By the way, part of this is going to upgrading from a ten dollar home depot multimeter and dollar store tools. Being disabled as I am, it basically impossible for me to work for someone else.. to call my work schedule erratic is an understatement. Putting together a halfway reasonable bench here in my home is the right answer. Living as I do, on a social security disability income, I have made do with what I can, but this should be done with at least the basic tools.
I could use a few recommendations for a bench and portable meter, a bench power supply, and an inexpensive storage oscilloscope capable of the frequencies we generally deal with in Arduino projects (Ghz not needed), and a good soldering station.
Thoughts? I had a friend tell me to get a Fluke Scopemeter... Looks like an amazing device, but overkill and too expensive. I am just trying to put together a little more reasonable workspace for this... 
Selling the fear is easy.. I just need to pull up the news. This happens all the time... As in every few days.
I can talk about those that died- a schoolteacher and a distinguished veteran. I can do what will be needed- which is bring the reality and emotion when I am interviewed.. As I did with Patch.com. It's not a matter of trying to muster up some tears, it's a matter of holding them back enough to tell the story.
I know that at this point, it's people that are the real requirement, not the funding. I could beg borrow and steal enough to finish a prototype, probably. It needs to be more than that. I need media visibility and groundswell. Here's to hoping I can light a big enough fire to put out the ones I am trying to make a thing of the past!