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Comment from #%NigelBCook at 15:17 on 11_14_07

Hi Malcolm,

Just an update about your co-author Ivor Catt, whom I have written some articles about, e.g. http://www.ivorcatt.com/3ew.htm as well as blog posts http://nige.wordpress.com/2007/04/05/are-there-hidden-costs-of-bad-science-in-string-theory/ and http://nige.wordpress.com/2007/06/20/the-mathematical-errors-in-the-standard-model-of-particle-physics/ (parts of your work with Ivor seem to me to be vital for understanding
the physical mechanism for the gauge/vector bosons of electromagnetic fields
in quantum field theory). Liba, Ivor's partner, says she has contacted you. She contacted me and since I'm only a couple of hours drive away in Essex, I visited this afternoon. Here are my observations:

I took time off and visited at the hospital from 3-4.15 pm today, although I had to wait until 3.30pm to see Ivor Catt. Liba was there and gave some details. Ivor was admitted as an emergency case on 6 October and has been in intensive care at the hospital for about 6 weeks. He was in a coma for the first 3 days after breathing difficulties. He suffered pneumonia and has had a tracheometry so he cannot speak; he is currently on a ventilator and being fed fluids via intravenous drip. Apart from that, and some other infections he has picked up in hospital (which seems inevitable these days), he seemed fine, although was clearly in some discomfort from the need for the ventilator. He slept but had brief conscious spells with eyes open and
alert. Liba told me that Ivor is more fully awake in the evenings. The staff at the intensive care unit were excellent, although apparently they cannot make a full diagnosis or give a prognosis yet (despite the 6 weeks of tests so far). Liba said that Ivor seems to have improved slightly, and so hopefully he will make a full recovery although at the present time his condition is still extremely serious although stable. From these few details it looks to me as if a full recovery will probably take several months, not just a few more weeks.

By the way, Liba says she has not been able to contact David Walton.

Best wishes,
Nigel B Cook

nigelcook@quantumfieldtheory.org
nigelbryancook@hotmail.com
quantumfieldtheory.org

Comment from #%malcolm at 12:58 on 11_14_07

I recently saw 2 articles in my copy of the Guardian newspaper which summed up the capitalist credo quite neatly:

"More millionaires than ever before", was one headline, the other; "In danger of losing 14 primates".

So in our headlong rush to fill our bank accounts we deplete the earth even more. The infra structure of the USA is crumbling, people are working harder and harder and yet getting deeper and deeper into debt. But the federal government continues to spend billions of dollars on a war waged against a hard to define enemy. If that money had been spent to promote peace as opoosed to violence what could have been achieved.

The day of fiscal reckoning will eventually arrive, I hope that it will not be too painful for the many millions of americans whose hard work and values are being abused and exploited by central government.

I wonder of there is another so called developed country which has a government so far removed from the good intentions of its citizens? I doubt it.

Comment from #%malcolm at 09:30 on 10_04_07

I have been doing much reflection recently on the rationale and purpsoe of the whole blogging movement. Even asking myself what is the purpose of this web site?

I have a feeling that the actual effective power of social groups is both increased, and, paradoxically, decreased by the mechanism(s) of the Internet. Yes, we have the Power and Potential to reach many, many people, a vast audience, but, the fragmentation of the power base into thousands of uncoordinated efforts minimises the effectiveness of the individual groups.

"The web has no power at the dinner tables of the rich and powerful."

As a tool for information dissemination the web is remarkable, but even when we know about global warming, voter deception at the polls, voting fraud, wars based upon falsehood, we appear to be able to do very little. Where is the impetous for change today? Certainly not in Washington, London, Moscow, Paris or Berlin.

Sadly, we are the first generation in history that is bequeathing a less ideal world to our children than we inherited.

Billions wasted on wars, billions pilfered by government sanction, yest no money for health care and national infrastructure repair and maintainance. The dollar is a joke on the international exchange and the american people seem to be accepting this all lock stock and barrel.

When will our allegiance to Integrity and the well being of all surmount our nationalistic proclivities and our parachial vision.

Americans are incredibly hard working, when will they realize that they are being taken advantage of?

