Fortress Of Freedom Board

[Maurice Ali]

I can finally relax now with the advocacy done! Last was the IAIJ stuff:

[Maurice Ali]

I changed my mind and added the Global Social Contract and everything including the kitchen sink:








For those familiar - this is old news. For newbies I’ll explain it all in the next post. At my age there is no reason to hold anything back! It’s as simple as that. I didn’t even spell check the thing - just put it out and hit submit! If the whole thing gets traction and becomes flesh, someone my try to off me - I’ll take that chance - sort of like a Jason Bourne movie.




Funnily I have some skills in this area - but I’m an old guy now. Stay in “orange” - watch “six”…..




Goodnight…..





https://youtu.be/yvdoyibryGU?si=q-ahpGF3XbK3XfuX

[Maurice Ali]

Well, this happened on Saturday:




Fender American Professional II!



That is the most expensive Fender American Professional II you can get, as this strat has a flaming maple top over the alder body. It also comes from the factory with locking tuners, but aside from that it is the same as the others (but you pay a 300 buck premium for it).




Fender American Professional II and the case!



How the f**k did this happen?



Well - I went into Cosmo Music’s store again and wow - almost all the guitars were gone! The only ones left were the high end models most couldn’t afford. My blond American Performer was cheaper but sold. I didn’t really like it as it was made of pine instead of alder and I’m a traditionalist. So I didn’t expect to find anything and then this guitar popped up. Never knew they made a flamed maple topped Fender before! I started to check it out and no obvious scratches or dings. On sale now and if tariffs affect this in 2 weeks the sale is over and the regular price jumps 700 bucks - yikes! Then I spent an hour thinking about this thing.



The only upgrade I could make was that 300 buck beginner guitar I practiced my luthier skills on. It plays but it’s still an “el’cheapo guitar” with that fact obvious on the headstock. So I could buy this thing. It’s the highest end of Professional II and close to an Ultra Fender. Anyway, with the sales discount the price is almost the same as my Jaguar I bought last month. The case included is 330 bucks so it (just the guitar) actually costs less than my Jaguar and you get the American made version with some upgrades over the Mexicans.



Biggest upgrade is a flamed maple top! Rare and only available on this version as the others don’t have it and cost 300 bucks less. This also has locking tuners from the factory the others don’t but you can add them on the others for about 130 bucks. All Performer II guitars have a bone nut - which I love. Im tired of plastic nut versions in the Mexicans and even the Graphtech on the Gibsons - give me traditional bone for my nut! Dishonorable mention to my Kramer which officially lists their nut as: PVC! The contoured heal means little to me. My Player Plus strat actually has a better rolled fretboard than this. The pickups are better but with a caveat. They are very articulate and that means on your good notes - a big plus - but also on your bad notes. So if you are a good player it rocks, but unforgiving if you are a poor player like me - be warned on this…..



This guitar is not worth the extra cost over the Mexican versions I typically buy. But discount it in a closing sale and it makes sense to buy it which I did. And remember there were no Mexican strats on sale anymore so it literally was the same price as a Mexican at the competing Long&Mcquade. The case it comes with is a 330 buck case they sell separately which is a plus! I took it home and everything was there and proper. No “gotcha” moment after the fact. I’m happy in the end and the Kramer goes into the case and downstairs into the basement.




My modded Kramer/Fender creation!



I’ll be back at the advocacy stuff later tonight.





Goodnight…..





https://youtube.com/shorts/0931tqnFEbw?si=mgV5aaSPuhFzurb7

[Maurice Ali]

Ok, as promised, for those not up on the philosophy here – here it goes:



The Positive Mandate for Humanity states that our lives and future should be dictated by what makes us happy as we consider happiness as good. What makes us happy is the freest expression of our mental and physical beings in all aspect of our lives. This was proven in a 13 year experiment I conducted called “The Fortress Experiment” where we let people be all they could be and followed them around to see how this affected their lives and if there were any negative sides to this. There were no negative sides and the Positive Mandate for Humanity can be taken all sorts of ways to work and career, education, dating and family, religion and politics to even what you want to wear every day. It is restrictions on our expression that make us unhappy. Many of the Declaration of Human Rights at the United Nations are no longer declarations, but exist apriori because of this positive mandate on freest expression.







