Category: Note

On December 20th, 1606, the Virginia Company loaded three ships with settlers and set sail to establish Jamestown, Virginia, the first permanent English settlement in the Americas. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 92 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 …

December 19th is the birthday of physicist Albert A. Michelson (born 1852, died May 9, 1931), who was the first American to be awarded a Nobel Prize in science, for measuring the speed of light. I’m related to him, by marriage, on my paternal side. — On Dec 19, 1776, Thomas Paine published “American Crisis”. “These are the times that try men’s souls; the summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is …

Today is the birthday of Jørgen Haagen Schmith (born December 18, 1910, died October 15, 1944). He was better known under the codename Citron and was a famous Danish resistance fighter in occupied Denmark. His biographical sketch at Wikipedia describes his death, after he was tracked down by the Nazis: “German soldiers arrived at the house to arrest or kill Schmith. He fought for hours against an overwhelming force of enemy troops killing 11 and wounded scores of others before the house was set on fire and he was shot attempting to escape the flames.” His exploits were dramatized in …

December 17th, 1905, was the birthday of Simo Häyhä, who was the world’s most successful sniper. Using an iron-sighted Mosin–Nagant in Finland’s Winter War, he had an astounding 505 confirmed sniper kills. He died April 1, 2002. — I encourage any SurvivalBlog readers with friends or relatives who live in Georgia to phone them and exhort them to VOTE in the January 5th U.S. Senate runoff election. Maintaining Republican control of the Senate will be crucial in the next eight years! — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 92 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The …

Today is the anniversary of The Boston Tea Party, in 1773.  This destructive act of protest was in response to the British Parliament’s passage of the Tea Act of 1773. Parenthetically, this protest wasn’t popularly called “The Boston Tea Party” until 1825. — Also, December 16th, 1928, was the birthday of writer Philip K. Dick, who died March 2, 1982. He penned a remarkable number of sci-fi novels and novellas that have been adapted into movies, including Blade Runner, Total Recall, Screamers, Impostor, Minority Report, Paycheck, A Scanner Darkly, Next, and The Adjustment Bureau. Though he had a troubled personal …

The 15th of December, 1923, was the birthday of Uziel “Uzi” Gal (born Gotthard Glas).  He is shown holding up an Uzi and a German MP-40, for comparison. According to Wikipedia, he was “…born in Weimar, Germany. When the Nazis came to power in 1933 he moved first to England and later, in 1936, to Kibbutz Yagur in the British Mandate of Palestine where he changed his name to Uziel Gal. In 1943, he was arrested for illegally carrying a gun and sentenced to six years in prison. However, he was pardoned and released in 1946, serving less than half …

December 14th is the birthday of the late John Warren Wadleigh (born 1927, died September 24, 2013). Wadleigh was better known to many SurvivalBlog readers by his pen name– Oliver Lange. He was the author of the best-selling resistance warfare novel Vandenberg. He is pictured with his son. — This is also the birthday of Air Force General James H. “Jimmy” Doolittle, who died September 27, 1993. — I spotted two new listings of interest, over at my #1 Son’s site: 23 acres with creek and organic farmland, near Kettle Falls, Washington and, New log home with creek frontage adjoining …

December 13th is the birthday of Sergeant Alvin York. — By way of Pat Cascio, I just heard of the passing of Professor Bradley J. Steiner, at age 74.  He was legendary in the martial arts world. Our condolences to his family. SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 92 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 …

I just heard about the Supreme Court’s December 11th rejection of the Texas v. Pennsylvania et al case. That was very discouraging. If they weren’t willing to step in to correct an obviously corrupted vote-counting process, then I don’t hold out too much hope for the survival of our Republic. The Democrats have demonstrated that they can now rig elections at will. So what are the chances of ever having another Republican president? And what chance is there of holding on to a Republican majority in the U.S. Senate?  Be prepared to have your gun rights trampled, your nation’s borders …

Happy birthday to actress Teri Garr (born 1944.) She was unforgettable for her role in Young Frankenstein. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 92 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 …

This evening marks the first day of Hanukkah. I wish all our readers a joyous Hanukkah season! — On this day in 1942, my great uncle Lt. Robert I. Kinsella was killed when his B-24 bomber (part of the 90th Bombardment Group, Heavy, 320th Bomber Squadron), flying from the Iron Range Airfield in Northern Queensland, Australia went down in the South Pacific. — And on December 10, 1520, Martin Luther publicly burned the papal edict demanding that he recant or face excommunication.

December 9th, 1914 was the birthday of Maximo Guillermo “Max” Manus. He was one of the few Norwegians who put his life on the line, fighting the Nazi occupiers. (There surely would have been more active resistance fighters, but fearing widespread reprisal executions by the Germans, King H7 asked the civilian populace to stand down.) Max Manus passed away in 1996. I would have liked to have met him. His exploits are fairly accurately shown in the movie Max Manus: Man of War. —  

I just heard that General Chuck Yeager passed away, at age 97. He was quite a guy. Yeager will be greatly missed. — Today is the birthday of Eli Whitney, (1765–1825) the inventor of the labor-saving cotton gin, several firearms, and dozens of other mechanical devices. He was the first to demonstrate the advantages of fully interchangeable parts, in firearms manufacture. — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 92 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% …

Some sad news: I just heard of the death of economist Dr. Walter E. Williams. He was always my favorite fill-in radio host when Rush Limbaugh was traveling. The Foundation for Economic Education (FEE) has posted 30 of his best quotes on Liberty, Rights, Property, and Coercions. Rest in Peace, Walter Williams. Our condolences to his family. — On December 7, 1941, America was caught sleeping. Then there was that September morning, in 2001. Please pray that nothing like those days ever happens again. – JWR — Today we are presenting another product review by our Field Gear Editor, Pat …

Today is the birthday of “claymation” artist and filmmaker Nick Park (born, 1958.) He is best known for his Wallace & Gromit films. — On December 6th, 1865, the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified, ending the institution of slavery. “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.” — SurvivalBlog Writing Contest Today we present another entry for Round 92 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include: First Prize: …