Somali pirates are in command of a Saudi supertanker in the Indian Ocean after staging their most daring hijacking yet off the coast of Kenya.
The Sirius Star, owned by the Saudi company Aramco, is the largest ship ever taken by the pirates, and can carry a cargo of crude oil worth more than $100 million.
As pirates have become better armed and equipped, they have sailed farther out to sea in search of bigger targets, including the oil tankers, among the 20,000 tankers, freighters and merchant vessels passing through the Gulf of Aden each year.
Attacks have increased by more than 75 per cent this year.
With many attacks ending with million-dollar payouts, piracy is considered the most lucrative work in Somalia. Pirates rarely hurt their hostages, instead holding out for a huge payday.
The strategy has been effective: a report last month by a London-based think-tank said pirates have raked in up to $30 million in ransoms this year alone.
A car carrying one of Israel’s top mafia kingpins exploded as it traveled in central Tel Aviv on Monday, killing him and threatening to unleash an all-out war in Israel’s increasingly violent underworld.
Israeli police officials identified the dead man as Yaakov Alperon — known informally as “Don Alperon” — the head of one of the country’s most powerful crime families. The bloodied body was wearing the same polo shirt Alperon was seen sporting earlier in the day at a Tel Aviv courthouse.
Medics said three bystanders were also lightly wounded in the explosion, including a 13-year-old boy.
Israelis are accustomed to violence with their Palestinian neighbors but have traditionally felt relatively safe from violent crime. In recent years, however, mob wars also have plagued Israeli towns and cities.
Rival underworld gangs have waged bloody battles for control of gambling and protection rackets, including one involving bottle recycling.
Two thieves who stole a £15,000 diamond ring from a jewellers in Edinburgh are being sought by police.
Two women, believed to be of middle-eastern origin, walked into Lime Blue jewellers in George Street and asked to look at a ring in the window display.
They acted as if they wished to pay for the ring but when the shop assistant turned away, the thieves walked out of the shop with it.
A Lothian and Borders Police spokesman said: “This was a brazen high-value theft carried out by two women who are believed to have visited a number of shops in George Street yesterday afternoon.
“We are appealing for any members of the public who may have noticed the suspects in George Street, either before or after the theft took place, to contact us immediately.
“Similarly, anyone with any other information that can help us identify the two women should also get in touch.”
And in my experience, is better preformed by women.
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA Your favorite International Playboy’s, favorite International Playboy
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
And “55 seconds” was about the amount of time I was sober.
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA Your favorite International Playboy’s, favorite International Playboy
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Its no secret that I am not a fan of credit cards. I prefer CASH.
With the Down Economy, younger G’s I know have been telling me about a phenomenon that has been gathering speed: Bar Poaching.
Yet another reason not to use credit cards
Bar Poaching is when someone at the bar overhears the name on your tab and continues to order drinks on your tab.
And at the end of the night when you go to pay, you get racked. Unless of course, you are using a fake credit card, which is acceptable.
You have been warned.
Just hope people the poachers don’t hit you for Bottle Service, credit card guy.
CASH has way more style points anyway.
Side Note:
I don’t Bar Poach. I can afford drinks. Furthermore, I get pro-bono’d almost everywhere anyways.
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA Your favorite International Playboy’s, favorite International Playboy
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Smooth $350,000 jewelry heist in Los Altos, California
From the way the $350,000 jewelry heist in downtown Los Altos transpired, it seems as though the thieves must have gotten a script from an intricate crime novel or a Hollywood movie.
Sometime before 4:38 a.m. Sunday, a team of suspects pried open the door of Hordin’s Bookkeeping & Income Tax Service and cut through a portion of a wall separating the tax accountant’s office and Harold’s Jewelry, 164 Main St.
The hole lined up exactly with the jeweler’s safe.
Police Sgt. John Korges said the thieves used commercial metal cutters to peel open the safe and make off with at least $350,000 worth of loose stones, jewelry waiting for repair and display pieces. Cops showed up 14 minutes later only to find an empty jewelry store and no suspects.
Korges got a buzz at home at 5 a.m. alerting him that something major had gone down.
“This was a big deal,” Korges said. “This level of sophistication is rarely seen in Santa Clara County. The labor and the time it took to evaluate the territory and make plans, this was very involved.”
This was the third jewelry store burglary on Main Street since August, and police are open to the idea that they may be related. A jewelry store in Los Gatos was also robbed on Halloween. But police say the modus operandi of that “smash and grab” robbery doesn’t appear to be connected to the Los Altos burglary because the Los Gatos store was robbed in broad daylight and occurred when the owner was working in the store.
The burglars had moved a copy machine to give them room to “hack away at the wall. It looks like they took their time cutting,” Hordin said, adding that he doesn’t have an alarm, so the burglars could have been working for a long time with no one knowing.
Smooth as “organic and sustainable” cheeses from Petaluma.
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA Your favorite International Playboy’s, favorite International Playboy
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
Most men are born timid, chances are — you were too. Most societies across the world today have promoted a culture of political correctness, conflict aversion, trend following, and a desire to be liked by all. And this isn’t entirely a bad thing. Going down this path will get you an OK house in the suburbs with a plain wife, 2.5 kids, and a dog named Spot. If this is a lifestyle you desire, stop reading now. For my real and aspiring G’s, please continue…
Bold Men Have Wills of Steel
One of my favorite UFC Fighters when I had time to watch TV was Tito Ortiz. The guy was a beast unleashed and if you had the misfortune of getting in his way when he was on a rampage, you were going to pay. He had a quote, which I try to live by that says: “RESPECT: I don’t earn it; I just fuckin take it!” But even as much as I admired the rawness of this cat, there’s another lesser known UFC Fighter who was a true man of boldness. Lee Murray. Let that name marinate for a bit.
