Author: Hugh James Latimer

August 27, 1917 was the birthday of American gun designer Robert Hillberg, best known as the designer of the C.O.P. four-barrel derringer, Winchester’s Liberator shotguns, the graceful Whitney Wolverine, and the Wildey .44 Magnum gas-operated pistol. He died in 2012.

August 26, 526, is the official anniversary of the invention of toilet paper by the Chinese. We celebrate this, though not because of its convenience. In fact, it has many shortcomings, some which are described within the articles and letters of SurvivalBlog. Our celebration of it is primarily because we now have an official metric of just how hard core of a prepper you are as well as a metric for just how economically unstable your country is.

August 25th is a birthday shared by novelist Frederick Forsyth (born 1938) and late American humorist Patrick F. McManus (born 1933, died April 11, 2018.)  Forsyth was the author of The Day of the Jackal, The Odessa File, The Fourth Protocol, The Dogs of War, The Devil’s Alternative, and many others. McManus was born and raised in Sandpoint, Idaho, so his books could be classified as American Redoubt humor. His passing was sad news. He is greatly missed. – JWR

On August 24th, 410, Rome was overrun by the Visigoths in an event that symbolized the fall of the Western Roman Empire. This is a moment in history that we would do well to remember. An empire that ruled the known world was corrupted from the inside to the point that they could not defend themselves from a much weaker enemy. This could conceivably be the beginning of the dark middle ages.

August 23rd is the anniversary of the declaration of the independent state of “Franklin” in Eastern Tennessee by the settlers there in 1784. Unfortunately, the Continental Congress rejected it, so the state of Franklin never became a reality. o o o There are still plenty of openings in round 78 of theSurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.. If you like to see your article published and have an opportunity to win these fantastic prizes, get your article written and sent in to us. o o o SurvivalBlog Writing Contest This has been another entry for Round 78 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing …

August 22nd, 1992 was the second day of the Incident at Ruby Ridge. FBI sharpshooter Lon Horiuchi wounded Randy Weaver, wounded Kevin Harris, and murdered Weaver’s wife, Vicki. It should be noted that in 1994, after being acquitted by a federal court, Weaver filed a federal civil rights case against the FBI and U.S. Marshals stemming from the siege. In 1995 the government settled Weaver’s case for $3.1 million. It is commonly thought that had the Weaver family stayed with the trial, the award would have been the full $200 million. In true FBI style, Lon Horiuchi was not prosecuted …

In 1986, Lake Nyos in Cameroon  erupted with an estimated billion cubic yards of carbon dioxide gas. The gas had apparently been accumulating in the crater lake, held down by the weight of the water. When it finally erupted, the gas cloud smothered and killed every living animal, including insects, in its path until it dissipated. Outsiders learned of the disaster when they approached the villages and found animal and human bodies on the ground. The best estimate is that 1,700 people and thousands of cattle died.

20 August 1935 The birthday of former Congressman Ron Paul. He recently retired from congress. Dr. Paul is to be commended for fighting the good fight for many years. o o o Redoubt Surplus & Tactical in Dalton Gardens, Idaho has announced a big inventory consolidation sale with deep price reductions. This will include all of their electronics including a tube testers, two oscilloscopes, and a variety of military radios. They are selling these for just pennies on the Dollar. Stop by their store and check it out! Some items are also available via mail order.