Category: Note

On May 3, 1849, the Gold Coinage Act authorized $20 Double Eagle gold coin and the $1 Gold Liberty coin in the United States. — Today is the birthday of bluegrass musician Doc Watson. (He was born in 1923 and passed away in 2012.) His guitar work was phenomenal. — This is also the birthday of both Alexander Graham Bell and actor James Doohan, in 1920. He played Montgomery Scott in the Star Trek television series and films. He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia. He passed away on July 20, 2005. — A Newsletter Update: The March, 2025 edition …

On March 2, 1458, the Hussite revolution leader George of Poděbrady was chosen as the 16th King of Bohemia. On March 2nd, 1836, Texas declared its independence from Mexico. Today is coincidentally also the birthday of Sam Houston. Today is also the birthday of Moe Berg, American baseball player and clandestine agent. (He died in 1972). His biography The Catcher Was a Spy is fascinating reading. And this is the birthday of libertarian economist Murray Rothbard (born 1926, died 1995.) His book For a New Liberty: The Libertarian Manifesto is highly recommended. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another …

Today is the birthday of William Ewart Fairbairn  (28 February 1885 – 20 June 1960).  He was a British soldier and police officer. He developed hand-to-hand combat methods for the Shanghai Police during the interwar period, as well as for the Allied special forces during World War II. He created his own fighting system known as Defendu. Notably, this included innovative pistol shooting techniques and the development of the famed Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife (pictured.) — Some sad news: Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman, wife found dead in Santa Fe home. Those in the prepper community will of course remember Hackman best …

February 27, 1919: the first public performance of Gustav Holst’s “The Planets” symphony. — On February 27th, 1900: Felix Hoffman patented acetylsalicylic acid, better known as aspirin. — And on February 27th, 1902 Harry ‘Breaker’ Harbord Morant was executed in Pretoria. — 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 …

On February 26, 1797, the Bank of England issued the first £1 note. — Feb 26, 1993: A truck bomb built by Islamic extremists exploded in the parking garage of the North Tower of New York’s World Trade Center, killing six people and injuring more than 1,000 others. — 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 …

February 25, 1814: Australia’s first currency – the “holey dollar” introduced, made of Spanish ‘pieces of eight’  (8 Reales) with the centers stamped out and overstamped with a date and “NEW SOUTH WALES”, for the colony of New South Wales. — Today’s feature article is a review written by SurvivalBlog Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson. — We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. …

The artist Winslow Homer was born on March 24, 1836 in Boston, Massachusetts. The illustration above is a detail from Homer’s 1865 painting: “The Veteran in a New Field.” It hangs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. — On February 24, 1905, the Simplon railroad tunnel through the Alps in Switzerland achieved breakthrough after 7-1/2 years of construction. — February 24, 1971:  Algeria nationalized 51 percent of French oil concessions. — Today’s feature is a guest post that is not part of the writing contest. (On Mondays, we normally post a review penned by our Field Gear Editor, Tom Christianson.) — …

On February 23, 1921 the first US transcontinental air mail flight arrived in New York City from San Francisco. — On February 23, 1945, six Marines from E Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Marines raised the American flag atop Mount Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima. — Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836). — February 23rd is also the birthday of Captain Isaac Davis (February 23, 1745 – April 19, 1775), a militia officer and gunsmith who commanded a Minute Company in Acton, Massachusetts during the Battle …

On February 22, 303, the first official Roman edict for persecution of Christians was issued by Emperor Diocletian at Nicomedia. This ordered all Christian churches to be closed and scriptures burned. — On February 22, 1797, the Last Invasion of Britain began. It was launched by the French during the Revolutionary Wars. This invasion began near Fishguard, Wales. — 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 February 21, 1857, the U.S. Congress outlawed foreign currency as legal tender in the US. Pictured is a Spanish 8 Reales silver coin. — February 21, 1937, the League of Nations banned foreign national “volunteers” in the Spanish Civil War. — Because of my two recent cataract surgeries, I won’t be posting much today.  Thanks for your patience. — We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing …

February 20, 1792: The US postal service was created, charging postage rates of 6-to-12 cents, depending on distance. The first US Postage stamps were not issued until 1847. — Today is the birthday of novelist and screenwriter Richard Matheson (1926–2013). He wrote many sci-fi television scripts. His novella I Am Legend later was adapted into three different movies in the next five decades, and his story Bid Time Return became the charming movie Somewhere In Time. — Because of my recent cataract surgery, I won’t be posting much for the next couple of days.  Thanks for your patience. — We …

On February 19, 1807, US Vice President Aaron Burr was arrested in Alabama for treason. He was later acquitted. — February 19,1884: The “Enigma Outbreak” of more than 60 tornadoes in Mississippi, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Indiana reportedly killed over a thousand people. The origin of these nearly simultaneous storms remains enigmatic. — Today’s feature piece is by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson. — We are in need of entries for Round 117 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 117 …

Today is the birthday of astronaut Theodore Cordy “Ted” Freeman (February 18, 1930 – October 31, 1964.)  He is pictured above with Buzz Aldrin. Ted Freeman and his wife Faith were friends of my mother and father.  Both my father (Donald Robert Rawles) and Ted Freeman were stationed at Bryan Air Force Base in the early 1950s, and they rented houses three blocks apart, in College Station, Texas. Both Ted and my father were born in the same year. The two families often played the card game Bridge together, and Faith and my mother were in a play production together. …

On February 17, 1621, Myles Standish was elected as the first commander of the Plymouth Colony. — February 17, 1776, the first volume of Edward Gibbon‘s seminal work “The Decline and Fall of Roman Empire” was published. — USB STICKS UPDATE:  We have nearly completed mailing out all of the SurvivalBlog 205-2025 Waterproof Archive USB sticks. We are taking no more orders this year.  The only stick orders still waiting are a few that were designated in our ordering system as being paid by check. All of those in CONUS paid by PayPal or by credit card have been mailed …