On January 10, 49 BC, Julius Caesar defied the Roman Senate and crossed the Rubicon, uttering “alea iacta est” (the die is cast), signaling the start of civil war and his appointment as Roman dictator for life.
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January 10, 1776: The “Common Sense” pamphlet by Thomas Paine was first published, advocating American independence.
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January 10, 1920: Following the inflationary First World War, silver reached a record $1.37 an ounce on the open market.
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A Special Note From JWR: Please pray for everyone in the path of the Southern California wildfires! It was not just millionaire movie stars who’ve lost homes. This is now estimated to be the Costliest Fire Disaster in U.S. History. I predict that its farthest-reaching effects will be on the insurance industry. We’ll probably see some rates soar, and entire segments of the population denied insurance coverage. This may not bode well for rural preppers living in forested regions.
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Today’s feature article is a guest post by one of my consulting clients. It is not eligible for the writing contest judging. – JWR
We are seeking entries for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $935,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Round 116 ends on January 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. 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.