MAY 2007
Jack Sparrow is a real pir-art
May 29 - JOHNNY DEPP rocked into Japan yesterday on the latest leg of his voyage of publicity for Pirates Of The Caribbean: At World's End. He was snapped in his scruffy attire arriving for the Tokyo premiere. But back in Britain, Essex artist Paul Karslake can claim credit for giving Johnny the inspiration to play Captain Jack Sparrow in the style of hell- raising rocker KEITH RICHARDS.
Pirates Makes Memorial Day Record
May 28 - 'Pirates of the Carribean: At World's End' opened to the fourth biggest three-day weekend opening ever, and took the record for Memorial Day weekend, but failed to best 'Spider-Man 3,' or even last year's 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.' Captain Jack Sparrow (the role that earned JOHNNY DEPP a 2004 Oscar nom) was back in the pirate caper, which took in $115.1 million from Friday to Sunday, and $142.1 million including Monday. The rest of the gang were back as well, with ORLANDO BLOOM, KEIRA KNIGHTLEY, GEOFFREY RUSH and BILL NIGHY suiting up in their pirate gear for the last film of the trilogy.
Modern piracy
May 27 - Pirates are still around. In fact, business is booming: Pirate attacks are up 168 percent since 1992. Instead of wooden ships and cannons, modern pirates use powerboats and automatic weapons. (In November 2005, a 440-foot Carnival cruise liner, the Seabourn Spirit, was attacked off the coast of Somalia by pirates sporting grenade launchers.) Some modern piracy stats:
- More than 3,500 - Number of reported pirate attacks worldwide in the past 15 years.
- 90 - Percent of modern-day pirate attacks that go unreported.
- 340 - Number of crew and passengers killed by pirates since 1992.
- 650 - Number of people kidnapped by pirates in 2005.
Note: A report to the British House of Commons last year stated that the Royal Navy was better prepared to fight piracy in 17th and 18th centuries than it is in the 21st.
Yo-ho, yo-ho, a pirate's what to be
May 27 - WASHINGTON - It's not because he works in a pirate-themed restaurant that "One-Eyed" Mike Couey acts, dresses and talks like a pirate. It's the other away around. The lithe 26-year-old with the flashing black eyes - er, eye - sought a job as a waiter at the Piratz Tavern in Silver Spring, Md., because it was clearly the right gig for someone who has been sporting eye patches and puffy sleeves, on his own time, since he was 13. For Couey, the swashbuckling persona is not something he assumes for work hours; it's his everyday lifestyle.
Pirate fans will find plenty to plunder this summer
May 26 - With Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End making a splash at multiplexes this weekend, Jack Sparrow wannabes will find plenty of places to practice swashbuckling skills, from a new, family-oriented "Pirates on the Potomac" sightseeing cruise out of Alexandria, Va., just down the river from Washington, D.C., (potomacriverboatco.com) to a three-night, buccaneer-themed vacation package at the Sheraton Our Lucaya Resort on Grand Bahama Island, a onetime pirate haven where portions of both Pirates sequels were filmed (sheraton.com/grandbahama).
Pirate-themed minigolf course opens tonight
May 25 - The new miniature golf course in Bethany Beach is open for business, as of 6 p.m. tonight. The course raised some controversy in town, as two couples opposed the creation of the course and the manner in which it was permitted. The course features a pirate ship and a large skeleton pirate. It is located on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and Central Boulevard.
Cape Breton a port of call
May 25 - SYDNEY - With an "arrrgh," an eye patch and a pirate's cap, Mayor John Morgan morphed into Captain Morgan on Thursday to announce the Cape Breton leg of the Tall Ships Nova Scotia Festival in July.
Pirates of the Caribbean: At Wits' End
May 25 - Sometime in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, perhaps at the moment when the entire principal cast has been pointlessly drenched in water for the millionth time, you may feel the need for a consoling thought. Here it is: The apparently inexorable march of the sequels (Spidey 3, Shrek the Third already, with Ocean's Thirteen and Bourne something or other speeding toward us, all began with a pretty novel, (or at least entertaining) first film. You can extend that observation to lots of other seriesÑSuperman, Batman, Die Hard (which is also being recycled in a few weeks).
The Real Jack Sparrow: He would have eaten Johnny Depp for breakfast
May 25 - This week, Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow brings his mixture of menace and mockery back to the big screen in Pirates Of The Caribbean 3. But the real pirate he is based on would have eaten the skittish Jack Sparrow for breakfast and spat out his bones into the deep blue sea.
GET `PIRATIZED' ONLINE
May 24 - Just in time for ``Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End'' this weekend, there's a new way on the Web to show your inner pirate called the ``Piratizer.'' Users send in a single photo and get back an animated 3-D version of themselves, ready to be outfitted with a trove of hats, hair, scars, jewelry, and a few choice words to say. More than 80,000 fans had been ``Piratized'' in less than a week prior to May 17, according to a press release from Walt Disney Pictures.
The top 10 fictional pirates
May 24 - As the latest Pirates of the Caribbean film is released, the BBC News website presents the top 10 fictional bad boys of the high seas.