How could we perpetuate this idea worldwide? The easiest would be a new layer of interaction that does not compete with the present political, cultural and religious and economic way the world works. It would be this new layer of global interaction everyone accesses on the internet and participates through their cellphones or computers. Governance would be through a worldwide vote that we have already made possible and only needs to be scaled up. The best place to have this would be a third house at the United Nations or if not there on a popular social website – but the UN is best! Under this new layer of interaction, global issues could reach consensus without the usual barriers and even if this would just be a popular vole, the numbers would have a strong influence for good policy making in the usual political and economic systems in place today.



The sum totality of all this would be a New Global Social Contract for everyone on earth, and this one individual per global vote is the ultimate of free expression for all and becomes the first moment of true expression for each person in humanity.



Guitar World:



Surprisingly upbeat about the new guitar. It solves a couple of problems for me. First, there is no reason for me to upgrade any of the other electric guitars I have except for one. Basically they are all between 1300-1700 bucks (hollowbody, super strat, telecaster) then the 2000-2400 (Jaguar, SG, Les Paul, AZ) and finally that 2800 Strat; but the one the new strat replaced was my Kramer Focus that currently sells for 299 at Long&McQuade. Even with my hack work, it’s still a three hundred dollar guitar. So that one could be replaced and that’s what happened. Even though I would have preferred a Les Paul Standard, the 2300 buck Studio is good enough and is light and plays well and doesn’t go out of tune. Replacing it for that expensive “boat anchor” I was looking at last week would have been a disaster – and no returns or trade-ins so that was out of the question!




Fender American Professional II!



So the single coil Kramer gets replaced with the single coil American Professional II Fender with no regrets. The Kramer is currently in the Fender case getting acclimatized to temperature and humidity downstairs. But that new guitar has many uses. One is to have a guitar with the classic Stratocaster sound. My super strat Fender Player Plus has all noiseless pickups that don’t sound like a classic Fender Strat. So now I have that – and the second plus is that I have a desirable classic electric guitar to be seen with! Up to this weekend the only guitar that I could be photographed with was the seven string Ibanez AZ and maybe - that reddish Gibson SG. But the expansive American Fender strat is now the one to be photographed with. Classic and beautiful while understated and its the proper guitar I can be seen wit on my leg in a photo. Wear a black suit with a black t-shirt underneath with the guitar and you look the part! That photo will be seen by musicians and they will know what I’m wearing on my lap – and this one is what they would expect – plus – it’s no prop, as that is my very own guitar! If the photo was needed for a Metal interview – then a single coil strat would look stupid, so the seven string Ibanez AZ works there. It’s a good thing I didn’t buy some electric painted RG shredding machine. I have to think about optics.....



That said, I’m the worst guitarist, but I had to be a musician. I have been in the music industry in all areas for 20 years – and so how could I not be a “musician”? I am a musician, and every musician has to play something or sing. No singing, so I chose the guitar and that hobby has been going on for over twenty years with no signs of getting stale. It keeps my mind fresh and at my age that is a good thing. But how can you front a record label and musician’s advocacy group and not be a musician? So now you know.....



Oh, I checked: As of March 24 (2025) Canada has imposed 25% tariffs on certain goods from the United States, including musical instruments. So if I waited I would lose my 25% discount at Cosmo and then gain another 25% on new guitars coming in from the States, so an extra 1400 bucks if I waited - and there you have it with that purchase. Funny that the new tariffs happen today!



