Elton John and Sting Join "Hall of Shame"

As made clear in previous essays, the "Hall of Shame" is a listing of so-called celebrities or high profile individuals who have squandered their positions of prominence. They do not inspire as shining examples worthy of emulation. They stand as symbols of wasted opportunities -- self absorbed, arrogant, narcissistic egoists -- cloaked in hypocrisy. Other astute observers of the human condition, accurately, (if bluntly), characterize these types as jerks, a-- holes, or just plain pricks. The "Hall of Shame" members we have discussed thus far make such comparisons unfair to perfectly good anatomy. Elton John fits the mold.

Charter members one through five, listed in previous blogs include Madonna, David Letterman, Charlie Sheen, Paul McCartney and Lady GaGa.

(6) Elton John

The newest inductee is Elton John. Elton's most recent publicity flap is related to his hiring out to conservative radio personality Rush Limbaugh. Rush had Sir John entertain at his recent wedding reception. Some contend Rush set out to prove that cash bridges gaps- even between ideological opposites. Elton's normally supportive left wing admirers are up-in-arms over what they see as Elton's "whoring out to the enemy" for one million dollars. If they search, Elton's pals may still find some consolation:

It should be understood that in Elton's world, turning his back on his friends, while bowing to his enemy, may not be an insult; but rather, an invitation. We believe EJ should stick to his music and keep his rants to himself. In the tradition of Paul McCartney- EJ regularly offers his opinion on America's entertainment and political scenes. The reader may remember when EJ accused America (and American Idol) of being racist for booting Jennifer Hudson early in the competition. More recently, he was in trouble for calling Oprah Winfrey fat. Elton John is an equal opportunity diss artist and stone thrower. With a countenance resembling a badly poisoned frog wearing a single earring . . . a challenged Elton resides in a glass house.

(7) Sting

Born Gordon Matthew Thomas Sumner, Sting is another English musician, songwriter and political activist. Like McCartney and Elton John, he spends way too much time collecting on concert and album sales here while criticizing our politics and way of life.

Sting's latest proclamation is: " The war on drugs, (in America), represents an extraordinary violation of human rights." He goes on to say: "Drug laws violate his human sovereignty."

Sting, Montel Williams and off-the-charts leftist and financier George Soros have formed the Drug Policy Alliance; whose goal is to dismantle any and all control over currently illegal, addictive, destructive and mind altering substances. Just what America needs . . . This wholesome threesome influencing further unbridled social degradation!

The entertainment industry has unlimited access and potentially enormous influence over the lives of so many susceptible people. Some seek to alter our culture with delusions of their perceived perfect world. This invasion into our lives and the manipulation of young, impressionable minds by people who sing, dance and act for a living is ludicrous. Ignorance and ego with a dash of "cool" is an unholy mix. It is time for us to stand up and speak out against those who would drag us down.

This column may be one writer's feeble attempt at holding back the tide but saying nothing is not and will not be an option.

Please visit http://www.preciousmetaladvocates.com/ for jewelry made from the treasure bullion recovered from the 1622 shipwreck "Atocha" The Ghost Galleon Collection features some of the most unusual and beautiful treasure creations ever presented.

Jack Magne'

Paul McCartney and Lady GaGa Enter the Hall of Shame

For those who have not followed these essays, the Hall of Shame  is a growing list of high-profile individuals who have been blacklisted  from ever purchasing, borrowing or otherwise owning even a single piece of our exotic and historic  jewelry.

 The Ghost Galleon Collection is Treasure Sails, Inc's  presentation of the world's only jewelry made from separate and beautifully contrasting  components of rare silver and copper recovered from the 1622 shipwreck "Atocha". www.preciousmetaladvocates.com proudly presents the full line for your review.

We respectfully submit- The Hall of Shame  should not be misconstrued as a mean-spirited attempt to single out any one person or persons without real provocation or just cause. We realize some of these people have wide appeal; with established fan bases;  nevertheless, we will not knowingly engage in business with them, even if it means financial loss.  Someone has to take a stand - and we are willing to do just that.

Charter members numbered 1, 2 and 3 are Madonna, David Letterman and Charlie Sheen
respectively.  Justification for their membership is clearly stated in  our previous essay titled: Celebrities Blacklisted by Jewelry Designer.  New inductees are:

(4)  Paul McCartney
 On June 3, 2010,  as America reeled  from high unemployment, uncontrolled spending,  record deficits, threats from abroad and an unprecedentedly massive oil spill in the Gulf- Sir Paul McCartney  jetted  into Washington to receive the prestigious Gershwin Award for Popular Song.

