Preparedness Notes for Saturday — July 3, 2021

On July 3, 1890, the Idaho Territory became the 43rd state in the Union. July 3rd is also the birthday of both musician Aaron Tippin and of actor Tom Cruise. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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, …




Preparedness Notes for Friday — July 2, 2021

On July 2nd, 1937 aviator Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared over the Pacific Ocean while attempting to make the first round-the-world flight at the equator. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …




Preparedness Notes for Thursday — July 1, 2021

Taking some of my own advice, we are about to implement Pre-1965 silver coinage prices at Elk Creek Company.  We will no longer accept credit card payments.  The prices listed are with the intent for some customers to send payment in 1964 or earlier mint date 90% silver U.S. coins. But you can still send payment in Federal Reserve Notes (FRNs) — via check or U.S. Postal Service Money Order — with an initial multiplier of 23 times face value.  That is right around the current market price for $1,000 face value bags.  The shopping cart system should be updated …




Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 30, 2021

June 30th is the anniversary of the tragic death of 19 firefighters in the Yarnell Hill Fire. (In 2013.) — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …




Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 29, 2021

29 July 1805 was the birthday of Alexis-Charles-Henri Clérel de Tocqueville. He died 16 April,1859. He is best known for his lengthy treatise: Democracy In America. — Two noteworthy new listings, over at SurvivalRealty.com: On the Pend Orielle River: Homesteading with a view!! and, 134 acres minutes from Downtown Missoula. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …







Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 27, 2021

Today is the birthday of Leroy James Sullivan (born June 27, 1933), an American firearms inventor. Jim Sullivan has designed several “scaled-down” versions of larger firearms. He also designed the Beta C-MAG double snail drum magazines. Today is also the birthday of Paul Mauser, (June 27, 1838 – May 29, 1914). He was a German weapon designer and manufacturer. His strong and reliable bolt action design was used by many nations. The U.S. Springfield Model 1903 is based on the Mauser Model 1898, and in fact the U.S. government famously lost in a patent infringement lawsuit. Ironically, the U.S. government …




Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 26, 2021

June 26th is the birthday of Marine Corps Lt. General Chesty Puller (born 1898, died October 11, 1971). He was perhaps America’s finest-ever maverick officer. — The annual ham radio Field Day begins today (June 26, 2021) at 1800 UTC.  Tune in. The ham bands will be very active! Field Day will end at 2100 UTC on Sunday. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …




Preparedness Notes for Friday — June 25, 2021

On June 25th, 1876, Native American forces led by Chiefs Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull defeated the U.S. Army troops of Lieutenant Colonel George Armstrong Custer in a bloody battle near southern Montana’s Little Bighorn River. The Battle of Little Bighorn–also called Custer’s Last Stand –marked the most decisive Native American victory and the worst U.S. Army defeat in the long Plains Indian War. While complicated, the generally accepted reason for the battle is that the discovery of gold in South Dakota’s Black Hills in 1875 led to the U.S. government disregarding previous treaty agreements. The gruesome fate of Custer …




Preparedness Notes for Thursday — June 24, 2021

June 24th the birthday of rifle-toting abolitionist pastor Henry Ward Beecher. (Born 1813, died March 8, 1887.) He and his adherents from his church smuggled so many Sharps rifles to Bleeding Kansas that the Sharps rifles picked up the nickname Beecher’s Bibles. Wikipedia states: “Several of his brothers and sisters became well-known educators and activists, most notably Harriet Beecher Stowe, who achieved worldwide fame with her abolitionist novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: The photovoltaic power …




Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — June 23, 2021

On June 23, 1868, American inventor Christopher Latham Sholes received a patent for a typewriter. Sholes invented the QWERTY keyboard. Along with Samuel W. Soule, Carlos Glidden and John Pratt, Sholes has been contended as one of the inventors of the first typewriter in the United States. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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. …




Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — June 22, 2021

On June 22, 1633, Galileo Galilei was coerced by Pope Gregory XV to recant his belief in heliocentrism–that the Earth orbits the Sun. The Vatican did not concede that it was wrong until October 31, 1992. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …




Preparedness Notes for Monday — June 21, 2021

June 21st — the Summer Solstice in the northern hemisphere–is the birthday of Rex Applegate (June 21, 1914 – July 14, 1998), author of Kill or Be Killed. He was the friend and mentor of SurvivalBlog’s Field Gear Editor, Pat Cascio — who authored today’s feature article. — Last week’s scheduled Senate Judiciary Committee preliminary vote on David “Waco” Chipman for ATF Director was postponed to Thursday of this week (June 24, 2021), without any explanation. Apparently, all of our phone calls to our U.S. Senators are having an effect.  Keep up the pressure to have them reject the horribly …




Preparedness Notes for Sunday — June 20, 2021

June 20th the anniversary of the 2013 death of novelist Vince Flynn. (Born April 6, 1966, died June 19, 2013.) His death at age 47 was a loss to the literary world. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 95 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 …




Preparedness Notes for Saturday — June 19, 2021

June 19, 1834 was the birthday of Charles Haddon (C.H.) Spurgeon, who died 31 January 1892. He was a British Particular Baptist preacher. — Today’s feature review article was too short to be included in the judging for the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. Round 95 of the contest ends on July 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.  Thanks! – JWR