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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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 Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 5:16 pm Post subject: |
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The weekend is here and I can actually take things easy.....
I keep talking but nowdays some people are actually starting to listen. They always ask me what I get out of this stuff especially the journalist stuff as they just see it as money with no real reward for me. I tell them that our little newspaper and journalist association is a platform for change in our society. No time to preach to you now, but what I get out of all this is the ability to see an opportunity for change, the introduction of a philosophy of access for ordinary people and the end to media manipulation for nefarious ends. It is a task I want to be a part of, in my own minuscule way. I will gladly be lowered into the six foot hole (regulars have heard this before) and have dirt thrown on top of me knowing I was a part of the development of humanity toward a better end. I will never be tempted by a shinier car or larger home. My legacy will be more cerebral and lasting. Only time will tell..... |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Nov 22, 2009 10:40 am Post subject: |
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| Maurice Ali wrote: | Citizen Journalists Of The World Unite!
By Maurice Ali, President: International Association Of Independent Journalists Inc.
For the past six years IAIJ has promoted the idea of the Citizen Journalist as a viable alternative to the more traditional types of journalist. For six years I have sat here at this computer punching out reports, updating the website, laminating membership cards and recruiting new members and staff to our every growing association of journalists. This year marks the first time we made the move to establish the organization in the traditional and established venues where other traditional journalist organizations reside and interact.
Dave Getchell and Maurice Ali (Directors) hold the Letters Patent of the IAIJ!
We at this organization printed our first newspaper in April of 2004. Many were shocked to see no advertising at all in the paper. This was by design. No advertising means no influence. Mark my word, as soon as you bring in advertising into a newspaper, they begin to have a say in the type of reporting that goes on. And if those advertising dollars are the only income that can keep the paper alive, you are effectively the puppets of advertisers and "their opinions and bias!" So our newspaper had twelve pages and no advertising. Strangely, if you take the advertising out of most community newspapers, they begin to look like ours and with the same amount of pages for the news. I tell you this to reinforce the fact that our newspaper is a real newspaper, as real as any you find at the convenience store or in your mailbox. We did this on our own and you who read this can do it too! And because we do it with no advertising, our paper conforms most truly to the ideal of a unbiased and influence free newspaper and reporting of the news!
It is our task now, to branch out into the world and promote the viability of the Citizen Journalist to the public and mainstream media. In those past six years we have shown that we could access radio and television as well as put out our own real paper newspaper! We have shown by demonstration that anyone can access those formerly exclusive areas of the media that were, previously, the domain for the "real journalists." It is our intention in the next few paragraphs to show you that the Citizen Journalist can be as effective and as viable as any other journalist in traditional media!
Our first televesion show aired in 2005 on Network TV (Global TV)!
First of all, we must remember that prior to the Internet, broadcast media was the only viable way to disseminate information and this broadcast media and was very expensive to maintain. Thus newsrooms and news agencies connected to broadcasters needed to rely on advertising and the wealthy to start the station/network and maintain it. This introduced bias into reporting. The person or persons who owned the news agencies most definitely want that newsroom to report things their way. It is no secret that the major newspapers and radio/television stations have obvious biases in the way they report the news and this is most evident in political stories. This is so obvious that we forget that an unbiased reporting of the news is the ideal because it so rarely exists in traditional media. It does exist in the Citizen Journalist who does not have an editor telling what kind of reporting he is to do or an advertiser influencing reporting to their advantage. No, the Citizen Journalist is free to tell it like it is, she or he does not owe their livelihood to a media entity that can fire them for not giving them the type of reporting they wish. In this way the Citizen Journalist is the closest type of journalism that reflects the ideal of news reporting in a fair and unbiased viewpoint.
Emily Smith recording our first radio announcement!
So we have seen that the Citizen Journalist and their small newspapers can operate independently and without bias from the wealthy. But understand too that this independence also means no involvement from the government. This usually happens in a roundabout way but governments can have an influence on reporting, especially broadcast reporting as the licences are renewed by government agencies. The papers have some protection here but pressure can still be applied in many, many ways. The past 100 years shows (and even the start of this century shows) how a government can pressure the news media to saturate the public with reporting that favors government initiatives. In a more balanced world with connected and organized Citizen Journalists, this type of media bias saturation could not exist as there are too many individuals for the government to pressure for biased reporting and thus shape public opinion. Citizen Journalists are best prepared to report the news to their fellow citizens without influence by their government!
