A Jolly Good Time

Run this 12" x 18" (30.5 x 45.7 cm) nylon pirate flag up your car's antenna and start plundering all those fat treasure-laden SUVs. The small Jolly Roger pirate flag looks great on boat antennas, too.

The name "Jolly Roger" dates back to at least 1721. One story says that it derives from the French jolie rouge, meaning "pretty red." Red?? In 1694 the English Admirality required privateers to fly a red (or "bloody") flag to distinguish them from naval vessels. By the mid 1700s pirates flew the black flag to indicate that they would "give quarter" (meaning show mercy), while a red flag meant no quarter would be given. Another story says that "Jolly Roger" is an English corruption of "Ali Raja", the name of a notorious Tamil pirate. Yet another story says that it was named after the devil "Old Roger", and got its jollies from the skull's deaths-head grin.