Preparedness Notes for Saturday — April 19, 2025

April 19th is always the most heavily laden date of the year for our Top Notes. I do not believe that this is mere happenstance. Some events appear to have been orchestrated by folks with an obsession for numerology.

April 19, 1506: The Massacre of the Jews:, in Lisbon.

On April 19, 1591, the French city of Chartres surrendered to King Henry IV.

Today is the original Patriot Day which marks the multiple anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord, known as “The Shot Heard ‘Round the World”, on April 19, 1775. Note that due to corporate bureaucracy, the Patriot Day celebration has generally been moved to the third Monday in April to facilitate a postal/banking holiday.

On April 19, 1782,  John Adams secured the Dutch Republic’s recognition of the United States as an independent government. A house that he purchased in The Hague became America’s first embassy.

On April 19, 1861 Lincoln ordered the blockade of Confederate ports.

Also on April 19, 1861, the first blood of the American Civil War was shed when a secessionist mob in Baltimore attacked Massachusetts troops bound for Washington, D.C. Four soldiers and 12 rioters were killed.

On April 19, 1933, FDR announced that the US would abandon the gold standard.

Also on April 19, 1933: The first day of the Great Uprising in Palestine, as anti-Jewish riots broke out.

April 19, 1936:  The Jaffa riots commence, initiating the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.

1943: In German-occupied Poland, the Majdan-Tatarski ghetto was established, situated between the Lublin Ghetto and a Majdanek subcamp.

Also on April 19, 1943: The anniversary of the Warsaw Ghetto uprising against the Nazis.

The gun turret explosion on the USS Iowa, in 1989.

1993: The assault and tragic arson fire following the BATF’s costly raid on the Branch Davidian Church, in Waco, Texas. More than 80 men, women and children were killed.

The Oklahoma City bombing in 1995, inspired by the 1993 Waco massacre.

1999: The German Bundestag returned to Berlin.

2011: Fidel Castro resigned his position as First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba after 45 years in power.

2013: Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was killed in a shootout with police.

2020: A killing spree in Nova Scotia, Canada, left 23 people, one unborn baby, and the perpetrator dead, making it the deadliest rampage in the country’s history.

2021: Cuba’s Communist party announced Miguel Díaz-Canel would replace Raúl Castro as party leader, after the latter stepped down.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 118 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

1. 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.
2. 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),
3. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
4. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course.
5. HSM Ammunition in Montana is providing a $250 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize:

1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com (a $287 value).
3. A Laptop EMP Shield and a Smartphone Faraday Bag (a combined value of $200), courtesy of MobileSecSolutions.com.
4. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters (a $305 value),
2. 3Vgear.com is providing an ultimate bug-out bag bundle that includes their 3-day Paratus Bag, a Posse EDC Sling Pack, and a Velox II Tactical Backpack. This prize package has a $289 retail value.
3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $950,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest.  Round 118 ends on May 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. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic.