We pirates have always been a unique breed; certainly off-the-beaten-path and quite possibly anomalous. But, who can ignore one of the most important, positive and unifying connotations of pirate-hood: being at liberty to to do as you please. It has a nice ring to it, no? After all, everyone needs some freedom in their lives. It is what makes us who we are.

To many, it is important that our freedoms extend to the media and entertainment that we choose. Consumer-selected on-demand content is quickly emerging as the wave of the future (e.g. Youtube, podcasts). This explosion of choice has blurred the once-explicit line between producer and consumer; advertising agencies and media conglomerates be damned.

Independent Internet radio is one of the purest modern expressions of freedom in media. A visit to Google will reveal countless Internet radio stations that serve up more variety and content than the entire national network of Clear Channel radio drones could ever hope to deliver.

But, enough of my ramblings. The author of www.xkcd.com has surmised the importance of freedom and choice in media in a one panel comic strip: