Hi Larry,

I need your advice again

I recently purchased a standalone Sitex AIS receiver - the little one
that has a small screen and which receives its GPS input by NMEA from
my Garmin.

It has a small externally mounted piezo alarm - no ID markings that is
simply too quiet to ensure that I am alerted or awakened if I drop off
to sleep. I would like to replace it with a louder piezo unit and am
of the vague understanding that as piezos draw little current that a
louder and larger one will not burn out or otherwise 'stuff up' the
AIS unit..

Is this correct?

I have emailed Sitex with this question and had as yet no response.

Also, at the moment I swap the masthead VHF aerial between the cockpit
located VHF radio and the AIS unit. In the absence of a proper VHF
splitter I reason that I won't need the AIS much in approaching ports
and if I need to talk to a ship I have time to change over the
aerials.

As I have a chart table located VHF radio and the one in the cockpit I
have a proper A-B switch (rather like the old printer A-B switches but
more solid and metalic) at the chart table for the aerials. I cannot
locate one of these any more.

The only AIS splitter that Defender had is one that is specific for a
Furono VHF radio and which cannot be easily adapted (by me at least)
for other brand use. At US$149 I sent it back as they said if it
didn't work to return it.

Do you know of anywhere I can purchase/make either a mechanical A-B
switch or an electronic automatic anntenna splitter?

Thanks and cheers
Peter

BTW, I may be visiting Charleston later this year on my way back to
Curacao as I am contemplating buying a Folbot and need to try a couple
of them out. It is also a reasonable excuse to visit the heart of the
South.

You might check the "Smart Radio VHF Antenna Splitter", available for $119.
from Milltech Marine:
http://store.milltechmarine.com/smravhfansp.html


"Herodotus" wrote in message
...
Hi Larry,

I need your advice again

I recently purchased a standalone Sitex AIS receiver - the little one
that has a small screen and which receives its GPS input by NMEA from
my Garmin.

It has a small externally mounted piezo alarm - no ID markings that is
simply too quiet to ensure that I am alerted or awakened if I drop off
to sleep. I would like to replace it with a louder piezo unit and am
of the vague understanding that as piezos draw little current that a
louder and larger one will not burn out or otherwise 'stuff up' the
AIS unit..

Is this correct?

I have emailed Sitex with this question and had as yet no response.

Also, at the moment I swap the masthead VHF aerial between the cockpit
located VHF radio and the AIS unit. In the absence of a proper VHF
splitter I reason that I won't need the AIS much in approaching ports
and if I need to talk to a ship I have time to change over the
aerials.

As I have a chart table located VHF radio and the one in the cockpit I
have a proper A-B switch (rather like the old printer A-B switches but
more solid and metalic) at the chart table for the aerials. I cannot
locate one of these any more.

The only AIS splitter that Defender had is one that is specific for a
Furono VHF radio and which cannot be easily adapted (by me at least)
for other brand use. At US$149 I sent it back as they said if it
didn't work to return it.

Do you know of anywhere I can purchase/make either a mechanical A-B
switch or an electronic automatic anntenna splitter?

Thanks and cheers
Peter

BTW, I may be visiting Charleston later this year on my way back to
Curacao as I am contemplating buying a Folbot and need to try a couple
of them out. It is also a reasonable excuse to visit the heart of the
South.

Herodotus wrote in
:

Hi Larry,

I need your advice again

I recently purchased a standalone Sitex AIS receiver - the little one
that has a small screen and which receives its GPS input by NMEA from
my Garmin.

It has a small externally mounted piezo alarm - no ID markings that is
simply too quiet to ensure that I am alerted or awakened if I drop off
to sleep. I would like to replace it with a louder piezo unit and am
of the vague understanding that as piezos draw little current that a
louder and larger one will not burn out or otherwise 'stuff up' the
AIS unit..

Is this correct?

I wouldn't guarantee that at all. I'd need to see the circuitry.
Raymarine has an inaudible collision alarm in its radar/plotter, too.
You can hardly hear it sitting right in front of it. I've never seen the
Sitex unit or its schematic, so couldn't or shouldn't guess at modifying
it.



I have emailed Sitex with this question and had as yet no response.

When I get this treatment from a marine electronics company, I send them
another email warning them I'll be returning it to its seller if I get no
response. I'm surprised Sitex isn't a better company from all I've
heard. Maybe it got lost.


