Taxing Everything That’s Nailed Down

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  January 22, 2026

In the ancient town of Casinum—modern-day Cassino, Italy—parts of a Roman amphitheater still stand after nearly 2,000 years.  Carved into the stone, in Latin, is an inscription that translates to: "Ummidia Quadratilla, daughter of Caius, built the amphitheatre and temple for the people of Casinum at her expense."

Ummidia Quadratilla was a wealthy Roman businesswoman who funded multiple public works, all out of her own pocket. Her name was carved in stone for eternity. When she died, she was respected enough that the younger Pliny wrote admiringly about her.

Ex-Treasury Secretary Compared US to Third World Countries

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  January 19, 2026

Former Fed Chair and ex-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen finally told the truth.

In recent remarks at the American Economic Association, she told the audience that US finances are in worse shape than most third-world countries.  She said specifically that America's “needed belt tightening is significant—larger than in most programs supported by the International Monetary Fund."

Let that sink in for a minute. Remember, the International Monetary Fund provides emergency bailout funding for countries who are on the verge of bankruptcy. And naturally this IMF funding comes with strings attached: recipient countries are required to cut spending and tighten their belts.

Some Clear Thinking About This Weekend’s Strike In Venezuela

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  January 5, 2026

It’s hard to imagine America being intimidated by a guy named “Little Turtle”.  And yet, in the year 1790, he was about as terrifying as it could get.

 Little Turtle was the war chief of the Miami nation, one of the Algonquian-speaking tribes in the Great Lakes region, and he had made a name for himself fighting against the United States during the Revolutionary War.

Why A Desperate America May Soon Annex Its 51st State

Notes From The Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)  December 22, 2025

Today we’re continuing our look back at past articles that foresaw today’s headlines years in advance. Last week, we highlighted three early pieces tracing the decline of US credibility—its unsustainable debt path, the erosion of reserve currency privilege, and the rising global demand for real assets like gold.

Today we look back at this podcast I recorded on March 31, 2023. I laid out a theory that Venezuela—sitting on the world’s largest oil reserves—might one day be absorbed into the US sphere of influence, not through war, but through corporate proxies.

The Debt Has Increased By HALF A TRILLION Since The Shutdown Began

Notes From the Field By James Hickman (Simon Black)   November 10, 2025

By the autumn of 1648, England had been embroiled in a chaotic and bloody civil war for more than six years.   Extreme ideological tensions in England had been building for decades over freedom of religion, plus the balance of power within government.

 King Charles was wildly unpopular. And a majority of politicians in parliament saw it as their sole mission to resist him. Many believed adamantly that parliament should rule over the king and ultimately dictate all laws in England.