Pirates, Somalia and WikiTravel

I'm sure that you've seen the stories about modern day pirates that have become more prominent over the last few years. Most of the stories involve piracy on the seas near Somalia. Reading these news stories finally prodded me to find out about Somalia, home of the modern day pirates.


First off, I had to find out where the place is located. It is on the east side of Africa, in the horn. The accompanying map will clear it up for you if you are geographically vague, as I am about much of the world. It is slightly smaller in land mass than our state of Texas.


On its northwest to eastern borders are the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden (where the problems are concentrated), and the Indian Ocean.
Across the Gulf of Aden are Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

There have been 199 incidents and attempts at piracy across the world this year. 63 out of those 199 events have occurred in the Gulf of Aden.
From whom are they stealing ? 90% of India's foreign trade volume goes through this region.


How did this get started? In 1991, the last "permanent" government of Somalia imploded, and along with it went Somalia's military. The waters around Somalia are rich in tuna. Absent a deterrent force, illegal plundering of the waters began. Somalia's fishing industry took matters in its own hands and went to sea to combat the illegals, and the pirate nation was born.


From the initial "fines" that were levied on the illegal fishing boats, the pirates have upgraded over the years to seizing multi-million dollar cargo shipments and demanding multi-million dollar ransoms. Late in September of this year, Somali pirates seized a Ukranian ship loaded with $30 million worth of military equipment. They have offered it up for a $20 million ransom.

Somali pirates are currently holding 12 ships and 200 crewmen for ransom. Armed with grenade launchers and rockets, the pirates have become quite brazen, recently doing a thirty minute phone interview with the New York Times.


Somalia was formed in 1961 when Italy and Great Britain each renounced their holdings of parts of the territory. A Somali government was put in place and stayed there until 1969, when the president was assasinated. Maj0r General Mohamed Siad Barre seized the presidency, a position he held until 1991, at which time he abdicated. The following year was marked by civil war and a severe drought that claimed 300,000 lives. American troops went in in 1992 to protect humanitarian shipments and became themselves victims of the violence, exiting for good the following year. The film Black Hawk Down was based on events of this time period. Since 1991 there has been a succession of failed governments.

Facts about this unfortunate place:

• Population is estimated at 9.5 million. The population is nomadic and subject to relocation in response to the country's ongoing internal violence, so an accurate count is impossible.
• The prevalent religion is Sunni Muslim
• The literacy rate is about 38% overall, 50% for males and 26% for females.
• The legal system is a mixture of English common law, Italian law, Islamic Sharia, and Somali customary law.
• There is no formal banking system. Money exchanges have emerged in its absence.
• Exports include livestock (65% of total export earnings), hides, bananas, fish and charcoal.
• The capital city is Mogadishu. Here is an excerpt from the WikiTravel posting for Mogadishu:

WARNING: Mogadishu is regarded as the most lawless and dangerous city on Earth. It is not safe for leisure or toursim. If you are planning a visit for international aid work, etc., you will need expert advice and planning.

• Despite the absence of a government and the endless fighting, the country has a healthy "informal" economy.
• In Mogadishu, hotels continue to operate. They are protected by private militias.
• There is virtually no industry today. Most of of the machinery was looted and sold for scrap.
• There are, nationwide, -0- AM radio stations, 1 FM station, 3 TV stations, a half million radios and 150,000 TV sets. I wonder if they get I Love Lucy reruns...
• There are 3 internet service providers and a few hundred internet users.
• There are about 1,500 miles of paved roads.
• There are 60 airports in Somalia. 7 of them have paved runways.

That is all. Yar!

The Fighting Illini

The home state's football team, actually all their teams, are known as the Fighting Illini. Given the high profile of the banned Chief Illiniwek mascot, many people assume that the Illini were the native tribe of the area that became the state of Illinois.

Not so fast, all you braves and squaws in your orange t-shirts.

The Illini were a group of tribes native to this area. The largest of those tribes were the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Tamaroa, Cahokia, and Michigamea. Apparently they had once been a single tribe and had been divided as their numbers grew large, but they remained close. The drawing is of Keemorania, a Peoria chief.

The Illini were congregated along the Mississippi River and the Illinois River valley. This was prime real estate, good for agriculture and hunting. There were even buffalo herds in Illinois at the time. The Illini numbered somewhere between 10,000-12,000 at their most prolific, around the year 1680. The tribes that lived adjacent to the Illini were not the most desirable of neighbors: to the south were the Chickasaw, to the north were the Fox, Winnebago and Sioux, and to the east the nastiest group, the Iroquois.

There were five Iroquois tribes: the Mohawk, the Oneida, the Onondaga, the Cayuga, and the Seneca. The Iroquois were in the beaver pelt business, trading the pelts to the Dutch settlers in New York state. The Dutch paid for the pelts with modern warfare tools: steel knives and steel hatchets, guns, powder and ammunition. While it would take a few years to play out, the beaver pelt business assured that the Illini were going to catch a major whippin'.

The Iroquois depleted the beaver stock and moved west to find more, headed toward the good old Illini. The Illini were still using prehistoric quality tools, stone hatchets and bows and arrows, and they got whipped pretty badly, this in the late 1600's.

A couple of decades later, the Illini warred with the Fox, doing better in the battles, but still paying the price of attrition. Next, the Illini signed on to fight with their ally, the French, against the Chickasaws. The Chickasaws were blockading French trade traffic on the Mississippi River, traffic that was trying to link up to the French settlements in Louisiana. That war ended up with no clear victor, but the Chickasaw became the enemy of the Illini forever.

Now, when you select an ally, you really hope to pick a winner. The Illini had chosen the French. The British and the French warred, and the French lost, with the final bell being rung in 1763. Obviously, that left the Illini squarely behind the 8-ball. The worst enemy was still to come, and it wasn't the Brits.

Progress was coming. Settlers, and the United States Government.

The continual warring over the many, many years had left the Illini pretty well decimated. In keeping with the spirit of the times--and what would mark U.S. policy toward native Americans--the government struck a series of treaties with the Illini. The short version:

Treaty of Greenville: Illini gave up Chicago River delta, Illinois river delta, and parcels on the Ohio River and Mississippi River, plus 150,000 specified acres. Illini got $500.

Treaty of Vincennes: Illini gave up 9,000,000 acres. Illini got $12,000 and 1,500 acres.

Treaty of Castor Hill: Illini gave up the rest of their land in Illinois and Missouri. Illini got land in southeastern Kansas, near the Shawnee reserve.

This was 1832, and the fighting Illini were gone from Illinois.

Federal recognition of the Illini was not restored until 1978. With a current enrollment of nearly 2,000 and 39 acres of tribal land, the Peoria Tribe of Oklahoma is located in Miami, Oklahoma.

That is all.

Football Results

Starting the week at 38-40-2.

Central Michigan +4 1/2 @ Northern Illinois
Northern's second half comeback got them to OT, but CMU QB and Benet HS alumnus Dan LeFevour prevailed, 33-30. We won a thrilla.
"W"

Oklahoma State @ Colorado +16 1/2
OK State 30, Colorado 17
LOVIN' IT!
"W"

Boston College @ Florida State -7
Letdown game for BC and a tear 'em up late in the season game for FSU.
BC 27, FSU 17
Shows what I know...
"L"

Virginia Tech @ Miami -4
Miami won 16-14, no cover.
"L"

University of South Bend -4 @ Navy
Navy lost, 27-21
The Navy kids never gave up, but the other guys were better. Trailing 27-7, they scored in the last two minutes to make the score 27-14, recovered an onside kick and threw a long pass to set up another TD, making the game 27-21 with 1:20 to play. Then they recovered another onside kick to regain possession of the football but couldn't put the ending on the miracle. What a great effort!
"W"

Connecticut -10 @ Syracuse
Connecticut won 39-14
"W"

Mississippi State @ Alabama -19
Alabama 32, Miss St 7
'Bama stays #1 in the polls, and we get a
"W"

South Carolina +21 @ Florida
FLA, 56-6. "When 21 just isnt' enough"
"L"

USC -23 @ Stanford
DAMN, DAMN, DAMN!!! Stanford scored a meaningless TD at the end of the game. Final: USC 45-23.
"L"

Five up, four down for this week. The late TD by Stanford ruined the whole weekend. Year to date is now 43-44-2.
Decidedly unspectacular.