Also, at the moment I swap the masthead VHF aerial between the cockpit
located VHF radio and the AIS unit. In the absence of a proper VHF
splitter I reason that I won't need the AIS much in approaching ports
and if I need to talk to a ship I have time to change over the
aerials.

As I have a chart table located VHF radio and the one in the cockpit I
have a proper A-B switch (rather like the old printer A-B switches but
more solid and metalic) at the chart table for the aerials. I cannot
locate one of these any more.

The only AIS splitter that Defender had is one that is specific for a
Furono VHF radio and which cannot be easily adapted (by me at least)
for other brand use. At US$149 I sent it back as they said if it
didn't work to return it.

Do you know of anywhere I can purchase/make either a mechanical A-B
switch or an electronic automatic anntenna splitter?

You have 2 radios and one antenna...now going to put 3 radios on one
antenna? Is this a good idea? What happens if the antenna fails? No
radios!??

Let's kill two birds with one stone. You don't need AIS from the top of
the mast unless it's to impress the girls with your range. So, let's add
an "emergency antenna" to a handrail and hook the AIS to it, permanently,
until the masthead antenna fails then swap the cables around to a radio.

I recommend the Metz Manta 6 with a handrail mount:
http://www.metzcommunication.com/manta6.htm
Warranteed for life. Best antenna made. Doesn't even require a ground.

Clamp it to "something", anything horizontal and hook it to the AIS. It
will only show you targets on the AIS 3 miles over the horizon, which is
probably more targets than you want to see, anyways....hours of notice.

Let's mount another Metz out on the yardarm for that other radio and get
rid of all this antenna switch crap and ideas of multiplexing, before it
tears up the transmitters when it fails. Coax is cheap.


Thanks and cheers
Peter

BTW, I may be visiting Charleston later this year on my way back to
Curacao as I am contemplating buying a Folbot and need to try a couple
of them out. It is also a reasonable excuse to visit the heart of the
South.


Holy smokes! I bought a Folbot 17 foldup from Jack Kissner, the original
founder of the company, back in 1967! He used to put our boats on a huge
16 Folbot trailer, already erected, and hook it to his HUGE Olds 98 sedan
and off we'd go to one of the rivers in the Southeast for a week back
then. We'd leave some cars at the boat landing where we'd eventually
come out of the river and all load up into the rest for the trip UPSTREAM
(thank god) to the starting boat landing, paddling DOWNSTREAM with the
current, stopping on some nice beach the current had made in the middle
of the swampland miles from anywhere to camp out maybe a day or two
before packing it all back in the Folbots and heading downriver again
until the next place fit our fancy. We'd fish on the way downriver for
our dinner at the camps for all. What a great way to go
boating....cruising down a nice river.

When we got the the destination landing, the drivers of the cars,
including Mr Kissner, would ride in one car back to retrieve the
Olds/boat trailer and other cars while those left packed up for the sad,
sad trip home....exhausted, happy and smiling from ear to ear....(c;

I didn't know they'd started production again and would love to come get
you at the marina and take you to the factory tour, which isn't far from
my home. I'll bring my station wagon and we can load 'er up on top on
the way out. How's that?...(c;

Sea Ray Regattas have nothing on Folbot regattas....(c;

I wonder if they're still making the wooden parts just like wooden snow
skis....almost impossible to break hard-laminated wooden strips,
beautifully finished.

http://www.folbot.com/about/history.html

I see they're not $200 any more.....hee hee...(c;

On Sun, 11 May 2008 01:42:27 +0000, Larry wrote:

Hi Larry and Claus,
Thanks for the responses.

Larry,
Why didn't you tell me this when I had my mast down in Trinidad last
year? I took your advice about lightning strikes and relocated the
masthead VHF aerial down from the top of the mast. Still, I really
can't blame you as I hadn't even heard of AIS back then I hadn't
informed you that I had an A-B switch for the two radios.

you are very fortunate that i am not a woman as I would have expec`ted
you teo read my mind.

Thanks for the advise though. As usual it makes sense.

Thanks for the offer to pick me up from the marina. It is much
appreciated but I don't think I shall be coming by sea even though the
idea is still very tempting. Went to the trouble, expence and time to
travel to Madrid from Cartegena in Spain to get 10 year visas for the
US in 2004. The standard 3 month visa waver programme (note THE
correct spelling in the rest of the world) that we get when arriving
by air for New Zealanders and Australians does not apply if one
arrives by small boat. Any 'crew' other than the captain are not
allowed outseide the port. When I found out about the restirctions
applied to foreign yachts on their movements within the USA, decided
that it was too much trouble. For instance, when arriving at any new
port or moving within any port even if it is from one berth in a
marina to another, the department of Homeland Security must be
notified and the mobement approved. Too draconian for me.

