1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Brought to you by the reinvented two thousand twelve Camray. 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:07,480 Speaker 1: It's ready. Are you welcome to stuff you should know 3 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:17,200 Speaker 1: from House Stuff Works dot com? Are and welcome to 4 00:00:17,239 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 1: the podcast, etcetera. I am Josh Clark with me to 5 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:25,440 Speaker 1: be laughy? Who is that a little laugh? I just 6 00:00:25,640 --> 00:00:28,040 Speaker 1: I was joking. I thought who was going to be 7 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,319 Speaker 1: the first one to do it? And I didn't know 8 00:00:30,360 --> 00:00:32,880 Speaker 1: you were going to literally lead in with that. Yeah, 9 00:00:32,960 --> 00:00:35,279 Speaker 1: I like to surprise you. Boom. Well that's a good one. 10 00:00:35,600 --> 00:00:39,000 Speaker 1: It's hard to amaze me. I'm glad you did it. 11 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:40,800 Speaker 1: Chuck study wasn't going to do I know, and what 12 00:00:40,920 --> 00:00:43,600 Speaker 1: I last like thirty seconds? Such a pushover. I haven't 13 00:00:43,600 --> 00:00:47,240 Speaker 1: announced you yet. That's Chuck Bryant, right, Sara, etcetera. Yeah, 14 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:50,360 Speaker 1: this is stuff you should know. The Pirate edition. Um, 15 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:52,840 Speaker 1: I think we should be done with the pirate talking. Yeah, 16 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:55,800 Speaker 1: that could get really annoying. Yeah, you want to know 17 00:00:55,840 --> 00:00:58,000 Speaker 1: what is probably the most annoying day of the year, 18 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,240 Speaker 1: some kind of pirate day? September nineteenth, talk like a 19 00:01:03,280 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: pirate day? Really, I think I remember that because Strickland 20 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:09,240 Speaker 1: came was like slinging ours all over the Austine Tricklin 21 00:01:09,319 --> 00:01:12,640 Speaker 1: Anti dub are being into pirates stuff, Tracy, she wrote 22 00:01:12,680 --> 00:01:16,000 Speaker 1: this right, Yeah, it's a great article. Yeah, she's the 23 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,440 Speaker 1: keeper of the house stuff works voice. She is indeed 24 00:01:20,840 --> 00:01:24,760 Speaker 1: like the old sage on that led Zeppelin poster with 25 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:27,959 Speaker 1: the lantern. Yeah, that's that's why I think of a tracy. 26 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 1: Except when Star Trek Earrings speaking of off comes your head. 27 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:33,720 Speaker 1: We're going to get into that, chuck, because we're talking 28 00:01:33,720 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: about pirates, and whenever pirates got caught, people love to 29 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:40,760 Speaker 1: cut off their head and post it as a warning 30 00:01:40,800 --> 00:01:43,600 Speaker 1: to other pirates. Yeah that's gross, Yeah it is. You 31 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:48,280 Speaker 1: mean to define pirate, Gosh, can you really define pirate? Sure, 32 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:50,520 Speaker 1: a pirate is someone who uses a boat to attack 33 00:01:50,520 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: another boat with the intent to kidnap, steel or otherwise 34 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:57,280 Speaker 1: do harm. Being bang boom end of podcasts. But that's 35 00:01:57,320 --> 00:02:01,520 Speaker 1: not all there are. There are a few of criteria. 36 00:02:01,800 --> 00:02:03,680 Speaker 1: I can't do that, please stop. There are a few 37 00:02:03,680 --> 00:02:07,080 Speaker 1: other criteria. Um, it must be for private gain using 38 00:02:07,120 --> 00:02:10,280 Speaker 1: a private vessel, and it's for gain like it can 39 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:12,680 Speaker 1: be um like green Peace coming up on like a 40 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,760 Speaker 1: whaling ship or something not pirates um, and they operate 41 00:02:16,800 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 1: outside of a government authority, because back in the day 42 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:24,519 Speaker 1: they used to governments use things people called privateers. Yeah, 43 00:02:24,600 --> 00:02:27,760 Speaker 1: and a lot of pirates started out as privateers, which 44 00:02:27,800 --> 00:02:31,280 Speaker 1: are basically pirates, government licensed pirates. They had like a 45 00:02:31,360 --> 00:02:37,280 Speaker 1: letter of mark that said this guy is allowed to go. Um, yeah, 46 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 1: I'll do whatever to say the French or the Dutch. 47 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:43,960 Speaker 1: But the problem is or maybe the Spanish during not 48 00:02:44,560 --> 00:02:48,639 Speaker 1: times of not war, peace I think is the way 49 00:02:48,680 --> 00:02:52,040 Speaker 1: that most people put it. Peace, peace, thank you. During 50 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:55,080 Speaker 1: times of peace. Uh, these privateers would be out of 51 00:02:55,120 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: work and they'd be like, well, I have one skill 52 00:02:58,280 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: and so then they turned to piracy, right, or they 53 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,760 Speaker 1: could have just gone and been like regular seamen and 54 00:03:04,000 --> 00:03:07,000 Speaker 1: um not gotten paid all that much? Yea, And who 55 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:09,160 Speaker 1: wants to do that, right when you can plunder and 56 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:11,760 Speaker 1: get the loot. Right. One of the reasons that people 57 00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,120 Speaker 1: engaged in piracy from early on is the same reason 58 00:03:15,160 --> 00:03:17,920 Speaker 1: that they do now. Uh. The economy a lot of 59 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:21,840 Speaker 1: times when things are down, just like anything else with theft, 60 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:24,960 Speaker 1: and we we talked about shoplifting and stuff like that 61 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:30,440 Speaker 1: another podcast, UM one hour ago, the crime rate goes up. 62 00:03:30,440 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: So poverty led to an increase of in piracy over 63 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 1: the years, and not just it's not only when times 64 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:38,920 Speaker 1: are tough, when times are really good too, and there's 65 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,520 Speaker 1: a lot of trade on the high seas that the 66 00:03:41,600 --> 00:03:44,880 Speaker 1: opposite will attract pirates as well. Yeah, the golden nature piracy, 67 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:47,520 Speaker 1: which we'll get into and uh piracy actually has a 68 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:52,280 Speaker 1: very long, hearty tradition that dates back at least to 69 00:03:52,400 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: the fourth century BC. Yeah, the Luca Yeah, I've never 70 00:03:56,360 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 1: heard of that. I hadn't either, man. They attacked boats 71 00:03:58,720 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: off of the coast of uh what is now Turkey 72 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:04,200 Speaker 1: in the fourteenth century. Yeah, a long time ago. Yeah, 73 00:04:04,280 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 