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[personal profile] tcpip
Last Monday gave my presentation to the Melbourne Interfaith Philosophers group on Celtic History and Mysteries. It was lengthy presentation and even at the end of it felt like we'd only scratched the surface; which is to be expected given the timescale and scope involved in the discussion. Perhaps appropriately Thursday evening was our regular Pendagron game, which included a journey to the north with Igraine and Morgan, as a case in point of interpretation there are multiple variations on Arthurian legend.

Tuesday night went to hear a lecture by the 2011 Nobel Laureate for Physics, Brian Schmidt, on cosmology and the increasing expansion of the universe, and its ultimate fate (accelerates forever, local galaxies combine, distant galaxies become spread apart). It was an excellent introduction to the subject, although I surprised myself somewhat with the realisation that I was actually well and truly up-to-date on this material. Inevitably one person did ask the classic stoner question, i.e., "If the universe is expanding what's it expanding in to?" (paraphrased). Following night touched on this material with a visit from R., who's currently going through separation from his partner of some fifteen years; a damn good night to reminisce and down a few wines and mead.

Very busy plan for tomorrow. Firstly, I am presenting a motion at the ALP State Conference on document discloure for Timor-Leste (my thanks to CF for much assistance in this matter). This is followed by a workshop for Linux Users Victoria. Then finally, a meeting of the Isocracy Network on the Responsibility to Protect.

Date: 2012-05-18 06:24 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com
"From the ancient Celts to the end of the Universe" all in the same evening - wow ! I wish I lived down under ...
:D

Date: 2012-05-18 06:30 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Two evenings (Monday for Celts, Tuesday for the universe) - but, yes it has been quite an intense few days.

You're perfectly welcome down here, you know...

Date: 2012-05-18 06:53 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com
Thanks for the kind invitation but I'm stoney broke - my (A)narchism isn't purely altruistic , you know . Spain is a nice country to be bankrupt in . Ana , my nextdoor neighbour , takes me for rides in her car . Today , we're going to see Martín in hospital . He's an old Esperanto-speaking (A)narchist , who teaches nian lingvon to the young (A)narchists at the top of our ancient castle , built by the Phoenicians .
: )

Date: 2012-05-18 07:03 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Maybe I should be thinking about a visit to Spain instead!

Date: 2012-05-18 07:38 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] fluffyblanket.livejournal.com
¡Vale la pena!

Date: 2012-05-18 03:37 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] saithkar.livejournal.com
Attended a lecture as part of one of my international relations subjects on the Responsibility to Protect, given by Gareth Evans himself. Nothing like hearing about the concept straight from the horse's mouth.

Date: 2012-05-18 11:31 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Did anyone raise the issue of East Timor with him? After all, he managed to avoid that responsibility for a very long time.

Date: 2012-05-19 11:10 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] saithkar.livejournal.com
It was only a one hour lecture and he didn't have time for questions.

I assume you're referring to the Hawke/Keating government's support of the Suharto regime in Indonesia at the expense of the people of East Timor?

Date: 2012-05-19 10:46 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
Well, Whitlam, Fraser, Hawke and Keating. Of the set Fraser was certainly the worst, and under Hawke and Keating, Gareth Evans was foreign minister from 88 to 96.

Evans' acceptance of Indonesia's invasion and his description of the Dili massacre of '91 as "an aberration" does stick out. His refusal to admit error on the matter is even more disappointing that the original claims.

Date: 2012-05-20 06:33 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] saithkar.livejournal.com
I guess at the time he could excuse himself as just implementing the government's realpolitik considering the position of Indonesia as our largest neighbour, but it seems that few elder statesmen can admit to the errors they made while in office. As you're implying, this is doubly bad considering his successful second career as a crusader for international justice and hie promulgation of R2P, which had it been around in the 1970s, would have necessitated a defence of East Timor against Indonesia's attempted annexation.

Date: 2012-05-21 11:40 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] tcpip.livejournal.com
... which had it been around in the 1970s, would have necessitated a defence of East Timor against Indonesia's attempted annexation.

That certainly may have been an ultimate conclusion. Due to our regional power Australia could have, and should have, been a very strong advocate for East Timorese self-determination - especially given a moral debt that many felt we owed to that country.

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