As a newbie, there is a wealth of information available in the LTS area. Granted it's available in books, other forums, what have you...but I joined this site because it seemed the most informative, mature, and down-to-earth. There may be a surge in like minded people lately, (I'd like to know the number of new people like myself who have joined just this year). It's not so much the economic times, just a desire to be more prepared. Living in Florida, preparedness is always on my mind, so any wisdom I can absorb from the sages is very welcome.