Sue Earps (Director) with Ainsley Wronski (Editor of The Fortress) and Samantha Blackwell (Office Staff)!
Diploma Program for self-improvement at IAIJ!
So why is the Citizen Journalist not more prevalent in our society! The answer is because they are individuals and therefore isolated. The Internet has change things and associations and networking are now no more of a logistical problem. We have at this time the opportunity to network and create the associations needed to bring together the Citizen Journalists; and with the networked resources of this large group, we would most assuredly would have the types of capital and resources needed to compete with the traditional news agencies and bring balance to a biased news world. IAIJ is one such venue of networked journalists, and we have shown by example that we could access all forms of media to report on news and events of interest.
You can too!
This movement is happening around the world and has had dramatic influences, especially in places like South Korea. What Citizen Journalists need now is the recognition of the Citizen Journalist as a form of journalism on par with the traditional forms of broadcast journalism. We have already begun this lobbying with our quest for membership with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO. This has been ongoing since last February and we had our first face-to-face meeting with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO on November 12 of this year. The meeting took place in Ottawa and lasted about one hour twenty minutes.
Going to a meeting with the Canadian Commission for UNESCO!
This advocacy for this new type of journalism will take time and hard work. It is never easy to introduce a new form of communication to the traditional world of the mass media, but this task is worth it! With the maturation of the Citizen Journalist and their new networks for disseminating information to the public, we will never again have the public influenced to accept questionable government or business initiatives that would not have stood the test of acceptance with unbiased reporting. Never again will the public be manipulated into government aggression and war to nefarious ends as they will no longer have a stranglehold on the information the public gets and thus their opinions. Citizen Journalists and Citizen Journalism are here to stay and we at IAIJ will work to establish the Citizen Journalist as the best form of journalism for the public at large, and I, Maurice Ali - President of IAIJ, am committed to this task with every fibre of my being and you have my word on that, as a fellow Citizen Journalist!"
Maurice Ali
IAIJ: JOURNALISTS IN ACTION! |
Another weekend gone. We did much and I actually got to relax and catch up on sleep. We are all caught up but the work coninues, there is always that. Ok..... I almost forgot. I forgot that much of Saturday was spent cleaning up and organizing my office. I just noticed how clean and "empty" or organzied everything was. The truth is that my mind is more relaxed when I waltz into the office and everythig is tidy and taken care of. I just put my laptop on it's shelf and walked backward through the door and turned off the lights. For me it just does not get any better than that, at least in the crazy world of FOF and IAIJ.....
Goodnight! |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Nov 25, 2009 12:23 am Post subject: |
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| Today was all about the music and I juggled all three of the newest artists with SOCAN applications, publishing works and a dash downtown to get some mastered material. Jessica has already been approved and I know she will be happy about that. The paper work is daunting but managable as I have done all this before. Things are getting caught up, however it is also amazing how much this place has grown over the years. We really have something going here! |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:16 am Post subject: |
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First of all let me congratulate Willis Hiscock on becoming a member of SOCAN!
Next will be to stay tuned to another announcement on our "open-air concert!"
Some more random thoughts coming up.....
We are coming up to year end review. This was one of our biggest years and also our most expensive. The two sort of always go hand in hand. Anyway for TV newt year would be finishing and selling of the series to the broadcasters with the consolation prize of the AAVRY KNAPP show going on somewhere. The large view of our TV production goals are to get the series on the air and then use that as the launch pad for a broadcast licence. You see I constantly get solicitations (one today as well) from artists that want to get their stuff out there. I think a specialty channel devoted to this would be great as long as it does not become some fake staged thing run by the big music venues. Just keep it small and run by an organization like Fortress that has a track record for putting all sorts of acts out there! In the news world is growth of the journalist org and newspaper. You have all heard about our escapades this year and expect more next year! Musically, I really just want to get Corey out there as much of the music is connected to the television stuff. Also there is the concert but that looks more like a two year thing - more tomorrow! We could just focus ourselves in doing small time projects till we bankrupt ourselves but it is the big goals that are still attainable and have to be kept in mind.
