Category: Note

On February 9, 1870, US President Ulysses S. Grant signed a law resulting in the US Army Signal Service’s establishment of its “Division of Telegrams and Reports for the Benefit of Commerce”. This later became known as the National Weather Service. — On February 9th, 1555, my 17th great grandfather, Rowland Taylor (born October 6, 1510) was burned alive at the stake during the Marian Persecutions, for professing that Bible scripture is inerrant. He died singing hymns. His martyrdom is described in Foxe’s Book of Martyrs. – JWR — February 9th is the birthday of gun writer Major George Charles …

On February 8, 1587, Mary, Queen of Scots, was beheaded at Fotheringhay Castle aged 44 after being convicted of plotting to assassinate Elizabeth I in the Babington Plot. — February 8, 1879: Sandford Fleming first proposed dividing the world into 24 equal time zones and adopting a Universal Standard Time at a meeting of the Royal Canadian Institute. This was adopted in 1884. — And on February 8th, 1963, the Kennedy administration issued an order prohibiting travel to Cuba and banned financial transactions and commerce with Cuba, by U.S. citizens. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for …

On February 7, 1839, Henry Clay famously declared in the Senate: “I had rather be right than president”. — On February 7, 1976, the FCC raided and shut down pirate radio station WCPR in Brooklyn New York. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 …

On February 6, 1869, Harper’s Weekly published the first drawing of “Uncle Sam”. with chin whiskers. — February 6, 1959: Texas Instruments filed for a patent for their first integrated circuit (IC), invented by Jack Kilby. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 117 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 …

On February 5, 1644, the first American livestock branding law was passed, by Connecticut. — February 5, 1953: Sweets rationing imposed in WWII ended in Britain. — Today is the birthday of Sir Hiram Stevens Maxim (5 February, 1840 – 24 November, 1916). He was an American–British inventor best known as the creator of the first automatic machine gun, the Maxim gun. Maxim held patents on numerous mechanical devices such as hair-curling irons, a mousetrap, and steam pumps. Maxim also claimed to have invented the lightbulb.  He was the father of Hiram Percy Maxim, who founded the ARRL. — The …

On February 4, 1555, reformer and Bible translator John Roger was the first Protestant martyr (of nearly 300) under the reign of Mary I, when he was burned at the stake at Smithfield, London. Queen Mary was also known as Mary Tudor, and derisively nicknamed “Bloody Mary” by many non-Catholics. She was the daughter of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. — On this day in 1789, George Washington became the first and only president to be unanimously elected by the Electoral College. This was repeated again on this same day in 1792. — February 4, 1924: Norway swept …

On February 3rd, 1947, a North American record low temperature was set at -81°F (-63°C), at Snag in the Yukon Territory. Snag is a village located on a small, dry-weather sideroad off the Alaska Highway, 16 miles east of Beaver Creek, Canada. — We are happy to announce a new writing contest prize sponsor, starting this month with Round 117: 3Vgear.com. Take a look at their great line of more than 100 outdoor and preparedness products. — As predicted, the 2025 tariff war has begun.  If you are planning to buy anything imported from Mexico, Canada, or China, then jump …

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed on February 2, 1848. It ended the Mexican–American War. Mexico lost 55 percent of its territory to the US, including California, Nevada, and Utah in exchange for $15 million. — February 2nd is the birthday of Ayn Rand (born Alisa Zinov’yevna Rosenbaum, in 1905).  She died on March 6, 1982. She is of course remembered for her novel Atlas Shrugged, which is considered a Libertarian classic. While I sharply disagree with her views on religion (since she was an atheist), I admire both her skill as a writer and her ability to articulate …

On February 1st, we recognize the birthday of the late Dr. Gary North, in 1942. North was a prolific writer on Christian Reconstruction, economics, and preparedness topics. He passed away on February 24, 2022. His more than 50 published books are a lasting legacy. He also assembled a free online library of books by other godly writers, through his Institute For Christian Economics. Those free books, totaling 38,000 pages, are all still available online. They are a great resource for homeschoolers and economics students. — We also remember February 1st, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas and …

On January 31, 1616, Cape Horn was rounded for the first time by a Dutch expedition led by Jacques Le Maire and Willem Corneliszoon Schouten. They named Cape Hoorn after Schouten’s hometown. — The Last Day! In honor of the birthday of John Moses Browning (January 23rd, 1855), we are running a 10-day sale at Elk Creek Company.  This January sale is always our biggest sale of the year. These discounts range from 10% to 40%. All of our gun and knife inventory has been deeply reduced until midnight, Pacific Time today  (Friday, January 31st, 2025.)  Don’t miss out on …

On January 30, 1835 two single-shot muzzleloading pistols carried by Richard Lawrence both misfired when aimed at President Andrew Jackson in Washington, D.C.. This was the first recorded attempt at an assassination of a US President. — “The Lone Ranger” debuted on WXYZ radio in Detroit on January 30, 1933. The masked vigilante lawman and his Native sidekick, Tonto, became a dynamic duo of multimedia fame. — January 30th is the birthday of historian Barbara Tuchman (born 1912, died February 6, 1989). She wrote some very engaging history books. — January 30th is also the anniversary of the 1945 Great …

On January 29, 1879 the Custer Battlefield National Monument was established in Montana. — Today is the birthday of actor Tom Selleck (born 1945), best known for playing the title role of Magnum, P.I. He is an avid shooter and quite pro-gun. — Today is also the birthday of journalist and inventor Thomas Paine (1737–1809.) — Just a few days left! In honor of the birthday of John Moses Browning (January 23rd, 1855), we are running a 10-day sale at Elk Creek Company.  This January sale is always our biggest sale of the year. These discounts range from 10% to …

On January 28, 1813, Jane Austen‘s “Pride and Prejudice” was first published by Thomas Egerton in the United Kingdom. — January 28th is the anniversary of the rescue of General James L. Dozier from his Italian Red Brigades kidnappers. Tangentially, Colonel Jeff Cooper created a shooting drill in honor of those who freed him – The Dozier Drill. — Today’s feature article is a guest post that was written by JWR’s #1 Son, Jonathan Rawles.  It is not part of the writing contest judging. — We are now seeking entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. That …

On January 27, 1649: The English High Court of Justice found King Charles I  “…guilty of the crimes of which he had been accused, did judge him tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public enemy to the good people of the nation, to be put to death by the severing of his head from his body.” — January 27th 1880: Patent No. 223,898 was granted to Thomas A. Edison for “an electric lamp for giving light by incandescence.” — In honor of the birthday of John Moses Browning (January 23rd, 1855), we are running a 10-day sale at Elk Creek Company.  This …

On January  26,1907, the Short Magazine Lee-Enfield (SMLE) Mk III rifle was officially introduced into British Military Service. It is the world’s second-oldest military rifle with still-issued variants. — Today is the anniversary of the 2016 shooting death of LaVoy Finicum, during the Malheur Wildlife Refuge standoff. — And on January 26, 2019, the Chew Valley Hoard of 2,528 silver coins from the Norman conquest was found near Bath. It was the highest-value treasure find ever in England, valued at £4.3 mliion (USD $5.6 million). — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 116 of the SurvivalBlog …