I have been watching the turmoil unfold in Myanmar (formerly Burma) and wonder at the cowardice shown by the ruling junta. What bravery to wage war against unarmed monks? If they could only realize that they would be far more powerful if they actually listened and responded to the will of the people?

Are there any individuals destined for greatness who can seize the moment and change the status quo? The opportunity is there, collaboration can create a model government, for the good of the country.

Hah, easy to talk of other countries, american democracy is a joke. Great in theory, so inefficient in practise. There is such a disconnect between the uttered words of the politician and their actions.

When will we see people of integrity step into positions of authority and power? Don't we deserve it?

Comment from #%malcolm at 12:47 on 08_20_07

I was recently flipping through the local paper (Providence Journal RI) and was shocked at what I saw. There was a complete legal section containing pages and pages of Foreclosure notices. I thought about the greed that had taken people and banks to this place.

Where is the Wisdom that reminds us not to overextend, not to live beyond our means? There is a potent mixture of human characteristics which do not bode well for the future:

Greed, Fear and Denial.

In denial people refuse to face up to the Truth, for the Truth might be threatening.

With greed individuals are attempting to assuage their loneliness through acqusitions.

Because of fear people try to live out a life filled with bravado and posture.

The commonm thread through these three characteristics is the challenge of not feeling worthy just as we are, and being rejected by society as somehow substandard?

I wager that folks who are deeply contented do not need the trappings of materialism.

On the spiritual path, the inner journey teaches us about acceptance. Not that life is necessarily any better, but we can accept our lot, and the challenges and difficulties with a reasonable amount of fortitude.

Moderation in all things, and simplicity. What value these concepts today for the families who either have lost their house or are in the process of doing so?

I have compassion for these families, I hope that they may learn a lesson and resist the overtures of capitalism in the future, for surely the banks and mortgage companies will come calling again.

Comment from #%malcolm at 22:12 on 08_13_07

In the Wilderness

I have been in the wilderness, pounding
I have been trapped in the wilderness
pounding the keys,
wearing out my keyboard

I have been in the wilderness
far from my soul
staring at the computer screen
fighting the gremlins of technology

Is this the path of my destiny,
pushing the boundaries of knowledge?
Far from the beauty of nature
stuck in this quagmire of software

Time has passed and I can see an end in sight
the 16 hour days are coming to a close
and I will have time for myself again;
It is time to get back to nature

and soon

I am walking through a forest of pine and white birch
each a miracle in its own way
the branches are thick with leaves
and I eventually find that I have
wandered from the path

I am lost,
I am in the wilderness
surrounded by woodland and hill
to the horizon, dense with trees
I am in the wilderness
and I feel happy
that I am
in the wilderness

© Malcolm F. Davidson 08/10/07

Comment from #%Malcolm at 20:11 on 07_15_07

What are the odds to there being another Malcolm F Davidson working in the IT area on the other side of the world?

Comment from #%malcolm at 13:59 on 07_01_07

Web sites take a hell of a lot of upkeep, and I have the greatest respect for those folks who not only provide contnet, but also those who craft a site and keep it up and running. There is a huge amount of complexity to cope with, and often I'm sure supprt engineers work many long hours resolving issues that it is difficult to bill a client for!

I'm also very aware of the challenges we all face when major changes take place with a site. Microsoft recently cam eout with Vista their new OS, that has consummed many many hours of development time but still the consensus seems to be to wait until all the bugs are worked out. (That'll be a long time)

I wrote a paper once on the cost of complexity and when you suddenly view it from the perspective of lost hours and system downtime it runs into billions of $$'s per year here in the US.

Comment from #%malcolm at 12:58 on 05_20_07

I have been working all hours of the day and night recently preparing a new web site for launch, hopefully by the end of the month. It will be an exciting site and I am very proud of it.

I received another email from an interested blog reader recently, but I am having difficulty contacting them. They made some wonderful comments which deserved to be posted. I am therefore thinking of closing down this site and using a more professional blog application, which can accomodate my musings more simply.

It would make it easier for folks to read my work. Although recently, because I have been so focussed upon this new web site, I have had no creative juices or energy to write any poetry. My manuscript which is ready to go to the printers, waits in a drawer, I just cannot afford to add one more thing right now.