1: that's a very long time ago. That's as many as 74 00:04:07,560 --> 00:04:11,080 Speaker 1: thirty four years ago. It seems like almost since there 75 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:13,200 Speaker 1: were boats on the high seas, there was piracy. Yeah. 76 00:04:13,280 --> 00:04:15,480 Speaker 1: Tracy makes that point too. As long as people were 77 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,680 Speaker 1: applying the high seas with goods that were worth stealing, 78 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:22,520 Speaker 1: people stole them in boats piracy. Um, you might have 79 00:04:22,600 --> 00:04:26,000 Speaker 1: heard of the Corsairs, famous pirates. That was fifteenth and 80 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,680 Speaker 1: sixteenth century, and of course the they were the Barbary Pirates, 81 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:34,160 Speaker 1: the Barbary Pirates, which actually I wrote an article on 82 00:04:34,200 --> 00:04:38,520 Speaker 1: the Barbary Pirates. They were America's first terrorist threat. Really, huh. 83 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: It was Jefferson was the one that had to deal 84 00:04:40,680 --> 00:04:44,000 Speaker 1: with them. And they actually got their start from the 85 00:04:44,040 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: Red Beard brothers who were Turks. But they went down 86 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: to North Africa and I think converted to Islam and 87 00:04:51,880 --> 00:04:56,479 Speaker 1: they used to kidnap and torture and murder Spaniards and 88 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,800 Speaker 1: Spaniards did the the opposite. But these two brothers, but 89 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:03,919 Speaker 1: brothers Barbarosa, which means red Beard, gave the start to 90 00:05:03,920 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 1: the Barbary Pirates. They were very successful for I think 91 00:05:07,680 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 1: over a century did not know that. Yeah, and then 92 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:14,240 Speaker 1: of course the buccaneers, the lousy, stinking Tampa Bay Buccaneers 93 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:18,040 Speaker 1: are named after the pirate buccaneers of the seventeenth century. 94 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:20,000 Speaker 1: So that's just a I mean, there's a lot more 95 00:05:20,040 --> 00:05:23,360 Speaker 1: history in this article, but that's an overview, if you will. 96 00:05:23,960 --> 00:05:26,479 Speaker 1: It is an overview, uh, And it's it's not just 97 00:05:26,560 --> 00:05:32,240 Speaker 1: European or African. The Chinese used to like to pillage 98 00:05:32,400 --> 00:05:36,000 Speaker 1: in pirate after the Han dynasty around to twenty BC. 99 00:05:36,360 --> 00:05:39,279 Speaker 1: They used to like the pirate. Yeah, I'm trying to 100 00:05:39,320 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 1: get this word out as a verb now too. Like that. 101 00:05:41,760 --> 00:05:44,840 Speaker 1: And also I decided the new Rick role is Dion 102 00:05:44,920 --> 00:05:48,560 Speaker 1: Warwick performing do you know the way to San Jose. Yeah, 103 00:05:48,560 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 1: I've been. I've been. It's worked so far. Did it 104 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 1: to Robert Lamb and he was like, that's good. Where 105 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,120 Speaker 1: was that going anywhere? Okay? So, Josh, what do you 106 00:05:58,160 --> 00:06:01,440 Speaker 1: think of when you think of a pirate? What comes 107 00:06:01,480 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: to mind? What mental image do you get? I think 108 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:07,240 Speaker 1: of a guy with maybe a tricornered hat, a tricorn, 109 00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 1: it's called a tricorn. Okay, some hoop ear rings. What 110 00:06:10,080 --> 00:06:13,479 Speaker 1: are those called hoop ear rings? Okay? Parrot that says 111 00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,040 Speaker 1: things like pieces of eight and dead men tell no 112 00:06:16,240 --> 00:06:20,080 Speaker 1: tales and stuff like that. Um, a peg leg usually 113 00:06:20,320 --> 00:06:23,840 Speaker 1: or a hook for a hand. Um. I think of, um, 114 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: very weathered, scarred skin, tattoos. I think of Johnny Depp. 115 00:06:30,640 --> 00:06:33,680 Speaker 1: What about the clothes. The clothes, um, you know, a 116 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:37,400 Speaker 1: ruffled shirt and a little fruity long coat. Um, yeah, 117 00:06:37,440 --> 00:06:43,839 Speaker 1: a long coat leather probably, um and uh I also 118 00:06:43,920 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: think of, um, a nice long sword, maybe a sure 119 00:06:48,120 --> 00:06:52,120 Speaker 1: flint lock pistol and uh. Furies also come to mind, 120 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:54,960 Speaker 1: because usually if you run into a furry, there's someone 121 00:06:55,120 --> 00:06:58,520 Speaker 1: dress as a pirate nearby. Well, Josh, you want to 122 00:06:58,560 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: talk about if that's real or not? That stuff you 123 00:07:00,640 --> 00:07:04,080 Speaker 1: just named in the Golden Age of piracy, which is 124 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:07,119 Speaker 1: this is the when we think of all those things. 125 00:07:07,200 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: You're thinking of the Golden age of piracy, right, And 126 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:12,920 Speaker 1: actually I was surprised after reading this article how short 127 00:07:12,960 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 1: it was, but I guess we'll get to that. It 128 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,320 Speaker 1: was like fifty years or so, between sixteen ninety and 129 00:07:17,400 --> 00:07:21,840 Speaker 1: seventeen thirty. Okay, yeah, forty years, and that's when you 130 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: might have heard of people called black Beard. Yeah, Calico Jack. 131 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: Have you ever heard of him? Yeah? He was you know, 132 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: he was controversial, and I know it was because you know, 133 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: I do know why, but I know you because he 134 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 1: allowed women pirates. Not only did he allow women pirates, 135 00:07:41,280 --> 00:07:43,880 Speaker 1: he had a pretty torrid affair on the high seas 136 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: with one and Bonnie. It seems like a good reason 137 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:49,000 Speaker 1: to have a woman pirate. Yeah, they had a kid together, 138 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:52,600 Speaker 1: which was born in Cuba. Um he stole her away 139 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:56,520 Speaker 1: from her husband and she basically was this housewife who 140 00:07:56,560 --> 00:07:59,880 Speaker 1: went into a life of piracy. And she and another 141 00:08:00,040 --> 00:08:03,280 Speaker 1: mean named Mary Reid. We're aboard Calico jack ship. Right. 142 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:07,240 Speaker 1: Once the crew found out that they were women, they 143 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,800 Speaker 1: accepted them because I think Calico Jack was like, if 144 00:08:09,800 --> 00:08:12,640 Speaker 1: you don't cut your hat off, but don't accept them 145 00:08:12,640 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: too much, as I'll cut your head off. So they 146 00:08:15,320 --> 00:08:18,320 Speaker 1: dressed as women, um when they were just sailing, and 147 00:08:18,320 --> 00:08:21,480 Speaker 1: then when they were about to start fighting, they would 148 00:08:21,560 --> 00:08:24,680 Speaker 1: dress up as men, and apparently they killed as many people. 