On May 15, 1896 [1] a tornado — now estimated as a F5 — killed 78 people in and near Sherman, Texas. This was part of a multi-week tornado outbreak in the South and Midwest [2]. Pictured above is the first-ever photograph of a tornado, taken in 1884.
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May 15, 1911: The U.S. Supreme Court dissolved Standard Oil [3] and upheld the Sherman Antitrust Act.
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And on May 15th, 1942, gasoline rationing began in 17 Eastern states as an attempt to help the American war effort during World War II. The main concern behind the rationing scheme was conserving scarce imported rubber, rather than fuel. By the end of the year, President Franklin D. Roosevelt had ensured that mandatory gasoline rationing was in effect in all 48 states.
SurvivalBlog Writing Contest
Today we present another entry for Round 124 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest [4]. This is the final round of the contest. There will not be a “Round 125”! So this is your “last call.” The prizes for this round include:
First Prize:
- A Gunsite Academy [5]Three-Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course [6] (a $1,095 value).
- American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) [7] is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses [8]. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course [9].
- HSM Ammunition [10] in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.
- Heaven’s Harvest [11] is providing one of their Original Heirloom Seed Kits (a $139 value.)
- Harvest Guard [12] is providing a 200-Piece Bulk Mix Pack of their Regular and Wide-Mouth Reusable Canning Jar Lids & Gaskets. This is a $161 + shipping value.
Second Prize:
- A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training [13], that has a combined retail value of $679
- Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord [14] (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com [15] (a $287 value).
- Preparedness author Jennifer Rader [16] is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the
- A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company [17], toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!
Third Prize:
- A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters [18] (a $305 value),
- Two sets of [19]The Civil Defense Manual, [20] (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
- A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC [21] that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
- A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company [17], toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.
- More than $984,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 124 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail [22] us your entry. Take Note: Any article received after our editorial calendar is filled for May will be considered guest articles are not eligible as contest entries. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.