Graydog

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While the ship of tanks seems to dropped off the news. The new super tanker capture is generating more news. There is a great article over at MSN talking about the pirate society that is evolving in the region; Yo Ho in Somalia For those that don't want to use the link- Article is below AP Story MOGADISHU, Somalia - Somalia's increasingly brazen pirates are building sprawling stone houses, cruising in luxury cars, marrying beautiful women — even hiring caterers to prepare Western-style food for their hostages. And in an impoverished country where every public institution has crumbled, they have become heroes in the steamy coastal dens they operate from because they are the only real business in town. "The pirates depend on us, and we benefit from them," said Sahra Sheik Dahir, a shop owner in Haradhere, the nearest village to where a hijacked Saudi Arabian supertanker carrying $100 million in crude was anchored Wednesday. These boomtowns are all the more shocking in light of Somalia's violence and poverty: Radical Islamists control most of the country's south, meting out lashings and stonings for accused criminals. There has been no effective central government in nearly 20 years, plunging this arid African country into chaos. Life expectancy is just 46 years; a quarter of children die before they reach 5. Pirate economy thriving But 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." 'They are happy' For Somalis, the simple fact that pirates offer jobs is enough to gain their esteem, even as hostages languish on ships for months. The population makes sure the pirates are well-stocked in qat, a popular narcotic leaf, and offer support from the ground even as the international community tries to quash them. "Regardless of how the money is coming in, legally or illegally, I can say it has started a life in our town," said Shamso Moalim, a 36-year-old mother of five in Haradhere. "Our children are not worrying about food now, and they go to Islamic schools in the morning and play soccer in the afternoon. They are happy." Despite a beefed-up international presence, the pirates continue to seize ships, moving further out to sea and demanding ever-larger ransoms. The pirates operate mostly from the semiautonomous Puntland region, where local lawmakers have been accused of helping the pirates and taking a cut of the ransoms. For the most part, however, the regional officials say they have no power to stop piracy. Betting on better life Meanwhile, towns that once were eroded by years of poverty and chaos are now bustling with restaurants, Land Cruisers and Internet cafes. Residents also use their gains to buy generators — allowing full days of electricity, once an unimaginable luxury in Somalia. There are no reliable estimates of the number of pirates operating in Somalia, but they must number in the thousands. And though the bandits do sometimes get nabbed, piracy is generally considered a sure bet to a better life. NATO and the U.S. Navy say they can't be everywhere, and American officials are urging ships to hire private security. Warships patrolling off Somalia have succeeded in stopping some pirate attacks. But military assaults to wrest back a ship The attackers generally treat their hostages well in anticipation of a big payday, hiring caterers on shore to cook spaghetti, grilled fish and roasted meat that will appeal to a Western palate. They also keep a steady supply of cigarettes and drinks from the shops on shore. And when the payday comes, the money sometimes literally falls from the sky. Cash is king Pirates say the ransom arrives in burlap sacks, sometimes dropped from buzzing helicopters, or in waterproof suitcases loaded onto tiny skiffs in the roiling, shark-infested sea. "The oldest man on the ship always takes the responsibility of collecting the money, because we see it as very risky, and he gets some extra payment for his service later," Aden Yusuf, a pirate in Eyl, told AP over VHF radio. The pirates use money-counting machines — the same technology seen at foreign exchange bureaus worldwide — to ensure the cash is real. All payments are done in cash because Somalia, a failed state, has no functioning banking system. "Getting this equipment is easy for us, we have business connections with people in Dubai, Nairobi, Djibouti and other areas," Yusuf End of Story

This is a nifty resource that we have only recently discovered ourselves. Its very nice to have a place to go to that’s written in modern day English. It sure helps when setting up an event and you want to know if a food is period. Once we get that basic question answered then we can apply all the who, what, when and where’s to see if it will fit into an event. It’s a tasty morsel of a site that we take with a grain of salt.

Didn't even knew Spike had revamped it. However, it is off their website, which indictaes it may well be cancelled. I wonder if they re-did the episode I was in back in the early 1990s? I doubt it, wasn't all the exciting, it was about a kid that thought he was a reincarnated US civil war soldier.

