Current Research and Other
Projects
(updated April 3, 2008)
Thanks to a successful
publishing career
in the United States, I was able to take partial early retirement at age 50,
followed by my official early retirement at 55. Along with many other
older faculty I was paid a rather large bribe (called an “early retirement
buyout”). I was ready to retire, not only because I had a number of
interesting projects in mind, but because I had begun to see all too clearly the
products of the “great dumbing down,” as it is now known. This included a
high school graduate who wasn’t sure what an “average” was! The university
was already half way to being a gigantic high school, even as high schools were
gradually turning into elementary schools.
The release from teaching and other university
duties enabled me to pursue long-suppressed interests, many of them revolving
around the natural world. Thus I began the
A’Nowaghi Project with
my wife Patricia, an attempt to take a five-kingdom inventory of a natural area
south of the city of London, Ontario, where we live. For this work we
received the top volunteerism reward at a public ceremony in the London
Convention Centre in the spring of 1999. Besides this award, we have
received five other awards in the area of conservation.
We were greatly concerned with the continuing
increase in pollution, global warming and, above all, habitat loss. We
have continued the biological inventory work ever since.
Microbial Research
With early retirement I was able to pursue an
interest that first blossomed when I was 12 years old. My father bought me
a simple microscope that opened up the micro-world of the Pottersburg Creek near
our home in east London. I pursued that hobby through my teens, replacing
the first microscope by a much better (but ancient) brass model that had been
used by generations of medical students. It was my early microbial mentor,
Dr Carl Robinow, who arranged this gift. With it I was able to see more
clearly the miniature flora and fauna of the creek and to extend the range of my
observations to the eubacteria. At early retirement I purchased a modern
student microscope and began a systematic upgrading of my ID talents (with some
help from microbial friends) to include over 300 species of protists,
cyanobacteria, micro-animals, and even (aquatic) fungi. I also began a
systematic inventory of area ponds and streams. When Robinow died a
few years ago, I was pleased to inherit both the ancient Zeiss instrument from
his early days in Germany of the 1930s, and the more powerful Zeiss that he had
used in his bacteriological research at the University of Western Ontario.
A New Tool for
Ecology
Around 1995, out of sheer curiosity, I made a
count of each species in a sample jar that I had retrieved in a visit to the
Logan Drain, a lively rural stream about 40 km from my home. I was
surprised at the shape of curve that emerged when I plotted the number of
species that occurred with abundances 1, 2, 3, and so on. I was astonished
to see not a normal (Gaussian) distribution, but a hyperbolic one, with most of
the species concentrated at low abundances. Surely this was not “natural.”
I checked a survey of plant species taken at Long Point, Ontario, some years
previously. Again the hyperbolic shape emerged. Thus began a line of
research that has blossomed into a veritable cottage industry of journal
articles and books. I discovered sound theoretical reasons to support my
introduction into the literature of a new species/abundance distribution called
the logistic-J, essentially a bitruncate hyperbola.
It was a wonderful experience to have two major interests, mathematics and biology, converge into one unified whole in the form of logistic-J theory, the most highly developed theory currently available. (I wish that was bragging.) Interest in the theory has grown, but grown slowly, owing to problems within the field of ecology itself.
As I struggled with my early publications in
theoretical ecology I discovered to my horror that the “science” of Ecology was
hardly that. Of the ten or so proposals for theoretical species/abundance
distributions extant at the time I first published, not one had been
appropriately tested against real data. Instead of a hundred datasets,
ecological writers had used only a handful to establish their claims. And
instead of appropriate statistical (goodness-of-fit) tests, they had used
relatively weak statistical tests or, worse yet, no tests at all except visual
comparisons! All of this fed into a scientific milieu dominated by a
postmodern atmosphere typified by books like The Ecological
Detective. (“There is no correct theory.”) Thus I had quite a
fight on my hands just to get published. On one occasion I submitted a
paper in which, out of sheer exasperation, I tried to explain how (and why)
goodness-of-fit tests had to be used with survey data. One referee said,
“We hardly need a lesson in statistics . . .” then proceeded to demonstrate from
his following remarks that he hadn’t a clue how or why the tests worked. I
agree completely with ecologist R. H. Peters (A Critique
for Ecology) and others, that the field is in an unacknowledged
crisis and overdue for a massive overhaul.
Shortly after I began my research into
mathematical biodiversity, I was given an appointment as adjunct
professor in the UWO Dept. of Biology. This has given me some working
space and the invaluable assistance and the advice of colleagues knowledgeable
in a variety of areas.