So everything worked out guitar-wise this weekend. The Cosmo Music store is very empty now with whole walls with hangers but no guitars. There is nothing there for me anymore Upgrading by selling and buying doesn’t work anymore. Used guitar prices are crashing and the guitar you buy is like your forever guitar now. It’s sad and reminds me of when HMV closed down and things like that. The Bay is closing most of the stores, as I popped in one and found nothing for me. Plus, if you bought something - the lineups were crazy long! But I digress – this weekend was fun!

[Maurice Ali]

Monday was a bad day…..



My corporate returns summaries came in and things need to be addressed. That’s all I’ll say as the CRA also checks up on websites and all that. It never ceases to amaze me all the hassle you have to put up with when you run many corporations! With me there are always taxes and taxes…..



No matter, wherever I look things are getting crappier. Oh, I was wrong about the tariffs on guitars - no tariffs yet! I went back to see my source and it was AI. Yes, AI was wrong and - like a revelation - I can’t trust AI anymore. I guess everyone will have to find out for themselves that AI is fallible. You go back after the fact and they warned you, but you have to get screwed over by AI for that fact to sink in…..




Fender American Professional II and the case!



The only good thing about Monday was playing around with the new strat. I won’t bore you with all the details but the guitar hasn’t let me down about buying it. I figured they just put some veneer of maple on top of the alder body - but no, it’s an actual maple top! Just like a Les Paul…..



Goodnight…..

[Maurice Ali]

A late one.



CRA stuff in the morning and IRS is sure to come anytime now. Taxes, taxes and taxes…..







I’m talking to Apple in California again. Something may come from all this and that is all I’ll say…..







I will say it is extremely satisfying to see FOFSTOCK successfully advocating as the new corporate purpose says!




Goodnight…..

[Maurice Ali]

Time expansion has hit me hard!



I just realized it was only days ago when I sent in the stuff to WSIS+20 - yet - it seems like a gazillion years ago. How is this possible? Tons of stuff going on but - wow - and at my age that is some kind of accomplishment.


Anyway I need to send off some stuff to Apple. The CRA stuff gets done on the weekend and then we wait.


Then the consultative status application gets worked in again - then more advocacy from FOFSTOCK.


I still have to do stuff in my personal life. The weekend awaits with an ice storm. The last time we had that - the power went out for days…..




Goodnight…..






https://youtu.be/aVevvvvNYhM?si=NHcUom-zqe4i0JFf

[Maurice Ali]

I just need to make it one more day then relax.



I keep forgetting that I bought the new guitar just six days ago! I actually had to go back and check my posts as it seemed more like two weeks. That is wild in a way. While on guitars, the Cosmo Music Store was gutted of merchandise a few days ago. I took some photos and asked what some of the staff was going to do. One of the theaters was in use upstairs! Anyway, this store is done. I may pop by if they state a last day open. Maybe a deal or maybe just a funeral. HMV just closed back in the day and boxed up all the DVDs and sold them to other companies - Cosmo seems to have almost sold it all retail.



CRA tax stuff on the weekend and catching up on other stuff as we have possibly freezing rain all weekend long. I may try to speak at the same place at the UN I tried last year. With so many people avoiding the States, this may be an opportunity to get to push my stuff if it can relate to this year’s theme. I’ll look at it also on the weekend. When people react out of fear at the UN - it’s “green for go” in my world!



For Friday it’s a trip to the grocery store to stock up on provisions.







Oh! We just blew last 6 million views on this blog of sorts. We blew past 5 million when we were looking at Central Park for FOFSTOCK 2! I - again - have to check when that happened. Hang on…..






So, February 5 we had like 5.25 million and a few days before we had like 4.85. The jump happened with the interest from Central Park for FOFSTOCK 2. So basically two months to get a million views here. I remember back in the early days when 10k was a “sensation” and something to brag about.







Then there was IAIJ punching past FOF in online users at once. Boring IAIJ sprinted past FOF by like 500 more - man! These numbers only mean something to me as these are obscure websites and not big social platforms. Sure it’s easier to get big numbers on those places - but - obey their terms of service or get deleted. Here I get to do or say as I please. But now that we are playing the game, I moderate myself severely - but ultimately I am in control.




Goodnight…..





https://youtu.be/DyjlxsJEknc?si=604iq-VGjU4gPP3j

[Maurice Ali]

Some people wonder why I do all this?


I can tell them a philosophical reason but they won’t believe it. They say there has to be s selfish reason in the end. So I will comply:


My selfish reason it to right the wrongs that were visited upon me as I child and growing up. I will validate the worth of my life by correcting the wrongs that were done to me by correcting those wrongs worldwide. I will get a certain amount of immanence denied to me previously, and a legacy of my name and accomplishments that will survive me as I have no children – that is the selfish side of it all.....



The practical side is that I actually have a chance to turn all this talk into flesh. Maybe a thirty percent chance for the worldwide vote. Maybe it is a sure thing with just the time being a question mark. The Positive Mandate for Humanity is another thing. Maybe 10-25 percent at best. 60-70 percent chance to become a legitimate talking point in academic circles.


In the end there is a real reason for me to wake up in the morning and put up with all the bullshit. I said it many times – luck is even handed and I want just a few big moments of good luck and many, many moments of bad luck that is aggravating and disappointing – but nothing like cancer or something serious. So the CRA business this week was that type of bad luck manifesting itself. You just deal with it and move on.....


I did play with my guitars on Saturday. I tuned them all up and checked that everything works. I will do some fret filing on the “el cheapo” guitar soon enough. That guitar is fun to work on and better than trying stuff on the expensive guitars. So that is how my first guitar pays for its spot in the rack.....




Goodnight.....

[Maurice Ali]

So Sunday…..



I got the rough drafts of my CRA response done and will take two or three days before sending it in. I had to activate a credit card and a business debit card and top up corporate bank accounts, so that got done. Sent in a cheque for property tax and paid the electricity bill - stuff like that. I also spent most of the day with the family.



Here is where the fun begins - and - as usual it starts with a weakness of mine.



So Sunday afternoon I was bored and wanted to go somewhere. I figured even though I told everyone I was done with Cosmo Music - I would just check them out one more time. So I drove up there expecting to see totally bare walls - but no - some guitars just seemed to come out of nowhere. They even had Les Paul Standards that I thought I lucked out of. I thought I might have a second go at the Les Paul Standard.


They had a 50s Les Paul that seems fine but on closer examination it had three long check marks across the front. Check marks are lines that form in the nitro cellulose usually due to quick temp changes. It just ruined the beautiful flame on top but you only saw it from one angle.



Then I looked at a “lower” Les Paul called a “Classic”. This looked like the iconic Les Paul Standard but was plainer. This one looked ok and was cheaper, but I noticed something on the back of the price tag. “B Stock” which meant defective from the factory. Says damage to the binding and sure enough some chipping on the edge top and binding. Then some smaller chipping on the other side - pass…..


There was a black Les Paul Standard and this one also had the “B Stock” tag with the description of “Headstock Break” - what the f**k! So they were selling scratch and dent stuff from the back for 25% off. Since they were selling new perfect stuff for 25% off - the damaged stuff should surely go for less like 50% off! But no - it’s just 25% off and that is no deal!





This is what my Les Paul Standard P-90 looks like!



They had one left - a black Les Paul Standard with no “B Stock” designation, it was a 50s but with P-90 pickups. Humm? Everyone says you need at least one P-90 guitar on the rack for its unique sound. Humm? This would have solved the problem of having two Les Pauls as my plain Les Paul Studio would be for the usual tone and this P-90 for its unique tone but with the Standard bells and whistles. I could get that inferiority complex of just owning a Studio which is the “plain Jane” inexpensive model, but also have the “full boat” Les Paul model everyone wants and brags about.


