A Pirate's Life For Me

A Pirate's Life For Me
Originally uploaded by Angus Blacksheep

Happy Talk like a Pirate day everyone!

Yar! Happy Talk like a Pirate Day!

Many Calgary privateers will be gathering at the Atlantic Trap and Gill in Calgary. Take the last dog watch at eight bells, and join us.

Until then, keep to the code.

[wait...what?]

International Talk like a Pirate Day: Calgary

Avast! Yar! Plunder!

Friday September 19th is Talk like a Pirate day Many local privateers will be gathering at the Atlantic Trap and Gill in Calgary that evening.

Tell them Dr. Haggis sent you. It won't get you anything, but you should still say it.

Previously:

• Talk like a pirate 2006

Ninja/Pirate flowchart

Ninja/Pirate flowchart
Originally uploaded by Drhaggis.

A new theory in ninja /pirate relations is under consideration. Inclusion of the oft ignored "cowboy" transitional phase may be the first breakthrough in years.

Summer Movie Trends

Using the fantastic trending tools at Blogpulse I charted the instances of "Spiderman," "Pirates," and "Transformers." This is a super tool for both serious analysis, and my non-quantitative figuring. At a glance we can how much relative "buzz" or "ink" each Summer movie has generated. Each big peak is their respective opening night, while the the little ripples afterword show that most posts are made during the week, with big drop-offs on the weekends.

The Transformers bump in mid-May shows the echo in the blogosphere after the release of a trailer.


A casual glance showed that "Pirates of the Caribbean" generated the most buzz of the three films, even allowing for the higher base reading from other non-movie posts about pirates.

Interesting? To me? Yes.

Marxist critique of the un-dead

In a recent Diesel Sweeties cartoon (DS#1723) R. Stevens questions the recent popularity of zombies. He makes the case that any other pseudo-ironic pop-subculture, such as "pirate" or "monkey," is a far more compelling, suitable, and noble model for hipster aspirations.

A fan (tristanheydt) writes to Mr. Stevens, and using a fine bit of Marxist class conscious critique, gives suitable cause for the growing interest in, and identification with, the ever growing Zombie Hoard.

...I think the popularity of zombies lies in the growing disparity between the haves and the have-nots in western society, and in America in particular. Vampires are the monsters of the upper classes: aristocratic, powerful, and refined. Ghosts are the monsters of the middle class: stationary, repetetive (sic) , and jealous of privilege and their peers. Zombies are the teeming, hungry hordes of the poor and working class, locked in a cycle they cannot escape.
(Source: R.Stevens April 10th Livejournal)

This seems to be a very reasonable assessment of the un-dead.

Thoughts?

Nexus of Fandom: May 25th 2007

May 25th, 2007 will be a nexus, of sorts, for science fiction/fantasy fandom. The day is significant for several reasons:

• 30th anniversary of the theatrical release of Star Wars
• Opening night of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At Worlds End"
• Towel Day, in honour of Douglas Adams.

In observance of the Star Wars release, Friday May 25 is the first full day at the Star Wars convention "Celebration IV" held in Las Angeles. The possibility of catching the the final instalment of the Pirate Trilogy in LA has not been overlooked by many fans planning on attending C4.

Set two weeks after his death, Towel Day is intended to be a wake in honour of the memory of Science Fiction author Douglas Adams, and his contribution to the geek canon with the increasingly inaccurately named Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Trilogy. To mark Towel Day, one shows how much of a hoopy frood one is by proudly displaying a towel all day.

So if at the end of May you see someone in a feathered tricorne hat, polishing a lightsaber with a nice mauve towel, you will know the reason why.

Talk Like A Pirate

In honour of "International Talk like a Pirate day" on September 19th, all pirates and wenches in Calgary are invited to gather at 7:00 at the following tavern:

Atlantic Trap & Gill Pub
3828 Macleod Trail S

Pirate dress, attire, and attitude is strongly encouraged.

Until then, keep to the code.

Technorati Tags:
Talk like a pirate, dress like a pirate, be a pirate, Pirate, Pyrate, Wenching, talk like a pirate day, arrrrrr

But first, more Pirates

September 19th is "International Talk like a Pirate Day" so start getting in the mood for Pirates again.

Snagged from elmofromok, is the short cartoon "Pyrats." It is made by French animation school students for the Annecy 2006 international animation festival.

They used primarily traditional 2D animation with some Flash thingamawatchits too.



To view a larger version, complete with download options, visit the Official Site.
Add this to the 1001 reasons why Pirates are better than, say..oh..I don't know. Cowboys.
Technorati Tags:
Pyrates, Pirates, Cartoon, short film, film festival

Great Mischief and Fun

We attended the Pirates of the Caribbean showing as planned. I think it went well! In our group we had at least 25 costumed pirates, and 15 or so pirates-at-heart in their civies.

Veritate has a much better post of the event, and she wrote it first. And I must say that I was most impressed by the considerable cheer that went up from the crowd when Captain Jack Sparrow made his entrance.

Until next time, Keep to the code...

Technorati Tags:
pirates, piracy, costumes, potc, deadmanschest, rum

Updated Disney Pirate ride video

The original "Pirates of the Caribbean" ride at Disneyland, along with the Haunted Mansion, rank in the best rides on the grounds. At some point Disney looked at these rides and had to decide whether to knock them down and make room for a film based ride or to make new films to keep new fans interested. Don't think Disney would take out classic rides to make room for something else. As attractions age, or sponsors come and go rides disappear. See "Yesterland" a site that lovingly documents the passing of classic rides.

With the crumby "Country Bears" and "Haunted Mansion" movies things looked bleak for a "Pirates" adaptation. But even Jerry Bruckheimer (Pearl Harbor, Armageddon) schlock could not keep the first Pirates movie from being great.

With the coming release of the sequel, "Dead Man's Chest" on July 7th, I present footage of the updated Disney ride with the addition of an animatronic Johnny Depp.



Tags: Pirates Disney JohnnyDepp