Cougars in the Woods
Another area of interest that began with early
retirement amounts to a sideline. It would appear that southern Ontario is
home to a population of cougars (Puma concolor) that may consist of
anywhere from a few to a dozen or more animals. Although I spend less than 1% of
my working hours on the project of gathering evidence for this thesis, the
question of the actual population size continues to intrigue me. In the
course of this research I have gathered dozens of reports, conducted numerous
witness interviews, done autopsies on predated livestock, photographed tracks,
and worked with the Ontario Puma Foundation. I have also been called by
Provincial Police and the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) to assist with
some investigations. I am satisfied that most of the animals in question
are “natural” and not escaped pets for the simple reason that pet cougars are
almost always declawed; the escape or release of such a cougar into the wild is
a virtual death sentence. Without its claws it simply cannot bring down
its main prey item, the White-tailed Deer.
I find it rather amusing that some people become
indignant over the very idea of a large predator in the area. Chief among
these are Paul Berton, Editor of the London Free Press and Pud Hunter, a local
MNR wildlife biologist. The pair consistently deny the existence of this
cat in spite of the massive evidence (including DNA) in favour of its
existence. I have no idea why Berton is in denial, but I understand
Hunter’s concern; once the MNR admits the animals exist, the Endangered Species
Act kicks in, along with some very expensive and time-consuming public education
programs. Who needs the bother? Ironically, MNR denial is probably
the best protection local cougars could ask for and I agree completely with
Hunter’s stand for this reason.
Interestingly, a certain percentage of cougars spotted by reliable witnesses in the area appear to be melanistic (black). According to my own data, the proportion seems to be around 20-25 percent. The presence of animals with different coat phase should come as no surprise. Other mammals also come in more than one colour. The Eastern Grey Squirrel, for example, comes in three colours (grey, black, and isolated populations of white squirrels in a few locales).
I have spent considerable time over the last
decade learning to track animals with the help of field guides and First Nations
friends. Except in disturbed or degraded settings, I can distinguish the
tracks of deer, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, squirrels and flying squirrels,
groundhogs, domestic dogs, cougars, weasels, mice, voles, and other
mammals.
Newport Forest
Much of my tracking work has been carried out at
Newport Forest, a large natural area that I purchased in the year
2000. But tracking amounts to only a small fraction of my work in this
magnificent riverine forest setting. My wife and I are continuing our
species inventory work there with the assistance of many local naturalists and
field biologists. We just passed the 1400 species mark and
climbing.
We are also deeply involved in a forest
regeneration project in the Lower Meadow, a three-hectare area undergoing old
field succession. We are attempting to bypass the thorn tree stage of
succession, leapfrogging directly into early stage canopy forest. We have
planted several hundred native trees there to build on the Newport woody flora
of oaks (5 spp.), hickories (3 spp.), maples (5 spp.), elms (three spp.), ashes
(3 spp.), poplars (3 spp.), birches (3 spp.) and beeches (1 sp.), not to mention
Tulip Trees and Black Cherries.
We enjoy going to Newport Forest tremendously,
often for overnight stays in a trailer parked on site. We visit all four
seasons, walking the 2 km of trails, watching the march and retreat of snow and
ice, massive flooding in the Thames and Fleming Creek, the magical emergence of
spring ephemerals (including the rather rare Virginia Bluebell), majestic
sunsets, hot nights drowned by Katydids, visits from mother raccoons and kits,
Southern Flying Squirrels gliding through the night, a myriad of birds by day,
and sightings of deer bounding away through the woods.
In 2007, I deeded the Newport property to the
Thames Talbot Land Trust (TTLT) to ensure its future preservation. My wife
and I now head a Stewards Committee appointed by the TTLT Board to oversee
maintenance, education, and research activities on site.
“Terrorists”
Everywhere
In November of 2001, I gave the keynote address
to a large gathering of the American Mathematical Association of Two-year
Colleges at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. At our dinner table, a young
teacher wondered out loud. “But why do they hate us?” She was referring to
the disasters of September 11 2001, a day still fresh in our memories. I
chimed in with “They don’t hate us at all,” much to the surprise of everyone at
the table.
I too had watched the TV on that fateful
morning. The anchorwoman had been interviewing a well-known spy novelist
when word of the plane crash into the WTC north tower came in. Before
long, she got a feed that “Muslim terrorists” were involved. She invited
the novelist’s comment. “That’s strange,” said the novelist. “Suicide is
forbidden in Islam.” The anchorwoman got that deer-in-the-headlights look
and quickly moved on to a new topic.
The remark about suicide caught my
attention. As a Muslim of some 35 years I knew that not only was suicide
(in any form) completely forbidden at the highest level (the Qur’an) but so was
harming innocent civilian populations! What possible motive could the
“terrorists” have to do such a deed? The word from Washington was first
that the suicide pilots expected the reward of paradise.
In a pigs eye! Such acts would earn them a
one-way trip to a place not noted for its air-conditioning. Well, then,
said Washington, ”They’re jealous of our freedom and democracy.” Has there
ever been a case of someone so jealous that they would not only kill themselves
to strike a fatal blow but willingly go the Hell? That’s what I call
jealous!
