Category: Note

On June 23, 930, the world’s oldest parliament, the Icelandic Parliament — the Alþingi — was established. — To reiterate and expand on my note posted yesterday: My e-mail inbox has been full of queries from readers about the USAF bomber strikes on Iranian nuclear weapons development sites. Folks want to know if this might mean WW3. For some articles on that topic, see our June 19th Odds ‘n Sods column.  There could indeed be some escalation.  There is certainly the risk of an Iranian sub-critical  “dirty bomb” being detonated, most likely at an American container seaport. And there is …

On June 22, 1476, the army of Charles the Bold invaded Switzerland. Their first engagement was the Battle of Morat which was fought about 30 kilometers from Bern. The successive Burgundian invasions were successfully repelled by the pike tactics of the well-trained and organized Swiss militias. — June 22, 1633: Galileo Galilei was coerced by Pope Gregory XV to recant his belief in heliocentrism–that the Earth orbits the Sun. The Vatican did not concede that it was wrong until October 31, 1992. — And on June 22, 1848, the Barnburners (an anti-slavery party) nominated Martin Van Buren for President. — …

June 21, 1672: Grand Pensionary of Holland Johan de Witt was seriously wounded by a knife-wielding would-be assassin. — June 21st is the birthday of Rex Applegate (June 21, 1914 – July 14, 1998), author of Kill or Be Killed. He was the friend and mentor of SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor Emeritus, Pat Cascio. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 119 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course …

On June 20th, 1627, Ottoman pirates (“corsairs”) began raids on Icelandic villages. They eventually captured more than 400 people to sell into slavery. — Today marks the Summer solstice. We will have less than four hours of total darkness, at the latitude of the Rawles Ranch. — June 20th is the birthday of Audie L. Murphy. He was born in 1925. He died in a plane crash on May 28, 1971. — A fan of SurvivalBlog is one of the organizers of a real estate raffle for a 32-acre parcel of waterfront land in northwest Montana that looks quite retreat-worthy.  …

On June 19, 1306, the Earl of Pembroke’s army defeated Robert the Bruce‘s Scottish army at the Battle of Methven. — On June 19, 1991, Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar surrendered to police. — June 19, 1778: Continental Army troops finally left their winter encampment at Valley Forge. — June 19, 1834 was the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, who died on 31 January, 1892. He was a British Particular Baptist preacher. — On June 19, 1914, the Hillcrest Mine Disaster: An explosion at Hillcrest mine, Alberta, killed 189 men in Canada’s worst mining disaster. — On June 19, …

The Battle of Waterloo was fought on June 18, 1815. The army of Napoleon Bonaparte and France was defeated by British forces under the Duke of Wellington and Prussian troops under Field Marshall von Blücher. — June 18, 1178: Five monks at Canterbury reported seeing something exploding on the moon shortly after sunset/ This was the only known observation. — June 18, 1812: The War of 1812 began as the United States declared war against Britain. — June 18th is birthday of Pastor Douglas Wilson. Born in 1953, he is the pastor at Christ Church in Moscow, Idaho and a …

June 17, 1877: Battle of White Bird Canyon: Using terrain to their advantage, the Nez Perce defeated the US Cavalry at White Bird Canyon in the Idaho Territory.  Pictured is their leader, Chief Joseph. — June 17th is the birthday of the late Dean Ing. (June 17, 1931 – July 21, 2020) — On June 17, 1775, the Battle of Bunker Hill began. — June 17th is the birthday of Libertarian economist Harry Browne. (June 17, 1933 – March 1, 2006.) — Some great news:  Both Section 3 of the Hearing Protection Act (HPA) and the SHORT Act were just …

On June 16, 1487: Battle of Stoke Field, Nottinghamshire. English Tudor King Henry VII defeated the remaining Yorkists led by John de la Pole and Lord Lovell in the last battle of the Wars of the Roses. (Pictured is a print titled: “The Last Stand of Schwarz and His Germans, Stoke Field.”) — Today is the birthday of pioneering economist Adam Smith, in 1723. He was born in Kirkaldy, County Fife, Scotland. He died July 17, 1790. — The big Mauser sale ends tonight! We have been running a two-week-long sale on all of the pre-1899 Mauser rifles in our …

June 15, 1219: According to legend, Dannebrog, the flag of Denmark (and the oldest national flag in the world) fell from the sky during the Battle of Lyndanisse (now Tallinn) in Estonia and turned the Danes’ luck. — On June 15, 1762, Austria used the first paper currency.  The world has seen currency inflation, ever since. — Following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule, King John put his royal seal on the Magna Carta, or “Great Charter” on June 15, 1215. This document, essentially a peace treaty between John and his barons, guaranteed that the king would …

June 14, 1645: The Battle of Naseby, Leicestershire: Parliament’s New Model Army under Oliver Cromwell and Thomas Fairfax defeated the Royalist forces of English King Charles I. — During the American Revolution, the Continental Congress adopted a resolution on June 14th, 1777, stating that “the flag of the United States be thirteen alternate stripes red and white” and that “the Union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation.” The national flag, which became known as the “Stars and Stripes,” was based on the “Grand Union” flag– a banner carried by the Continental Army in 1776 …

On June 13, 1665: The Battle of Lowestoft was fought off the coast of Suffolk, England. The English fleet defeated the Dutch fleet. — June 13, 1777, Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette landed in the fledgling United States. — June 13, 1889: Two feet of snow accumulated in Rawlins, Wyoming. — Just a few days left! We are running a two-week-long sale on all of the pre-1899 Mauser rifles in our inventory at Elk Creek Company.  There is no paperwork required to order these, in most States.  They are mailed right to your door or your P.O. Box address. The …

I just heard the news: Brian Wilson, Beach Boys Co-Founder, Dies at 82. His musical genius was obvious to anyone who has heard even just one of his compositions or complex arrangements. Here is just one example. Although I must say that some of the song lyrics that Wilson wrote were not edifying and sometimes promoted loose morals (for example: “I Get Around”), his musicianship was spectacular. Goodbye, Brian. Or should I say: Hushabye. – JWR — June 12, 1792: British explorer Captain George Vancouver landed on the site of what is now Vancouver, British Columbia. — On June 12, …

June 11, 1797: Spanish Mission San José was founded by Franciscan Padre Fermin Francisco de Lasuen at the Ohlone Village of Oroysom in Alta California  (now Fremont, California) — And on June 11, 1947, WW II sugar rationing finally ended in the US. (It began May 28, 1942.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 119 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 the model chosen, this could be worth more than …

On June 10, 1190, during the Third Crusade, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick I Barbarossa drowned while crossing the Saleph River (modern Turkey), while leading an army to Jerusalem. — On June 10, 1967, the Six-Day War ended as Israel and Syria agreed to observe a United Nations-mediated cease-fire. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 119 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 the model chosen, this could be worth more than …

On June 9, 1732, a royal charter for Georgia was granted to British military officer and philanthropist James Oglethorpe. — Today is the birthday of Jean Alexandre Francois LeMat (1824–1883). He is best known for the percussion cap revolver that bears his name. This clever revolver design has a cylinder that rotates around a 20-gauge shotgun barrel. — On June 9, 1940 Norway surrendered to the invading German army, during World War II. The citizenry was then quickly disarmed by the Nazis, so resistance was limited. (The invaders had access to the Norwegian police gun registration lists.) To limit reprisals …