Let me say this again: "it is the big goals that are still attainable and have to be kept in mind." |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:03 pm Post subject: |
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I received an email yesterday from a singer/songwriter looking for help and met another female singer playing at a Starbucks and trying to sell some CDs. I actually paid the 15 bucks for this one (seen in the photo below) as I support artists in my little corner of the universe. But you see that you - as one of the last surviving "indie" record labels - would soon be smothered by the requests. There is only so much one organization can do.
Some successful broadcasting applications!
However, is this what I should be doing? Sure we have to know the industry and such, but my forte' is much bigger than this. Yes this purchase got me thinking and renewed my vision for our access broadcasting licence!
That broadcasting licence quest was always there and now I am even more focused on achieving it. The reality is that it may end up being the crowning achievement at FOF - these things take time. But it would be the answer to these sad displays of artists trying to survive as artists in a world that has orphaned everyone in the music industry. The music industry needs hard nosed businessmen and hard-nosed businessmen who are philosophers to sell this unique idea of access to the general public. Through the luck of the draw I seem to be one such individual. I figure only one of 100,000 is capable/knowledgeable and has the history to be taken as credible by the CRTC. That probably places me as maybe the only one in Canada currently in any position to make a truly "indie cable channel" a reality. Or as "indie" as you could get given the present situation of television transmission in Canada.
I have no musical ability, and I can hardly work pro-tools, but I can do this and sell this to the CRTC. "We" can make it happen with some financial backing through the sales of shares and some political figureheads and prominent musicians to join our cause. That is how one such broadcast entity came into being and the individual stakes were less than 100,00 dollars. In my office I actually have the broadcast applications the "The New FM" and FLOW 93.5" but ours will be for television.
In the next year as we try to get the series on the air we will also soft-sell the concept the big guys for a "class two" licence and see what the response is.....
I will be updating the old post below over the next few days so please be patient:
Open Call For Broadcasting Licence! - Part 2
By Maurice Ali, President and CEO:
Fortress Of Freedom Inc.
International Association Of Independent Journalists Inc.
MORE VISION Inc.
International Archiving Of Independent Journalists Inc.
FOF RECORDS
MORE VISION
The Fortress Of Freedom Corporation is currently looking for interested individuals and organizations to help us obtain our first broadcasting licence. The type of licence and other particulars remain the private domain of Fortress Of Freedom Inc.; but we would entertain discussions with interested parties who may wish to join us in a dialog to explore the possibilities. A brief synopsis of who we are will follow. The necessary prerequisites are there for a successful application as you will see. All we need is interested stakeholders to help make such an application fiscally viable to the CRTC. The basic elements of this application follow the Canadian Broadcaster's Standards Council responsibilities and codes of conduct.
ORGANIZATION STRUCTURE
The Fortress Of Freedom Conglomerate Of Companies!
The Fortress Of Freedom Group of companies comprises a conglomerate of companies consisting of four nationally registered corporations in Canada and two provincially registered companies in the province of Ontario, Canada. The four corporations are capable of operating internationally and conducting meetings and business electronically. Documents and certification can be viewed as follows (just click on the appropriate company name):
Fortress Of Freedom Inc.
International Association Of Independent Journalist Inc.
MORE VISION Inc.
International Archiving Of Independent Journalist Inc.
MORE VISION
FOF RECORDS
These companies exist to provide freedom of expression and access of the ordinary person to the mass media:
Fortress Of Freedom Inc. is a corporation devoted to promoting freedom of expression by allowing the average individual to participate in the mass media.
International Association Of Independent Journalists Inc.; is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to the excellence of journalism through it's members and support for those members world wide!
International Archiving Of Independent Journalists Inc.; is a corporation which archives, verifies and validates journalists internationally providing third party proof of a member's status as a journalist and all international protections available therein.
MORE VISION Inc. is a company that participates in the physical manifestations of it's parent company, Fortress Of Freedom Inc., in the companies home location. It is also an advertising company offering in-house advertising services to small time businesses and individuals.
FOF RECORDS is a company that participates in the physical manifestations of it's parent company, Fortress Of freedom Inc., with regard to music production and promotion in the company's home location.
MORE VISION is a company that participates in the physical manifestations of it's parent company, MORE VISION Inc., in the company's home location.
Fortress Of Freedom Inc. is a debt-free corporation with 100,000 issues of common stock.