The crazy thing about these paranoid regulations is that I can arrive
by air, get a rental car and drive any bloody place at any bloody time
I so please. I can even buy the materials to make any number of
explosive devices I wish. The only reason I can think of for this
ridculous state of affairs is that it was personally thought up by Mr
Baby Bush himself as I really don't think that anyone else could be so
thick.

On the other hand (yes, you have different fingers)that 10 year visa
has also proved to be a pain in the proverbial in that I cannot enter
the US under the visa waver programme until it expires. The problem is
that it is issued under my New Zealand passport and as it is nearly
full I use my Australian one. Fortunately I have so far been able to
convince the nice people at the counter which I am usually directed to
ignore it as they can see my problem. Thank the Gods that there are
still some sensible people in uniform.

I don't know how long these regulations regarding foreign yachts are
going to continue. I have no criminal convictions, not even a speeding
ticket. I was once arrested at a student demonstration in New Zealand
in 1967 against the Vietnam War but the charge of letting down the
tyres of the police van containing arrested students was dismissed
through lack of evidence. The arresting policeman claimed I did it
with a ballpoint pen which was an outright lie. I did it with
matchsticks.

Better not complain. I don't want to appear un-American and end up in
Guantamo Bay. I have an aversion to torture and am a very weak minded
person who would readily plead guilty to anything once they "showed me
the instruments of torture" as in the glorious days of the inqusition.

Sorry to burn your ears but I always wanted to cruise the eastern
coast of the US.

cheers and thanks
Peter

You have 2 radios and one antenna...now going to put 3 radios on one
antenna? Is this a good idea? What happens if the antenna fails? No
radios!??

Let's kill two birds with one stone. You don't need AIS from the top of
the mast unless it's to impress the girls with your range. So, let's add
an "emergency antenna" to a handrail and hook the AIS to it, permanently,
until the masthead antenna fails then swap the cables around to a radio.

I recommend the Metz Manta 6 with a handrail mount:
http://www.metzcommunication.com/manta6.htm
Warranteed for life. Best antenna made. Doesn't even require a ground.

Clamp it to "something", anything horizontal and hook it to the AIS. It
will only show you targets on the AIS 3 miles over the horizon, which is
probably more targets than you want to see, anyways....hours of notice.

Let's mount another Metz out on the yardarm for that other radio and get
rid of all this antenna switch crap and ideas of multiplexing, before it
tears up the transmitters when it fails. Coax is cheap.



Holy smokes! I bought a Folbot 17 foldup from Jack Kissner, the original
founder of the company, back in 1967! He used to put our boats on a huge
16 Folbot trailer, already erected, and hook it to his HUGE Olds 98 sedan
and off we'd go to one of the rivers in the Southeast for a week back
then. We'd leave some cars at the boat landing where we'd eventually
come out of the river and all load up into the rest for the trip UPSTREAM
(thank god) to the starting boat landing, paddling DOWNSTREAM with the
current, stopping on some nice beach the current had made in the middle
of the swampland miles from anywhere to camp out maybe a day or two
before packing it all back in the Folbots and heading downriver again
until the next place fit our fancy. We'd fish on the way downriver for
our dinner at the camps for all. What a great way to go
boating....cruising down a nice river.

When we got the the destination landing, the drivers of the cars,
including Mr Kissner, would ride in one car back to retrieve the
Olds/boat trailer and other cars while those left packed up for the sad,
sad trip home....exhausted, happy and smiling from ear to ear....(c;

I didn't know they'd started production again and would love to come get
you at the marina and take you to the factory tour, which isn't far from
my home. I'll bring my station wagon and we can load 'er up on top on
the way out. How's that?...(c;

Sea Ray Regattas have nothing on Folbot regattas....(c;

I wonder if they're still making the wooden parts just like wooden snow
skis....almost impossible to break hard-laminated wooden strips,
beautifully finished.

http://www.folbot.com/about/history.html

I see they're not $200 any more.....hee hee...(c;

Herodotus wrote in
:

Sorry to burn your ears but I always wanted to cruise the eastern
coast of the US.