149 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:28,480 Speaker 1: So if there's anybody else on that ship and a 150 00:08:28,560 --> 00:08:31,760 Speaker 1: witness for when they were both caught later on um, 151 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 1: a witness who testified against them said that they swore 152 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,160 Speaker 1: and cursed with the best of them. Good for them, 153 00:08:38,400 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 1: women's lib way back in the golden age of piracy. Yeah. 154 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:43,880 Speaker 1: So one of the reasons it was the golden age 155 00:08:43,920 --> 00:08:45,680 Speaker 1: back then, Josh, is from what you just said, that 156 00:08:45,720 --> 00:08:50,120 Speaker 1: was when the seas were really flying around between Africa 157 00:08:50,320 --> 00:08:54,840 Speaker 1: and America and Europe. Have you heard the theory that 158 00:08:55,520 --> 00:09:00,280 Speaker 1: African slaves Africa was tapped for slavery simply because of 159 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,880 Speaker 1: a trade wind. Really. Yeah, that went from the east 160 00:09:02,920 --> 00:09:06,720 Speaker 1: coast of the United States right down to um, what 161 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: is that western Africa? Interesting? Yeah, it just took your 162 00:09:10,400 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 1: right down and that's where that's why Africans became slaves 163 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:16,880 Speaker 1: because it was so easy to get there. Interesting. Yeah, 164 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: although the Portuguese already had a lock on the slave 165 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:21,920 Speaker 1: trade by the time you know the colonists started or 166 00:09:21,960 --> 00:09:24,920 Speaker 1: the English very true, we didn't make that up. Uh. 167 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:31,400 Speaker 1: So lots of boats with like sugar and rum and startlingly, 168 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:35,199 Speaker 1: it wasn't like big trunks full of gold coins usually, right, 169 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:38,400 Speaker 1: that did happen, but it was more like goods. Yeah. 170 00:09:38,400 --> 00:09:42,680 Speaker 1: There was one specific ship that that that went down actually, 171 00:09:43,200 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: uh and the pirates treasure that you hear of a 172 00:09:45,760 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 1: lot um, it's pretty much personified or emblematic of this 173 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,600 Speaker 1: one called the Wide Ah. Yeah, it was like pirate 174 00:09:53,720 --> 00:09:57,359 Speaker 1: Captain Sam Bellamy's ship, and it went down in seventeen 175 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 1: seventeen off the coast of Cape Comb, Massage usits and 176 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:05,600 Speaker 1: it had literally chests of gold and jewels and things 177 00:10:05,600 --> 00:10:11,960 Speaker 1: in it when it went down. But normally they pillage sugar, frum, molasses, 178 00:10:12,440 --> 00:10:14,760 Speaker 1: stuff that you could turn around and sell in bulk 179 00:10:15,400 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: to somebody and say like Port Royal or whatever. So 180 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: the Golden Age, I mentioned it was big for two reasons. 181 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,120 Speaker 1: One or that's what we think of when we think 182 00:10:25,120 --> 00:10:27,520 Speaker 1: of the traditional pirates, because the Golden Age was so big, 183 00:10:28,120 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 1: and because of books like Treasure Island and Peter Pan Right, 184 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:35,280 Speaker 1: that's why we think of the pirates is is what 185 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:39,000 Speaker 1: you described earlier. It's like Santa Claus being our conception 186 00:10:39,040 --> 00:10:42,679 Speaker 1: of Santa Claus comes from a illustration exactly from a 187 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 1: guy who is paid by Coca Cola. So let's go 188 00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:48,319 Speaker 1: over those real quick. The flag that you often think of, 189 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:51,240 Speaker 1: the Jolly Roger. Did you do any additional research on this? 190 00:10:52,040 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: Tracy kind of traps around that one. It's a little sticky, 191 00:10:56,760 --> 00:10:59,959 Speaker 1: is it? And this is definitely a family friendly article. Okay, 192 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: can we mention it? No, we can't, But anybody can 193 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:08,000 Speaker 1: type in origins of Jolly Roger in Google and find 194 00:11:08,040 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: it themselves, and we would bear no responsibility whatsoever for that. Well, 195 00:11:11,760 --> 00:11:14,720 Speaker 1: that flag made its first appearance in the early eighteenth century, Josh, 196 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,400 Speaker 1: and before that there is a little non fact by 197 00:11:17,400 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 1: me at least, uh, you would and this makes total sense. 198 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:25,679 Speaker 1: Pirates would fly up miss false colors basically to mislead 199 00:11:26,080 --> 00:11:29,800 Speaker 1: other ships that they were dangerous. Yeah, and total sense. Yeah, 200 00:11:29,840 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 1: that's the smart thing to do, right, smart. It's just 201 00:11:32,400 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 1: like the Jolly Roger, which I also found out from 202 00:11:36,040 --> 00:11:38,720 Speaker 1: this one often had a skeleton, not just the skull 203 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,320 Speaker 1: and cross. Sometimes it was a black um flag with 204 00:11:42,400 --> 00:11:46,720 Speaker 1: a white skeleton UM. So it always struck me as 205 00:11:46,720 --> 00:11:48,520 Speaker 1: weird because you're like, hey, I'm a pirate and I'm 206 00:11:48,520 --> 00:11:50,640 Speaker 1: coming after you. But it turns out they did do 207 00:11:50,720 --> 00:11:54,120 Speaker 1: that purposely because in a lot of um, a lot 208 00:11:54,160 --> 00:11:57,400 Speaker 1: of ways, pirates were so feared that, um, the ship 209 00:11:57,440 --> 00:11:59,319 Speaker 1: would just be like, Okay, you're a pirate here to 210 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:02,160 Speaker 1: take our stuff. Well, yeah, that's best case scenario. What 211 00:12:02,240 --> 00:12:05,400 Speaker 1: they want is for the ship to immediately surrender. So 212 00:12:05,440 --> 00:12:07,600 Speaker 1: that's what the pirates really looking for because then you 213 00:12:07,640 --> 00:12:11,400 Speaker 1: get the you get the cargo, you get whatever stuff 214 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 1: is on board, money maybe, um, and you get the ship. Yeah, 215 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: and a lot. Apparently it wasn't hard to flip a 216 00:12:17,679 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: crew over to piracy. I think there's a really thin 217 00:12:21,600 --> 00:12:26,920 Speaker 1: line between you know, legitimate semen and a pirate. Uh 218 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,120 Speaker 1: during the golden age of piracy. And you know, if 219 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:31,360 Speaker 1: you captured a crew and said I need you guys, 220 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:33,800 Speaker 1: they'd say okay, or what they probably said was, you 221 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: have a couple of choices. You can become a pirate, 222 00:12:36,240 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 1: or we can shoot you in the face or maroon 223 00:12:38,600 --> 00:12:41,439 Speaker 1: you on this island. Yeah. I love that word. What maroon? 