Author: James Wesley Rawles

On January 9, 1839, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre of France proclaimed his invention of the daguerreotype, the first commercially successful form of photography. — January 9, 1943 was the birthday of gunsmith Paris Theodore, developer of the ASP modifications to the S&W M39 pistol. — On this day in 1776, writer Thomas Paine published his pamphlet “Common Sense,” setting forth his arguments in favor of American independence. Although little used today, pamphlets were an important medium for spreading ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing …

On January 8, 1815, U.S. General Andrew Jackson defeated Great Britain in the Battle of New Orleans, the final engagement in the War of 1812. On this day in 1997, the principality of Monaco began a yearlong celebration in honour of the 700th anniversary of the rule of the Grimaldi family, who seized power in 1297 and gained firm possession of Monaco in 1419. On January 8, 1997 Mexican criminal Joaquín Guzmán (“El Chapo”), head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, was captured in Los Mochis after escaping prison some six months earlier; he was later extradited to the United States, …

Today is the birthday of Cresson Kearny (born 1914, died December 18, 2003.) He was the primary author of the now standard reference text: Nuclear War Survival Skills. (The public domain 1987 edition is one of the many bonus books included in the SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick.) — January 7th is also the birthday of Bent Faurschou-Hviid, known as The Flame (born 1921, died October 18, 1944). The Flame was a red-haired Danish resistance fighter in the Holger Danske Group during World War II. His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we …

On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, where Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden‘s win in the 2020 election; Trump and his backers alleged widespread voter fraud. Today, three years later, after more than 950 arrests, there are still some defendants awaiting trial. And arrests are still continuing. — Today is the birthday of musician Earl Scruggs (1924-2012). — Today we present a feature article that was too short to be considered as an entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that …

American actor Robert Duvall, who was known for his convincing portrayals of a diverse range of characters, was born in San Diego on January 5, 1931. His portrayals in Open Range and Apocalypse Now are unforgettable. — This new listing in Sheridan, Montana at SurvivalRealty checks off a lot of boxes: Self-sufficiency! Earth-sheltered Home on 40 Acres. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on …