It is interesting to note that the chaos/complexity "paradigm" is often portrayed as "cutting edge; the notions of hidden order in complexity and complexity out of assumed order, fuzzy logic, strange- attractors, spirals rather than linear chains of causality etc. The earilies known date of the Mayan calender, on which all later Mayan dates were based was 3372 B.C. according to "Native American History" by Judith Nies. The Mayas of Mexico and Guatemala conceived of time in terms of cycles within cycles with the smallest measurement being a cycle or religious year of 260 days inside a secular year of 365 days. The Mayan civilization in Yucatan, Mexico located time within large cycles like intermeshing wheels (3), with a system based on precise celestial measurements, developed a celendar more accurate than the calendar later developed by Pope Gregory. Some Mayan documents placed the end of the world at around 34,000. Of course elements of some of the essential concepts of "chaos/complexity" theory (paradigm?) can also be found in classical Taoist writings and Siberian Shaman stories as well. On another note, we have our very own "Tuskeegee" experiment in Washinton State. For over ten years, the multiplying physiological effects of radioactive waste leakage into soil and groundwater around Hanford were measured by using Indians living in surrounding areas as experimental subjects. Without notifying anyone of the monitoring or any Indians what was being examined, Indians were given "free medical exams" to take blood and tissue samples to test for escalating levels of radioactivity from radioactive waste. Further, those suffering diseases generally associated with radiation were given special "free exams." No theraputic treatment was given to any of the subjects. The Native American Student Council at Clark College, in reference to these experiments and to the celebration of "Columbus Day" have elected to propose a combined "Eichmann/Mengele Day" to the Board of Trustees and invite all students to "celebrate." They will be gathering quotes from Eichmann and Mengele contrasting them with quotes from the Diary of Columbus and making posters with pictures from the Nazi Holocaust contrasting them with images from the Indian Holocaust. The NASC has also proposed to gather from propaganda posters and other media, the most ugly and offensive (self-indicting) images and caricatures of people of various racial/ethnic/religious groups to create counter mascots/symbols/rituals/names for current high- school and professional sports teams. Suggestions included: "New York Niggers" (with an ugly caricature of an African American carrying a watermellon and doing the "watermellon shuffle"); "Kansas City Kikes" (with a football helmet symbol of a Dollar Sign superimposed on a Star of David); "San Franscisco Spics" (With the symbol of an overweight Puerto Rican sitting under a mango tree taking a siesta) and many other patently offensive (clealry self-indicting) caricatures--as offensive as "Washington Redskins", "The Tomahawk Chop", "The Bucktoothed Indian" of Cleveland etc. The NASC has also proposed to set up a Pow Wow and American Indian "Mall" (Foods, Arts/Crafts etc) at one of the Cemetaries of the Oregon Trail Pioneers since so much of Indian burial lands are covered by supermalls they figure a dramatic illustration to show how it feels. As the Faculty Advisor, I urged them not to do some dramatic stuff as it is "axiomatic" and "automatic", that the dialaectic will unfold, and capitalism will collapse under the weight of its own mounting internal contradictions, and therefore we don't have to actually "DO" anything ;-), but they had some kind of idea that more than just talking and writing to the converted is required for substantive change. Oh Well. Jim Craven *-------------------------------------------------------------------* * "Who controls the past, * * James Craven controls the future. * * Dept of Economics Who controls the present, * * Clark College controls the past." (George Orwell) * * 1800 E. Mc Loughlin Blvd. * * Vancouver, Wa. 98663 (360) 992-2283 FAX: (360)992-2863 * * [EMAIL PROTECTED] * * MY EMPLOYER HAS NO ASSOCIATION WITH MY PRIVATE/PROTECTED OPINION *