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A Social Club Of One.....
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Maurice Ali



Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 7983
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PostPosted: Tue Feb 04, 2025 8:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Looking for an event site in New York.



From 14 years of experience, I can tell you the first order of business is to secure a date. You have absolutely nothing unless you have a verified date secured. Almost everything else is secondary. We never got a secured date at YDS - I asked in November - but no go…..




The only thing to do is start talking to them and see what happens.







In other news:




I got the invite to that Town-hall at the UN with the President of the United Nations. Our Global Social Contract is directly tied into that event. Unfortunately there is no opportunity for me to speak. So, this is actually a target of opportunity dependent on what happens at Central Park. But if I have to travel there fast I will make the most of it!




Goodnight…..
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Maurice Ali



Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 7983
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PostPosted: Wed Feb 05, 2025 3:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

A bunch of things.



As per rules we are limiting online posting of FOFSTOCK 2 activities in New York at this stage. I guess I can say we have a “hold” for July 14. I’m basically on my own at FOF as this is not a popular move at our organization, given current relations between Canada and the United States, but this is five months in the future and things can change.







Down the road in Manhattan I started the process for consultative status of FOFSTOCK at the United Nations. We passed the two year anniversary last year and so with our organizational profile granted, I am moving forward with the application. This process can take several years but the world needs an international NGO for musicians and the music indie industry to advocate for grass roots music worldwide as international tech and media companies are quickly devaluing and strangling the musicians and indie organizations to express themselves or even exist as viable entities anymore, especially with AI music for example. These are international concerns and require international NGO advocacy.



You have to see things from my viewpoint and my age as what was once a huge industry and music world where talented musicians lived and prospered, to a shadow of itself in maybe 20 years. Tell people you are a musician and they ask what’s your real job. Say you own a record label and people quietly snicker, that is where we are today. And out of all this, how come some “brown guy nobody” like me literally has to go it alone to try and change things?







And wait - how the hell did we get several hundred thousand views (400,000) here in a day or two? On the weekend I was watching the blog’s views creeping up around 4.8 million and now it’s over 5.2 million? Actually I’m amazed this old phpBB2 board still can work these days. We do have a backup board just in case but that needs updating.



Goodnight…..
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Maurice Ali



Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 7983
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 6:04 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Things are getting back to normal…..



Maurice Ali wrote:
FOFSTOCK 2 in Manhattan




Maurice Ali, FOFSTOCK 2 / FOF Records Inc.



I am pleased to announce to our FOFSTOCK membership that FOFSTOCK 2 has a first hold position in July 14 (2025) in the Central Park area in New York City! This should give FOFSTOCK a few months to prepare a proper business plan to launch a successful plan for a one day music festival in the Central Park area.




FOFSTOCK AND FOF Records Inc. have a physical presence in New York having an office at:



1780 Broadway Street (Suite 300), New York, NY,



Our phone number in New York: 917-410-5024



Our EIN numbers for operating in the United States are:


FOFSTOCK: 98-1783940
FOF Records Inc.:



We legally operate in the United States and this is how we got involved with putting a music festival in New York City. These are early days in planning our music festival. More news as it becomes available.




FOFSTOCK: THE MUSIC ORGANIZATION FOR MUSICIANS!




That update may seem a bit ambiguous but there are times when we have to adhere to slightly different rules than in Canada, but both music corporations are international and active - especially in the US and Canada.


To my American friends I say welcome to my humble organizations devoted to free expression and the social betterment of humanity in general. Poke around and see just how many ways I advocate to improve the human condition. Anyway, you came here because of the music.


I was never into music and was dragged kicking and screaming into it and especially to becoming the worst musician in existence - but definitely a musician - and part of the clan. Funnily this came because of some intro music of mine that aired on network TV. I was talking (and known as a TV producer) at SOCAN up here in Canada and when I mused about now becoming a musician - they told me there and then I had all the prerequisites and basically got in less than 20 minutes (which has to be some kind of record at SOCAN)! Then they paid me a 18 buck royalty for the Donald “Boots” Brasseur show that aired on daytime TV on CTV and that’s how I became a musician. There was always that rift between television and music/radio and TV producers never wanted to become musicians - so they (SOCAN) jumped on that offer to make me one (over the phone no less); meanwhile Shane had to wait several months to get approved.



Anyway the music industry and me adopted each other and here I am now advocating for them. Why New York and all that? Because I’m trying to get FOFSTOCK into the UN with consultative status and then directly advocate for the music industry and musicians on the world stage. As that happens it would be great to have FOFSTOCK show its commitment “in the flesh” with live performances especially during UN events. In September you have events during General Assembly at the UN that impact the music industry and later you have an event in some club or in Central Park (a better venue than a club) where they are all invited to have some fun and advocate in a unique way and away “off the UN grounds” where stakeholders in the music industry can get access and can talk directly to those diplomats and dignitaries in an open and relaxed way. Anyway - that is the plan for the next few years.



Meanwhile, right now I’m just learning the “lay of the land” in Manhattan and I have a plan for our possible event in July. If it works out it’s on this year. If not, we won’t drag it out and will open the date to another who wants it and try again later. We want to be on good terms with all venues as we will be back. Live music and live music festivals are “AI free zones” and we support that and the reason why we applied here in Manhattan. The only issue was we had to do it in the middle of a possible trade war between Canada and the United States. But if I waited we would lose all the open dates - it is what it is.



Anyway I hope this explains what is going on here at our end for any newcomers to our organizations.



Goodnight…..
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Maurice Ali



Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 7983
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PostPosted: Thu Feb 06, 2025 7:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its catchup time! First of all I started the application for consultative status at the United Nations:


Sam wrote:
FOFSTOCK to Apply to the UN for Consultative Status!



