|
Welcome to the International Skeptics Forum, where we discuss skepticism, critical thinking, the paranormal and science in a friendly but lively way. You are currently viewing the forum as a guest, which means you are missing out on discussing matters that are of interest to you. Please consider registering so you can gain full use of the forum features and interact with other Members. Registration is simple, fast and free! Click here to register today. |
![]() |
#41 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sacramento
Posts: 49,994
|
Have to admit when I saw this story my mind fled to a famous Jack London short story about survival in the Alaskan Wilderness called 'To Build A Fire".
It does not have a happy ending...great story though. |
__________________
Pacifism is a shifty doctrine under which a man accepts the benefits of the social group without being willing to pay - and claims a halo for his dishonesty. Robert Heinlein. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#42 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 48,640
|
Puts me in the mind of The Cremation of Sam McGee.
There are strange things done in the midnight sun By the men who moil for gold; The Arctic trails have their secret tales That would make your blood run cold; The Northern Lights have seen queer sights, But the queerest they ever did see Was that night on the marge of Lake Lebarge I cremated Sam McGee. |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#43 |
Skepticifimisticalationist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Gulf Coast
Posts: 26,352
|
I frankly think you're giving him far more credit than is due with this assessment. You characterize the things he did after the fire - namely his sheltering in-place with his remaining resources - as a choice he made, and that he could have chosen to do something different instead, and the fact that he did not was the result of a competent risk assessment on his part.
I can't really agree with that. He didn't merely have "inadequate" trail gear, he had absolutely no trail gear. He had boots but no socks. He had a set of scavenged overalls, but no coat. His food was all cans and jars - heavy and impractical to carry at any rate, but a moot issue since he had no backpack. "Walking out" wasn't an option that he carefully considered and thoughtfully decided against, it was impossible. In fact there was no "option"; there was nothing left to do at all in the wake of the disaster except stay as close to the stove as possible and eat the remaining food until it ran out, and that's what he did until Lady Luck sent a rescue helicopter his way. |
__________________
"¿WHAT KIND OF BIRD? ¿A PARANORMAL BIRD?" --- Carlos S., 2002 |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#44 |
Great minds think...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 8,389
|
|
__________________
"Circumcision and death threats go together like milk and cookies." - William Parcher “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#45 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 14,148
|
Lady Luck didn't send the helicopter. People who he had been maintaining contact with and who knew of his situation and did. That's exactly what we're supposed to do when going into the wilderness, make sure that someone knows where you're going and after what length of time of no contact they should contact someone to go looking for you.
The fact that he was rescued was due precisely to the precaution that he took, not luck. |
__________________
"... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#46 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,906
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#47 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 14,148
|
|
__________________
"... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#48 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 6,906
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#49 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 14,148
|
|
__________________
"... when people thought the Earth was flat, they were wrong. When people thought the Earth was spherical they were wrong. But if you think that thinking the Earth is spherical is just as wrong as thinking the Earth is flat, then your view is wronger than both of them put together." Isaac Asimov |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#50 |
Master Poster
Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 2,037
|
Ummmm...No.
The man was incompetent, stupid, and lucky. 1) He obviously knew nothing about making a proper shelter with an adequate chimney system which was high enough above the roof line so sparks on the roof would not be problem. 2) He did not make an emergency cache with food, clothing, emergency gear, that anyone with half a brain does when living remotely. 3) He did not practice the basic severe cold habit of banking your fire for short term forays out of your camp; Or, letting your fire go out and then pre-stacking your kindling and wood in your fireplace/stove so it only takes one match to get it to start on your return from longer term absences. As far as your assertion that he had some sort of "check-in" plan with somebody - there is no evidence of that at all. According to the OP - he only called people on a sporadic basis and all he could was hope that someone would miss him and call the authorities. "Steele had a "crappy" phone that he'd been using to check in with friends and family, but authorities said it was lost in the fire. So he hoped someone would call for a welfare check after they hadn't heard from him. If someone hadn't come by Day 35, he'd set out." |
__________________
"Townes Van Zandt is the best songwriter in the whole world and I'll stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots and say that." Steve Earle "I've met Bob Dylan's bodyguards and if Steve Earle thinks he can stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table, he's sadly mistaken." Townes Van Zandt |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#51 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 5,223
|
That's a Nissen hut.
