[a fool in paradise]

Pirates freed 36 crew members from a Spanish trawler Tuesday, and a self-proclaimed pirate said the hostage-takers were paid $3.3 million in ransom. Spain's prime minister did little to deny a payment was made — one reason the lucrative attacks are on the rise.

$3.3million is cheaper than bringing them to NYC (for example) to try them as criminals and then pay for the subsequent trials against those who captured them.

[Kartographer]

But think how cheap a bullet to the back of the head and a lenght of chain with a concrete block attached a burial at sea is.