Category: Note

On May 9, 1904, the steam locomotive City of Truro (pictured) became the first steam engine to exceed 100 mph. From the InfoGalactic Wiki:  “…a British 4-4-0 steam locomotive built in 1903 for the Great Western Railway (GWR) at Swindon Works to a design by George Jackson Churchward. City of Truro was timed at 8.8 seconds between two quarter-mile posts whilst hauling the “Ocean Mails” special from Plymouth to London Paddington on 9 May 1904. This timing was recorded from the train by Charles Rous-Marten, who wrote for The Railway Magazine and other journals. If exact, this time would correspond …

Today is the 80th anniversary of VE Day, otherwise known as Victory in Europe Day, in 1945. World War II ended in Europe after Germany signed an unconditional surrender. The Brits have several days of celebrations planned. — This is also the birthday of Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 118 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 $2,000. …

On May 7, 1700, William Penn began monthly meetings for blacks advocating emancipation. — And on May 7, 1867, Swedish chemist Alfred Nobel patented dynamite in England. This was the first of three patents he would receive for the explosive. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 118 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 $2,000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. …

May 6, 1527: Spanish and German Imperial troops sacked papal Rome, ending the Italian High Renaissance. Charles III, Duke of Bourbon had been killed in the assault. It was reported that his death removed any restraint for the victorious soldiers.  The 17th-Century rendering above, titled The Sack Of Rome was by Johannes Lingelbach, — May 6th is also the birthday of Tuvia Bielski. (Born 1906, died 1987.) You may remember that Daniel Craig portrayed him in the movie Defiance. — Today’s feature article is an essay by JWR. — We are in need of entries for Round 118 of the …

Today, May 5th, 2025 is the 75th birthday of Michael Bane. Born on May 5, 1950, Bane is an author, firearms trainer, television host, and the host of the longest-running firearms podcast:  MBTV – On the Radio.  A proto-prepper, Michael Bane lives in an off-grid home in rural Colorado. Mr. Bane was also the basis of the “Michael Blessing” character in James Tarr’s zombie novel trilogy. Michael Bane’s website–michaelbane.tv–is the place to find his podcast, his blog, and his superb video series: Triggered. It is highly recommended. — We are announcing a change to the First Prize package in the …

May 4th is now informally known as “Star Wars Day”, because of a silly play on words: “May The Fourth Be With You.” May 4th 1943 – A patent for helicopter controls was obtained by Igor Sikorsky. Sikorsky invented fixed-winged and multi-engined aircraft, transoceanic flying boats, and helicopters. On May 4, 1415, reformers John Wycliffe and Jan Hus were condemned as heretics at the Council of Constance. The death of Hus inspired the later Hussite revolution in Bohemia. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this …

On May 3, 1621, after confessing to corruption, Lord Chancellor of England Francis Bacon was sentenced to imprisonment in the Tower of London, a £40,000 fine, and banishment from court, Parliament, and public office. — May 3rd, 1952 was the birthday of Pastor Chuck Baldwin. He has done yeoman service in promoting the American Redoubt movement. — Today’s feature article was too short to be included in the judging for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 118 ends on May 31st, so …

On May 2, 1536, Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was arrested and taken to the Tower of London. She was beheaded following a four-day show trial. — May 2, 1924: President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the ancient lava fields in Idaho as Craters of the Moon National Monument, in order to “preserve the unusual and weird volcanic formations.” — On May 2nd, 2000, U.S. President Bill Clinton announced that high-accuarcy GPS would be made available to the public; the satellite signals had previously been degraded for nonmilitary use. — And on May 2nd, 1803, the United States purchased …

May 1, 1328: The Wars of Scottish Independence ended with the Treaty of Edinburgh-Northampton – the Kingdom of England recognized the Kingdom of Scotland as an independent state. — On May 1, 1776, Adam Weishaupt founded the secret society of the Illuminati. — May 1st was the birthday of Pastor Archie Mitchell — a man whose civilian life was torn by both World War 2 and the Vietnam War. — May 1st is the birthday of the late Joel Rosenberg, a Canadian-born novelist and gun rights advocate (born 1954, died June 2, 2011). He is not to be confused with …

On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first President of the United States of America at Federal Hall in New York City. On April 30, 1897, English physicist J.J. Thomson announced that he had discovered the electron, which helped revolutionize the knowledge of atomic structure; he was later awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics. April 30, 1777 was the birthday of Carl Friedrich Gauss, who is widely considered the world’s greatest mathematician. Camerone Day is celebrated on April 30th every year — the Foreign Legion’s most important holiday. Today is the birthday of sci-fi novelist Larry Niven …

On April 29, 1769, Scottish engineer James Watt‘s patent for a steam engine with a separate condenser was enrolled. (Patent 913.) — April 29, 1852:  The first edition of Peter Roget‘s Thesaurus was published in Great Britain. — On April 29, 1903, a limestone slide at Turtle Mountain dropped 30 million cubic metres (82 million tons) onto the town of Frank, Alberta, Canada, killing 70-90 residents. — And on April 29, 1905, two inches of rain fell in just 10 minutes in Taylor, Texas. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction …

On April 28, 1937, the first trans-Pacific flight by a commercial passenger airliner was completed when Pan American Airways’ Martin M-130, China Clipper, arrived at Hong Kong. The flight had departed San Francisco Bay, California, on the 21st of April with seven revenue passengers and then proceeded across the Pacific Ocean by way of Hawaii, Midway Island, Wake Island, Guam, Manila, Macau, and finally Hong Kong. — April 28, 1965: US Marines invaded the Dominican Republic. They stayed until October 1966. — Today’s feature is by SurvivalBlog staff writer Tom Christianson. — We need more entries for Round 118 of …

The Battle of Carbisdale was fought on April 27, 1650: The Royalist army under Marquess of Montrose invaded mainland Scotland from Orkney Island. They were defeated by a Covenanter army. — On April 27, 1773, the British Parliament passed the Tea Act. — And on April 27, 1805, US Marines attacked the shores of Tripoli. — Today’s feature article was too short for inclusion in the judging in the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest.  More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 118 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail …

On April 26, 1949, Transjordan was officially renamed the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. — On April 26, 1991, 23 people were killed in Kansas and Oklahoma by tornadoes. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 118 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 $2000. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day …

“Again the word of the Lord of hosts came to me, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts; I was jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I was jealous for her with great fury. Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth; and the mountain of the Lord of hosts the holy mountain. Thus saith the Lord of hosts; There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem, and every man with his staff in his …