By Samantha Blackwell, FOFSTOCK





Our application for Consultative Status at the United Nations!




FOFSTOCK has started the application process to attain Consultative Status at the United Nations and advocate for musicians and small time indie organizations who currently have little or no say in the global music sphere. Status could actually be achieved this year but typically takes several years. Until then IAIJ will advocate for these groups via in-depth reports on the issues that matter and bring them onto the world stage in the meantime.



Says Maurice Ali, CEO of FOFSTOCK:



“FOFSTOCK is one of the few music artist and indi-label advocacy groups around. With a not-for-profit purchasing a for-profit record label, this gives many dimensions for advocacy within this area. Getting Consultative Status at the United Nations would now have a dedicated NGO to advocate on behalf of musicians and indie organizations. The world needs a true grass roots NGO to fight for musician rights in a world that constantly devalues them. FOFSTOCK exists to advocate for musicians and the indie music industry that is sorely lacking at the international world stage!”





Maurice Ali - FOFSTOCK




More news as it becomes available.



https://fofstock.org





FOFSTOCK: THE MUSIC ORGANIZATION FOR MUSICIANS!



So the IRS tax forms for IAIJ, FOF Records and FOFSTOCK are mostly done and will be sent off at the end of next week. Then we have the five corporate tax returns in Canada and two later on in the year. It just never ends – but the onerous stuff like this will get done on this vacation if you can call it that.


I have made the decision to stay home next week and not chance things in New York. I doubt anything will happen but there is nothing active that has to be done there. It would be nice to just go and chill in New York, but I would always be looking over my shoulder – if you know what I mean. Give it a few months when things settle down. That being said, some unexpected money and bribe money for the upcoming elections in the province means that if I don’t go - the guitar I bought a week ago will be mine without any financial effect in the end. So that is now decided.....


Really, from here on its just office work and cleaning up the house and family stuff while I have the days off. And to be honest, things have been hectic and stressful – and lonely lately. I have to admit that things were lonely. This always happens when things really get moving in my world but sometimes it is stark how you experience all this alone. You really have a lot of conversations with others when nothing is going on or is going badly. But have some things go your way and everyone avoids you except maybe for a handful and that is it. Nothing new here but I just had to mention it. Every time one of my shows got on network TV it was a week before people talked to me. Same with the scores at the UN. Even family are like that – so you are alone for a week or so.


The only thing to do know is do things that have to be done now that you have the time to do it.


Funnily, through all of the past week – I really like the fact I got that Jaguar guitar! I just pick it up an admire it. Then play the thing without any buzzing and stuff like that which usually plagues these guitars. I scored with this one!


I’m also watching movies. Today I finished The Substance. It took me two days to finish that thing. It was OK at the beginning with Demi Moore (naked at 62 no less) and the other woman prancing around totally naked most of the time. If you were wondering why a woman in her 60s would prance around naked showing everything - well that is because she looks fabulous in the nude. The character is 12 years younger in the film and she pulled a off at her age! But as the movie wears on as it just gets nude gory and I’ll leave it at that. The director is a woman so that avoids a lot of problems that a guy would have had to face. This movie is not for everyone – and I’ll leave it there.....



Goodnight.....





https://youtu.be/B_tDLs6u2E0?si=nu24lVOW-5oqMTFd
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Maurice Ali



Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 7983
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada

PostPosted: Sat Feb 08, 2025 10:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So, the IRS tax returns for three corporations are done and now I’m into five T2 corporate returns for Canada. Later in the year I have 2 more on top of all that to do.




So yes - I run seven corporations but I only own four now. That may go down to three if the other IAIJ archiving corporation is given to IAIJ. I’m not sure about that yet - and when in doubt - do nothing!




I figure it will all be done this weekend and start on my own personal tax. This is what I do on my vacation in the winter.




My modded Kramer/Fender creation!



I will probably treat myself by buying a FRFR (Full Range Flat Response) modeler pedal speaker box. This will replace that crappy 10 watt beginner speaker box that came with my beginner guitar kit. I will replace that with a Headrush FRFR- Go 30 watt unit. This is just an amp and speaker designed not to “color” the sound coming from my ancient POD HD500X modeler pedal board. I will pay for it by taking out in cash the 200 dollar bribe money sent to us by the province just before the election. This unit costs 199 so I will pay the tax out of pocket with my emergency cash 20 dollar bill and put the balence on the card so the dude at the cash doesn’t have to figure out the change. Or I may just put it on the card and transfer the 200 bucks and be done with it. But it feels cool to take found money and actually get something desirable with it!



With that purchase - all the shitty guitar equipment has been replaced. I was going to give the guitar kit away for free but the actual guitar is commonly used for builds being a mahogany body and nice maple neck. So I replaced the worthless tuners with Wilkinson vintage tuners and replaced the full pick guard and electronics of a brand new Fender Player guitar bought from Kijiji. That also turned the guitar into a SSS strat with traditional Fender pickups and strat sound, unlike like my noiseless HSS Player Plus strat. So finally everything was upgraded and replaced…..


I watched more movies. One was a new movie called Slingshot which was good but most don’t know about the real concern of long space trips driving everyone insane which is what this movie is about. The next was American Psycho, only for old fats like me who can groove to the old music. One thing that was wrong was that we - I - had a flip phone in 1991 and nobody of that era would be seen with the old bricks at that time. I checked - in the book it’s 1987 but that was never pressed on the movie that came out in 2000 - I would have just rocked the flip that came out two years later.




I had one of these in 1991 but also had the slim battery so you could walk around with it in the back pocket of your red tab Levis - totally cool back
then!




Goodnight…..
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