Bilgemunky

Don't you know anything - pirates don't make things, they steal them! So go out and find someone who already made your pirate flag - complete with your own unique jolly roger, and then take it. Case closed - it's easy and fun. Actually, I've never made a flag. If you want to go authentic, I say grab some fabric, grab some thread, and try it. I'll bet actual pirates didn't have the best flags their first time around either. And by the time you make your third or fourth, you'll be an expert Nothin' beats trial and error, I say.

Not that surprising, really - it was one of the most successful porns of all time. Even sold well as an edited 'R' version.

In another thread, I mentioned seeing the teaser for Pirates 2 at the AVN Awards in Vegas. Well, it's now available online! Check it out here Note: This trailer is 100% G-rated (seriously, it is.) But being as this is an adult film, the banner ads, links, and possibly future trailers of this same film might be a bit more racy. Click at your own pleasure/risk, as the case may be!

I just discovered a band by the name of Rustmonster. Their new album, "Last Voyage of the Black Betty" is entirely pirate themed (and entirely odd.) One of their songs, for example, is a gem that features a pirate reading verbatim from the Young Officer's Sheet Anchor, set to light jazz music. I'll be playing it tonight on Bilgemunky Radio, if anyone wants to check it out!

I think Captain Tradewind had the right idea starting the other Port Washington thread - this one's already 12 pages long and we've only just begun to discuss the 2007 event. Could we lock this thread and keep the new developments and questions in a thread specific to this year? Mine is a simple mind, and wading through too many pages gets me awful lost

They might have, if their ship wasn't under construction, therefore no show. I'll tell you, the TI Casino is pretty sad - I'd be dissappointed if I hadn't been forwarned that they had axed much of the pirate theme years ago in an effort to portray a more "mature" image (hence "TI" instead of "Treasure Island".) They still have the ship and some tiny bits of decor, but mostly it's just a generic casino. Other pirate items of note: Leslie Neilson has a 4D pirate film at the Luxor - slapstick comedy sort of thing for kids. I was going to watch it, but then I saw a preview and just couldn't spend the $18 it would have cost for us to enter - it looked rather painful. Mandaly has the Rum Jungle - a restraunt/bar/nighclub that's wonderfully decorated with waterfalls and torches. Oh, and they have a menu of over 100 rums! Somewhat overpriced, but an excellent selection. And if you "talk the talk" to the bartender, they seem quite inclined to give you generously sized free samples to help you decide which rum you'd like to order (after the free samples, I almost didn't feel a need to order anything.)

Maybe these folks can help: www.knitlikeapirate.com

Was in Las Vegas this past weekend with the wife. We were strolling through the Venitian when she asks me, "Isn't that Ron Jeremy in front of us? And is that a pirate T-shirt he's wearing?" She was right on both accounts. The shirt read something along the lines of "Pillage, Plunder, Ingnite" (or some such thing) and had a stylized skull&cutlasses. It seems to be part of his company's marketing, which isn't directly related to pirates. Turns out he was their for a giant porn trade show (AVN Tradeshow and Awards). Walking up a bit further was the entrance to said trade show, with a big screen TV repeating a (G-rated) teaser for Pirates: A Joone Film part 2. This would be the adult pirate film everyone's been talking about on this forum. It's also the R film everyone's been finding at blockbuster (albeit somewhat edited.) The teaser for the sequel didn't show any actors, plot, or anything, but merely featured a surprisingly well done CGI pirate ship weathering a storm. The camera zoomed in to focus on the helm, which was manned by a pirate skeleton (again CGI, and again surprisingly well done.) Unfortunately the event was attended and manned by folks more interested in the porn end of things, so I wasn't able to find anyone with any real info about the second film's content. One of the actresses (Jesse Jane) was there, and she might have known something, but I wasn't going to stand in her 3 mile autograph line to ask. Anyways, that's what I learned, and thought I would share!

Having bespied that pic on a less upstanding site that the Pub, it would seem I must now give up my secret hope of learning that Jack's dad was actually - oh the irony - a respectable, well-groomed grand admiral

Blackjohn's post perfectly illustrates the one great dilema in seeking rum recommendations - tastes vary. Blackstrap and 10 Cane are two rums for which I hold zero value - both taste of molasses (blackstrap sharply so, 10 Cane only because every other flavor has been filtered away) to such a degree I may as well drink molasses straight up (something I've never cared to do.) HOWEVER (and lest anyone think I'm bashing Blackjohn) there are scores of rum fans that disagree with me on these opinions. And scores of others that wouldn't feed these rums to a spaniard. Tastes vary. And there's the solution! btw - Blackjohn, you can't just mention 173 year old shipwreck rum and then walk away, mate. Details!!!

Updated opinion? Rum - it's still good! I won't rehash my own reviews here (and thanks for the kind words, Red Cat!), but suffice to say, try a variety! I'd avoid the rums that are clearly mixers (fruit flavored, most whites, and generally spiced) and stick with medium-shelf rums as you cut your teeth. "Friendly" rums might include Pyrat XO and Dogfish Head. More advanced, rummy rums would be Ron Pampero Anniversario, Barbarncourt 15 year, and Appleton Extra. Or if you're on a budget and want to take the plunge, Gosling's Black Seal isn't gentle, but it's real. I don't share Capt. Bo's love of Zacapa - too sweet in my estimation. But I'm in the vast minority on this one - many, many rum-afficianadoes consider it the pinacle of the craft, and you might well find it to your liking.

