Category: Note

The mainstream media hoopla over the “second wave” of COVID-19 is getting tiresome. Yes, hospital occupancy is of concern, but the number of “confirmed cases” is more of a function of a more widespread testing infrastructure than it is of actual infections, per capita. I found some recent charts that are instructive. They show that the number of hospital beds in use is back up to where it was in April. But the number of deaths relative to the number of cases (i.e. the Case Fatality Rate) is down. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that this bug has mutated …

On July 26th, 1931, a swarm of grasshoppers descended on crops throughout the American heartland, devastating millions of acres. Already in the midst of a bad drought, Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota suffered tremendously. The swarms was said to be so thick that it blocked out the sun and one could shovel the grasshoppers with a scoop. While America has not seen infestations on such a scale since then, North Africa and parts of the Middle East continue to experience them. — Please pray for the folks in Texas who are in the path of Hurricane Hanna. .. SurvivalBlog Writing …

On this day in 1897, Jack London sailed for the Klondike. While in the Klondike, London began submitting stories to magazines. In 1900, his first collection of stories, The Son of the Wolf, was published. Three years later, his story The Call of the Wild made him famous around the country. London continued to write stories of adventure amid the harsh natural elements. During his 17-year career, he wrote 50 fiction and nonfiction books. He settled in northern California about 1911, having already written most of his best work. London, a heavy drinker, died in 1916. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest …

The late Jerry Ahern passed away on this day, July 24th, in 2012. His survivalist novels created an entire genre. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 89 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three day …

On July 23rd, 1982, outside Santa Clarita, California, actor Vic Morrow (of Combat! fame) and two children were killed when a helicopter crashed onto them while shooting a scene from Twilight Zone: The Movie. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 89 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any of their other models. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course …

I heard that fellow novelist Dean Ing (the author of Pulling Through) passed away yesterday. He will be missed! — July 22nd is the birthday of actor Willem Dafoe (born 1955). Perhaps his best role was in the movie The Hunter, set in Tasmania. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 89 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of their sun-tracking models, and 10% off the purchase price of any …

July 21st is the birthday of novelist Ernest Hemingway. He was born in 1899 in Oak Park, Illinois. He committed suicide in July 2, 1961 in Ketchum, Idaho, after being diagnosed with haemochromatosis, and after electroshock treatments failed to lift him from chronic alcoholic depression. He lived a sad life but was a great writer. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 89 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift certificate from Quantum Harvest LLC (up to a $2,200 value) good for 12% off the purchase of any of …

Today is the 87th birthday of novelist Cormac McCarthy (born, 1933.) He is the author of the survivalist novel The Road, which later became a popular movie with the same title. On July 20th, 1969, At 10:56 p.m. EDT, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, 240,000 miles from Earth, spoke these words to more than a billion people listening at home: “That’s one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind.” Stepping off the lunar landing module Eagle, Armstrong became the first human to walk on the surface of the moon. — I just heard that Grant Imahara (of Mythbusters …

In honor of the birthday weekend of both Samuel Colt and Gaston Glock (both born July 19th), I am running a special sale at Elk Creek Company. Most of my antique gun prices have been reduced, and I’m including the bonus of an autographed hardback copy of my novel Expatriates with the first 20 orders received. The sale will end at 9 PM Pacific Time tonight — Sunday, July 19th, 2020. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 89 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A gift certificate from Quantum …

In honor of the birthday weekend of both Samuel Colt and Gaston Glock (both were born July 19th), I am running a special sale at Elk Creek Company. The majority of my antique gun prices have been reduced, and I’ll include the bonus of an autographed hardback copy of my novel Expatriates with the first 20 orders received. The sale is now in progress and will end at 9 PM Pacific Time, on Sunday, July 19th, 2020. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 89 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round …

July 17th, 1889 was the birthdate of Erle Stanley Gardner. He was an American lawyer and author. Though best known for the Perry Mason series of detective stories, he wrote numerous other novels and shorter pieces, as well as a series of nonfiction books, mostly narrations of his travels through Baja California and other regions in Mexico. The best-selling American author of the 20th century at the time of his death, Gardner also published under numerous pseudonyms, including A.A. Fair, Kyle Corning, Charles M. Green, Carleton Kendrake, Charles J. Kenny, Les Tillray and Robert Parr. — In honor of the …

July 16th is the anniversary of the first successful atomic bomb test in Alamogordo, New Mexico in 1945. This portentous event heralded the advent of the age of nuclear weapons. Plans for the creation of a uranium bomb by the Allies were established as early as 1939. In 1940 the federal government granted a total of $6,000 for research, but in early 1942, with the United States at war, the limits on spending were removed. The total cost was in excess of $2 billion. Germany was also feared to be working on a bomb as was Japan, though neither of …

In August we will be celebrating our 15th blogiversary.  In all of those 15 years, I’ve only missed a couple of days of posting. (That lull was just after my first wife passed away.) But generally, I have always posted seven days a week with one feature article per day, along with my regular columns, and quotes. Once in a long while, Lily and I need to take a full day off. Tuesday was such a day. We traveled from 5 AM to 11 PM (with several stops), to pick up a large set of shelves. We also have an enjoyable …

July 14th is the birthday of Colonel Einar A. Malmstrom. He was born in 1907 and died August 21, 1954 near Great Falls, Montana, in the crash of a T-33 jet. He was a decorated Air Force pilot, a Luft Stalag POW survivor, and test pilot. Malmstrom AFB was one of the settings for my novel Founders. (The base was named in his honor.) — I just heard the news that the Washington Redskins have bowed to the Altar of Political Correctness and are soon changing their name and logo. I have a recommendation for the team’s new name:  The …

It has been reported (but not yet confirmed) that Ol’ Remus, the Editor of the weekly Yer Ol’ Woodpile Report passed away just a few months after the death of his wife. A terse comment at American Digest stated: “Remus passed away on July 8th. He was diagnosed with cancer 3 weeks prior.” Again, this has not been confirmed, but if it is true then we’ve suffered the loss of a great man. His wit and wisdom were legendary. Our condolences to his family. — On this day in 1787, Congress enacted the Northwest Ordinance structuring settlement of the Northwest …