Updated: 28th July 2012
There will be some interesting stuff. It is bolded so you can pick out items of interest to you. It might be a bit dry for some depending on how much you like History which I have quite a knowledge of due to travel, having had a number of foreign friends, readings and playing strategy computer games. You'll have to excuse me if I don't keep to the subject. I tend to go off at a tangent, a bit like navigating the world wide web.

I have an interest in computer games, gardening, history and geo-politics and have written several free computer games for various platforms. I like to read the Newspaper, and listen to the BBC News which reports on events all over the world. The British Isles have a very good Current Affairs Service.

My Father was a Military Chaplain (Vicar) in the RAF (Royal Air Force) during the Cold War of Rank Flight Lieutenant (for 4 years), then Squadran Leader, then Wing Commander, which meant we moved around a lot from one posting to another. His moto is 'knock it on the head'. Which means he has a list of jobs to do, and wants to complete them all as soon as possible. Like me. He represented 'The Church of Scotland' and 'Free Churches'; counciled Servicemen; as well as taking the Service; and Births, Marriages, and Deaths. My Mother worked intermitenly as a middle level Librarian. She was first to find the usefulness of the CD-ROM (Compact Disk - Read Only Memory) for looking up obscure texts for Readers. It is also very good for interesting and advanced Computer Games. See also helped out with Church activities like Jumble Sales.

Science is nearly Complete. There is very little left to be researched or discovered. But there are some unclear points. I used to believe the Big Bang created the Universe out of a Singularity, but this might not be quite correct as is. It is stated in Astronomy that 170 billion Galaxies appear to exist in the Universe. With our Galaxy the Milky Way measuring 100,000-120,000 light-years in diameter containing 200–400 billion stars! Allegedly! That is an incredibilly large amount of Stars and Planets. Perhaps the further Galaxies and Stars are projected by some means to test our Faith. Further Quantum Singularities, which are incredibly complex can Warp Space and might project other Galaxies etc...

And how can this new faster than light [sub-atomic] Particle exist? Of the Neutrino type. Discovered at CERN. Faster than light travel is supposed to be impossible by Einstien's General Theory of Relativity.

Also, Darwinian Natural Selection - who selects which off-spring will evolve, Death??? How??? How can a Caterpillar turn into a Chrysalis turn into a Butterfly by blind luck??? Without someone to design it? The Human Genome clearly exists, and can be mutated slightly by radiation from the Sun. Also it combines some traits from each Parent. But how can it evolve into something like a Colourful Parrot. How can blind chance recognise beauty in the Parrot?

It turns out God does exist and does all sorts of things for the World that he can't say because no one would believe him!!!!!

I have been on four Alpha Courses: http://alpha.org/. Where you discuss Scripture (from the Bible), watch 10 Videos that introduce Christianity, and have a meal where you meet new people - some of whom are Christian, and others who are Scepticle. And my knowledge of Scripture was greatly increased. Interesting Books to start on are 'Genesis'; and 'Exodus' (like the 'Ten Commandments' film); or 'Jonah' even which is only 1 and 1/2 pages! My Father left it up to me to read my Bible as it is your choice whether you want to be a Christian or not. I read the first page and it disagreed with Science so I wasn't interested. I picked up most Bible stories along the way anyway.

During 2002-2005 I had been having considerable problems with my concentration so am taking this opportunity to write some stuff down while I feel reasonably well. It was a bit like locked in sydrome except you can go for meals. Otherwise you spend the whole day lying on your bed in a state of extreme boredom, occasionly forcing yourself to get up once or twice a day, due to Schizophrenic Medication. The much better Medication Abilify helps enormously thus bringing Concentration back to normal levels. The food was poor, so I had to eat lots of Custard as it was the only thing that tasted good except it was too hot.

• My Studies Prep. School v. Comprehensive, Technical College, Polytechnic v. University. A number of interesting antidotes about my experiences through the 'halls of academe' plus some interesting stuff on how technology has advanced. Not exactly 'Tom Brown's School Day's'; 'Billy Bunter'; 'Goodbye Mr. Chips'; 'Porterhouse Blue' which stared David Jason as a Cambridge College Porter; or one of my favourite films 'the Guinea Pig' in which a very young Richard Attenborough wins a scholarship to a top public school, after coming from a working class background. But I think you will find it of some interest.
  Knowledge is not equivalent to Wisdom.

