In mid-February of 2005, in Vol. II, Art. 19, we discussed one of the important advantages of our patented shipboard storage and retrieval systems. In all the confusion about the many pros and cons of the various scanning/inspection proposals being debated by the “security experts” in the U.S., we let it be known that such scanning/inspection performed aboard vessels retrofitted with our patented system would put an immediate stop to alleged “terrorist” bogey-men, as well as an immediate stop to the endless debates and wasteful spending in Washington. We wrote:

• “Our shipboard systems: Although this website is dedicated to terminal operations, if ultimate security is ever required, it can be obtained by means of our shipboard storage and retrieval system. Our ‘Chronology’ page makes reference to U.S. Patent Number 5,860,783, Granted on Jan. 19, 1999, and Entitled: CARGO CONTAINER STORAGE AND RETRIEVAL SYSTEM AND METHOD INCLUDING ON DECK CARRIAGE ASSEMBLY. This shipboard system makes it possible to retrieve, or store, any single container, regardless of its location aboard the vessel, without handling any other container. As an added advantage, the system allows for the scanning/inspection of every container while the vessel is en route to our shores. The procedure can be completed in one week’s time, and prior to arrival at our ports every safe container will be granted clearance, and any suspect containers may very well be jettisoned. The threat to ‘deepsix’ offenders will be enough to discourage terrorists and any others who would wish to gain illegal access into our country. [Checkmate!!]

For more than six years we’ve been providing this information to maritime officials and to politicians in both federal and state governments, and especially to those who’ve taken their concerns to the media. Of the hundreds of messages we’ve sent out, not one single expression of interest did we receive in return, and after a fashion we began to see the reason for this strange silence.

Before 9-11, as you know by now, there were just seven security firms in the U.S. Since that mysterious event, however, more than 33,800 security firms have been established and these new firms are enthusiastically cashing in on the “business of fear”.

If our system, therefore, had put an end to the threat of “terrorism”, there would no longer be a need for those extra 33,800 security firms, or their employees, and we’d be back to the original, and affordable, seven. But that’s not the way this administration operates. “Make work” is the byword, and those security firms are every bit as essential as the navy’s warship building program. Just as essential, in fact, because both of these lines of defense have imaginary enemies as opposition.

How sad. This country has never seen such times. Along with the many thousands being thrown out of work every month, the likes of General Motors, Ford Motor Company, United Airlines, Fannie Mae, Freddy Mac, and a whole host of seemingly impregnable firms are approaching bankruptcy. But they will be bailed out … by the Fed … with taxpayer money. As for the jobless, the homeless, the uninsured and the hungry … there will be no bailouts. Let ‘em eat cake.