Category: Note

October 20th is also the birthday of actor Viggo Mortensen (born 1958.) He lives somewhere in the American Redoubt. On his ranch is his horse-for-life “TJ”–one of the five paint horses used in the filming of the movie Hidalgo. Most SurvivalBlog readers probably know him best for his starring role in The Road. Today is also the birthday of the late Tom Petty. (Born October 20, 1950, died October 2, 2017). He was a great singer-songwriter and a passable actor. An today is the birthday of shootist Ed McGivern (born 1874, died December 12, 1957.) He was born in Nebraska, …

October 19th is the birthday of three notables: investor Jim Rogers (pictured, born 1942), the late Alexander Zeisal “Zus” Bielski (born 1912), and James Howard Kunstler (born 1948). According to the Infogalactic Wiki: “James Beeland “Jim” Rogers, Jr. (born October 19, 1942) is an American businessman, investor and author. He is currently based in Singapore. Rogers is the Chairman of Rogers Holdings and Beeland Interests, Inc. He was the co-founder of the Quantum Fund and creator of the Rogers International Commodities Index (RICI).” Kunstler is well known to SurvivalBlog readers as the author of the novel World Made by Hand …

October 18th, 1662 was the birthday of Matthew Henry (died 22 June 1714). He was a Presbyterian minister who lived primarily in Chester, England. Matthew Henry’s six-volume Exposition of the Old and New Testaments (commonly called Matthew Henry’s Commentary) is a must for the bookshelf of any serious Bible scholar. — An update for those readers who are quitting PayPal: My GabPay account is now set up and working! The “@” address for that is “JamesWesleyRawles“, to send me Ten Cent Challenge funds (or other payments) via GabPay. Please note that GabPay is now our preferred payment method. — SurvivalBlog …

On this day in 1835, Texans approve a resolution to create the Texas Rangers– a corps of armed and mounted lawmen designed to “range and guard the frontier between the Brazos and Trinity Rivers”. After winning their revolutionary war with Mexico the following year, Texans decided to keep the Rangers, both to defend against Indian and Mexican raiders and to serve as the principal law enforcement authority along the sparsely populated Texan frontier. — My #1 Son (Jonathan Rawles) was recently interviewed by Mike Adams, on Brighteon: Jonathan Rawles of SurvivalRealty.com interviewed by Mike Adams about off-grid retreats, bunkers, and …

October 16th, 1859 was the second day of abolitionist John Brown’s raid against the federal armory in Harpers Ferry, Virginia (now West Virginia), in an attempt to start an armed slave revolt and destroy the institution of slavery. Although the raid failed, it inflamed sectional tensions and raised the stakes for the 1860 presidential election. Brown’s raid helped make any further accommodation between North and South nearly impossible and thus became an important impetus of the Civil War. — An update for those readers who are quitting PayPal: My GabPay account is now set up and working! The address for …

Herbert W. McBride, the author of A Rifleman Went To War, was born in Waterloo, Indiana October 15, 1873. He died in Indianapolis of a heart attack on March 17, 1933, shortly after finishing writing A Rifleman Went To War. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 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. …

The Cuban Missile Crisis began on October 14, 1962, bringing the United States and the Soviet Union to the brink of nuclear conflict. Photographs were taken by a high-altitude U-2 spy plane and offered incontrovertible evidence that Soviet-made medium-range missiles were in Cuba. These missiles were capable of carrying nuclear warheads and were stationed 90 miles off the American coastline. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 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 …

50 years ago today, on October 13, 1972, a flight chartered by a Uruguayan rugby team crashed in the Andes Mountains of Argentina, and the wreckage was not located for more than two months; the incident garnered international attention, especially after it was revealed that the survivors had resorted to cannibalism. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 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 …

On October 12, 2000, while preparing to refuel in the Yemeni port of Aden, the USS Cole, a U.S. naval destroyer, was attacked by suicide bombers associated with Al-Qaeda. There were 17 sailors were killed and 39 others were wounded. — Just before finishing up this group of posts, I heard some sad news: Legendary Hollywood Actress Angela Lansbury Dies at 96. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 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 …

Today is the birthday of novelist William R. Forstchen (born, 1950.) He is best known for his survivalist novel One Second After. — The recent brouhaha over PayPal’s announced — and then “Oh, it was all a mistake” rescinded — $2,500 fines for Politically Incorrect Bad Boys led dozens of SurvivalBlog readers to cancel their PayPal accounts. I can fully appreciate and understand why they would do so. With their recent policy change debacle, the PayPal management team lost any remaining shreds of credibility. To maintain the continuity of Ten Cent Challenge subscriptions and advertising payments, I’ve just signed up …

On October 10th, 1913, the Panama Canal officially linked the Atlantic to the Pacific when the Gamboa dike was demolished with dynamite charges. Today is also the birthday of composer Giuseppe Verdi. (Born 1813, died 1901. — The feature article today is by Field Gear Editor Tom Christianson.

On October 9, 1000, Leif Ericson discovers “Vinland” (possibly at what was later named L’Anse aux Meadows, Canada) reputedly becoming the first European to reach North America. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 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 course …

October 8th is the birthday of economist and libertarian commentator J. Orlin Grabbe. (Born, 1947, died March 15, 2008.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 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 course (a $1,095 value), Two cases of Mountain House …

The Battle of Lepanto was a naval engagement taking place on 7 October 1571 in which a fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of European Catholic maritime states arranged by Pope Pius V and led by Spanish admiral Don Juan of Austria, decisively defeated the fleet of the Ottoman Empire on the northern edge of the Gulf of Corinth, off western Greece. — Over at SurvivalRealty.com, this new listing for a house on 20 acres caught my eye: Live off the Land in NW Montana. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 103 of the SurvivalBlog …

Today is the birthday of science fiction author David Brin, born, 1950. He wrote The Postman, which was very loosely the foundation of a movie by Kevin Costner. — I just read that Colonel Dean Caswell died at his home in Austin, Texas on September 21st. He was the last living U.S. Marine Corps fighter ace of World War II passed on at the age of 100. — We are still seeking entries for Round 103 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 103 ends on November 30th, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there …