False Ransom - I wasn't trying to belittle the frustations of your experience. By all means, if you've had a crappy time dealing with PirateMod, it's appropriate for you to share. I was only questioning an attitude I was sensing from this thread in general - and not from you specifically - that your own experience somehow meant PirateMod owed us all an explanation, or that otherwise uninvolved members of our community should act in the role of moderators between PirateMod and any dissatisfied customers. PirateMod needs to square with you - not with me, nor with anyone else reading this thread. Because of my Bilgemunky.com reviews, I've occasionally been asked by strangers to act as liaison between themselves and companies I reviewed. Sometimes the business was apparently in the wrong, sometimes the customer apparently was (notice that I use the word "apparently" - because honestly, how can I really know?) Actually, in most cases it's been a simple misunderstanding between good people. But whatever the facts of the matter, I've learned the hard way that all I can do as a friendly 3rd party is make sure the lines of communication are open, and then step out of the picture and hope for the best. Passing judgement on a company based on the claims of a customer, or vice-versa, is a fast-track to a shit-storm.

There's a lot of bashin' of PirateMod goin' on here. Perhaps it's justified, perhaps it's not. While it's always important to consider the "word on the street" about a particular company's business ethics, it's also important to remember that when a company has thousands of customers, you shouldn't let the experiences of one or two become the face of the entire clientelle. I don't know the specifics of these False Ransom's shopping experiences with PirateMod beyond what they've said. I hope that PirateMod succeeds in addressing all their concerns. But I also know that I've dealt with PirateMod myself now and again over the past several years and I've never had reason to question their business ethics. A dissatisfied customer is generally well justified in sharing their experience with others, but those of us who've only learned of the problems second and third hand should probably exercise some caution before joining in the mudslinging or demanding PirateMod defend themselves publicly.

It's worth renting if you're drunk. Really, really drunk. Maybe. And if you've already rented everything else. Twice. From Bilgemunky.com: Pirates of Treasure Island I really don't know what to make of this one. Some bad movies are just that - bad. They should be ignored, dismissed, or burned. They have no value and are a waste of your existence to even consider viewing. Other bad movies are an ironic piece of brilliance, enjoyable on levels that no "good" movie could ever hope to achieve. These movies are meant for a group of rowdy friends sharing rum. But this movie? It lies firmly within one of these categories, and I strongly suspect it's the former. Basically "Treasure Island", but with gratuitous man-eating bugs. I say gratuitous because they're barely used - this movie would be essentially unchanged if you removed them. But there they are, nonetheless - towering over Long John, and bellowing their maneating howls as they shudder in harmless CGI malevolence. Also gratuitous is the plentiful PG-13 cleavage. Nothing actually naughty here - just enough to catch your attention, but never enough that you'd fear your mom walking in on you and asking, "so what's this smut you're watching?" So what else need be said? I suppose I could go on about the story, but it's more fun to hone in on the weird little details, such as Blind Pew's googly eyes. They're shown in the first 30 seconds, and I immediately shouted at the TV, "you CAN'T be serious!" Apparently they were. Of course, movies such as this shouldn't be held to any real continuity standards, which is good, because it means I don't have to mention the colonial flags used, which bounce between the revolutionary war "Betsy Ross" flag with its circle of stars, then to a more civil war era square pattern, and then back again. Yes, I'm glad I don't have to mention that. Nor should I mention Anne Bonney's sudden reappearance towards the end of the film, after I thought she'd just been killed. A quick rewind showed what I think might have been her recovering from her bullet wound, but I lost interest as I noticed her outfit getting skimpier with each scene (but still safely within the limitations of PG-13 discretion - have no fear.) Oh, and let's not forget the rubber skeleton mask. Weird. Not good, but very, very weird.

Which companies?

A few mate, a few :) I'm a fan of the new Sid Meier's Pirates, as well as Seadogs and PotC. Also did some time with Puzzle Pirates, and am looking mighty forward to Pirates of the Burning Seas. Have not tried World of Pirates - heard of it, but never got around to it. Grew up with the old Sid Meier's, as well as Monkey Island (Amiga, all the way!) The last week or so I've been test driving the new Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales. All I can say is that the developers releasing a game in this untested/unfinished condition borders on the criminal. Heck, even if it wasn't for the bugs (many of them crash inducing), they clearly cut off several features and plot lines because they didn't finish them, leaving a very pretty, but very hollow shell of a game. It's a pity, because it could easily have set the new standard for the genre, had they actually finished the thing before putting it on the shelf. Modders to the rescue, I suppose.

