Greater Robert Baden-Powell

'Being prepared' is a phrase that indicates a particular pragmatism where one should keep an eye on tomorrow when conducting today's affairs. 'Be prepared' conveys a more immediate tone as it suggests elements of danger and survival. The Boy Scout motto was always about more than camping preparedness; it was about the possibility of living off the land with nothing more than a handful of makeshift adaptable tools and your own guile. It's a perfectly concise phrase that evokes American frontiership.

The urban environment however carries a different series of challenges that wilderness survival doesn't necessarily equip you for. Via Instapundit I came across an article that describes a fascinating course called Urban Escape and Evade that teaches everything from lockpicking to abduction, confinement and escape. That courses like this exist is no surprise, but its recent spike in business in conjunction with stats and reports that are showing ammo purchases skyrocket, the term 'be prepared' is looking to take on a whole new meaning.