Interesting that this calendar on amazon.ca is Bravado merchandise.
Now quite a long journey begins from entertainment to water and energy supply and European hidden truths, stay tuned, don't quit, it's unbelievable.
We know about Sony, Mr. Murdoch, Mr. Phillips - well, we should know also this:
Bravado belongs to Vivendi group (just like UMG, Universal Music Group, UMPG Universal Music Publishing Group etc.)
QuoteBravado, the only global, 360° full service merchandise company, develops and markets high-quality licensed merchandise to a worldwide audience. The company works closely with new & established entertainment clients, creating innovative products carefully tailored to each artist or brand. Product is sold on live tours, via selected retail outlets and through web-based stores. Bravado also licenses rights to an extensive network of third party licensees around the world. The company maintains offices in London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco and Stockholm, and partners with companies in Germany, France, Japan, Australia and South America. Now under the Universal Music Group umbrella, Bravado is able to leverage a global sales and distribution network from the world's largest record company, as well as the group's significant marketing strength. Bravado artists include Kanye West, Gwen Stefani, Beyonce, Rolling Stones, Elton John, Guns 'N Roses, Metallica, Led Zeppelin, Tina Turner, Iron Maiden, Alicia Keys, New Kids on the Block, Nine Inch Nails, Dolly Parton and The Killers, among many others.
MJJ is listed on Bravado's homepage only:
http://www.bravado.com/
UMG is holding the catalog of Jackson Five:
QuoteMusic Catalog
Representing some of the most influential and legendary recording artists of the last 100 years, UMG has the most extensive catalog of music in the industry including: ABBA, Louis Armstrong, Chuck Berry, James Brown, The Carpenters, Eric Clapton, Patsy Cline, John Coltrane, The Commodores, Count Basie, Bing Crosby, Bo Diddley, Bill Evans, The Four Tops, Judy Garland, Marvin Gaye, Buddy Holly, The Jackson Five, Jay-Z, Loretta Lynn, The Mamas & The Papas, Bob Marley, Nirvana, The Police, Smokey Robinson, Frank Sinatra (outside North America), Cat Stevens, Rod Stewart, Sublime, The Supremes, The Temptations, Conway Twitty, Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, and The Who.
UMPG is publisher for Prince e.g.:
QuoteWith 51 offices in 43 territories, Universal Music Publishing Group (UMPG) is the industry's largest global music publishing operation. UMPG represents music in every genre from some of the world's hottest songwriters and catalogs including Abba, Adele, Christina Aguilera, Lily Allen, Beach Boys, Beastie Boys, Bjork, Mary J. Blige, Mariah Carey, Ciara, The Clash, Coldplay, Elvis Costello, The Cure, Daughtry, Danny Elfman, Eminem, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Franz Ferdinand, Jimi Hendrix, Elton John/Bernie Taupin, Joy Division, Keane, R. Kelly, The Killers, Diana Krall, Avril Lavigne, Linkin Park, Henry Mancini, Maroon 5, Nelly, Prince, Otis Redding, Sex Pistols, Paul Simon, Britney Spears, 3 Doors Down, Justin Timberlake, T-Pain, and U2, among many others. UMPG is also a global leader in the areas of Production Music, Christian and Classical Music. For more information please visit http://www.umusicpub.com.
http://www.universalmusic.com/overview
This is Vivendi group with headquarter in Paris, France and a U.S. branch in New York, NY (we remember some recent travels...):
http://www.vivendi.com/vivendi/Simplified-Organization-Chart
QuoteVivendi SA (formerly known as Vivendi Universal) is a French international media conglomerate with activities in music, television and film, publishing, telecommunications, the Internet, and video games. It is headquartered in Paris.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivendi
This company has roots in water supply and still is doing private water business (among other business areas).
QuoteType Société Anonyme (Euronext: VIV)
Industry Media, telecommunication
Founded December 14, 1853 (as Compagnie générale des eaux)
1998 (as Vivendi)
Headquarters Paris, France
Area served Worldwide
Key people Jean-Bernard Lévy (CEO), Jean-René Fourtou (Chairman)
Products Music publishing, film production, publishing, pay TV services, television broadcasting, telecommunication services, video game publishing
Revenue €27.13 billion (2009)[1]
Operating income €3.836 billion (2009)[1]
Profit €830 million (2009)[1]
Total assets €58.13 billion (2009)[1]
Employees 48,280 (FTE, 2009)[1]
Subsidiaries Canal+ Group
Vivendi Entertainment
Universal Music Group
Activision Blizzard (54%)
GVT (62.5%)
NBC Universal (12.34%)
Maroc Telecom (53%)
SFR (56%)
Website Vivendi.com
QuoteIn June 1999, Vivendi merged with Pathé, the exchange ratio for the merger fixed at three Vivendi shares for every two Pathé shares. The Wall Street Journal estimated the value of the deal at US$2.59 billion. Following the completion of the merger, Vivendi retained Pathé's interests in British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC and CanalSatellite, a French broadcasting corporation then sold all remaining assets to Jérôme Seydoux's family-owned holding company, Fornier SA who changed its name to Pathé.
In July 2000, Vivendi spun off its water and waste companies—once its core business—along with interests in other public service sectors such as transport into Vivendi Environnement (IPO in Paris in July 2000 and in New York in October 2001), later (2003) renamed Veolia Environnement.
Vivendi Universal Entertainment was created in December 2000 with the merger of the Vivendi media empire with Canal+ television networks and the acquisition of Universal Studios from Canadian company Seagram.
Vivendi in its current form came into existence on April 20, 2006 following the sale of an 80% stake in the Vivendi Universal Entertainment unit to General Electric to form NBC Universal (merging GE's NBC unit & Vivendi's Vivendi Universal Entertainment unit) and the gradual recovery of the company from its disastrous over-expansion in the late 1990s and the early 2000s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vivendi
QuoteVeolia Environnement S.A. (Euronext: VIE, NYSE: VE) is a multinational French company with activities in four main areas - water supply and water management, waste management, energy and transport services. In 2007 it had revenues of $47bn and employed around 300,000 people. It is quoted on Euronext Paris and the New York Stock Exchange.
Between 2000 and 2003 the company was known as Vivendi Environnement, having been spun off from the Vivendi conglomerate, most of the rest of which became Vivendi. Prior to 1998 Vivendi was known as Compagnie Générale des Eaux.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veolia_Environnement
QuoteVeolia Water division remains the largest private water company in the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veolia_Environnement
We all may know about the controversy about privatization of water supply.
Some overview:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_privatization
QuoteMultinational corporations are heavily involved in water privatization. According to Masons Water Yearbook 2004/5, 545m people (9% of the world population) were served by private providers. Argentina and Bolivia have since rescinded water privatization schemes.
The three companies of water privatization are:
* Suez, 117.4 million;
* Veolia Environnement (Vivendi), 108.2 million;
* RWE, 69.5 million (before selling its major water subsidiary, Thames Water, to Kemble Water)
The next biggest players are Aguas de Barcelona (35.2 million); SAUR (33.5 million); and United Utilities (22.1 million).
The largest private water supplier is Suez.Who is Suez?
QuoteSuez Environnement S.A. (Euronext: SEV) is a French-based utility company which operates largely in the water treatment and waste management sectors. Formerly an operating division of Suez, the company was spun out as a stand-alone entity as part of the merger to form GDF Suez on 22 July 2008. GDF Suez remains the largest shareholder of the company with a 35% stake. Suez Environnement shares are listed on the Euronext exchanges in Paris and Brussels. The company has its head office in the 8th arrondissement of Paris.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Environnement
http://www.suez-environnement.com/en/homepage
QuoteWater
The Suez Environnement Group's water-related activities include:
* The production and distribution of drinking water
* The treatment of waste water
* Design and manufacture of water treatment plants
* Management of domestic and industrial waste water
Suez Environnement also operates in the desalination domain. The company organises its activities around a number of themes, including coastline protection, the provision of water to those without access, the distribution of water from alternative sources, the management of industrial impacts and the decontamination of soils.