224 00:12:41,840 --> 00:12:44,120 Speaker 1: Yes really, yeah, I just think it's a great word. 225 00:12:44,320 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 1: And of course that means to strand on an island 226 00:12:47,360 --> 00:12:49,679 Speaker 1: or deserted island. Doesn't really work if you drop them 227 00:12:49,720 --> 00:12:52,840 Speaker 1: off in Haiti. Um, but you find a deserted island 228 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:55,240 Speaker 1: drop off the crew. Sometimes they would leave them with 229 00:12:55,320 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 1: supplies and other times they leave them with nothing and 230 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:02,400 Speaker 1: you just leave, and it's pretty much a sentence pretty much. Uh. 231 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: Their clothes Josh, that you described are you know it 232 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:07,839 Speaker 1: could have been real because they basically wore what people 233 00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:09,760 Speaker 1: wore at the time. But a lot of times they 234 00:13:09,800 --> 00:13:12,960 Speaker 1: would get the clothes from that We're maybe being shipped 235 00:13:12,960 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 1: to rich, wealthy people or so they would have like 236 00:13:16,480 --> 00:13:20,800 Speaker 1: fine clothes, like the ruffled churts and all that. Parents true, 237 00:13:20,800 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 1: We're not true. I don't think it's true. Not necessarily, 238 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 1: she says. Um, they did capture parents to sell them. 239 00:13:28,920 --> 00:13:34,040 Speaker 1: But um, that's that's from Treasure Island. Yeah, basically hooks 240 00:13:34,040 --> 00:13:38,400 Speaker 1: and pegs legs. Yeah, that happened. Do you know why 241 00:13:39,040 --> 00:13:42,120 Speaker 1: because being a fire it was dangerous. You get your 242 00:13:42,200 --> 00:13:44,480 Speaker 1: arms and your legs blown off many times. So there 243 00:13:44,480 --> 00:13:48,680 Speaker 1: were probably some peg legs walking around stumping around. And 244 00:13:49,120 --> 00:13:51,880 Speaker 1: but that was also from Captain Hook and Treasure Island. 245 00:13:51,920 --> 00:13:54,920 Speaker 1: So a lot of these things are fictional but may 246 00:13:55,000 --> 00:13:59,400 Speaker 1: or may not have happened. And um, flintlock pistols, I 247 00:13:59,480 --> 00:14:02,360 Speaker 1: had those it then, that's true. But they didn't work 248 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:05,000 Speaker 1: very well at sea, yeah, because of the saltwater. Right, 249 00:14:05,440 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: but they still used them when they could the very 250 00:14:08,160 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 1: at least you can club somebody in the head with it. 251 00:14:10,080 --> 00:14:12,960 Speaker 1: They're big. Um. And then along with obviously the swords 252 00:14:12,960 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: and daggers and all that stuff that you're familiar with, 253 00:14:14,920 --> 00:14:17,800 Speaker 1: right uh and chuck, we we are focusing on the 254 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 1: Golden Age of piracy. I think we should say. One 255 00:14:20,080 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: of the reasons that gave rise to it was the 256 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:25,080 Speaker 1: War of Spanish Secession. Alright, what I was talking about 257 00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:29,920 Speaker 1: about the privateers, right, yeah, and that happened many, many times. Um. 258 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,080 Speaker 1: The War of Spanish Secession gave rise to the Golden 259 00:14:33,080 --> 00:14:35,640 Speaker 1: Age of piracy because there were so many privateers. But 260 00:14:35,760 --> 00:14:39,240 Speaker 1: the United States used to give letters of mark pirates 261 00:14:39,280 --> 00:14:43,040 Speaker 1: that actually, uh are privateers that turned pirate. Um, the 262 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: British did it it. It happened, I think, um, well 263 00:14:46,200 --> 00:14:51,040 Speaker 1: into the nineteenth century there were privateers turned pirates. Yeah, 264 00:14:52,480 --> 00:14:58,000 Speaker 1: another falsehood. They are often depicted as steering these huge galleons. 265 00:14:58,440 --> 00:15:01,160 Speaker 1: They would often attack these galleons. But a galleon isn't 266 00:15:01,160 --> 00:15:03,680 Speaker 1: great if you're going to be in a a pirate 267 00:15:03,720 --> 00:15:05,160 Speaker 1: because you want to get in and out. It's all 268 00:15:05,160 --> 00:15:08,160 Speaker 1: about speed. In fact, modern pirates use speed boats mainly, 269 00:15:08,560 --> 00:15:11,000 Speaker 1: which we'll get too in a minute, but they usually 270 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 1: used um smaller uh sloops and schooners, so so they 271 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: get in and out quicker, but no less cool. Or 272 00:15:19,720 --> 00:15:22,920 Speaker 1: they could have also used a brigantine, which um what 273 00:15:23,840 --> 00:15:27,040 Speaker 1: it was. It's like a larger version of the schooner. 274 00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,720 Speaker 1: It could hold about a hundred and fifty men, uh 275 00:15:30,720 --> 00:15:35,280 Speaker 1: and probably about thirty cannons. Not bad, No, you could 276 00:15:35,320 --> 00:15:38,240 Speaker 1: do some real damage with that. So what's lifelike on 277 00:15:38,280 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 1: a boat, Josh? It's it is, indeed, because they're not 278 00:15:43,960 --> 00:15:48,560 Speaker 1: feasting on like fine meals and drinking fine wines. They 279 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,280 Speaker 1: I mean, I guess if they pillage some than they could. 280 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,720 Speaker 1: But when that's gone, dude, they're eating spoiled meat. They 281 00:15:54,720 --> 00:15:58,720 Speaker 1: are eating water tainted with algae, which you could eat actually, 282 00:16:00,040 --> 00:16:02,800 Speaker 1: and they drank it and uh they ate their water 283 00:16:02,840 --> 00:16:05,320 Speaker 1: with a fork, that's how bad it was. And they 284 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:08,120 Speaker 1: ate something called hard tack. Yes, I've never heard of that. 285 00:16:08,160 --> 00:16:09,880 Speaker 1: You know what another word for hard tech is what 286 00:16:10,080 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: sea biscuit? Really is that where that comes from. I'm 287 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:16,720 Speaker 1: learning all kinds of things. That's like a really hard cracker. 288 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:18,320 Speaker 1: And they took that out to see because it didn't 289 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:21,320 Speaker 1: spoil is fast, but I'll bet it was hell on teeth. 