Survive Anything Popular Mechanics Aug 2007

[JimMLa]

On the cover of the August 2007 Popular Mechanics in Big Letters: Survive Anything. In an act of pure optimism, I read their "Survival Handbook" Save your money. It contained some stories of people who lived through snow, flood, etc... Here is an example of their advice. Under the heading "The Crisis, when there are only moments to spare." Flood, move to higher ground. Hurricane, Heed evacuation orders... I guess their readers needed to be told to move to higher ground when the water is around their knees.

They did have a nice drawing of how to drain your hot water heater into a bucket for emergency water. Their survival checklist did recommend a backpack (bob), but was woefully short on the basics like a knife. The car kit did recommend a multitool/knife.

Just my opinion, but I think maybe a small section on how to make a fire to boil water or a survival shelter would be expected in an article like this.:thumbdn:

 

[Don Rearic]

It's the mainstream suit version of a survival article, an albatross crossed with a turd. They sure do like expensive Sure-Fire flashlights though!

 

[Codger_64]

Of course it is going to be "gear-head" oriented considering the magazine's theme, but there are some suggestions that the average Joe may not have thought of.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/survival

Codger

 

[Don Rearic]

If they were gearing it towards the gear head, they could have put a lot more gear in it. It seems as though they didn't have anything else to write about that month so they did this.

 

[JimMLa]

But why label it "Ultimate Survival Checklist" instead of Basic Survival Checklist (even there it is lacking)? Don't we have enough hype going around these days. There is nothing "ultimate" about it. I know. Their job is to sell advertising.

"DOWNLOAD: Print out PM's Ultimate Survival Checklist Right Now!"

 

[nephildevil]

But why label it "Ultimate Survival Checklist" instead of Basic Survival Checklist (even there it is lacking)? Don't we have enough hype going around these days. There is nothing "ultimate" about it. I know. Their job is to sell advertising.

"DOWNLOAD: Print out PM's Ultimate Survival Checklist Right Now!"

:jerkit:
ultimate wankerz

lol

 

[James 61]

Field and Stream also likes to write articles on wilderness survival. They usually dedicate 1/3 to 1/2 of the issue to survival topics and it usually comes out right before or during deer/elk season. Unfortantly a good majority of the information presented is not practical or is out of date.

 

[AustinTXShooter]

Field and Stream basically repeats survival myths, making their survival issue useless.

 

[Sapper76]

I'd agree my subscription to field and stream is going to shortly turn into better toilet ply, I know that would be more useful.

 

[David E]

Field and Stream basically repeats survival myths......

Such as ?

.

 

[Alberta Ed]

And they always forget beer...

 

[AustinTXShooter]

Such as ?

.

Myths may not have been the right word. I can't recall too many off the top of my head, but they always tell you how to make a fire with a magnifying glass (like everyone needed to read about that). Last time they showed you how to cook eggs and bacon in a paper sack. They show you how to build these extravagant survival shelters that come with everything but a breakfast nook and a butler. Shelters that you would never have the need, time or desire to build if you were actually in a survival situation. Basically, you read the entire section in survival and not only don't learn anything, but usually read something that will end up getting you injured if you tried it.

 

[nephildevil]

Basically, you read the entire section in survival and not only don't learn anything, but usually read something that will end up getting you injured if you tried it.

sounds like a man vs wild ep on paper then hahaha!

 

[scpower]

What a pathetic checklist. Their "BOB" doesn't even include a multitool or knife...

 

[grommit]

The irritating part of this is not the fact that these big magazines are not giving out information that is actually useful, but that they are continuing the victim philosoophy. Their "10 worst disasters of the last 101 years" contains earthquakes, fires, floods, tornadoes, a volcano and the spanish flu. When these happen, oh we are the helpless victims.

So what really irritates me is that nothing is said about avoiding obvious timebombs. We build stick houses where the ground shakes, the waters will rush and the wind will eventually blow at 200 miles an hour. We have houses going up in flood planes and then we are the unfortuante victims of a tragedy that could not be forseen....

90% of all this could be prevented by either proper building materials and construction practices to avoid susceptibility to wind, water, fire and quakes, or proper building site choices. Not all of us can have an earth sheltered concrete dome home, obviously, but we can live above the flood line, with non-burnable house exteriors rated at more than 90 mile per hour winds if not 250, and we can install seismic cutoffs for gas and even electric services. And the one way valve on sewer lines to keep various floods from coming indoors.

What is the best way to survive a disaster? do not have one.

 

[canranger]

Funny thing is I contacted them last year to actually write that story for them and they said they were not interested guess they still aren't interested.

Abe