h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My word you have been busy.

"Unfortunately it was defeated by the English ships."
As an Englishman, I would take issue on this observation. It may have been "unfortunate" for the Spanish throne, and moreso for the seamen, but not for me. The Armada was certainly roughed up by the Royal Navy but it was the good old British weather that finished it off.
You should always prepare when playing away from your home turf.

"No piracy today"?
You seem to have overlooked all the stuff that goes on in the China seas and suchlike. All kinds of cargo vessels, being largely automated with only a few crew on board are continually stalked and attacked by high speed smallish boats bristling with armaments, intent on robbing without great regard for the lives of their victims, some of whom are heaved over the side to show that the pirates mean business.
Even the insurance companies are beginning to pay attention.

Thanks plaguesville

one nice piece of information which I wasn't aware of. I like to keep up to date, and I haven't been keeping my eye on the Chinese waters... Piracy 2001! How exciting!

x x Fenny (who used to run up and down the road yelling "Arr me 'earties!")

Well, kick my Fenny!
Just as I hit the "Post" button, I remembered the "Spanish Main" part of the title.
Can you lend me a plank to walk on / off?
Aaarghhhh!

I personaly side with the English as well, but in papers it turns out better to side with who it's about. I mean how would it look to say: unfortunatly for the Spanish, but fortunatly for the english, but since I like England better I'll put fortunatly, any way, it was defeated by the English ships. Pirates are a wonderful thing. Sometime i think I will build I time machine, go back to the Spanish Main, dress as a boy, and ship out as a pirate. A worthwhile occupation. Aye?

Hey Athena, maybe I'll join you! But could we use your time machine to put my age back a decade, so I'm just a bit fitter???

x x Fenny

"Well stap me vitals if ye ain't a likely looking lad! Ah-har!
Ship out wi' me an' we'll make a man o' ye! An' a rich one at that! Just see if we don't!"
(Even though I seem to remember reading that a couple of the most fearsome pirates were women. Anne Bonny and Mary Read. Both convicted and sentenced to death they revealed that they were pregnant and got a stay of execution until after the birth of the children. Mary Read died in prison of some illness. Anne Bonny had several stays of execution and eventually just diappeared!)

Time Machine eh? You've got the plans?
I had the privilege of going aboard the reconstruction of Francis Drake's ship "the Golden Hind". A real, honest to goodness, actual, faithful, full sized sailing version. It wasn't much bigger than a bus. To think of months of voyaging with scores of men in such cramped conditions took some of the gloss off the film version of pirates' lives.
Still it kept them off the streets.

Sorry about the previous 21st century pirates stuff. I just got carried away.

Time machine is up for grabs! But first! Can any one tell me hoe to make those awsome smilies? I haven't figured it out yet. I can only do & AH! What about you plauges? Wanna be a pirate? Thats cool that there were women pirates, now all I need is the time machine, and not the boys togs.

All right Athena, try this one...

"Move yer mouse jest a little to the left boys! Arr, that'll do! Now give it some muscle! pull up the treasure trove and let's see what's buried there..." or you could hover your cursor above any smiley you see, and follow the link you find there. This will lead you to a Treasure Trove of Smileys, beers, and chocolates, and X marks the spot.

And all that.

Not meaning to sound patronising, I just got carried away!

x x Fenny (fantasising about sea-farers)

For a full list of smileys, try:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A155909

You know I was being very serious and boring about the China seas and pirates when you were dealing with the Spanish Main? Well ... today on BBC Radio 4 there was a report along those very lines (Plimsoll lines?) (sorry, ignore that if you can). It is not restricted to those parts, it's becoming more common in the Carribean. Now my geography and oceanography are not much good, but I fancy that's close to, if not in the Spanish Main. So you may have some competition, or a ship that's crying out for your company.
As for me, I prefer to keep my feet dry and on terra firma. (The greater the firma, the less the terror.) Nevertheless I shall be thinking of you, and wishing you well in your new occupation. If you find a four dimensional postbox, send me a postcard or a handful of dubloons, please.