My cojones are bigger than yours...

[Zashera]

And I'm a woman!

I feel as though this is the intellectual level of the majority of the threads on topix... That or they turn into contentious troll threads :)

So how about a real discussion? Someone out there must have an interesting question and/or topic?

I'll start off, as I already have a question. Besides it's only fair that I should go first lol.

The Somalian pirates seem to be turning up in the headlines a lot more this year than last - is that because of an increse in incidents? Increased media coverage? Or did I just miss those articles last year??

[SrNanny]

Zashera - you really didn't miss much for last year and 2006. The incidents have increased substantially this year over the last two.

Saw today, the pirates are asking $25 million for release of the Saudi oil tanker and that's just one of many ships they are holding.

A news item today indicates to stop this from happening, ship owners are going to have to have armed guards on their ships, or at the very least, arm the crew members so they can shot back at the pirates.

[Canada]

Sorry if not more input on this topix today than

http://www.thespec.com/OpinionPopImageGallery...

[Canada]

Women-XtraEdition - Indiatimes -$30m paid to Somali pirates in '08

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/30m_paid_t...

http://www.topix.net/news/pirates

[Canada]

... Piracy is progressive taxation ...

A bad action, not ethical? what is the piracy?

http://www.topix.net/forum/news/pirates/T9PNH...

[Zashera]

Canada wrote:

... Piracy is progressive taxation ...
A bad action, not ethical? what is the piracy?
http://www.topix.net/forum/news/pirates/T9PNH...

Indeed, progressive taxation is a form of piracy, unfortunately it's not the form I had been inquiring about :)

What about your own views? Sure the articles are interesting and I thank you for the links, but i was curious to know in your own words what you see happeneing?

[Zashera]

SrNanny wrote:

Zashera - you really didn't miss much for last year and 2006. The incidents have increased substantially this year over the last two.

Thanks for your reply SrNanny :)It's good to know I wasn't just missing these articles! But why has it increased so drastically, I wonder? Is it the (nonexistant) Somalian economy, or is it more that pirates are discovering just how easy a mark the shipping routes have become? there must be some reason for this dramatic jump I think.

Saw today, the pirates are asking $25 million for release of the Saudi oil tanker and that's just one of many ships they are holding.

I saw that myself - did you ever hear anything about that Ukranian arms shipment, by the way?
Seems like a pretty lucrative trade for the pirates at the top, the guys at the bottom probably don't do so well. I was reading an article where the writer was saying that the piracy is good for the Somalian economy because pirates are feeding in large amounts of cash and stabilizing things!

A news item today indicates to stop this from happening, ship owners are going to have to have armed guards on their ships, or at the very least, arm the crew members so they can shot back at the pirates.

I don't know just how much good that would do though. It's rather an expensive, and likely inefficient way to deal with things. Cargo ships just aren't set up for these kinds of situations, and arming your crew members, while a good stat, won't do much in the long run against combat readay veterans of action...

[Canada]

What we see happening is sort of reflected in the small proportion of what we get sent & post vs Bulk Blogging & enjoy reading thoughtful input like you

Media Buyer Planner Fri Nov 21, 2008

Journalists Use New Media More than PR Pros Think

Getting real-time, 24/7 online access to company news and reaching responsive and efficient PR representatives still rate high on journalists' wish-lists, but reporters are increasingly sourcing stories from ...

http://www.topix.net/news/blogs/2008/11/journ...

Comment?

http://www.topix.net/news/blogs

Related Topix: Journalism

http://www.topix.net/news/journalism

[Canada]

Blog News Yesterday

Free TypePad Pro Blog Accounts for Journalists

Filed under Blogging , Deals . Six Apart is telling laid off journalists "Your Tumblr, while clever, will not pay your bills." and have launched the TypePad Journalist Bailout Program in support of online ...

http://www.topix.net/news/blogs/2008/11/free-...

[SrNanny]

The Ukrainian arms ship is still being held and the increase this year is because it's such a lucrative "business". Also seems to be very easy for the ships to be captured inspite of the ships guarding the sea lanes.

I heard on last night's news, the Saudi tanker has been moved further out to sea because of fears Islamic militants are going to attempt a rescue of the ship. The militants do not think the pirates should be taking over ships from Muslim countries.

Don't understand why the UN or NATO doesn't set up a barricade to stop boats coming out from the coast or respond like the Indian ship did and sink the mother ships!

[Canada]

Zashera wrote:

<quoted text> Thanks for your reply SrNanny :)It's good to know I wasn't just missing these articles! But why has it increased so drastically, I wonder? snip...

See you have friend

All Canadians look set for white Christmas

It's a rare sight, but Canadians on both coasts shovelled out from heavy snowfalls Monday, while the Maritimes also coped with hurricane-force winds that helped knock out power to tens of thousands across the ...

http://www.topix.net/world/north-america/2008...

Related Topix: Canada, World News, Hurricane, Natural Disasters, Canada Travel, Travel, Weather,

[Tree Man]

What this world need is more tree'sman tree's man Tree's Man all the time!
http://blogs.smh.com.au/newsblog/archives/roc...

[Canada]

Re-launch of www.WomenmakeNews.com !

A site for citizen journalism, WomenMakeNews.com is kind of an op ed page for women.

The site focuses on women's news and covers the women's angle of current news stories.

We invite blog posts, opinions, comments, photos, story ideas or articles women want to contribute.

In the first few weeks, a feminist ethicist has written about IVF regulation, the sole female war resister has posted her story, women's business advocates have detailed the need for women to create businesses in the recession...