Augusta, Maine would have to be the coldest place I have ever been to, only Montreal rivalled it. I had long johns on, thermal under-shirt, super-thick woollen socks and I was still cold. It was early on Tuesday morning and I was standing on the top of a hill in Maine with four others. Jeremy, a Cape Codder, came up to me and asked, "What is happening in Sydney? It is all I see on the news." (more)

Scrymarch raised my attention to this book by Peter Turchin. It is definitely an interesting book, and I think the idea of multi-ethnic frontiers being the point that other imperial nations develop the cohesion to establish themselves is one very worthy of merit. Turchin also explores some other aspects of the development of imperial nations such as Asabiya and the study of cliodynamics. I also try to determine how Turchin's theories relate to Australia. (more)
# cam commented : More on Bali as the multi-ethnic fault line: I wrote this comment after the Bali attacks in March 2004 ;

[To Australia]... it wont matter, they have claimed the attack as Australia\'s September 11th. Australians suffered the greatest human loss from the attack. I wouldnt be surprised that Bali was high domestically on the list of targets, it is open to the world as a major tourist place, it is awash in Australian and other world currencies.

Australians are also well known for having their hedonistic holidays there of alcohol, sex and flesh exposing bathing. If American imperialism is the World Bank and USMC, Australian imperialism is hedonistic and bacchanalian holidays in regional paradises like Bali. That would offend local fundamentalist groups. Bali is more liberal than fundamentalists would like, it is more cosmopolitan than fundamentalists would like and it also supports Australian imperialism.

I reckon it is a fair statement, without any parochial vanity, that the attack was largely aimed at Australia. That isnt to assume that destabilising Bali and scaring off new tourists wasnt a goal. It is also not to assume that Americans and other Westerners were not a target as well.

I am pretty much arguing back then that Bali was the most visible reach of Australian (and Western) Empire into Indonesia. This is where the west meets the multi-ethnic and multi-religious fault line; hence the location of most tension.

Heh, unknowingly; I was probably partially arguing for Turchin\'s hypothesis back then.

cam

There have been several explosions in Indonesia. So far two explosions on Bali have been confirmed . This is on the same day as Australian federal and state politicians have restricted civil liberties in a response to no terrorism having occurred in Australia. Terrorism remains a foreign policy issue for Australia, not a domestic issue. (more)
Cam Riley: South Sea Republic. Freedom, liberty, equity and an Australian Republic.