  Prep. School

  Comprehensive School

  Technical College

  Polytechnic

  University

  Al-Aqba

  
  

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• Articles from the now defunct British Amateur Electronics Club started in South Wales, which may be of some interest:
  • The proposed BAEC Computer with Core Memory and Teleprinter.
  • [JUN99] 25 Years since the first Microcomputer - the Altair.
  • Plus: Commodore PET Corner - about one of the first Microcomputers that was produced.
  • Free Doctor Who Games, and quotes from Genesis of the Daleks, with Tom Baker, and his Hat and Scarf. The fourth Doctor, and his assistant Sarah Jane Smith. By Terry Nation.

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• I am of a meticulous nature, which means I check things several times over. I trained as an Electronic and Robotic Engineer and Computer Scientist for a total of 7 years higher education. I know about a dozen computer languages, including Pascal which another Ledgard who I contacted once in Toledo, Ohio was on the development and standards committee. He was also interested in Left-handedness of which I am one - we are said to be more intelligent but less articulate due to the Right-hemisphere of the brain dominating, it actually crosses over and drives the left-hand. This hemisphere deals with Science, Mathematics, and stuff like that, while the other one deals with Language and Emotion. Women actually get to use both hemisphere's when talking, where as mean only use one.
  
• A lot of people learn a lot of useless stuff at University (1991-94) that they never use and then wait around on the dole for a year or more. I knew one person at the Job Centre who had a Degree in Electronics and had been unemployed for 7 years! Not wanting to take any old job. Of course some courses are more useful than others, I have noticed there is a reduction in Arts courses now students have to pay £3,000/year tuition fees. Now courses cost £8,500/year at the University of Portsmouth, in 2012.
  
• I am probably over educated like a lot of people in this country and probably would have been a lot better off getting a middle skilled job and pursuing learning in my own time for my own interest. Like the two useful 10 week night classes that I did in 1997-98: 'Introduction to the Internet' and 'Writing Web Pages' at Abingdon Technical College, Oxfordshire. I use NoteTab Pro to write my site, with .htm instead of .txt to make it a HTML File (Hypertext Mark-up Langauge). Cute FTP (File Transfet Protocol upload my site to the internet
  
• I used to be a Computer WizKid and the games I has written include: alt_ww1 & alt_ww79 for Microprose's Civilization II PC Game; and Spacestation2 & What_IF Interactive Fiction Text Adventure Computer Games.

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• I have been on a wonder drug called Seroxat since 1999 that has greatly increased my Self-confidence, steadied my nerves, made me more articulate, and stops panic attacks. It also lifts your mood, and stops Obsesive Compulsive Disorder. It is commonly available from your Doctor and prescribed to a lot more people than you might think. I would recommend it to anyone suffering from shyness. The pill generates Omega-3's in the brain which increases the firing of Neurons, across the synaptic gap between brain and nerve cells.

  Prior to this I found it difficult to hold down a job as I got very nervous in some sorts of environment like factories and wasn't articulate enough to do professional work which requires a lot of inter-personnel communication. I think Bill Gates of Microsoft, or Eli Whitney the Inventor of the Cotton Gin, might be on it too or something similar. As Gates seems to be taking a lot more interviews and makes a lot more public appearances than he used to. Unconfident people like programming computers, and playing computer games because they get to interact with the computer. A bit like having a conversation.

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• Check out Setting up your own Internet Site for a short note on how to set-up your own internet site. Be aware that most topic's 'environmental niches' are now occupied so you might be writing about stuff that's already on the web. Not the case with my site, for some reason there is very little about Colonization on the Web, much much more about it's big brother Civilization II which you can write historical scenarios for. There's not much about Railway Tycoon either. You also need to get listed on search engines and link to popular sites if you want any visitors. Useful Applications: NoteTab Pro, and CuteFTP. Write the code in HTML text - Hypertext Markup Language.

• Captain Invincible - set in New York City, and Australia.
• Superman Series from Marvel Comics, New York City. Christopher Reeve the Actor who player Clark Kent of the Daily Planet Newspaper, and Superman from Krypton had a terrible accident. He fell of a Horse and broke his neck. Making him Quadriplegic. He could only move his head, and thanked God he could watch the TV, and say 'Change' to change the TV Channel. He has now passed away.
  "Faster than a Speeding Bullet. More Powerful than a Locomotive. Able to leap Tall buildings in a Single Bound."
  
• War Games (1983) Full Movie - about how cool computer programming was in the '80's.
  
