LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
BACKGROUND
I have to say that the response over the years has been more positive than negative,
but only to say that neutral is more positive than negative.
No one ever said I was wrong. One said I can't do this, I don't have the credentials. Most didn't say anything.
In 1986 I met Love. We don't have to know her name, she knows who she is. Almost all my friends ridiculed that.
Her friends always smiled. But you know what? I made myself pure and clean,
lost forty pounds, it took a long time, and ebentually realized that it is the Loving that makes it all good.
In 1987, I wrote a small book, dedicated it to my daughter Michelle, and her, and took it to the
AAAS meeting on February 14,1987. I remember handing it out in tears because
she, if my gut feelings were correct, wasn't interested anymore, . . She never was home when I called to ask her, finally
her mother answered and I told her what I thought, that it was over,
she said to call back on Thursday and she will be home. I did and she was, and it was over.
That would be the last time I cried.
The following Monday, Feb 23rd, I had this feeling
that she changed her mind. I even wrote it down in a book in red ink and dated it. I never date my stuff.
That feeling got stronger and stronger, I knew what it was.
Sure enough I went back the next day and yes she did change her mind. The rest is another story.
Three months later I read about SN1987A, the brightest supernova in 400 years. It occured on Monday
Feburary 23, 1987 at around 11pm our time. Stuff like that always happened so I didn't pay much
attention to it. I didn't know at the time they have a name for it. While at the meeting I met Ralph Meister,
who said it was "the simplest equation" even before I got to him, but after reading my stuff,
he said it was wonderful, but not scientific. Ralph's letters prompted me to study the philosophy of science and mathematics.
for an entire year before I came up with my notation. That was back in 1988, Then I got involved with
AAAS's Project 2061. Dr Roseman will remember this. Look up "science is a verb" on Google.
In 1994 I discovered Ludwig von Bertalanffy and "General Systems Theory. That was a surprise, I didn't know
there really was a general system. I joined his society and eventually created their website www.isss.org.
Well, they do not have a general system, and it looks like they are going to create their own website soon.
But for the most part I was ignored. However, a slender thread developed among certain people did take notice
and encourage me forward, Francois, Kineman, Banathy, Collier. Bela A Banathy told me about Spencer-Brown's
Laws of Form, and that led me to John Collier who led me to Lou Kauffman,
It was Kauffman who first properly understood what I was doing. We corresponded for a couple years, and a few
days ago he wrote this letter for me. He calls my notation MandelForm. I wish he would call it TommyForm.
I call it Tetronic Notation, Tet for Tetraheadron, on for one, or Tetron. Four in one notation.
This takes it all to a new level folks.
Now, the letters
Date 6-29-04 WORK OF TOM MANDEL
To: TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN
From: Lou Kauffman wtmkauffman.htm