[Loyalist]

[Zavien Doombringer]

[Corin Stormhands]

It's Disney's fault.

First everybody had to have a dalmation, then a clown fish.

Now everybody wants to be a pirate...

[Republicus2001]

I understand when sailing in US waters if you raise a Jolly Roger the Coast Guard has a right to fire

[Space Wrangler]

pinging.... I know you share my interest in this subject. pinging....

[dasboot]

This should be an easy problem to fix; but I think the hang-up must be along the lines of the debate to arm airline pilots. Is that correct?

[Skywalk]

If the crews were armed with automatic weapons, my guess is these incidents would be reduced greatly.

But the govts of the world would never allow that.

[LTCJ]

Piracy At Sea Reaches Record High

For a second there I thought both Congress and the IRS had purchased houseboats.

[Styria]

ONI World Wide Threat to Shipping

Yes, they do list Greenpeace on the same pages as pirates. This entry is particularly interesting:

D. Anti-piracy and crime current developments:
1. GREENPEACE MAY OR MAY NOT LOSE ITS OBSERVER STATUS AT IMO: The IMO Council voted 20 Jun to deny Greenpeace its observer status at the IMO over issues of threats to safe navigation. The IMO Secretariat later reported that the expulsion would not be effective until voted by the entire IMO General Assembly in November. Greenpeace alleges that the loss of observer status was engineered by ship scrapping nations concerned over Greenpeace protests. However, during the past two years many countries where Greenpeace formerly operated with legal impunity have cracked down in the face of increasingly aggressive acts and those which target third parties for harassing protest. It is likely the decision to expel was a result of several streams of unease with Greenpeace's current campaigns (GP, INFO, ONI).

[dljordan]

ARRRR! Time to bring back the Q-ships.

[Xenalyte]

Aaaargh, matey!

[squidly]

While the article just talks about piracy against merchant shipping, there's a lot of piracy against pleasure craft as well, and it's definitely on the upswing in the Caribbean. If you plan to go sailing down there, I recommend a deck mounted .50 cal.

[kevkrom]

In February, an Indian court sentenced 14 Indonesian pirates to seven years' hard labour each for their part in the 1999 hijacking of a Japanese-owned ship, the Alondra Rainbow.

...

Few pirates have been caught in Indonesia. Those brought to trial receive minimal sentences.

They're coddling these menaces. Hang 'em instead.

[El Gato]

Nothing a couple of Ma Dueces wouldn't solve right quick. Maybe more on larger ships. Even a (few).50 BMG rifle(s) would have a good effect, and would be easier to procure and maintain.

[tracer]

A bill has been introduced which mandates the registration of all shoulder-mounted parrots (SMPs).

The problem with this is the fact that, when parrots are outlawed, only pirates will have parrots.

Perhaps it would help to require the registration of the various crackers most often requested by said birds.

"Polly want a cracker!!"

"Not without a permit".....

[SuziQ]

Few pirates have been caught in Indonesia. Those brought to trial receive minimal sentences.

All those merchant vessels need to be armed. If the pirates ain't alive, you don't have to worry about minimal sentences.

[IoCaster]

Heh...been there, done that. Got the tattoo.

;o)