Big in Mogadishu.

Pirates are all the rage this millennium. First, ordinary people learned the joys of acquiring music and movies they haven’t purchased. This is followed closely by the release of three Pirates of the Caribbean movies that gross millions of dollars. I can only assume that the movies’ massive popularity is what spawned the new generation of pirates in Somalia. However, now the Somali pirates are becoming so popular themselves that East Carolina University has decided to update the look of its longstanding pirate mascot.

When I landed a job on a cruise ship in the Bahamas, many of my friends told me to watch out for Somali pirates. I appreciated their concern for my well being but my concern was now focused on their ignorance of geography.

Not surprisingly, I completed my boat trip free from pirate attack and I am still better than my friends at geography. However, most of them have real jobs so…I guess we’ll call it even.