A bounty of boisterous fun for buccaneers
May 24 - Arrrr! There's a Pirate Fest in Newport on Saturday. Youngsters can plunder plenty of fun beginning at 10 a.m. in the Brick Market Place off America's Cup Avenue.
Pop 20: Who's the best pop-culture pirate? One-Eyed Willie wins
May 22 - The braids, the eyeliner, the rum-soaked walk, the swirly floating finger gestures; these are not the ways of a pirate. And as much as I may laugh at Johnny Depp's turn as Captain Jack Sparrow, and will show up to see him journey to World's End, he is no true pirate. A real pirate should be a character of dread, as in "feared," and not dreadlocked. Which is why One-Eyed Willie is the best modern pop-culture pirate we have. If you've not heard the tale of Willie, then I shake my head at you in disappointment, dear reader. But read on ...
Pirate Toaster
May 21 - Avast, me hearties! With Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End about to start screening, there's nothing like getting all pirate-ty with this jolly roger bread toaster that stamps your toast with skulls and bones. And you can toss it down with a barrel of grog and never so much as shiver those timbers. Arrr!
A PIRATE WITH A PH.D.
May 19 - We don't know what's more delightful, that a shipwrecked 19th century Maine clipper is making one of its periodic reappearances from the sand in which it's been interred along the San Francisco coast for more than a century, or that the incident has allowed a maritime archaeologist who's studying the wreck to engage in the most wonderful flights of 19th century-sounding language.
Cap'n Crunch Fuels Imaginations With Essay Contest About Legendary Pirate Jean LaFoote
May 18 - CHICAGO, May 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Eighty-three percent of kids (ages 8-13) think it would be fun to be a pirate, according to a recent survey commissioned by Cap'n Crunch. Now, as one of the most famous pirates and Cap'n Crunch's rival returns to the scene -- Jean LaFoote -- kids ages 8-13 will have an opportunity to write their own tale about the life of a swashbuckler by entering the Cap'n Crunch "Legend of LaFoote" contest. Jean LaFoote, the barefoot pirate, returns after 20 years to steal the secret of Cap'n Crunch cereal once again. But, where has LaFoote been all this time?!
Boy Scouts to host pirate weekend
May 18 - Carroll County might not be on the oceanfront, but residents should look out for pirates this weekend. From today to Sunday, hundreds of Boy Scouts from around Carroll County are using Freedom Park in Sykesville for their annual Camporee. The event, hosted by Troop 224, is open to all Boy Scouts from 19 units in Carroll County, approximately 325 people. The theme of the Camporee is "Pirates of Freedom Park," inspired by the popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies. Organizer Kevin Arber said though the name is a reference to the movies, "it is a coincidence that the [third] movie is being released so close in time."
Warlow is king of the pirates
May 18 - PIRACY goes overboard this month. As Johnny Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow sets sail for another widescreen Pirates of the Caribbean adventure, singer Anthony Warlow is back striding the deck in Opera Australia's The Pirates of Penzance.
Queen Elizabeth honours pirate crusaders
May 17 - Britain's Queen Elizabeth has honoured two men who battled pirates to save a passenger cruise ship from attack.
How Ken turned into a Pirate
May 16 - It was one of the most bizarre cases to come before a court for a long time - Captain Sir Henry Morgan of Springfield, Wigan, admitted turning his home into a cannabis farm.
Make-a-Wish turns South Jordan boy into pirate
May 15 - Just over a year ago, a South Jordan family began a vigorous fight. A fight against Burkitt's Lymphoma, an intestinal cancer, that was attacking the body of their six year-old son, Coleman. After months of undergoing Chemotherapy and weeks and weeks spent at Primary Children's Hospital, Coleman received the gift of a lifetime; a chance to go on a "Pirates of the Caribbean" Disney cruise. Coleman was able to meet Captain Jack Sparrow and see the pirate ship used in the movie.
Disney Consumer Products Offers Bountiful Treasure
to Celebrate Upcoming Release of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End
May 12 - As Pirates fans across the globe anticipate the upcoming theatrical release of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End," Disney Consumer Products (DCP) today unveiled an extraordinary assortment of Pirates-themed merchandise in celebration of the massively successful film franchise and its third installment, due in theaters on May 25. DCP brings the wildly popular Pirates characters and storylines to life with an all-new expanded assortment of merchandise designed to appeal to all ages, including: toys, electronics, apparel and accessories, games, books/novels and stationery, costumes, home decor, pet apparel and much more.
Gary the Happy Pirate goes to DVD
May 11 - Gary the Happy Pirate finally goes to DVD Tuesday when Wegmans makes available the first three of a series of 12 episodes of The Adventures of Gary the Happy Pirate. The shows, drawn from 25 produced 10 years ago by Rochester's Fox network affiliate, will be distributed by all 20 Rochester Wegmans stores here, as well as two Wegmans locations in Virginia. The remaining nine episodes include one holiday special.
'Pirate' theme for Singapore River Raft Race
May 11 - SINGAPORE: The Singapore River Raft Race this year has a new theme for Singapore Polytechnic students - they will dress up as pirates mimicking the movie 'Pirates of the Caribbean'.