290 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,680 Speaker 1: Well yeah, and they also said that it was you know, 291 00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: when you're out to see for that long, it's like 292 00:16:26,880 --> 00:16:31,760 Speaker 1: weevils like crawling around and that's gross. Yeah, so you're 293 00:16:31,760 --> 00:16:35,000 Speaker 1: not exactly happy, and probably after a couple of days 294 00:16:35,000 --> 00:16:38,360 Speaker 1: of eating hard tack and spoiled meat, you are really 295 00:16:38,560 --> 00:16:41,440 Speaker 1: really ready to go butcher a crew to get your 296 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,400 Speaker 1: hands on their food. Yeah. I imagine that you had 297 00:16:44,400 --> 00:16:46,800 Speaker 1: no trouble persuading your crew to go after each and 298 00:16:46,800 --> 00:16:49,000 Speaker 1: every ship you came upon. I would think, So, you know, 299 00:16:49,200 --> 00:16:50,840 Speaker 1: you know how they did that, how they came up, 300 00:16:50,840 --> 00:16:52,400 Speaker 1: and you want to talk about how that they did 301 00:16:52,400 --> 00:16:55,200 Speaker 1: their thing. Yeah, let's let's talk about that. Usually at 302 00:16:55,320 --> 00:16:59,480 Speaker 1: night they would sneak up on the stern side and 303 00:16:59,520 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 1: they would uh throw up the grappling hooks and they 304 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:05,560 Speaker 1: would climb aboard and try and get them to surrender 305 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,680 Speaker 1: as quickly as possible. Right, Like you said that The 306 00:17:08,760 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: ideal confrontation was one where the other ship just gave 307 00:17:12,200 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: up immediately without a fight. Right. Sometimes that didn't help 308 00:17:16,280 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: or it didn't work, um, so they would have to fight, 309 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 1: and they would what did you say, grappling hooks. Yeah, 310 00:17:21,560 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 1: the grappling hooks to get up so they board, sure, right, 311 00:17:24,320 --> 00:17:27,160 Speaker 1: and that you'd want to actually keep your um, your 312 00:17:27,280 --> 00:17:31,879 Speaker 1: ship out of cannon fire range. Um, so that you 313 00:17:31,880 --> 00:17:34,120 Speaker 1: would just get in a few boats and swim over 314 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,080 Speaker 1: to it or row over to it, and then climb aboard, 315 00:17:37,400 --> 00:17:40,480 Speaker 1: and then the massacre would begin, right, or if not 316 00:17:40,560 --> 00:17:42,600 Speaker 1: a surrender, then the masket would be and they would 317 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:44,320 Speaker 1: disable the rudder to which I didn't know, which is 318 00:17:44,320 --> 00:17:48,359 Speaker 1: pretty smart. Yeah, straightaway, so they couldn't steer away or anything, right, 319 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:51,240 Speaker 1: but you could still toe what I imagine, Yeah, I 320 00:17:51,280 --> 00:17:54,360 Speaker 1: guess because the ideal situations to get the boat. That's 321 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,680 Speaker 1: why they didn't want to bombard them with cannon fire, 322 00:17:57,720 --> 00:17:59,800 Speaker 1: because you want to take the boat and everything that's 323 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: got on it in one piece. And plus, even if 324 00:18:02,760 --> 00:18:05,280 Speaker 1: you don't intend to take the boat, you don't want 325 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:08,359 Speaker 1: to sink it before you can get to the cargo. Right. 326 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:11,359 Speaker 1: So there was cannon fire that did happen when all 327 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 1: outs failed. And I think Tracy said they also fired 328 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:17,640 Speaker 1: a grape shot. Have you ever heard of that? Huh? 329 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:20,480 Speaker 1: Whell those like small little cannonballs. It looks like a 330 00:18:20,480 --> 00:18:23,119 Speaker 1: little bunch of grapes actually, and they would spit like 331 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:26,000 Speaker 1: spew out like a shotgun. Yeah, I think somewhere else 332 00:18:26,040 --> 00:18:29,920 Speaker 1: they're they're molded together. I think they do spit out 333 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: like a shotgun, but they're like that bigger around the spray. 334 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:34,960 Speaker 1: You're in trouble if somebody hits you a grape shot 335 00:18:35,040 --> 00:18:37,080 Speaker 1: and actually they would go for the guy at the 336 00:18:37,080 --> 00:18:40,680 Speaker 1: wheel was their first shot if they shot sure at 337 00:18:40,880 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 1: the other ship and the guy steering. Apparently when they 338 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: did capture crew, if they weren't in the mood to 339 00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:51,440 Speaker 1: um turn them. There were several things they could do 340 00:18:51,760 --> 00:18:54,320 Speaker 1: aboard the high season. One thing I read about was 341 00:18:54,560 --> 00:18:58,800 Speaker 1: um they would tie tie somebody to the mast and 342 00:18:58,880 --> 00:19:01,480 Speaker 1: just throw broken bottles at them until they got bored 343 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:07,720 Speaker 1: with that. That was one thing. Hauling so this sounds awful. Yeah. 344 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:10,200 Speaker 1: Keel hauling is when they tied a rope. They're big 345 00:19:10,200 --> 00:19:12,359 Speaker 1: on the rope and they would throw you overboard and 346 00:19:12,440 --> 00:19:15,040 Speaker 1: drag you under the keel of the boat, which pretty 347 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:17,840 Speaker 1: much means you you drowned. Yeah, or and along the 348 00:19:17,880 --> 00:19:20,159 Speaker 1: way we're cut up by the barnacles that were stuck 349 00:19:20,160 --> 00:19:21,600 Speaker 1: to the ship. And they would do this to their 350 00:19:21,600 --> 00:19:24,840 Speaker 1: own guys. Apparently there was a strict code on the 351 00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: boat with the crew, and if you disobeyed the code, 352 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: you would be treated just like the enemy would be. Uh. 353 00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:35,920 Speaker 1: One thing that is fiction is walking the plank. Chuck, 354 00:19:36,280 --> 00:19:38,080 Speaker 1: I did not know that either. Yeah, this is like 355 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: the totem pole. I'm just I'm learning. Apparently, right, that 356 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:45,959 Speaker 1: was all. That's all just made up for books, right, 357 00:19:46,040 --> 00:19:50,320 Speaker 1: walking the plank. Yep, that's disappointing. Um, so let's see 358 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:54,000 Speaker 1: what else, chuck. Oh Uh, Tracy made a really excellent 359 00:19:54,080 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 1: point that I hadn't thought of. But if you have 360 00:19:57,160 --> 00:20:00,320 Speaker 1: two ships and they're the same same type of ship, 361 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:03,879 Speaker 1: how does one catch the other? If you're using sales 362 00:20:03,920 --> 00:20:08,320 Speaker 1: and oars, right, the same number of oars, same wind. Um. Apparently, 363 00:20:08,840 --> 00:20:10,959 Speaker 1: if you were a decent pirate, you would beat your 364 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:13,560 Speaker 1: ship every once in a while and then clean off 365 00:20:13,680 --> 00:20:16,200 Speaker 1: the hole and the barnacles off the hole to make 366 00:20:16,240 --> 00:20:18,920 Speaker 1: it slide through a lot faster. Remember we were talking 367 00:20:18,960 --> 00:20:22,080 Speaker 1: about ships that are being outfitted with that ouze that 368 00:20:22,160 --> 00:20:27,320 Speaker 1: resembles a pilot whale skin. Um, the pilot whales keep 369 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:29,800 Speaker 1: barnacles off, and this ouze is the aim of the 370 00:20:29,840 --> 00:20:32,679 Speaker 1: ouze is to keep um barnacles off of these ships 371 00:20:32,720 --> 00:20:35,520 Speaker 1: to go fat or more efficiently at least, and go faster. 