So, as a child I was really into pirates. Fast ships, sharp swords and lots of derring do. I loved the Pirates of the Caribbean at Disney World. Sid Meier's "Pirates" was one of my all-time favorite computer games. Pirates rocked!
Even as an adult, my fascination continued. I love reading about Privateers, Captain Cook, and the intricacies of "splitting the booty". Did you know, for example, that while the crew earned a percentage of the loot, the Captain and Officers' shares were limited by a ceiling? The reason was to prevent them from leading the crew into near suicidal battles that resulted in many of their deaths (and fewer to split the booty with). Also, if you lost a limb or an eye, you received an extra share. Love reading about this sort of thing, both fictional and non-fictional.
Lately though, the non-fictional has gotten a little too real. Off the coast of Somalia comes the reminder that Pirates are (and were) nothing but criminals. They shouldn't be glamorized or have their misdeeds candy coated. Pirates, it turns out, are just the bad guys.
(But they're still pretty cool.)
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