Category: Note

Today is the birthday of television and movie actor Lloyd Bridges (1913-1998), who starred in the series Sea Hunt. He was a good actor, but his liberal politics were bothersome. A reader mentioned just one example that illustrated his politics:  Lloyd Bridges had a ranch in in Markleeville, California, in Alpine County. “He wanted an outbuilding built and friends of mine there were hired to erect it. They showed up in standard issue F150 pickup trucks, each with a Model 1894 Winchester or scoped bolt action hunting rifle in gun racks behind the driver. Bridges demanded they take the guns …

On January 14th, 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. In the document, which was known as the Second Treaty of Paris (because the Treaty of Paris was also the name of the agreement that had ended the Seven Years’ War in 1763), Britain officially agreed to recognize the independence of its 13 former colonies as the new United States of America. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 86 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First …

This is the birthday of actor and competitive shooter Robert Stack (1919-2003.) — As with most Mondays, today we feature a product review by our Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio.

Today is the birthday of political philosopher Edmund Burke. (Born 1729, died 9 July 1797.) And on January 12, 1888, the “Schoolchildren’s Blizzard” killed 235 people, many of whom were children on their way home from school, across the Northwest Plains region of the United States. The storm came with no warning and some accounts say that the temperature fell nearly 100 degrees in just 24 hours. There were many instances of teachers keeping or rescuing children who would have been caught in the storm while walking home. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 86 …

Today is the natal day of the late Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby, who was born in 1918. He was the most decorated hero of the Norwegian resistance under the German occupation. He died May 10, 2012. — January 11th is also the birthday of statesman Alexander Hamilton (1757-1804.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 86 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from veteran-owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System …

On this day in 1976 the song “Convoy” by C.W. McCall was the #1 song on the U.S. pop charts. That song is credited with creating a boom in interest in CB radio that lasted for several years. — And on January 10th, 1776 is the day that North Carolina Governor Josiah Martin issued a proclamation calling on the king’s loyal subjects to raise an armed force to combat the “rebels”. This ultimately led to Colonel Donald McLeod leading the men on an assault on the Patriots that ended with fifty of his men dead and 880 captured. The Patriots …

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 the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 86 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from veteran-owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite …

On this day, in 1835, the U.S. National Debt reached zero for the first and only time. Please note that the accompanying photo is dated. Distressingly, I must report that about 13 trillion dollars have been added, since then. Here is the current running National Debt tally.  Yes, it now begins with “$23”. — January 8th, 1931 was the birthday of the late Algis Budrys (he died on June 9th, 2008). He was the Lithuanian-American science fiction author who wrote the classic survivalist novel Some Will Not Die. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 86 …

January 7th, 1963 was the birthday of Senator Rand Paul. — This is also the birthday of Cresson Kearny (born 1914, died December 18, 2003) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 86 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from veteran-owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, two, or three day course …

Today is the birthday of famed bluegrass musician Earl Scruggs, (1924-2012.) — And this is also the birthday of British comic actor Rowan Atkinson (born 1955).

Today is the birthday of actor Robert Duvall (born 1931.) His roles in Open Range and Apocalypse Now are unforgettable. — January 5th is the birthday of the late John Pugsley (born 1934, died April 8, 2011), libertarian and economics author. Pugsley was well known in preparedness circles as the author of The Alpha Strategy. (The book is out of print, but a PDF is available for free download.) — It is also the birthday of General Courtney Hodges (born 1887 – January 16, 1966). Kicked out of West Point for low math scores, he enlisted as a private but …

January 4th is the birthday of George Hyde. His surname at birth was “Heide”, but it was later anglicized. He was born in 1888, in Arpfingen, Germany. He was the chief gun designer for the Inland Division of General Motors (GM) in Dayton, Ohio during World War II. Hyde was best-known as the co-designer of the M3 “Grease gun” SMG and the Liberator pistol, but he also designed the Bendix-Hyde Carbine and the M2 Hyde submachinegun. He immigrated to the United States in 1927.

On this day, in 1521, Martin Luther – the father of the reformation and founder of Protestantism – was officially excommunicated by Pope Leo X from the Roman Catholic Church. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 86 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The more than $12,000 worth of prizes for this round include: First Prize: A $3,000 gift certificate towards a Sol-Ark Solar Generator from veteran-owned Portable Solar LLC. The only EMP Hardened Solar Generator System available to the public. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any one, …

January 2nd, 1776 is the anniversary of the initial display of the first revolutionary flag (the Grand Union Flag).  

A notable birthday: John Cantius Garand was born  January 1, 1888 in St. Rémi, Quebec. John Garand designed one of America’s best known battle rifles, the M1 Garand. General Patton praised Garand’s design, writing to Chief of Ordnance Lt. Gen. Levin H. Campbell, Jr., (January 26, 1945): “The M1 rifle is the most deadly rifle in the world.” Garand died on February 16, 1974. — Archive USB Update For those who have asked, here is an update on our upcoming release of the SurvivalBlog 2005-2019 archive waterproof USB sticks. To summarize: The archive now includes all SurvivalBlog posts and comments …