While doing a little more perusing in the Bannerman catalog, I found an odd bit of information. On the page about their ordering and shipping policies, they mention one of their big customers who had the admirable practice of paying in full by check when the order is made. this customer, whom they mention by name, is Standard Oil...

...Now what is Standard Oil doing making large orders from a supplier of surplus military equipment and weapons? Are they buying web gear and tents for their survey teams, or is there something deeper going on??? Hmmmmm...


(Rather like the slightly disturbing statistic in Scott French's amusing book The Big Brother Game, where he revealed that in the 60's and 70's, the biggest private purchaser of bugging and surveillance equipment was the Walt Disney Corporation. I guess those big ears on Mickey Mouse weren't just for show.)