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How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

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Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#61

Post by ZetaH »

jvanderbot wrote: post #23
walterbell wrote: post #3

What did lifeboats of that period stock for emergency rations? > Immediately after hearing the collision with an iceberg, the chief baker leapt out of his bunk and began dispatching his staff to stock the lifeboats with bread and biscuits ... Not only did Joughin refuse his own place in a boat, but he and a few other men began forcibly chucking reluctant women into empty seats, likely saving their lives ... while sch…

I've heard that a strong reason to live can get you through tough situations. E.g. in prison camps. I've also been solo skydiving and first hand experienced the loss of agency that comes from a poor response to life threatening situations:) So, I'm not optimistic about my own chances in those situations.

This reminded me on the "Hope" experiment they did on rats:

https://homedialysis.org/news-and-research/blog/528-lifesavi....

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#62

Post by Throw84949 »

kalleboo wrote: post #28
walterbell wrote: post #3

What did lifeboats of that period stock for emergency rations? > Immediately after hearing the collision with an iceberg, the chief baker leapt out of his bunk and began dispatching his staff to stock the lifeboats with bread and biscuits ... Not only did Joughin refuse his own place in a boat, but he and a few other men began forcibly chucking reluctant women into empty seats, likely saving their lives ... while sch…

> What did lifeboats of that period stock for emergency rations Biscuits and water, but they were in locked boxes on the deck "for fear of theft" so that wasn't reliably transferred to the boats in the chaos

Nobody would bother to steal water. Rations would not survive on open decks. Scorching sun heat, corrosive salty air...

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#63

Post by saalweachter »

rightbyte wrote: post #20
ionwake wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I read about a north fisherman whose boat sunk. everyone perished in the cold water but he was so large and wrapped in heavy clothing he eventually paddled to shore, walked a mile and knocked on a door, without dying. Fat and cloth layers really help. He was also said to have survived because he was incredibly drunk. Maybe the alcohol in the system reduces the effects of the cold?

In non freezing temperatures bad blood circulation probably is an advantage? There is probably no point in heating your fingers if in cold water for a long time. It will just cool more important organs.

Your body already has the reaction to cold temperatures of reducing circulation to your limbs.

If you ever have to take a cold shower, and aren't the sort for them normally, hold your arm in for a good long while before jumping in.

It's still going to be cold, but it's much less shocking than jumping in, between giving your brain time to get used to the idea and giving your body time to cut circulation to your skin and extremities.

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#64

Post by gumby »

This story is crazy/funny but it's true that being calm is a huge lifesaver. It's why one of the elements of military training is not just learning "what to do" but also practicing those things in stressful conditions so that a habit can kick in.

I have no military background but do have (and teach) a couple of outdoor hobbies that have on three occasions caused me to think that there was a high chance I would not survive. I still sporadically wake up with nightmares of them years later.

Interestingly at each time my initial overwhelming thought was "I'm an idiot for letting this happen" while without really thinking I took action as I teach my students. In two cases I had a large dog with me and that was probably decisive. In all cases I was alone (not with other people, just the dog) which is also a massive risk factor. Obviously irrelevant to the Titanic case.

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#65

Post by rayiner »

Kerbonut wrote: post #58
rayiner wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting that’s what you jump to when OP didn’t say homeless, and instead mentioned things that are deliberate choices (stealing and drug use).

Buying a house and eating are choices, too, I suppose…

Taking affirmative action to hurt yourself and others is much more of a choice than being able to meet your basic needs or not.

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#66

Post by testless »

speedgoose wrote: post #14
hartator wrote: post #7

Come on. Getting drunk will lower your survival chances for sure. It counterintuitively doesn't warm you up, waste precious energy while the body fights intoxication, and you are more likely to injure yourself in anything requiring body coordination.

I am not sure that drinking alcohol wastes energy. It contains a lot of calories, more than sugar. I also haven’t heard about people drinking alcohol to lose weight.

Appoximately 7 kcal per gramm vs 4 kcal per gramm for sugar

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#67

Post by ghaff »

rightbyte wrote: post #57
bloomingeek wrote: post #54

When I was about eight years old, I went to look for something I left near a motel swimming pool. I slipped into the deep end of the pool, I didn't know how to swim. At first I flailed as fast as I could, instinctively I suppose. This didn't help and I realized two things, I was still sinking and was getting tired. So I stopped and just stared ahead. I can't say I knew I was going to die, I just knew I was in trouble…

> Then my feet slowing hit the bottom of the pool, this startled me and it occurred to me I could jump and maybe catch the edge of the pool. A really startling story. That is one of my nightmares as a parent. I really need to learn my kids to swim soon. I wonder if you could actually stand on the bottom with your head over water if you tried? Like it is really hard to "jump" under water. And you don't really sink unt…

In general, at least some ability to swim is a pretty basic skill. It should happen much earlier (and it did in my case) but my undergrad required passing a swim test or at least taking the Phys Ed course.

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#68

Post by HarHarVeryFunny »

bloomingeek wrote: post #54

When I was about eight years old, I went to look for something I left near a motel swimming pool. I slipped into the deep end of the pool, I didn't know how to swim. At first I flailed as fast as I could, instinctively I suppose. This didn't help and I realized two things, I was still sinking and was getting tired. So I stopped and just stared ahead. I can't say I knew I was going to die, I just knew I was in trouble…

I almost drowned as a kid too, maybe a couple of years younger. Out in rural Ireland I was jumping from rock to rock at edge of a small lake and fell in. I remember it was actually a very calm experience - sinking down underwater with eyes open, then coming back up a little, then an arm from above came down into the water and dragged me out. Luckily one of my elder cousins had seen me fall in. My parents were there too, but oddly I can't remember ever talking to them about it... I guess fell in, got pulled out, end of story!

I taught/got my daughter to swim at an early age (4-5) for the safety benefit. I'd just take her to the pool once a week and we'd hang out and play, and over a year or two she just learnt to swim from being in the water!

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#69

Post by nradov »

Ekaros wrote: post #51
sva_ wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think any clothes can help building an insulating layer around your body. I've been doing some cold plunges recently and the difference between still and moving water is staggering, as you quickly get a thermal layer around you. Surely clothes would help with that.

Wet suites work on principal of after they get wet they don't convect heat. I think certain clothing combination might reach same effect, just not as well.

That's not now wetsuits work. Neoprene is simply a good thermal insulator, largely because of the embedded gas bubbles. And the tight fit minimizes the amount of cold water that can flow into the suit. There is still some heat convection regardless of whether the suit is wet or not.

Re: How a baker survived the Titanic by getting drunk (2022)

#70

Post by marcosdumay »

DougN7 wrote: post #59
rightbyte wrote: post #57

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Then my feet slowing hit the bottom of the pool, this startled me and it occurred to me I could jump and maybe catch the edge of the pool. A really startling story. That is one of my nightmares as a parent. I really need to learn my kids to swim soon. I wonder if you could actually stand on the bottom with your head over water if you tried? Like it is really hard to "jump" under water. And you don't really sink unt…

If you exhale you’ll probably find you sink quite well. And ‘jumping’, even just using your feet/ankles will be enough to move you up 5-8 feet. Give it a try (assuming you can swim!)

> If you exhale you’ll probably find you sink quite well.

That depends on how fat you are. And if there's any salt on the water.

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