• Tron (1982) - early Science Fiction meets [understandable level] Computing and Programming. With state of the art graphics for the day. IBM'ers favourite.
• Other People's Money with Gregory Peck and Danny DeVito.
• Trading Places with Dan Acroid and Eddie Murphy. About a $1 bet between two high powered stockbrokers over a Heridity v. Environment debate [plus Medication]. Choicings two unfortunate characters: a down and out, and a junior stockbroker. Of course now a days medicine can also play a part to altering character. There are pills like for example Seroxat that improve self confidence, reduce nervesness, and stop panic attacks.
• Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (1981) by Douglas Adams (£5.95). See My Favourite Books.
• The Last of the Mohicans (£2) from Charity Shop. Set in 1757. During the on going 7 Years War between France and Great Britain in the Wilderness of Upstate New York. Both with Indian Allies (Huron, Ottawa, and Mohican), and Colonial Militia. Fighting for control of the Continent, and the lucrative Fur Trade. See The French and Indian War (1754-63).
• Coming to America with Eddie Murphy playing a main role again and some sub-characters, as a King looking for a Bride in ghetto New York. He even sets up Randalphe and Mortimer again, giving then a pile of money from his African Paradise country, setting them up as robber baron stockbroker's again, and getting them out of their cardboard box and back in business again! ;-(
• [William Pilgrim Father] Brewster's Millions. Character gets $3,000,000 he has to spend to get $300,000,000 from rich 'honky' Uncle. Can't tell anyone one so they all hate him. Even wins at bookies when he wants to lose! I get three FREE $1,000,000 bills from the cinema with his face on.
• Same character and his sidekick mate in Silver Streck runaway railroad train that ultimately crashes through station.
• Californian Goldcoast Flyer, two old time crooks relised from prison don't believe how much the world has changed and go to work in sweet shop or live in old folks home. End up highjacking train.
• Lawrence of Arabia with Peter O'Tool, Alec Guiness, and Omar Shariff. An Epic set in the Arabian Desert where the Arabs are fighting for their freedom from the Ottoman Turks: The Arab Revolt. With the aid of British weapons and training.
• The Man who would be King with Sean Connery and Michael Cain. Two adventurers set out from Colonial British India with 20 Sepoys past the Kyber Pass to seek their fortune. By Rudyard Kipling who plays the journalist telling the story.
• Gladiator with Russell Crowe.
• Doctor Who: Genesis of the Darleks (£8.50). See Doctor Who. With Tom Baker, Darlek being derived from an encyclopaedia: DAR & LEK.
• The Life of Brian (borrowed from a friend), a comedy take on the life of Christ by the Monty Python team. 'He's not the Messiah'. Popular Front for Liberation of Judea: 'What did the Roman's ever do for us? Except build Roads, Sanitation, Wine...'. At the Crucifixion they sign 'Always look on the bright side of Life'.
• Ben Hur (£3.20). By MGM won 11 Academy Awards. About a Wealthy Jew played by Charlton Heston who falls out with his Roman Childhood Friend who has been made Tribune, and is sent to the Gallies ('Row and Live!'). He saves the Consul from drowning in a sea battle and is rewarded with a pardon and by becoming his adopted Son (a common Roman practice). He goes back to Judea to find his Mother and Sister who were also punished, and meets an Arab Horse Trainer and becomes his Charioteer eventually racing his old Tribune 'Friend' in the great Circus Maximus, Rome. This scene took 3 months to shoot, and is very exiting with many stunts, one that cost someone their life. He then returns to Judea and finds his family to be leapers. Jesus makes several appearances, giving Ben Hur water to save his life, preaching to a crowd, and healing Ben Hur's Mother and Sister while being taken for Crucifixion.
• Dr. Strangelove (£2.01) or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb. With Peter Sellers staring in three lead roles. Incidentally he was born above the Chinese Takeaway, Next to my Local in Portmouth with does a very nice Sunday Dinner. The Plot: An Unhinged US Airforce Commander orders a nuclear strike on the Communist Soviet Union with B-52 Bombers. To get them with a first strike before they get us. The US President and his War Room have to try and recall them while warning the Soviet Premier to shoot them down before they reach their targets, or a Doomsday Machine will be triggered. Classic Line: 'No fighting in the War Room!'.
• The Ten Commandments (£3.40). About Moses also played by Charlton Heston sending the Ten Plaques down on Egypt to free the Jewish slaves, receiving the Ten Commandments from God, and their forty year wondering in the desert to find the 'promised land'. Exactly the same as the book of 'Exodus' the Second Book of the Bible. After 'Genesis'. DO NOT BUY FROM EBAY USE AMAZON. I didn't think it was possible to be a Communist and Capitalist at the same time. But apparentely it is in HONG KONG. I wanted to send a copy to my Christian Chinese friend there but they wouldn't do it and ripped me off twice.

