However, a 'Girls Gone Wild' promotion was better received

The city of Galveston, Tex., eager to upgrade its image from a shabby beach town where nothing much happens aside from Spring Break and the occasional hurricane, hired a PR firm. The flacks recommended the city enthusiastically promote "Talk Like a Pirate Day," but no one liked the idea.

The idea of having local waitresses, bellhops and police officers greeting tourists with an "Aarggh, matey!" had tourists Dustin and Katrina Thornton of Huntsville laughing out loud.

"I think that would be kind of dumb," Dustin Thornton said.

"They kept mentioning pirates," Paula Brown, spokeswoman for the convention and visitors bureau, said. "I think they went a little overboard on the pirates."