The difference between them is the Quonset has a frame that the sidings are attached to. Looking around it looks to me like non-corrugated huts are still considered Quonset huts, at least people are selling them as such. I think the original Quonset's were corrugated iron, and that may well have been the original design spec, but I expect the naming has morphed to include other materials. |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#52 |
Orthogonal Vector
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 50,180
|
|
__________________
Sufficiently advanced Woo is indistinguishable from Parody "There shall be no *poofing* in science" Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Force ***** on reasons back" Ben Franklin |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#53 |
Orthogonal Vector
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 50,180
|
|
__________________
Sufficiently advanced Woo is indistinguishable from Parody "There shall be no *poofing* in science" Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Force ***** on reasons back" Ben Franklin |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#54 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 48,640
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#55 |
JREF Kid
Tagger
Join Date: Aug 2001
Posts: 8,223
|
As he was effectively camping and using a wood-burning stove, wouldn't it have been a usual precaution to have a fire extinguisher with him?
|
__________________
"Faith without doubt leads to moral arrogance, the eternal pratfall of the religiously convinced" - Joe Klein, Time magazine "The fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown." - Carl Sagan |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#56 |
Great minds think...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 8,389
|
|
__________________
"Circumcision and death threats go together like milk and cookies." - William Parcher “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#57 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 48,640
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#58 |
Great minds think...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 8,389
|
They don't have places to get ******* sheet metal in all of Alaska? They appear to have gotten some pieces there before as there was some at the site. He had made this plan, bought the land from a Vietnam Vet, and made it a point to move thousands of miles to go there. Some are claiming he was a pretty good outdoorsman, or survivalist. Outdoorsman\survivalists don't make sure everything is fully prepared before moving into a remote part of Alaska? Didn't someone earlier in the thread say he got stuff airdropped to him?
|
__________________
"Circumcision and death threats go together like milk and cookies." - William Parcher “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#59 |
Philosopher
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 5,223
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#60 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 13,113
|
The article and statement don't list his full cache of provisions. They are rather short. I think most fire extinguishers would freeze solid in those temperatures unless kept near the fire, where it would have likely been consumed before he could get to it anyway.
The police statement says he was also dodging 500 rounds of shotgun/rifle ammo that were also burning. Ridicule all you guys like, but he was no fool. He may be a little whacky about living on very little, but that is different thing. The easiest thing in the world is to Monday Morning Quarterback how to have prevented it. Think about it. Absolutely anything can be corrected in hindsight. He tried to get a fire going quicker and fed it with cardboard, likely because it had gotten damned cold. He knew that was not copasetic and was a lapse of judgement, but his rig had also been functioning without problems for months. It's not like he floundered immediately. I would venture that most posters here would be dead within a few hours after the fire. Surviving in sub zero temps with salvaged provisions is no joke. Even making a snow cave shelter that doesn't collapse on you takes some skill. |
__________________
We find comfort among those who agree with us, growth among those who don't -Frank A. Clark Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#61 |
Great minds think...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 8,389
|
That still doesn't change the fact that it was mostly luck, and not skill, that saved him. It also doesn't change the fact that there were a myriad of things he could have done to prevent this from happening. My father says all the time "A good hunter prevents accidents, he doesn't react to them." He chose not to do that. No one here is wishing he was dead, but he's a far cry from some top tier survivalist and his ignorance led to the death of a dog. That's the part that bugs me the most. I get he's suffering too, but his dog had to pay the price.
ETA: He also wasn't living on limited resources, per himself:
Quote:
|
__________________
"Circumcision and death threats go together like milk and cookies." - William Parcher “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#62 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 13,113
|
Agreed for the most part, but I would assume he had prevented hundreds of accidents over the months. I assume this because he is alive.
From what I gather, he spread supplies out in his camp. It's true that he could have spread them further, and sprawled out for acres, but for practical purposes he had to keep things fairly tight. Not sure if this camp was intended to be permanent, or was a work in progress, either. eta: cans of food in a tarp shelter is surely 'limited resources', no? I'm not saying he was living off the land entirely. But 'limited' is surely fair. |
__________________
We find comfort among those who agree with us, growth among those who don't -Frank A. Clark Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#63 |
Orthogonal Vector
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 50,180
|
|
__________________
Sufficiently advanced Woo is indistinguishable from Parody "There shall be no *poofing* in science" Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Force ***** on reasons back" Ben Franklin |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#64 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 13,113
|
|
__________________
We find comfort among those who agree with us, growth among those who don't -Frank A. Clark Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#65 |
Orthogonal Vector
Join Date: Jul 2006
Posts: 50,180
|
They are generally just compressed air not anything that would be effected by such moderate temperatures.