Ironically, the attacks gave George Bush and his
handlers the excuse they needed to begin the systematic gutting of the US
Constitution, removing the very rights and freedoms that the “terrorists” were
so “jealous” of.
The suicide aspect of the event completely failed
to make any sense. In the following weeks I searched news sources on the
web to get more background on the attacks. I saw early claims that the WTC
towers had been brought down by a form of controlled demolition, but discounted
that as too complicated. I therefore began to wonder whether the aircraft
could have been under remote control, the system being pre-installed in the
aircraft in question. In the end (a year later) I scrapped that idea when,
thanks to French researcher Thierry Meyssan (L’Imposture
Effroyable), I realized that there was no significant aircraft debris at
the Pentagon crash site. Indeed, there was no possibility whatever that
the Pentagon damage was done by an aircraft as large as a Boeing 757.
In the summer of 2003, a local gossip columnist
by the name of Ian Gillespie interviewed me by telephone about my work on
9/11. Although most people already knew I was Muslim, he apparently hadn’t
known until recently. I confirmed this for him on the telephone and tried
to point out that it was “irrelevant -- as indeed it was. But Gillespie,
who is not strong on technical issues, decided in his column (after comparing
our research to the search for UFOs, Sasquatches and what have you) that my
whole motivation lay in what he called “seeking solace,’ as though I were merely
in denial. Of course he didn’t check that “fact,” just as he never
actually read any of the details of the investigations, then ongoing.
In the years since that curious piece of
off-centre journalism, I have come to realize that the media are resisting
alternate scenarios as though the “war on terror” depended on it-- as indeed it
does. I began a website called Physics911 to publish the research
findings that had accumulated up to 2003. Soon I was being joined by
aerospace engineers, physicists, intelligence officers, physicians, high-ranking
military officers, and other professionals all of whom shared my basic
motivation of wanting to get to the bottom of 9/11. Some of the members of
our research organization contributed articles to the website, while others
searched for useful material. All wanted to be listed on site. They
were “standing up to be counted,” in effect.
There are now literally hundreds of 9/11
websites. most by individuals or groups wanting to make a contribution.
Among these sites is one where “standing up to be counted” is the main
function. The website called
Patriots Question 9/11 now features
over 1000 professionals, complete with photographs and brief statements of
understanding regarding 9/11. The professionals include scientists of
every kind (many well-recognized in their fields), engineers, airline pilots,
high-ranking military personnel, intelligence officers, experts in forensics and
explosives, experts in Islam, scholars, highly placed (former) government
officials, and others. Every week the site gathers another dozen or so
such individuals. In fact the rate of growth is itself growing, as more
and more people examine the evidence and realize that things are not at all the
way they thought they were. This all takes place against a background
revealed by reputable polls; about half of US citizens now regard 9/11 (and
subsequent “terrorist” attacks) with deep suspicion. Some think that Bush
allowed the attacks to happen, others (like the mainstream at the Patriots site)
understand them as a false flag operation.
One thing I never thought I would be doing at my
present age is to have regular contacts with the intelligence community.
It is something of an eye-opener to be told that in the upper echelons of most
agencies, from the CIA to Pakistan’s ISI, it’s an “open secret” that 9/11 was an
inside job. Al Qaeda is essentially an intelligence operation that entraps
young Muslims into buying explosives or attending training camps, joining
organizations that they are not told will later be identified as Al Qaeda
operations, and so on. Upper level operatives leave trails of false clues
for lower level operatives (frequently called “counterterrorism experts”) to
follow. Fascinating as it is, I would prefer not to know all of
this. It points to a widespread psychopathy wherein those who set the
agenda have created a deadly game of hide-and-seek to promote the “War on
Terror” and to give legs to the invasions of Afghanistan, Iraq, and (soon)
Iran.
Before I leave the subject of 9/11 itself, I will
provide a thumbnail summary of physical and other facts relating to the
destruction of the World Trade Center buildings. This usually kick-starts
the thinking-for-yourself process.
1. WTC Building 7 was deliberately demolished by
the admission of its owner. (on videotape)
2. Steel melts at 1350 degrees
C.
3. Steel reaches its critical point at 850
degrees C.
4. Jet fuel (kerosene) burns at 800 degrees
centigrade.
5. No inert material can reach a temperature
higher than the flame it is exposed to.
6. According to the 9/11 NIST report, the
fuel fires lasted no more than 7 minutes.
The “critical point” of steel is the temperature
at which steel loses exactly 40 percent of its bearing strength. The World
Trade Center towers, like most modern structural steel buildings were overbuilt
to the point of retaining its load-bearing capacity even at the critical
point. Molten steel, moreover. was seen (and photographed) pouring from
the sides of the towers and formed a vast pool in the basement levels for days
after the collapses. It is highly doubtful that in a mere 7 minutes the
massive core columns of the towers could have reached temperatures that were
even half way to the critical point, let alone the melting point. Another,
rather exotic heat source was apparently involved. Physicist Steven Jones
recently found significant traces of thermate in debris and dust resulting from
explosions in the towers. Thermate is a high-temperasture incendiary used
to cut steel.