Cool - divine intervention sent me here - and this is a guitar for me and me alone. The Fates sent something nice to me after the CRA debacle. I kept looking at it for defects but could find none. Almost closing time - so decide! I took it to the cashier and bought it. They brought out the box with the contoured Gibson case and I was excited! Finally snagged a Standard and one I needed and wanted! Walked back to the car and notice a “B Stock” sticker on the box! Mo**er F***er! Had again! And this description was the worst of all: “Twisted Neck but played ok”. No way! There are tricks you can do with a truss rod adjustment in the store to make a twisted neck disappear but it usually comes back especially if it’s new.


Back from the car into the store. We checked to make sure the warehouse did not give me the wrong box and case via the serial number. Nope, that’s the guitar and clearly “B Stock” and with a twisted neck no less. Me and another guy checked out the neck and if you really know what you are looking for - there it is! The other guy played it and yes he could spot an issue. So I looked around and the only other guitar I could exchange it for was the Les Paul with the checking, but the store was closing and they could not get the case from the warehouse. Truly disappointed, they ran the refund on my credit card and I drove home really disappointed.



I almost forgot to tell you that I met the CEO of Cosmo Music while there and he told me they were not going bankrupt but were offered a buyout proposal from rival Long&Mcquade, and given the future of mom and pop guitar stores - he took it. So for those interested - that was what happened.



Anyway, after I calmed down, there was a silver lining to all this. I could now say I once owned a Gibson Les Paul Standard like all the other “cork sniffers” of the guitar community. I should photograph the original bill of sale and load it on the server. So for about half an hour I was a member of the Les Paul Standard club! How does it feel? I still want one but now I can justify not having a Standard in the rack because I already owned one. Been there and done that!



So that was Sunday and now it’s Monday and a new week…..



Goodnight…..





https://youtu.be/p1t0qnNk4Y0?si=Ys3vbEskr81HqiY0

[Maurice Ali]

Some decisions are made.



Actually they were made a week ago. This relates to FOFSTOCK 2 and having an estimate on a cheap YDS event now approaching one month and no response, tells me the square isn’t interested in concerts with us.







The reality is that the pivot to more advocacy as our calling card has so far worked well for us since. The big ass music festival sputtered to a halt on both sides of the Canada/US border. The only interest - frankly - came from me, so “we” are calling it quits! Not forever but at the very least for 2025.







The change in the official purpose to advocacy telegraphed it first. Then the lack of interest from YDS. The lack of interest from my gang. Then me spending money on guitars again should have all told you what had happened.







We won’t make an official announcement on this as technically our mission statement still allows for a big music festival. But it will not happen in the near future.



In other news…..




I forgot to tell you that I picked out “The Twilight Zone” the complete series - DVD compilation for just 19 Bucks! Usually they go for 60 bucks. This happened on Friday which also had me check out the Carl Irban movie “Dredd” in 4K with all that sensational slo-mo footage!



I’m still working on the CRA letters as I want to. get it right. My problems seem tiny to others. There is a YouTuber I watch who now has a tax bill of half a million USD he has to pay off and it started with him sells his prized motor cars. It seems if you have any modicum of success the tax man takes an interest and will send you his calling card. Anyway, I got mine and have to deal with it…..




Goodnight…..





https://youtu.be/HE9bl5Pb4WE?si=hsOu-wefgVShDIkX

[Maurice Ali]

A late one.


THE CRA stuff is ready to go tomorrow. that is my life right now.




Later…..

[Maurice Ali]

The CRA forms have been sent in.



That occupied all my day and nothing else got done. That was one big pain in the ass to do.




Later…..

[Maurice Ali]

I guess I owe you guys a bit more about what is going on with the CRA.



It has nothing to do with the tax returns itself. That is all fine and done - no problems there. This issue is the way they were delivered. Yup, that is what the problem is all about. That is all I say about it as the internet is forever. It could take as long as a year and a half to get a reply on that. In other words I will have submitted next year’s tax returns and still not know what is going on with this dispute. When I do get a reply I may have to reply to that so more delays! Like I said it has nothing to do with the taxes or tax returns itself. So all corporations continue as usual. And it doesn’t involve IAIJ or FOFSTOCK, only the “for profit” corporations.