Disney Creates Authentic Old World for New Pirates
May 10 - LOS ANGELES, CA - Under a hot September sky, Disney Studios has clearly surrendered to pirates.
Deep in the heart of the back lot, all those BlackBerry-monitoring employees have given way to 150 pirates of every hue, hair configuration and state of personal hygiene. Chinese pirates and African pirates, French pirates and Arab pirates are gathered for a meeting of the Brethren Court at dark and dangerous Shipwreck Cove -- inside a soundstage.
Pirate Adventure Treasure Island at Alley Theatre
May 8 - HOUSTON, TX - The final production of the Alley Theatre's 60th anniversary season is the tale of one boy's adventure on the high seas in the world premiere production of Treasure Island. Adapted by Ken Ludwig from the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel, Treasure Island will feature the Alley Company of Actors playing multiple roles in this tale of pirates and buried treasure...
N.S. tall ship Picton Castle has starring role in new TV show Pirate Master
May 7 - LUNENBURG, N.S. (CP) - The Nova Scotia-based tall ship Picton Castle has turned pirate for Survivor creator Mark Burnett's newest reality-TV series.
'Pirates' Cited For Illegal Camping
May 7 - SARASOTA, FL (AP) -- A group of self-proclaimed pirates have been cited by deputies after setting up camp on a Sarasota County nature preserve.
Pirate ship exhibit tour to open in Cincinnati
May 7 - CINCINNATI (AP) - A five-year U.S. tour featuring artifacts from an 18th-century pirate ship will make its debut at the Cincinnati Museum Center, organizers announced. The exhibit, opening June 30 and running here into early 2008, is titled: "Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship."
Pirate Treasures: From Errol Flynn to Tyrone Power, it's a Swashbuckler's Paradise
May 6 - Prop up the parrot, fix a cutlass, swig some rum and get ready to rumble: The first pirates of the summer are here on DVD. With the third Pirates of the Caribbean a guaranteed blockbuster, this assault is natural. First up on Tuesday is a compact box set, Pirates of the Golden Age: Movie Collection.
Books on pirate tales are full of treasures
May 6 - Can't wait for the May 25 opening of "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End"? There's a small treasure chest of pirate-themed books already out there to tide children over and they might learn something in the process.
Arrggggg... Day in the Life of a pirate
May 4 - A man with three pistols strapped to his hips, a sword over his shoulder, dressed in black with a gold rimmed hat walks into a restaurant in North Naples. "Ahoy there!" he cries, "Captain Black at yer service." Several children and a few chuckling parents take notice as Michael Bey settles in for an evening of entertainment.
Johnny Depp's Pirate career
May 4 - LIFE STYLE EXTRA (UK) - Johnny Depp wants to make 'Pirates of the Caribbean' films for the rest of his career. The Hollywood actor, who plays Captain Jack Sparrow in the hit adventure series, has no intention of hanging up his pirate hat and is prepared to keep making sequels. He told Top of the Pops magazine: "I'll never get bored of Captain Jack, he is so much fun. If they wanted to do 'Pirates 7,' why not? There are new layers to Jack and situations that he can't just talk his way out of, so it would be good to keep exploring the character."
'Pirates' May Keelhaul 'Spider-Man' in 'Summer of the Threes'
May 4 - For Hollywood, it's the Summer of the Part Threes. Leading off is "Spider-Man 3," which will surely weave its web around moviegoers' dollars this weekend. Hot on Spidey's heels is band of big-money buccaneers who will try to loot the box office with "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" only three weeks later.
National Geographic 'Real Pirates' Exhibition to Make Its World Premiere This Summer at Cincinnati Museum Center
May 3 - CINCINNATI "Real Pirates: The Untold Story of the Whydah from Slave Ship to Pirate Ship," a new exhibit organized by National Geographic and Arts and Exhibitions International (AEI) LLC, in cooperation with Cincinnati Museum Center, will tell the compelling story of the Whydah, a real pirate ship that began as a slave ship, and the stories of the diverse people whose lives converged on the vessel. The exhibition, featuring actual artifacts recovered from the ocean floor, will begin a five-year U.S. tour with its world premiere at Cincinnati Museum Center on Saturday, June 30, 2007.
Invest like a pirate!
May 2 - My wife and kids are so excited about the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie coming out at the end of this month. My kids like pirates, while I think my wife just likes Johnny Depp! Of course, I'm most interested in the economics of the real pirates of the Caribbean. I'm talking about more than "pirate gold" - namely, the four S's - silver, smuggling, sugar and slaves. I think natural resource investors can learn a lot from the pirates. I'll give you the specific lessons in a moment. First, I want to explain how all of these factors contributed to the rise of an entire pirate economy.
The Barbary Pirates - Lessons Not Learned
May 1 - In a recent Townhall.com essay, titled Jefferson Versus the Muslim Pirates, Christopher Hitchens paints a picture of Jefferson and Madison's conflict with the Barbary pirates that should serve as an object lesson for western political leaders of today.
APRIL 2007
MARCH 2007