Cold effecting the plastic pressure vessel they used to be made of seems more likely than the contents being adversely effected. See the huge recall and reworking of fire extingushers a couple of years ago. |
__________________
Sufficiently advanced Woo is indistinguishable from Parody "There shall be no *poofing* in science" Paul C. Anagnostopoulos Force ***** on reasons back" Ben Franklin |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#66 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 13,113
|
It was a new phone, and I would have to assume a Sonim or similar rated to work in extreme temps, because it had limped along till burning in the fire.
What he said was that this new phone wouldn't keep a charge, likely due to severe cold. Assuming lithium-ion battery, that is a real problem. They do get weak in the cold. |
__________________
We find comfort among those who agree with us, growth among those who don't -Frank A. Clark Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#67 |
Great minds think...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 8,389
|
Maybe, but that's something that can be said about every human that walks the Earth. It doesn't really do anything to support him being a well rounded survivalist. Just a regular guy.
It could have been. I didn't get the impression he spread things out around his camp since he had to run in and all he did was grab everything off of his bed. Then he grabbed some canned foods. He didn't have anything outside from what I've read. Everything he lived on came from the house. I can tell you that I would certainly be dead from the fire because I have a serious love for my dogs. I would have burned up trying to carry him out, but I have tiny dogs. Not a medium sized one like this guy had, so I get it. Even if it wasn't meant to be permanent or was a work in progress seems a little irrelevant. He recently bought it from someone, and knew winter was coming. A good outdoorsman would make having a solid, usable structure that would last through one of the harshest winters, or have a backup method available away from his abode, a distinct and immediate priority. A tent, shelter, supplies, etc. You always have a backup. In North Dakota you would get laughed out of a room if you admitted to not having a full backup supply kit in your car should anything happen, and we aren't in the middle of nowhere. In all of my cars we have jumper cables, sweat pants\shirts, blankets, and dry consumables in the winter. It's just SOP. It's probably semantic, I wouldn't call 2 years worth of food limited though. If his place hadn't burned down I would say that he was extremely well stocked as far as food goes. |
__________________
"Circumcision and death threats go together like milk and cookies." - William Parcher “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#68 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 13,113
|
Well, a regular guy has the benefits of living in civilization. Utilities, other people and all. For him, a trip to move his bowels could be a bit more dangerous than for you or I.
Quote:
Quote:
Eta: by limited resources, I meant more than just food. I mean all the stuff we don't even think about that keeps us alive. |
__________________
We find comfort among those who agree with us, growth among those who don't -Frank A. Clark Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#69 |
Great minds think...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 8,389
|
To me, they're just different dangers. Murderers, cars running you over, car accidents, home invasions, etc. None of which are fears of his at all.
The food was all stored inside though. He said he grabbed the food he could from inside and that's what he lived on. If I remember right he mentioned saving the burned plastic food until last. Without seeing the previous home it all seems random to me. I don't really understand what caught on fire. Plastic\tarp isn't really all that flammable enough to start from a small spark I don't think, and he said he thinks it started from a tarp. If he started the fire, stripped to his long johns, climbed into bed, and then woke up to the roof already beyond his ability to put out, then I truly believe something else had to fuel this fire. I just haven't mentioned it because I have absolutely nothing to back it up. I don't know how it takes that long (at the very least 15-20) to start a tarp on fire and have it burn through a quonset. I've heard of trailer homes burning down in less time. Ah. I don't have much to add there. |
__________________
"Circumcision and death threats go together like milk and cookies." - William Parcher “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#70 |
Skepticifimisticalationist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Gulf Coast
Posts: 26,352
|
But I'm not willing to call it a precaution he took either. In his post-rescue interviews he used language that very clearly conveyed that he had hoped his relatives would set "something" in motion to try and found out what happened to him after communication ended; not that he confidently assumed they would, or that they were instructed to do so after a certain amount of time. In fact, I would use exactly these circumstances to contradict you: if he had been responsible, he would have positively set an arrangement that after exactly this much time incommunicado they should contact so-and-so. And certainly in less time than three weeks! But clearly no such arrangement existed, forcing him to "hope". According to the release, he didn't even figure on them calling rescue authorities as such - he supposed they would have contacted his air supply outfit.