My Wife Doesn't Read These: Football Week 11

The old ball & chain kicked me right in the self esteem, informing me, with utter disregard for my fragile self, that she skips reading "all that football stuff".

Off topic, I: Professor, make sure your pop wears his sunblock and straw skimmer in Florida!
Off topic, II: I walked into the kitchen early Tuesday morning and Chucky was on my radio with Steve Dahl. Very alarming. Next time I would like to be forewarned.

I began the week with a record of 38-40-2. Here's seven bullets (actually nine, two were fired at earlier games, Central Michigan & Florida) for this week:

Central Michigan +4 1/2 @ Northern Illinois
Northern's second half comeback got them to OT, but CMU QB and Benet HS alumnus Dan LeFevour prevailed, 33-30. We won a thrilla.
"W"

Oklahoma State @ Colorado +16 1/2
Colorado is only 5-5, but they've played a very, very challenging schedule.

Boston College @ Florida State -7
Letdown game for BC and a tear 'em up late in the season game for FSU.

Virginia Tech @ Miami -4
Our on-campus 'Cane says there's big emotion building for this one.
Miami won 16-14, no cover.
"L"

University of South Bend -4 @ Navy
The Manatee is fighting for his life (if you can actually get worried with seven years left on a multi million dollar contract). Even so, I just hate to bet against Navy.

Connecticut -10 @ Syracuse
STP Partners has concluded that 'Cuse has folded its tent.

Mississippi State @ Alabama -19
Remember how Keith Jackson would snap off his words, he of the precise diction: Al-a-BAMMA!
South Carolina +21 @ Florida
21 is a lot, we usually give in these situations. This week we get.

USC -23 @ Stanford
Pete Carroll has begun to unleash the hounds.

Three games below grade, still, as week eleven begins. Like Harry Callahan asked, "...do I feel lucky..."

Out With the Scoundrel

Each time that I have witnessed a changing of the guard in the White House, I have experienced a bit of an emotional charge. Watching the exit of the outgoing president and his wife and family (if there was one) has created a little pang of remorse, as I have seen this fellow almost daily for four or more years and he and his loved ones are about to stride off into the sunset. He has devoted years of service to all of us, made decisions popular and not, and become more familiar than almost anyone. If you haven't guessed, I am very, very bad at saying goodbye.

This time around I will have no feeling of remorse, none.

No president in my recall has been more vigorously or cruelly lampooned than George W. Bush. Each president has been the subject of jokes, comedic impressions, political satire and spoofing. None have been ripped with less restraint than has "W".

None has deserved it more.

I love Letterman's film clips of W babbling nonsensically, presented in counterpoint to great oration. Likewise I am thrilled when Frank Caliendo tees it up on Mr. Bush and vilifies the president. I am gratified when just about anyone makes fun of W, tells a joke about him, draws a mean cartoon, anything. This seems a bit irrational, an overreaction perhaps.

I can't help it. George Bush has presided over eight of the most debilitating years that the USA has seen since World War II. No one has been held accountable under his charge. George's mumblespeak and myopic view of the degradation of America's quality of life during his regime are overshadowed only by the dearth of leadership that is the hallmark of his administration. John Kerry's weak opposition in the '04 election is the answer to the "how did he get re-elected" question. The legacy of W's presidency is certain to be unkind at best.

There was a short feature on TV about wecoming president-elect Obama to the White House. I watched W reminisce about how he had met with Bill Clinton eight years ago, saying he'd even called Bill to chat about it. Arrogant turd, we're drowning out here in the backwash of your incompetency while you're dreamily reminiscing!

So when George and Laura toss the keys to 1600 Pennsylania Avenue to the Obama family, I will be pleased to see him go. If the new president had to buy the White House, he'd be getting a deal on devalued real estate but he'd have trouble getting credit. W has left us something by which to remember the Bush presidency, that being the mountain of debt that you and I and our kids and their kids will be grappling with for decades to come.

This time, I have no trouble with good-bye.