Category: Note

On January 10, 1901, the first major oil field in Texas was discovered, near Beaumont. — On January 10, 1946, radar signals bouncing off the Moon were detected for the first time. — When I made my annual 10 Cent Challenge appeal, on January 2nd, I had no idea that PayPal had just changed their link codes on December 31st, so most of our PayPal links were broken at that time!  My apologies!  Here are the updated links: You can make a one-time payment of any amount, at the Ten Cent Challenge PayPalMe page. Or subscribe for $3 per month …

On January 9, 1839, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre of France proclaimed his invention of the daguerreotype, the first commercially successful form of photography. — January 9, 1943 was the birthday of gunsmith Paris Theodore, developer of the ASP modifications to the S&W M39 pistol. — 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 spreading ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing …

On January 8, 1815, U.S. General Andrew Jackson defeated Great Britain in the Battle of New Orleans, the final engagement in the War of 1812. On this day in 1997, the principality of Monaco began a yearlong celebration in honour of the 700th anniversary of the rule of the Grimaldi family, who seized power in 1297 and gained firm possession of Monaco in 1419. On January 8, 1997 Mexican criminal Joaquín Guzmán (“El Chapo”), head of the Sinaloa drug cartel, was captured in Los Mochis after escaping prison some six months earlier; he was later extradited to the United States, …

Today is the birthday of Cresson Kearny (born 1914, died December 18, 2003.) He was the primary author of the now standard reference text: Nuclear War Survival Skills. (The public domain 1987 edition is one of the many bonus books included in the SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick.) — January 7th is also the birthday of Bent Faurschou-Hviid, known as The Flame (born 1921, died October 18, 1944). The Flame was a red-haired Danish resistance fighter in the Holger Danske Group during World War II. His exploits were dramatized in the movie Flame and Citron. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we …

On January 6, 2021, supporters of President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, where Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden‘s win in the 2020 election; Trump and his backers alleged widespread voter fraud. Today, three years later, after more than 950 arrests, there are still some defendants awaiting trial. And arrests are still continuing. — Today is the birthday of musician Earl Scruggs (1924-2012). — Today we present a feature article that was too short to be considered as an entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that …

American actor Robert Duvall, who was known for his convincing portrayals of a diverse range of characters, was born in San Diego on January 5, 1931. His portrayals in Open Range and Apocalypse Now are unforgettable. — This new listing in Sheridan, Montana at SurvivalRealty checks off a lot of boxes: Self-sufficiency! Earth-sheltered Home on 40 Acres. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 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 …

On January 4, 2010 Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, officially opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The view (pictured) from the upper stories of the Burj Khalifa is stunning. — On January 4, 1896 Utah became the 45th state of the U.S.A.. — January 4th is the birthday of George Hyde, who was born “Heide” 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 …

On January 3rd, 1959, the territory of Alaska became the 49th U.S. state. On January 3, 1892, English author and scholar J.R.R. Tolkien, who was perhaps best known for his richly inventive epic fantasy The Lord of the Rings, was born in South Africa. — Seed for Security is running a 20%-off sale on their Colossal Security Pack and their Super Survival Security pack. Their Colossal Security Pack features approximately 76,895 heirloom vegetable, herb, and grain seeds. Their Super Survival Pack contains approximately 5,500 heirloom vegetable and grain seeds. All of their seeds are open-pollinated and non-GMO. This sale is …

On January 2nd, 1492, Granada, home of the Alhambra palace and the seat and final stronghold of the Moorish kingdom in Spain, was surrendered to the Catholic Monarchs, Ferdinand II and Isabella I, ending the Reconquest. — On January 2, 1999, a major snowstorm struck the Midwest, leaving 14 inches of snow in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and 19 inches in Chicago, Illinois, where temperatures plunged to -13 °F (-25 °C); 68 deaths were reported. — January 2nd, 1776 is the anniversary of the first revolutionary flag to be displayed. — Also on this date in 1936, the first night vision electron …

On January 1, 2002  the monetary unit of the European Union, the Euro, was introduced with the issuance of both currency and coins, and by March 2002 it was the sole legal tender of participating member states. — A last-minute news update (posted 6:30 PM Pacific Time, Sunday, December 31, 2023): MAJOR X-CLASS SOLAR FLARE: Earth-orbiting satellites have just detected a major X5-class solar flare. It is the strongest flare of Solar Cycle 25 (so far) and the most powerful eruption the sun has produced since the great storms of Sept. 2017. The underlying sunspot is a giant, and it …

December 31, 1862, the U.S.S. Monitor sank, in a storm off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. Just nine months earlier, the ship had been part of a revolution in naval warfare when the ironclad dueled to a standstill with the C.S.S. Virginia (Merrimack) off Hampton Roads, Virginia, in one of the most famous naval battles in American history—the first time two ironclads faced each other in a naval engagement. — I just heard that sci-fi novelist David Drake passed away. Drake was best known as the author of the 10-book Hammer’s Slammers series. He will be greatly missed. — Today’s feature …

On December 30, 1905, former Governor Frank Steunenberg (pictured) was assassinated with a dynamite bomb near his home in Caldwell, Idaho. According to Infogalactic:  “He was assassinated in 1905 by one-time union member Harry Orchard, who was also a paid informant for the Cripple Creek Mine Owners’ Association. Orchard attempted to implicate leaders of the radical Western Federation of Miners in the assassination. The labor leaders were found not guilty in two trials, but Orchard spent the rest of his life in prison.” On December 30, 1853, the U.S. acquired nearly 30,000 square miles (78,000 square km) of additional northern …

On December 29, 1845, Texas was admitted as the 28th state of the Union. — Today is the birthday of actor Jude Law (born 1972.) You may remember him from Enemy at The Gates and Sky Captain. — Natchez Shooters Supplies (one of our affiliate advertisers) is running a special promotion today and tomorrow:  Take An Additional 10% Off ALL Clearance-Listed Items When You Spend $99.99+  (This offer ends at 11:59pm EST on 12/30/2023.)  To get the additional 10% off, use Promo Code P231229 — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 110 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction …

December 28, 1793 was the day that Thomas Paine was arrested in France for treason. The charges against him were never fully detailed, but he was tried in absentia on December 26 and convicted. Best known as the author of Common Sense, he moved to Paris to be part of the French Revolution. Initially welcomed, the tide soon turned against him, because he was opposed to the death penalty and the French revolutionaries were sending hundreds to the guillotine. — I just heard of the sad passing of Austrian gun designer Gaston Glock (July 19,1929 – Dec. 27, 2023.) His …

On December 27, 1943, the German battlecruiser Scharnhorst sank in the Barents Sea, under the guns and torpedoes of a British battle group led by the Duke Of York. — On December 27, 1571, German astronomer Johannes Kepler, who discovered three major laws of planetary motion, was born. — On December 27, 1932, the internal passport system, previously denounced by Vladimir Lenin as one of the worst stigmas of tsarist backwardness and despotism, was reinstated in the Soviet Union by Joseph Stalin. — On this day in 1979, in an attempt to stabilize the turbulent political situation in Afghanistan, the …