Our outstanding speaker was Dr. Jay Wolff, a member of the British Royal Society of Health, destination lecturer, and writer of hundreds of articles professional journals such as Forbes, L.A. Times, and American Heritage. Dr. Wolff's lecture was entitled, "Piracy is Alive and Well," and based upon his many years of research and world-wide travel. Piracy has been with humanity as far back as 1,200 B.C. in the Agean Sea. Dr. Wolff told stories of the Barbary Coast, the Spanish legitimizing pirates to steal between 1550 and 1750, and word origins from that period. Word examples include buccaneer, and filibuster. 

Due to the heavy navel presence around the world, the incidence of piracy actually declined during the Cold War years. 

Piracy is thriving in many areas to day and especially in the Straits of Malacca, the East China Sea, and around Brazil. Small pirate groups focus on quick opportunities such as passenger wallets and other valuables. Larger groups target ship's safes. And, highly organized groups seize ships and cargos for rerouting, or for ransom of the ship and even the crews. Many pirate raids go unreported due to high cost considerations of taking a ship out of commission for an investigation, and the collusion of police, military and governments with the pirates. An exception to this rule is when piracy results in murder or ship seizures. Another key area making headlines today is off the coast of Somalia where recent events have increased the use of deadly force on the part of the pirates, navel escorts and ship owners. A wonderful Q&A session followed the lecture.

THIS WAS KARL WYSS'S LAST LUNCHEON MEETING AS PRESIDENT AND HENRY PFENDT THE INCOMING PRESIDENT HONORED KARL'S SERVICE TO IMCA BY PRESENTING HIM WITH THE COMMEMORATIVE PLAQUE