I notice that a thread on prostate enlargement is sitting atop a thread on whether or not old men get ruder and crankier with age ... it begs the question whether or not the two are related <img src="/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

Now the real reason for my post: Last summer as I saw the internet reports of the London subway bombings at work, I was horror-struck by how closely we all live to being placed in a survival situation in the next second. Although professionally and by virtue of being an ex-Boy Scout <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />, I have had to think about emergency preparedness to a degree, I had never thought about it as it affected my family or me on a day to day, "instantaneous" basis. So, with breaking news of the London bombings swirling about me, I Googled "urban survival" and the first hit was the ETS article on it. I have been lurking here ever since, reading articles and gear reviews, reading the threads, and generally being impressed with how much most of you know and how much of your knowledge you are willing to share. (I checked out the NRASafe site where they want $20 per year to read the articles - I daresay DR's and yours are as good or better!)

I have learned much from this forum and its members, and my family and I are much better prepared than a year ago for the uncertainties of life in the 21st century. I have yet to contribute to ETS (other than buying some DR stuff from Aeromedix), but I did want to just say thank you for all the knowledge I've picked up from you all.

In closing another comment: I am not a big forum follower or poster, I just don't have the time. But from what I have observed, this forum is probably the most well-mannered, mutually affirming, kinder-gentler forum I've come across - and that includes some religious ones that purport to foster understanding! I am proud to be a (usually silent) part of the community.

Enjoy your (No) Labor Day!
Randy

I spent the (no) Labor Day repacking my medical kits--and realized I had absolutely no Loperamide but tons of saline, catheters, trauma dressings, etc--and no band-aids!!

Make sure you replace what you use, date code EVERYTHING! Even a 4x4 sponge can only live about ten years before it self-destructs....

You can also use the free reminder service at my site to remind yourself of upcoming expiration dates on stuff in your FAK, among other things.

I swear, they are not related <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />