I bet there's rich folks eatin'

The lines from that Johnny Cash song, Folsom Prison Blues, tells the story of social disparity oh so well.

I bet there's rich folks eatin',

In a fancy dining car,

They're probably drinkin' coffee,

And smokin' big cigars,

But I'm stuck in Folsom Prison,

And time keeps draggin' on

Recently I watched a film by filmmaker Jamie Johnson which the trailer describes. It was interesting and enlightening and with blatant editorial bias. Mr. Johnson believes that the rich in this country have too much money and that is not good. It's the classic "haves" versus "have nots" argument. Interestingly enough  Mr. Johnson is a member of the social class he vilifies. His income is derived from the family fortunes of Johnson & Johnson. He does not have to work for a living. While I must agree that perhaps the third or later generation removed from the creator of the family wealth may become isolated from actual work, initially someone had work to create the family wealth. Mr. Johnson advocates that the rich should share their wealth. What would this accomplish? Perhaps the rich would not provide the investment to create new business ventures that would create jobs? And what about the taxes and fees business pays to government? Could they be taxed into losing their profit incentive? And would we not continue our downward spiral into a  entitlement society?

Recently in Monaco I saw some of the most ostentacious trappings of wealth, huge yachts and expensive motorcars. But with all their wealth and misuse of power, we need the rich.

Has a poor man ever given you a job?

Cote d' Azure

"It may get stuck between floors," he said. Maurice, the desk clerk at the Riviera Hotel, 2 Avenue Albert, Villefranche-sur-Mer, told us as we inquired about the elevator. His seven-year-old daughter didn't notice us as she was deeply involved playing with an imaginary friend.  I took the elevator on Marrices's insistance that he would get meout in case tthe elevator got stuck. Our room was small but neat and tidy, and we immediately opened the floor length windows to the balcony. The view of the harbor was stunning. The Mediterranean Sea was its customary brilliant blue.  Luxury yachts the size of small ocean liners were taut on their mooring lines. This was the French Riviera.

Our drive from Vaison la Romaine  had been exhausting.  After all, we did make a few wrong turns in downtown Nice, but that did not curb our inquisitive spirit.  Maurice gave us a map of the town and pointed out a few places to eat. (Desk clerks can always do this for they have friends at restaurants.)  They know what the prices are, also. He reminded us that the closer the eatery was to the water the more expensive it would be.

There were a limited number of hours of sunlight left, and we had to get started. Down the stone streets and alleys of the medieval town we went.  First, we passed Saint Michael's church, built in the 18th century, that is in the "Old Town". We continue our downward walk toward the sea, since all towns on the Cote de Azur are on hillsides by the sea.  Our quest, or I should say, hunger for food led us to an oriental restaurant. (The restaurants suggested by the desk clerk were closed.)  The food and service were good,  but they wouldn't take our credit cards.  We prefer to carry very little cash, just a  hundred euros or so from the ATMs. The lengthy time for service is the norm in France, but is difficult for we Americans to adjust to it. We pass shops on the narrow streets as we continue.   But, the walk to the shoreline is worth the effort. If you are young, or just feel that way, there is nothing like the walk by the waterfront cafes as patrons from the yachts at anchorage come ashore.  The lights of the city beckon you as the music drifts across the water, with wafts of the odors of exotic foods and the stars above twinkle. And you wonder, "Can life be any better than this?"

We stop and look for creatures in the stars and talk in those hushed tones that lovers use before the walk through darkened streets to our hotel room many feet above sea level.

Film for a Winter's Day

It was a cold day in upstate New York when I found this VHS tape of "Diva" on the library shelf. It was one of those winter days when the sun refused to shine and the day was in that traditional dim light of winter when the piles of snow had lost their brilliance. I pushed the tape into the slot in the VHS player came to life in my minuscule studio apartment after turning on the tea kettle.

The film consumed me completely. The tea kettle boiled over. I hurried back to the small screen with my cup of tea to resume my adventure into foreign films and look for the 1951 Studebaker pictured on the VHS box. This film had many features that made me a fan. The contrast of opera to the quirky jazz background music. Mini-skirted roller skaters, Orientals in dark glasses, classic cars and chase scenes all add to the charm of this film. This was one of the first foreign films I had seen and subsequently became a fan. I continue to watch this film today, it still has charm.

From the Rotten Tomatoes website:

Director Jean-Jacques Beineix launched the Cinema Du Look movement with this stylish cult thriller that remains as innovative today as when it premiered in 1981. Jules (Frederic Andrei), a young postal carrier, illegally tapes a concert of a... Director Jean-Jacques Beineix launched the Cinema Du Look movement with this stylish cult thriller that remains as innovative today as when it premiered in 1981. Jules (Frederic Andrei), a young postal carrier, illegally tapes a concert of a reclusive opera singer (American soprano Wilhelmenia Wiggins Fernandez). Jules' attempts to woo the diva are interrupted when Taiwanese bootleggers come after the recording. His problems worsen when a prostitute slips another tape, one that incriminates a police chief, into his bag. Jules must escape the police chief, the cop's henchmen and the bootleggers to keep both precious tapes safe - and to stay alive. Featuring critically acclaimed cinematography and a celebrated chase through the Paris Metro, Diva earned Cesar Awards for Best Music, Best Cinematography and Best Directorial Debut.

But, there is no 1951 Studebaker in the film.

For more information and critiques.

Their Legs Were Crossed

We were walking down Fleet Street in London searching for another church.  Sometimes I think I have an insatiable appetite for the architecture of the medieval churches. We had stopped in Twinings Tearoom for the traditional English tea, and with that good caffeine fix we were ready to do more exploring.  Our quest was to find the Templar Temple.  The name itself suggested a hint of mystery. After all, we had seen the film "The Da Vinci Code".