FOF NEWS DEPARTMENT:
It is the duty of a broadcaster to use it's licence to inform it's listeners, in other words a news department is a must for a successful application. At FOF and IAIJ we have such a news department and news organization with an unblemished track record that spans four years! The principles of transparency, objective reporting are top of the list at Fortress Of Freedom!
Our first press card become a reality in late December, 2003 and marked the first major accomplishment by our organization. Here was a press card with URL support that could verify and validate journalist credentials from a cell phone to the most obsolete computer in the most backward parts of the world. This was accomplished by having what we billed as the world's most accessible web site with the fastest page presentations possible. A true accomplishment! This became IAIJ, a journalist support group and then International Archiving Of Independent Journalists Inc. which archives journalist credentials and does credential verification.
Our newspaper called The Fortress became a reality in early April, 2004. The newspaper is currently a university paper distributed out of York University. The paper allows amateur and established journalists an unbiased platform for their news stories. This will be a permanent fixture in our organization.
Electronic News Gathering or ENG became a reality for our organization in late September, 2004 and promises to become one of the most important elements at Fortress Of Freedom!
FOF ENTERTAINMENT
Film Production
Fortress Of Freedom made it's first film called "Real Life" in 2007. The organization currently has two other films in production with National Film Board support for at least one project.
Television Production
Broadcast Network Television became a reality with The Fortress TV Show which aired on The Global Television Network. The corporation currently has four TV productions ongoing.
Music Production
Fortress Of Freedom Records became a reality and we now have over 100 songs in our catalogue. Our music includes all genres from instrumental to rock, alternative, rap and folk.
Other Media
Fortress Of Freedom is also a book publisher recognized by the Federal Government of Canada.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Fortress Of Freedom serves it's community by reporting of community events, promotion of local talent and other media promotions. We are active promoters of Canadian talent and culture and our past four years of audio and audio/visual production and print production is the definitive proof of our dedication to community service!
ADVERTISING
A broadcaster needs a source of revenue and this is in the form of advertising; and the resources to produce advertising for the customer if need be. Fortress Of Freedom advertises from it's subsidiary company MORE VISION which provides in-house and buisness services to small business in the advertising industry. Prior to the creation of MORE VISION; Fortress Of Freedom did it's own advertising in print through our newspaper and on radio and television during our TV show.
Emily cuts the first radio ad in the Fortress Of Freedom studio!
We aired our first radio advertisement on Toronto FM station CKLN in early June, 2004. The broadcast reached a population of eight million people in southern Ontario. The ad played for over one month during the controversial "rude awakening" show on Wednesday mornings. Our first on-air broadcast!
Our first television ad played on The Fortress TV Show in September, 2005. This commercial reached a broadcast population of 15 million people in Ontario and northern New York State and Michigan in terestrial signal and cable.
MEET THE PEOPLE AT FOF!
Maurice Ali
Maurice Ali
Who is Maurice Ali? He is a man committed to bringing free speech to the world by bringing the mass media to the masses! He is the current president and CEO of the Fortress Group Of Companies:
International Association Of Independent Journalists Inc.
Fortress Of Freedom Inc.
International Archiving Of Independent Journalists Inc.
MORE VISION
IAIJ
Maurice Was born on September 23, 1959 in the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and spent the first three years of his life there while his father studied at the University Of Manitoba. The family moved to Edmonton where Maurice's father studied for his Masters degree in civil engineering at the University of Alberta and then the family stayed put in Edmonton as his father assumed a teaching position at NAIT (Northern Alberta Institute Of Technology). Career changes for Maurice's father at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation lead to the family moving to Toronto in 1975 where Maurice continues to live to this day.
Maurice Ali graduated from the Ontario 13 year school program at 17 years of age getting his high school diploma and enrolling in the prestigious Ryerson Business School in downtown Toronto. He then graduated from Ryerson with his business diploma at the age of twenty (one of the youngest) and then worked for KMart Inc. receiving a promotion to asst. manager of one of their department stores in the Hamilton area of Ontario (again, one of the youngest to do so). He then enrolled at York University to study philosophy and received his Hons BA degree in 1984 at the age of 24.
Some paperwork!
Maurice then registered a company called Creative Exchange in that same year. This became an advertising company that originally specialized in print advertising but rapidly changed direction to pursue television advertising and telemarketing.