[edit] Waste Management
Suez Environnement also:
* Sorts and processes household, industrial, medical and agricultural waste
* Recycles and incinerates waste products or disposes of them in managed landfill sites
* Sanitises and de-pollutes contaminated ground
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_Environnement
QuoteThe Universal Suez Ship Canal Company (French: Compagnie universelle du canal maritime de Suez, or simply Compagnie de Suez for short) was the Egyptian corporation which was formed by Ferdinand de Lesseps during 1858, constructed the Suez Canal between 1859 and 1869, and owned and operated it for many years thereafter. Initially, French private investors were the majority of the shareholders, with Egypt also having a significant stake.
The company remains extant, after a series of mergers, as GDF Suez
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compagnie_de_Suez
Mother company of Suez Environnement is
QuoteGDF Suez S.A. (Euronext: GSZ) is a French-Belgian energy company active in the fields of electricity generation and distribution, natural gas and renewable energy. The world's largest utility after taking control of Britain's International Power, the company was initally formed by the merger of Gaz de France and Suez on 22 July 2008. The firm also holds a 35% stake in Suez Environnement, the water treatment and waste management company spun out from Suez at the time of the merger.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suez_%28company%29
QuoteOn February 25, 2006, French Prime minister Dominique de Villepin announced the merger of Suez and Gaz de France, which would make the world's largest liquefied natural gas company.
QuoteNow part of GDF Suez
* Suez Energy International – energy
* Electrabel – electricity in Europe (first in Belgium)
* Fluxys – high pressure gas grid operator in Belgium
* Tractebel Engineering – international engineering consultancy
* Cofely (French) – building services/facilities management
[edit] Now part of Suez Environnement
* Sita — waste management
* Suez Environment — water and waste
* Degremont — Water & WasteWater treatment engineering [1]
* United Water — water in the United States, also Adelaide, Australia
* Grupo Agbar — water and waste
Statistically in 2004/2005 worldwide 225 million people were dependent on private water supply headquartered in Paris, France.
This dependency is even further escalating in discussions:
QuoteIn 2009 George Mason University professor Peter T. Leeson has suggested that ocean privatization could help combat Somalian piracy.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_privatization
Which brings us back to another thread http://michaeljacksonhoaxforum.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5167&p=285619#p285619 lately discussing Somalia, The Gulf of Aden, Suez Canal and the question why so many military vessels from all over the world are welcoming the waters of Somalia - just for pirates?
And we run into this by accident:
http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=135&a=5163
Quote[Global News: Somalia Piracy]
The escapades of Somali pirates made headlines last week. But the media has ignored the injustice behind the phenomenon.
When the Asian tsunami of Christmas 2005 washed ashore on the east coast of Africa, it uncovered a great scandal.
Tons of radioactive waste and toxic chemicals drifted onto the beaches after the giant wave dislodged them from the sea bed off Somalia. Tens of thousands of Somalis fell ill after coming into contact with this cocktail. They complained to the United Nations (UN), which began an investigation. "There are reports from villagers of a wide range of medical problems such as mouth bleeds, abdominal hemorrhages, unusual skin disorders and breathing difficulties," the UN noted.
QuoteIn 1991, the government of Somalia - in the Horn of Africa - collapsed. Its nine million people have been teetering on starvation ever since - and many of the ugliest forces in the Western world have seen this as a great opportunity to steal the country's food supply and dump our nuclear waste in their seas.
Yes: nuclear waste. As soon as the government was gone, mysterious European ships started appearing off the coast of Somalia, dumping vast barrels into the ocean. The coastal population began to sicken. At first they suffered strange rashes, nausea and malformed babies. Then, after the 2005 tsunami, hundreds of the dumped and leaking barrels washed up on shore. People began to suffer from radiation sickness, and more than 300 died. Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah, the UN envoy to Somalia, tells me: "Somebody is dumping nuclear material here. There is also lead, and heavy metals such as cadmium and mercury - you name it." Much of it can be traced back to European hospitals and factories, who seem to be passing it on to the Italian mafia to "dispose" of cheaply. When I asked Ould-Abdallah what European governments were doing about it, he said with a sigh: "Nothing. There has been no clean-up, no compensation, and no prevention."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/you-are-being-lied-to-abo_b_155147.html
In the end, I have to admit that the official MJ calendar on amazon.ca has provided quite a lot of insights to me.
