China’s Straits Dilemma

This ATOL article is about the relationship between China and Myanmar; there’s a lot going on across the border between the two. In particular, there’s more on why Myanmar is important to China as an alternative – and preferred – transport route for oil and goods, over the Straits of Malacca. I’ve mentioned this a number of times over the last few years, and continue to wonder what the long-term implications are for Singapore.

Outsourcing yourself…

An interesting piece in the Guardian discusses the increasing trend of British managers and skilled workers moving to India, where there’s a growing skills shortage…

Iranian oil

There’s a very interesting article in today’s IHT about Iran’s plans to diversify its oil storage: it intends to remove its crude oil output from any vulnerability by storing and refining it in other countries -

Iran [is] in talks to partner with China, Indonesia, Singapore, Syria and Malaysia to build refineries with a combined production capacity of 1.1 million barrels per day.

One comment that caught my eye was:

[A]n official at National Iranian Oil said earlier Monday that Iran aimed to supply crude to a new refinery planned in northern Malaysia.

which points me back to a previous article about oil increasingly tending to bypass Singapore. Comments?

Hot?

Andrew, back in Wales, says:

Hot mainly because, well, it’s hot. Damn hot. Too damn hot. Right now it’s 23 C / 73 F outside, and it was even hotter and sunnier this weekend.

Hahahaha!!!

23C? That’s brrrr-I-need-a jumper weather!!!! Try living in the tropics, gw’boi!