We found it on a narrow street between Fleet Street and the Thames River. Taller buildings and trees surround it. It has a small courtyard to the side.  In that courtyard is a column with a statue of a mounted knight atop it.  Images from films such as "The Kingdom of Heaven" cloud my mind.  It is quiet and the muffled sounds of Fleet Street sound like the thunder of the hooves of mounted knights from another age.  We enter the coolness of the stone walls. Our eyes adjust to the darkness and our noses to the consumate odor of the centuries.  After seeing many medieval churches this one is truly unique--it's round.  The main nave is indeed circular, but the chancel area is rectangular.  But then the chancel was added to the original structure 200 years later. Why round?  Because its design is based on the circular Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem, the most holy place in Christendom. 

The church was consecrated in 1185. The king himself was in attendance. Recall that the Knights Templar were crusaders, protectors of the poor, and  sought to reclaim the Holy Land from the clutches of Islam. The Templars were also known to have developed a banking system and are thought to have had connections to the famous banking family of the Rothschilds. The Knights Templar fell out of favor, probably because they became too powerful, and were persecuted into presumed extinction.

They took their solemn oaths in this circular nave. We stood in the very places the knights had taken their monastic vows. The acoustics are extraordinary here, not unlike those in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir practice hall in Salt Lake City. As we talked in hushed tones our voices reverberated back on our ears. 

In the nave, which is some fifty-five feet in diameter, are effigies of knights long since dead.  As we looked at these likenesses of members of the Knights Templar we noticed that some of them had their legs crossed.  We were able to find out that crossed legs indicated that they did not die in battle.

We noted church service times on the placard out front in the event we would be around for a religious service.  It would have been neat to have attended a service in such a place. However, we decided that we could hear a pint calling us by name to the nearest pub.

One Hit Wonder?

In music, especially, we hear of "one hit wonders", those people who seem to come from nowhere, and suddenly every time you switch on the radio you hear their songs. Does anyone remember "The Pina Colada" song, and what ever happened to Rupert Holmes anyway? One hit wonders seem to be like shooting stars; they make a bright flash; then they're gone and forgotten.  One such performer could have been James William, "Jimmy", Buffett who in 1977 had a hit song, "Margaritaville".  Born on Christmas day, 1946 he grew up and was educated on the Gulf coast, Alabama and Mississippi. Buffett went to Nashville, Tennessee to make his mark as a country singer and recorded his first album in 1970.  He continued to play for tips on the street, busking, frequently in New Orleans. While in Nashville he took a trip to Key West with singer-songwriter Jerry Jeff Walker to do some busking in the southernmost city of the country, and as they say, "The rest is history." There Buffett developed his musical style and defined a lifestyle as well. His music became known as "Gulf and Western", or country with a Caribbean flavor. The drinking, carousing, and partying on the beach in the tropics was depicted in  many of his songs.  A song on his fifth album, "Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes," had the hit single, "Margaritaville".  This song pretty much summed up the Buffett lifestyle. He gathered fans in legions. His organized fans are called Parrotheads and have chapters all over the USA.

However, the life style depicted in Buffett's songs say nothing about the business skills of Jimmy Buffett. He has made a lot of money and continues to.  His income is estimated at over $50 million per year. Not bad for a one hit wonder.  Actual numbers are fairly difficult to find. His business ventures are under the umbrella company of Margaritaville Holdings, LLC, which is a privately held company.  His income comes from a number of sources.

• Musicand other creative endeavors: His concerts and record sales. Concerts sell out and ticket prices are  around  $85 for the cheap seats.  Last year's tour generated roughly $41 million.
  He has cut back to 25 concerts per year. His record sales generate considerable income as well.  Buffett owns his own record label, so instead of getting $1 per record he gets $5. He has made over 30 albums. Writing: He has produced three best sellers and co-authored two children's books. He has also written musical scores for movies and appeared in several movies in cameo roles.  
• Cheeseburger in Paradise restaurants, Margaritavilla Cafes, and Margaritaville stores generate another $16 million in income.  Some restaurants are company owned, and others are licensed.
• There are Margaritaville food products, clothing, and Landshark Lager produced by Anhauser Busch. On the label of Landshark Lager is a picture of "the Hemisphere Dancer", Buffett's seaplane.  Margaritaville Tequila and Rum  are produced by Seagrams along with other alcoholic beverages.
• He owns part of two minor league baseball teams.
• Hotels and Casinos:  Two casino projects are under construction, one in Biloxi, Mississippi, a $48 million project with Harrah's, and one in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He recently put his Margaritaville brand on a new 162-bed hotel in Pensacola, Florida.
• The NFL Dolphins Stadium, in Miami became Landshark Stadium in 2009. He never misses chance to promote his products.
• Always an opportunist, Buffet is attempting to copyright the name "Tiger's Milk" for a vodka offering. "Tiger's Milk" was a label Charlie Sheen used for a certain libation.
• His satellite radio station, Radio Margaritville, beams the music around the world.
• Margaritaville outdoor furniture is slated to appear in spring, 2011.

Will Jimmy Buffett retire? Not while he enjoys doing what he's doing, according to him.  Will his financial empire continue to grow? Probably. After all, Jimmy Buffet's empire doesn't depend on hits.

Not bad for a one hit wonder. 

Links:

Jimmy Buffett 1 

Jimmy Buffett 2

Jimmy Buffett 3 video

Jimmy Buffett 4

Jimmy Buffett Homepage