• Living in America - James Brown
• Englishman in New York - Sting
• Together In Electric Dreams - Phil Oakley
• We Built This City - Starship
• Blowing in the Wind and The Times they are a changing from the Best of Bob Dylan
• There's no Limit by 2 Unlimited - Techno
• We Are and Cuz I Can by Ana Johnson from Spiderman 2
• Joshua Fit The Battle and Swing Down Sweet Chariot by Elvis Presley from Gospel Favourites
• Jesus Christ Superstar by Andrew Lloyd Webber
• Achy Breaky Heart by Billy Ray Cyrus
• American Pie by Don McLean - a tribute to the short life of Buddy Holly - 'Can Music Save your Mortal Soul?'
• Eye of the Tiger by Survivor from the Rocky films
• Video Killed the Radio Star by the Buggles - a rather old and objure one
• Waiting for a Star to Fall by Cabin Crew
• Keep On Lovin' You by REO Speedwagon
• When you go will you send back a Letter from America? by the Proclaimers
• Israelite by Desmond Dekker
• Burning in your Heart Waltzing Matilda by the Ladysmith Black Mambazo featuring China Black
• The Downeaster "Alexa" by Billy Joel - Billy Joel Lyrics
• Rocket Man by Elton John
• California Dreamin' by the Seekers
• Gold Bye Yellow Brick Road by Elton John
• War of the Worlds with David Essex (the Artilleryman), Richard Burton (the Journalist) and the bloke from Thin Lizzy (as the Parson - 'the Boys are back in Town'). 'Bows and Arrows against the Lightning'. H.G. Wells was a committed socialist and prophet a Science predicting 'Total War': Air and Tank Warfare and the Atomic Bomb. He wrote 'The Time Machine' and the 'Invisible Man' and predicted a Moon landing in one of his books.
• Hero by Enrique Iglesias
• Stan by Eminem
• Radio Ga Ga and Under Pressure by Queen
• Survivor by Destiny's Child
• Best of Rolf Harris Walzing Matilda - accorded to Rolf a Matilda is an old blanket that an Australian hobo used to carry round his meager possessions, his only 'companion'. It kind of reminds me of my Travels with my rather over loaded Backpack. When I was off travelling to far flung corners of the globe. With sleeping bag, and bedrool to insulate against the cold of the ground. Tip: just take what you really need, otherwise it will be too heavy to carry. Never happier, except perhaps when hacking the prompt, or solving a complex mathematical problem. It suited me then, I don't know if it would suit me now though. Star light hotel, where ever I lay my hat is my home.

David Ledgard, at the grand old age of 35. Pictured with Babbage's Difference Engine No. 2, at the Science Museum, London. A primitive Victorian Mechanical Computer made to calculate logarithms for navigation. It never worked as Victorian Engineering wasn't precise and cheap enough but the design was sound and has been proved to be correct.

Read On.

Tintin was the name some of the Students called me at University for reasons that I shall not go into. 'Tintin goes to the Moon'.

• I, David Magnus have a very mixed ancestory. Britain has a rich mix of bloods which makes us inventive in technology, and culture.
  • My Mother is 1/2 Welsh, and 1/2 London. Her Father may have had Roman Blood.
    
  • My Father is mostly Yorkshire, with Roman (Etruscan?).
    
  • I am of Roman, Brown Haired Celtic Blood, possibly with a touch of French from Western and Southern France brought by two English Kings in the 1400's. This made the Brown Haired British Blood. London ruled part of Northern and Western France for a while, to get the Wine. Drinking makes you happy, passes the time, and lets you make new friends. I am 7% French from Western France, with the intelligent blood. The Gauls, and some Celtic Tribes lived in France before Julius Ceasar invaded.
    
  • Canada has a lot of more hardy British Blood. Newfoundland and Labrador, has a lot of Southwest Blood with their own accent for fishing the Grand Banks. It is sparsely populated because there are a lot of flies.
    
  • Jonathan, my Brother has been genetically matched and found to have a tiny bit of Norwegian, and Danish.
    
