Arrrrggghhhh - Pirates!!
I guess this entry is only peripherally about real estate. but it's been a long winter and we don't get much irony in these parts, so I couldn't resist sharing a thought that struck me this morning as I watched the news on TV. Of course, the media are full of the story of an American flagged ship being attacked by pirates, the ensuing fight to overcome the miscreants and the captain being taken hostage. All of these things are clearly criminal acts and deserving of a strong response and stern punishment.
From what I can glean, these Somalis who risk their very lives to go into the open ocean in rubber boats and attempt to hijack vessels hundreds of times their size have gleaned something over fifty million dollars for their efforts, which according to some reports they take back to their villages and share with other starving Somalis to buy food, medicine and other necessaries. They are regarded as heroes in their locales as sort of modern day Robin Hoods. As the outrage over their foul deeds as increased, there are now warships from more than one country's navy patrolling the area in an attempt to thwart this "band of merry men". Millions of dollars of military and other resources are being expended to end this foul scourge.
The irony of the situation, which runs so deep and lustrous as to almost defy the imagination, is that one pirate from New York City sacked over fifty billion with a "b" dollars from his hapless victims right here within the borders of the good ol' USA. His booty, unfortunately, did not go to assist the starving masses, but to buy penthouse apartments, yachts, expensive jewelry and so on. Of course, he is not regarded as a hero, but he operated successfully for years without so much as a row boat being called out by the Navy or the SEC for that matter. His band of merry men, pirate scourge all, consisting of derivatives traders, oil company executives, mortgage bankers, and other financial malefactors have successfully hijacked the retirement savings, college funds, real estate value and the actuals homes of millions of victims.
Was the National Guard called out to round up these business suited Jack Sparrows and send them to Davey Jones Locker? Was a multi-national naval force called out to secure the financial oceans? Nope and Nope! As a matter of fact, most of the criminals not only kept their ill-gotten gains, but were actually paid bonuses for, I guess, being able to steal so much from so many.
Anyway, back to the irony. Let's see - Navy warships chasing down starving Somali pirates who stole $50,000,000 - bonuses being paid to Armani suited, Rolex wearing American pirates who stole almost $1,000,000,000,000. To quote one or the other of the Peanuts characters - "I can't stand it!"
From what I can glean, these Somalis who risk their very lives to go into the open ocean in rubber boats and attempt to hijack vessels hundreds of times their size have gleaned something over fifty million dollars for their efforts, which according to some reports they take back to their villages and share with other starving Somalis to buy food, medicine and other necessaries. They are regarded as heroes in their locales as sort of modern day Robin Hoods. As the outrage over their foul deeds as increased, there are now warships from more than one country's navy patrolling the area in an attempt to thwart this "band of merry men". Millions of dollars of military and other resources are being expended to end this foul scourge.
The irony of the situation, which runs so deep and lustrous as to almost defy the imagination, is that one pirate from New York City sacked over fifty billion with a "b" dollars from his hapless victims right here within the borders of the good ol' USA. His booty, unfortunately, did not go to assist the starving masses, but to buy penthouse apartments, yachts, expensive jewelry and so on. Of course, he is not regarded as a hero, but he operated successfully for years without so much as a row boat being called out by the Navy or the SEC for that matter. His band of merry men, pirate scourge all, consisting of derivatives traders, oil company executives, mortgage bankers, and other financial malefactors have successfully hijacked the retirement savings, college funds, real estate value and the actuals homes of millions of victims.
Was the National Guard called out to round up these business suited Jack Sparrows and send them to Davey Jones Locker? Was a multi-national naval force called out to secure the financial oceans? Nope and Nope! As a matter of fact, most of the criminals not only kept their ill-gotten gains, but were actually paid bonuses for, I guess, being able to steal so much from so many.
Anyway, back to the irony. Let's see - Navy warships chasing down starving Somali pirates who stole $50,000,000 - bonuses being paid to Armani suited, Rolex wearing American pirates who stole almost $1,000,000,000,000. To quote one or the other of the Peanuts characters - "I can't stand it!"
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