Pirates on the Santa Maria

You want to do a haunted ship so what theme do you choose? Pirates, of course. Here we are during a set-up meeting. The pirate theme wasn't carried through very thoroughly but it was fun and a couple of special effects were well-done. I was one of the guides and I have no idea how many people I took through. I did get to take the last tour through. It was a small group - mother, father, and daughter. The girl was afraid to go on even after we gave her a "magic light stick" that repels the scary stuff. After seeing it work a few times she took the lead and wanted more.

Modern Pirates and a Spanish Galleon

Ever since a salvage operation announced that they found a treasure ship in international waters, the government of Spain has insisted that they own the ship. They recently arrested the captain of the salvage operation.

Odyssey Marine Explorations - which owns the salvage ship - claims it found the 17th Century galleon in international waters.

But Spanish Culture Minister Antonio Molina on Wednesday said the Florida-based firm was made up of "modern pirates".

Pirate Attacks Up

According to news reports, pirate attacks are up 14 percent over last year. Of course, these aren't the romantic pirates in tricorn hats and wide boots. These are nasty characters who are likely to take crews hostage or kill them.

Avast, it's the Mythbusters again

I've been a regular viewer of the Mythbusters since their first episode and I've seen every episode since then multiple times. But...

I have real problems with the special two-part pirate episode. It has nothing to do with historical pirates and little to do with history at all. The eyepatch one is especially bad since they pronounce it confirmed. What they confirmed is that if you cover one eye prior to going into a darkened room you can use that eye to see. They should have admitted that there is no historic basis for doing this. Going down a sail by cutting it is a hollywood myth and they didn't test it properly, either. In the movie clip they showed it the sail is billowing outward in the wind (which help to hide the slide beneath it). When testing the myth they tested it inside with a flat sail. Then there is the one about splinters being more dangerous than the cannon ball. Granted, a cannon ball that actually hits you is going to do more damage but the odds of being hit by a single ball are much worse than the odds of being hit by one of a shower of splinters. These might not be deadly, at least not until infection sets in, but they are more likely to cause serious injury. What they proves here is that a bullet is more deadly than birdshot - same principle.

Regardless, the pirate episode is on again tonight. I may watch the Bionic Woman instead.