cheers and thanks
Peter


Wow...I didn't know about these paper restrictions. What ****es me off,
being on the receiving end of anything bad, is that there is NO GUNBOATS
AT THE HARBOR ENTRANCE! We're never challenged in any way coming in from
sea on sailboats....even if we show no flag. Noone seems to care. You
could sail right up to the City Marina dock, right past the Coast Guard
Base Charleston, with a stolen Russian suitcase nuclear weapon and noone
would say anything to you unless you wanted to rent a slip or you set the
damned thing off. I think you, or anyone in any boat, ought to be
challenged at the SEAWARD end of the jetties! There's NOTHING THERE!
Noone calls you to even see if you speak English (or Spanish, now that
half our population are illegal Mexicans). I've tried to get noticed by
making calls in Farsi and Arabic on Channel 16 and got no response, at
all!....(c; You'd think at LEAST someone would say SOMETHING when you
called for Googoosh (a famous Iranian Pop singer that makes Iranian men's
blood boil) on CHANNEL 16 in FARSI! Nothing, nada....

So, we'll let the bombers in the harbor, probably rent them a slip for
$US100/day ($AU or NZ 50 by now) but only hassle our BEST ALLIES trying
to do the right thing running the paperwork monster. It makes no sense
at all.

Of course, we have a long history of Naval Stupidity, you know. It took
us nearly 3 years to figure out that those were GERMAN U-BOATS sinking
ships and tankers off the SC Coast that NOONE TRIED TO SINK right after
Dec, 1941. We didn't respond to the U-Boat threat, either, making U-Boat
crews just happy as hell for a long time. We wouldn't even put the
DAMNED LIGHTS OUT along the coast so it made it harder to target the
ships against the coastal lights!

We have 5 law enforcement bureaucracies riding around like a bunch of
cowboys in flak jackets disguised as PFDs harrassing local small boaters
inspecting fire extinguishers and whistles and PFDs, but no gunboats
protecting America from the WMDs on the deck of 1000' containerships
until the container is offloaded onto a trailer and driven past the gamma
detectors just as it leaves the port terminal behind a truck.

How stupid the Illuminati Government of the US is.....or are they? They
don't care about US, they care only about THEM and their MONEY.

I'm a little disappointed in Folbot after researching the website. The
"new" Folbots have no sail rigs available, which was a real blast on mine
with its little rudder linkage and fore-aft tiller. Now you have to
worry about the salt water eating the LAWN FURNITURE METALS the damned
frame is made out of. The old Folbots Mr Kissner made were highly-
compressed, laminated wood just like the finest snow skis WERE made of.

$US2000 for a Folbot? They gotta be kidding! Lawn Furniture covered
with seat covers?....(c;

On Sun, 11 May 2008 16:46:56 +0000, Larry wrote:

Good morning (it is here) Larry,
I always enjoy your postings.

Yes, it would be very easy to sail right inside your ports and waters
without being intercepted. The Coastguard claims the right to
intercept and board any foreign yacht in any waters even many miles
from US territorial waters but I could still take my chances if I were
either an illegal or a terrorist as I don't wear a turban or a
Talliban like beard. I look like a "normal Joe" and thus I never seem
to have any problems with either Customs or Immigration. I used to
have an office within Parliament buildings in Wellington. The powers
that be decided to institute an photo ID security tag system complete
with guards at the doors. I was away when this was put in place and
thus I merely walked briskly past the three security guards carrying
my briefcase with a smile and a cheery "Good Morning" and headed off
down the hall. Amazingly they did not stop me but responded with a
'Good Morning Sir". They had no clue who I was (nobody important).

As an IT worker it was always easy (now getting harder though) to gain
entry to secure office buildings. All you had to do was tailgate
someone with a pass and say something like "Thanks, I left my pass in
my jacket" or simply wait until someone came out and then said much
the same thing. If you look the part, nobody questions you.

Grenada is admittedly need not fear terrorists or illegals but when I
passed through there on my way from Trinidad I anchored in Prickly Bay
amongst the other boats and rowed ashore, walking past the Customs and
Immigration office. I called in and asked for the correct time,
received a reply and wished them a nice day. I was there for 5 days. I
just wanted to try it. I can imagine that, once inside US waters and
mingled with other boats it would be a cake walk to go where I wished,
especially with a BGB US stars and stripes of the size used in car
sales yards (the biggest I have yet to see) quite un-noticed unless I
was stopped by some official on mere chance.

