If you were planning to head to the Jersey shore or Cape Cod on August 22 and 23, you probably changed your plans. Beaches were closed along the east coast as Hurricane Bill, downgraded by then to a Class I tropical storm, kicked up riptides as it passed.

Riptides, more properly rip currents, are narrow but long bands of water that can pull anything in them quickly out to sea, and they're potentially deadly. The average swimmer or boarder might not recognize a rip current, but lifeguards do. They look for an area of a lighter green color that may be swirling like a washer, or may look like a flat rippling river. Like a river, the rip current's fastest flow is in the middle.

Obviously, the easiest way to avoid a riptide is to stay out of the water. But where's the fun in that? Don't assume you're safe if you're close to shore; rip currents can happen in water that's knee deep. They can also occur when there aren't high wave warnings or beach closures, so you need to know what to do if you're caught in one.

First, don't panic. That's easier said than done, but if you stay calm, you're more likely to survive. Second, don't try to swim against the current. Doing that will wear you out and exhaustion is the cause of most riptide drownings. Relax, tread water and get your bearings. If you can, swim sideways to the edge of the riptide, where the flow lessens and you can probably get to shore. If you see a large wave coming at you, take a deep breath and go under it. If there's an undertow, a frequent companion to riptides, do the same thing: take a quick deep breath before you're pulled under, and relax; you'll pop up again quickly.

Whether the ocean is calm or choppy, be cool in trunks like these Ryan Spooner Hybrid board shorts. Avoid a rash with an Oakley rashguard shirt, and keep your feet from getting too sandy with these sweet Beachcomber Flip Flops by Ed Hardy.

Although police officers have been chasing fugitives on television for years, very few had to deal with the challenges faced by Captain Darien Lambert (Dale Midkiff) on the syndicated series "Time Trax." An officer from the 22nd Century, Lambert chased hundreds of criminals who had escaped to the year 1993.

The fugitives had used TRAX, a time machine that could send human beings into the past. The device wasn't quite perfect, though, because each person could only make a single roundtrip through time. Captain Lambert was sent back to 1993 to hunt down each fugitive, but the limitations of the time machine meant he had to stay in the past until each criminal had been shipped back.

His superiors gave Darien some specialized equipment to help him accomplish his mission, including a powerful, pocket-sized computer called Selma (Elizabeth Alexander). Disguised as a contemporary credit card, Selma helped Lambert uncover clues and locate each of the time traveling fugitives.

Darien also carried a special palm-sized weapon which could return each escapee to the 22nd Century. The device fired a special pellet which, when injected into a human body, allowed the TRAX machine to transport them back home. Darien longed for the day when he could inject himself, but he had to accomplish his mission first.

Two hundred years of evolution and conditioning also gave Darien Lambert a distinct advantage over 20th Century humans. He could run faster and his reflexes were sharper, making him a challenge to even Olympic level athletes. This physical superiority helped him locate a young boy who had been kidnapped by his father and taken to 1993. During a school track meet, the future boy broke a world record, which indicated to Darien that he was from the future.

Like the original 5-year mission on "Star Trek," Darien Lambert's fugitive hunt was cut short by low ratings. Still, the two seasons of "Time Trax" were a fun adventure series and one of the best uses of time travel on television.

When you're headed out to the back country this summer, surviving a vehicle water crash is probably not on your mind. But maybe it should be. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that 600 people perish each year in the U.S. by drowning inside their vehicles. So if you're route to the trailhead crosses or passes water, be prepared.

The first thing to remember if your vehicle hits water is to stay calm. That's not the easiest thing to do when your car is sinking, but if you don't, you could become a statistic. Unfasten your seatbelt and try to open your door as quickly as possible. If your headlights are on, leave them on; it makes it easier for rescuers to find you and your car.

If the car sinks quickly and water pressure won't let the door open, break a window. Take a deep breath, then kick a window wearing sturdy boots. If that doesn't work, use a heavy flashlight or a large screwdriver that you've stashed in the glove compartment or side pocket (preparation!) and smash the glass. Water will start to pour in but push through it until you're outside your car.

Leave your gear and pack behind, but keep your shades on, because they can protect your eyes from debris in the water. Swim or kick up towards the light. If you've become disoriented, breathe out a little, and watch the bubbles; they'll go up so follow them. Once you break the surface, look around and find the nearest shore, and head to it. Unless you're an expert swimmer trained in water rescue, don't try to save your friend(s). You could all end up in critical condition, especially if the water is cold.

Back on the road, wave down passing cars to get help. Then slow down; your adrenaline rush will have kept you from feeling much pain, and that will probably kick in now. You also need to get warm to avoid shock. The faster you can get help, the more likely that you and anyone still in the car will survive.

Tornadoes are one of nature's most deadly acts. While they're most common in tornado alley -- the area from just into the southeast to Texas and north, up the Great Plains -- tornadoes can strike almost anywhere, and have struck in almost every state in the lower 48, as well as Canada and Mexico. With tornadoes, it's not just the wind, but also the debris that wind is carrying, that can be a major danger. It takes some planning to survive one outdoors.

Before you start your hiking trip, check the weather. A tornado "watch" means it's possible there will be a tornado; a tornado "warning" means a tornado has been spotted, so if you haven't left yet, go to your basement or an interior room. If you head out during a tornado watch, take a battery-operated radio with you, along with a good flashlight and a rain jacket, and watch the sky. Before a tornado, the sky turns dark, the light takes on an unnatural greenish-yellow color, and you may hear a sound like a freight train.

If the sky changes, or funnel clouds begin to drop from black clouds, you need to get to some kind of shelter immediately. Don't take shelter under a bridge or trees; they won't protect you from flying debris or hail. If there are no buildings nearby, look for the lowest place you can find. It might be a ditch, and if you're very lucky, you might find a culvert. Hunker down in that low spot, put your arms over your head for protection, and stay as close to the ground as you can. Keep your backpack on and securely fastened, as it can help protect you from debris.
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Once the tornado has passed, listen to your radio again. If the danger is past, head for home or make a camp. If there's still danger, use the time you have to find a better safe spot, like a cave, ditch, or culvert. You may be bruised, but if you stay flat, you'll survive the worst that nature can throw at you.

(Sources: http://www.fema.gov/hazard/tornado/index.shtm , http://www.insure.com/articles/homeinsurance/tornado-tips.html , http://www.outdoorlife.com/photos/gallery/survival/warm-weather/2009/04/tornado-survival-tips)