President  Obama made  the presentation of the Library of Congress Award to Sir Paul with such pomp and circumstance, any uninformed observer might have erroneously  concluded Paul was an important Head of State. In contrast,  Benjamin Netanyahu, Prime Minister of Israel, one of our most important allies was recently left unattended and thoroughly snubbed.

  This politically - loaded love fest was perhaps highlighted with Paul's saccharine  serenade of  the First Lady with her personal rendition of his Michelle (My Bell).  All of this was perfectly fine, until McCartney felt compelled to fawn a little further and (referring to the Library of Congress),  made the statement :  " It is good that after the last 8 years, America has a President who knows what a library is."  This was an obvious bash directed  to our former President.  This disrespectful comment was inappropriate and struck a decidedly discordant note. It is unseemly for anyone to come to the White House from another country, and then proceed to insult ANY of our Presidents.  This remark alone qualifies McCartney for the Hall of Shame- There are other reasons; one does not have to look far.

It follows that those closest to us may know us best.  Heather Mills, (also of Dancing With the Stars fame),  in a highly publicized divorce proceeding, accused Sir Paul of any number of transgressions, including the following, and we quote:  "McCartney was often drunk, smoked cannabis, stabbed her with a broken wine glass, pushed her over a table, and pushed her into a bath tub when she was pregnant with her daughter."  Mills also stated: " I had to play full time psychologist to Paul."  Mills is a partial amputee. Nice guy !

The Beatles ,  beginning  around 1964,   changed the music world with a collection of hits featuring smooth harmonies, interestingly arranged and pounded home by a pleasant foursome of mop-top lads with a British accent.  When the Beatles  sang I Want to Hold Your Hand, a generation of  wildly appreciative and screaming fans enthusiastically
extended their hands- with pocketbooks.  The rest, as they say, is history.

On the other hand, an often "pitchy"  Paul McCartney- without the camouflaging influence of three other voices, may fall far short as a solo artist. The strained efforts seem overwrought, thin and shrill- with all the mellifluousness of fingernails dragging across a slate blackboard.  He is certainly no Michael Buble' or Josh Groban.  Members of a certain generation might find McCartney  reminiscent of Tiny Tim- without the ukulele. Tiny Tim, however did not take himself nearly as seriously.  No treasure for Paul.

(5) Lady  Gaga

Madonna's heir apparent- Lady Gaga, is the current shock-phenomenon who says she  owes her inspiration to Madonna, David Bowie, Grace Jones, Michael Jackson and others.  The stage performances and videos feature Gaga's automaton like gyrations to a monotonous, relentless beat. The lyrics are (perhaps mercifully) unintelligible.  Gaga's otherworldly costumes and cartoon-like presence  are oddly suggestive of re-animated road-kill. The sometimes boring debate over whether this type of act is corruptive of the culture; or merely reflective of it- still rages. Either scenario is alarming. The Lady Gaga absurdity  does not deserve more than one short paragraph. We hereby christen her outrageous act, and all others like it as Road-kill Rock.

Jack Magne'

Gosselin to Lohan on "Dancing With The Stars"

It is already old news that Nicole Sherzinger of Pussycat Doll fame, walked away with the somewhat coveted "Mirror Ball Trophy"- Dancing With The Stars' top prize, and symbol of the best celebrity / professional  dancing duo  for 2010. Never mind it would take a math professor to understand, let alone explain the complicated scoring system the show employs. Is this deliberate? The rather large elephant in the room is kind of a shared suspicion that the "control freaks that be" could not possibly allow a simple vote to determine the winner.  No one seems to really care. They are happy with the outcome; especially those whose business it is to bolster their Nielsen ratings.

The show has been an entertainment bonanza and runaway success for the network, and for most participants who have had a splendid opportunity to strut their stuff before an appreciative audience of millions. Even the losers claim to be winners- and this is probably true. Gaining a higher public profile is like " gold " to struggling performers, and even those wanting to re-kindle fame on the wane. Comedians and octogenarians are also welcomed.  

Network brass, wisely, do not want to abandon the winning formula, which has been an interesting mix of talent that has included retired, formerly high profile athletes, Olympic champions, singers and actors either on the ascent- or in the twilight of their careers.  Some competitors are plucked from reality shows or daytime soaps. Bizarre is good.  A malcontent or controversy magnet or two usually adds the shock value and irresistible spice to any "train wreck".  Can you say "Kate Gosselin"? Now you have it! This is by design. It’s a circus of beautiful and/or bizarre people posing-in-motion in the spotlight; all sharing that desperate desire to perform, to be seen, and, of course, to be loved by the viewers. Exhibitionism as art! Those so-called Hollywood celebs, athletes, entertainers and want-a-be’s are professionals... Yeh know!