Comment from #%malcolm at 10:38 on 05_11_07

I received an email earlier today from someone who asked the simple question, "What was I prepared to do to bring the world back in to Balance?". I'm paraphrasing, but the point is well taken. I cannot complain about the "planet" or the state of the governance of the USA for example without looking at my own behavior. For I am responsible because of my daily Choices.

We do not have a lot of money and so I sometimes end up shopping at WalMart, yet here I am feeling uncomfortable with the very corporate ethos they live by day after day. My so called insignificant purchases, helped supprt their way of management.

DO we totally disengage from society and live as hermits or do we make small changes hoping that others will do the same?

Many people feel alone today, how can we create the spiritual connections which make up for the loss off real connections that occurs paradoxically via the Internet.

Comment from #%Malcolm at 17:13 on 05_01_07

It has been too long since I last wrote in my blog. It's been a tumultuous few weeks both here in the US and on the world stage. Violence is the watchword and we continue to be inundated with news of killings and bombings.

What price Bill Clinton's denials now? We have made such rapid progress in fields of commerce and technology, but we appear to be devolving when it comes to our spiritual practices. I beleive it was Oscar Wilde who said, "Politics is the last refuge of the scoundrel".

Guns can be the tool of the coward who cannot face up to his own demons. (Both globally and locally). Most people manage to solve problems without resorting to violence, when will the US stop using violence as a means of management in the world? It enriches the few at the expense of the many.

Comment from #%Malcolm at 19:39 on 03_20_07

I've just speant 2 hours banging my head against the wall (metaphorically) trying to configure and learn about a Microsoft product. We have reached a point where the technology is so complex that those folks in the "know" are incapable of communicating with or empathising with people attempting to learn.

So now we lose sight of what we want to do and become mired in the technicalities of our tools. The amount of money and lost time that is wasted ech day across this country must be staggering?

What can we do to educate technologists so that they begin to use a common language and become better teachers to their students?

At this moment I have to call on all my inner emotional resources to refrain from smashing my laptop into 100 pieces! This kind of effort is emotionally draining and so wasteful and unnecessary.

How to reach Microsoft and educate them!

Comment from #%Malcolm at 19:52 on 02_17_07

$600.00 a neat sum, not much today, or so it seems. Half a month's rent for some, a mortgage payment for the lucky few. A few car payments and a monthly food bill.

A far as lawyers are concerned, it's merely a couple of hours work. In fact, I spent some time with an Intellectual Property lawyer, discussing whether I should use his services. A 30 minute meeting a couple of phone calls and an email or two. In all instances I reminded him that if and when he was going to charge me to let me know.

Of course he did not, but, more than 6 months after the last phone call, aftr I had informed him I would not be using his services, I received a bill for over $600!

In that time I have received 3 chords of beautifully seasoned hard wood, delivered and keeping us warm this winter. Each log carefully placed in the fire offering up its life for our comfort.

I have also had some incredibly high quality data entry services performed for me over a 2 month period at a cost of, you've guessed it, $600.

As I reflect on the values shown by the lawyer, the woodcutter and the data entry staff I think of exploitation and greed. My opinions of this lawyer has declined, whereas my opinions of the other two service focussed individuals has increased.

Have we not got our values somewhat skewed here in this litigious country?

Comment from #%Malcolm at 17:13 on 02_05_07

Monday after the Super Bowl and the beginning of the European 6 nations Rugby Championship. That's all the papers and the online blogs could discuss. All this and still the war in Iraq rages on, on distant shores, not once invading the pysche of the armchair quarter backs rooting for their favorite team or player.

Another 100 or so maimed or dead, which quarter was that in, the first or the third? Have we grown so callous that our abilities to feel for "the other" has been completely obliterated?

I wsa reading some online political commentary where the politician trotted out the usual mantra "We must not fail". By definition, the USA failed when it invaded Iraq, a sovreign nation. There can be no victory, from a moral or ethical perspective.

One of my older friends apologized to me recently for voting for Bush. He said he was ashamed. Once was bad enough, I said, but why the second time?

He faltered and said he felt security was imprtant, but now he realized that the President had been lying to the american public all along.

What price Clinton's lies now?