Chapter 464: Indonesian Oil

[Chapter 526: What is terrible]

As Thanksgiving approached, Arthur returned to Los Angeles from New York. The merger between Galaxy and CBS Broadcasting was going smoothly, so Arthur didn't see the need to stay in New York.

However, the rap label Death Row Records under Galaxy Music had recently been making headlines, which Arthur usually hadn't paid much attention to. The West Coast's gangsta rap, led by Dr. Dre from Death Row, was frequently clashing with the East Coast's hip hop, represented by The Notorious B.I.G. from Bad Boy Records.

"Bad Boy's Christopher Wallace -- the infamous one?" Arthur sat in his office, casually flipping through some files. Death Row had just gotten the renowned rapper Tupac Shakur out of prison and signed him to battle against the East Coast.

"Late-night parties, violent brawls, and several shootings; this year, he's in jail again for sexually assaulting a female fan?" This guy was even more notorious than Snoop Dogg!

Soon after, Winona Ryder entered Arthur's office, having just returned from Carmel Ranch. "Hey, Arthur, are you really following this stuff?" she asked, glancing at the rap artists on the desk, puzzled.

Arthur shook his head. "I just skimmed over the record label's operations. Why would I care about this?"

"The rap scene is truly a cesspool of scumbags!" Winona shrugged. "That's just how it is. They were born in gang-controlled neighborhoods and grew up exposed to this."

"Whatever. Let's not worry about that right now. We're going to dinner at the Wilshire Hotel to celebrate Thanksgiving!" Arthur dismissed the issue; as long as money was coming in, that was what mattered. However, he was concerned that the bad reputation of the Compton gang members could impact Galaxy Music.

Perhaps it was time to remind Los Angeles Mayor James Hahn to enforce a cleanup, as most of Death Row's members were Blood gang affiliates. The rival Crips were known to target Death Row's crew frequently!

...

That evening, in Beverly Hills at the Wilshire Hotel restaurant, Arthur and Winona enjoyed dinner together. "Isn't the nearby Ritz-Carlton one of our properties? Why come to this one?" Winona asked, still puzzled.

Arthur smiled. "This hotel holds many beautiful memories for us, doesn't it?"

"Yeah, you really think of everything!"

...

While Arthur celebrated Thanksgiving in Los Angeles, former California Assembly Speaker Willie Brown was found dead in his home during an investigation in Sacramento. This was just a week after San Francisco Mayor Frank Jordan's successful re-election.

Two days after Thanksgiving, Arthur quietly traveled to Sacramento, where he met with Governor Pete Wilson in an office at the California State Capitol. "Willie Brown died of a heart attack?" Arthur asked blandly as he sat on the couch.

Pete Wilson shrugged. "I heard he fell while changing a light bulb. That resulted in a heart attack." He paused before adding, "By the way, Frank Jordan has nominated Kamala Harris to be the San Francisco District Attorney!"

Pete Wilson had just been re-elected as California's governor earlier that year, with his term running until 1998. Arthur thought that Willie Brown, a prominent advocate for the LGBT community, was someone who had played with this group early on. With his death, Arthur actually found that to be a positive development.

The LGBT community wasn't yet political, but with Brown gone, it would become increasingly difficult for Jewish interests to continue supporting that group.

Arthur stood up. "If that's the case, let's continue with our previous endeavors. I wouldn't worry about Hollywood; Disney is going to feel the consequences of merging with ABC very soon." As for the Bronfman family at Universal, there was nothing to worry about; little Edgar Bronfman was well-known for being a spoiled rich kid who couldn't make a splash!

Pete Wilson nodded. "Galaxy merging with CBS is a significant victory. But I've heard Ted Turner from TBS accepted the merger conditions from Time Warner."

"It shouldn't be long before Time Warner announces the news," Arthur mused. "CNN, right?" He squinted, recognizing the power of that news station. "No sweat, CBS will launch its own 24-hour news channel if given the chance! NBC and FOX can do it, so there's no reason CBS can't!"

"Also, I plan to increase CBS's affiliate broadcasting operations in Northern California. I'll be acquiring three local TV stations in the San Francisco Bay Area," Arthur said, looking at Pete Wilson. "I'll need Frank's cooperation."

"No problem," Pete Wilson was more than happy to comply with such a minor request. "The California Air National Guard helicopter unit is ready to invite the personnel from Seraphim Security Company for training. At the same time, the Department of Defense has a weapons order up for bid at the military base in Monrovia, Liberia; if Seraphim is interested, they can take on the order.

Additionally, there's offshore oil drilling rights for sale near Surabaya on Java Island in Indonesia. But Indonesia's relationship with the U.S. is a bit frosty right now; that oil field's perimeter is under the control of Indonesia's state-owned oil company, so you'll have to deal with Indonesian state oil company!"

"Indonesia?" Arthur's eyes lit up. "Western oil companies have been itching to break into the Southeast Asian market. This could be a great opportunity!"

Pete Wilson reminded Arthur, "You should learn about Indonesian politics. Suharto has ruled for nearly thirty years; the state oil company is the Dutch-owned Royal Dutch Shell's assets in Indonesia. Right now, basically all of Indonesia is owned by the Suharto family!"

Arthur smiled. "Is the oil reserve under that land worth my investment?"

Pete Wilson nodded. "Royal Dutch Shell already exploited nearby lands, so this should be similar. The land is valued at $80 million. I believe it could multiply after surveying it!"

Arthur nodded. "The military base in the Philippines will provide support, right?"

"Of course," Pete Wilson was aware that Arthur was no saint; he had heard stories about his methods in Somalia. "The CIA will support you as well!"

"Good, just send me the information," Arthur was feeling excited.

*****

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