  • I also have 20% Saxon, and 2% Angle. I know this because I had Yellow Hair when I was Young.
    
  • My Grandpa on my Fathers line was 1/8 Irish from County Leitrim. He was a strong man, who came over during the Irish Potatoe Famine. He worked in a Market Garden with Greenhouses and a watering system growing Tomatoes, Lettuce, Cucumber, and Flowers. And had a Shop, part time Market Stall, and Van. He bought in other Vegetables for the Stall. He went to Yorkshire Cricket Matches, and liked it on the Television.
    
  • The Irish know how to dig. But don't have to do much as the Navies who helped build the Canals and Railway Cuttings have been replaced by JCB's; the Seaweed around the Irish Coast is used to make Pharmaceutical Products, not fertilise Tatties. The Wheelbarrow can now have a Bird's Nest in it.
    
  • My Grandmother, Norah went to Church once a Week, did the Washing and Cleaning, knew how to Cook Meat of Two Veg. and Yorkshire Pudding (from her Mother), Watched TV in a easy Chair, Drank Tea with Biscuits, and went Shopping three times a Week. She voted for Margaret Thatcher because of her Hair, thought the people came into the TV through a door, and thought Hitler was a funny Man Who waved his arms about a lot. She is a bit like Dame Thora Hird. And was a Ledgard on her Mother's side also. And thought there was a lot of Tatt at Jumble Sales. She also Sang Hymns in the Church Choir, and raised two Sons.
    
  • Some Celtic Tribes Drank Milk, and Ale; others Drank Beer. The first Irish sailed over from Briton with Wheat, and Hop Seeds for Beer. Beer makes you strong, with a bit of Meat. The Pleasant Irish came to London as Good Builders, and to a few part Catholic Towns to escape poverty in the Counties. They didn't seem to have many Children, and are now old.

• My other Brother Jonathan is an International Journalist. He has written for the Scotsman Newspaper, and the Economist Magazine - serving in the United States, Eastern Europe (based in Prague), Afganistan, and East Africa (based in Nairobi). He studied at Prior's Court Prep. School, Berkshire; Kingswood Methodist Boarding School, Bath; Saint Andrews University, Fife, Scotland - reading Anthropology and Medievale History; and Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, Unitied States. I understand Coke and Pepsi Corporations are based in Atlanta, and it is a Railroad Hub. Jonathan uses a Apple Laptop for his Correspondence as it has some Class.

• My Mother works for Oxfam Bookshop in Oxford pricing and selling Second Hand Books brought in by Old Professors Wife's; the Oxford University Press; and Charitable People. She used to be a Librarian. When she was young she worked in a Library in Bradford. A new Pakistani came in, looked around, didn't know what it was for and left. Also some tramps used to come in for warmth.

• My Father is a was a Methodist Minister (Padre) in the RAF. We lived in West Germany for a few years in the late 1970's, as part of NATO. Also RAF Brize Norton, West Oxfordshire. But he is now lives in Scotland. He says NATO fought for 'Freedom'.

Rev. John Christopher Ledgard, my Father. Served in the RAF as a Military Chaplin, as a Squadron Leader, and Wing Commander.
Including RAF Holton; RAF Shawbury; RAF Saint Athan (South Wales); RAF Brize Norton; RAF Lyneham (now mothballed); and had a part time position at RAF Fylingdales (North Yorkshire) - a Nuclear Attack Early Warning Station (4 Minutes for the UK, and 30 for North America); as well as a Church in Whitby (in North Yorkshire on the North Sea). He then moved to Scotland as a Presbyterian Minister. He had always served as 'Church of Scotland and Free Churches'.

Alan Ledgard, my Father's Father. He had worked as a ICI (Imperial Chemical Industries) Technician, and Market Gardener (growing Tomatoes, Lettace, Cucumbers, and Crisantemos Flowers). Which he sold in his Shop, and on his Market Stall. In Yorkshire.

The Angel of Destiny also helped draw the 'Maplin Electronics' Catalogue Space Frieghter in a 'metalled London of 2485'. 'Maplin, the Way of the Future'.
There will be Spaceports in San Francisco, New York City, London, Paris, Berlin, Saint Petersburg, Baghdad, and Peking. In about 200 Years bringing much needed supplies from 7 Star Systems with Seven Planets, of Metal, Plastic, and 'White Goods' like Fridges, and Freezers. When the World Population will be above 1 Billion Souls. It will work using a Special Top Secret Drive that can not be disclosed at this point in History.