Systems and Shadows - Engineering, geopolitics and real-world field notes behind the fiction.

The Illusion of Endless Oil: How Physics, Money, and Politics Are Colliding in the Persian Gulf

May 15, 2026May 15, 2026PaulLeave a Comment

The evolution of oil production in the Gulf can be understood as a continuous progression from simple reservoir exploitation to highly managed, capital-intensive systems deeply embedded in national economies. What began as relatively straightforward production from vast fields like those in the Arab‑D formation has become a complex interplay of engineering, economics, and political strategy. […]

Why High Gas Prices Are Driving a Shift Away from Car-Dependent Suburbs

May 10, 2026May 10, 2026PaulLeave a Comment

The shift in oil prices from 1982 to 2026 caused a radical change in home affordability as interest rates fell, the cost of driving fell and the US had a massive buildout of “far suburbs.” That system seems to be reversing itself. The structure of U.S. housing demand is closely tied to energy costs, especially […]

The crisis in oil pricing. What the “markets” aren’t telling you.

April 17, 2026April 17, 2026Paul

As of April 17, 2026, amid the ongoing 2026 Iran war, Platts physical oil benchmarks (e.g., Dated Brent and Dubai) have decoupled sharply from futures prices. Platts Dated Brent and Middle East spot assessments, which reflect actual traded cargoes for near-term delivery, remain elevated—often in the $130–$157 range (with Dubai hitting records near $157–$166/bbl in March). […]

The U.S. Intervention in Venezuela: Oil, Leverage, and Potential for Reform.

January 7, 2026January 7, 2026Paul

The media account is biased leaving the public uninformed. (As usual) In early January 2026, U.S. forces executed a daring military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, marking a dramatic shift in U.S. policy toward the troubled South American nation. President Donald Trump announced the capture triumphantly, declaring that the United States would temporarily […]

The Positives of the Venezuelan Leadership Change in 2026: Unlocking Oil Sector Potential

January 3, 2026January 3, 2026Paul

On January 3, 2026, a U.S.-led military operation successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, during a large-scale strike on Caracas and other targets. President Donald Trump announced the operation, which removed the couple from the country to face U.S. charges, including narco-terrorism. While the intervention has drawn international criticism and […]

The Shifting Landscape of Commodity Futures Markets: From Western Dominance to Asian Ascendancy and Its Implications for the US Dollar

December 24, 2025December 24, 2025Paul

Commodity futures markets serve as the backbone of global pricing for essential raw materials, enabling producers, consumers, and investors to hedge against price volatility, discover fair values, and facilitate efficient resource allocation. These markets operate through standardized contracts traded on exchanges, where buyers and sellers agree on future delivery prices for commodities like oil, metals, […]

Why is China so anti-gambling?

November 4, 2025November 4, 2025Paul

Is their economy that weak? https://tinyurl.com/ytwf86hf https://tinyurl.com/ya8sy69n To be sure, both Taiwan and Thailand are desperate to bring back Chinese tourists. Here in Jomtien, south of Pattaya and an hour south of Bangkok, as far as I can see, Thailand is devoid of Chinese tourists. Aussies, yes… Russians, by the boatload… Kiwi’s, all over… Chinese, […]

Grocery store at Central World Mall in Bangkok

The Global Middle Class Boom: A Double-Edged Sword for Consumption and US Inflation.

July 15, 2025July 21, 2025Paul

In a world that’s rapidly evolving, one of the most transformative shifts has been the explosive growth of the global middle class. Over the last 25 years, approximately 500 million people have crossed into this income bracket—earning above $50,000 in today’s dollars. This surge mirrors poignant examples like India’s Interior Minister’s observation from a decade […]

Unveiling Fragility: Parallels Between Japan’s 1980s bubble and the U.S. Nasdaq, 2025

July 7, 2025July 21, 2025Paul

Summary: The wealthy are constructing fortified bunkers, a silent acknowledgment of systemic vulnerabilities that remain opaque to most. This essay examines the striking similarities between Japan’s speculative bubble of the 1980s and the current U.S. Nasdaq boom, arguing that both are fragile constructs sustained by three critical flaws: unsettled financial obligations, stock-based compensation, and questionable […]

Disclaimers on investing

June 18, 2025July 21, 2025Paul

Landon Fillmore Systems is not an investment advisor. We specialize in data analysis for private clients, and that analysis is typically not investment analysis. We neither give nor solicit investment advice. Our analysis of markets is just another data set, but since we are systems engineers, our analysis of financial markets is entirely speculative. Our […]