"Undermining my electoral viability since 2001."

Non-Software Piracy

Anyone else find it interesting (if not precisely "cool") that real-live piracy is making a big comeback?

The gap in firepower between a modern navy and private/pirate vessels is so vast as to make this more about the inability of the Powers That Be (increasingly not us) to cover shipping lanes than anything; but given that it's an interesting sign, I believe.

The times, they are a-changin'.

Responses

...in northern coastal towns like Haradhere, Eyl and Bossaso, the pirate economy is thriving thanks to the money pouring in from pirate ransoms that have reached $30 million this year alone.

In Haradhere, residents came out in droves to celebrate as the looming oil ship came into focus this week off the country's lawless coast. Businessmen started gathering cigarettes, food and cold glass bottles of orange soda, setting up small kiosks for the pirates who come to shore to re-supply almost daily.

Dahir said she is so confident in the pirates, she instituted a layaway plan just for them.

"They always take things without paying and we put them into the book of debts," she told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. "Later, when they get the ransom money, they pay us a lot."

Here is link to article...

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/11/19/somalia.pirates.boomtown.ap/i...

http://www.themadpigeon.com/diary_of_the_mad_pigeon/2008/11/the-only-thi...

The Mad Pigeon is the brother of a friend of mine (and now a friend, I would say). AntiTool is a blogger on his site. The site is comprised of military-folk, all good people, and almost all of the time with a political angle I can respect, even if I don't always agree.

There's not really a point to this, just felt like connecting the dots with my pirate-blogging friends.

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