Pirates fire on U.S. helicopter

There's lots of good pirate drama on the high seas in the Gulf of Aden these days, giving a slew of international naval vessels and air-surveillance teams no shortage of things to do.

In fact, that's where the latest story begins. While surveiling a hijacked Taiwanese vessel this morning, the MV Win Far -- where 30 hostages are being held -- a U.S. helicopter team was fired upon by pirates using "large caliber" weapons. The shots missed, and all the Americans were fine. But it made for some pretty interesting video, which you can download here.

Of course, far better yet (if you're looking for drama) are the unofficial pirate cops: tourists seeking a good bit of fun. If this story from the British The Sun newspaper story is right, you could join the pirate fight -- under the protection of Russian ex-special forces -- for a mere £3,500 a day.

What a steal.