How to crock a hat: 1. Ensure hat is as clean as possible. 2. Steam will be necessary for shaping, so bring a pot to a firm boil. 3. Use steam to shape hat to fit. 4. Once fit is obtained place in pot and slow cook for no more than two (2) hours. 5. Season to taste and serve either as a entrée or appetizer Note- one should not crock hats until actual food provisions have been exhausted.

Bomber

Soldier U.S. Army, even if you make it to retirement you’re still in till the day you die. Hey, that is my real job! Ok, then in the true spirit of this thread- Bra Fitter for Playboy Magazine, now there’s a hands on job! Arr, hoist them mainsails. -Greydog

Damnation seize my soul if I give you quarter, or take any from you. -Edward Teach

And now for the dark side: Demoralize the enemy from within by surprise, terror, sabotage, assassination. This is the war of the future. -Adolf Hitler You can get more with a nice word and a gun than you can with a nice word. -Al Capone Just because you're convicted in a court room doesn't mean you're guilty of something. -Charles Manson

You'd have more luck in getting the Pope to convert to Buddhism than you would have to get Jeff to give up an Irish impression oppertunity! This conflict of dates be a sad turn of events. Fair winds, -Greydog

That alone makes the idea of a trip worthwhile!

[ Which puts him in a rare category: one of two father-son teams of Medal of Honor winners. It's those MacArthur boys always popping up into history!

1860 US Election, not one, not two, but FOUR political parties that all got electorial votes. The was preceded by the 1856 election that had three (3) political parties all getting electorial votes.: Election of 1860 Candidates- -Party- -Electoral Vote- -PopularVote Abraham Lincoln (Illinois) -Republican- -180- -1,865,593 John C. Breckinridge (Ky.) -Southern Democrat*- -72- -848,356 (Incumbent Vice President) Stephen A. Douglas (Illinois) -Northern Democratic*- -12- -1,382,713 John Bell (Tennessee) -Constitutional Union- -39- -592,906 Many of the candidates did not appear on some of the states ballots. (Breckinridge absent in Northern States and Lincoln absent in most Southern States). Lincoln won the office with less than 40% of the popular vote. *Democrat Party broke in half at the convention with each half nominating its own candidiate. Talk about a mess! (Of course the norm for 90% of our history is two parties. Just showing an exception to the norm)

I and a few of the lads be very much interested in this one. When will there be some updates to the website? We are looking for more information before we can commit to fly in from the west coast. Fair winds, -Greydog

The price of freedom is eternal vigilance. - Thomas Jefferson

I thought this was a specialty school about French romance, my mistake, carry on.

Duckbill Platypus

Kiwi

Well met Lad, I see by that amazing colorful woodcut ye done presented that a fine lad like yer self must travel in the finest of circles. And it be obvious ye keep nothin but the highest quality of company as it were. Now if ye don't be mindin tis a custom to be buyin a round of drinks. Which of course be rum in this har poor person's case, tis true. Please have a seat and be tellin us more of yer darin do. I suspect our interest will peak the more ye relate the tale around a bit of rum. So, do go on now. Yer among friends, don't be afeared to lye yer purse upon the table as we will take great crae to watch it fer ye. Great to have ye with us mate, -Greydog

The only man to have recommended himself for the Medal of Honor and then subsequently had it awarded! Of course, it was 89 years after his death. Wow, talk about lengthy processing times. (The whole discussion involves Black troops not getting credit for the assualt, vis-a-vi the current election, this makes this a bit of interesting trivia showing how the country has already changed before a discussion of change even took place.)

Many happy returns on this special day to a lovely lass. Tis nothing but joy that I be hopin ye find on this day. Fair winds, -Greydog

Rabbit

He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money. -Ben Franklin

A kind day to ye, Lass. Welcome aboard and do not let these scallywags be getting any weather on thee. Tis a fine addition to this lot you’ll be and better off they be for it, tis fer sure. Now, as to them manners, don’t let that bother ye one little bit. Why just come here and I be mentoring you on such refinements. Tis no bother at all fer me to be a doin that and would seem me gentlemanly duty to perform. Say, bring some rum with you so we can start the lesson. It will save me from havin to get up and exascerbate me old wounds doncha know. Oh, and if yer purse be too heavy I can hold it fer ye while you’re up and about, as it were. Aye, tis a grand thing havin you with us it will be. Fair winds, -Greydog

This haply finding does be most informative. Thank ye.