Maurice then began his sales career with the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company selling life insurance, group insurance and annuities and certain bonds. He excelled at his position, but did so by only providing his customers with the services they needed (which originally cause some concern with higher ups, but when they went with him on sales calls they had nothing but praise). Maurice also won sales awards like Metropolitan Life's "Salesman Of The Month Award!":
From then on it was starting small companies ranging from custom car modifications to antique appraisal and finally political lobby for individual rights at the federal level of government. It was Maurice's experiences in the political process that set the stage for his involvement with the Fortress Of Freedom organization. His philosophical character instilled morality, ethics and love for free speech and the rights of his fellow man. His business education and experience has enabled him to put his ideology to practical applications to "bring the mass media to the masses!" The Fortress Of Freedom Group of companies came into being in January of 2004 with Maurice Ali as president and CEO and a diverse group of directors from all races and areas of the world.
The Fortress Of Freedom group of companies has grown and developed abilities that will be of benefit to the world at large!
Shane Murphy
Shane Murphy
Shane Murphy (AKA: Shane, Frenzy) occupies the management position of A&R (Artist Relations) Manager.
Mr. Murphy is 30 years old and brings his many years of experience and maturity to FOF to help with our growing urban music catalogue and the artists associated with it.
Ainsley Wronski!
Ainsley Wronski
Ainsley Wronski is our editor of the (York University based) Fortress Newspaper and she is also our office administrator!
MEET THE PEOPLE AT MORE VISION
Maurice Ali
Maurice Ali
Maurice Ali is an advertiser of 23 years and runs all aspects of the company and is currently the president of MORE VISION Inc. located in Toronto, Canada. See the above biography of Mr. Ali for a more detailed list of credentials.
Emily Smith
Emily Smith!
Emily Smith is our Account Exec. with four years of advertising experience in front of and behind the camera. She handles the current accounts portfolio of clients.
CONCLUSION
The Fortress Of Freedom group of companies and personnel have all of the necessary elements to pursue a broadcasting licence here in Canada. From it's business success to its media experience in radio and television, the news department and advertising company, and extensive community involvement; Fortress Of Freedom Inc. is ready to enter the world of broadcasting. We now seek interested individuals and firms that desire to be stakeholders and partners in our quest for our first broadcasting licence! Please feel free to contact us and begin a dialog on the possibilities.
We can be reached through our contact page available here: CLICK HERE
FORTRESS OF FREEDOM: BRINGING THE MASS MEDIA TO THE MASSES! |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Nov 29, 2009 11:49 am Post subject: |
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FOFSTOCK: Update 2: Mel Lastman Square!
By Shane Murphy, Manager: FOF RECORDS
We have more info on the concert scene. No confirmed acts yet as it is way way early to think about that. Here is an email I got from the man about one place:
| Maurice wrote: | 
Maurice Ali at Mel Lastman Square in Toronto!
I went up the elevator to Parks and Recreation at the old North York City Hall in Toronto for a meeting with two people from the city about my request to rent Mel Lastman square for a concert. The meeting began with me being grilled about my status as a business or organizational entity. They quickly figured out I had the credentials and was for real and things quickly went to money and permits and restrictions.
Short answer about Mel Lastman Square is that, yes, it is financially and logistically viable. The only possible snag is - you guessed it - dates! Dates are offered to known users and organizations first and then to new comers like Fortress. Also, they really want the applications in before the end of December for the upcoming year.
Here are the apllication and guidlines for the event.
I will keep money out of it as it may be negotiable but others are not. There is a decibel ban of anything over 85 and that may or may not be a problem for performers. Any food has to go through the usual vendors and permits have to be applied for. Depending upon the numbers, security has to be provided for and this could be one of the more expensive parts of the concert. The sound has to be provided by us but the person who runs the main out board is a city employee, probably to enforce the 85 decibel limit!
There are restrictions of chair seating near the stage and so on. Not to be crass but these are logistical problems through and through. Expect a crowd of eating yelling pissing and shitting people and all those needs have to be provided for or else you have trouble. We have to have access to the city washrooms or folk will defecate on city property and you know who will have to account for that..... They have to eat and we covered that a few sentences up there. The yelling and stuff is ok and anymore is handled by security. They did not really mention insurance as that was one of my biggest cost concerns but I will check the guidelines to see how liable I am for anything that goes one there.
