My roommate was looking at what is in my ditch kit the other night (had it spread out on the living room table), and she asked me how much it would had cost. Couldn't tell her, but I still don't think she believes me that I started building that kit when I was 10 and won't stop until a week after I'm dead.

But I also wouldn't bring one of my hardcore "survival machine" kits to a speech- I'd bring my "plague box" with it's ten days of food, and augment it with my big blue water container, a bottle of bleach, and some batteries and fire starting stuff. That totals less than $80 for one person. About $110 if you add Coleman camp stove from Wallyworld, a couple of fuel canisters, a 1.7L kitchen storage bin and a pair of cheap pliers (also all from Wallyworld). That right there is a good start for a disaster box.

We can do this for a reasonable cost, then us hardcore guys start refining, upgrading and expanding.

"It is hard enough to get family and friend to prepare, now think of a entire country on a limited budget..."

Especially after so many years of being patted on the head and being told that they would be taken care of by the government, and then being told to get out of the way because they're useless, by local emergency personnel.

The rules are being changed, and they require thought, planning and preparation by people who aren't currently mentally or emotionally up to it.

And no one is going to get entire masses of people off their butts to get prepared, it's still convincing people one at a time. You just can't expect miracles.

Try to make it fun, interesting and possible, and more people will get into it. Drag the string and the kitten will follow.

Sue