The addiction is seemingly never-ending. Thoughts are already turned to next season's contestants. Who will fill the all-important role of in-house dancing disaster? DWTS central casting has denied interest in Charlie Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Britney Spears or Richard Heeney, (of balloon boy fame). What about Lindsay Lohan?

Not far from this scene, at the Andy Lecompte Hair Salon, Lindsay Lohan, is no stranger to such disharmony and havoc, is nursing a Kombucha- a new, and fashionable drink for the suddenly health conscious hipsters trying to hone an image of anti-oxidant laced sobriety. It’s positively saintly! This tea, highly fermented as it is, contains only 0.5 % alcohol. This should be little enough to keep Lohan sober- but not when her hair appointment takes over 5 hours.

Slurred speech is not fall-in-the-street-drunk, or auto-accident worthy, so Lohan claims this as a victory of sorts, believing the judge will never find out anyway.  This is where this story takes a curious turn. According to an unnamed but reliable source- Kate Gosselin is a regular at Lecompte's and just happens to show up, (with Lindsay's father in tow), as Lindsay was softly singing to herself under the dryer.

A heated argument broke out when Lindsay accused her father of spying on her. When Gosselin tried to defend the old man, Lindsay reportedly launched into a long, profanity laced tirade that concluded only when management threatened Lindsay with botched color issues, and then escorted an agitated Mr Lohan off the premises.

We have been unable to substantiate rumors that the purpose of Gosselin's visit was to ask Lindsay to consider competing in next season's DWTS.  The word on the street is the elder Lohan wants to expose his daughter to the discipline of dance and to thereby help rehabilitate her image. He has denied any separate financial dealings with either DWTS or Kate Gosselin. He insists no project is in the works to feature his daughter along with Kate Gosselin in a situation comedy with the working title, Double Disaster.

At Precious Metal Advocates, we sell a full line of Jack Magne’s Ghost Galleon Atocha treasure jewelry line. We’re offering a 10 to 25% discount over the next two weeks recognizing Lindsay Lohan’s ankle bracelet as a positive step in the right direction. We want to see here succeed with her career and through life!

So, visit us at www.preciousmetaladvocates.com to purchase these wonderfully re-designed bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings, and pendants. This line offers a wonderful mix of the use of both the copper and the silver found of the coast of Florida from the sunken treasure of the Spanish ship, The Atocha.

In addition, we will continue to monitor this and many other developing stories and reported news as it becomes available.  I hope you enjoy our commentary and thanks to all of our friends, readers and customers for your continued support.

A GENIUS- OR IS HE JUST CRAZY

Update of:  Shipwrecks, Train wrecks and Kate Gosselin

Regular readers may not  be aware that Jack Magne', President of Treasure Sails, Inc., and creator of the Ghost Galleon Collection  has a serious, dedicated side, which has resulted in the production, and launch of what may be one of the most unique treasure offerings   ever created. We believe Jack's alleged confinement- possibly self imposed in his mountain cabin in Northern California  is only a temporary, humorous glitch which has come in the middle of an otherwise successful launch of one of the world's most unique jewelry presentations.  Jack has sent us a somewhat cryptic message- along with a poem,  which appears later in this  writing.

Magne's  passionate, if not obsessive,  pursuit of a goal he set many years ago has finally come to fruition.  His name is pronounced monyea, was the first entrepreneur to find a way to market many of the silver bricks, called ingots that were recovered by Mel Fisher in perhaps the world's most famous and celebrated 1622 shipwreck "Atocha".  Most prominent in the treasure cargo  were 1000 silver bars and 562 copper ingots- laid in close proximity, (side by side) almost four centuries ago.

Beginning in 1988, Jack, with some assistance from  Mel Fisher, was  able to market Atocha  shipwreck silver,  cast  into authentic designs inspired and recreated from actual one-of-a-kind recovered artifacts.  Jack successfully launched his first treasure jewelry at D.H.Holmes department stores headquartered in New Orleans. Other chains such as Dillards and JC Penney followed and were spectacular successes.

Here is the rub: No one in the world, in the 25 years, since the location and salvage of the Atocha has been willing or able to utilize BOTH  Atocha Silver AND Atocha copper incorporated into the same piece of jewelry. Spurred on by the fact that the Atocha copper is actually, (at 562 ingots), more rare than the Atocha silver (at 1000 bars), a fact not lost on collectors and seekers of treasure- Jack has never abandoned his goal of combining, once again,  the copper and silver- but now as treasure jewelry.  Fisher's original contention that there is naturally occurring gold in Atocha's copper ingots was substantiated by him with an early  sampling of 6 randomly chosen copper ingots which contained varying small, but significant percentages- This additional, yet little known,  uniqueness of the special copper further propelled Magne's passion.  While no one else cared,  Magne' has collected and stored the Atocha copper along with  the silver, in bank vaults over the years.

