“My Back Pages”, Questions & Answers

I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now. [The Wiggin Sessions] September 14, 2022 [WEBSITE]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( “My Back Pages”, Questions & Answers I was so much older then, I'm younger than that now. - Bob Dylan [Addison Wiggin] Addison Wiggin Dear Reader, For four months in 1940 the gangster Al “Scarface” Capone lived 0.2 miles from the house from which I am writing to you. Capone was suffering from syphilis and being treated in a nearby hospital. He moved his family into a house around the corner, which, if I’m correct in my ability to read Maps on my iphone, is now occupied by the family of a local judge. I pass by the house on my way to tennis on Tuesdays and Fridays. Farther down the hill and across the Harbor rests the well-kept ruins of Fort McHenry. You may recall from 4th grade history class, Fort McHenry was the site of Francis Scott Key’s unfortunate abduction during the Battle for Baltimore in 1814. The darn British had sailed up the Chesapeake and sought to destroy my city, having done as much to Washington D.C. Being held captive on a British ship overnight, Key awoke to the sight of the Stars and Stripes waving o’er the ramparts of Fort McHenry. He wrote a poem called something like “The Defence of Fort M’Henry”... which was sometime later turned into a pub song by drunk sailors. [Click here to learn more] “The Star-Spangled Banner” first draft scratched on parchment, 1814, Fort McHenry, Maryland (Source: History.com) Eons later, on April 15, 1929, Representative John Linthicum of Maryland brought up to the House that the ditty be used as the National Anthem. The act was made law in 1931. Now the anthem mostly gets used to make people weep at sporting events. Or test the talents of upcoming singers. Today in history is the day when Francis Scott Key wrote his way into history. Strange to think on the day Queen Elizabeth II is being ceremonialized at Westminster, Abbey. We used to hate the British. Now they’re our best allies and we love the Queen. Es lo que es. If you recall, we used to publish Idea of America, a collection of seminal texts compiled by Bill Bonner – [this week’s guest on The Wiggin Sessions]( – every 4th of July. But, it occurs to us today, September 14 seems like a more appropriate date for the Idea of America. Enough blathering. Let’s get on with today’s theme. We’ve received a ton of reader mail in the past few days. One included a quote from “My Back Pages”, a Bob Dylan song, submitted by a dear reader who seemed like they might even be on the same page as us. [Click here to learn more](mailto:Feedback@TheFinancialReserve.com) (Write to me! What do you think about today’s state of the world? You can reach me [here](mailto:Feedback@TheFinancialReserve.com)[.](mailto:Feedback@TheFinancialReserve.com)) “This latest venture,” writes Brian P., “‘The Wiggin Sessions’ is one of the best you have produced.” Brian continues: I have a 24 year old son who just completed his BBA from the University of San Diego, and I have the same conversations. They are very good to have because it forces you to verify your assumptions on the state of the world. The one thing I will say is to have an open mind on blockchain and new forms of money. I keep coming back to the Dylan song when I speak to young people: I was so much older then, I am younger than that now. Please keep writing! Between you, Bill Bonner and Brian Maher these are very well written missives that are a breath of fresh air in this Twitter-filled world. Brian P, sir, I forwarded your message to Bill Bonner’s personal email address. To which Mr. Booner replied to me, from wherever he is in the world: “Yep.” This note comes from Dottie F: Hello Addison, Thank you for providing the link of [the interaction you had with Bill Bonner](. I was one of the first subscribers to his on-line newsletters and became a life member of the Oxford Club in 2003. I always enjoyed his daily tales of his family, the purchase of that manor in France and the hard work he and his reluctant sons put into it. (I used to belong to the National Trust for Historic Preservation when I lived in D.C. before I was married and moved to OR. I still follow the restoration of castles and old houses via on-line videos.) My husband and I agree with Bill that the US is deteriorating; we moved to Belize in 2003 and have no assets in the U.S. The question then becomes, “What do you do about it?”. That remains a big question. Bill takes a few stabs at the answer himself in our interview, [here.]( Then a smatterin’ of a few half-messages… for entertainment. What do you mean, Lady D, when you ominously portend “This generation was taken…” in response to [my conversation with Aleks Svetski]( on the Uncommunist Manifesto? Are you referring to the next generation being swept up in progressive politics? There is also a strain of more sinister correspondence… this one from Joe B: The collapse was built into the current system. The system requires ever increasing growth funded by ever increasing debt. At some point the debt becomes unsustainable. Was it though, Mr. Joe? I’ve personally been writing about debt crises for 29 years. Generationally, we’re probably in for it, but thus far, no sign of the nightmare. Where is the optimism! This next one is, well, strange… All we can really say is thank you to John B, who writes in: “Hiya, Wigster. You go, guy! You and your hair, that is!” I didn’t know my hair was a thing. Although, I have had some Covid-era issues with hair cuts. Some latent comments on grammar, too… “I sincerely appreciate your proper usage of (American) English,” reader Todd G writes. “In this age of dumbed down, overly familiar marketing emails your well-written pieces are always welcome in my inbox. Keep doing what you do.” “You made me reach for the dictionary twice with today's article!” exclaims Carl N. “Thanks for the ongoing language lesson. Don't let what you think you know get in the way of discovering what you don't know.” I’m wondering if you actually reached for a dictionary. Or did as I now do regularly: hit the bookmark on my browser with the Mirriam-Webster link. It’s worth apologizing if you wrote in and I haven’t gotten back to you. My team and I try to maintain correspondence with every one of our readers. That being said, there are a lot of you. I read every email I get. Talking with readers is a fulfilling part of my experience as a writer. Keep the emails coming. They are, like “the rockets red glare, the bombs bursting in air,” – wink, wink – “proof through the night, that our flag was still there.” Follow your bliss, [Addison Wiggin] Addison Wiggin Founder, The Wiggin Sessions P.S. I spoke with friend, mentor and deep-thinker Bill Bonner this week over Zoom.[You can watch our discussion in full by clicking here.]( Sponsored by Legacy Research Do you really understand how inflation works? [Listen to an ex-Goldman banker explain it clearly](. Ed note: Got something to say? Send your feedback to The Wiggin Sessions [here.](mailto:WigginSessions@5minforecast.com) LISTEN ON [The Wiggin Sessions]( The Wiggin Sessions is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. We do not rent or share your email address. By submitting your email address, you consent to Consilience, LLC. delivering daily email issues and advertisements. 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