Notebook
Writer. Essays and notes on how the world works and how we live in it.
The Price Nobody Pays
Brent crude prices tell only part of the oil shortage story. War, shipping costs and scarce refining capacity widen the gaps between headline benchmarks, physical cargoes and wholesale diesel prices.
What Washington Sees
Ukraine's air defense depends on American missile warnings, Starlink bandwidth and Patriot interceptors. Washington's control of these systems shapes Kyiv's defense and limits Ukrainian pressure on Russia during the war.
A Quota Cannot Open a Strait
OPEC+ can raise oil quotas, but it cannot reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Trump, Iran, war and shipping routes determine whether oil reaches households—and at what price across the world.
America Is Fighting for Energy Control
America's war with Iran has evolved into a struggle over energy control. This essay examines Hormuz, sanctions, pipelines and how power comes from shaping global oil flows, not ownership alone.
Inflation, Cash and Hormuz
Inflation, Hormuz, and the cash boom are part of the same signal: when prices, geopolitics, and risk collide, cash becomes caution.
Oil and the Cost of Passage
After threats in the Strait of Hormuz, oil prices spiked. The note says the real story is the cost of passage—narrow waterways, naval power, insurance and risk—not simply the price.