Category: Note

Today is the birthday of Congressman Richard Henry Lee (1732–1794) — January 20th, 1993 is a Red Letter Day for me. That was the day that Bill Clinton was first sworn in as President. That is also the same day that I resigned my commission as a U.S. Army Captain. I did so because I detested the idea of Clinton as my Commander in Chief. My commissioning document has Ronald Reagan’s signature. — You may recall reading that my mother passed away, in October. Her house in Livermore, California just went up for sale, yesterday. That was where I lived, …

Today is the birthday of the late Carla Emery (born 1939, died October 11, 2005). She is well known in self-sufficiency circles as the author of The Encyclopedia of Country Living. January 19th is also the birthday of General Robert E. Lee. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 98 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 …

January 18th, 1813 was the birthday Joseph Glidden, who invented barbed wire. And speaking of barbed wire — and the lack thereof — Kevin Costner, who starred in Open Range, was born on this day in 1955. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 98 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 this day in 1994, the 6.7 magnitude Northridge Earthquake struck Los Angeles. It caused about $20 billion in damage and killed 61 people. This is also the anniversary of the Battle of Cowpens in 1781. This small battle was the turning point of the American Revolution in the South. In it, the best battlefield tactician America produced, the backwoodsman Daniel Morgan, decisively and utterly defeated the most arrogant, bloody, and successful field grade officer in the British Army, Lt. Col. Banastre Tarleton. The battle set in motion the chain of events that led directly to the decisive siege at …

On January 16, 1920, one year after it was ratified, the 18th Amendment to the Constitution went into effect, for the prohibition of the sale of alcoholic beverages. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 98 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 …

Today is the birthday of Dr. Edward Teller, who co-invented the H-bomb and worked on the Manhattan Project. In his later years at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, he was often so deep in thought strolling through the Berkeley hills that he would become confused and disoriented. His assistants would have to go out looking for him. — Today is also the anniversary of the 2009 “Miracle On The Hudson” engines-out emergency water landing. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 98 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic …

On January 14th, 1784, the Continental Congress ratified the Second Treaty of Paris, ending the War for Independence. In the document, which was known as the Second Treaty of Paris because the Treaty of Paris was also the name of the agreement that had ended the Seven Years’ War in 1763, Britain officially agreed to recognize the independence of its 13 former colonies as the new United States of America. — Today, we mark the milestone of 6,000 days of SurvivalBlog posts. (We’ve missed posting on just a few days since August of 2005.) SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present …

This is the birthday of actor and shooter Robert Stack (1919-2003.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 98 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), A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day …

January 12 1879, the British-Zulu War began. British troops, under Lieutenant General Frederic Augustus, invaded Zululand from the southern African Republic of Natal. On this day in 1737: John Hancock was born. He was the first signer of the Declaration of Independence. — A USB Stick Update: The first batch of 1,000 waterproof/EMP-resistant 2005–2021 SurvivalBlog Archive USB sticks sold out in just four days! We are now taking backorders on a second batch of 500 sticks. Deliveries of the first batch will begin in mid-February. Deliveries of the second batch will begin on or around March 1st. — SurvivalBlog Writing …

Today is the birthday of big-game hunter and writer Peter Hathaway Capstick. January 11th is also the birthday of Alexander Hamilton. (Pictured.) And today is the natal day of the late Gunnar Fridtjof Thurmann Sønsteby, who was born in 1918. He was the most decorated hero of the Norwegian resistance under the German occupation. He died May 10, 2012. — A USB Stick Update: The waterproof/EMP-resistant 2005–2021 SurvivalBlog Archive USB sticks are now orderable. Deliveries will begin in mid-February, 2022. Take note that only 1,000 sticks will be made for this batch. As of Noon, Pacific Time on Tuesday, 980 …

On January 10, 1976 the song “Convoy” by C.W. McCall was the #1 song on the U.S. pop charts. This song, in part, led to huge interest in Citizen’s Band (C.B.) radio for the next year, in the United States. — January 10th, 1776 is the day that North Carolina Governor, Josiah Martin issued a proclamation calling on the king’s loyal subjects to raise an armed force to combat the “rebels”. This ultimately led to Colonel Donald McLeod leading the men on an assault on the Patriots that ended with fifty of his men dead and 880 captured. The Patriots …

January 9, 1943 was the birthday of gunsmith Paris Theodore, developer of the ASP modifications to the S&W M39 pistol. January 9, 1890 birthday of Karel Capek, a Czech writer who wrote the play “R.U.R.” and coined the word “robot”. 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 the spread of ideas in the 16th through 19th centuries. — Today we present a guest article by author Joe Dolio.

January 8, 1783: Connecticut became the first state to pass a copyright statute. It was entitled “Act for the Encouragement of Literature and Genius” and was enacted with the help of Dr. Noah Webster. On this day, in 1835, the U.S. National Debt reached zero for the first and only time. — Good news!  The waterproof/EMP-resistant 2005–2021 SurvivalBlog Archive USB stick is now orderable.  Deliveries will begin in mid-February.  It has even more bonus content than last year’s. In fact, this stick is so packed that the contents just barely fit on a 16 Gigabyte stick.  These sticks sell out …

January 7th, 1963, was the birthday of Senator Rand Paul. Happy 59th birthday, Rand! And also the birthday of Cresson Kearny (born 1914, died December 18, 2003.) This 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 present another entry for Round 98 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic …

January 6th, 1745 was the birthday of Jacques and James Montgolfier, the twin brothers who pioneered hot air ballooning. Today is also the birthday of musician Earl Scruggs, (1924-2012) — A special prayer request:  Mike, a good friend up in the great white north, wrote to tell me that he has just been diagnosed with advanced cancer in both lungs, and several other organs. Please say a special prayer for Mike, for miraculous healing. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 98 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The …