African Pirates

So I was reading the other day about the pirates that had taken a Saudi oil tanker and its crew hostage. They anchored off the coast of east Africa about 180 miles north of Somalia. The US as well as NATO have said that they are not sending ships to intercept the vessel.

What really caught my attention though, was the way that the local population where the ship is anchored embraces the pirates. The surrounding towns have been pretty much barren since there has been no central government in roughly 20 years. But the pirates are helping to invigorate the economy. Once they receive ransom money, they go ashore to purchase supplies and transfer that money into the waiting hands of small business owners.

The increase in funds has taken the people from that area from poverty to a level where they can can plan on making money. At least one woman indicated that she has even opened a layaway system for the pirates. They come in and take what they want, and she records it in a ledger - the pirates then repay the debt the next time they receive ransom money.

The growing economy, although based on fear and illegal activities, has led many to join the ranks of the pirates because they see it as their only way to a better lifestyle.

Here are a few items to really get you in the pirating mood! Arrrr!

• The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything: A Veggietales Movie
• Sid Meier's Pirates!

Jason