Scarey but frustrating, especially if you are doing all the legal
things. Just doesn't make sense at all.

BTW, I had no idea that the DHS has juristiction over cyclones
activity. This week's New Scientist magazine has an article which
describes the DHS's decision to not try to prevent cyclones from
occurring by such as seeding the clouds with halide but they will try
to steer the cyclone away from places in the USA where it can cause
damage.

Next thing, the Departments of Health, the Treasury and National parks
will come under the DHS aegis. Who knows; Osama and his colleagues may
train European Black Bears as suicide bombers and smuggle them into
Yosemite National Park. From there it is only a few day's wander to
the iconic Golden Gate bridge and another landmark will be destroyed.
Muir Woods is even closer.

Keep up the information regardless of the negativity. That is what
democracy is about - dissent and healthy dialogue and discussion. You
are too young to remember my great uncle Solon. He was the one who was
tasked by the citizens of Athens to change the harsh laws instituted
by Draco where many crimes carried the death penalty. Solon then left
Athens in a self imposed exile for a number of years to prevent the
citizens from trying to get him to change them. The trouble is that
there seems to have grown a 1950's chorus of "un-American" outcries
against those U.S. citizens who rightfully state their minds on
important issues. It is not only the "commies" who brainwash and
indoctrinate their citizens. You and others like you are lucky that
Greece does not export Hemlock juice and there are (currently at
least) no laws against impiety which is how they got my other great
uncle Socrates.

As`an aside, you should know that all Greeks are descended from the
famous ones. My Cretan Grandfather always impressed upon me as a small
child that I was also a direct descendent of Helene (of Troy). Great!
thought I until I started to read and discovered that she was a slut
who eloped with Thesus at the age of 11 or 12 and seduced Paris after
a number of others whilst she was married. I have since altered my
blood-line.

cheers
Peter,

I am truly surprised that neither that little man (Bruce's friend) nor
his kin have salvoed me with the standard "you hate us, don't you"
this time.


Wow...I didn't know about these paper restrictions. What ****es me off,
being on the receiving end of anything bad, is that there is NO GUNBOATS
AT THE HARBOR ENTRANCE! We're never challenged in any way coming in from
sea on sailboats....even if we show no flag. Noone seems to care. You
could sail right up to the City Marina dock, right past the Coast Guard
Base Charleston, with a stolen Russian suitcase nuclear weapon and noone
would say anything to you unless you wanted to rent a slip or you set the
damned thing off. I think you, or anyone in any boat, ought to be
challenged at the SEAWARD end of the jetties! There's NOTHING THERE!
Noone calls you to even see if you speak English (or Spanish, now that
half our population are illegal Mexicans). I've tried to get noticed by
making calls in Farsi and Arabic on Channel 16 and got no response, at
all!....(c; You'd think at LEAST someone would say SOMETHING when you
called for Googoosh (a famous Iranian Pop singer that makes Iranian men's
blood boil) on CHANNEL 16 in FARSI! Nothing, nada....

So, we'll let the bombers in the harbor, probably rent them a slip for
$US100/day ($AU or NZ 50 by now) but only hassle our BEST ALLIES trying
to do the right thing running the paperwork monster. It makes no sense
at all.

Of course, we have a long history of Naval Stupidity, you know. It took
us nearly 3 years to figure out that those were GERMAN U-BOATS sinking
ships and tankers off the SC Coast that NOONE TRIED TO SINK right after
Dec, 1941. We didn't respond to the U-Boat threat, either, making U-Boat
crews just happy as hell for a long time. We wouldn't even put the
DAMNED LIGHTS OUT along the coast so it made it harder to target the
ships against the coastal lights!

We have 5 law enforcement bureaucracies riding around like a bunch of
cowboys in flak jackets disguised as PFDs harrassing local small boaters
inspecting fire extinguishers and whistles and PFDs, but no gunboats
protecting America from the WMDs on the deck of 1000' containerships
until the container is offloaded onto a trailer and driven past the gamma
detectors just as it leaves the port terminal behind a truck.

How stupid the Illuminati Government of the US is.....or are they? They
don't care about US, they care only about THEM and their MONEY.

I'm a little disappointed in Folbot after researching the website. The
"new" Folbots have no sail rigs available, which was a real blast on mine
with its little rudder linkage and fore-aft tiller. Now you have to
worry about the salt water eating the LAWN FURNITURE METALS the damned
frame is made out of. The old Folbots Mr Kissner made were highly-
compressed, laminated wood just like the finest snow skis WERE made of.