Nope - different movie altogether. And much more entertaining than Conquest was, I think. Several, but in the edited R version, you'll hardly notice While I can't outright disagree with any of this, I still found it very fun. But then, I enjoy cheese factor. Dead-on about the pirate hunter, though. He was great! Digital Playground kindly sent me a review copy. You can see my full thoughts at Bilgemunky.com. I'm quite a bit more forgiving than Hester regarding the plot and dialogue, but as I said, I'm a sucker for cheesy fun

Mine arrived last week, and it is indeed gorgeous! I got the yellow version, complete with a chain so it can be worn as a medallion. I'll be posting the review on Bilgemunky.com shortly, but figured the Pub might like an early screening :) ------------------------------------------------- Yo yo ho - pirate bling is in the house! Marcus Cove Creations has made a piece of pirate jewelry that's fun, functional, and HUGE. This highly detailed medallion features a wild-haired skull clutching a dagger in its teeth while being impaled on an anchor. Across the face is a scroll reading "Surrender Thyne Ale." Far from a simple 2-D image, this medallion is engraved with exceptional three dimensional details and textures. The top is designed to work as a bottle opener, so your throat should never be dry. The obverse side is a less detailed, but perfectly attractive, engraving of the western half of Hispaniola - in short, Haiti and Tortuga. The crux of this piece is its size. It's a full 2.5 inches across, and 3.5 high. That may not sound like much, but grab a ruler and you'll quickly realize this is a monster. Cast from bronze, this is one huge - and heavy - piece of jewelry. That's not a bad thing though - far from it in fact. Having this beast hanging from your neck is sure to get you noticed by the ladies, as well as any lads needing help opening their beers. Hardly historical (it is a bottle-opener, after all), it nonetheless commands an old fashioned bearing that could easily be incorporated into most costumes without looking glaringly out of place. However, it would be most at home on the chest of pirates that have a little pimp or gangsa in their attitude. Pirate bling indeed! ------------------------------------------------- Fanstastic work, and well worth the price!!!

Well, I merely requested a closeup picture. And I must admit that the thing looks pretty awsome. Indeed, I'm ordering one. But I'm no hero - just a guy who has trouble opening beer now and then.

Yes. Yes I have.

Mainly Petey, ya gotta be more or less local (and just a tad loco.) You'd be more than welcome if you were in the area. It's a sizeable shin-dig (70+ pirates), but not quite the sort of thing I'd recommend driving more than 2 hours for Reserved my hotel for the second weekend of the St. Louis Festival. Hope to see some of you there! And if I don't, I'll just have to make some NEW friends

WRW's observations are all pretty accurate, although my own interpretation of them is a bit different from his. Baltimore Knife Works and Pat Croce are both advertisers, and the subjects of articles. That said, I found both articles very interesting, and didn't feel like they were raw advertisement. The articles on the Queen Anne wreck and mapmaking were also interesting. The mapmaking seems to be a first part of an article series (written by the guy that makes the glorious deluxe maps sold at Port Royal Trading Co.) Less exciting was the first in a series of articles on sculpting mermaid fairies - I imagine this is a runnoff from the publisher's Faerie magazine, and while it's nice they made it sea-oriented, I don't see many members of our community taking up this new hobby. Regarding the fashion spreads and visual ads, I'm all for it - historical or pop-cultural, I love seeing other folk's take on pirate clothing. The Gypsy Moon shots were particularly fun. Not quite over the top enough to be "Adam Ant", but certainly a bit more flair than historical accuracy would warrant. Additional articles included writeups about pirate games, the Maritime Museum Pirate Exhibit in Hampton Roads, an interview with a writer from Pirates of the Caribbean, and a few artsy-poetry pieces. Not all of it was my thing, but much of it was. I think it's worth checking out. My biggest hope for future issues would be they don't overly feature PotC on the covers and as recurring articles. For the premiere issue, which came out smack in the middle of the Dead Man's Chest excitement, putting Depp on the cover makes sense. But speaking as someone who loved Jack Sparrow in the first movie, but found him downright annoying in the second, I'd love to see other aspects of piracy get their share of the limelight.

I was excited about Pirates of the Burning Sea, but not so much anymore. They launched their PR campaign way too early, got everyone hyped up, and then fell silent with any worthwhile news. And now they finally announce a release date of next June?!? I'm sure to get excited again - it still promises to be a specactular game. But for now my interests are elsewhere, like Age of Pirates: Caribbean Tales (aka Seadogs 3), which is due out later this month. Not multiplayer, but should be a worthy successor to Seadogs 1 (after Disney swooped in and mucked up Seadogs 2 last minute.) Yar.

Don't lose hope, Pete. I haven't seen it in stores yet, either (and I've certainly looked). BUT, I do have a copy that arrived in the mail. I don't know if this issue arrived as my subscription, or if it is an early release sent to me as a member of "the media" (it was surprisingly well packaged for a standard subcription issue, what with all the bubble wrap.) Anyways, the point is that the magazine DOES exist, and it IS terrific! If you do in fact have a subscription but haven't seen the issue yet, I would recommend sending them a shout to find out the ETA. But remember, there are two new mags in the stew - Pirates Magazine, and Pirates Way. Pirates Way hasn't come out yet. You might want to double-check which one you're subscribed to before emailing anyone