He is lucky that they only waited 3 weeks. If they waited much longer, he might have run out of food, and if that happened he would be dead. |
__________________
"¿WHAT KIND OF BIRD? ¿A PARANORMAL BIRD?" --- Carlos S., 2002 |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#71 |
Great minds think...
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: North Dakota
Posts: 8,389
|
Just to add to that. He said that the meal before his last night was the worst he had because it was down to the burnt foods. He also said he started thinking about what he would do after 35 because he thought someone lived within 5 miles of him.
There was absolutely nothing certain about anything he said. |
__________________
"Circumcision and death threats go together like milk and cookies." - William Parcher “There are times when the mind is dealt such a blow it hides itself in insanity. While this may not seem beneficial, it is. There are times when reality is nothing but pain, and to escape that pain the mind must leave reality behind.” - Patrick Rothfuss |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#72 |
The Clarity Is Devastating
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Betwixt
Posts: 17,293
|
Smoldering. I have a personal anecdote that might help illustrate. Around 2002, after a flood put our furnace out of commission, while waiting for repairs, my wife and I moved our mattress downstairs to the first floor, so we could sleep near our wood stove. The wood stove was more than adequate to heat the first floor on cold autumn nights. One night, after carefully emptying the old cold ashes from the night before, bagging them, and putting them out of the way in a plastic wastebasket, we lit the stove and went to sleep for the night. I trust everyone immediately recognizes the foolish and potentially fatal mistake we made. Hours later, in the middle of the night, I woke up. Because it wasn't my regular bed in regular surroundings, instead of just rolling over and going back to sleep, I opened my eyes and looked around. Across the room, I saw a faint orange glow. An ember from the "cold" ashes had smoldered through the trash bag and through the side of the wastebasket. It was the edges of the quarter-size hole in the side of the wastebasket that were glowing. Easily put out with a few ounces of water, but minutes or hours later, who knows? It might have gone out by itself. It might have continued to smolder until, when we got up in the morning, there was nothing there except a pile of old ashes mixed with residual melted plastic and a scorch mark on the wood floor. Or it might have flamed up and killed us in our sleep. |
__________________
A zømbie once bit my sister... |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#73 |
Not a doctor.
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Texas
Posts: 22,078
|
|
__________________
Suffering is not a punishment not a fruit of sin, it is a gift of God. He allows us to share in His suffering and to make up for the sins of the world. -Mother Teresa If I had a pet panda I would name it Snowflake. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#74 |
Skepticifimisticalationist
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Gulf Coast
Posts: 26,352
|
|
__________________
"¿WHAT KIND OF BIRD? ¿A PARANORMAL BIRD?" --- Carlos S., 2002 |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#75 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Central City, Colorado, USA
Posts: 10,007
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#76 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 48,640
|
Given the number of square miles in Alaska... hrm.
There's about 134,700 bears of all species in Alaska There's about 663,300 square miles in Alaska. I'm having trouble braining this morning, and can't figure out if that's five bears per square mile, or one bear every five square miles. Probably one bear every five square miles. A radius of five miles, originating at his campsite, sweeps out an area of almost 80 square miles. So that would be about... sixteen bears within say a ten mile walk of his camp? Assuming an even distribution of spherical bears across a frictionless Alaska in a vacuum, of course. |
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#77 |
![]() Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Monkey
Posts: 58,972
|
You're omitting a Basic Bear Fact: in the wild, bears stack themselves vertically. So while there may only be one instance of bear presence in a twenty mile radius of any given point in Alaska, that instance will be comprised of an average of between eight and forty bears. The topmost bear is the lookout.
|
__________________
You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#78 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: East Coast USA
Posts: 13,113
|
I thought topmost bear held the flashlight?
Also, are spherical bears in a vacuum a new Dyson product? |
__________________
We find comfort among those who agree with us, growth among those who don't -Frank A. Clark Whenever you find yourself on the side of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect -Mark Twain |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#79 |
![]() Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Monkey
Posts: 58,972
|
|
__________________
You added nothing to that conversation, Barbara. |
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
#80 |
Penultimate Amazing
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Posts: 48,640
|
|
![]() ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
Bookmarks |
Thread Tools | |
|
|