy at 12:42 PM on January 15, 2010
Artic Survival:Arctic Survival::Dessert Survival:Desert Survival
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:51 PM on January 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:51 PM on January 15, 2010 [1 favorite]
...only backwards.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:51 PM on January 15, 2010
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 12:51 PM on January 15, 2010
The myth being, a large percentage of body heat is lost through the head, and therefore a hat is very important in cold weather. The truth is, the head looses no more heat than any other exposed part of the body. Maybe even less if you have a full head of hair. This is easily verified using one of those laser beam temperature guns to measure surface skin body temps.
I've seen those cameras used to demonstrate the importance of ensuring head covering as an oft forgotten means of preventing heat loss. From this article it seems that the head is responsible for 7% of heat loss at rest but this can vary significantly through blood flow to teh head if the person is exercising.
The '50%' is the myth, not to be confused with 'you don't need to worry about covering your head', just to be clear. According, again, to that article, it CAN be 50% but only under certain circumstances and it implies it maxes out at 10% under steady state conditions other than rest.
It also suggests that hair is essentially worthless at keeping your head warm, but as someone who can feel the effects of having not very much hair and notice the difference when it's been a while since I shaved my head, I say phooey.
posted by Brockles at 2:04 PM on January 15, 2010
I've seen those cameras used to demonstrate the importance of ensuring head covering as an oft forgotten means of preventing heat loss. From this article it seems that the head is responsible for 7% of heat loss at rest but this can vary significantly through blood flow to teh head if the person is exercising.
The '50%' is the myth, not to be confused with 'you don't need to worry about covering your head', just to be clear. According, again, to that article, it CAN be 50% but only under certain circumstances and it implies it maxes out at 10% under steady state conditions other than rest.
It also suggests that hair is essentially worthless at keeping your head warm, but as someone who can feel the effects of having not very much hair and notice the difference when it's been a while since I shaved my head, I say phooey.
posted by Brockles at 2:04 PM on January 15, 2010
I'd love to write a deadpan serious version of one of these called "Urban Survival" that advised things like;
* Keep a sport coat handy.
* Make sure you have money for a cab or at the very least change for the bus.
* Cross at the lights
A "Rural Survival" book could be a lot of fun too;
* Don't try tipping cows, it's not real.
* Wear boots when walking through cow fields.
* Farmers who see you in their pastures might take offense and use a 12 gauge with rock salt
* Removing rock-salt is a painful process that begins with a pair of tweezers
and so on.
posted by quin at 3:06 PM on January 15, 2010
* Keep a sport coat handy.
* Make sure you have money for a cab or at the very least change for the bus.
* Cross at the lights
A "Rural Survival" book could be a lot of fun too;
* Don't try tipping cows, it's not real.
* Wear boots when walking through cow fields.
* Farmers who see you in their pastures might take offense and use a 12 gauge with rock salt
* Removing rock-salt is a painful process that begins with a pair of tweezers
and so on.
posted by quin at 3:06 PM on January 15, 2010
don't drink your urine
Got it. You won't need to tell me twice.
posted by NailsTheCat at 6:05 PM on January 15, 2010
Got it. You won't need to tell me twice.
posted by NailsTheCat at 6:05 PM on January 15, 2010
Those interested by survival manuals might also be interested in the US Army Borden Institute's Medical Aspects of Harsh Environments textbooks.
Burhanistan Good to know the recommended practice of withholding all food and water for the first 24 hours adrift at sea before commencing rationing.
I'm not sure if this is still advised. Low blood sugar impairs shivering, and hastens the development of hypothermia. Somewhere (I can't find the exact source atm), I read that a high proportion of deaths occur in the first few hours after abandoning ship, when crew are often cold and physically exhausted, so you should eat sugary food as soon as everyone is safely aboard the life-raft.
posted by James Scott-Brown at 5:37 AM on January 16, 2010
Burhanistan Good to know the recommended practice of withholding all food and water for the first 24 hours adrift at sea before commencing rationing.
I'm not sure if this is still advised. Low blood sugar impairs shivering, and hastens the development of hypothermia. Somewhere (I can't find the exact source atm), I read that a high proportion of deaths occur in the first few hours after abandoning ship, when crew are often cold and physically exhausted, so you should eat sugary food as soon as everyone is safely aboard the life-raft.
posted by James Scott-Brown at 5:37 AM on January 16, 2010
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posted by shinyshiny at 9:46 AM on January 15, 2010