372 00:20:35,640 --> 00:20:38,280 Speaker 1: And yeah, I think it was gonna cut fuel consumption 373 00:20:38,359 --> 00:20:44,040 Speaker 1: by like twenty percentage of consumption consumption. So that is 374 00:20:44,040 --> 00:20:45,760 Speaker 1: how you would catch up to somebody else. You could 375 00:20:45,800 --> 00:20:48,680 Speaker 1: also offload cargo, store it, maybe bury it in North 376 00:20:48,680 --> 00:20:53,679 Speaker 1: Carolina and um, yeah, that is an interesting point. I 377 00:20:53,680 --> 00:20:56,680 Speaker 1: ever thought about that because they they have the same wind. 378 00:20:57,160 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 1: That's right. Are we done with old pirates? Seems like okay, 379 00:21:02,040 --> 00:21:04,639 Speaker 1: modern modern times. Yeah, there was like there was a 380 00:21:04,720 --> 00:21:08,480 Speaker 1: lull between the nineteenth century and the twenty first century really, 381 00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:11,640 Speaker 1: and all of a sudden, we have pirates again. Yeah. 382 00:21:11,640 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 1: I mean there's probably little pirateing here, and they're not 383 00:21:13,560 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 1: like we've been seeing lately. Yeah, this one could almost 384 00:21:16,320 --> 00:21:19,959 Speaker 1: call this the second Golden Age of piracy. Josh, if 385 00:21:20,040 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 1: one were so inclined. Do you know why that is 386 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,879 Speaker 1: flourishing again? Economy much for the same reasons that it 387 00:21:25,920 --> 00:21:31,080 Speaker 1: flourished back then. Economy is bad. Um, ship masters have 388 00:21:31,200 --> 00:21:35,720 Speaker 1: been reluctant to report them who ship masters? Ship masters 389 00:21:35,720 --> 00:21:38,200 Speaker 1: are reluctant to report the attacks because it can take 390 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:40,280 Speaker 1: a long time and be expensive and hold them up, 391 00:21:40,760 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: so they'll just let it go undone. And they because 392 00:21:43,760 --> 00:21:47,679 Speaker 1: of the economy, their staffing crews with smaller, smaller crews, 393 00:21:48,080 --> 00:21:50,879 Speaker 1: ships of smaller cruise and the vast majority of modern 394 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:54,320 Speaker 1: pirate attacks are happening in the Gulf of Aiden, and 395 00:21:54,400 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 1: they are being undertaken by Somali pirates. And one of 396 00:21:57,080 --> 00:21:59,160 Speaker 1: the reasons why the pirates are getting away from it 397 00:21:59,200 --> 00:22:01,560 Speaker 1: is because some only is as far as I know, 398 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:04,320 Speaker 1: the one nation on the entire planet that doesn't have 399 00:22:04,359 --> 00:22:08,919 Speaker 1: a functioning central government. It's truly lawless, great place for 400 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:12,920 Speaker 1: pirates to hang out, right, Um, we're land based these days. 401 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,400 Speaker 1: Well they're hugging shore more right, but they have their 402 00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,960 Speaker 1: operations based on land all right. Well, I mean they 403 00:22:18,960 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 1: did that. They did the same thing during other ages 404 00:22:21,160 --> 00:22:26,040 Speaker 1: of piracy, like the buccaneers all hung out in Port Royal. Yeah. Um. 405 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:31,080 Speaker 1: So the other reason the Gulf of Aiden is such 406 00:22:31,080 --> 00:22:34,919 Speaker 1: a hotspot for piracy. Apparently ten or eleven percent of 407 00:22:34,960 --> 00:22:37,960 Speaker 1: all of the world's oil goes through the Gulf of Aden, 408 00:22:38,440 --> 00:22:43,359 Speaker 1: which is a relatively relatively narrow stretch UM between the 409 00:22:43,359 --> 00:22:48,160 Speaker 1: Middle East and North Africa, northeastern Africa, UM, And it's 410 00:22:48,359 --> 00:22:51,360 Speaker 1: two fifty miles wide, and it's like that for nine miles, 411 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:53,960 Speaker 1: so it's like a bottleneck. And then you're going right 412 00:22:54,000 --> 00:22:57,760 Speaker 1: alongside the only country on the planet without a functioning 413 00:22:57,800 --> 00:23:01,919 Speaker 1: central government. And I think eight percent of all of 414 00:23:01,960 --> 00:23:06,480 Speaker 1: the goods shipped UM globally go through the Gulf of 415 00:23:06,520 --> 00:23:08,639 Speaker 1: Aiden as well. Really yeah, so there's a lot of 416 00:23:08,720 --> 00:23:12,280 Speaker 1: cash that flows through that that goalf. So you know 417 00:23:12,320 --> 00:23:15,719 Speaker 1: how they operate nowadays, I do kind of just like 418 00:23:15,720 --> 00:23:21,040 Speaker 1: they used to, except with rocket propelled grenade. They have RPGs. 419 00:23:21,080 --> 00:23:22,600 Speaker 1: But they will do the same thing. They'll get a 420 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:25,639 Speaker 1: smaller boat, it's faster boat. They will sneak up on 421 00:23:25,840 --> 00:23:28,440 Speaker 1: the stern and the dead of night with their grappling 422 00:23:28,440 --> 00:23:31,480 Speaker 1: hooks and board the ship. And of course now they 423 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:33,879 Speaker 1: have you know, a crew of like that one incident 424 00:23:33,880 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: earlier this year was like six or eight guys, wouldn't it. Yeah, 425 00:23:36,400 --> 00:23:38,120 Speaker 1: So not as hard to overtake a ship these days 426 00:23:38,119 --> 00:23:40,520 Speaker 1: when you have machine guns and RPGs and a crew 427 00:23:40,520 --> 00:23:42,200 Speaker 1: of six that you have to overtake. Are you talking 428 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:45,639 Speaker 1: about the Maresk, Alabama one where the Navy came in 429 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:48,120 Speaker 1: and the snipers killed the guy he did a little 430 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,240 Speaker 1: two tap. I would demend it. So yeah, but they're 431 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:53,879 Speaker 1: not after cargo, which I didn't know. I thought, like, 432 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:56,800 Speaker 1: it depends, well, I guess it does. But Tracy made 433 00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:00,000 Speaker 1: the point that they can't overtake these huge cargo ships 434 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:02,199 Speaker 1: is they don't have the means to get rid of 435 00:24:02,200 --> 00:24:05,879 Speaker 1: all that stuff. So they're usually after uh like smaller 436 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:09,280 Speaker 1: equipment on the boat in personal loot and sometimes they 437 00:24:09,320 --> 00:24:11,400 Speaker 1: carry a lot of money in safe And I found 438 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:13,239 Speaker 1: it interesting because I think she wrote this in like 439 00:24:13,240 --> 00:24:16,359 Speaker 1: two thousand five, maybe two thousand six, and it seems 440 00:24:16,400 --> 00:24:19,600 Speaker 1: like two thousand seven or eight was when things really changed. 