That is a about it in a nutshell for Mel Lastman Square. We continue to vet sites and it really looks like a 24 month venture.
Maurice Ali |
FOF RECORDS: CUTTING EDGE MUSIC! |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Dec 03, 2009 1:19 am Post subject: |
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Corey Johnson joins the ranks at SOCAN, congrats..... Tons of paperwork these days. That is much of what we do now.....
Also it is a "red letter" day for me as I need to start usuing the "things to do" list now. Wow..... |
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Ainsley
Joined: 08 Oct 2007
Posts: 29
Location: Toronto
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 7:06 am Post subject: |
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Royalty Cheques To Be Paid This Month!
By Ainsley Wronski
We are paying out royalties for Christmas so if you have moved since the last payout let me know, or else! |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:00 am Post subject: |
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I spent all last night doing paperwork and today is mostly that and maybe some real video work later, but we will find out..... I was looking for a photo of "Boots" when I came across this old photo:
Funny, was there ever a time I was not doing paperwork. They look like they are having fun, could that have been possible? Nah, it was always about the paperwork.....
I will post a summary of this year later on in the week to come. This year was our best ever. We accessed the highest levels of media and these were repeat performances which was the really big news. Fact is I actually have a resume of productions to my credit and to the production house that is now FOF. IAIJ is coming into it's own also, and the paper will be much larger in the next issue. The demands are greater now in terms of paperwork but that was expected. No fun for me on the weekends but the results are very satisfying.....
That was a fun photo but not the best for the model. I was bored so I came up with this:
Ok it is back to work.....
An update..... What a crappy day!
I can't get anything done. All the printers are too busy and no parking and no real discounts. I actually slept some time after finishing Gianna's photo and not much else. Here is another photo that makes em feel good at this moment. Ainsley interviewing a non-interviewable Gritz! Sorry my man, but that photo is just too good to leave on the old hardrive.....
Well Ainsley is a real trooper with the CDs and copies of the paper. I suppose this funk I am in is the usual. Every once in a while I am distinctly aware that in a few ticks of time I will just not be here anymore. Imagine that, we put this stuff out of our minds, we rationalize it. But really, take that thought in and dwell one it. Things are coming to an end and all those trials and tribulations going on in your head will mean nothing in the end. What legacy will I have? No kids, so what will be my contribution to this world? It will still go on after I am no more, what will that be like? Lets just hope that this can go somewhere, this thing we have created. This experiment in social engineering. A more formal statement for sure later on in the month. But my mission is clear and the Fates could not have picked a more purist, theoretical philosopher and out and out devious scoundrel needed to get things done. Consider me like one of the early Romans still barbarous but with a streak of understanding and civility along with it, things got done then..... |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 1:48 am Post subject: |
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We have some new stuff posted but I will wait a day to comment on those. I work on my model's photos when I have a lot on my mind. So I am fiddling with photos while listening to "Head Like A Hole" by "Nine Inch Nails." Anyway I have improved Gianna's photo again:
Here is another photo from an earlier session:
That is unretouched, no makeup and hair pulled back; and the first is retouched and more commerical. Those eyes just pierce through you!
It is off to bed for me. As a parting shot here is a standard pose of the girl. Totally unretouched. Ladies and Gentlemen, that is a beautiful woman.....
And here is the latest photo of our female act "Buttonz!":
Goodnight! |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:08 pm Post subject: |
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Back to work.....
First is the review of Willis and company at the Newfoundlander:
http://fortressoffreedom.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2289
And then Dave has his take on a "Green Christmas:"
http://fortressoffreedom.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2291
"A red letter day" for us as I now have our first "skid" or pallet in use. I should really take a photo of the thing as it marks a small but important milestone.
I am now sort of blase' or still in this funk. The corporations have passed critical mass and are out of my control and doing things on their own, like in this year's spending. This is good news, for me, as that was my money it spent and not by the corporation proper. My creations remain debt free and take from others to do things. These babies were designed or engineered to be selfish and cunning and totally ruthless in the quest to fulfil their constitutions, and if I am not up to leading them, they are to discard me and find a more worthy representative. There will be succession and I want this! The philosophy and cause for this organization are more important than anyone individual. Quite simply: "I don't matter!" the only thing that does is the constitution and quest to become what it was designed to be, the true expression of its' creators, for the benefit of Mankind. Now where is that photo of the skid..... |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 12:17 am Post subject: |
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| Shane Murphy wrote: | Kevin Adgey Appointed Production Assistant!