The process though, requires you to reply as if you were submitting a legal brief - at least in my case - and it occupied my time!



In other disputes…..




How did that happen - look at all those spelling mistakes! And yet the case proceeds! That must really rankle the Ministry of the Attorney General - some yahoo who can’t spell and yet his 3.8 billion dollar case proceeds! Actually - I am not sure if that was the final pdf - so the official document could be ok.



Still no word on my covid response case against the government. That was submitted I believe in 2021 and it’s now 2025. The case is going ahead, that much is for sure as there was a ruling on it to preceded. But note how ft you may have a case, how slow things move if it’s against the government. Heck, the freedom convoy case is now at sentencing but not with my case. I may end up being the last vaccine case with the government on the books. I believe they really don’t know what to do with me - the case is that unusual. The reason is became nobody saw my case. coming from the direction I took. They were prepared for vaccine denial folk and all that stuff against vaccines and science. My case is the opposite as I wanted more injections and better vaccines and was denied based on age - so age discrimination. There was also a precedent as the other provinces were doing what I wanted done. So the case has merit and the reason it was ruled to proceed. And proceed it shall, as long as it happens before I die of old age…..







I have to do all this with my university knowledge of tort law. I actually wanted to go to law school and got so close it was heart breaking. Anyway, I’m in it now….




Goodnight…..

[Maurice Ali]

Friday had me receive a call from Apple and they are still interested in the issues I brought up in that letter to Tim Cook. We just go with the flow and see what happens in the end…..







The CRA now has my stuff to look over. Probably ten months to a year/year and a half for a response. I have to do all this again for FOF Entertainment Inc. when that assessment comes in.



In other news:




Ok, I’m on guitar “safari” on Saturday.




It’s incredibly amazing how pissed off I was at not getting that P-90 Les Paul last weekend. It actually bothered me all week. I just kept thinking about it and how perfect a P-90 Les Paul would round out the collection of guitars and sounds available to me.




This is what my Les Paul Standard P-90 looks like - then I had to return it!



You all know about collecting the various guitars, but I’m also collecting iconic sounds to be able to play in my retirement. A P-90 is one of those iconic sounds. You’ve heard them before but never ascribed them to a particular pickup and guitar.



One example is the Dave Gilmore guitar solo in “Another Brick in the Wall”. No - that’s not a strat, it’s the iconic Goldtop Les Paul with P-90 pickups from the 1950s era. I believe he was using the neck pickup on the track. Anyway the P-90 came and went in the 1950s replaced by PAF pickups around when I was born and the humbuckers ever since. There was a resurgence in the punk genre with the Clash and Sex Pistols using P-90s for their new sound and the legend was born.



So for me it would be cool to pickup a P-90 guitar as emblematic of the guitars when you were born. It is an actual thing in the guitar community to try to pickup your fav guitar from your birth year but that would be a 100,000 dollar guitar for me. For me a reissue or tribute issue of one of those guitars would suit me just fine as even here they are expensive.



I learned my lesson from last week. There is no cheap Les Paul’s without some issues known up front - or hidden and found out later. Buy used - even at a guitar store you take a huge chance and no warrantee when things go wrong. Demo blemished guitars come with a warrantee but at those prices on the guitars I can’t justify spending that kind of money for a damaged guitar. The best thing is to buy new and hammer down that price as best you can.



So that is my task this weekend. Try and find that “Holy Grail” of a guitar for me that scratches that itch and lets you move on. And at this level the guitars are few and far between. So it really is like being on safari! Wish me luck…..




Later…..





https://youtu.be/Rthv9B_w2uc?si=BLvLBz75TVT1t3Ri


https://youtu.be/InG6RAZ0KWs?si=uqAJYWSupCHpT6h9