441 00:24:19,760 --> 00:24:25,199 Speaker 1: Remember the the cargo ship filled with Russian tanks that 442 00:24:25,320 --> 00:24:29,159 Speaker 1: was held, the cargo, the tanker filled with oil that 443 00:24:29,280 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 1: was held. So so they are going after the cargo 444 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: now they're just holding it for ransom. They're not trying 445 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:36,080 Speaker 1: to fence it. Like you can't fence a hundred Russian 446 00:24:36,160 --> 00:24:41,480 Speaker 1: tanks or a container ship full of oil, but you 447 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:45,360 Speaker 1: can't hold the hostage and get money. You can hold 448 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:47,480 Speaker 1: it ransom and get money for you know, to to 449 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:49,920 Speaker 1: release it. And that's what they've been doing successfully. Yeah. 450 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:52,119 Speaker 1: I never followed up, but I did remember hearing about 451 00:24:52,119 --> 00:24:55,399 Speaker 1: a couple that was sailing around the world and they 452 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:59,240 Speaker 1: were um kidnapped by pirates. I read something in the 453 00:24:59,240 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 1: New York Times that was this year, I think, but 454 00:25:00,960 --> 00:25:02,679 Speaker 1: I never found out what happened to them. Like a 455 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:05,280 Speaker 1: wealthy couple. Do you remember that guy who um was 456 00:25:05,560 --> 00:25:09,320 Speaker 1: He had like a walk on part as and I 457 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:11,919 Speaker 1: think is like, uh, I don't remember what he was, 458 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:15,040 Speaker 1: but it was on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and he 459 00:25:15,440 --> 00:25:19,479 Speaker 1: killed some couple for their yacht. But this wasn't him. No, okay, 460 00:25:19,760 --> 00:25:23,640 Speaker 1: he wasn't a pirate. He's a Mighty Morphin Power Ranger Chuck. Yes, 461 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:27,280 Speaker 1: Let's say we are aboard a cargo ship filled with 462 00:25:27,320 --> 00:25:31,119 Speaker 1: oil and pirates are heading our way with RPGs um 463 00:25:31,240 --> 00:25:35,200 Speaker 1: rocket launchers a K forty seven's what do we do? Well, 464 00:25:35,240 --> 00:25:37,080 Speaker 1: if you see them headed, I'm not really sure. I 465 00:25:37,080 --> 00:25:41,159 Speaker 1: know you can do beforehand. You cannot discuss your route 466 00:25:41,280 --> 00:25:43,480 Speaker 1: while you're in port. Yeah, like you don't don't go 467 00:25:43,520 --> 00:25:45,800 Speaker 1: to the bar and say, yeah, we got a shipment 468 00:25:45,840 --> 00:25:47,879 Speaker 1: of diamonds. We're gonna be taken to the Straits of 469 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:52,480 Speaker 1: horror muth And I'll bet that guy that was good. 470 00:25:52,520 --> 00:25:57,320 Speaker 1: Actually that was the jackass shipmate who has a loud mouth. 471 00:25:57,359 --> 00:25:59,600 Speaker 1: That was a perfect impression. And you know what, I'll 472 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,000 Speaker 1: bet that rule of thumb is this. It goes back 473 00:26:02,040 --> 00:26:04,240 Speaker 1: to the Luca. Yeah, I bet, I bet so. Yeah, 474 00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:06,679 Speaker 1: you just keep your mouth shut. Yeah, we've learned that 475 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:09,200 Speaker 1: a lot on the show. Kind of if only we could, 476 00:26:09,400 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 1: um keep constant watch obviously to have someone up and 477 00:26:13,119 --> 00:26:17,680 Speaker 1: what's it called the crow's nest looking out avoid bottlenecks, which, 478 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,320 Speaker 1: unfortunately with that one route you're talking about, it sounds 479 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,719 Speaker 1: like it's kind of hard to do, if not impossible, 480 00:26:24,160 --> 00:26:26,720 Speaker 1: and uh, search your ship, you know, make sure no 481 00:26:26,760 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: one's stowing away. Sometimes pirates will already be there as stowaways. 482 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:34,320 Speaker 1: It's like surprise call for help. I think there's uh 483 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,320 Speaker 1: their systems now that monitor where your boats are. If 484 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: you're a cargo boat, shiplock, shiplock, there you go. What 485 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,040 Speaker 1: do they do? It's like low jack for your ship. Okay, yeah, 486 00:26:43,080 --> 00:26:45,200 Speaker 1: well there you have it. Um, But yeah, if we 487 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:47,840 Speaker 1: if you do see some pirates coming aboard. If you 488 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:51,760 Speaker 1: ever happen to find yourself commanding an oil tanker and 489 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:55,080 Speaker 1: you see, uh, you see pirates coming towards you, you 490 00:26:55,119 --> 00:26:58,920 Speaker 1: do call for help. As Chuck said, you also want 491 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:02,160 Speaker 1: to sound your alarm, turn on your lights. You want 492 00:27:02,200 --> 00:27:04,560 Speaker 1: the pirates to know that you've seen them, so there's 493 00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,919 Speaker 1: no element of surprise. Yeah, it may actually deter their 494 00:27:07,920 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 1: attacks because you know, you're a huge cargo ship and 495 00:27:10,640 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 1: they're like five guys. Um. A lot of ships, especially tankers, 496 00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:18,400 Speaker 1: have their own fire hoses, like the big kind um, 497 00:27:18,440 --> 00:27:20,199 Speaker 1: and you can spray guys as they try to come 498 00:27:20,280 --> 00:27:22,560 Speaker 1: up the side of the ship. Kind Yeah, well you 499 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: know it's like yeah, um and uh, if you aren't 500 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,400 Speaker 1: transporting oil or any kind of flamable material, there's actually, 501 00:27:32,920 --> 00:27:36,560 Speaker 1: um a new kind of technology that electrifies the whole 502 00:27:36,640 --> 00:27:38,760 Speaker 1: I heard about that. So the guy tries to climb up, 503 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 1: he's like surprise, Yeah, exactly. That'd be awesome. Oh it 504 00:27:42,040 --> 00:27:43,840 Speaker 1: would be dude. If I had that system, I would 505 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:46,480 Speaker 1: go through that shipping channeling you're talking about, and I 506 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:49,040 Speaker 1: would just like camp out the donuts in the Gulf 507 00:27:49,040 --> 00:27:51,320 Speaker 1: of Aiden. Yeah, just to smoke a cigar and crack 508 00:27:51,359 --> 00:27:53,840 Speaker 1: of beer and be like, can I get it? So 509 00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:58,000 Speaker 1: that's pirates that I that I'm sure that it's not 510 00:27:58,520 --> 00:28:00,400 Speaker 1: at all. It's the tip of the ice. Or even 511 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,280 Speaker 1: as far as Tracy's article goes, there's still more that 512 00:28:03,320 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 1: we didn't touch on. But yeah, it's such a rich, 513 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:10,200 Speaker 1: beautiful history films and corsairs and swashbuckling, etcetera. And we're 514 00:28:10,200 --> 00:28:13,080 Speaker 1: not touching on film and TV at all, because if 515 00:28:13,080 --> 00:28:15,959 Speaker 1: we mentioned a hundred pirate things, we would get an 516 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,479 Speaker 1: email saying, I can't believe you didn't mention Pirate X 517 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,560 Speaker 1: from movie X y Z. And actually there's a little 518 00:28:23,600 --> 00:28:26,560 Speaker 1: graph that Tracy had made for this article that it's 519 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,280 Speaker 1: it's our ten favorite pirates. But we're just gonna go 520 00:28:29,320 --> 00:28:31,480 Speaker 1: ahead and break the news that this is Tracy's ten 521 00:28:31,520 --> 00:28:33,480 Speaker 1: favorite pirates. Is your favorite? I didn't see that black 522 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:36,440 Speaker 1: Beard black Beards number one for historical pirates, and then 523 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:40,800 Speaker 1: in fiction tread Pirate Roberts, the guy from Prince's Pride, 524 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, yeah yeah, and the guy from Fireflies in 525 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 1: there too. I like Jack Sparrow. I didn't like those 526 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,560 Speaker 1: movies weren't the best ever, but he was pretty awesome. 