$US2000 for a Folbot? They gotta be kidding! Lawn Furniture covered
with seat covers?....(c;

On Sun, 11 May 2008 16:46:56 +0000, Larry wrote:

Herodotus wrote in
:

Sorry to burn your ears but I always wanted to cruise the eastern
coast of the US.

cheers and thanks
Peter


Wow...I didn't know about these paper restrictions. What ****es me off,
being on the receiving end of anything bad, is that there is NO GUNBOATS
AT THE HARBOR ENTRANCE! We're never challenged in any way coming in from
sea on sailboats....even if we show no flag. Noone seems to care. You
could sail right up to the City Marina dock, right past the Coast Guard
Base Charleston, with a stolen Russian suitcase nuclear weapon and noone
would say anything to you unless you wanted to rent a slip or you set the
damned thing off. I think you, or anyone in any boat, ought to be
challenged at the SEAWARD end of the jetties! There's NOTHING THERE!
Noone calls you to even see if you speak English (or Spanish, now that
half our population are illegal Mexicans). I've tried to get noticed by
making calls in Farsi and Arabic on Channel 16 and got no response, at
all!....(c; You'd think at LEAST someone would say SOMETHING when you
called for Googoosh (a famous Iranian Pop singer that makes Iranian men's
blood boil) on CHANNEL 16 in FARSI! Nothing, nada....


Hot Damn, Man! You really mean you want them Gumment men to sit out
there on the end of the jetty with a shotgun......... In the hot sun,
the pouring rain, the (well what passes for in S.C.) freezing cold.

Lord God Man, didn't your pappy teach you nothing? The Gumment men got
to have the white shirt, the air conditioner, the comfy chair 'n the
big desk.

How you expect the Homeland Security to make things secure if they got
to sit around and guard tings. And, the budget so small that they
can't afford to sub-contract the work.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)

On Mon, 12 May 2008 07:32:26 +0700, Bruce in Bangkok
wrote:

On Sun, 11 May 2008 16:46:56 +0000, Larry wrote:

Herodotus wrote in
m:

Sorry to burn your ears but I always wanted to cruise the eastern
coast of the US.

cheers and thanks
Peter


Wow...I didn't know about these paper restrictions. What ****es me off,
being on the receiving end of anything bad, is that there is NO GUNBOATS
AT THE HARBOR ENTRANCE! We're never challenged in any way coming in from
sea on sailboats....even if we show no flag. Noone seems to care. You
could sail right up to the City Marina dock, right past the Coast Guard
Base Charleston, with a stolen Russian suitcase nuclear weapon and noone
would say anything to you unless you wanted to rent a slip or you set the
damned thing off. I think you, or anyone in any boat, ought to be
challenged at the SEAWARD end of the jetties! There's NOTHING THERE!
Noone calls you to even see if you speak English (or Spanish, now that
half our population are illegal Mexicans). I've tried to get noticed by
making calls in Farsi and Arabic on Channel 16 and got no response, at
all!....(c; You'd think at LEAST someone would say SOMETHING when you
called for Googoosh (a famous Iranian Pop singer that makes Iranian men's
blood boil) on CHANNEL 16 in FARSI! Nothing, nada....


Hot Damn, Man! You really mean you want them Gumment men to sit out
there on the end of the jetty with a shotgun......... In the hot sun,
the pouring rain, the (well what passes for in S.C.) freezing cold.

Lord God Man, didn't your pappy teach you nothing? The Gumment men got
to have the white shirt, the air conditioner, the comfy chair 'n the
big desk.

How you expect the Homeland Security to make things secure if they got
to sit around and guard tings. And, the budget so small that they
can't afford to sub-contract the work.


Bruce-in-Bangkok
(correct Address is bpaige125atgmaildotcom)
With their mentality of watching the top of a container whilst trying
to fill it with water and not seeing the gaping hole at the bottom, I
wonder why some enthusiastic Bushian bureauocrat doen't come up with
the really bright idea of posting signs on all the fairway buoys -
"Terrorists are not allowed to enter this port without first
contacting DHS"

Bruce in Bangkok wrote in
:

And, the budget so small that they
can't afford to sub-contract the work.


Their budget could feed and house Thailand quite comfortably...