A couple of weeks ago on National Talk Like a Pirate Day, I wondered why it is that no one likes a thief, but everyone loves a pirate? In recent years, the answer could have more to do with Johnny Depp and Keira Knightley than a romance of the high-seas or a fascination with scurvy.But leaving that confounding factor alone, it is undeniable that a good number of us are captivated by pirates. Musicians sing about pirates, stores sell pirate paraphernalia, and every year at least 20 young boys and girls with grease paint beards and cheap plastic swords yell “YARRR!” when they knock on your door trick or treating. There are even books for kids featuring “pirate activities” (though I imagine that doesn’t mean pillaging your brother’s toy box or making your sister walk the plank). It would appear that the dangerous nature and harsh reality of the pirate has been antiquated, and what we are left with is a plush doll version sporting a big grin, a larger earring, and a smart-aleck parrot.
So it is a surprise to realize that piracy still exists. Not the computer type either, but the real thing. The type that strikes fear into sailors’ hearts and causes companies not to send their ships through certain seas. In the waters around Somalia and elsewhere in the world, the renaissance of the pirate has become a real threat. It's always a shock that a handful of people in a small boat can take over a superfreighter. But even more surprising is that modern pirates have cell phones with excellent coverage. They must have Ver-Aye!-Zon... sorry, I couldn't help myself.
posted by jw
