Hmmmm . . . After following this list for a while I offer the following observation: "Would it be better to DEMAND the full disclosure of the governments secrets rather than scramble around trying to keep ours." I am prepared to allow governments full access to my communications when they allow me full access to theirs. But then again, why be governed in the first place? Peter Nicol Global Media Magnet nicol@iap.net.au 019 111 943 "Nonlinear models differ form linear ones in a number of ways. Rather than trying to figure out all the chains of causality, the modeler looks for nodes where feedback loops join and tries to capture as many of the important loops as possible in the system's "picture." Rather than shaping the model to make a forecast about future events or to exercise some central control, the nonlinear modeller is content to perturb the model, trying out different variations in order to learn about the system's critical points and its homeostasis (resitance to change). The modeler is not seeking to control the complex system by quantifying it and mastering its causality; she wants to increase her "intuitions" about how the system works so she can interact with it more harmoniously."