I took a quick look, and I can't help but wonder whether this vision of self-reliance depends on a particular geographical location. In my cursory glance, the concerns, examples, and techniques all have a decidedly rustic, or at least suburban flavor.

Being able to handle blackouts seems part and parcel of every urbanite. Heck, some people lived through riots. But to take a different sort of example, it's hard for me to imagine urban dwellers growing a vegetable garden unless they are lucky enough to find an apartment with a sizable plot on top of the building, or unless they are rich enough to afford a house in the city. For some people it may even be cheaper to hire someone to do the growing than to spend their otherwise financially productive time tilling the soil -- if they can find the time away from work. Not everyone is rich, but for many, time and opportunity are the two big problems. Acquiring all these skills and equipment so they can live on their own in the middle of nowhere (i.e., be self-reliant as envisioned by the magazine) is basically a hobby or even an escapist fantasy. You'd have to take a vacation to live like a pioneer, and you get to feel "empowered" as the magazine says, at least until rushing back to work at 8 AM Monday morning.

That's not to say there may be some good information in the magazine, but looking at the magazine made me realize how situationally dependent preparation is.