News Stories

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by bladeofdarkness

weren't pirates declared "Hostis humani generis" ?
enemies of mankind ?
meaning they are held to be beyond protection of the law.

if then, why not now ?
is the act of piracy somehow less horrid in this day and age ?

Not if you live in a nation that has a strict constitution about matters of human rights and very strict laws regarding peace time engagement (without an UN backed declaration of war, most countries have to rely on police laws for selfdefence - I know there exist exceptions too, but those are rarely found in europe)

[bladeofdarkness]

Originally Posted by Jinto

Not if you live in a nation that has a strict constitution about matters of human rights and very strict laws regarding peace time engagement (with no official war declared, most countries have to rely on police laws for selfdefence - I know there exceptions too, but those are rarely found in europe)

interesting point.
however, the act of piracy can constitute proper casus belli.
the Barbary Coast wars were started because of Barbary Coast pirate ships raiding american merchant vessels.

and if so, then we are no longer talking about peacetime engagements.

[Vexx]

What's interesting is that no one has simply obliterated the means by which they can pirate (aka strafe the crap out of each and every port they use). No, I'm not suggesting this because of collateral damage (innocents, etc) but then all the firebombed cities of the last cities were for "the greater good (or evil)" as well.

[ganbaru]

For South Africa’s workers, a Chinese-supplied job comes at a price
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1829004/

As African countries increasingly become the target of a wave of Chinese investment, they face a dilemma: should they accept the money and the entrepreneurs in every case, even if the jobs are poorly paid and illegal? Are any jobs better than no jobs at all? How many concessions should be made in exchange for Chinese investment?

[MrTerrorist]

US treasury stockpiles billions in flawed $100 bills

I wonder if we can get some of these flaw bills as a collection.

[justinstrife]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

Start sinking the pirate ships and hanging them form the mast.

i believed the Marine-time law of "Pirates Hang" hasn't been repeal yet.

I'd take a job manning some kind of anti-ship weaponry to take those pirates out. Probably make good money doing it.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

For South Africa’s workers, a Chinese-supplied job comes at a price
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/...rticle1829004/

Mainland Chinese people have been making this choice for decades!

Originally Posted by Jinto

Not if you live in a nation that has a strict constitution about matters of human rights and very strict laws regarding peace time engagement (without an UN backed declaration of war, most countries have to rely on police laws for selfdefence - I know there exist exceptions too, but those are rarely found in europe)

Uh, NZ? Then again, it's so bleeding isolated from the rest of the world...

[flying ^]

not news to me... but mainstream press is finally taking notice

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...p_mostpop_read

[iLney]

Oh, designed, (reverse) engineered in China ready for mass production heh? Formidable indeed!

Meanwhile, folks at the Pentagon are gleefully preparing a new budget...

[Roger Rambo]

Originally Posted by iLney

Meanwhile, folks at the Pentagon are gleefully preparing a new budget...

Perhaps we'll be able to afford four or five new F-35's after the latest round of design fuck ups

[ganbaru]

Protests erupt as Haiti election goes to run-off
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNew...6B70HJ20101208

The U.S. Embassy in Haiti issued a statement raising questions about the announced results, suggesting they might not be consistent with "the will of the Haitian people."

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Protests erupt as Haiti election goes to run-off
http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNew...6B70HJ20101208

Oh no.

What happened to the Haitian celeb in NY who wanted to run?

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by ZephyrLeanne

Oh no.

What happened to the Haitian celeb in NY who wanted to run?

Are you talking about the rapper, if so the electoral commity didn't accept his candidature.

[MrTerrorist]

Israel ire as Argentina and Brazil recognise Palestine

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by Jinto

Not if you live in a nation that has a strict constitution about matters of human rights and very strict laws regarding peace time engagement (without an UN backed declaration of war, most countries have to rely on police laws for selfdefence - I know there exist exceptions too, but those are rarely found in europe)

The general warning for the international fleet near the Aden Gulf is Warning => 2nd Warning + Ready Weapons => Final Warning => Open fire. And the doctrine is that of shoot-to-disable not shoot-to-kill.

If you ask me, that is taking rights a little too far. It is not like showing those pirates mercy will change their lives.....they came from places that are FUBAR and have no other means to earn their living; must as well make their end easy for them.

[ZephyrLeanne]

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Are you talking about the rapper, if so the electoral commity didn't accept his candidature.

Yes, that's him.

Well...

Originally Posted by SaintessHeart

The general warning for the international fleet near the Aden Gulf is Warning => 2nd Warning + Ready Weapons => Final Warning => Open fire. And the doctrine is that of shoot-to-disable not shoot-to-kill.

If you ask me, that is taking rights a little too far. It is not like showing those pirates mercy will change their lives.....they came from places that are FUBAR and have no other means to earn their living; must as well make their end easy for them.

Not always, some nations practice shoot-kill, like China.

[Ithekro]

The Dutch are using 17th century laws against piracy still (robbery at sea), the U.S. is using its own laws, though much more recent in the writting of them. I believe the British are also using something like 18th century law against piracy.

International law is uniform in defining piracy, but not in how to deal with it or how to deal with the criminals after you have arrested them. Too many language barriers, finding witnesses, who should be the one to conduct the trail. Who can charge who with what....sometimes it is just easier on the system, internationally, to just sink the pirates. But that isn't how things are done. Generally never was how it was done. British authorities would usually try to capture pirates so they could be would on trial in the 17th century. Also so they could find out where they stored their ill gotten gains...and who might be supplying them (or what flag were they under in the case of Privateers).

I've heard some people want Letters of Marque and Reprisal to be issued again in the United States specifically to hunt down pirates. (The U.S. can do this still because they never signed the international treaty outlawing Privateers)

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

The Dutch are using 17th century laws against piracy still (robbery at sea), the U.S. is using its own laws, though much more recent in the writting of them. I believe the British are also using something like 18th century law against piracy.

International law is uniform in defining piracy, but not in how to deal with it or how to deal with the criminals after you have arrested them. Too many language barriers, finding witnesses, who should be the one to conduct the trail. Who can charge who with what....sometimes it is just easier on the system, internationally, to just sink the pirates. But that isn't how things are done. Generally never was how it was done. British authorities would usually try to capture pirates so they could be would on trial in the 17th century. Also so they could find out where they stored their ill gotten gains...and who might be supplying them (or what flag were they under in the case of Privateers).

I've heard some people want Letters of Marque and Reprisal to be issued again in the United States specifically to hunt down pirates. (The U.S. can do this still because they never signed the international treaty outlawing Privateers)

not a bad way of generating some income for the government and taking a bit off the unemployment rate in US.

[ganbaru]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

not a bad way of generating some income for the government and taking a bit off the unemployment rate in US.

Sorry to ask but what are you suggesting.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Ithekro

I've heard some people want Letters of Marque and Reprisal to be issued again in the United States specifically to hunt down pirates. (The U.S. can do this still because they never signed the international treaty outlawing Privateers)

Originally Posted by ganbaru

Sorry to ask but what are you suggesting.

cut down on the unemployment rate and generate revenue.