Back in 2002, outside a London nightclub, Tito and Lee exchanged words, which eventually led to blows. Tito let out a left-right combo which both missed Lee. Lee then followed up with a 5 punch combo that knocked Tito the fuck out. COLD.
If that was the end of the story, he’d be an interesting side note in UFC history. But its what Lee did after which really impressed me with the strength of this man’s character (whether you agree with the DIRECTION of his character is another matter altogether).
In 2006, Lee was the alleged (ha! I love this word) mastermind behind the 53 million Pound CASH robbery from a British bank (about $100M US). He then fled to Morocco, which coincidentally(?) has no extradition treaty with England. The British gov’t has been coming after Lee since the robbery, but the Moroccan gov’t has steadily refused to give up Mr. Murray. (Side note: There are two women I have ever met that have given me the “Thunderbolt”, one was Moroccan.)
Lesson: I’m not recommending anyone going out and pull heists. Most people who try this would probably drop the ball and end up behind in the back seat of a squad car. What I DO recommend is that you find where you have an edge and adopt a mentality with an will of steel that was required for Lee to pull off what’s he’s done…while he was STILL in his 20’s. You have to have an unbendable vision of what you want, and anyone that stands in your way has to be dealt with accordingly.
Caution: Boldness without planning, boldness without information is leveraged stupidity. Do NOT do this. This is like doubling down when you have no edge. You will lose. Notice that Lee had a well executed after plan. Unlike many of the smash and grab low level criminals you find in major cities, he didn’t go back to his apartment or his mom’s house. He got out the country and went to a non-extradition country.
To win at chess, you have to see several moves ahead and anticipate your opponent’s move. If you don’t have the wisdom, the time, the STRENGTH OF WILL, and/or the balls to do this, stick to Checkers.
In 1925, 5 highly successful scrap metal dealers in France were invited to an official and highly confidential meeting with the “Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Post and Telegraphs” at the Hotel Crillon, then the most luxurious hotel in Paris. (Imagine this). The men had NO idea why they were invited and were overwhelmed with curiosity. Eventually, the director stepped into the room and addressed the men. He told the men that the French Government had decided to tear down the Eiffel Tower . Maintenance costs were too high, the gov’t was in debt and simply wouldn’t put up the money to upkeep it. At the time (this was in the 1920’s) Parisians thought the tower was a boondoggle, and eyesore, so this plan made sense at the time. The dealers saw this as a golden opportunity and saw they could make a killing selling the scrap metal on the open market.
The director invited all five men to propose bids on the project. Each of the 5 put in high bids hoping they would be the one to edge out the others and get this lucrative contract. After all the bids came in, it turns out Mr. P, one of the 5 dealers had the highest bid. He was invited to come back to the hotel with a certified check for 250,000 francs (about $1M today) to make a 25% downpayment on the total deal. After the deal was wrapped up, Mr. P waited, and waited….and waited to hear back from the director. He never heard back from him again. It turns out there was no such position as a “Deputy Director General of the Ministry of Post and Telegraphs” and that the government had no plans to tear down the Eiffel Tower!!
Lesson: The Director’s, real name, Count Victor Lustig, was a con artist extraordinaire, and he won big because he thought big. He had the BALLS to have a vision so extraordinary, that no one ever thought to question it. He even played the role of a government official to a T, having the creativity to even ask the winner of the bid for a small bribe to establish believability. Great men of history see beyond what others think impossible. Could you sell the Eiffel Tower?
Prop. K in San Francisco calls for legal prostitution
Proposition K would effectively decriminalize prostitution in the city by barring the Police Department from investigating and prosecuting it. The measure is being alternately hailed as a human rights landmark or a misguided venture that will turn San Francisco into a playground for sex tourists and pimps.
Proposition K
What it does: Would decriminalize prostitution in San Francisco, deny funds for the First Offender Prostitution Program commonly known as “john school,” and forbid the city from using state or federal funds that involve racial profiling to identify human trafficking victims.
Supporters: Erotic Service Providers Union, San Francisco Democratic Party, Harvey Milk Democratic Club, La Raza Centro Legal.
Argument in support: Will improve safety for sex workers, reduce sexually transmitted diseases and save the city millions of dollars spent annually on prosecuting prostitution while still requiring enforcement of laws against sexual assault, coercion and other crimes.
Opponents: Mayor Gavin Newsom, District Attorney Kamala Harris, Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club
I don’t really understand these kind “Props” that well, but if it really Legalizes Prostitution and protects the girls, then I am all for it.
Think of how dope San Francisco will be. We will be mixing up some serious Cioppino. Either way I am headed there early November.
Come on Gavin!
The Rest is Up to You…
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA Your favorite International Playboy’s, favorite International Playboy
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
What’s love got to do with it Tina Turner (Grammy’s 1985)
Police in Milan are investigating an unusual $1m (£628,420) robbery in the heart of the Italian fashion capital.
It was, said the victim, “a masterpiece of its kind”. It was certainly daring - in broad daylight and on one of Milan’s swankiest shopping streets.
Staff at Pederzani’s, one of the city’s exclusive jewellers, thought nothing amiss when a window cleaner went to work on the plate glass display.
Dressed in regulation overalls, he propped his ladder against the window.
But then, instead of using the bucket and squeegee to clean it, he calmly unscrewed it before scooping an estimated $1m-worth of jewels into his bucket and walking off into the Friday shopping crowd.
This is not the first audacious crime to hit Milan’s fashion district this year.
Michael Porfirio Mason
AKA The Peoples Champ
AKA Your favorite International Playboy’s, favorite International Playboy
The Guide to Getting More out of Life
http://www.thegmanifesto.com