There are many reasons casting of Atocha copper had been problematic.  First, in the New World, in the 1600's  the ingots were crudely cast in dug-out sand holes. The surface embedded sand, along with over three centuries' gathered sedimentation beneath the ocean had made the copper difficult to manage and destructive to the equipment small-batch casters work with. Add to this the fact that silver smiths are not copper smiths - and usually have no desire to be.

Undaunted, the tenacious Magne' has tried repeatedly over the years to come up with the appropriate answer --- and,  finally he has. Like most things worthwhile, it was a major challenge to get it started.  First, he persuaded a major USA bronze foundry to agree to melt the Atocha copper, skim the sand and impurities, and re-cast into smaller, 15 pound  user-friendly  units that are then shipped to the copper-smith who casts the copper into Jack's authentic treasure designs.  The castings are then shipped to Jack's silversmith who  painstakingly fits actual Atocha hand cast silver components to the copper coins, medallions, pendants, earrings and more.  The finished product, stunning with its contrasting hues,  is protected against oxidation, antiqued and hand polished. Original mint marks, manifest numbers, tax stamps and other primitive inscriptions are all captured in beautiful, wearable treasure  jewelry.

Since presumably no one else world-wide has gone to this much trouble to produce jewelry, Magne' has been described variously as an obsessed genius, or just plain crazy. Thus,  www.pmacoins.com , is short for Precious Metal Advocates originally a marketer of rare coins only,  now presents the Ghost Galleon Collection at special affordable introductory  prices. Jack's insistence on quality is combined with his original commitment to make the Atocha shipwreck treasure affordable to the average person.

               GHOST GALLEON

Through the years that Fisher spent
In search of HIS shipwreck

No lucid dream - the lure was real

Like cannons on ship - deck

Today's the day - or so he thought

Path clues would disappear

The galleon moved, or so it seemed

Elusive - yet so near

For sixteen years, the sea hid back

Atocha's secret hold

The pirates' quest - the treasure chest

And ghostly stories told

The eery mist gave up one day

Something less surreal

The silver, gold and copper too

The ghost Mel found was real

           Jack Magne'        

Gulf of Mexico's Waters have tested many ships before this oil spill!

The recent Gulf oil spill has perhaps shed new light on the centuries-old mystery surrounding the shipwreck of the Spanish Galleon "Atocha" which sailed and sank in a raging hurricane in the year 1622.

The search for the Nuestra Senora De Atocha confounded and frustrated the best efforts of  seekers of adventure and  fortune  for  centuries. Modern-day treasure hunter Mel Fisher spent 16 years of his life in a determined quest to solve the mystery of the Atocha- sometimes referred to as the Ghost Galleon because trails of artifacts and debris seemed to lead to dead ends.  How could a ship just disappear?

What does an oil spill have to do with a lost treasure ship?

The catastrophic environmental and economic consequences of this unprecedented oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has scientists and researchers scrambling to predict the path of devastation.  A  list of scenarios have been posited, including the  possibility the so called "loop current" will bring the spill all the way to the East Coast.  On the other hand, another current phenomenon called "cyclonic eddy" may deposit the oil elsewhere. These capricious if not whimsical currents and weather patterns  are believed to have been in play in the Atocha's final resting place.

Tim Osmondson, partner of Precious Metal Advocates, in association with Jack Magne; of Treasure Sails, Inc. has recently launched a new line of Atocha treasure jewelry appropriately named the Ghost Galleon Collection. Reached by phone at his office in California,  Jack Magne',  creator of the Ghost Galleon Collection,  feels "no amount of science can adequately explain the magic and mystique surrounding the world's most famous, and elusive shipwreck."

The Ghost Galleon Collection is a comprehensive line of authentic jewelry - featuring the world's first and only combination of the rare silver and copper bullion recovered from the 1622 shipwreck "Atocha". The collection includes coins as pendants; also bracelets, necklaces, earrings, belt buckles, rings and more. There are also one-of-a-kind handmade necklaces paired with select Ghost Galleon styles. Our site also carries the full line of our Atocha jewelry in various combinations enhanced with gold. To view simply go to www.preciousmetaladvocates.com and click on GHOST GALLEON COLLECTION and the many other items available for your perusal.