Ah ha!

Now that's the kind of info I was looking for! You've already given me several ideas that I hadn't considered. We all start from a different place, so it doesn't surprise me that you've not covered the "personal defense" aspect of survival yet.

I will say that I think it is important. And the probably of having to defend yourself is at least as high as some other emergency situations (e.g. crash landing in the desert or ocean). If you doubt that, check out packing.org for near-daily stories about people who have to defend themselves. You can also get lots of advice on choosing an appropriate side arm, etc. And since I've mentioned them twice now... NO, I do not work for them! <img src="images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks again... and by all means, if you do compile a complete list, make sure you post it here!

Ben