527 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 1: We just fell into what you said we weren't going 528 00:28:50,680 --> 00:28:54,080 Speaker 1: to do. Yeah, but come on, all right, Well we 529 00:28:54,080 --> 00:28:56,800 Speaker 1: welcome your emails. We'll give you the email address you 530 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: can send your angry pirate emails too. And this second, um, 531 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,680 Speaker 1: let me say this, so no email with multiple ours 532 00:29:04,720 --> 00:29:07,240 Speaker 1: will be read or answered to. As a matter of fact, 533 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:09,440 Speaker 1: I think we set up a spam filter that if 534 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:12,120 Speaker 1: our appears in the email, it's just automatically deletes. We 535 00:29:12,200 --> 00:29:15,160 Speaker 1: can see okay, um, if you want to learn more 536 00:29:15,160 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: about pirates, type that word in pirates, pirate, um, something 537 00:29:19,040 --> 00:29:21,040 Speaker 1: like that into the handy search bar at how stuff 538 00:29:21,080 --> 00:29:23,560 Speaker 1: works dot com, which means it's time for a listener 539 00:29:23,640 --> 00:29:29,000 Speaker 1: May is indeed, Josh, today we have a listener mail. 540 00:29:29,120 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 1: I am going to call uh. Jerry was amazed by 541 00:29:32,560 --> 00:29:36,719 Speaker 1: this email. Awesome and I was too. Hey, guys, I 542 00:29:36,760 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 1: was listening to your podcast on hostage negotiation and you 543 00:29:40,640 --> 00:29:43,040 Speaker 1: had a little back and forth at about the ten 544 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,440 Speaker 1: minute mark that made me laugh a little bit. This 545 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:48,360 Speaker 1: isn't the one? Isn't this is the one? So should 546 00:29:48,400 --> 00:29:51,240 Speaker 1: we play that now? Yes? Let's I love doing that. 547 00:29:53,360 --> 00:29:57,440 Speaker 1: It's usually just a regular domestic scene and the worst ones, man, 548 00:29:57,840 --> 00:29:59,959 Speaker 1: the worst ones of those you see on the New 549 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,800 Speaker 1: is where you see some dudes got a baby acting 550 00:30:03,840 --> 00:30:08,040 Speaker 1: as a human shield. Who does that? You've never seen that? No, oh, man, 551 00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,680 Speaker 1: it's it's the worst watching those cop shows. A baby 552 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:14,480 Speaker 1: is a human shields. It's like the dad is out 553 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:17,080 Speaker 1: of his mind and uh on drugs or something and 554 00:30:17,120 --> 00:30:19,200 Speaker 1: he'll have his baby and it's just it's the worst 555 00:30:19,200 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 1: thing in the world to watch unfold. Okay, Josh, this 556 00:30:23,880 --> 00:30:25,800 Speaker 1: from Danny, And here's what Danny has to say about that. 557 00:30:25,800 --> 00:30:29,960 Speaker 1: Except this is the one. I was one of those babies. 558 00:30:30,840 --> 00:30:32,760 Speaker 1: We were living in Queens, New York at the time, 559 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:36,320 Speaker 1: and my father barricaded himself on our top floor apartment 560 00:30:36,400 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 1: for hours. He was holding me and threatening to jump 561 00:30:39,600 --> 00:30:41,680 Speaker 1: out of the window with me in his arms if 562 00:30:41,720 --> 00:30:44,400 Speaker 1: the police got too close. He didn't have any elaborate 563 00:30:44,440 --> 00:30:47,160 Speaker 1: demands other than wanting my mother to not take me 564 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,320 Speaker 1: away from him in a custody dispute. The police used 565 00:30:50,320 --> 00:30:53,240 Speaker 1: a negotiator to try and distract him so the swat 566 00:30:53,280 --> 00:30:55,760 Speaker 1: team could do their own thing. Could do their thing, 567 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:58,200 Speaker 1: but they deemed it too risky to try an assault 568 00:30:58,200 --> 00:31:02,120 Speaker 1: with him dangling me out the window like Michael Jackson did. 569 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 1: That's not in there. I just threw that in. Eventually, 570 00:31:05,520 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 1: the negotiators started playing to his religious beliefs, good tactic, 571 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 1: and got him to let a priest come into the apartment. 572 00:31:12,720 --> 00:31:15,400 Speaker 1: They were finally able to take him down without brute force. 573 00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:17,880 Speaker 1: You can imagine how much I appreciate the art of 574 00:31:17,920 --> 00:31:21,800 Speaker 1: obstage negotiations. No kidding, Danny. Uh. The story made the 575 00:31:21,840 --> 00:31:24,280 Speaker 1: cover of every New York newspaper that day, and I 576 00:31:24,320 --> 00:31:28,000 Speaker 1: have all of them saved odd souvenirs. I guess, thanks 577 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:31,760 Speaker 1: for the great show. I know. So I couldn't believe 578 00:31:31,800 --> 00:31:33,160 Speaker 1: this happened in Danny, and I wrote him back and 579 00:31:33,160 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 1: I asked what happened to his dad? And um, I 580 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:37,400 Speaker 1: have not heard back from him, so I'm not really sure. 581 00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:41,760 Speaker 1: But dude, Danny, glad you're around. Man. I know I 582 00:31:41,800 --> 00:31:45,760 Speaker 1: am too. That's just mind boggling. Actually, Uh, it turns 583 00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:48,240 Speaker 1: out people do use babies as human shields, and they 584 00:31:48,240 --> 00:31:51,920 Speaker 1: listen to stuff you should know twenty years on. If 585 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:56,480 Speaker 1: you have an absolutely nutty, mind boggling real life story, Chuck, 586 00:31:56,680 --> 00:32:00,000 Speaker 1: Jerry and I are always interested in those. If you're Somalipoe, 587 00:32:00,440 --> 00:32:02,480 Speaker 1: then you listen to the show. Why not let us know. 588 00:32:02,680 --> 00:32:04,880 Speaker 1: Let us see your view. We we don't hear your 589 00:32:04,960 --> 00:32:07,840 Speaker 1: view very often here in the West, So let us 590 00:32:07,840 --> 00:32:10,959 Speaker 1: know what life is like for you, uh Somali pirate, 591 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:14,560 Speaker 1: human shield or anything else. Let us know. Send in 592 00:32:14,640 --> 00:32:19,000 Speaker 1: an email to stuff podcast at how stuff works dot 593 00:32:19,040 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: com for more on this and thousands of other topics 594 00:32:25,760 --> 00:32:28,800 Speaker 1: because it how stuff works dot com. Want more how 595 00:32:28,920 --> 00:32:31,560 Speaker 1: stuff works, check out our blogs on the house. Stuff 596 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:36,480 Speaker 1: works dot com home page. Brought to you by the 597 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,880 Speaker 1: reinvented two thousand twelve camera. It's ready, are you