By Shane Murphy, Manager: FOF Inc./FOF RECORDS
Kevin Adgey
The Fortress Of Freedom Corporation along with FOF RECORDS are pleased to announce that Kevin Adgey has accepted the position of "Production Assistant" at FOF Inc. and FOF Records. The appointment takes place immediately. Mr. Adgey will report directly to myself in all matters. Kevin has a wide resume of experience that made him our first choice for the position. His duties will be to help in all productions at both companies.
Kevin can be reached at: kevinadgey@fofrecords.com
From everyone of the various companies at our organization we all wish Kevin the best of wishes in his new position!
http://fofrecords.com
FOF RECORDS: CUTTING EDGE MUSIC! |
Welcome aboard Kevin! |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 1:10 am Post subject: |
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I spent all day just sleeping. I did take a break and went downtown just to check out the imaging specialty stores for deals and such and then it was back to sleeping. I kind of like sleeping in, a nice change. Later I checked the balances of all the accounts and topped them up. I am in a very pragmatic and rational mood lately after I had to settle all outstanding accounts and take stock of our actual financial position. We are still in the game but next year will see less in small projects and more concentration of the large projects and goals at both IAIJ and FOF and MORE VISION and even FOF RECORDS. Funny that the record label actually makes enough to carry itself, if I actually ran it as a company. The money is there, small as it is, and it is viable. That won't stop me from going ahead with the larger projects like "FOFSTOCK!" as I am not getting any younger but we are thriving in a business community that is dying..... Anyway, you will all hear more about our plans in the official announcements later.
One thing I really miss is making those no-budget music videos and studio shoots with our aspiring models and actresses back before we did anything. Nowadays they are frightened off by the fact we are for real and I will have to hire real models, who I actually do associate with but have not offered jobs as yet (that will be a MORE VISION thing). It is not the same as back in the day when we just dreamed about things. It was more play-time and fun at that. Getting on the radio and TV actually killed things for me in that department, it is more having to keep doing good just to stay where we are. When we started everything we accomplished was unexpected and a "sensation!"
No whining here as I am just making an observation. The really funny thing is that nobody snickers now if I were to use "CEO" in conjunction with all the corporation - I can even use "corporate conglomerate" - announcements and such, but I hardly can be bothered anymore. They accept it and quickly turn the conversation to the bottom line which is money and financing (which is what occupies my time these days.....). People actually pull me aside and genuinly want to know where I am going with all this. That really says I made it for that one business goal I had in business school. Really, I made it but it is not what I though it would be. Like I said before I am more like the "water boy" around these "CEO" people, now that is a real metaphor..... I think I will take another look at those early sessions with my ladies from those early days and see if my now "experienced eye" sees anything worth posting here..... |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Sun Dec 13, 2009 5:50 pm Post subject: |
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Another wasted day. Well I did go over the overall finances. But that was not it. I am setting priorities now. It is all a mind game and I have to get my mind right for next year. I really should stay away from people when I am like this it always is a pain to be near me at these times. Anyway it is all mental for me. As it is for this organziation. FOF and IAIJ are really just philsophical, conceptual, ideoloical constructs with the physical part being the way to broadcast the message. The CDs and videotape are just secondary media to work with broadcast. This is all mental. Some organizations have their might in huge assets and large offices with lots of people and titles. We operate on vapors with very little support and yet we have the reach of those other organizations, if not more so.
This is new stuff for a new stage in our world, and I hope I got this right as we are breaking new ground..... |
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Maurice Ali
Joined: 14 Nov 2003
Posts: 8139
Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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| Posted: Tue Dec 15, 2009 12:25 am Post subject: |
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It was back to work today and mailing and the long road of sorting through receipts for the year end. I am still going down memorie lane looking at old video and pictures. This one made me laugh though I forgot what I said to Emily here. That was shot while videotaping some stuff for the first episode of the series. We will be shopping that programing around next year. Anyway here is the photo.
And here is a really early one when we started the Journalist Org.:
IAIJ is very much in the plan for 2010. Wow it has been over six years since we started.....
Goodnight..... |
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