Cordell, Arthur: ECOM wrote:
ECONOMIC SCENE
Business/Financial Desk; SECTC
*The Container That Changed the World*
By Virginia Postrel
1032 words
23 March 2006
The New York Times <javascript:void(0)>
Late Edition - Final
THE political showdown over a Dubai company's plan to operate
terminals at six American ports briefly focused public attention on
one of the most significant, yet least noticed, economic developments
of the last few decades: the transformation of international shipping.
*Just as the computer revolutionized the flow of information, the
shipping container revolutionized the flow of goods. As generic as the
1's and 0's of computer code, a container can hold just about
anything, from coffee beans to cellphone components. By sharply
cutting costs and enhancing reliability, container-based shipping
enormously increased the volume of international trade and made
complex supply chains possible. *
''
[snip]
Is these an ISO standard for "containers"?
But I just don't get it: It sounds like social planning to me, and
that's something to be avoided no matter what its consequences,
just like the Bush administration is leery of the possible invention
of a cure for AIDS since its deployment might encourage sinful behavior
by persons who would no longer have to be afraid of getting AIDS --
or, even if they are foolhardy, would no longer pay the price
anyway (the wages
of sin is death, remember).
I think there should be anti-trust action against the people who
colluded to standardize containers (ditto the people who coordinate
the design of docks to fit the shape of ships, etc. -- and, if the latter
tried to get around this by buying ships to test with, that
should be against the intellectual property laws -- sort of like
reverse-engineering computer hardware).
The only thing that matters is that G-d's Will be Done. Did
G-d issue an amendment to the 10 commandments:
"Thou shalt ship in standard containers"? The point of life
is not to be easy but to build character.
In hoc signo....
\brad mccormick
--
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works.... (Matt 5:16)
Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. (1 Thes 5:21)
<![%THINK;[SGML+APL]]> Brad McCormick, Ed.D. / [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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