Political and Social : Fascism
An illuminating video by social justice activist
Naomi Wolf provides a haunting account of her grandmother’s story of how
fascism crept into Germany prior to WW II. Wolf draws convincing parallels
with the fascistic elements now being installed in the United States (not to
mention Canada), all of them excused by the “War on Terror.” “It’s
happening again,” said her grandmother. “It;s happening again . .
.”
There is little question, even among some
prominent journalists, that western countries are becoming increasingly
fascistic. In concert with a media that promotes the “War on Terror,” each
step in the installation process is accompanied by media boilerplate on how we
must exchange our freedom for security, precisely as happened in early Nazi
Germany. The Reichstag Fire, Hitler’s stepping stone to power, is now
widely recognized as an inside job.
There are no “theories” involved in 9/11
research, only well-documented facts on the ground that directly contradict the
official story in multiple ways. Nor do any “conspiracies” enter the
mix beyond the following no-brainer: if Muslim/Arab fanatics didn’t do the
deed, someone else must have. That “someone else” would almost certainly
include include President Bush and his neoconservative handlers. If we are
used to hearing about “links to Al Qaeda,” we might as well get used to hearing
about “links to the neoconservatives,” including the five principle owners of
media in the west. The 1990s saw an unprecedented spate of concentration
of media ownership into fewer and fewer hands.
Short of a new investigation to reopen 9/11,
western society appears to be headed for a full-blown tyranny disguised as a
democracy. There will be subjects that no one can discuss and citizens of
our unfortunate land will be too frightened to do so. Increasing numbers
of people will be incarcerated as suspected terrorists, including those who
express scepticism about 9/11 (See Bill HR 1955 passed last year by the House of
representatives in the US.) Even now, an increasingly high level of social
taboo surrounds the subject of 9/11. That’s all it takes to control
society in the early 21st century. A “soft tyranny” that reorganizes the
planet to its own liking while a meek and spineless citizenry stands on the
sidelines, accepting torture as an everyday occurrence, but privately wondering
how things have gotten so bad.
I have a natural concern for fellow Muslims in
all of this, not to mention a certain impatience with an all too common attitude
among the Muslim community, most of them immigrants or the children of
immigrants. They want to be like everybody else and they take the media
spin as an implicit direction for their lives and attitudes. They don’t
like talking about 9/11 any more than they like thinking about the Islamic
contradictions at the heart of 9/11. You can count Muslims actively
researching 9/11 on the fingers of one hand. As for Ousama bin Laden, who
the hell is he?
Is there any crime worse than flying planes into
buildings and killing thousands of innocent people in the process? Yes, a
much worse crime involves flying planes into buildings, killing thousands of
innocent people, then pinning the blame on someone else.
Struggling to Retain My
Life
In the midst of these woeful times, I frequently
bury myself in ecological theory or conservation against the day when people
finally wake up to the true nature of the geopolitical world they actually
inhabit and call for a new investigation. I have a life and intend to
retain it, now spending about 20 percent of my time on 9/11, the rest in
activities that I actually enjoy, activities that contribute, in their own small
way to a better world. What else can I do?
At this time I am fine-tuning a method for
estimating accurately the number of species in a community of organisms based on
samples of that community. I have been pleased to consult with numerous
field biologists, using their survey data in my research and providing them with
appropriate guidance in their probing of living communities. I have nearly
completed a field manual that will be sent out to over a hundred biologists and
ecologists for vetting and testing as soon as it is completed later this year
(2008).
I also have about 40 jars of insects in alcohol taken by malaise traps set by an entomologist friend at Newport Forest in the summer of 2005. I have worked my way through a mere five jars, identifying the insects as I go. As a non-specialist, I can barely identify half of these little ones and I must discard the rest.
I continue to publish in ecology, including an
article in Elsevier’s new Encyclopedia of Ecology and a
chapter in a study of the Pinery, a dune-fronted park on the eastern shore of
Lake Huron. I have also confirmed the presence of the logistic-J
distribution in taxonomic data; plot the number of genera that have 1, 2, 3, . .
. species and the same curves emerge. These could be called “fossil
J-curves.”
As far as pure mathematics is concerned, I am working on a concept of “effective randomness” that measures the degree of randomness in binary sequences based on a spectral test. I am also boning up on quantum mechanics, being an old hand at Hilbert space. This is a fascinating subject with profound implications not only for physics, but for our view of the universe and our place in it.
The Chinese, I am told, have a curse: “May you
live in interesting times.”